Publisher © Czech Geological Survey, ISSN: 2336-5757 (online), 0514-8057 (print)
Malacostratigraphy of the Holocene tufa deposit at Babina near Hradište pod Vrátnom (SW Slovakia)
Abstract
The travertine deposit at Babina, situated at the foot of the Malé Karpaty (Little Carpathians) Mts. includes not only two interglacial travertine bodies (Ložek - Kneblová 1957) but also an impressive 9 m thick Holocene tufa sequence including rich molluscan fauna that represents a standard molluscan succession of the West Carpathian foothills (elevation 240 m) bordering the northwestern part of the warm Pannonian region (Table 1). Its lowermost zone with Discus ruderatus, Perpolita petronella, Vertigo substriata and Vestia turgida reflects parkland ofthe earliest Holocene. The overlying zone shows a rapid expansion of woodland malacofauna including some sensitive species (Buigarica cana, Cochiodina orthostoma, Piatyia poiita) typical of the Climatic Optimum. The interruption of tufa formation and soil development in layer 6 reflect the climatic break starting the late Holocene confirmed by the appearance of Heiicodonta obvoiuta and Oxychiius giaber associated with Hallstatt pottery. However, the area ofthe tufa deposit remained still covered by forest. Of particular interest is the early appearance of Aiinda bipiicata and the occurrence of Faustina faustina in basal layers, which may indicate the existence of a glacial refuge of thermophilous species.
