Early Holocene environments on the October Revolution Island, Severnaya Zemlya, Arctic Russia

Abstract Pollen, palynomorphs, and rhizopods were studied from several 14 C ages. Open steppe-like vegetation existed on the island during the late Glacial, shortly before the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Environmental conditions on the island were most favourable for local biota during the early Holocene, ca. 11,500–9500 cal. yr BP, when tundra-like sedge-grass communities dominated the vegetation. Low shrub tundra associations with dwarf birch and willow grew in more wind-sheltered localities. The temperatures during the growing season were at least 4 °C higher than today. The Vavilov Ice Cap was at or behind its present margins. Environmental conditions in the region changed significantly ca. 9400 cal. yr BP as a result of colder and drier conditions, when vegetation became similar to the modern, sparse lichen–moss–grass cover.