Spore-pollen spectra and conditions of formation of plio-pleistocene deposits near lake aralsor in the caspian lowland

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Abstract

Based on the results of the spore-pollen analysis of the Aralsor borehole, which uncovered Akchagylian and Apsheronian deposits with a thickness of more than 640 m in the north of the Caspian lowland, determined by the lithology and fauna of the Caspian mollusks, a palinoclimatostratigraphic dissection of late Pliocene – early Pleistocene deposits was performed. The changes in landscape and climatic conditions that occurred during the accumulation of the studied Plio–Pleistocene sediments are reconstructed. It was found that at the beginning of Akchagylian, coniferous forests with heather and birch-pine forests with an admixture of broad-leaved, in places with salt marshes in the south, spread in conditions of cold and dry climate. Against the background of the Akchagylian gradual humidification and warming, dark coniferous forests with tsuga grew on the northern land areas adjacent to the Akchagylian Sea and pine-birch forests with an admixture of broadleaf in the south. The border of Akchagylian and Apsheronian is marked by the change of forest spore-pollen spectra by steppe spectra. Fluctuations, desiccation and cooling of the climate are observed during the Apsheronian, expressed in the development of treeless steppe phytocenoses. A detailed palynological analysis of the Akchagylian and Apsheronian deposits made it possible to identify groups of spore-pollen spectra and nine palinozones, reconstruct flora, vegetation and climatic conditions necessary for climatostratigraphy and further substantiation and improvement of the selected divisions of the quaternary system.

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About the authors

O. D. Naidina

Geological Institute of the RAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: onaidina@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow

References

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2. Fig. 1. The location of the borehole near Lake Aralsor.

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3. Fig. 2. Spore-pollen diagram of the Plio-Pleistocene deposits of the Aralsor borehole. The lithology of the column is represented by a sandy-clay stratum; indices on the column on the left: pg – Paleogene; ak – Akchagylian; ap – Apsheronian; the numbers in the diagram on the right: 1a-9 – palinozones. The general composition of the summary diagram: square – the percentage of pollen of trees and shrubs; circle – grasses and shrubs; triangle – spores of higher plants. The percentage of pollen and spores of each taxon is calculated in relation to its content in the group: taxa of trees and shrubs are represented in% of the sum of trees and shrubs; taxa of grasses and small shrubs in% of the sum of trees and small shrubs.

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