The Danube-Gunz interglacial (German: Donau-Günz-Interglazial), Danube-Gunz warm period (Donau-Günz-Warmzeit), often just Danube-Gunz, or also Uhlenberg interglacial (Uhlenberg-Warmzeit) is the second-oldest named warm period of the Pleistocene in the Alps. It lies between the Danube and Gunz glacials.
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Classification
The Donau-Gunz interglacial is defined as the erosion phase that followed the Danube glacial and preceded the Gunz stage. It is therefore represented by the gap between the two depositions that are attributed to the two cold periods; in the type regions of the two glacial there are various depositions. In the area of the Iller-Lech Plateau they lie between the Lower Deckschotter (Untere Deckschottern) of the Zusam Plateau and the Intermediate Deckschotter (Zwischenschottern); in the region of the Salzach Glacier between the Eichwald Schotter and the Older Deckenschotter (Ältere Deckenschottern); and the area of Traun and Enns between the Prägünz Schotter and the Older Deckenschotter. The erosion phase linked with this interglacial is very distinct and the composition of the gravels (Schotter) in the area east of the Rhine Glacier changes markedly.
Biostratigraphically the interglacial was dated in the so-called Uhlenberg Profile from a pollen stratigraphy perspective. Its assignment to MIS 23 or 25 is uncertain, because it would give an age of about 900,000 to 940,000 years. There are however indications that the Uhlenberg Profile may still be placed within the Pliocene, and it would thus not correlate with the Danube-Gunz interglacial. Also uncertain is its association with the North German classification because of its position in the underlying stratum of the Gunz it could correspond to the Bavelian or the Waalian interglacial.
The Danube-Gunz corresponds at least in part to the Swiss Deckenschotter glaciations.