INQUA – Section on European Quaternary Stratigraphy

Dear friends of SEQS!

We experienced in September 2024 a very well organized INQUA-SEQS meeting in Tuscany. Thank you very much to Pierluigi Pieruccini, Davide Susini and their organization team.

Photo: Participants of the meeting in Gavorrano, Italy.

Here you find some general information about SEQS which was discussed during the SEQS business meeting on the September 28th, 2024 in Gavorrano:

The Section on European Quaternary Stratigraphy (SEQS) is approved to be an official working group within the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) from 2023-2027. The SEQS working group started an INQUA-granted new multi-year project for this inter-congress period, with an annual budget of € 8 000 for funding of ECRs and DCRs.

Upcoming SEQS Meetings 2025-2027

In 2025, the Universität für Bodenkultur. Vienna will host the next SEQS meeting, scheduled for September from 16th to 21st. The meeting will start with an icebreaker on the evening of the 16th, followed by sessions in the University on the 17th and 18th. Excursions are planned to the Vienna Basin on the 19th, Slovakia on the 20th, and Hungary on 21st. For 2026, Lake Garda (Italy) or Finland are being considered as SEQS meeting location. In 2027, SEQS will propose a session during the INQUA congress in India.

Quaternary International Special Issue

Pierluigi Pieruccini emphasized that special issues are traditionally related to INQUA activities but not exclusively. A special issue on Quaternary stratigraphy (QI) was discussed, with invitations for contributions from this meeting. Editors are needed for the next special issue, and Guzel Danukalova is proposed as the editor/co-editor since she is very familiar with the procedure. The special issue can encompass a maximum of 24 manuscripts, and guest editors are responsible for ensuring its quality. QI has employed a new concept of virtual special issues, meaning that individual papers related to a specific special issue are published immediately, and when all papers are ready, the special issue with editorial content is published.

 SEQS Board Changes 2024 – 2027

Markus Fiebig remains President as well Guzel Danukalova as Vice President. Pierluigi Pieruccini stepped out from his role of Secretary due to his new role as the Editor-in-chief of Quaternary International. He will stay a part of the board as Vice President. Kristine Asch is affiliated to the board due to the connection with IQUAME, and Eva Mencin Gale joins as new Secretary.

Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene Topics

The focus is on subdividing the European Early and Middle Pleistocene. The ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) subcommission on Quaternary stratigraphy, led by Adele Berlini, plays a crucial role. Objectives include defining stages and refining knowledge of the Gelasian, establish the GPPS for the Upper Pleistocene and identify a new Quaternary stage in the Middle Pleistocene.

Expanding the SEQS community

Regarding connections to Spain and Portugal, it would be beneficial to explore existing collaborations or establish new ones to enhance research and networking opportunities in this region.
The business meeting was embedded into the meeting program with 2 days of scientific sessions and 3 days of excursions. We enjoyed the meeting in Italy very much!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and hope to meet you again in the year 2025!

All the best!
Markus, Guzel, Pierluigi and Eva

SEQS

The Section on European Quaternary Stratigraphy (SEQS) is an inter-disciplinary international working group of Quaternary scientists devoted to study stratigraphy and classification of the Quaternary Period in Europe, the last 2.6 million years of Earth’s history.

The SEQS merges a variety of scientists targeting various aspects of Quaternary stratigraphy. The main aim of the group is to provide a platform for Quaternary scientists across Europe to connect and collaborate.

The scientific and networking activities of SEQS group are carried out through regular meetings, joint projects, websites, and publications of special issues.

The group also aims to cooperate with local institutions such as geoparks, universities and research institutes. The meetings enable networking among Quaternary scientists, providing a foundation for common projects, publications, and international exchanges.

Through its annual meetings, SEQS seeks to cover a wide range of topics, including Quaternary stratigraphy, geochronology, palaeoecology, sedimentary archives, glaciations, speleology, evolution, and many other related subjects. With this diversity the SEQS aims to bring together scientists working in a different topic to provide a comprehensive approach to understanding the Quaternary period.

INQUA-SEQS 2024 meeting in Gavorrano, Italy. Photo taken in front of the headquaters of the Colline Metallifere National Park.
Courtesy and © Markus Fiebig

INQUA-SEQS 2018 Meeting – Slovenia, September 2018. Photo taken at the Chrnotice Quarry. Courtesy and © of Guzel Danukalova

INQUA-SEQS 2016 Meeting – Armenia, September 2016. Photo taken at the Haghtamak 3 archaeological site. Courtesy and © of Edmond Grigoryan

INQUA-SEQS 2012 Meeting – Sardinia, September 2012. Photo taken at the Tyrrhenian Type Section on Cala Mosca, Sardinia. Courtesy and © of Jeroen Schokker