ИСТИНА

As part of the interdisciplinary project “Plant and land use of Early Iron Age societies in the boreal zone of the mid-Kama region and its environmental impact”, this work presents new palaeoecological data for the Mid-Kama region (the cis-Ural, Russia) covering almost the entire Holocene (~9500 cal BP – present). The reconstructions were carried out based on analyses of two peat cores, including AMS radiocarbon dating, loss-on-ignition, micro- and macrocharcoal, pollen, and non-pollen palynomorphs. The primary aim of this study was to conduct a high-temporal-resolution reconstruction of human-environmental interactions in the Mid-Kama region during the Holocene. The results emphasize the pivotal role of human influence in shaping regional ecosystems since the Eneolithic era (~5500 cal BP). The advent of animal husbandry in the Bronze Age (~4000 cal BP) led to substantial vegetation opening. The subsequent introduction of slash-and-burn agriculture during the Early Iron Age (~2400 cal BP), coupled with an increase in population density, led to further deforestation and increased fire frequency. The compilation of data revealed the dependence of land use on landscape position, with pastures located in the floodplain and agricultural areas situated on the terraces. However, the climatic conditions remained the most important driver of the socio-cultural development and migration processes in the region, determining the availability of natural resources and population dynamics. A warm and dry period between 4000 and 2000 cal BP supported an increase in settlement activity, as well as the advent of animal husbandry and agriculture. The subsequent cooling and paludification of the floodplain, beginning around 2000 cal BP, led to a human exodus from the area. Overall, the results of this dissertation provide a deeper understanding of the subsistence economy of ancient populations in the boreal zone and its ecological impact.