Morphology and history of the development of the Moscow River valley in the Late Glacial and Holocene

The paper presents the morphology of the floodplain-channel complex of the Moscow River controlled by bedrock lithology and morphostructural patterns of the upper and lower parts of the basin. Historical reconstruction of the basin development before the beginning of intensive human intervention in its functioning is proposed. The entire river valley can be divided into several morphologically homogeneous sections: Mozhaisk with macro meanders, and Tuchkovsky with narrow floodplain and insides meanders sections in the upper reaches, Zvenigorodsko-Moskovsky section characterized by presence of macro meanders in the middle reaches, and Voskresensky with lithologically controlled narrowing and widening of the valley in the lower reaches. Radiocarbon dating of floodplain (oxbow) deposits recovered from morphologically different floodplain-channel complexes helped to restore the stages of natural river valley development. The following periods were established: late glacial phase with high discharge and runoff coefficient, the early Holocene stage of low discharge, the late Holocene stage when multiple channels developed on the floodplain, and the current stage of active interaction of natural and anthropogenic valley and riverbed-forming processes. It is obvious that the first three stages ultimately served as the natural basis, which over the past hundreds of years has been actively influenced by human activity. At the same time, traces of micro-meaders found on the floodplain only in the lower reaches, marking a certain stage at the beginning of the sub-Atlantic period of the Holocene, have not yet been explained in the evolutionary series of the development of the valley, floodplain and riverbed of the Moscow River.

1. Panin A.V., Sidorchuk A.Yu., and Chernov A.V. Historical background to floodplain morphology: examples from the East European Plain. Marriott S., Alexander J., and Hey R. (Eds.). Floodplains: Interdisciplinary Approaches. Geological Society, London, Special Publications. Vol. 163. 1999. P. 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1999.163.01.17

2. Sidorchuk A.Yu., Borisova O.K., and Panin A.V. Pozdnevaldaiskie paleorusla rek Russkoi ravniny (The Late Valday river paleochannels in the Russian Plain). Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya geograficheskaya. 2000. No. 6. P. 73–78. (in Russ.)

3. Borisova O., Sidorchuk A., and Panin A. Palaeohydrology of the Seim River basin, Mid-Russian Upland, based on palaeochannel morphology and palynological data. Catena. 2006. Vol. 66. P. 53–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2005.07.010

4. Sidorchuk A., Panin A., and Borisova O. Morphology of river channels and surface runoff in the Volga River basin (East European Plain) during the Late Glacial period. Geomorphology. 2009. Vol. 113. P. 137–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.03.007

5. Panin A.V., Sidorchuk A.Yu., and Vlasov M.V. Moshchnyi pozdnevaldaiskii rechnoi stok v basseine Dona (High Late river runoff in the Don basin). Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya geograficheskaya. 2013. No. 1. P. 118–129. (in Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15356/0373-2444-2013-1-118-129

6. Panin A., Adamiec G., Buylaert J.-P., Matlakhova E., Moska P., and Novenko E. Two Late Pleistocene climate-driven incision/aggradation rhythms in the middle Dnieper River basin, west-central Russian Plain. Quaternary Science Reviews. 2017. Vol. 166. P. 266–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev

7. Matlakhova E.Yu., Panin A.V., Belyaev V.R., and Borisova O.K. Razvitie doliny Verkhnego Dona v kontse pozdnego pleistotsena (Development of the Upper Don valley at the end of the Late Pleistocene). Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seriya Geografiya. 2019. No. 3. P. 83–92 (in Russ.)

8. Matlakhova E.Yu., Panin A.V., and Ukraintsev V.Yu. Istoriya razvitiya doliny r. Mokshi v kontse pozdnego pleistotsena (Development of the Moksha River valley at the end of the Late Pleistocene). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 2021. Vol. 52. No. 3. P. 105–115. (in Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S043542812103007X

9. Panin A.V., Sidorchuk A.Yu., Baslerov S.V., Borisova O.K., Kovalyukh N.N., and Sheremetskaya E.D. Osnovnye etapy istorii rechnykh dolin tsentra Russkoi ravniny v pozdnem valdae i golotsene: rezul’taty issledovanii v srednem techenii r. Seim (Main stages of the history of river valleys in the center of the Russian Plain in the Late Valdai and Holocene: case study in the middle reaches of the Seim River). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 2001. No 2. P. 19–34. (in Russ.)

10. Panin A.V., Adamiec G., Arslanov K.A., Bronnikova M.A., Filippov V.V., Sheremetskaya E.D., Zaretskaya N.E., and Zazovskaya E.P. Absolute chronology of fluvial events in the Upper Dnieper river system and its palaeogeographic implications. Geochronometria. 2014. Vol. 41(3). P. 278–293. https://doi.org/10.2478/s13386-013-0154-1

11. Golosov V. and Panin A. Century-scale stream network dynamics in the Russian Plain in response to climate and land use change. Catena. 2006. Vol. 66. P. 74–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2005.07.011

12. Panin A.V. and Karevskaya I.A. Istoriya formirovaniya poimy r. Protvy v predelakh Satinskogo poligona MGU (Formation of the Protva river floodplain in the Satino MSU training station). Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seriya 5. Geografiya. 2000. No. 4. P. 55–62. (in Russ.)

13. Krivtsov V.A., Vorob’ev A.Yu., Vodorezov A.V., and Zazovskaya E.P. Osobennosti formirovaniya poimy reki Oki v ee srednem techenii (na primere Spasskogo rasshireniya) (Peculiarities of the floodplain formation of the Oka River in its middle reaches: the case study of the “Spasskoe” local widening). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 2020. No. 3. P. 56–71 (in Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S0435428120030050

14. Kargapolova I.N., Zavadskii A.S. Estestvennye izmeneniya rusla nizhnego techeniya r. Moskvy i ego transformatsiya v usloviyakh intensivnoi khozyaistvennoi deyatel’nosti (Natural dynamics of River Moskva channel in the lower course and its transformation under intensive economic activity). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 2006. No. 1. P. 45–56. (in Russ.)

15. Ozerova N.A. Moskva-reka v prostranstve i vremeni (Moscow-the river in space and time). Moscow: Progress-Tradition (Publ.), 2014. 320 p. (in Russ.)

16. Chalov R.S. Istoricheskoe i paleoruslovedenie: predmet, metody issledovanii i rol' v izuchenii rel’efa (Historical and paleochannel studies: subject, methods and the role in geomorphological research). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 1996. No. 4. P. 13–18. (in Russ.)

17. Makkaveev N.I. Ruslo reki i eroziya v ee basseine (River channel and erosion in its basin). Moscow: AS USSR (Publ.), 1955. 347 p. (in Russ.)

18. Karmanov V.N., Chernov A.V., Zaretskaya N.E., Panin A.V., and Volokitin A.V. Opyt primeneniya dannykh paleoruslovedeniya v arkheologii na primere izucheniya Srednei Vychegdy (Evropeiskii Severo-Vostok Rossii) (Paleochannel Studies in Archaeology: The Case of The Vychegda River, Northeastern European Russia). Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia. 2013. Vol. 41 (2). P. 83–93. (in Russ.) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeae.2013.11.008

19. Bronk Ramsey C. Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon. 51(1). 2009. P. 337–360.

20. Reimer P., Austin W., and Bard E. The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curve (0–55 cal kBP). Radiocarbon. 62 (4). 2020. P. 725–757.

21. Sidorchuk A.Yu., Panin A.V., and Borisova O.K. Klimaticheski obuslovlennye izmeneniya rechnogo stoka na ravninakh Severnoi Evrazii v pozdnelednikov’e i golotsene (Climate-induced changes in surface runoff on the North-Eurasian plains during the Late Glacial and Holocene). Water Resources. 2008. Vol.35. No. 4. P. 386–396.

22. Sidorchuk A.Yu., Panin A.V., and Borisova O.K. Snizhenie stoka rek ravnin Severnoi Evrazii v optimum golotsena (River Runoff Decrease in North Eurasian Plains during the Holocene Optimum). Vodnye resursy. 2012. Vol. 39. No. 1. P. 69–81.

23. Sidorchuk A., Panin A., and Borisova O. Surface runoff to the Black Sea from the East European Plain during Last Glacial Maximum–Late Glacial time. In: Buynevich I., Yanko-Hombach V., Gilbert A.S., and Martin R.E. (Eds.). Geology and Geoarchaeology of the Black Sea Region: Beyond the Flood Hypothesis: Geological Society of America Special Paper 473, 2011. P. 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1130/2011.2473(01)

24. Kislov A.V., Panin A.V., and Toropov P. Current status and palaeostages of the Caspian Sea as a potential evaluation tool for climate model simulations. Quaternary International. 345 (2014). P. 48–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2014.05.014

25. Geomorfologicheskoe raionirovanie SSSR. M-b 8000000 (Geomorphological zoning of the USSR. Map. Sc. 1:8000000). A.I. Spiridonov (Ed.). Moscow. 1985 (in Russ.)

26. Geologicheskaya karta dochetvertichnykh otlozhenii Moskovskoi oblasti. Masshtab 1:500000 (Geological map of the Pre-Quaternary deposits of the Moscow Region). Map Sc.1:500000. N.I. Sychkin (Ed.). Moscow: MPR RF (Publ.), 1998. (in Russ.)

27. Astakhov V., Shkatova V., Zastrozhnov A., and Chuyko M. Glaciomorphological Map of the Russian Federation. Quaternary International. 2016. Vol. 420. P. 4–14.

28. Panin A.V. and Matlakhova E.Yu. Periodicheskie proyavleniya moshchnogo rechnogo stoka v tsentre Russkoi ravniny v valdaiskuyu kholodnuyu epokhu (Periodic manifestations of high river runoff in the center of the Russian Plain in the Valdai cold epoch). Vestnik Tomskogo Gosudarstvennogo universiteta. 2013. No. 370. P. 168–174. (in Russ.)

29. Chernov A.V. and Zavadskii A.S. Osnovnye zakonomernosti i lokal’nye osobennosti razvitiya rusel malykh i srednikh rek (rezul’taty monitoringovykh nablyudenii) (Main regularities and local features of the development of small and medium-sized river channels (results of monitoring observations)). Vestnik Udmurtskogo universiteta. Seriya Biologiya. Nauki o Zemle. 2020. Vol. 30. No. 2. P. 215–222. (in Russ.)

30. Panin A.V. and Sidorchuk A.Yu. Makroizluchiny (“bol’shie meandry”): problemy proiskhozhdeniya i interpretatsii (Macro-bends (“large meanders”): problems of origin and interpretation). Vestnik Mosk. Un-ta. Seriya 5. Geogr. 2006. No. 6. P. 14–22. (in Russ.)

31. Panin A.V., Sidorchuk A.Yu., and Chernov A.V. Osnovnye etapy formirovaniya poim ravninnykh rek Severnoi Evrazii (Main stages of formation of floodplains of lowland rivers in Northern Eurasia). Geomorfologiya (Geomorphology RAS). 2011. No. 3. P. 20–31 (in Russ.)

32. Panin A.V. Predvaritel’nye dannye po istorii formirovaniya poimy Moskvy-reki v raione Uspenskogo-RANIS (Preliminary data on the history of the formation of the floodplain of the Moscow river in the Uspensky-RANIS area). In: Arkheologiya Podmoskov’ya: Materialy nauchnogo seminara. Vypusk 4 (Materials of the scientific seminar. Vol. 4). Moscow. Institut arheologii RAN (Publ.), 2008. P. 340–343. (in Russ.)

33. Aleksandrovskii A.L. and Panin A.V. Zakonomernosti formirovaniya poimy reki Moskvy v kontekste ee osvoeniya chelovekom (na primere klyuchevogo uchastka v raione Zvenigorodskoi biostantsii MGU) (Formation of the Moscow river floodplain in the context of its occupation by man: the MSU Zvenigorod biostation case study). In: Arheologiya Podmoskov’ya: Materialy nauchnogo seminara. Vypusk 9 (Materials of the scientific seminar. Vol. 9). Moscow. Institut arheologii RAN (Publ.), 2013. P. 249–255. (in Russ.)

34. Chernov A.V. Dinamika poimenno-ruslovogo kompleksa r. Tarusy pri vysokoi izmenchivosti klimaticheskikh uslovii poslednikh desyatiletii (Dynamics of the floodplain-riverbed complex river of Tarus with high variability of climatic conditions in recent decades). In: Sbornik nauchnyh trudov geograficheskogo fakul’teta MPGU (Collection of scientific works geogr. faculty of MSPU). Moscow. Buki-vedi (Publ.), 2017. P. 135–142 (in Russ.)

35. Sidorchuk A., Borisova O., Chernov A., and Panin A. Three Main Stages of Floodplain Evolution in Northern Eurasia and their Ecological Significance. In: Environmental Management, Restoration and Ecological Implications. Chapter 4. Nova publishers. New York. 2013. P. 69–136.

36. Fedonin R.A., Panin A.V., and Siroshtan I.I. Formirovanie poimy r, Moskvy v raione d. Zakharkovo i ee selitebnoe osvoenie (Formation of the floodplain Moscow-river in the area of the Zakharkovo village and its occupation by humans). In: Arkheologiya poimy: rel’ef, paleosreda, istoriya zaseleniya. (Archeology of the floodplain: relief, paleoenvironment, history of settlement). M.: KDU (Publ.), Universitetskaya kniga (Publ.), 2019. P. 88–91. (in Russ.)

37. Zavadskii A.S., Surkov V.V., Chernov A.V., Botavin D.V., Golovlev P.P., and Samokhin M.A. Transformatsiya poymennykh landshaftov pod vliyaniyem prirodnykh i antropogennykh izmeneniy okruzhayushchey sredy (na primere Zakharkovskoy poymy r. Moskvy) (Transformation of floodplain landscapes under the influence of natural and anthropogenic environmental changes (on the example of the Zakharkovskaya floodplain of the Moscow River). Vestnik Udmurtskogo universiteta. Seriya Biologiya. Nauki o Zemle. 2021. T. 31. Vyp. 2. P. 166–177. (in Russ.)