Holocene history of Lake Soldatskoje (Kola Peninsula, Russia) inferred from sedimentary diatom assemblages

A sediment core from Lake Soldatskoje, a small tundra lake located in the northern coastal area of the Kola Peninsula and surrounded by numerous archaeological dwelling sites, was analysed for diatom species. The core covers the entire Holocene, i.e. 10000 radiocarbon years. The diatom record has similarities with studies made earlier from tundra lakes of northern Russia and from Arctic lakes in general. The genus Fragilaria was dominant and many other small, benthic, nordic, cold-water diatom species typical of Arctic lakes were common, including Achnanthes minutissima Kützing, A. pusilla (Grunow) De Toni, Cyclotella tripartita Håkansson and Navicula absoluta Hustedt. Multivariable ordinations were used to characterize the changes in the diatom flora. Diatom-based pH and total phosphorus inferences indicate that the lake has become progressively more acidic and poorer in nutrients. Disturbances in the diatom stratigraphy of Lake Soldatskoje around 4000–5500 ¹⁴C yr BP may be related to human activity.     

Vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Russia during the Lateglacial and Holocene inferred from the Lake Ladoga pollen record

The new pollen record from the upper 12.75 m of a sediment core obtained in Lake Ladoga documents regional vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Russia over the last 13.9 cal. ka. The Lateglacial chronostratigraphy is based on varve chronology, while the Holocene stratigraphy is based on AMS ¹⁴C and OSL dates, supported by comparison with regional pollen records. During the Lateglacial (c. 13.9–11.2 cal. ka BP), the Lake Ladoga region experienced several climatic fluctuations as reflected in vegetation changes. Shrub and grass communities dominated between c. 13.9 and 13.2 cal. ka BP. The increase in Picea pollen at c. 13.2 cal. ka BP probably reflects the appearance of spruce in the southern Ladoga region at the beginning of the Allerød interstadial. After c. 12.6 cal. ka BP, the Younger Dryas cooling caused a significant decrease in spruce and increase in Artemisia with other herbs, indicative of tundra‐ and steppe‐like vegetation. A sharp transition from tundra‐steppe habitats to sparse birch forests characterizes the onset of Holocene warming c. 11.2 cal. ka BP. Pine forests dominated in the region from c. 9.0 to 8.1 cal. ka BP. The most favourable climatic conditions for deciduous broad‐leaved taxa existed between c. 8.1 and 5.5 cal. ka BP. Alder experiences an abrupt increase in the local vegetation c. 7.8 cal. ka BP. The decrease in tree pollen taxa (especially Picea) and the increase in herbs (mainly Poaceae) probably reflect human activity during the last 2.2 cal. ka. Pine forests have dominated the region since that time. Secale and other Cerealia pollen as well as ruderal herbs are permanently recorded since c. 0.8 cal. ka BP.     

滇西北格贡错那卡湖沉积记录揭示的晚全新世气候变化

云南省西北部高山湖泊格贡错那卡湖（海拔4214 m）地处西南季风区,对气候变化十分敏感。文章以在格贡错那卡湖湖心钻取的1.84 m长的沉积岩芯为研究对象,对粒度、磁化率和总有机碳（TOC）含量等环境指标进行了高分辨率的分析,在精确测年的基础上（²¹⁰Pb测年结合陆生植物残体的AMS ¹⁴C测年建立年代序列）,重建了研究区距今约3570年来的气候与环境变化。结果表明,格贡错那卡湖所在地区近3570年来的气候与环境变化经历了5个较明显的演化阶段：1）在3570~3490 cal.a B.P.期间,气候明显降温、减湿;2）3490~1710 cal.a B.P.期间,气候总体偏冷、较干,其中3490~2860 cal.a B.P.期间气候处于较稳定的最冷干时期,随后在2860~1710 cal.a B.P.期间气候波动地有所增温、增湿;3）1710~930 cal.a B.P.（即240~1020A.D.）期间,为较稳定的暖湿期,年均温较高,温差较小;4）930~80 cal.a B.P.（即1020~1870A.D.）期间,气候总体偏冷较湿,但存在多次短暂变暖;降水总量或冰雪融水可能有所减少,但降水强度或冰雪融水强度变化较大;5）自80 cal.a B.P.（即1870 A.D.）以来,温度明显增加,可能是过去3570年以来温度最高的时期;降水有所减少,气候总体为暖偏湿。该气候特征与相邻地区泸沽湖的乔木花粉含量反映的气候变化非常一致,揭示了研究区气候变化的区域性。

     

A multiproxy record of Holocene environmental changes in the central Kola Peninsula,northwest Russia

A sediment core from Chuna Lake (Kola Peninsula, northwest Russia) was studied for pollen, diatoms and sediment chemistry in order to infer post‐glacial environmental changes and to investigate responses of the lake ecosystem to these changes. The past pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of the lake were inferred using diatom‐based transfer functions. Between 9000 and 4200 cal. yr BP, slow natural acidification and major changes in the diatom flora occurred in Chuna Lake. These correlated with changes in regional pollen, the arrival of trees in the catchment, changes in erosion, sediment organic content and DOC. During the past 4200 yr diatom‐based proxies showed no clear response to changes in vegetation and erosion, as autochthonous ecological processes became more important than external climate influences during the late Holocene. The pollen stratigraphy reflects the major climate patterns of the central Kola Peninsula during the Holocene, i.e. a climate optimum between 9000 and 5400/5000 cal. yr BP when climate was warm and dry, and gradual climate cooling and an increase in moisture during the past 5400/5000 yr. This agrees with the occurrence of the north–south humidity gradient in Fennoscandia during the Holocene. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochemistry of the Kola River, northwestern Russia

The Kola River in the northern part of the Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia, flows into the Barents Sea via the Kola Bay. The river is a unique place for reproduction of salmon and an important source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people in Murmansk and the surrounding municipalities. To evaluate the environmental status of the Kola River water, sampling of the dissolved (<0.22 μm) and suspended (>0.22 μm) phases was performed at 12 sites along the Kola River and its tributaries during 2001 and 2002. Major (Ca, K, Mg, Na, S, Si, HCO₃ and Cl) and trace (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, and Zn) elements, total and particulate organic C (TOC and POC), N and P were analysed. Comparison with the boreal pristine Kalix River, Northern Sweden, shows that, except for Na, Cl, Al, Cu and Ni, which exceed the concentrations in the Kalix River by as much as 2–3 times, the levels of other major and trace elements are close to or even below the levels in the Kalix River. However, the results also demonstrate that pollutants from the three major sources: (1) the Cu–Ni smelter in Monchegorsk, (2) the open-pit Fe mine and ore concentration plant in Olenegorsk, and (3) the Varlamov, the Medveziy and the Zemlanoy creeks, draining the area of the large agricultural enterprises in the lower part of the watershed, have a major influence on the water quality of the Kola River.     

Paleoseismic Events Reflected in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Deposits of the Terraces of Imandra Lake (Kola Region,Fennoscandian Shield)

Doklady Earth Sciences - Soft-sediment deformation structures have been identified in glaciolacustrine deposits of the terrace complexes of Imandra Lake (Kola Region, northeastern part of the...     

云南洱海炭屑记录揭示的近千年来古火演化历史

中国云南地区是森林火灾多发的典型区域, 了解该地区近千年来古火灾的演化历史及其驱动机制对于未来区域森林火灾的防护与治理以及生物多样性的保护具有重要的科学意义。本研究以滇西北地区洱海湖泊的3个沉积岩芯(EHB1岩芯, 58.5 cm; EHN1岩芯, 78.5 cm; EHB2岩芯, 80 cm)为研究对象, 通过对沉积物中高分辨率炭屑记录的分析, 基于 ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs和加速器质谱法(AMS)¹⁴C测年技术建立的年代序列, 重建了洱海地区近千年来的古火演化历史。研究结果表明, 基于洱海湖泊沉积岩芯上部大炭屑指标重建的火事件与现代森林火灾记载资料的对比, 确定了大炭屑指标反映湖泊周围约10 km范围即大理市的古火活动情况, 验证了炭屑记录在重建古火灾活动方面的可靠性。古火历史的重建结果显示近千年来洱海地区共发生20次火事件, 其主要集中在1200~1350 A.D.期间和1540~2000 A.D.期间; 近千年来, 洱海地区古火活动的强度整体上呈现先降后升的趋势, 其中火事件的发生频率及其强度在近100年均达到千年来的最高值, 分别对应10次/300年和652.4粒/cm²/peak。炭屑记录和古火活动与区域高分辨率气候记录、植被状况以及人口历史资料的相关分析、冗余分析(RDA)和对比分析结果表明, 大理州人口变化是洱海地区近千年来古火活动最重要的驱动因子, 其次为区域降雨量和植被类型, 温度和植物量则对区域古火活动的影响较小。

     

The Holocene vegetation history of the Khibiny Mountains: implications for the post‐glacial expansion of spruce and alder on the Kola Peninsula,northwestern Russia

Pollen and peat botanical investigations of the Lutnermayok peat bog, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia, were carried out, and 21 surface pollen samples were studied. Combined with previous studies our data form the basis for the vegetation history over the last 7000 yr of the Khibiny Mountains. Pinus sylvestris was the dominant species between 7000 and 5000 yr BP and Picea obovata penetrated to the Khibiny Mountains ca. 5500/5300 yr BP. Since 4500 yr BP, Picea replaced Pinus in major parts of the area and dominated the forest cover. Picea immigrated to the Kola Peninsula after 7000 yr BP. There were two paths of spruce migration: from the southeast and the southwest. Grey alder, Alnusincana, immigrated to the Kola Peninsula from the southwest and northwest about ca. 8000 yr BP. Grey alder has been restricted to its modern range since 4000 yr BP. The range of vertical movement of the treeline in Khibiny Mountains during the last 700 yr was 240–260 m, which corresponds to an amplitude of summer temperature change of 2°C. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene environmental history on the eastern slope of the Polar Ural Mountains, Russia

The Holocene environmental history of the eastern slope of the Polar Ural Mountains has been reconstructed using pollen, spores, algae and other microfossils from the Chernaya Gorka palsa section (67°05'N, 65°21'E, 170 m a.s.l.). An initial oligotrophic lake was formed at the study site c. 9800-9500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Although tundra communities dominated the vegetation in the area, birch and larch trees might have grown at lower elevations. Dry and disturbed soil habitats also occurred around the lake. Algae (mostly Pediastrum and Botryococcus) started to expand in the lake as climate gradually improved after c. 9500 ¹⁴C yr BP. However, the role of mosses (mostly Calliergon and Drepanocladus) was most important for the infilling of the lake basin. Increased temperatures and subsequent improvement of hydrological conditions resulted in vegetation changes: stands of willows developed rapidly and the role of tree birch in the local vegetation increased. The lake was completely filled at c. 8600 ¹⁴C yr BP. Peat accumulation started with Bryales mosses and, later, Sphagnum became dominant. Stands of Larix, Picea and Betula became well developed during the Boreal climate optimum. Tree birch began to spread into the tundra. Different Bryales mosses formed peat c. 8000-6500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Cyperaceae later became the main peat-forming element. Dense spruce canopies with Larix sibirica and Betula pubescens surrounded the study site during the Atlantic period, pointing to the warmest climate during the Holocene. Summer temperatures might have been up to 3-4°C higher than today. However, a decline of spruce and an increase of birch around 6700-6300 ¹⁴C yr BP may reflect some climate deterioration. There are no dated deposits younger than 6000 ¹⁴C yr BP. It is assumed that Subboreal climate deterioration resulted in the development of permafrost and formation of the palsa at the site. The deposits, now protruding above the surrounding terrain, were eroded by wind, water and cryogenic processes.     

Postglacial climate and vegetation history, north-central Kola Peninsula, Russia: pollen and diatom records from Lake Yarnyshnoe-3

A sediment core from Lake Yarnyshnoe-3 (69°04'N; 36°04'E), an emerged coastal lake from the tundra of the north-central Kola Peninsula, has been analyzed for fossil pollen and diatoms. The pollen record shows the Younger Dryas event marked by increasing Artemisia coupled with decreases in Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Salix at c. 10 700 to 10 000 BP. This core provides the first well-defined palynological record of the Younger Dryas event on the Kola Peninsula. Stomates from Pinus were recovered from the core interval between 8000 and 6000 BP. The stomates, coupled with elevated values of pine pollen, indicate that Pinus sylvestris grew near the arctic coastline of the central Kola Peninsula in the middle Holocene. However, the small number of stomates suggests that pines were not plentiful. The diatom record from the core reflects basin isolation from the sea and indicates additional limnological changes during the climate transition between c. 5000 and 4000 BP. The broadly similar climate and vegetation history on the north-central Kola Peninsula and in Fennoscandia demonstrates the propagation of late glacial and Holocene climate events from the North Atlantic region into the Eurasian Arctic.     

Seismites in Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits of the northwestern Kola region (northern Baltic Shield)

New data on soft-sediment deformation in Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits of the northwestern Kola Peninsula (Pechenga River valley) are reported and analyzed in terms of paleoseismicity implications. Soft-sediment deformation is assigned to paleoseismic triggers on the basis of special criteria. One sedimentary section in the Pechenga valley bears signature of several seismic events at the Late Pleistocene–Holocene boundary, constrained by radiocarbon dates. According to the morphology, sizes, and types of seismites, the earthquakes had an MSK-64 intensity at least VI–VII. The observed earthquake-induced deformation may be associated with tectonic subsidence of the Pechenga valley block.     

Primary platinum-bearing copper from the Lesnaya Varaka ultramafic alkaline complex, Kola Peninsula, northwestern Russia

Summary The Lesnaya Varaka ultramafic alkaline complex in the northeastern Fennoscandian Shield (Kola Peninsula, NW Russia) is a concentrically-zoned intrusion with a dominantly dunitic core (Fo_85-92) surrounded by clinopyroxenites. The complex resembles an Alaskan-type intrusion, but differs in its strong alkaline affinity. Native copper occurs as small (5 to 15 m), subhedral to euhedral crystals, isolated within titanomagnetite, in a dunite containing abundant titanomagnetite-perovskite mineralization (up to 30 modal %). Nickel-rich (4.1–4.5 wt.% Ni) tetraferroplatinum is also present as minute (up to 5 gmm) subhedral crystals, enclosed by titanomagnetite. They are typically partially rimmed by rhodian pentlandite ( 6 wt.% Rh). The copper crystals contain 0.6 to 10.1 wt.% Pt, 2.1 to 3.0 wt.% Ni, and essential Fe (approximately 2 to 3 wt.%). There is a wide variation in the Pt content between individual crystals, but its distribution within single crystals is fairly constant. Compared with Cu-Pt alloys from other localities, solid solution of Cu with Pt in the Lesnaya Varaka native copper is low. Unlike most occurrences in ultramafic rocks, the crystalline copper at Lesnaya Varaka appears to be a primary phase, which formed under moderately oxidizing conditions and at very low sulphur activities.

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Primäres Platin führendes Kupfer aus dem ultramafisch-alkalischen Lesnaya Varaka Komplex, Halbinsel Kola, nordwestliches Rußland

Zusammenfassung Der ultramafisch-alkalische Lesnaya Varaka Komplex im nordöstlichen Fennoskandischen Schild (Halbinsel Kola, NW Rufland) ist eine konzentrisch zonierte Intrusion mit einem Dunitkern (Fo_85-92) umgeben von Klinopyroxeniten. Der Komplex ähnelt einer Alaskan-Typ Intrusion, unterscheidet sich aber durch seine stark alkalische Affinität. Gedigen Kupfer tritt in einem Dunit, der verbreitet eine TitanomagnetitPerovskit Mineralisation führt, in Form kleiner (5 bis 15 m), sub- bis euhedraler Kristalle isoliert im Titanomagnetit auf. Nickel-reiches (4.l-4.5 Gew. % Ni Tetraferroplatin kommt ebenfalls in Form winziger (bis zu ca. 5 m subhedraler Kristalle im Titanomagnetit vor. Typischerweise sind diese Kristalle zum Teil von Rhodium-führendem Pentlandit (ca. 6 Gew.% Rh) umgeben. Die Kupferkristalle führen 0.6 bis 10.1 Gew.% Pt, 2.1 bis 3.0 Gew.% Ni und beträchtliche Gehalte an Fe (ca. 2–3 Gew.%). Die Pt-Gehalte zwischen verschiedenen Kristallen streuen stark, während sie innerhalb einzelner Kristalle ziemlich konstant sind. Im Vergleich mit Cu-Pt Legierungen von anderen Lokalitäten ist die Mischbarkeit von Cu und Pt im Kupfer von Lesnaya Varaka gering. Im Unterschied zu den meisten anderen ultramafischen Gesteinen, scheint das kristalline Kupfer von Lesnaya Varaka eine primäre Phase zu sein, die sich unter mäßig oxidierenden Bedingungen und bei sehr niedrigen Schwefelaktivitäten gebildet hat.

     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation and climate records from Lake Kotokel, central Baikal region

Climatically driven Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation changes were reconstructed based on pollen records from the sediments of Lake Kotokel and Cheremushka Bog, located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. The described paleoenvironmental record has higher resolution than records collected from Lake Baikal and unites individual events identified in prior studies of bottom and onshore cores. Remarkable shifts in landscapes and expansions of index plants are as follows. Forest tundra and/or forest steppe landscape with birch, spruce, Artemisia, and Poaceae prevailed at ca. 50–25 ¹⁴C kyr BP. Tundra and/or steppe vegetation dominated by Artemisia and Poaceae was typical for the Last Glacial Maximum. The expansion of shrub birch and willow occurred at ca. 15.5 ¹⁴C kyr BP. Two peaks of spruce expansion at ca. 47.5–42.4 ¹⁴C kyr BP (Karginian time) and at ca. 14.5–13 ka (Bølling-Allerød warm intervals) suggest that the condition were more humid than today. A slight increase in Artemisia at ca. 11–10.5 ¹⁴C kyr BP (13–12 ka) was indicative of the Younger Dryas event. An expansion of birch forests with fir at ca. 12–6.4 ka suggests higher humidity. The currently dominant Scots and Siberian pine forests with birch expanded since 6.4 ka.     

The Holocene environmental changes revealed from the sediments of the Yarkov sub-basin of Lake Chany,south-western Siberia

Lake Chany is the largest endorheic lake in Siberia whose catchment is entirely on the territory of Russia. Its geographical location on the climate-sensitive boundary of wet and dry landscapes provides an opportunity to gain more knowledge about environmental changes in the West Siberian interior during the Holocene and about the evolution of the lake itself. Sediment cores obtained from the Yarkov sub-basin of the lake in 2008 have been comprehensively studied by a number of approaches including sedimentology and AMS dating, pollen, diatom and chironomid analyses (with statistical interpretation of the results), mineralogy of authigenic minerals and geochemistry of plant lipids (biomarker analysis.). Synthesis of new results presented here and published data provides a good justification for our hypothesis that Lake Chany is very young, no older than 3.6 ka BP. Before that, between 9 and 3.6 ka BP, the Chany basin was a swampy landscape with a very low sedimentation rate; it could not be identified as a water body. In the early lake phase, between 3.6 and 1.5 ka BP, the lake was shallow, 1.2–3.5 m in depth, and it rose to its modern size, up to 6.5 m in depth, during the last millennium. Our data reveal important changes in the understanding of the history of this large endorheic lake, as before it was envisioned as a large lake with significant changes in water level since ca. 14 ka BP. In addition to hydrology, our proxies provide updates and details of the regional vegetation and climate change since ca. 4 ka BP in the West-Siberian forest-steppe and steppe. As evolution of the Chany basin is dependent on hydroclimatic changes in a large region of southern West Siberia, we compare lake-level change and climate-change proxies from the other recently and most comprehensively studied lakes of the region.     

Environmental conditions in northwestern Russia during MIS 5 inferred from the pollen stratigraphy in a sediment core from Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga hosts preglacial sediments, although the Eurasian ice sheet overrode the area during the LGM. These sediments were first discovered by a seismic survey and are investigated using a 22.75‐m‐long core. Its upper 13.30 m comprise Holocene and Lateglacial sediments separated from the lower 11.45 m of preglacial sediments by a hiatus. They consist of highly terrigenous lacustrine sediments, which according to OSL dating, were deposited during an early stage of the last ice age (MIS 5). The palynological data allow a first reconstruction of the Early Weichselian environmental history for northwestern Russia. Birch and alder forests with broad‐leaved taxa dominated during MIS 5d (c. 118–113 ka), suggesting a climate more favourable than in the Holocene. A high content of well‐sorted sands and poorly preserved palynomorphs indicates a shallow‐water environment at least temporarily. More fine‐grained sediments and better preserved organic remains suggest deeper water environments at the core location during MIS 5c (c. 113–88 ka). Pine and spruce became dominant, while broad‐leaved taxa started to disappear, especially after c. 90 ka, pointing to a gradual climate cooling. An increase in open herb‐dominated habitats at the beginning of MIS 5b (c. 88–86 ka) reflects a colder and dryer climate. However, later (c. 86–82 ka) pine and spruce again became more common. Birch and alder forests dominated in the area c. 82–80 ka (beginning of MIS 5a). Although open treeless habitats also became more common at this time, a slight increase in hazel may point to somewhat warmer climate conditions coinciding with the beginning of MIS 5a. The studied sediments also contain numerous remains of freshwater algae and cysts of marine and brackish‐water dinoflagellates and acritarchs documenting that the present lake basin was part of a brackish‐water basin during the Early Weichselian, probably as a gulf of the Pre‐Baltic Sea.     

Postglacial relative sea-level history: sediment and diatom records of emerged coastal lakes, north-central Kola Peninsula, Russia

Sediment cores recovered from four emerged lakes (54, 41, 22, and 7 m a.s.l.) provide new data on the deglaciation and relative sea-level history of the Murman coast, Kola Peninsula. The transition from marine to lacustrine sediment is identified in the cores by analysis of sediment physical properties and diatom assemblages. Fourteen AMS-radiocarbon ages on organic macrofossils isolated from core sediment provide chronology for the records. Basal ages from two of the cores indicate deglaciation of the area prior to 11000 BP. Radiocarbon ages associated with the marine-lacustrine sediment transition in the cores further constrain the emergence history of the area. The prominent late-glacial shoreline on the Murman coast (48 m a.s.l.) is dated to c . 10500–10300 BP, the emergence ages of lake basins 54 and 41 m a.s.l. Glaciofluvial terraces graded to this shore level indicate remnant glaciers on the north-central Kola Peninsula during the Younger Dryas.     

A record of Lateglacial and early Holocene environmental and ecological change from southwestern Connecticut,USA

Analyses of a sediment core from Highstead Swamp in southwestern Connecticut, USA, reveal Lateglacial and early Holocene ecological and hydrological changes. Lateglacial pollen assemblages are dominated by Picea and Pinus subg. Pinus, and the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) cold interval is evidenced by higher abundance of Abies and Alnus viridis subsp. crispa. As climate warmed at the end of the YD, Picea and Abies declined and Pinus strobus became the dominant upland tree species. A shift from lacustrine sediment to organic peat at the YD–Holocene boundary suggests that the lake that existed in the basin during the Lateglacial interval developed into a swamp in response to reduced effective moisture. A change in wetland vegetation from Myrica gale to Alnus incana subsp. rugosa and Sphagnum is consistent with this interpretation of environmental changes at the beginning of the Holocene. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lateglacial and Holocene palaeohydrology in the western Mediterranean region: The Lake Estanya record (NE Spain)

The multi-proxy analysis of sediment cores recovered in karstic Lake Estanya (42°02′ N, 0°32′ E; 670 m a. s. l., NE Spain), located in the transitional area between the humid Pyrenees and the semi-arid Central Ebro Basin, provides the first high-resolution, continuous sedimentary record in the region, extending back the last 21 000 years. The integration of sedimentary facies, elemental and isotopical geochemistry and biogenic silica, together with a robust age model based on 17 AMS radiocarbon dates, enables precise reconstruction of the main hydrological and environmental changes in the region during the last deglaciation.Arid conditions, represented by shallow lake levels, predominantly saline waters and reduced organic productivity occurred throughout the last glacial maximum (21–18 cal kyrs BP) and the lateglacial, reaching their maximum intensity during the period 18–14.5 cal kyrs BP (including Heinrich event 1) and the Younger Dryas (12.9–11.6 cal kyrs BP). Less saline conditions characterized the 14.5–12.6 cal kyrs BP period, suggesting higher effective moisture during the Bölling/Allerød. The onset of more humid conditions started at 9.4 cal kyrs, indicating a delayed hydrological response to the onset of the Holocene which is also documented in several sites of the Mediterranean Basin. Higher, although fluctuating, Holocene lake levels were punctuated by a mid Holocene arid period between 4.8 and 4.0 cal kyrs BP. A major lake-level rise occurred at 1.2 cal kyrs BP, conducive to the establishment of conditions similar to the present and interrupted by a last major water level drop, occurring around 800 cal yrs BP, which coincides with the Medieval Climate Anomaly.The main hydrological stages in Lake Estanya are in phase with most Western Mediterranean and North Atlantic continental and marine records, but our results also show similarities with other Iberian and northern African reconstructions, emphasizing peculiarities of palaeohydrological evolution of the Iberian Peninsula during the last deglaciation.     

Holocene pollen stratigraphy and bog development in the western part of the Kola Peninsula, Russia

Pollen and macrofossil investigations and radiocarbon datings were carried out at a bog in the Khibiny mountains and the northernmost bog in European Russia on the Rybachiy Peninsula (69°98'N) on the western part of the Kola Peninsula. Peat accumulation on the Kola Peninsula started at c . 8500–7500 BP. Pinus sylvestris reached its present northern limit on the peninsula by 7000 BP, while 6000–5000/4500 BP was a time of maximal progress of birch forest tundra up to the Barents Sea shoreline. Alnus ineana grew up to the Rybachiy Peninsula c . 40 km north of its present-day northern limit. By c , 5500/5300 BP Picen ohovata had immigrated to the Khibiny mountains. After 5000/4500 BP the forested area had retreated in the northern part of the Kola Peninsula and the tundra belt bordering the Barents Sea shore was formed. By 3500 BP spruce had reached its modern northern limit.     

Holocene environmental history in high‐Arctic North Greenland revealed by a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach

In this study, we use a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach to reconstruct the Holocene climate history recorded in Trifna Sø, Skallingen area, eastern North Greenland. Chronological information is derived from comparison of lithological, biogeochemical and macrofossil characteristics with a well‐dated record from nearby Lille Sneha Sø. Following local deglaciation around c. 8 cal. ka BP, the local peak warmth occurred between c. 7.4 and 6.2 cal. ka BP as indicated by maximum macrofossil abundances of warmth‐demanding plants (Salix arctica and Dryas integrifolia) and invertebrates (Daphnia pulex and Chironomidae). Warm conditions were dominated by terrestrial organic matter (OM) sedimentation as implied by the alkane‐based P_aq ratio, but increased aquatic productivity is indicated when temperature was highest around 6.5 cal. ka BP. The n‐C₂₉/n‐C₃₁ alkane ratio shows that vegetation in the catchment was dominated by shrubs after deglaciation, but shifted towards relatively more grassy/herbaceous vegetation during peak warmth. After 5.4 cal. ka BP, the disappearance of warmth‐demanding plant and invertebrate macrofossils indicates cooling in the Skallingen area. This cooling was characterized by a significant shift towards dominance of aquatic OM sedimentation in Trifna Sø as implied by high P_aq ratios. Cooling was also associated with a shift in vegetation type from dwarf‐shrub heaths towards relatively more herbaceous vegetation in the catchment, stronger erosion and more oligotrophic conditions in the lake. Our data show that mean air temperatures inferred using branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) do not seem to accurately reflect the local climatic history. Irrespective of calibration, methylation of branched tetraethers (MBT) palaeothermometry cannot be reconciled with the macrofossil evidence and seems to be biased by either changing brGDGT sources (in situ vs. soil‐derived) or changing species assemblages and/or an unknown physiological response to changing environmental conditions at high latitude.