Mediaeval climatic warming recorded by radiocarbon dated alpine tree-line shift on the Kola Peninsula, Russia

Studies of the tree-line history in northern Fennoscandia provide useful evidence about the Holocene environment and the region's climatic history. Here we report on late-Holocene alpine tree-line movement in the Khibiny low mountains on the Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia. A highly represe...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Holocene
Main Authors: Hiller, A., Böttger, Tatjana, Kremenetski, C.V.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications, London 2001
Subjects:
Alpine tree-line
subfossil wood
radiocarbon dating
Kola Peninsula
late Holocene
Pinus sylvestris
Mediaeval warm phase
Russia
Khibiny
Fennoscandia
kola peninsula
Online Access:https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=6427
https://doi.org/10.1191/095968301678302931
Description
Summary:Studies of the tree-line history in northern Fennoscandia provide useful evidence about the Holocene environment and the region's climatic history. Here we report on late-Holocene alpine tree-line movement in the Khibiny low mountains on the Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia. A highly representative collection of subfossil woods above the modern tree-line was obtained and 49 pine samples were radiocarbon dated. Their radiocarbon ages range fromc. 1400 to 3000 yr BP with a distinct maximum betweenc. 800 and 1000 yr BP (about cal. ad 1000 to 1300). We conclude that, especially during the Mediaeval climatic optimum, pine forests grew at least 100–140 m above the modern pine tree-line in the Khibiny mountains.

Similar Items