Holocene history of the Kungur forest-steppe (cis-Urals, European Russia): case study Uinskoe mire

Abstract

The formation and development of the Kungur forest-steppe has been a controversial topic for almost 150 years due to its location within the belt of hemiboreal forests in the pre-Urals of European Russia. To further the knowledge on its manmade versus natural origin we conducted a palaeoecological study reconstructing the regional vegetation history in the Mid-Kama region as well as local bog development and additional archaeobotanical studies nearby. Detailed loss-on-ignition analysis, peat properties and high resolution radiocarbon dating were carried out to obtain long-term carbon accumulation rate estimates. The data document the presence of the pine-dominated forest-steppe with spruce and birch during the major part of the Holocene (∼9.7–5.5 ka) and the development of the modern hemiboreal forests from 5.5 ka onwards. Since 3.5 ka, the hemiboreal forests were increasingly influenced by human action, corresponding to the development of local archaeological cultures. The earliest human impact is observed during the Garinskaya culture (4.5–3.5 ka). It increased during the Early Iron Age with the Ananyino (2.8–2.2 ka) and Glyadenovo (2.2–1.6 ka) cultures and during the Medieval with the Nevolino culture (1.6–1.1 ka). Archaeobotanical data reveal consumption of Triticum aestivum and T. aestivum/spelta by bearers of the Nevolino culture as well as a local cultivation of emmer. The formation of the recent Pinus-Betula forest-steppe took place in the last 300 years during the Russian colonisation. In conclusion, continental and warm climatic conditions as well as fire activities were maintaining semi-open landscapes of the forest-steppe during the Early and Middle Holocene, while land use became the dominant factor since 3.5 ka.