: 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.
One of the most significant findings from the Auel site involves the presence of (spores that grow on animal dung like Sordaria and Sporormiella ). These markers prove that the "frozen forests" of the Eifel were never empty. AUEL - Frozen Forests
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. : Research indicates that from roughly 60,000 to
: 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
: During warmer, wet interstadials, the expansion of trees promoted landscape stability and active soil development.