200 Years of Loess Research: Jubilee Celebrations

On Saturday, June 15, 2024, the four-day 8th Loess Seminar commenced at the University of Wrocław, marking the start of a series of scientific events dedicated to the 200th anniversary of loess research, titled “Remarkable Ideas and Personalities in Loess”. The seminar will feature numerous presentations on the history of loess research, eminent scholars in the field, and the latest findings from studies on these unique deposits. During the field session, participants will visit key loess sites in southwestern Poland, as well as the village of Pokój (German: Carlsruhe), the birthplace of Ferdinand von Richthofen (1833-1905), the founder of the aeolian origin theory of loess.

Among the participants and speakers is Dr. hab. Przemysław Mroczek (Department of Geomorphology and Paleogeography, UMCS), who will present the latest paleoenvironmental research results obtained under the Polish-Ukrainian NCN OPUS 16 grant in a lecture titled “Multi-proxy studies unraveling paleoclimatic secrets in loess: insights from the Middle Dnieper Region”.

Following this, from Wednesday, June 19, 2024, for four days, the scientific event Loessfest 2024 will take place at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. For loess researchers – focusing on its genesis, lithology, stratigraphy, and environmental significance – this is the most important recurring scientific meeting. During the field session (Middle and Upper Rhine, Wetterau), participants will see geological exposures where, 200 years ago, the German term “Löß” was first used. The term was coined by Karl Caesar von Leonhard (1779-1862).

Two representatives from our institute will participate in Loessfest 2024, presenting the results of lithostratigraphic and landscape research conducted under the aforementioned NCN grant:

  • Prof. dr hab. Maria Łanczont: “Loess Landscapes as Chronicles of Past Climates: A Comprehensive Paleogeographic Study of the Dnieper Basin (Ukraine)”
  • Dr. hab. Przemysław Mroczek: “Integrating local and regional environmental influences in the Middle Dnieper loess-palaeosol sequences: new insights into Pleistocene stratigraphy”

NCN grant page: "Global, regional, and local factors determining paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental records..."

In the photo: Ferdinand von Richthofen (source: public domain)

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    Date of addition
    17 June 2024