Holocene pollen stratigraphy indicating climatic and tree-line changes derived from a peat section at Ortino, in the Pechora lowland, northern Russia

• Published in: The Holocene
• Main Authors: Kaakinen, Anu, Eronen, Matti
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2000
• Subjects: Paleontology; Earth-Surface Processes; Ecology; Archeology; Global and Planetary Change; Ortino; Pechora; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/095968300677433659; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1191/095968300677433659

This study presents the results of pollen analysis and radiocarbon dates of a peat section from Ortino, in the Pechora lowland in northern Russia. A pollen stratigraphy is provided for at least the last 9200 years and it provides a basis for the reconstruction of the vegetational and mire history in the northernmost part of European Russia. Conifer stomata content was recorded as a complement to pollen studies to achieve a better resolution of tree-line fluctuations. The onset of Holocene warming initiated a vegetation succession that started first with herb-dominated tundra vegetation, and later with herb-shrub tundra. Combined pollen and stomata evidence suggests that Picea accompanied by Betula spp. spread to Ortino soon after 9000 14 C yr BP. Trees and a climate warmer than at present persisted until c. 3000 14 C yr BP, when forests disappeared and modern dwarf-shrub tundra vegetation developed.