THE HOLOCENE PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY OF LACUSTRINE-PALUSTRINE DEPOSITS IN THE KOLA-PENINSULA

The studied objects represent the lacustrine bottom deposits in the so utheast of the Kola Peninsula and the peat bed in the Cape Rybachii, e xemplifying the northernmost occurrence of this substance in the Europ ean part of Russia. A detailed radiocarbon dating and palynological an alysis provided grounds to establish the Holocene chrono- and climatos tratigraphy of the region and to correlate the studied sections with c oeval deposits in Scandinavia. Sedimentation in the lakes commenced in the region 11000-10000 years ago. The pine species spread over the Ko la Peninsula 9000-7000 years ago. The peat accumulation was initiated here 8000-7500 years ago. The birch tundra forests advanced up to the Parents Sea coast 6000-5000/4500 years ago. The northern forest bounda ry retreated southward after the climate deteriorated 4500 years ago. When the pine forest areas decreased, peat bogs became more widespread in the southeastern Kola Peninsula, and the tundra belt appeared at t he coast of the Parents Sea. Spruce trees arrived at their northern di stribution limit in the peninsula about 3500 years ago. The current st ructure of the vegetation cover was formed during the last 2500-2000 y ears.