We have reconstructed a species of forest ecosystems in the Taimyr peninsula for the majority of the Holocene period starting from 9 thousand years ago. The study disclosed migration shifts of vegetation zones and subzones, changes in the areas of 25 plant species. The analogue method we used is based on an ecological-phyocenotic relationship of modern plant habitats. We applied this method to define probable climate gradients for the most pronounced moments in the Holocene history. The Holocene division were based on the diagram of Bilit-Sernander adapted for Siberia.
In the period from 8,500 to 2,500 years ago (y.a.), the boreal coniferous forest was spread across the territory of the modern sparse forest. In the mildest time, there were fir forests mixed with spruce and pine. In the time when the mainland was expanding, there was a sparse spruce forest. Two landscape-climate periods were marked for elevated thermal regime. The first warmest period happened in the boreal time 8,5008,000 y.a., the second on occurred 3,5003,000 y.a. A considerable cooling period between 4,5003,500 y.a. caused a qualitative change of woody species composition of the forest cover. The second cooling (2,5002,000 y.a.) resulted in shifting the treeline approximately 2 southward. The most northern boreal forests started to be formed 2,000 y.a. A steady tendency of spruce, fir and some boreal grass species areas to expand northwards was noted since 1,000 y.a.
Key words: history of forests, global climate changes, Holocene.
Correspondence: Valentina L. Koshkarova, Suckachev Institute of Forest, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia
Telefax: +7-3921-433686
E-mail: forset@ifor.krasnoyarsk.su