Paleolimnological research from northern Russian Eurasia

Abstract

As access to northern Russia has become easier, and as more powerful analytical tools and interpretative approaches have been developed for arctic paleolimnology (e.g., MacDonald et al. 2000a), the pace and geographic extent of paleolimnological research in the far north of Russian Eurasia has increased markedly. Recent work by joint Russian-foreign teams has included analysis of biological proxies such as diatoms and chironomids to reconstruct past limnological and climatological conditions (e.g., Kienel 1999; Laing et al. 1999a; Snyder et al. 1997, 2000; Laing and Smol 2000; Solovieva 2000; Porinchu and Cwynar 2002; Solovieva and Jones 2002). Additional new studies have also examined sedimentological and geochemical changes in lake sediments to reconstruct sea-level changes, limnological and hydrological conditions and climate (e.g., Snyder et al. 1997; Wolfe et al. 2000; Jones et al. 2004). Other recent work has consisted of the collation and interpretation of existing data from previously published