Auel - Frozen Forests -

: Large mammals (megafauna) actually reached higher numbers during colder stadial climates, likely because the shift from dense forest to open steppe provided more grazing material.

The Auel sediment cores are vital for reconstructing "frozen" or glacial-era landscapes. Unlike many other sites, the Auel maar contains laminated (layered) sediments that acted as a natural trap, preserving pollen, spores, and chemical proxies of the surrounding environment. AUEL - Frozen Forests

: High concentrations of quartz-bound Si in Auel sediments reveal the intensification of eolian (wind-blown) dust during colder stadial periods, marking the transition from stable, forested land to exposed, wind-swept tundras. Megafauna and Human Coexistence : Large mammals (megafauna) actually reached higher numbers

: Research indicates that from roughly 60,000 to 48,000 years ago , the landscape was dominated by a boreal forest featuring cold-temperate wood taxa and steppe components. : High concentrations of quartz-bound Si in Auel

The Auel records highlight how vegetation cover dictates landscape stability.