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SOIL INDICATORS OF LATE HOLOCENE FOREST-STEPPE LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION ON THE RUSSIAN PLAIN

Fatima Kurbanova

Abstract

Archaeological objects, such as fortification ramparts and burial mounds are widely spread on the Russian Plain and commonly buried soils have well preserved beneath. For Late Holocene, especially after 2500 BP, the climatic trends for the Russian Plain are still uncertain. Chronosequences of surface soils and soils buried under defensive ramparts of ancient settlements Mukhino, Ksizovo and Degtevoe in the Central Forest-Steppe zone, Lipetsk region was studied. Five defensive earthworks differ in age from 2500 to 1500 years BP providing a detailed record of Late Holocene landscape shifts. For paleoenvironmental reconstruction spore-pollen, phytoliths, and DNA analysis, for the comprehensive study of soil properties ? micro- and mesomorphological methods were used. In Early Iron Age environment was similar with modern one, which is confirmed by the similarity between surface soils and soils buried under three ramparts of 2500 years BP (Greyzemic Luvic Phaeozems). The peak of aridization 1500 years ago, resulted in the formation of Luvic Chernozems with higher carbonate table and carbonate films above clay cutans. By the obtained data, we proposed to divide the Second half of Holocene into five paleoclimatic periods.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/3.2/s13.064

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