Vegetation and climate history of the Teberda river valley (Western Caucasus) in the late Holocene from the palynological data
https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU0579-9414.5.79.5.7
Abstract
The paper presents a reconstruction of the Late Holocene vegetation and climate changes in the Teberda River valley (highland part of the Western Caucasus), based on palynological data from the Lake Karakel’ sediment cores. A high time resolution (20–30 years) of obtained results gives us a unique possibility for detailed studies of natural environment dynamics in the Western Caucasus. According to the age-depth model based on 10 radiocarbon AMS dating, the sediments of the studied core formed during the last 2200 years with a stable accumulation rate without hiatuses. The obtained pollen data showed that during this time interval three stages of climate cooling were determined: 236 BC – 107 AD, 875–995 AD and 1210–1780 AD, as well as three stages of warming: 107–875 AD and 995–1210 AD and starting from 1780 to the present. Cooling phases were characterized by increasing abundance of Picea and Abies in forest stands, the expansion of pine forests and decreasing participation of broad-leaved species in vegetation cover. During the warm stages favourable conditions were created for the spread of Carpinus and Fagus-Carpinus forests with an admixture of Quercus, Ulmus, Acer, Fraxinus and Ostrya. The period of the Medieval Climate Anomaly between 995 and 1210 AD was revealed by the palynological data from the Karakel Lake and was distinguished by the maximum abundance of broad-leaved tree species in forests of the Teberda River valley. The subsequent cooling of the Little Ice Age (LIA) lasted from 1210 to 1780 AD. No signs of different phases within the LIA were determined by pollen analysis despite the high temporal resolution of obtained data.
About the Authors
А. А. Chepurnaya
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Department of Physical Geography and Landscape Science
Engineer, Ph.D. in Geography
E. Yu. Novenko
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Department of Physical Geography and Landscape Science, Leaing Scientifi c Researcher, D.Sc. in Geography
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Review
For citations:
Chepurnaya А.А., Novenko E.Yu. Vegetation and climate history of the Teberda river valley (Western Caucasus) in the late Holocene from the palynological data. Lomonosov Geography Journal. 2024;(5):78-89. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU0579-9414.5.79.5.7
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