Pollen record and age determination of a sediment profile from Lake Teletskoye, Russia

A high-resolution pollen record from Lake Teletskoye documents the climate-related vegetation history of the northern Altai Mountain region during the last millennium. Siberian pine taiga with Scots pine, fir, spruce, and birch dominated the vegetation between ca. AD 1050 and 1100. The climate was similar to modern. In the beginning of the 12th century, birch and shrub alder increased. Lowered pollen concentrations and simultaneous peaks in herbs (especially Artemisia and Poaceae), ferns, and charcoal fragments point to colder and more arid climate conditions than before, with frequent fire events. Around AD 1200, regional climate became warmer and more humid than present, as revealed by an increase of Siberian pine and decreases of dry herb taxa and charcoal contents. Climatic conditions were rather stable until ca. AD 1410. An increase of Artemisia pollen may reflect slightly drier climate conditions between AD 1410 and 1560. Increases in Alnus, Betula, Artemisia, and Chenopodiaceae pollen and in charcoal particle contents may reflect further deterioration of climate conditions between AD 1560 and 1810, consistent with the Little Ice Age. After AD 1850 the vegetation gradually approached the modern one, in conjunction with ongoing climate warming.

泰莱茨科耶湖（Lake Teletskoye）的高分辨率花粉记录，揭示了过去千年间北阿尔泰山区与气候相关的植被演化历程。公元1050年至1100年前后，区域植被以西伯利亚泰加林为主，伴生欧洲赤松、冷杉、云杉与桦木，当时气候与现代相近。12世纪初，桦木与灌木桤木占比上升。花粉浓度降低，同时草本植物（尤以蒿属（Artemisia）和禾本科（Poaceae）为代表）、蕨类及炭屑碎片的含量同步出现峰值，这表明当时气候较此前更为寒冷干旱，且火灾事件频发。公元1200年前后，区域气候较现代更为温暖湿润，这一结论可通过西伯利亚松占比上升、旱生草本类群及炭屑含量下降得到印证。直至公元1410年前后，气候条件均较为稳定。公元1410年至1560年间，蒿属花粉占比上升，或反映当时气候略微偏干。公元1560年至1810年间，桤木（Alnus）、桦木（Betula）、蒿属及藜科（Chenopodiaceae）的花粉与炭屑颗粒含量均出现上升，这或表明气候条件进一步恶化，与小冰期（Little Ice Age）的气候特征相符。公元1850年之后，随着气候持续变暖，植被群落逐渐向现代植被状态趋近。