MORPHOLOGY AND HOLOCENE EVOLUTION OF THE MOSCOW RIVER FLOODPLAIN IN THE LOWER REACHES
The article is devoted to the modern morphology and Holocene history of the Moscow River valley in its lower reaches. The river’s watershed is located within the area affected by maximum anthropogenic activity. At the same time, during the period of its existence (late glacial and Holocene) the floodplain-channel complex of the river underwent natural changes caused, firstly, by climate change in the territory, and secondly, by changes in the water content of the river associated with it. It was during this period of significant climate warming after the retreat of the last glacier that the valley of the river was passed by glacial melt water, which left its mark on the morphology and structure of the floodplain; then the water content of the river decreased to the modern values, so its fluctuations started to reflect in the topography and structure of the floodplain. The article attempts to identify traces of changes in the morphology and structure of the river floodplain for the entire period of the floodplain-channel complex existence, to determine the time of natural changes in natural conditions and to explain the reasons for these changes.