Subfossil Coleoptera from Eifel maar sediments as indicators of the environmental evolution in Central Europe over the last 60,000 years

A reconstruction of landscape and paleotemperatures is presented from a composite drill core from the Eifel maar lakes of Auel and Holzmaar, Germany. The compositecore is 112 m long and covers the last 60,000 years (Marine Isotope Stages MIS 3, 2, and 1) based on the new ELSA-20 stratigraphy. Findings are based on an analysis of arthropod remains, with moisture-dependent, riparian or (semi)aquatic Staphylinidae representing the majority of beetle sclerites in the assemblages, especially during cold intervals. Assemblages change corresponding to climate and vegetation, with a greater variety of taxa during the woodland phases (60,000–44,000 yr b2k, i.e. years before 2,000 CE) versus cold adapted taxa during late MIS 3 and early MIS 2 (28,500–23,500 yr b2k). Beetles that inhabit damp, moist or wet locations, as well as aquatic or riparian taxa are present throughout the record. The assemblage corresponding to a period of tundra-like vegetation (29,000–24,000 yr b2k), contained three taxa suitable for temperature calculation (Arpedium brachypterum, Bembidion fellmanni, and Boreaphilus henningianus), all of which are found only in cold phases (Greenland Stadial 2 and 4, and Heinrich Event 2). Paleotemperatures were reconstructed via the Mutual Climatic Range method giving the following results. Mean temperature for the early tundra phase (28,500–27,800 yr b2k) is −32 to −2 °C for the coldest month, and 6 to 9.5 °C for the warmest month. Mean temperature for the later tundra phase (27,000–24,000 yr b2k) is −30 to −20 °C for the coldest month and 6 to 9.5 °C for the warmest month. This shift indicates an increase in seasonality towards the Last Glacial Maximum. Paleotemperature calculations are in good agreement with other European records and indicate a major decline in median winter temperatures towards the Last Glacial Maximum, whereas the summer temperatures remained relatively stable throughout Europe, resulting in an increase in seasonality and continentality.