Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T19:15:03.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Holocene climate and landscape evolution East of the Pechora Delta, East-European Russian Arctic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Minna Väliranta ,
Anu Kaakinen  and
Peter Kuhry
Minna Väliranta*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, P.O. Box 64, 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
Anu Kaakinen
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, P.O. Box 64, 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
Peter Kuhry
Affiliation:
Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
*
*Corresponding author. Fax: +358-9-19150826. Email Address:[email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study presents a multiproxy record of Holocene environmental change in the region East of the Pechora Delta. A peat plateau profile (Ortino II) is analyzed for plant macrofossils, sediment type, loss on ignition, and radiocarbon dating. A paleosol profile (Ortino III) is described and radiocarbon dated. A previously published peat plateau profile (Ortino I) was analyzed for pollen and conifer stomata, loss on ignition, and radiocarbon dating. The interpretation of the latter site is reassessed in view of new evidence. Spruce immigrated to the study area at about 8900 14C yr B.P. Peatland development started at approximately the same time. During the Early Holocene Hypsithermal taiga forests occupied most of the present East-European tundra and peatlands were permafrost free. Cooling started after 5000 14C yr B.P., resulting in a retreat of forests and permafrost aggradation. Remaining forests disappeared from the study area around 3000 14C yr B.P., coinciding with more permafrost aggradation. The retreat of forests resulted in landscape instability and the redistribution of sand by eolian activity. The displacement of the Arctic forest line and permafrost zones indicates a warming of at least 2–3°C in mean July and annual temperatures during the Early Holocene. At least two cooling periods can be recognized for the second half of the Holocene, starting at about 4800 and 3000 14C yr B.P.

Keywords

Forest linePeatlandsPaleosolsPermafrostClimateLandscape instabilityArcticRussiaHolocene
Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 59 , Issue 3 , May 2003 , pp. 335 - 344
Copyright
Elsevier Science (USA)

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abramova, I.I., Volkova, L.A., (1998). Opredelitel’ listostebel’nykh mkhov Karelii (Handbook of mosses of Karelia). Journal of Bryology 7, supplement 1 Google Scholar
Andberg, A.-L Atlas of seeds and small fruits of Northwest-European plant species with morphological descriptions, Part 4, Resedaceae-Umbelliferrae. (1994). Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Berggren, G Atlas of seeds and small fruits of Northwest-European plant species with morphological descriptions. Part 2, Cyperaceae. (1969). Swedish Natural Science Research Council, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Berggren, G (1981). Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Betts, R.A Offset of the potential carbon sink from boreal forestation by decreases in surface albedo. Nature 408, (2000). 187 190.Google Scholar
Birks, H.H Holocene vegetational history and climatic change in west Spitsbergen-plant macrofossils from Skardtjørna, an Arctic lake. The Holocene 1, (1991). 209 218.Google Scholar
Bolikhovskaya, N.S, Bolikhovsky, V.F, and Klimanov, V.A Climatic and cryogenic factors of peatland development in Northeast-European USSR. Klimanov, V.A Holocene Paleoclimates in the European Part of the USSR. (1988). Nauka, Moscou. 36 44. (in Russian) Google Scholar
Brown, J., Ferrians, O.J., Heginbottom, J.A., Jr., and Melnikov, E.S. (Eds.) 1997. Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground-Ice Conditions. U.S. Geological SurveyGoogle Scholar
Christensen, T.R, Jonasson, S, Callaghan, T.V, Havström, M, and Livens, F.R Carbon cycling and methane exchange in Eurasian tundra ecosystems. Ambio 28, (1999). 239 244.Google Scholar
Ershov, E.R. (Ed.) (1996). Geocryological map of the USSR. Moscow State University, Lomonosov., [Legend in Russian and in English] Google Scholar
Eurola, S, Bendiksen, K, and Rönkä, A Suokasviopas (Guide to mire plants). Oulanka Reports 11, (1992). 1 205.Google Scholar
Faegri, K, and Iversen, J Textbook of Pollen Analysis. (1989). Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Filion, L, Saint-Laurent, D, Desponts, M, and Payette, S The late Holocene record of aeolian and fire activity in northern Québec, Canada. The Holocene 1, (1991). 201 208.Google Scholar
Gorham, E Northern peatlands. role in the carbon cycle and probable responses to climatic warming. Ecological Applications 1, (1991). 182 195.Google Scholar
Hallingbäck, T, and Holmȧsen, I Mossor (Moss guide). (1981). Interpublishing, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Hämet-Ahti, L, Suominen, J, Ulvinen, T, and Uotila, P Retkeilykasvio (Excursion flora). (1998). Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo, Kasvimuseo, Yliopistopaino, Helsinki.Google Scholar
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Houghton, J. (Eds.), (2001). Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Kaakinen, A, and Eronen, M Holocene pollen stratigraphy indicating climatic and tree-line changes derived from a peat section at Ortino, in the Pechora lowland, northern Russia. The Holocene 10, (2000). 611 620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khotinskiy, N.A Holocene climatic change. Velichko, A.A Late Quaternary Environments of the Soviet Union. (1984). University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 305 309. [Translated from Russian] Google Scholar
Koponen, T Lehtisammalten määritysopas (Guide to leafy mosses) Vol. 139, (1994). Helsingin yliopiston kasvitieteen laitoksen monisteita, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Kremenetski, C.V, Sulerzhitsky, L.D, and Hantemirov, R Holocene history of the northern range limits of some trees and shrubs in Russia. Arctic and Alpine Research 30, (1998). 317 333.Google Scholar
Kremenetski, C, Vaschalova, T, Goriachkin, S, Cherkinsky, A, and Sulerzhitsky, L Holocene pollen stratigraphy and bog development in the western part of the Kola Peninsula, Russia. Boreas 26, (1997). 91 102.Google Scholar
Kullman, L, and Kjällgren, L A coherent postglacial tree-limit chronology (Pinus sylvestris L.) for the Swedish Scandes. aspect of paleoclimate and “recent warming” based on megafossil evidence. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 32, (2000). 419 428.Google Scholar
MacDonald, G.M, Velichko, A.A, Kremenetski, C.V, Borisova, O.K, Goleva, A.A, Anreev, A.A, Cwynar, L.C, Riding, R.T, Forman, S.L, Edwards, T.W.D, Aravena, R, Hammarlund, D, Szeicz, J.M, and Gattaulin, V.N Holocene treeline history and climate change across northern Eurasia. Quaternary Research 53, (2000). 302 311.Google Scholar
Mangerud, J, Svendsen, J.I, and Astakhov, V.I Age and extent of the Barents and Kara ice sheets in Northern Russia. Boreas 28, (1999). 46 80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nalivkin, D.V Geology of the U.S.S.R. (translated from Russian by Rast). (1973). N. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Oksanen, P.O, Kuhry, P, and Alekseeva, R.N Holocene development of the Rogovaya river peat plateau, European Russian arctic. The Holocene 11, (2001). 25 40.Google Scholar
Pielke, R.A, and Vidale, P.L The boreal forest and the polar front. Journal of Geophysical Research 100, (1995). 25755 25758.Google Scholar
Post, W.M, Emanuel, W.R, Zinke, P.J, and Stangenberger, A.G Soil carbon pools and world life zones. Nature 298, (1982). 156 159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritchie, J.C, Cwynar, L.C, and Spear, R.W Evidence from north-west Canada for an early Holocene Milankovitch thermal maximum. Nature 305, (1983). 126 128.Google Scholar
Rusanova, G.V., Kuhry, P., (2003). Buried soils and pedorelics in the Usa basin (Bolshezemelskaya Tundra). Pochvovedenie (Eurasian Soil Science) Google Scholar
Seppälä, M Deflation and redeposition of sand dunes in Finnish Lapland. Quaternary Science Reviews 14, (1995). 799 809.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
State Soil Map of the USSR, (1982). Gerasimov, I.P., Egorov, V.V., Ivanova, E.N., Rozov, N.N., Fridland, V.M. (Eds.), Pechora Sheet. GUGK, Moscow. (In Russian) Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, and Reimer, P.J Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 14C age calibration program. Radiocarbon 35, (1993). 215 230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tveranger, J, Astakhov, V, and Mangerud, J The margin of the last Barents-Kara ice sheet at Markhida, northern Russia. Quaternary Research 44, (1995). 328 340.Google Scholar
Whalen, S.C, Reeburgh, W.S, and Kizer, K.S Methane consumption and emission from taiga. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 5, (1991). 261 273.Google Scholar
Whittaker, R.H, and Likens, G.E The biosphere and man. Lieth, H, and Whittaker, R.H The Primary Productivity of the Biosphere. (1975). Springer-Verlag, New York. 305 328.Google Scholar