Quaternary (2.58 Ma)

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Representation and status

Color CMYK
0 / 0 / 50 / 0
Color RGB
R: 249 G: 249 B: 127
Rank
chronostratigraphic Period
Validity
Unit is in Use
Status
valid formal name
Status discussion

Nomenclature

Deutsch
Quartär
Français
Quaternaire
Italiano
Quaternario
English
Quaternary (2.58 Ma)
Historical Variants
Quaternaire (de Serres 1832), Quartaer, Eiszeitalter (Schlüchter & Kelly 2000), Zeitalter des Menschen

Hierarchy and sequence

Subordinate units

Age

Age at top
  • Holocene
Age at base
  • Gelasian
Dating Method
The base of the Early Pleistocene (and base of the Quaternary) is defined at the Gauss-Matuyama paleomagnetic reversal, around 2.58 Ma, which also roughly corresponds to the onset of MIS-103.

  • Holocene (11.7 ka)

    Name Origin

    holos = fully, entirely , kaïno = recent

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Epoch
    Status
    valid formal name
    In short

    Most recent stratigraphic unit referring to the warm episod that began with the end of the last glacial period.

    Age
    Holocene
    Show details

    • Meghalayan (4.2 ka)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphic Stage
      Status
      valid formal name
      In short

      Last chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.

      Age
      Holocene
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    • Subatlantic

      Rank
      climato/palynostratigraphy
      Status
      informal term
      In short
      Current climatic/palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: from 2800-2450 calBP = 850-500 BC to present).
      Age
      Holocene
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    • Subboreal

      Rank
      climato/palynostratigraphy
      Status
      informal term
      In short
      Palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: 5500-2800 calBP).
      Age
      Holocene
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    • Northgrippian (8.2 ka)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphic Stage
      Status
      valid formal name
      In short

      Middle chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.

      Age
      Holocene
      Show details

    • Atlantic

      Name Origin
      Warm and moist climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
      Rank
      climato/palynostratigraphy
      Status
      informal term
      In short
      Palynological stage depicting a climatic optimum in Europe, and characterised by the presence of oak, elm, linden and iva (approximate range: 9000-5500 calBP).
      Age
      Holocene
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    • Greenlandian (11.7 ka)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphic Subperiod
      Status
      local name (informal)
      In short

      First chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.

      Age
      Holocene
      Show details

    • Boreal

      Name Origin
      Cold climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
      Rank
      climato/palynostratigraphy
      Status
      informal term
      In short
      Palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: 10200-9000 calBP).
      Age
      Holocene
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    • Preboreal

      Name Origin
      Transitional climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
      Rank
      climato/palynostratigraphy
      Status
      informal term
      In short
      Palynological stage of the European Quaternary, at the base of the Holocene (approximate age range: 11650-10200 calBP).
      Age
      Holocene
      Show details

  • Pleistocene (2.58 Ma)

    Name Origin
    pleistos = le plus , kaïno = récent
    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Epoch
    Status
    valid formal name
    Age
    Gelasian
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    • Late Pleistocene (129 ka)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphic Stage
      Status
      valid formal name
      In short

      By definition, the Late Pleistocene corresponds to the last interglacial–glacial cycle (Gondiswil Interglacial and Birrfeld Glacial in Switzerland).

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      • Younger Dryas

        Name Origin

        Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.

        Rank
        climato/palynostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Cold floral stage at the end of the Late Pleistocene (12900-11500 BP = 11000-9500 av. J.C.).
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
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      • Allerød

        Name Origin

        Named after the town of Allerød (Denmark).

        Rank
        climato/palynostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Warmer climatic oscillation of the late glacial Pleistocene (11800-11000 BP = 11400-10730 av. J.C.), identified on the basis of pollen analysis.
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
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      • Older Dryas

        Name Origin

        Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.

        Rank
        climato/palynostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        (12000-11800 BP = 11590-11400 av. J.C.)
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
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      • Bølling

        Name Origin
        série de tourbes découvertes au lac Bølling, dans le Jutland central
        Rank
        climato/palynostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Floral stage (13000-12000 BP = 11720-11590 av. J.C.).
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
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      • Oldest Dryas

        Name Origin

        Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.

        Rank
        climato/palynostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Ab ca. 18'000-15'000 BP, je nach Autor.
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
        Show details

      • Eemian

        Name Origin

        Named after the river Eem in the area of the city of Amersfoort (Netherlands).

        Rank
        chronostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        Nomenclatorial Remarks
        Riss-Würm interglacial (Alps), Ipswichian (United Kingdom), Mikulin interglacial (Russia), Valdivia interglacial (Chile), Sangamonian (North America)
        In short
        Initial palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Late Pleistocene («Tarantian») of NW Europe, roughly corresponding to MIS-5e and to the Riss-Würm Interglacial.
        Age
        Spätes Pleistozän
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    • Middle Pleistocene (774 ka)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphic Stage
      Status
      valid formal name
      In short

      In Switzerland the age of the Hochterrasse deposits roughly coincides with the Middle Pleistocene.

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      • Chibanian

        Rank
        chronostratigraphic Stage
        Status
        valid formal name
        In short

        New stage name for the Middle Pleistocene.

        Age
        Mittleres Pleistozän
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      • Saalian

        Name Origin

        Named after the river Saale (Deutschland).

        Rank
        chronostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Terminal substage of the Middle Pleistocene of NW Europe, between Holsteinian and Eemian, characterised by cold climate (culminating in the Alpine region with the Riss glaciation).
        Age
        Mittleres Pleistozän
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      • Holsteinian

        Name Origin

        Named after the Holstein region (N Germany).

        Rank
        chronostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        Nomenclatorial Remarks
        Hoxnian (United Kingdom), Likhvinian (Russia)
        In short
        Palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Middle Pleistocene (Ionian) of NW Europe, corresponding to MIS-11 and to the Mindel-Riss Interglacial.
        Age
        Mittleres Pleistozän
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      • Elsterian

        Name Origin

        Named after the river Weisse Elster (E Germany), a tributary of the river Saale.

        Rank
        chronostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        Nomenclatorial Remarks
        Anglian (United Kingdom), Okian (Russia)
        In short
        Substage of the Middle Pleistocene of NW Europe, corresponding to MIS-12 and characterised by a cold climate (culminating in the Alpine region with the Mindel glaciation).
        Age
        Mittleres Pleistozän
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      • Cromerian

        Name Origin

        Named after the East Anglian town of Cromer (UK).

        Rank
        chronostratigraphy
        Status
        informal term
        In short
        Initial palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Middle Pleistocene («Ionian») of NW Europe, encompassing several glacial/interglacial cycles under a relatively mild climate (Günz-Mindel Interglacial).
        Age
        Mittleres Pleistozän
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    • Early Pleistocene (2.58 Ma)

      Rank
      chronostratigraphy
      In short
      Geological subepoch characterised by a predominantly reversed polarised paleomagnetic field (Matuyama) and the onset of large glacial fluctuations.
      Age
      Gelasian
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      • Calabrian (1.80 Ma)

        Name Origin

        Named after the Calabria region (Italy).

        Rank
        chronostratigraphic Stage
        Status
        valid formal name
        In short
        Second substage of the Early Pleistocene.
        Age
        Frühes Pleistozän
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        • Sicilian

          Name Origin

          Named after Sicilia (Italia).

          Rank
          chronostratigraphic Substage
          Status
          valid
          In short
          Regional substage (= late Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
          Age
          Calabrian
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        • Emilian

          Name Origin

          Named after the Emilia region (Italia).

          Rank
          chronostratigraphic Substage
          Status
          valid
          In short
          Regional substage (= middle Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
          Age
          Calabrian
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        • Santernian

          Rank
          chronostratigraphic Substage
          Status
          valid
          In short
          Regional substage (= early Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
          Age
          Calabrian
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      • Gelasian (2.58 Ma)

        Name Origin

        Named after the town of Gela (Italia), Sicilia.

        Rank
        chronostratigraphic Stage
        Status
        valid formal name
        Age
        Frühes Pleistozän
        Show details
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