Late-glacial fossil midge stratigraphies (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) from the Swiss Alps

摘要: Abstract Chironomid midges (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) are sensitive indicators of environmental change, but relatively few studies have been made the response European midge faunas to high amplitude climatic oscillations late-glacial. In this study, late-glacial assemblages chironomid from four Swiss lakes, or former [Gerzensee (603 m), Leysin (1230 m), Regenmoos (1260 m) and Heremence (2300 m)] were compared contrasted. The study focused on beginning end Younger Dryas cold interval (c. 12 690–11 485 cal. yr BP) minor fluctuations (Gerzensee Oscillation, c.13200–12800 cal. yr BP, Preboreal c. 113 65–11 100 cal. yr BP). durations these defined climato-stratigraphically based oxygen isotope boundaries chronology was derived by correlation with GRIP records. Major differences in composition lakes' reflected altitude local conditions. Nevertheless, each lake fauna showed a marked major oscillations, demonstrating that large-scale temperature change had an overriding influence distribution midges.