Late holocene man-induced environmental change in central russian plain: paleopedological evidences from early-medieval archaeological site.

Local natural and man-induced environmental changes in the early medieval archaeological site in the central Russian plain were reconstructed by study of surface and buried soil profiles. Natural soils and ecosystems on watersheds were similar to present ones in agreement with palynological data. In the floodplain there are remains of forest soils and anthropogenic horizons. These formed in ancient urban environments and are buried under recent alluvium indicating that alluvial sedimentation and flood intensities were much less than at present. Ancient man-induced environmental change related to crop growing activity is well documented by palynological data but corresponding cultivated horizons are found only in few buried profiles, being unstable if left on the surface. Paleopedological signs of the ancient urban environment are very stable and preserved in surface soils even 1000 years after the settlement stopped functioning.