Natural and Anthropogenic Changes in the Soils and Environment of the Moskva River Floodplain in the Holocene: Pedogenic, Palynological, and Anthracological Evidences
- Authors: Aleksandrovskii A.L.1, Ershova E.G.2, Ponomarenko E.V.2,3, Krenke N.A.4, Skripkin V.V.5
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Affiliations:
- Institute of Geography
- Kazan Federal University
- University of Ottawa
- Institute of Archaeology
- Kyiv Radiocarbon Laboratory
- Issue: Vol 51, No 6 (2018)
- Pages: 613-627
- Section: Genesis and Geography of Soils
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/1064-2293/article/view/224559
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229318060029
- ID: 224559
Cite item
Abstract
Several series of well-developed paleosols of different ages have been examined on the Moskva River floodplain. In the beginning of the Holocene, forest-steppe biomes were widespread in this area, and dark-humus (Black) soils with stable humate humus and without features of textural differentiation predominated on the floodplain. The presence of meadow-steppe vegetation communities during this period is confirmed by the results of palynological and anthracological analyses. The lower paleosol in section RANIS 2 is represented by the deep humus horizon with 14C dates from 5500 to 8400 BP and the carbonate-accumulative horizon; it also contains large and deep tunnels of burrowing animals typical of chernozems. Wood charcoal is absent, and pollen of Artemisia and Chenopodium species predominates. Paleosols of the second half of the Holocene are represented by gray-humus and soddy-podzolic soils (Luvisols). In these soils and in the alluvial sediments, beginning from the Subboreal period, pollen of trees predominates; there are abundant charcoal of spruce and burnt spruce needles. In that time, forest-steppe and broadleaved forest biomes on the floodplain were replaced by southern taiga biomes. The second half of the Holocene is also specified by the human impacts on the local landscapes. Palynological and anthracological data attest to the large-scale burning of forests for pastures in the Bronze Age and, later, for cropland. The paleosol of the Iron Age is enriched in humus. It contains tunnels of burrowing animals related to the stage of anthropogenic meadows. It also contains pyrogenic calcite. The recent centuries have been characterized by extremely high floods triggered by the human activity; they have been accompanied by the fast accumulation of coarse-textured alluvial sediments and the formation of weakly developed alluvial soils.
About the authors
A. L. Aleksandrovskii
Institute of Geography
Author for correspondence.
Email: alexandrovskiy@mail.ru
Russian Federation, per. Staromonetnyi 29, Moscow, 119017
E. G. Ershova
Kazan Federal University
Email: alexandrovskiy@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Kremlevskaya ul. 18, Kazan, Tatarstan Republic, 420008
E. V. Ponomarenko
Kazan Federal University; University of Ottawa
Email: alexandrovskiy@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Kremlevskaya ul. 18, Kazan, Tatarstan Republic, 420008; 75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6NP
N. A. Krenke
Institute of Archaeology
Email: alexandrovskiy@mail.ru
Russian Federation, ul. D. Ul’yanova 19, Moscow, 117036
V. V. Skripkin
Kyiv Radiocarbon Laboratory
Email: alexandrovskiy@mail.ru
Ukraine, Palladin Ave. 34, Kyiv, Kyiv-142