BIOSTRATIGRAPHICAL STUDY OF THE UPPER PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE DEPOSITS OF THE SIKIYAZ-TAMAK 7 CAVE (SOUTHERN FORE-URALS, RUSSIA)

. The results of a complex biostratigraphical dominated. Species associated with trees and shrubs were few. The same ecological fauna composition indicates similar natural conditions during the formation of the enclosing layers. Holocene. During the Early Holocene forest-steppe landscapes continued to exist in the conditions of a cool climate. Later, during the Middle and Late Holocene due to the gradual warming, pine and birch forests with an admixture of spruce, fir, larch, elm, linden, oak, alder and willow predominated. The role of herbaceous vegetation declined sharply and during this period it was represented mainly by herbs and Artemisia. The remains of a squirrel were found in the Holocene fauna, which indicates the coniferous forests existence during the late Middle – Late Holocene in the cave surroundings. The Late Holocene mollusс species ecological preferrences suggest that the slope where the cave is located was most likely covered by mixed forest, shrubs and dense grassy vegetation, where high humidity was maintained, but at the same time the slope was warm enough for the steppe plants existence.