Earth’s Cryosphere, 2016, Vol. XX, No. 1, p. 3-13

GENESISAND EVOLUTION OF PEAT PLATEUAS IN THE SPORADIC PERMAFROST AREA IN THE EUROPEAN NORTH-EAST (MIDDLE BASIN OF THE KOSYU RIVER)

A.V. Pastukhov, T.I. Marchenko-Vagapova*, D.A. Kaverin, N.N. Goncharova

Institute of Biology, Komi Scientific Centre UB RAS, 28, Kommunisticheskaya str., Syktyvkar, 167982, Russia; alpast@mail.ru
*Institute of Geology, Komi Science Centre UB RAS, 54, Pervomayskaya str., Syktyvkar, 167982, Russia

This paper provides analysis of origin, evolution and modern state of permafrost peatlands in the southernmost parts of East European permafrost zone on the basis of the data on the botanical and palynological composition of peat. The surfaces of existing peat plateaus represent the remnants of past wetlands and bogs, which development had been caused by thermal erosion processes. The paleoreconstruction allowed to identify the onset of peat accumulation in the middle Holocene about 8 ka BP. The growth of peat seems first to have considerably slowed and almost ceased between 2,500–850 BP, which was followed by its gradual and slow accumulation at a later stage. The vegetative cover of peat mounds (palsas) prevents degradation of permafrost under modern climate warming. Thawing of permafrost peat plateaus from the surface occurs either due to their destruction or under the conditions of impeded surface runoff, which may result in the development of lakes and fens.

Genesis, evolution, permafrost, peat plateau, palynological and botanical composition