Activity of Maly Aktru Glacier (Сentral Altai) and changes tree line fluctuations in its basin for a historical period

Abstract

Major problems of dating of the glaciers activity from the wood residues found in moraines are discussed by the example of Maly Aktru Glacier. First of all, these are the underestimation of the glacier development features, the age of the sample itself and its content as well as losses of some outer rings. The study proves that disagreements between dendrochronological and radiocarbon ages of the samples are caused by manifestation of the Suess effect and contents of the wood cells. The reconstruction of June–July temperatures in the Aktru valley for two thousand years was used to reconstruct the altitudinal variability of the tree line thermal potential. Existence of a climatic optimum (I–IV A.D.) had been revealed that brought to the higher position of the tree line in mid ages than its thermal potential could enable. On the basis of variability of growth indices for Siberian larch, it is shown that the medieval optimum stands out against a background of solely strong temperature depressions separating it from ancient and modern times, and the climate’s natural history is evidence that the current climate warming is an ordinary phenomenon.

Keywords

• dendrochronology
• glaciers of altai
• history of climate
• radiocarbon
• upper tree line