Spatiotemporal dynamics of Pinus densiflora in the south of the Russian Far East during the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene by pollen records

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to reconstruct the distribution of Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc. in the south of the Russian Far East (SRFE) during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2) and the Holocene based by pollen records and chronological data. We found that P. densiflora did not grow in SRFE under cold and dry climate of the MIS 2. Warming in the Early Holocene caused the expansion of P. densiflora to the region. Under maximum warming during the Middle Holocene, P. densiflora range reached the Central Subregion of the SRFE. The cooling at the beginning of the Late Holocene caused the decrease of P. densiflora distribution in the SRFE. Under subsequent warming during the second half of the Late Holocene, Pinus densiflora has taken again a dominant position in the Southern and the Central subregions in the SRFE. During the last two centuries, P. densiflora range in the region began to degrade, due to the anthropogenic influence.