Landscape change and occupation history in the Central Russian Upland from Upper Palaeolithic to medieval: Paleopedological record from Zaraysk Kremlin (original) (raw)
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Quaternary International, 2021
During the second half of the Holocene, the Russian Plain experienced several climatic oscillations giving rise to changing vegetation patterns. The spatial variability of vegetation changes and its effects on soils is still a matter of debate. In the present study landscape response to Holocene climatic cycles was analysed on the base of detailed morphological, chemical and microbiomorphic analyses of a paleosol buried under the kurgan of the Abashevo culture (Middle Bronze Age) and a surface soil. Both soils located at the Tokhmeyevo kurgan cemetery (the Middle Volga region, Chuvash Republic, Russia) developed from the same parent material (mantle loam), at the same elevation and in close proximity to each other. Both soils, classified as Retisols, show a similar morphology and key analytical features indicating similar environment. The pollen and phytolith spectra confirm that both buried and surface soils formed under similar forest vegetation. The buried and surface soils at the Tokhmeyevo cemetery could be compared with the previously studied soils of the Sareevo settlement of the Early Iron Age and the Taushkasy kurgan cemetery of the Bronze Age. These studies confirm the stability of the forest environment at the southern boundary of the forest belt since the Bronze Age. At the same time, the buried soil at the Tokhmeyevo cemetery has a thick mollic horizon and black organic coatings overlaying brown clay cutans in the argic horizons, which sets it apart from the surface soil. The radiocarbon dates for the humus in the mollic horizon and black coatings in the argic horizon are surprisingly close to each other (about 5.5 cal ka BP and 5.2 cal ka BP, respectively). The data indicate that the black cutans are derived from degradation of the mollic horizon caused by a sudden increase in humidity during the episodes of extreme summer rainfall events. Our study also prove that the Abashevo people had complicated burial funeral rites. The earth mounds are made of the upper horizons of soils cut off from the surface in the vicinity. The central part of the mound consists of soil bricks with albic material used for the interior, while artificially rumpled material of the argic horizon was used for coverage. The use of albic and artificially rumpled material of argic horizon for earth mound construction implies the similarity between the buried and surface soils since the Bronze Age until today. Thus, the study of such construction techniques is important both for archaeology and paleogeography (paleopedology).
Geosciences
Several episodes of past afforestation were reconstructed in a grassland area of the Yamskaya Steppe site within the “Belgorie” natural reserve on the Central-Russian Upland. The pedological, palinological, pedoanthracological, and phytolith analyses were applied for studying paleosols buried under artificial and natural mounds, colluvial fan deposits in gullies, and closed depressions on watersheds. The watershed area was covered by the forest vegetation until 6000 years BP, as indicated by palinological spectra in the paleosol of this age. The Bk horizon of the Chernozemic paleosol buried under a burial mound of the Bronze Age (4630 ± 180 years BP) contained Fe-lamellae indicative of the preceded forest phase of soil formation. Micro-depressions within the local watershed contained charcoal-cored iron-manganese concretions with the radiocarbon age varying from 6055 ± 20 to 6155 ± 20 years BP. This age marked a deforestation of the area after large-scale fires. From that time on, t...
Quaternary International, 2016
Landscape and soils around the prehistoric Bronze Age site of Kamennyi Ambar, southern Trans-Urals, have been studied. The topography of the Trans-Ural peneplain was formed by denudation during Mesozoic and Tertiary. The resulting gently undulating plain was subsequently dissected during Pleistocene under periglacial climatic conditions, and wide valleys with gentle slopes were formed. The saprolized pre-quaternary rocks are covered by thin layers of quaternary sediments, which are sometimes loess-containing. Deposits of in-situ loess are almost absent. Most probably, deluviation under periglacial conditions played the dominant role and prevented the formation of loess deposits. Thin loess deposits are preserved only in some flat watershed positions. The Quaternary layers sometimes contain strongly weathered coarse bedrock components indicating a solifluidal genesis of the cover beds on the slopes. The degree of weathering of the autochthonous components increases towards the water divide where the cover beds consist almost completely of pre-Quaternary saprolite. The slopes of the Karagaily Ajat valley are structured by numerous smaller tributary valleys which usually have a yellow-brown loam fill and show in their lower parts gully-like linear erosion features. Decalcified Haplic Chernozems are prevalent soils in the fills of the tributary valleys, at the lower slopes of the Karagaily Ajatvalley, and in the loams of the Lower Terrace. When clay cutans and coatings were observed in the subsoil the soils were identified as Luvic Chernozems. On the gentle slopes, Mollic Leptosols or Leptic Regosols (Mollic) are developed in thin cover beds. Up the slope, the depth of the humus horizons decreases. When examining the layer succession of the near surface underground and the associated soils along transects across the tributary valleys, it was found that the thickness of the cover beds on the slopes increases towards the valley floor. In the soils of the Lower Terrace varying salt contents can be found. Mollic Solonetz were identified therein. Within the excavation area in Kamennyi Ambar, Anthrosols and Solonetz were found in the compacted layers of the older Sintashta culture, while Haplic Chernozems (colluvic) with similar features like the virgin soils have developed in the fillings of younger pit houses.
Eurasian Soil Science, 2019
Soil-archeological studies were performed in the area of the ancient Russian settlement Sorokino 1 dating back to the 13th century AD and located in the upper reaches of the Orlik River (Khotynets district, Orel oblast) within the natural zone of deciduous forests. Morphological, physical, and chemical properties of soils associated with the archeological monument and with the background area under the forest were analyzed. Phytolith spectra and the radiocarbon age of soil organic matter were determined in the paleosols of the archeological monument and in the background surface soils. A comparative analysis of the soil features-indicators of the environment-allowed us to determine and characterize the main stages of the formation of soils and landscapes under the influence of climate changes and anthropogenic factors. Climate-related alternation of the phases of steppe and forest development in the study area was revealed. Steppe conditions in the Boreal period of the Holocene were replaced by the spreading of deciduous forests in the Holocene Optimum (Middle Atlantic period). At the end of the Atlantic period, steppe landscapes reappeared in the area, which was reflected in the intensification of the activity of steppe burrowers (mole rats) in the soil profiles. Steppe formation in river valleys during the Medieval Climatic Optimum was replaced by the propagation of forests in the subsequent Little Ice Age. The analysis of phytolith complexes of different ages indicated that the forests growing in the studied area in the Late Holocene included both deciduous and coniferous trees and reflected cooler climatic conditions in comparison with the deciduous forests without conifers of the Atlantic Optimum. In the recent centuries of the active agricultural development, forests have been replaced by arable land and hayfields, which has led to the formation of chernozems in the areas previously occupied by dark gray forest soils (Luvic Greyzemic Phaeozems).
Buried paleosols in balks of Kalmykiya as a record of late Holocene nature and society interaction
Quaternary International, 2003
Modern and buried soils under valley sediments have been compared on the Southern Russian Plain (Kalmykiya) in the arid zone. The buried soil contains more humus and less carbonates, and pH values are lower. The humus content in this soil is comparable with that of modern Haplic Kastanozems and Gleyic Phaeozems. The comparison of differences in properties of buried soil at specific times and historical data on cultures' functioning in these periods has allowed us to reveal the interrelation of nature and society processes development in South Kalmykia since the middle Holocene. Three stages of landscape development are recognized:
Geosciences
Late Holocene landscape evolution at the southern frontier of the forest belt of European Russia is studied based on detailed morphological, analytical and microbiomorphic research of a soil chronosequence that included a surface soil and a soil buried under the Bronze Age kurgan. Both soils (Folic Eutric Cambisols) are formed on similar geomorphic surfaces in the same parent material and in close proximity to each other. The soil morphology and the key analytical features are controlled by low-reactive parent material and imply close similarity of the present landscapes and those of the Bronze age. At the same time the morphological features show that the buried soil was influenced by the phase of weak aridization, which led to the formation of a dark mull humus horizon. Microbiomorphic assemblages (phytoliths, pollen) support the earlier conclusion that the soils of the study area had being developed mostly under forest vegetation.
Guidebook for Field Excursions of the XIIth International Symposium and Field Seminar on Paleopedology ‘Paleosols, pedosediments and landscape morphology as archives of environmental evolution’ (10-15 August, 2013, Kursk, Voronezh, Russia). Moscow, pp. 89-97., 2013
The article is dedicated to the soil-archaeological investigations of the hill-forts in the southern region of the forest-steppe located in Central Russian Upland. These investigations have allowed to identify directivity and stages of the late Holocene evolution of plant cover on watersheds nearby of river valleys. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions carried out on the basis of comparative analysis of modern and ancient soils, buried under the defensive ramparts of the hill-forts. In Scythian time the places of watersheds nearby of river valleys appeared to be the opened grasslands, surrounded by forest vegetation which were subjected to the hill-forts to be originated. In the second half of the first millennium BC these watershed lands were fully occupied by the forest areas, which had displaced the steppe. Oscillatory nature of climate change in the Late Holocene reflected on the spatial-temporal dynamics of vegetation and soil fertility. In the beginning of the Sub-Atlantic period of the Holocene 2800–2500 years ago, climate moistening favored the expansion of woods along the slopes of river valleys and cloughs to watersheds. The subsequent aridization of climate 2500–1700 years ago stopped this process. A new stage of covering of watersheds by forests started no earlier than 1700 years ago – after new climate moistening. Episodes of climate aridization – steppization favored for soil fertility growth on the territory and suburbs of the fortifi edsettlements in the Late Holocene. The expansion of woods related to climate moistening decreased soil fertility and negatively influenced to grain farming capabilities. Статья посвящена почвенно-археологическим исследованиям городищ на юге лесостепи Среднерусской возвышенности, которые позволили выявить направленность и стадиальность позднеголоценовой эволюции растительного покрова в пределах придолинных участков водоразделов. Палеоэкологические реконструкции осуществлялись на основании сравнительного анализа современных и разновозрастных почв, погребенных под оборонительными валами городищ. В скифское время придолинные участки водоразделов, на которых стали возникать городища, представляли собой поляны или переполянья на черноземных почвах, которые были окружены лесной растительностью. Во второй половине первого тысячелетия до н.э. леса полностью заняли водораздельные участки местности, вытеснив степи. Колебательный характер климатических изменений в позднем голоцене отражался на пространственно-временной динамике растительного покрова и почвенного плодородия. Увлажнение климата в начале субатлантического периода голоцена 2800–2500 л.н. способствовало продвижению лесов по склонам речных долин и балок на водоразделы. Последовавшая аридизация климата 2500–1700 л.н. остановила данный процесс. Новая стадия покрытия лесами водоразделов в обстановке увлажнения климата началась после 1700 л.н. Эпизоды аридизации климата и остепнение участков на территории и в окрестностях городищ в позднем голоцене способствовали увеличению плодородия почв. Наступление лесов, связанное с увлажнением климата, снижало почвенное плодородие и негативно отражалось на возможностях зернового хозяйства.
Journal of Geology, Geography and Geoecology, 2019
The aim of this paper is to reveal connections between Upper Pleistocene soil types and the vegetation, which existed during their formation. Palaeovegetation was reconstructed on the basis of pollen analysis, whereas morphological description of palaeosols and the data from their laboratory study (grain-size and bulk chemical analyses, contents of Corg., CaCO3 and dry salts) were used to reconstruct palaeopedological processes. The Kryva Luka sedimentary sequence was accumulated in a deep palaeogully (the incision of which occurred in early Kaydaky times), where, as a result of high sedimentation rates, welldeveloped Upper Pleistocene pedocomplexes formed, on one hand, and very good preservation of pollen was thus guaranteed. Several phases of soil development occurred in Kaydaky, Pryluky and Vytachiv times (the Ukrainian Quaternary framework), all represented in the section by individual palaeosols, separated by loess-like beds, or by erosional surfaces. The data collected demonst...