Dataset on the soil properties of Early Iron Age and Medieval archaeological sites in the forest-steppe zone of the East European Plain.

Paleosols are frequently used to recreate past climates. In the forest-steppe zone of the Russian Plain (Lipetsk region, Russia), Early Iron and Middle Ages defensive ramparts' buried soils were discovered. The parent material and similar topographic situations served as the foundation for the comparison of buried and surface soils. Following the dynamics of the landscape from 2500 years ago to the present is possible according to detailed chrono-sequences of soils positioned in similar relief positions and in the same parent material. In this article, an analysis of 8 soils buried at various times is described. The data add to the original research and include detailed morphological descriptions that conform to international standards. Physico-chemical analysis includes determination of pH, organic and carbonate carbon, exchange cations, macro- and microelements. Numerous analytical techniques can be used to investigate issues including the genesis and deterioration of the mollic horizon, the influence of human activity on the production and preservation of Chernozems, and the degree and rate of changes in soil features driven on by climatic changes.

Dataset on spatial variability of soil properties: Tokhmeyevo archaeological site of the Bronze Age, Chuvashia (southern fringe of the forest zone, the Russian Plain).

Geoarchaeological and palaeopedological studies focusing on the reconstruction of the Holocene paleoenvironments require a detailed knowledge of the spatial variability of soil properties both for the surface soils and paleosols buried under archaeological constructions. However, such studies are often carried out at unique sites where it is difficult to ensure the representativeness of the data obtained. In this paper, we report original data on 15 soil profiles which shows the range of spatial variability of soil properties (рН H2O, рН KCl, particle size distribution, depth of genetic horizons, colour codes) for both surface and buried soils at the Tokhmeyevo kurgan cemetery, located in the Middle Volga region, Chuvash Republic, Russia. The data supplement the original research [1] and also give additional detailed information on pollen and spore analysis by plant species for the humus horizons in four buried and one surface soils. All soils developed from the same lithology (mantle loam), at the same elevation, in a similar topographic position (levelled upland slope) and in proximity to each other. Both buried and surface soils, classified as Retisols [1], show slight variability in morphology and particle size distribution that varies in a similar range. However, the two soil groups (buried and surface) differ in two striking features: buried soils exhibit dark humus horizon and black humic cutans in the middle part of the soil profile; these features are absent in the surface soils. The values of рН in water and 1 M KCl suspension in the buried soils and soils of the kurgan mounds are lower than in the surface soils. The data on the spatial variation of the properties of the surface and buried soils increase the reliability of the results, making it possible to assess the extent to which the differences in soils are associated with the environmental evolution. The presented data can provide one the context for further work in paleoenvironmental studies and also be compared with other already published datasets increasing the reliability of conclusions about the trends of environmental evolution in the second half of the Holocene.

Data on rare earth elements in different particle size fractions of topsoil for two small erosional landforms in central European Russia.

The pathways and behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) in the soil environment have been receiving greater significance due to their wide use in technological applications, agriculture, and medicine over the last two decades and insufficient information on their health effect and participation in soil and geochemical processes. In this paper, we report original data on rare earth elements in various particle size fractions separated from the topsoil horizons of two small erosional landforms located in an uncontaminated area of the central part of European Russia (the Middle Protva basin, the Kaluga region). Soil samples were collected from the top 10 cm along several soil transects. Soils were sampled at the landforms sides, bottoms, detrital fans and catchment areas considered as sources of solid matter. The sampling scheme used makes it possible to assess the REEs distribution from catchments to bottoms of the erosional landforms, as well as along their thalwegs. The collected bulk samples (n = 22) were physically fractionated and the concentrations of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu were determined in five particle size fractions (1000-250, 250-50, 50-10, 10-1 and <1 µm, n = 100) by ICP-MS using Elan-6100 spectrometer (Perkin Elmer Inc., USA). The data obtained also include the concentrations of Fe and Mn (ICP-AES), as well as the information on the total content of organic carbon (TOC), pH and particle size distribution of the bulk samples. The obtained dataset can be used for various purposes: it is suitable as a baseline for the assessment of pollution levels, exploring natural and anthropogenic anomalies, for revealing the association of REEs with specific particle size fractions and detecting the effect of parent material and lateral translocations of soil material and soil particles on the REEs levels.