Waalian interglacial

The Waalian interglacial (German: Waal-Warmzeit or Waal-Interglazial) [1] or Waalian Stage was an interglacial period of the Early Pleistocene in north-west Europe. It was preceded by the Eburonian Stage and succeeded by the Menapian Stage. It coincides with part of the much longer Beestonian stage in Britain.[2] It is variously dated by different authorities. Oxford Reference gives 1.3 to 0.9 million years ago[3] and the British Geological Survey 1.6 to 1.36 million years ago.[2] However, the 2020 chart of the international authority on stratigraphic dating, the International Commission on Stratigraphy shows it as c. 1.6 to 1.4 million years ago.[4] It is distinct from other Pleistocene periods in its complexity, vegetational composition, and vegetational succession.

Its name is derived from a major branch of the Rhine delta, the Waal.

  1. ^ Zagwijn, W.H., 1960. Aspects of the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene vegetation in the Netherlands. Mededelingen Geologische Stichting, Serie C-III-l, 5: 178 pp.
  2. ^ a b "Waalian Stage". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Waalian". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Global chronostratigraphical correlation table for the last 2.7 million years v. 2020b". International Commission on Stratigraphy. Retrieved 28 November 2021.