Climate, environment and stratigraphy of the last Pleistocene glacial stage in Poland

The aim of the paper is to present general characteristics of the climate in Poland during the Vistulian (Weichselian), expressed by changes of its continentality during warm and cold intervals. This last glacial stage in Poland is commonly subdivided into Early Vistulian (MIS 5d-a), Lower Plenivistulian (MIS 4), Interplenivistulian (MIS 3), and Upper Plenivistulian and Late Vistulian (MIS 2). Main climatic features of this glacial stage could be reconstructed, based on compilation from published data concerning characteristics of glacial, fluvial and aeolian sedimentary environments, geomorphology, analysis of indicator plant species, Coleoptera, and geographical distribution of periglacial structures. These data were indicative especially for evaluation of mean temperature of the warmest and the coldest months but could be also helpful in determination of drier intervals and some aspects of general atmospheric circulation. Paleoclimatic characteristics of the last glacial stage from the territory of Poland were put into the European context. During the Early Vistulian in eastern Poland, higher continentality was characteristic for interstadials (Amersfoort, Brörup and Odderade), and was considerably lower during the intervening colder stadials (Herning, a cooling between Amersfoort and Brörup, Rederstall). Among the interstadials, the most continental climate occurred during Brörup (similar continentality as at present), considerably less during Amersfoort and the least during Odderade. A decreasing trend of continentality for the cold stadials of the Early Weichselian eastwards in Europe could result from a remarkably less dynamic Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic when the ocean was covered with vast sea ice during winters, whereas the adjoining continent was occupied by permafrost, and the atmospheric circulation was presumably driven also by the Scandinavian ice sheet.