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Geosciences
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The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols
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The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2018) | Viewed by 27299

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Schneider

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Guest Editor
BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany
Interests: geoarchaeology; soil geomorphology; land use history
Dr. Alexander Makeev

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Soil Science Faculty, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Interests: paleopedology; soil-sedimentary sequences; geoarchaeology; soil evolution
Prof. Dr. Alexandra A. Golyeva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Geography and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
Interests: palaeopedology; palaeoecology in the Holocene; soil science; archaeopedology; ancient anthropogenic landscape reconstructions; microbiomorphycal analysis; soil science analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soils and palaeosols are valuable archives of environmental changes and human–environmental interactions from Palaeolithic to modern times. In general, soils develop under the influence of various environmental factors that produce specific soil features. Thus, the observation of certain features in palaeosols may be used for environmental reconstruction. In addition, over the Holocene period, human activity increasingly shaped many environments, resulting in characteristic modifications of the land surface and soils over time. Buried soils in the context of such sites record the combinations of environmental factors that were present during the time of their formation and thus influenced the human communities living at these sites at that time.

This Special Issue aims at gathering studies in which soils and palaeosols are used as records of former environments that influenced human societies and, vice versa, as records of the influence of these societies on their environment. We welcome contributions on the influence of environmental factors on pedogenesis, on the use of soils and palaeosols as records of present and former environments, on advances in geochemical, (sub-)microscopic and other techniques in (palaeo-)pedology, and on evaluating the archaeological relevance and heritage value as well as developing conservation strategies for palaeosols representing valuable palaeoenvironmental archives.

Dr. Anna Schneider
Dr. Alexander Makeev
Dr. Alexandra Golyeva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Paleosols
  • Palaeoenvironment reconstruction
  • Geoarchaeology
  • Pedogenesis

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 7423 KiB  
Article
Paleolandscape Reconstruction Based on the Study of A Buried Soil of the Bronze Age in the Broadleaf Forest Area of the Russian Plain
by Elena Aseyeva, Alexander Makeev, Fatima Kurbanova, Pavel Kust, Alexey Rusakov, Olga Khokhlova, Evgeniy Mihailov, Tatiana Puzanova and Alexandra Golyeva
Geosciences 2019, 9(3), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9030111 - 01 Mar 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3704
Abstract
Late Holocene landscape evolution at the southern frontier of the forest belt of European Russia is studied based on detailed morphological, analytical and microbiomorphic research of a soil chronosequence that included a surface soil and a soil buried under the Bronze Age kurgan. [...] Read more.
Late Holocene landscape evolution at the southern frontier of the forest belt of European Russia is studied based on detailed morphological, analytical and microbiomorphic research of a soil chronosequence that included a surface soil and a soil buried under the Bronze Age kurgan. Both soils (Folic Eutric Cambisols) are formed on similar geomorphic surfaces in the same parent material and in close proximity to each other. The soil morphology and the key analytical features are controlled by low-reactive parent material and imply close similarity of the present landscapes and those of the Bronze age. At the same time the morphological features show that the buried soil was influenced by the phase of weak aridization, which led to the formation of a dark mull humus horizon. Microbiomorphic assemblages (phytoliths, pollen) support the earlier conclusion that the soils of the study area had being developed mostly under forest vegetation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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18 pages, 6491 KiB  
Article
First Findings of Buried Late-Glacial Paleosols within the Dune Fields of the Tomsk Priobye Region (SE Western Siberia, Russia)
by Alexandr Konstantinov, Sergey Loiko, Alina Kurasova, Elizaveta Konstantinova, Andrey Novoselov, Georgy Istigechev and Sergey Kulizhskiy
Geosciences 2019, 9(2), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9020082 - 12 Feb 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3600
Abstract
Buried soils within aeolian deposits are considered an important tool for diagnosing, determining the age, and estimating the intensity of aeolian processes at the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene in the Northern Hemisphere. Late Pleistocene aeolian coversands and ancient inland dunes [...] Read more.
Buried soils within aeolian deposits are considered an important tool for diagnosing, determining the age, and estimating the intensity of aeolian processes at the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene in the Northern Hemisphere. Late Pleistocene aeolian coversands and ancient inland dunes are widely distributed in the periglacial zone of Western Siberia. In contrast to the territories of Central and Eastern Europe, the paleosol archive of the aeolian sands and dunes of Western Siberia has not yet been studied. This paper presents the first findings of late Pleistocene paleosols within the ancient inland dunes in the southeast of Western Siberia (Ob–Tomsk interfluve, Tomsk region). The soils and their stratigraphic position were studied in the outcrop of the quarry, located in the junction zone of the second Tom river terraces and the ancient valley. Two types of paleosols were identified. The first one is confined to the central part of a small dune and is represented by a slightly developed Albic Arenosol with fragmentary humus horizon Ahb and a well-pronounced Eb. It can probably be considered as an analogue of the European Usselo soil. The second paleosol was found at the bottom of the interdune depression. It is represented by a brown Bwb horizon and probably corresponds to a Brunic Arenosol (Dystric). The second paleosol is characterized by a higher content of clay fraction and organic carbon, the presence of weak signs of illuviation, and richer and more diverse mineral composition. This soil is apparently an analogue of the European Finow soil. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoals found in the paleosols suggests that the first dates from the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,036 cal. yr. BP), and the second one from the Allerød (ca. 13,355 cal. yr. BP). The study results propose that the natural environment in the periglacial zone of the south of Western Siberia was generally similar to those in Central and Eastern Europe, and the activation of aeolian processes, which led to the formation of a dune relief, occurred at about the same time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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21 pages, 11992 KiB  
Article
Landscape Dynamics in the Caspian Lowlands Since the Last Deglaciation Reconstructed From the Pedosedimentary Sequence of Srednaya Akhtuba, Southern Russia
by Marina Lebedeva, Alexander Makeev, Alexey Rusakov, Tatiana Romanis, Tamara Yanina, Redzhep Kurbanov, Pavel Kust and Evgeniy Varlamov
Geosciences 2018, 8(12), 492; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8120492 - 16 Dec 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3662
Abstract
Surface Kastanozem of the Lower Volga area was first studied as a part of the pedocomplex, with the lower part (148–160 cm) formed in Early Khvalynian Chocolate clays (13–15 ka), the middle part (100–148 cm) in a mixed clay-loess sediment sand, and the [...] Read more.
Surface Kastanozem of the Lower Volga area was first studied as a part of the pedocomplex, with the lower part (148–160 cm) formed in Early Khvalynian Chocolate clays (13–15 ka), the middle part (100–148 cm) in a mixed clay-loess sediment sand, and the upper part (0–100 cm) in loess. This resulted from local aeolian transport, with the source material derived from the rewinding of marine sediments. They are enriched in aggregates of Chocolate clays and glauconitic grains of a fine sand-course silt size and have similar contents of clay minerals. The high salinity of similar types evidences marine genesis for both Chocolate clays and source material for loess sediments. Clay fragments of a sand and silt size are responsible for the heavy texture and high gypsum content of loess. The study of soils with the focus on micromorphology and clay mineralogy allows the identification of the complex character of a shift from marine to sub-areal sedimentation. This shift was accompanied by short breaks in sedimentation, allowing the development of synlithogenic soil horizons of Late Khvalynian, after-Khvanynian, and Boreal time. The features of shallowly buried soil horizons confirm increased aridity after the last deglaciation. Surface Calcic Kastanozem is a full Holocene soil reflecting the present environment. However, it is deeply influenced by shallow buried soil horizons and Chocolate clays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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22 pages, 7865 KiB  
Article
Holocene Environmental and Anthropogenic Changes of Soils and Vegetation in the Central Russian Upland: The Case Study in the “Belogorie” Natural Reserve
by Yury Chendev, Olga Khokhlova, Elena Ponomarenko, Ekaterina Ershova, Alexander Alexandrovskiy and Tatyana Myakshina
Geosciences 2018, 8(12), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8120473 - 12 Dec 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3305
Abstract
Several episodes of past afforestation were reconstructed in a grassland area of the Yamskaya Steppe site within the “Belgorie” natural reserve on the Central-Russian Upland. The pedological, palinological, pedoanthracological, and phytolith analyses were applied for studying paleosols buried under artificial and natural mounds, [...] Read more.
Several episodes of past afforestation were reconstructed in a grassland area of the Yamskaya Steppe site within the “Belgorie” natural reserve on the Central-Russian Upland. The pedological, palinological, pedoanthracological, and phytolith analyses were applied for studying paleosols buried under artificial and natural mounds, colluvial fan deposits in gullies, and closed depressions on watersheds. The watershed area was covered by the forest vegetation until 6000 years BP, as indicated by palinological spectra in the paleosol of this age. The Bk horizon of the Chernozemic paleosol buried under a burial mound of the Bronze Age (4630 ± 180 years BP) contained Fe-lamellae indicative of the preceded forest phase of soil formation. Micro-depressions within the local watershed contained charcoal-cored iron-manganese concretions with the radiocarbon age varying from 6055 ± 20 to 6155 ± 20 years BP. This age marked a deforestation of the area after large-scale fires. From that time on, the watershed was dominated by the grassland vegetation. The next phase of afforestation was recorded in the beginning of the Subboreal period of Holocene (4600 BP), but the forest appeared to be limited to gullies. Starting with the Subboreal period, the anthropogenic impact on the landscape became apparent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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19 pages, 5394 KiB  
Article
The Application of Buried Soil Properties for Reconstruction of Various Stages of Early Habitation at Archaeological Sites in Moscow Kremlin
by Alexandra Golyeva, Olga Khokhlova, Asia Engovatova, Vladimir Koval, Anna Aleshinskaya, Maria Kochanova, Aleksandr Makeev, Tatiana Puzanova and Fatima Kurbanova
Geosciences 2018, 8(12), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8120447 - 30 Nov 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3047
Abstract
Combined archaeological and pedogenetic study allows reconstructing the history of early habitation in Moscow Kremlin (Moscow, Russia). The area is confined to the third terrace of Moskva River with Podzols as native soils formed in fluvioglacial sandy deposits under virgin broad-leaved forests with [...] Read more.
Combined archaeological and pedogenetic study allows reconstructing the history of early habitation in Moscow Kremlin (Moscow, Russia). The area is confined to the third terrace of Moskva River with Podzols as native soils formed in fluvioglacial sandy deposits under virgin broad-leaved forests with conifers. From the Early Iron Age (1500–2000 BP) to the 12th century, alternating stages of agricultural land use and abandonment resulted in human-induced transformation of natural ecosystems into agricultural landscapes. Agricultural land use provoked soil erosion that lead to truncation of the upper soil horizons. Sediments deposited due to slope erosion and mineral materials transported by ancient people enhanced initial lithic discontinuity of soil parent material. Ancient agricultural practices included melioration of soils by mineral and organic fertilizers. During the Early Iron Age the pasture was fertilized by ash and limed by crushed dolomite. Melioration of the 12th century included not only ash and dolomite but also crushed bones, manure and household waste. A change from the agricultural to urban land use after 15th century resulted in the accumulation of cultural layers. A few interruptions in their accumulation, which were caused by accidental fires or other phenomena, were accompanied by regeneration of natural vegetation cover and the formation of shallow soils imprinted on cultural layers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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17 pages, 3220 KiB  
Article
Holocene Soil Evolution in South Siberia Based on Phytolith Records and Genetic Soil Analysis (Russia)
by Denis A. Gavrilov, Sergey V. Loiko and Nina V. Klimova
Geosciences 2018, 8(11), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8110402 - 05 Nov 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4257
Abstract
Dark, coniferous hemiboreal forests in the south of West Siberia are located in the Holocene forest-steppe ecotone, where natural environmental conditions have been quite dynamic. This dynamic environment resulted in the contrasting evolution of regional soil cover and the development of unique soil [...] Read more.
Dark, coniferous hemiboreal forests in the south of West Siberia are located in the Holocene forest-steppe ecotone, where natural environmental conditions have been quite dynamic. This dynamic environment resulted in the contrasting evolution of regional soil cover and the development of unique soil profiles with the second humus horizon. The second humus horizon is assumed to be a relic from the dark-humus soil formation stage in the mid-Holocene. This article draws conclusions about changes in regional environmental conditions by analysing data from a geochemically interrelated coevolutionary soil series, obtained by using a combination of conventional soil studies, phytolith analyses, and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC) and humic acids. The results showed that, in general, phytocenoses changed from mire-meadow vegetation towards forest vegetation via the meadow stage. However, these stages had different durations, depending on the soil catenary position. The topographical divergence of soil phytolith profiles reflects the relief effect on the development of specific soil type combinations, accounting for the major elements of the regional mid-Holocene soil cover. The leading elementary soil-forming processes were humus accumulation and hydrogenic accumulation of calcium carbonates. In the hilltop site of Endocalcic Stagnic Albic Luvisols, the evolutionary changes were shown by the shift from the meadow phytocenosis (Calcic Stagnic Chernozem) to the forest phytocenosis. In the midslope site, the environment was more humid from the start, favouring a phytocenosis with features of the meadow-mire type. The shift from the meadow-mire environment (with Spodic Chernic Gleysols) to the forest type environment with leading profile-forming processes, acid hydrolysis and lessivage, was gradual, occurring via the meadow stage with Calcic Stagnic Chernozem. In the toeslope site (Calcic Stagnic Greyzemic Epidystric Umbrisols), the meadow-mire stage (with Spodic Chernic Gleysols) was succeeded by the forest stage of soil formation. The AMS-dating of PhytOC estimated that the dark-humus stage of soil formation began 6.5–5.7 years calBC. Despite the observed slight translocation of phytoliths down soil profiles and phytolith solubilisation, phytolith analysis can be used to reconstruct shifts in the soil formation environment for surface Holocene palaeosols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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12 pages, 2601 KiB  
Article
Micromorphological and Chemical Features of Soils as Evidence of Bronze Age Ancient Anthropogenic Impact (Late Bronze Age Muradymovo Settlement, Ural Region, Russia)
by Alexandra Golyeva, Olga Khokhlova, Marina Lebedeva, Nickolay Shcherbakov and Iia Shuteleva
Geosciences 2018, 8(9), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8090313 - 22 Aug 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4750
Abstract
In some cases, the human impact on ancient landscapes has been so profound that local soils still remain significantly affected even after hundreds and thousands of years after ending impact. We studied the Late Bronze Age Muradymovo settlement located in the Urals, Russia, [...] Read more.
In some cases, the human impact on ancient landscapes has been so profound that local soils still remain significantly affected even after hundreds and thousands of years after ending impact. We studied the Late Bronze Age Muradymovo settlement located in the Urals, Russia, aiming to estimate the consequences of the ancient people’s activity on the environment. Despite the present humid climate, the modern soils inside the cultural layer of the study site contain more than 27% of gypsum at a depth of just 10 cm from the surface, and a microrelief of the study site is typical of a gypsum desert. The nearby background Chernozems are gypsum-free to a depth of 2 m. According to the archaeological data, the ancient people belonged to the ‘Srubno-Alakul’ archaeological culture (1750–1350 years B.C. cal (calibrated years before Christ)) and had a tradition of building their houses from gypsum rocks. At the present time, this area is still unsuitable for human settlement. The properties of modern soils inside the cultural layer of the study site are directly affected by the Late Bronze Age human activities. It has been identified on soil morphology, micromorphology, and chemical properties of soils developed inside the cultural layer of the settlement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Imprint of Palaeoenvironments on Soils and Palaeosols)
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