Loess & Palaeosols
Researcher: Dr Norm Catto
Alternating windblown loess and palaeosols indicate changes in climate. In southern and central Russia, the successions extend from modern-day chernozems and kastanozems to sediments pre-dating MIS 17. Studies include:
- analysis of East Asian monsoonal influences on loess deposition and soil development, Altai
- analysis of Mediterranean climate influence on soil development, Sea of Azov coast
- analysis of shifts in wind direction from MIS 17 to the present
- investigation of magnetic susceptibility and its relationship to genetic processes
- implications for climate and habitat for plants, animals, and humans
