Quantitative reconstructions of mid- to late holocene climate and vegetation in the north-eastern altai mountains recorded in lake teletskoye
Journal
Global and Planetary Change
Journal Volume
141
Pages
12-24
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
We report the first high-resolution (20-50 years) mid- to late Holocene pollen records from Lake Teletskoye, the largest lake in the Altai Mountains, in south-eastern West Siberia. Generally, the mid- to late Holocene (the last 4250 years) vegetation of the north-eastern Altai, as recorded in two studied sediment cores, is characterised by Siberian pine-spruce-fir forests that are similar to those of the present day. A relatively cool and dry interval with July temperatures lower than those of today occurred between 3.9 and 3.6 ka BP. The widespread distribution of open, steppe-like communities with Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Cyperaceae reflects maximum deforestation during this interval. After ca. 3.5 ka BP, the coniferous mountain taiga spread significantly, with maximum woody coverage and taiga biome scores between ca. 2.7 and 1.6 ka BP. This coincides well with the highest July temperature (approximately 1 °C higher than today) intervals. A short period of cooling about 1.3-1.4 ka BP could have been triggered by the increased volcanic activity recorded across the Northern Hemisphere. A new period of cooling started around 1100-1150 CE, with the minimum July temperatures occurring between 1450 and 1800 CE. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
Subjects
Altai; Climate; Mid-late Holocene; Pollen; Siberia; Transfer function; Vegetation; Woody coverage
SDGs
Other Subjects
Deforestation; Landforms; Transfer functions; Vegetation; Altai; Climate; Late Holocene; Pollen; SIBERIA; Woody coverage; Lakes; biome; boreal forest; climate variation; coniferous forest; deforestation; global climate; Holocene; Northern Hemisphere; palynology; pollen; quantitative analysis; reconstruction; transfer function; vegetation dynamics; woodland; Altai Mountains; Altay [Russian Federation]; Lake Teletskoye; Russian Federation; Siberia; Abies; Amaranthaceae; Artemisia; Cyperaceae; Picea; Pinus sibirica
Type
journal article