Laboratory for Paleosols

		Head of Laboratory Vladimir S. Sheinkman, PhD, Professor Leading research associate E-mail: v.s.shejnkman@utmn.ru

Paleosols are one of the primary terrestrial geological archives of environmental evolution.

This information is used for modeling future ecological change and, in particular, global climate change. Paleosols provide an opportunity for paleoecological reconstructions with a high degree of spatial resolution, which is important for the development of regional and local forecasts.

Quaternary paleopedological archives have been studied unevenly, with most research being focused on paleosol-loess sequences. In the permafrost zone, paleopedological studies are extremely few (with the exception of paleosol studies of the Kolyma Lowland and Alaska ice complex). The undergoing revision of the Quaternary Eurasian glaciation boundaries provides numerous opportunities for studying the paleopedology of previously unexamined regions.


Main Research Topics 


1) Paleosols of the permafrost zone as soil memory archives, providing information on climate and ecosystem change at different time periods of the geological past.

We expect that soil archives in the permafrost zone are more detailed and of higher volume than in the warmer areas because many unstable characteristics, such as the organic matter content and composition, are better preserved under low-temperature conditions.  

The results of the above studies should be interesting to specialists in environmental modeling, forecasting, and reconstruction.


2) Permafrost soils play an important role in the global circulation of carbon because of the accumulation and preservation of the organic matter in cold areas. This observation makes the assessment of the volume and stability of this carbon storage a priority task, especially in the context of global warming.

The results of these studies should be interesting to biochemists, geneticists, and biodiversity specialists.


3) Permafrost paleosols are informative of biodiversity of the past because of the high preservation degree of organic matter (including whole organisms and fresh fragments that carry genetic material). At least partial cultivation of this biological heritage is possible (e.g., successful experiments of cryobiologists with microorganisms and seeds).

The results of these studies should be interesting to biochemists, geneticists, and biodiversity specialists.


4) Paleosol levels are markers of stable geomorphological surfaces that provided habitat for terrestrial biota and humans. Consequently, they are valuable reference points for paleontologists and archaeologists, especially at the initial reconnaissance/survey stage. 

The results of these studies should be interesting to paleontologists and archaeologists.