Natural middle-and late-Holocene environmental development of Kunashiri Island reflects global climatic changes and the migration of warm and cold currents. Dry and cool climate changed to warm and moist about 7000–6500 BP, later than on Hokkaido Island. At this time Kuroshio Current system became more active. On Kunashir Island birch assemblages were replaced by cool-temperate broadleaf forests in the south and mixed coniferous/broadleaf forests in the north. The highest sea-level position reached 2.5–3 m above PSL about 6500–6300 BP. Cooling about 4700–4500 BP island vegetation weakly changed that connected with warm current influence. Major regression at this period led to formation of extensive coastal dunefields. The warming at the beginning of the late Holocene was almost similar to the Holocene Optimum. Two minor transgressions are recorded about 4010–3400 and 2950–2620 BP. Active entrance of detrital material to the coastal zone resulted in growth of accumulative landforms. Vegetation changes and climatic deterioration took place in the second half of the late Holocene. Coniferous and mixed coniferous/broadleaf forests shifted southward and occupied a large part of the island. During cooling at 1700–1300 BP the isthmus area increased, coastal wetlands with lakes and coastal dunes were formed, and grassland and swamp landscapes developed. Late-Holocene warming was not intensive. Active aeolian accumulation took place during the ‘Little Ice Age’ cooling and regression.

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The Late Pleistocene-Holocene paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental changes of the Lower Amur Basin are presented based on pollen records from radiocarbon dated peat sections. The Gur section represents the most complete terrestrial record of the Russian Far East, and probably for all of Northeast Asia. Landscape changes are reconstructed for warm events, corresponding to the Bølling and Allerød, and cold episodes as Middle Dryas and Younger Dryas in Europe. There were three warm periods in the Lower Amur basin: 8900-8300, 5000-5700 and 3200-4200 BP. A major expansion of diverse species in the forest formations in the entire Lower Amur River basin occurred at 5000-5700 BP. Changes and developments of paleoclimate events and paleoenvironmental changes of Late Pleistocene and Holocene in Lower Amur basin were correlative with European climate events. r

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