Publisher © Czech Geological Survey, ISSN: 2336-5757 (online), 0514-8057 (print)
Malakostratigraphy of the Holocene tufadeposit at Stankovany (North Slovakia)
Abstract
The studied tufa deposit is situated in the Škútová dolina Valley in the NE vicinity of Stankovany on Váh River (near Ružomberok) at elevation 480-500 m a. s. l. The tufa sequence consists of fine to coarse-grained tufas with admixture of organic matter. The molluscan succession shows a development from parkland assemblages to snail communities of closed mesic woodland. The basal layers 13-12 (alm-like tufa) are dominated by hygrophilous and aquatic species, indicating an open alm-marsh environment, apparently within an open woodland. The molluscs reflect a dramatic reversion to closed forest at the boundary of layers 12a and 11, which may correspond to the final Boreal or early Atlantic. The second impressive change occurred only at the boundary 2/1, beeing reflected by a considerable decrease in species and appearance of xerothermophiles, particularly the neoendemic Candidula soosiana and the southern element Granariafrumentum. Since that time the tufa body has been eroded and drained, which may correspond to the deterioration of climate during the Subboreal and to late prehistoric and medieval reversion to pastureland. The developmental pattern at Stankovany thus largely corresponds to the standard sequence in humid east mid-European uplands.
