THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANDSCAPES OF THE SHKOTOVO PLATEAU OF SIKHOTE-ALIN IN THE LATE HOLOCENE

Abstract

New data in the development of the basalt plateau landscapes under multidirectional changes of climate in the late Holocene is presented. Objects for paleolandscape reconstructions were lacustrinemarsh deposits of the Larchenkov marsh. The marsh arose on the site of a paleolake that has passed several stages of development. The greatest depth and area of the lake had about 3220–4000 14 С years BP in the conditions of warming and increasing moisture. At the fi nal stage of its existence, there have been periods of flooding and the shallowing with general tendency to active bogging. At the top of the sections of peat bogs, the volcanic ash B-Tm of Baitoushan volcano (the eruption 969 AD) was found. Stages in the development of landscapes were highlighted and the borders of their reconstructions were defined. Natural landscape-forming factors with the analysis of change rates of the biotic components were analyzed. Conclusions on stability of geosystems are made, and the contribution of global and regional paleoclimatic events is estimated. In forest vegetation of the plateau, the share of broadleaf species has increased during warming periods, the share of the Korean pine and dark coniferous, primarily spruce, has increased in the cold periods. In forest vegetation of the plateau, the share of broadleaf species has been increasing during warming periods, the share of the Korean pine and dark coniferous, primarily spruce, has been increasing in the cold periods. The expansion of dark coniferous forests had occurred in climatic conditions similar to modern – about 2550 14 С years BP; coniferous-deciduous forests had retreated to the edge of the plateau. The larch ( Larix komarovii ) had existed framing the paleolake during the all studied period and is a relic of the Last Glacial Maximum. The formation of modern landscapes with identifying their ages was analyzed.