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Three paleosols buried in the left lateral moraines of the Greater Azau Glacier (Northern Caucasus) were identified in an excavated outcrop (43.2658 N, 42.4766 E, 2370 m a.s.l.). When the glacier was overlying the surface of the lateral moraines at this site, the thickness of the ice was 50 m and more above the valley floor. Fragments of charcoal from the uppermost soil (S1) buried 0.6 m below the surface yielded the radiocarbon date 130 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-6826) (AD 1680–1939). The middle soil (S2), buried at the depth of 13 m yielded two 14C dates 320 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-8127) (bark of birch) (AD 1496–1641) and 1190 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-8126) (AD 774–889) (charcoal). We suggest that the soil S2 has been formed between these dates during the Medieval Warm Period and in the early Little Ice Age. The lowermost (S3) unit lying 15 m below the surface is the thickest (0.4–0.6 m), well-developed paleosol. Charcoal collected at the top of S3, yielded the date 1300 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-6826) (AD 663–773), indicating a prominent glacier advance occurred shortly before this date. Two dates from the charcoal buried at the bottom of S3 (2855 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-8125) and 2880 ± 20 yr BP (IGANAMS-6827) mark the beginning of a long episode of restricted glacier extent that lasted for about 1600 years. The dates at the bottom of the S3 paleosol constrain the end of glacier advance that occurred before 2800–2900 14C yr BP. The timing of most prominent advances of the Greater Azau Glacier in the past 3500 years is in general agreement with the Late-Holocene glacial chronologies in the European Alps, Scandinavia and other regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

A method of the Holocene paleoenvironment reconstruction based on the analysis of pedobiomarkers in tell deposits is suggested. On the Yunacite tell, such a reconstruction has been accomplished applying two types of environmental records: (a) soil records documented in the profiles of two soils within the middle and lower parts of the tell and reflecting changes in the conditions of pedogenesis averaged over relatively long periods and (b) soil-sedimentary records in the cultural deposits of the Eneolithic and the Early Bronze Ages (3.5 and 2.5 m in thickness, respectively). The lower soil identified at the depth of 9.2–10.0 m was buried about 5000 cal BC (the chronology is based on calibrated 14C dates). The low humus and high carbonate contents indicate arid climate conditions in the 6th millennium BC. The middle soil at a depth of 5 m was formed for about 1500 years (4350–2850 cal BC) according to 14C data. According to chemical and micromorphological analyses, it has a higher humus content and is more leached of CaCO3, as it was formed under more humid climate conditions. A detailed time record of CaCO3 leaching processes has been revealed in the sediments of the Eneolithic and the Bronze ages that were accumulating for about 600 years in the 5th millennium BC and for about 350 years in the 3rd millennium BC. Due to the increase in climate humidity, the leaching process was intensified twice: about 4500 and 2800 cal BC. In the same two periods, especially in the former period, the proportion of residues of hydrophilic beech increases significantly, and the proportion of oak residues decreases. Similar data have been obtained by the analysis of phytoliths and pollen.

Agrochronosequences of chernozems with different periods of their use in rainfed farming with application of traditional technologies have been studied in a typical forest-steppe area in Belgorod oblast. Certain stages in the development of these soils during more than two centuries of their agricultural use have been identified. These stages are related to changes in the intensity and direction of soil forming processes, such as soil compaction, soil aggregation, dehumification of the upper horizons, calcification of the soil profiles, argillization, etc. A significant impact on the soil changes during the agrogenic evolution of chernozems is exerted by the digging activity of burrowers, which is especially pronounced in the old-arable chernozems.

The organic matter composition of buried peat horizons from the west coast of White lake (Kara Sea) was investigated using the method of dency-metric fractionation. Considerable amount of peat in studied buried horizons, the amount of which increases with depth was revealed. According to radiocarbon dating of peat was formed in the early Holocene. Great ancientry of organic matter in studied buried horizons indicates a very slow humification process. This is due to the extreme environmental conditions: lower average temperatures and short duration period of positive temperatures. The presence of a larger number poorly decomposed plant residues in the composition of the light fractions in low part of the buried horizon indicates the difference between the conditions of the decomposition of organic matter in the period of 8950-8580 years ago, namely, the less favorable conditions for microbial activity in low horizon. This could be due to the change of the local hydrological conditions that influenced the change in the rate of humification of plant residues during this relatively short period of time.

Chernozems are the major component of soil cover in the forest-steppe of the Central Russian Upland. They underwent the most significant anthropogenic transformation in terms of duration and scale of development in profiles, due to ploughing. Despite the long list of experimental works, the obtained conclusions are often contradictory. From our point of view, the best way to observe the effect of ploughing on Chernozems is the examination of soils with different durations of cultivation based on an agrochronosequence approach which was used in this study. The most appreciable changes occurred in the arable Chernozems for the first period after the beginning of cultivation. In the soils with 16 and

This article describes the results of a comprehensive study of the first Zvenigorod Neolithic site, the cultural layer of which lies in the buried soil of the Moskva River floodplain. The soil dates to the late 5th – beginning of the 4th millennium BC. Pedological methods placed this soil in the Chernozem soil group, which is markedly different from modern Fluvisols and Albeluvisols. Similar Chernozem soil, dated 5000–3500 cal BC, has been found previously in other sites of the Moskva River valley. Pollen analysis of the buried soil showed that in the second half of the Atlantic period the vegetation of the floodplain consisted of meadow-steppe and broad-leaved forest elements. This vegetation is notably different from the vegetation of the late Holocene, which consisted mostly of spruce-deciduous forests. Archaeological and radiocarbon data indicate that this Neolithic site was a long-term settlement. Some traces of human impact on the vegetation of the Neolithic were revealed. The potential nature of the economy of Neolithic settlements in Moscow area is discussed.

The age and genesis of palaeosols buried under barrows and within floodplain sediments in the centre of the Russian Plain have been studied. Palaeosols formed in the time interval from 10000 to 3500 BP are represented by steppe Chernozems attesting to less humid climate, whereas palaeosols dating back to the past 3500 years are represented by Podzolic and Grey Forest soils (Luvisols) attesting to humid climate. The periods of northward migration of steppe tribes into the forest and forest-steppe zone took place in the Middle Bronze Age and in the epochs of Cimmerian and Sarmatian culture (4000-3500, 3000-2700 and 2000-1700 BP, respectively) corresponding to phases with dry climate and the development of steppe Chernozems. Several intervals with active alluviation and soil burial on the floodplains have been identified: 10500, 8000, 4500 and 500 BP, as well as about 6500 and 2500 BP. These intervals correspond to the periods with colder climate.