Climate and Vegetation History of the Taymyr Peninsula since
Middle Weichselian Time· Palynological Evidence from Lake
Sediments
J. Hahne and M. Melles
Alfred-Wegener-Institut far Polar- Meeresforschung, Forschungsstelle Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A43,
D 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Revised 5 May 1997 and accepted in revised form 15 March 1998
Abstract - Within the scope of the Taymyr Project, detailed palynological investigations
were carried out on two long sediment cores (10.6 and 22.4 m) from the lakes Lama and
Levinson-Lessing. The results reveal continuous information concerning the vegetation and
climate histories of the unglaciated southern and northern Taymyr Peninsula since probably
Late and Middle Weichselian times, respectively. The Weichselian was characterized by a
cold and dry climate leading to strongly reduced vegetation. The stadial setting was
interrupted at least twice by relatively short, warm interstadials recorded in the lower part of
the core from Levinson-Lessing Lake. These interstadials may represent parts of the Middle
Weichselian. The PleistocenelHolocene transition in both cores is characterized by a
climatic warming trend during the B011ing, Aller0d, and Preboreal periods, with
interruptions during the Older (post-B011ing) and Younger Dryas events. The Holocene
climatic optimum occurred during the late Preboreal and Boreal periods. During this time
interval only, larch forests dominated at Lama Lake, and birch and later dense alder boscages
at Levinson-Lessing Lake. Starting in the Atlantic period, a climatic deterioration took
place, which favoured sedge and sweet grass communities at Levinson-Lessing Lake but did
not significantly influence the forest vegetation at Lama Lake. The climatic deterioration
continued up to the middlc Subboreal period, when present climate and vegetation
conditions were probably cstablished. A comparison of these results with preliminary
palynological data from the lakes Changeable, Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, and Kokora,
central Taymyr Peninsula, yields new information concerning Weichselian and Holocene
zonal vegetation shifts in northern Central Siberia.
Introduction
The multi-disciplinary, German-Russian research project "Taymyr" focuses on the Late
Quaternary climatic and environmental history of northern Central Siberia. For this purpose,
comprehensive geoscientific investigations are being carried out on natural paleoenvironmental
data archives, such as permafrost profiles and lake sediment cores, along a transect of ca. 1400
km length, from the Northern Taiga in the surroundings of the town of Norilsk, via different
tundra zones on the Taymyr Peninsula, to the High-arctic Tundra on Severnaya Zemlya (Figure
I).
Palynological investigations play an important role within the scope of this project. Pollen
assemblages in sediment sequences reflect the regional vegetation during the time of sediment
formation. Since the type of vegetation depends upon the duration and intensity of positive
summer temperatures and the amount of precipitation, palynological results represent important
proxy data for the climatic evolution of an area. They complement paleoclimatic information
derived from other proxies, such as stable isotope data from ground ice bodies or
sedimentological and cryolithological data from sediment sequences (Melles et aI., 1996).
In this study, we present and discuss detailed palynological results obtained from two long
lake sediment cores from the southern and northern Taymyr Peninsula (Figure I). Along with
preliminary data from the central Taymyr Peninsula and Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, the
In: Kassens. H., H.A. Bauch, I. Dmitrenko, H. Eicken, H.-W. Hubberten, M. Melles, 1. Thiede and L. Timokhov (cds.)
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999, 407-423.
Middle Weichselian Time· Palynological Evidence from Lake
Sediments
J. Hahne and M. Melles
Alfred-Wegener-Institut far Polar- Meeresforschung, Forschungsstelle Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A43,
D 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Revised 5 May 1997 and accepted in revised form 15 March 1998
Abstract - Within the scope of the Taymyr Project, detailed palynological investigations
were carried out on two long sediment cores (10.6 and 22.4 m) from the lakes Lama and
Levinson-Lessing. The results reveal continuous information concerning the vegetation and
climate histories of the unglaciated southern and northern Taymyr Peninsula since probably
Late and Middle Weichselian times, respectively. The Weichselian was characterized by a
cold and dry climate leading to strongly reduced vegetation. The stadial setting was
interrupted at least twice by relatively short, warm interstadials recorded in the lower part of
the core from Levinson-Lessing Lake. These interstadials may represent parts of the Middle
Weichselian. The PleistocenelHolocene transition in both cores is characterized by a
climatic warming trend during the B011ing, Aller0d, and Preboreal periods, with
interruptions during the Older (post-B011ing) and Younger Dryas events. The Holocene
climatic optimum occurred during the late Preboreal and Boreal periods. During this time
interval only, larch forests dominated at Lama Lake, and birch and later dense alder boscages
at Levinson-Lessing Lake. Starting in the Atlantic period, a climatic deterioration took
place, which favoured sedge and sweet grass communities at Levinson-Lessing Lake but did
not significantly influence the forest vegetation at Lama Lake. The climatic deterioration
continued up to the middlc Subboreal period, when present climate and vegetation
conditions were probably cstablished. A comparison of these results with preliminary
palynological data from the lakes Changeable, Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, and Kokora,
central Taymyr Peninsula, yields new information concerning Weichselian and Holocene
zonal vegetation shifts in northern Central Siberia.
Introduction
The multi-disciplinary, German-Russian research project "Taymyr" focuses on the Late
Quaternary climatic and environmental history of northern Central Siberia. For this purpose,
comprehensive geoscientific investigations are being carried out on natural paleoenvironmental
data archives, such as permafrost profiles and lake sediment cores, along a transect of ca. 1400
km length, from the Northern Taiga in the surroundings of the town of Norilsk, via different
tundra zones on the Taymyr Peninsula, to the High-arctic Tundra on Severnaya Zemlya (Figure
I).
Palynological investigations play an important role within the scope of this project. Pollen
assemblages in sediment sequences reflect the regional vegetation during the time of sediment
formation. Since the type of vegetation depends upon the duration and intensity of positive
summer temperatures and the amount of precipitation, palynological results represent important
proxy data for the climatic evolution of an area. They complement paleoclimatic information
derived from other proxies, such as stable isotope data from ground ice bodies or
sedimentological and cryolithological data from sediment sequences (Melles et aI., 1996).
In this study, we present and discuss detailed palynological results obtained from two long
lake sediment cores from the southern and northern Taymyr Peninsula (Figure I). Along with
preliminary data from the central Taymyr Peninsula and Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, the
In: Kassens. H., H.A. Bauch, I. Dmitrenko, H. Eicken, H.-W. Hubberten, M. Melles, 1. Thiede and L. Timokhov (cds.)
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999, 407-423.