Paleogeography of the Black and Azov Seas and Their Coasts in Pleistocene and Holocene (Within the Krasnodar Region of Russia)

Abstract

The processes of water exchange in the Black Sea with the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas during the Quaternary were multidirectional. Anthropogenic transformations resulted in negative environmental changes in the level of water bodies and water quality. The evolution of inland water bodies, to which these seas belong, largely depends on links with the Mediterranean Sea. The evolution of the East Azov Sea landscapes shows a tendency of insignificant changes in climatic characteristics and preservation of steppe vegetation throughout the Holocene. In the study, we indicate the unique features of the hydrological regime, climate, flora, and fauna of the Black and Azov Seas. Besides, we conducted a comparative analysis of the evolution of the physical and geographical situation of the basins of the Black and Azov Seas. As a result, we established the general patterns and features of the development of basins in terms of multiscale and multidirectional changes in the Pleistocene and Holocene. In addition, we restored the picture of the formation of coastal geosystems of the Azov–Black Sea Basin within the Krasnodar Krai. The coastal geosystems are formed depending on the interaction of marine and land geosystems. The development of the Holocene coastal landscapes and their components is characterized by a gradual increase in continentality and an enhanced anthropogenic impact.