8) and Fe/Mn (106). The aim of this study was to reconstruct check details the development of the Littorina transgression in the south-western Baltic Sea area. Our investigation involved the analysis

of three sediment cores taken from Prorer Wiek, near the west coast of the island of Rügen, and three cores taken from Tromper Wiek, a few kilometres from the island’s north coast. The sediments from all the cores were divided into two main units. The lower one consisted of sand and silt deposited from 10 700–8300 cal BP, which corresponds to the Ancylus Lake period (Lemke et al. 1998, Jensen et al. 1999). This unit contained zone E (233230, 233240, 233250), zones E1, E2, (cores 246040, 246050), and zones E1, E2, E3 (core 246060). As a result of lithological and geochemical differentiation, the lower unit in cores 246060, 246040, and 246050 was subdivided into sub-zones. The lake environment represented by these sediments originated with

the glacio-isostatic land uplift of central and southern Sweden caused by the melting of the land-ice masses (Schmölcke et al. 2006). The existence of a lacustrine environment was confirmed by the predominance of freshwater diatom species, such as F. martyi, F. brevistriata, F. pinnata, PD98059 nmr F. lapponica, F. martyi and A. pediculus. All of these species are benthic, which is indicative of the development of a shallow-water environment in the coastal zone of the Ancylus Lake and/or other lakes in the area. The geochemical composition of the lacustrine-period sediments from all the cores was characterized by the predominance of terrigenous silica, low contents of biogenic silica and low loss on ignition. This composition indicates a dynamic environment

with mineral input likely from adjacent rivers. The lower ratio of the geochemical indicator Mg/Ca confirms the existence of the lacustrine environment, Isotretinoin whereas the low Fe/Mn ratio (< 50) appears to be related to the aerobic conditions of the shallow lake. A significant environmental change is visible at depths 130 to 270 cm b.s.l. in cores from Prorer Wiek. and depths 130 to 230 cm in cores from Tromper Wiek. This change took place around 8900–8300 cal BP. The lithology of sediments from all the cores changed to olive-grey mud with marine shells at these depths. Because of lithological and geochemical differentiation, the marine sediment was subdivided into zones F1 and F2 (core 246060). Zone F in cores 246040, 246050, 233230, 233240, and 233250 belongs to the marine unit. The main cause of these lithological changes was the Littorina transgression, which began around 8700 cal BP (Lemke 1998). The abundance of freshwater diatoms suddenly decreased and marine and brackish-water taxa such as D. smithii, C. scutellum, P. calcar-avis, P. sulcata, F. guenter-grassi, and F. geocollegarum emerged.