Early Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics in the central part of the East European Plain (Russia)

Novenko, Elena; Olchev, Alexander

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.01.027

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…The Late Holocene maximum of temperate deciduous trees in the central forest‐steppe is in contrast to the vegetation history to the north and west of this region, where this distinctive phase occurred in the Middle Holocene (Khotinsky, ; Novenko & Olchev, ). The compositional changes in the Transylvanian forest‐steppe (Feurdean et al., ) were similar to the general pattern of change in Western Europe, with a shift from Corylus, Tilia and Ulmus in the Middle Holocene to Carpinus betulus and Fagus dominance in the Late Holocene (e.g., Giesecke, Brewer, Finsinger, Leydet, & Bradshaw, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Similarly, a pronounced moist phase between 4,700 and 3,700 cal yr BP is evidenced in Transylvania, leading to a change in the forest composition towards more mesic tree species (Feurdean et al, 2015). Glacier advances in the North Hemisphere (Solomina et al, 2015) evidence Late Holocene cooling and increased wetness can be deduced from the expansion of peatlands (e.g., Edvardsson et al, 2014 (Khotinsky, 1984;Novenko & Olchev, 2015). The compositional changes in the Transylvanian forest-steppe (Feurdean et al, 2015) were similar to the general pattern of change…”

Section: Southeast Expansion Of the Broad-leaf Forests In The Late mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long‐term dynamics of the East European forest‐steppe ecotone

Shumilovskikh

Novenko

Giesecke

2017

J Vegetation Science

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Question The European forest‐steppe ecotone extends over 6,000 km from the Carpathian to the Ural Mountains. It is extensively used for agriculture with very few patches of semi‐natural vegetation. Little is known about the history of the forest‐steppe ecotone in Eastern Europe and here we examine its Holocene dynamics and stability and investigate when it was transformed to the modern agro‐pastoral landscapes. Location Mid‐Russian Upland. Methods We summarize the information from five pollen diagrams for the last 7,000 years and estimate forest cover using the best modern analogue technique. We use the PCA and principal curve analysis to evaluate compositional changes. Results The pollen data suggest that the East European forest‐steppe boundary was located 50–70 km further northwest from the presumed present position during the period 7,000–4,500 cal yr BP. After 4,500 cal year BP, it moved approximately 100–130 km to the southeast. Since 2,000 cal year BP land use affected the boundary, while a total forest clearance and transformation to agricultural landscapes took place in the last 400 years. Pollen data indicate a NW–SE direction of the forest‐steppe vegetation gradient. Prior to clearance, open lime–pedunculate oak forests existed in the NW, while the south was characterized by pine woodlands with an admixture of oak and lime with 20%–40% forest cover. Conclusions The East European forest‐steppe ecotone is sensitive to climate change. The Late Holocene expansion of forest cover is in agreement with evidence suggesting an increase in moisture availability during this time. The rapid recovery to a similar composition after human disturbance indicates a high resilience of woodland in the ecotone, which may be connected to a naturally high disturbance regime, possibly through fire. The information revealed on the position of the gradient and natural composition of the forest is currently not depicted in maps of the potential natural vegetation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Southeast Expansion Of the Broad-leaf Forests In The Late mentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term dynamics of the East European forest‐steppe ecotone

Shumilovskikh

Novenko

Giesecke

2017

J Vegetation Science

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“…In the entire Middle Volga region, only one systematic palynological study was done in a peat bog, however, it was not radiocarbon dated and was based on small pollen counts (Blagoveshenskaya 2009). Radiocarbon-dated palynological spectra were obtained for peat bogs only in the western portion of the forest-steppe zone to the west of the Middle Volga, in the upper Don, Orel, and Kursk regions (Novenko and Olchev 2015;Novenko et al 2009Novenko et al , 2011Novenko et al , 2016. These studies revealed the following environmental phases:…”

Section: Environmental History Of the Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Demographic Changes, Trade Routes, and the Formation of Anthropogenic Landscapes in the Middle Volga Region in the Past 2500 Years

Vyazov

Ershova

Ponomarenko

et al. 2019

Socio-Environmental Dynamics Along the Historical Silk Road

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The development of landscapes of the central part of the Middle-Volga region in the last 2500 years was a discontinuous process of the explosive growth of population and land utilization alternating with stages of depopulation and desolation. The periods of depopulation and transitions of cultures occurred at similar times to climate changes. Some cultures were associated with distinct climatic episodes, such as the association of the Dark Ages Cold Period with Hun, post Hun, Heraldic, and Khasarian times, and the Medival Warm Period with the time of Volga Bulgaria. A combination of archaeological and paleoecological analyses allowed us to reconstruct a sequence of landscape and land use changes in relation to the historical development of the region. The first millennium CE was a time of major changes in population, agricultural technologies, social structure, and settlement patterns in the forest-steppe zone. The MiddleVolga region underwent a transition from a non-populated, mainlyforested landscape of first centuries CE to a highly deforested agricultural landscape of the Volga Bulgarian state by the 11th century CE. Within several centuries, the landscape was transformed by shifting cultivation, wood and ore extraction, and the formation and expansion of pastures and road networks. The process of deforestation in the region was facilitated by the relatively warm climates of the Medieval Warm Period.

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“…Energy balance Brovkin et al 2006;Gálos et al 2013;Loranty et al 2014;Olchev et al 2009; Hydrological cycle Bowling and Lettenmaier 2010;Cresto-Aleina et al 2015;Gelfan 2011;Georgiadi et al 2010Georgiadi et al , 2014aHagg et al 2006;Karthe et al 2015;Khon and Mokhov 2012;Kicklighter et al 2013;Klehmet et al 2013;Kuchment et al 2011;Liu et al 2013Liu et al , 2014Liu et al , 2015McClelland et al 2004;Motovilov and Gelfan 2013;Novenko and Olchev 2015;Olchev et al 2009Osadchiev 2015;Rawlins et al 2010;Serreze et al 2006;Shkolnik et al 2017;Sorg et al 2012;Troy et al 2012;Zhang et al 2011 Land-use change Blyakharchuk et al 2014;Chen et al 2017;Griffiths et al 2013;Hitztaler and Bergen 2013;Kicklighter et al 2014;Kraemer et al 2015;Kuemmerle et al 2009;Meyfroidt et al 2016;Peterson et al 2009;Prishchepov et al 2013Prishchepov et al , 2017Robinson et al 2013;Schierhorn et al 2013…”

Section: Demography Heleniak 2015mentioning

confidence: 99%

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the twenty-first century

Groisman

Shugart

Kicklighter

et al. 2017

Prog Earth Planet Sci

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During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socioeconomic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies codesigned with regional decision-makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large-scale water withdrawals, land use, and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that integrated assessment models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation

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Early Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics in the central part of the East European Plain (Russia)

Cited by 28 publications

References 62 publications

Long‐term dynamics of the East European forest‐steppe ecotone

Long‐term dynamics of the East European forest‐steppe ecotone

Demographic Changes, Trade Routes, and the Formation of Anthropogenic Landscapes in the Middle Volga Region in the Past 2500 Years

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the twenty-first century

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