Reconstruction of Paleoecological Conditions of the Middle Bronze Bazed on the Study of Buried Soils of Kamensk Area, Rostov Region

Reconstruction of paleoecological conditions on the territory of the Kamensky district of Rostov region, in the Middle Bronze Age yamnaya–catacomb culture border, has been carried out. The work based on results of soil investigations of kurgan 1, archaeological object “Malaya Kamenka VI” group. It was set up that paleochernozems and modern surface soils are clay loam and loamy, thin and having medium humus content and formed on loess-like loams. Values of pH in upper soil horizons are almost neutral. Increasing of pH in humus horizons of paleosols are of smooth character (from 7.0 to 7.3), which indicates carbonate formations surface upliftment. The content of Cl–-ions in the genetic horizons of paleosols are in the values 0.15–0.30%, $${\text{SO}}_{4}^{{2 - }}$$ —0.04–0.09%, and Mg2+—0.007–0.020%, that higher comparing to modern surface soil. It can be an indicator of more arid paleoecological conditions. Short soil profile of paleosol, the footmarks of huge soil animals activity, traces of phytomass burned, a higher soil mass boiling point in paleosols are indicators of the arid climatic phase. In paleosol the low content of pollen from woody and shrubby plants in pollen spectra (up to 6.5%) and a large proportion of pollen from xerophilic species: wormwood (up to 17%), other the Asteraceae family plants (up to 20%), Ephedra pollen finds (up to 2%), indicates an increase of arid conditions. Vegetation was similar a dry steppe with the part of xerophilic grasses. The modern surface soil characteristics (traces of leaching of carbonates from the topsoil, the absence of salinity in the profile) and significant part of motley grass in pollen spectra reflect more humid and favorable conditions at present.