Holocene History of the Northern Range Limits of Some Trees and Shrubs in Russia

Abstract

Nearly 280 radiocarbon-dated macrofossils from 115 sites in Russia are used to reconstruct the shift in the northern treeline during last 10,000 yr, which was primarily considered to be climatically controlled. Picea obovata Ledeb. spread farther to the north between 8000 and 4500/4300 BP. In Siberia there is evidence of a more northern than present position of the Larix Mill. limit between 10,000 and 5000/4500 BP. The present limit of larch was established ca. 3200 BP in Yamal peninsula region and ca. 3500 BP in Lena River valley. Tree birches (Betula pubescens Ehrh., B. pendula Roth.) reached the present-day shoreline of Barents Sea in Bolshezemelskaya tundra and 72°N in Taimyr between 8000 and 9000 BP. In Yamal peninsula by 8000 BP the tree birch limit was near 70°N, but by ca. 5000/4500 BP the northern limit of tree birch was similar to present. Alnus fruticosa Rupr. reached 74°33′N in Taimyr and 75°27′N in northeast Siberia between 10,000 and 8000 BP. Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel, Ribes L., Rubus idaeus L., Vaccinium uliginosum L., and Oxycoccus palustris Pers. moved northward between 10,000 and 9000 BP and 8000 and 5000/4500 BP. Fossil wood evidence correlates well with results of COHMAP climate modeling for 9000 BP and 6000 BP.