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The paper discusses the research and methodological aspects of introducing the new term "catafluvial deposits" into genetic classification of Quaternary deposits. For this purpose, fieldwork was carried out aimed at studying terrace complexes within the Yaloman-Katun zone of Gorny Altai, which has recently become a unique natural laboratory for investigating hypothetical glacial superfloods. Based on original materials and data from other areas with similar geological and physico-geographical conditions, it is concluded that the introduction of a separate genetic type "catafluvial" is currently premature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the genetic structure and population history of a species can reveal the impacts of historical climate and geological changes, providing critical insights for developing effective conservation strategies for ecologically significant fish. The Markakol grayling (Thymallus brevicephalus), an endangered species found in the Altai‐Sayan Mountain region of Central Asia, serves as an ideal model for studying these factors. In this study, populations of a grayling (Thymallus) species discovered in the upper Irtysh River headwaters in Xinjiang, China, were analyzed to assess genetic diversity and population structure. Mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b and control region), along with 10 microsatellite markers, were used to examine genetic variation. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses confirmed the species, long misidentified as Arctic grayling (T. arcticus), as T. brevicephalus. This species can be divided into two distinct geographic groups: eastern and western, with the Crane River acting as the boundary. The divergence between these groups likely corresponds to refugia formed during the Pleistocene glaciation of the Altai Mountains, approximately 0.48 MA (million years ago) (range: 0.30 to 0.71 Ma). High haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.5) and low nucleotide diversity (π < 0.005) suggest that, despite the species' genetic richness, T. brevicephalus remains vulnerable to genetic drift, which could threaten its long‐term survival. This vulnerability may stem from inbreeding within small refugial populations during the glacial period, followed by gradual population expansion. Our study offers novel insights into grayling populations, with results that have direct implications for management by serving as a tool for the identification of conservation units. This study reveals the impact of past climate events on a fish species (Thymallus brevicephalus) in China. Genetic analysis suggests the species split into eastern and western populations during a past glaciation event. While the fish show genetic diversity, specific management plans are needed to conserve both eastern and western populations due to their unique evolutionary histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the image of the Altai Mountains in English travelogues from the second half of the 19th to the early 20th centuries within the context of Orientalism discourses. During the imperial period, this territory of Western Siberia belonged to the category of the so-called “cabinet lands” through which Russian trade with China passed, yet it was poorly developed by the Russian state. From the mid-19th to the early 20th century, Western European discourses exhibited a persistent interest in the Altai Mountains, particularly its southern part, where the Russo-Chinese border ran, populated by Mongols, Kazakhs, and Altaians. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate not only the reasons for such interest but also the main narratives that were formed about this land within the context of cultural and political processes. The work of P. A. Chikhachev, Journey to the Eastern Altai, written in French and published in Paris, shaped the primary concepts of the Altai Mountains — as of the Second Switzerland, little known to Europeans, and inhabited by savages at the lowest stage of civilization. In the early 20th century, English travelogues by Thomas and Lucy Atkinson, E. Demidov, and H. Swayne revealed another aspect of the wild Altai — as of the area for free hunting and self-realization for European aristocrats on the Russo-Mongolian border. This firmly established the stereotype of the southern Altai as a typologically Eastern “terra incognita” inhabited by Orientalized Russians and Asian savages.

The 1931 MW7.8 Fuyun earthquake occurred around the Altai mountains, an intracontinental deformation belt with limited active strain-rate accumulation. To explore whether seismic activity in this deformation belt was affected by stress interaction among different active faults, we calculate the Coulomb failure stress change (ΔCFS) induced by the Fuyun earthquake due to coseismic deformation of the elastic crust and postseismic viscoelastic relaxation of the lower crust and upper mantle. Numerical results show that the total ΔCFS at a 10-km depth produced by the Fuyun earthquake attains approximately 0.015–0.134 bar near the epicenter, and just before the occurrence of the 2003 MW7.2 Chuya earthquake, which distances about 400 km away from the Fuyun earthquake. Among the increased ΔCFS, viscoelastic relaxation from 1931 to 2003 contributes to approximately 0.014–0.131 bar, accounting for >90% of the total ΔCFS. More importantly, we find that for the recorded seismicity in the region with a radius of about 270 km to the Fuyun earthquake from 1970 to 2018, the percentage of earthquakes that fall in positive lobes of ΔCFS resolved on the NNW-SSE Fuyun strike-slip fault, on the NWW-SEE Irtysh strike-slip fault, and on the NW-SE Kurti reverse fault is up to 67.22%–91.36%. Therefore, the predicted ΔCFS suggests that the impact of the 1931 MW7.8 Fuyun earthquake on seismic activity around the Altai mountains is still significant as to hasten occurrence of the 2003 MW7.2 Chuya earthquake at a relatively far distance and to trigger its aftershocks in the near-field even after several decades of the mainshock.

The Altai Mountains, spanning China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, are crucial habitats for many endemic, rare, and endangered species and are a vital migration corridor. However, the standards for establishing protected areas (PAs) differ among the four countries, resulting in suboptimal spatial arrangements and protection gaps in PAs. Therefore, here, by integrating the habitats of rare and endangered species and key ecosystem service areas, we identified potential conservation areas in the Altai Mountains. And we overlaid them with existing PAs in China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia to determine the core habitats of the transboundary ecological networks for conservation. The identified core habitats covered 168,729.00 km2, representing 50.63 % of the Altai Mountains. Among these, potential conservation area not covered by existing PAs was approximately 82,833.50 km2 (24.86%). Additionally, 116 ecological corridors were identified with an average length of 38.15 km, including 8 transboundary corridors that connect the core conservation areas across different countries. Based on these findings, new PAs and other effective conservation measures (OECMs) in the Altai Mountains were proposed, along with a phased cooperation framework to gradually enhance the construction of transboundary ecological networks for conservation. Establishing the Altai Mountains’ transboundary ecological networks for conservation has the potential to become a model for transboundary conservation projects, providing valuable insights and guidance for developing conservation and collaborative management strategies in other transboundary regions.

ABSTRACT Clarifying the genetic structure and population history of a species can reveal the impacts of historical climate and geological changes, providing critical insights for developing effective conservation strategies for ecologically significant fish. The Markakol grayling (Thymallus brevicephalus), an endangered species found in the Altai‐Sayan Mountain region of Central Asia, serves as an ideal model for studying these factors. In this study, populations of a grayling (Thymallus) species discovered in the upper Irtysh River headwaters in Xinjiang, China, were analyzed to assess genetic diversity and population structure. Mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b and control region), along with 10 microsatellite markers, were used to examine genetic variation. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses confirmed the species, long misidentified as Arctic grayling (T. arcticus), as T. brevicephalus. This species can be divided into two distinct geographic groups: eastern and western, with the Crane River acting as the boundary. The divergence between these groups likely corresponds to refugia formed during the Pleistocene glaciation of the Altai Mountains, approximately 0.48 MA (million years ago) (range: 0.30 to 0.71 Ma). High haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.5) and low nucleotide diversity (π

[Display omitted] The Altai orogen is a typical intracontinental orogen in Central Asia that experienced far-field deformation associated with Indian-Eurasian plate convergence. This region is characterized by uplift comparable to that of the Tianshan Mountains but has a distinct strain rate. Half of the Indo-Asia strain is accommodated by the Tianshan Mountains, whereas the Altai Mountains accommodates only 10%. To elucidate how the Altai Mountains produced such a large amount of uplift with only one-fifth of the strain rate of the Tianshan Mountains, we constructed a detailed crustal image of the Altai Mountains based on a new 166.8-km deep seismic reflection profile. The prestack migration images reveal an antiform within the Erqis crust, an ∼10 km Moho offset between the Altai arc and the East Junggar area, and a major south-dipping (30° dip) thrust in the lower crust beneath the Altai Mountains, which is connected to the Moho offset. The south-dipping thrust not only records the southward subduction of the Ob-Zaisan Ocean in the Paleozoic but also controlled the Altai deformation pattern in the Cenozoic with the Erqis antiform. The Erqis antiform prevented the extension of deformation to the Junggar crust. The south-dipping thrust in the lower crust of the Altai area caused extrusion of the lower crust, generating uplift at the surface, thickening of the crust, and steep (∼10 km) Moho deepening in the Altai Mountains. This process significantly widened the deformation zone of the Altai Mountains. These findings provide a new geodynamic model for describing how inherited crustal structure controls intraplate deformation without strong horizontal stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountains form a diverse mosaic of microhabitats over small distances created by changes in climate, soil, and water availability. A key to adaptation of plants to such microhabitats is genetic variation; however, natural accumulation of genetic variation through mutation is slow and often not sufficient alone. Adaptive introgression via hybridization is an alternative to generate genetic variation. Here, we investigate hybridization and discuss its adaptive role in Veronica subg. Pseudolysimachium at their Altai Mountains distribution. To support our hypotheses of frequent hybridization, we genotyped thousands of SNPs for 233 individuals from 10 species and 7 putative hybrids previously described based on morphology. We employed Bayesian and likelihood statistical models and supported our results by morphometric analysis and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). The results suggest that almost all the individuals of the putative hybrids are of F1 type. The GISH investigation in one case strongly supports homoploid hybridization (origin of V. ×schmakovii from V. longifolia and V. porphyriana. Divergence times of Altai Veronica species are estimated to be within 1–2 million years ago with high probability of gene flow over that time. Our results also demonstrate that the direction of gene flow is mainly from the locally endemic V. porphyriana. We hypothesize that the large Siberian plains and topographically diverse foreland of the Altai Mountains provide an ideal setting for hybridization with the potential for adaptive introgression of alleles conferring tolerance to cooler climates, to the lowland species migrating into the Altai Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Altai Mountains, located in the northwesternmost part of China, have a harsh climate and little human activity, making it an excellent location to study forest ecology undisturbed by human interference. The forest is frequently struck by lightning and experiences long-term natural fire disturbances, leading to the evolution of unique fire adaptation traits in the major conifer species. To explore the role of natural fire disturbances in the Altai Mountain forest ecosystem, we conducted a study on the fire adaptation traits of Larix sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata, and Abies sibirica, and reconstructed the fire history of the forest area over the past 100 years. We investigated three representative forest areas with varying fire disturbance conditions and habitats in the Altai Mountains. Data on fire disturbance conditions, relative air humidity, and species composition were collected in these areas. Basal diameter to diameter at breast height, relative bark thickness, and under-crown heights were measured and counted for each of the four species, and litter, bark, and wood layers were sampled and analyzed for physicochemical properties (ash, fat, and higher heating value) for each of the four species in the plots examined. We conducted a count of the four conifer species in the forest for each fire adaptation index and analyzed the differences in fire adaptation traits among the species. Larix sibirica showed fire-tolerant traits, Pinus sibirica displayed fire-embracer traits, and Picea obovata and Abies sibirica exhibited fire-avoider traits. Through the analysis of stand composition and exposure to fire disturbance in the different forest areas, we were able to correlate the fire-adaptive strategies of the four conifers with stand characteristics under varying fire disturbances and habitats. The interaction between forests and fires, and their adaptation to each other, ultimately create the current ecosystems in the Altai Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: One of the main differences between the modern fauna of steppe and desert-steppe insects and the similar fauna of the Last Ice Age is the current leading position of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), which are represented in fossil faunas only by singletons. We hypothesize that the reason lies in the insufficient cold resistance of these insects for successful overwintering. We studied the cold resistance of adults from five species of darkling beetles from the Altai Mountains that overwinter in the soil and the larvae from one such species. The ranges of three of these are limited from the north by the desert-steppe margin of Central Asia with extremely low air temperatures. More than 50% of individuals of these species in the experiment did not withstand cooling below −22 °C. Temperatures in the soil of natural habitats at a depth of 10 cm are close to or lower than the above values. Overwintering is therefore possible in places with greater snow thickness (hollows, wind shade of shrubs and large cereals). Since darkling beetles are now on the border of temperature resistance in the Altai, they likely did not exist in the much more severe conditions of the glacial periods in the Altai Mountains, West Siberian Plain, and Northeast Asia. The level of diversity and abundance of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) is the main difference between the late Pleistocene and modern insect faunas of arid regions. In the Pleistocene assemblages they are extremely rare, whereas in the modern ones they predominate. It is assumed that the reason for their rarity in fossil entomological complexes is their lack of cold resistance. The supercooling points (SCP) and low lethal temperatures (LLT) of adults from five species of Altai darkling beetles that overwinter in the soil and larvae from one such species were measured in the laboratory. All beetles supercooled at negative temperatures but could not survive freezing, with the average SCP of the most cold-resistant species between −25.7 and −21.7 °C (Bioramix picipes, Anatolica dashidorzsi, and Penthicus altaicus). However, 50% of the individuals from different species in the experiment died after exposure during two days at temperatures ranging from −22 to −20 °C. The focal species are distributed in parts of Central Asia with an extreme continental climate, and the temperatures measured in the soil of these natural areas turned out to be lower than or close to the limit of cold resistance of the beetles. Overwintering of darkling beetles is therefore only possible in areas with deep snow: in hollows, under bushes, and under large cereals. Darkling beetles with poor cold resistance could not have existed in the colder climate of the late Pleistocene, which explains their absence from fossil fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of History / Habaršy Tarihi Seriâsy is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents for the first time the results of an analysis of modern pollen spectra of the Teletskoye Lake shore sampled using 12 Tauber traps installed in various characteristic forest and meadow communities. Landscape descriptions have been performed for each sampling point, which increases the reliability of the interpretation of pollen spectra. Spectra are presented as a percentage of pollen from 27 identified taxa with a significant predominance of conifers, which are widespread in the composition of vegetation. Herb pollen is more diverse in the spectra compared to tree pollen but contributes less to their formation. The pollen of early flowering species is not represented in the spectra due to the late dates of trap installation. Based on the analysis, indicator taxa (Betula sect. Betula, Pinus sylvestris, Larix) marking the differentiation of natural conditions in the latitudinal and meridional parts of Lake Teletskoye were revealed mainly according to humidity regime.

During the industrialization in Europe, rivers were straightened and designed to fit human activities, thus nowadays only a few natural river systems remain as reference conditions as well as guiding principles for river restoration projects. Therefore, the natural state of some river types is often described using historic records and maps. This study aims to analyze the key characteristics of a pristine proglacial river Katun in the Altai mountains and contribute to the knowledge about reference conditions. For this purpose, hydromorphological characteristics like slope, sinuosity and river width of the river Katun were analysed and summarized using different GIS techniques. Additionally, pebble counts were carried out to assess the changing sediment composition along the longitudinal continuum. Combined with River Habitat Surveys and a one-dimensional flow simulation using HEC-RAS it was possible to give a holistic overview of the dynamic fluvial system Katun in its upper, middle and lower reaches. The results confirmed the relationship between the river and its surrounding topography as they clearly show the lateral development of the Katun. As shown for the individual parameters (e.g., slope, width, depth, flow velocity, shear stress), they influence each other and are strongly dependent and characteristic for each river section. In the context of revitalisation of straightened and / or channelized river courses, it is important to focus on the processes of this interaction and provide suitable space for lateral expansion. The study can be seen as a recommendation on how to analyse hydromorphological characteristics of fluvial systems as well as to establish guiding principles in river restoration using remote sensing.

Leading environmental organizations recognize intact forest landscapes as priority areas for conserving forests. A quarter of global intact forest landscapes (IFL), are found in Russia, and since 2000, the country has lost over 7,5% (or 21 million ha) of its IFLs due to logging, forest fires and road construction. With the projected logging rates Russia’s IFLs will completely disappear in 150 years, and IFLs that are “rich” in timber will do so in 50 years. Protection of IFLs is the serious challenge, not only due to associated biodiversity loss, but also due to outstanding carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation role of IFLs. The objective of this research is to define the key drivers and factors and to examine how government and market-driven approaches contribute to the preservation of intact forest landscapes in Russia. A further objective is to assess the merits of consumers restriction measures, such as phase-out of IFL product purchases, as proposed by some environmentalists. According to our research, voluntary forest certification (market-driven approach) was the main tool for IFL protection in Russia until recently. A market-driven FSC voluntary certification scheme includes moratoria agreements to preserve almost 3 million ha of IFLs. Additionally, between 2010 and 2020 more than 770 thousand ha of IFLs were established in two national parks and three nature reserves in North-West Russia with the primary goal to protect IFLs, mainly in former FSC “no logging” zones. Market-driven approach is currently the main tool used to protect IFLs in Russia.

The Altai Mountains of Central and North Asia are biologically rich and comprise a wide range of ecosystems and phytogeographical regions. According to the latest checklist, a total of 321 endemic vascular plant species, including 217 endemic and 104 subendemic taxa, have been recognized in the Altai Mountain Country (AMC). In this study, we conducted species risk assessment, distribution evaluation and conservation gap analysis for the endemic vascular flora of the AMC. The conservation status of 217 endemic species was assessed at the global level using the ConR package. As a result, 197 species were evaluated as potentially threatened, of which 101 are critically endangered (CR), 72 species are endangered (EN), and 24 species are vulnerable (VU). The remaining 20 species were evaluated as not threatened. Furthermore, the AMC was divided into 350 grid cells, with a grid cell size of 50 × 50 km2, for the spatial assessments of the endemic vascular plants. A total of 2657 unique georeferenced occurrences of endemic species were found and analyzed with three endemism indices, species richness (SR), weighted endemism (WE), and corrected weighted endemism (CWE), to quantify geographic patterns and centers of endemism across the whole AMC. The results showed that the endemic species are spread across 186 grid cells and distributed unevenly within the AMC. According to the conservation gap analysis, the main hotspots of endemism (i.e., SR and WE indices) were found at high elevations in the Russian Altai, while the CWE points to the Kazakh Altai as a hotspot, and many such hotspots are currently afforded no formal protections.

The Denisova man is an extinct human-like member of the genus Homo. In March 2010 it was announced that the remains of a young individual who lived approx. 50,000 years ago had been found in the Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains – an area that was inhabited by Neanderthals and modern humans around the same time. The presence of Denisova man has been also found as far south as Laos. Denisova man is a descendant of hominids migrants from Africa. So far, Denisova DNA has been found in East Asians as well as indigenous people from Papua New Guinea and Australia. Therefore, it is believed that Denisova man lived in Siberia and East Asia. It is well worth pointing out that the knowledge on the Denisovan anatomy is still limited and the question of them being a separate species remains disputed, and that this means that given problem continues to be discussed within genetic relationships between prehistoric and present day humans. It is obvious that modern science still has more questions than answers when studying the Denisova man.

The evolution of a glacial lake is a true reflection of glacial and climatic change. Currently, the study of glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains is mainly concerned with the application of high-resolution remote sensing images to monitor and evaluate the potential hazards of glacial lakes. At present, there is no rapid and large-scale method to monitor the dynamical variation in glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains, and there is little research on predicting its future tendency. Based on the supervised classification results obtained by Google Earth Engine (GEE), combined with an analysis of meteorological data, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations in glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains between 2000 and 2020, and used the MCE-CA-Markov model to predict their changes in the future. According to the results, as of 2020, there are 3824 glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains, with an area of 682.38 km2. Over the entire period, the glacial lake quantity growth rates and area were 47.82% and 17.07%, respectively. The distribution of glacial lakes in this region showed a larger concentration in the north than in the south. Most glacial lakes had areas smaller than 0.1 km2, and there was minimal change observed in glacial lakes larger than 0.2 km2. Analyzing the regional elevation in 100 m intervals, the study found that glacial lakes were predominantly distributed at elevations from 2000 m to 3000 m. Interannual rainfall and temperature fluctuations in the Altai Mountains have slowed since 2014, and the trends for the area and number of glacial lakes have stabilized. The growth of glacial lakes in both number and surface area is expected to continue through 2025 and 2030, although the pace of change will slow. In the context of small increases in precipitation and large increases in temperature, in the future, glacial lakes with faster surface area growth rates will be located primarily in the southern Altai Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, growth parameters of underground parts and concentrations of phenylpropanoids, phenylethanoids, flavonoids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and catechins in aqueous–ethanol extracts of 6-year-old cultivated plants of Rhodiola rosea (propagated in vitro) of Altai Mountain origin were analyzed, and differences in chemical composition among plant specimens and between plant parts (rhizome and root) were evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography detected 13 phenolic compounds. Roots contained 1.28 times higher phenylethanoids levels (1273.72 mg/100 g) than rhizomes did. Overall, the concentration of phenylethanoids in underground organs was not high and ranged from 21.36 to 103.00 mg/100 g. High variation among R. rosea individual plants was noted both in growth characteristics and in levels of secondary metabolites under our cultivation conditions. It was found that concentrations of phenylpropanoids, phenylethanoids, and catechins significantly depend on the plant part analyzed (p ≤ 0.05). Specimen No. 4 is characterized by the highest concentration of rosavins (1230.99 mg/plant) and the lowest concentration of cinnamyl alcohol (62.87 mg/plant). Despite the wide range of values, all 10 tested specimens (underground part) met the minimum requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia (2015) for rosavins (0.3%) and of the Russia State Pharmacopoeia (2015) for the average level of rosavins (roots): (1%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melt-albedo feedback on glaciers is recognized as important processes for understanding glacier behavior and its sensitivity to climate change. This study selected the Muz Taw Glacier in the Altai Mountains to investigate the spatiotemporal variations in albedo and their linkages with mass balance, which will improve our knowledge of the recent acceleration of regional glacier shrinkage. Based on the Landsat-derived albedo, the spatial distribution of ablation-period albedo was characterized by a general increase with elevation, and significant east–west differences at the same elevation. The gap-filling MODIS values captured a nonsignificant negative trend of mean ablation-period albedo since 2000, with a total decrease of approximately 4.2%. From May to September, glacier-wide albedo exhibited pronounced V-shaped seasonal variability. A significant decrease in annual minimum albedo was found from 2000 to 2021, with the rate of approximately −0.30% yr−1 at the 99% confidence level. The bivariate relationship demonstrated that the change of ablation-period albedo explained 82% of the annual mass-balance variability. We applied the albedo method to estimate annual mass balance over the period 2000–2015. Combined with observed values, the average mass balance was −0.82 ± 0.32 m w.e. yr−1 between 2000 and 2020, with accelerated mass loss.

[Display omitted] • Widespread felsic volcanic rocks are sourced from the juvenile crust. • Sedimentary rocks consist mainly of pyroclastic materials. • Local extensional setting was induced by the slab-rollback during Early Devonian. • High grades of ores were inhibited by low metallic abundance and heat flow. • Long-lived arc volcanism leads to abundant metals and continued heat sources. Questions about the role of volcanism in the formation of VMS deposits and the origin of metals in pre-ore volcanic rocks in accretionary orogen generally puzzle scholars. The volcanic-sedimentary sequence of Lower Devonian Kangbutiebao Formation (KBTB Fm) associated with VMS deposits in the Altai Mountains is studied to attempt to solve these issues. The KBTB Fm is predominantly composed of felsic volcanic rocks with subordinate sedimentary rocks. Zircon U-Pb dating of rhyolite and rhyodacite suggests that felsic volcanism occurred in the Early Devonian (400.1 ± 0.8 Ma to 395.3 ± 0.9 Ma). Partial melting of juvenile crust under the environment of lower temperature (662 to 728 °C) and pressure (<∼15 km) resulted in volcanic rocks with arc-like trace elements and depleted Hf isotopes. Both compositional heterogeneity of source rocks and contrasting melting temperatures are responsible for the variety of petrochemistry. Sedimentary rocks exhibit low CIA values (51–66) and varied ICV values (0.76–1.78), implying that the provenance was affected by weak weathering. As suggested by detrital zircon geochronology, detrital materials from sedimentary rocks are dominated by pyroclastic materials that erupted from the volcano, together with minor eroded detrital materials from adjacent intrusions. It is proposed that the KBTB Fm was formed under continental rifted arc or back-arc condition, and local extensional setting was induced by slab-rollback of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, which produced bimodal volcanic rocks and VMS deposits. Large volumes of sequences with low metallic abundance were produced and protracted hydrothermal circulation was sustained under the condition of long-lived arc volcanism, leading to most VMS deposits with low to moderate grade, and rarely, high grade. All these parameters are grouped together (i.e., abundant but low contents of metals, long-lived heat source, and syn -volcanic faults), leading to most VMS deposits hosted by the KBTB Fm in the southern Chinese Altai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a study (1991–2007) of microalgae communities from a rocky substrate (phytoepilithon) in the littoral zone of Lake Teletskoye found at a depth of up to 1.5 m are presented. The features of the spatial and temporal organization of microalgae communities coexisting in rocky-substrate–water, land–water, and tributary–lake ecotones are presented. It is shown that microalgae of ecotones are adapted to the intensity and instability of the abiotic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of diversity and abundance of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) is the main difference between the late Pleistocene and modern insect faunas of arid regions. In the Pleistocene assemblages they are extremely rare, whereas in the modern ones they predominate. It is assumed that the reason for their rarity in fossil entomological complexes is their lack of cold resistance. The supercooling points (SCP) and low lethal temperatures (LLT) of adults from five species of Altai darkling beetles that overwinter in the soil and larvae from one such species were measured in the laboratory. All beetles supercooled at negative temperatures but could not survive freezing, with the average SCP of the most cold-resistant species between −25.7 and −21.7 °C (Bioramix picipes, Anatolica dashidorzsi, and Penthicus altaicus). However, 50% of the individuals from different species in the experiment died after exposure during two days at temperatures ranging from −22 to −20 °C. The focal species are distributed in parts of Central Asia with an extreme continental climate, and the temperatures measured in the soil of these natural areas turned out to be lower than or close to the limit of cold resistance of the beetles. Overwintering of darkling beetles is therefore only possible in areas with deep snow: in hollows, under bushes, and under large cereals. Darkling beetles with poor cold resistance could not have existed in the colder climate of the late Pleistocene, which explains their absence from fossil fauna.

New localities for six species of plants (Achillea schmakovii, Botrychium lunaria, Cystopteris altajensis, Euphrasia altaica, Agrostis tuvinica and Calamagrostis × thyrsoidea), five species of lichens (Bacidina phacodes, Leptogium burnetiae, Melanelixia albertana, Tuckermannopsis chlorophylla, Tetramelas chloroleucus) and nine species of Lepidoptera (Parnassius apollo, Lampides boeticus, Limenitis sydyi, Maniola jurtina, Erebia kindermanni, Eudia pavonia, Proserpinus proserpina, Macroglossum stellatarum, Catocala elocata) are reported for Altai Territory and Republic of Altai. Lichens Bacidina phacodes, Tuckermannopsis chlorophylla, Tetramelas chloroleucus and Lepidoptera Lampides boeticus, Maniola jurtina, Proserpinus proserpina and Catocala elocata are reported as new for Altai Territory, Macroglossum stellatarum and Limenitis sydyi are new for the Republic of Altai. Localities and ecological preferences are indicated for each species.

In the present study, the mineral and chemical compositions of kudurits consumed by wild ungulates and the chemical composition of forage vegetation near the water-divide of the Abakan Range, Mountain Altai, Russia, were studied. It was found that the kudurits are represented by smectite-vermiculite mineral associations with chlorite-the products of hydrothermal transformation of metamorphosed ultrabasic rocks (serpentinites) following the intrusion of neighboring gabbroid dikes. Acid extracts (hydrogen chloride, pH 1.0) from kudurits most actively extract Ca, K, Mg, Fe and Na. In the composition of trace elements, Ba, Sr, Ni, Cu, Cr, Co, V, Zn and Li are most mobile. The comparison of the chemical composition of a kudurit and coprolite of red deer indicates that when mineral earth materials pass through the digestive tract out of all trace elements only about 0.4 g/kg of Na is reliably assimilated in the body, while kudurits simultaneously sorb and remove P, K, Mg and Ca. Chemical analyses of vegetation in places from which animals most often come to kudurs revealed high concentrations of rare earth elements. A rare-earth-sodium hypothesis of the cause of geophagy is developed, which may explain the majority of cases of regular consumption of earthy substances by animals and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TÜBA-AR: Turkish Academy of Sciences, Journal of Archaeology is the property of Turkish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding the impacts of human activities on landscapes necessitates a comprehensive analysis of historical changes in climate, vegetation, fire and land utilization. The human-environment interactions were investigated through the analysis of new charcoal data from Kelashazi Peat in the Altai Mountains, compared with the detailed paleoenvironmental records and historical human activities (e.g., agriculture and pastoralism) at other three distinct sites. The findings suggest that the late-Holocene (prior to ∼2000 years ago) fire activities were mainly influenced by temperature at higher elevations and were primarily driven by vegetation cover at lower elevations. Over the past two millennia, human activities have increasingly impacted fire dynamics. Elevated fire frequencies during the Medieval Warm Period at higher elevations were linked to warmer climates and intensified pastoral activities. Lower fire incidences at lower elevations may be attributed to population outflows during the Medieval Warm Period, while heightened fire occurrences at lower elevations might result from increasing agricultural activities during the Little Ice Age. This study underscores the intricate interplay between natural climate-vegetation-fire dynamics and anthropogenic burning trends in the late Holocene across different elevations of the Altai Mountains within the Arid Central Asia. • Fire activities before ∼2000 years were modulated by temperature at higher elevations and by vegetable cover at lower elevations • Warm climate and intensified pasture led to increased fires activities at higher elevations at the MWP. • Increasing agriculture activities in the cold-dry LIA led to higher fire occurrence at lower elevations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of Holocene winter temperature records from the core area of the Mongolian-Siberian High (MSH) hampers our understanding of the long-term evolution of the MSH and its modulation of the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM). Here we use the body size of Pediastrum , a new and sensitive temperature proxy, from the sediments of Tolbo Lake in the western Mongolian Plateau, to reconstruct changes in winter temperature in the core area of the MSH during the Holocene. A large-scale investigation of modern Pediastrum body size across East Asia indicates that it is an accurate proxy indicator for mean winter temperature. The Holocene winter temperature based on Pediastrum body size from Tolbo Lake shows a general warming trend with the maximum at ∼2.6 ka. The current warming has attained the magnitude of the previous Holocene maximum, despite the underlying forcing being different. The mid-late Holocene winter warming in inland Eurasia may have weakened the MSH and reduced the intensity of the EAWM. • First Holocene winter temperature record based on Pediastrum body size. • Increasing trend of Holocene winter temperature in the Altai Mountains. • Holocene winter warming in inland Eurasia weakened the East Asia winter monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of lake water level (WL) changes with satellite altimeters is pivotal in assessing the dynamics of hydrological ecosystems. However, the spatial coverage, temporal interval, and quality degradation of altimeter data limit the continuity of the measurements. In thisarticle, a learning-based framework is proposed for the reconstruction of WLs for inland lakes and reservoirs. This is achieved by learning the relationship between lake WLs and the related hydrological and climate variables employing the deep learning models. By introducing hydrological knowledge into the data-driven learning framework, the lakes are first clustered into several groups for training and prediction considering the spatial homogeneity and heterogeneity of water cycling process among multiple lakes. Second, for each cluster category, the number of WL training samples is augmented using the empirical function fitted with lake level-area pairs, and the augmented samples are used in the pretraining process to improve the accuracy of the deep learning model simulation. The obtained models are used for estimating the missing WLs and to construct a consecutive 192-month WL dataset (2003–2018) for the 14 lakes (>20 km2) in the Altai Mountains. The typical multiple layer perceptron and deep belief network models are tested. Validation indicates that the proposed method performs well in WL reconstruction in the case of a large proportion of missing data. Moreover, the performance of learning-based models can be effectively improved by introducing the idea of spatial clustering and pretraining. The comparative tests also show that the proposed method outperforms the traditional level-area fitting methods.

The results of the ground-based absolute gravity and space geodetic measurements for the Altai Mountains were considered in combination with EIGEN-6C4 Global Geopotential Model (ETOPO1 Global Relief Model) generated from the satellite data. Analysis was made on different kinds of data: model values for the vertical component of gravity, values of Bouguer and Faye gravity reductions, variations of the vertical gravity gradient, and changes in altitude of the measurement sites. With EIGEN-6C4 model for Bouguer reduction, the crustal thickness curve was drawn along the Novosibirsk (southern West Siberia) – Ukok Plateau (Altai Mountains) line with a length of 800 km. The Moho depth increases from 40 km in the northwest of the area to 51 km in the southeast. For the homogeneous crust model, there was obtained the Moho depth distribution in the Altai Mountains and their foothills.The analysis of the results of modeling Bouguer and Faye reductions, the data on quasigeoid heights and the relationship between relief height and Bouguer anomalies implies that the Altai Mountains area as a whole is isostatically compensated. Non-compensated are some intermountain basins, such as, for example, the Kurai and Chuya valleys.

New brachiopod species Eoanastrophia tozodoviensis sp. nov. is described from the Tozodov Body, Upper Ordovician of the Teletskoe Lakeside facies zone, Altai Mountains. Amendments are suggested to the diagnosis of Eoanastrophia Nikiforova et Sapelnikov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of tectonophysical methods has been applied to reconstruct the neotectonic stresses of the southeastern Altai Mountains within the Chuya–Kurai depression and its framing structures. It is suggested that at the neotectonic stage, the tectonic structures of the Altai Mountains underwent a transformation of geodynamic conditions—a situation of sublatitudinal horizontal compression with predominant reverse-fault and transpressional movements along faults that existed up to the Neogene was replaced by horizontal shear conditions with a NNE and NE subhorizontal compression axis and WNW and NW extension axis. With such a stress field, the dominant NW-trending faults in this territory are mainly characterized by dextral strike-slip displacements, and NE-trending faults, by sinistral. Submeridionally trending faults that formed at the neotectonic stage show clear signs of extensional structures. A feature of the faults of the Chuya–Kurai depression according to these studies is a fairly small number of megafractures (indicators of shear displacements) in shear zones. This indicates dominant reverse-fault and transpressional movements over large disjunctive structures in the region in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic versus neotectonic shear movements. The results of the research are of practical importance in studying the regional seismicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the spatial and temporal changes in snow cover over mountain areas is significant for understanding the impact of regional climate variability. In this study, using cloud‐removed snow cover data, which are generated based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) daily snow cover products, the spatiotemporal changes of snow cover fraction (SCF) and its relationship with temperature and precipitation changes from 2002 to 2020 were examined over Altai Mountains, China. The results demonstrate that the distribution and changes of SCF are highly spatiotemporally heterogeneous. Within a year, the maximum SCF occurs in January at 98.6%, and the minimum appears in July at 8.7%. The annual‐mean SCF shows an increasing trend at 0.09%·annum−1, owing to the significantly increasing SCF in the snow accumulation period at 0.5%·annum−1 and the decreasing SCF in the snow melting period at −0.2%·annum−1. The SCF distribution, as well as its interannual change, is greatly influenced by elevation. During the snow cover period, a positive linear correlation between SCF and elevation is found at 0.02%·m−1 (p <.01). The annual‐mean SCF decreases in the area below 1,200 m, whereas it increases in the area above 1,200 m. Accordingly, the elevation‐dependent SCF results in various SCF distributions on different slopes and watersheds. The SCF shows an apparent pattern in different aspects, with similar SCFs between the north and east aspects and between the west and south aspects but a difference between the northeast aspects and the westsouth aspects. The SCF is negatively correlated with air temperature (r = −0.74, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with precipitation (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). In addition, temperature shows a significant and larger correlation with SCF in both the snow accumulation and melting periods, indicating the major factor of temperature for the changes in SCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to study the relationships between tree growth and phenology and climate factors in Central Asia for the sustainable development of forest ecology and the exploration of carbon sink potential in the region in a context of global change. Herein, the process-based Vaganov-Shashkin model was used to simulate tree-ring growth rates, to assess a cambial phenology (start and end of growing season) of larch trees (Larix sibirica) based on three sites located on three different latitudes in the Altai-Sayan Mountains in Central Asia over 1960–2018. It was shown that the principal factor limiting growth rates was temperature in RU (located in southern central Siberia), cambial dynamic was unimodal. In RU site, although the length of growing season did not change significantly over the past 59 years, it was correlated with tree radial growth. Moisture was the principal factor limiting the growth rates of AL and FY (located in Chinese Altai Mountains), and cambium dynamics were bimodal and unimodal, respectively. Temperature and precipitation before the start of the growing season lengthen the growing season, but this did not promote the tree radial growth. In conclusion, we determined that the climate-influenced intra-seasonal growth rate regulated tree growth rather than length of growing season in this area. In this study, the VS-simulation showed high potential develop a long-term reconstruction of cambial phenology in the Altai Mountains, which was conducive to a more comprehensive understanding of the exogenous-endogenous factors effects on tree-ring growth.

The evolution of a glacial lake is a true reflection of glacial and climatic change. Currently, the study of glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains is mainly concerned with the application of high-resolution remote sensing images to monitor and evaluate the potential hazards of glacial lakes. At present, there is no rapid and large-scale method to monitor the dynamical variation in glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains, and there is little research on predicting its future tendency. Based on the supervised classification results obtained by Google Earth Engine (GEE), combined with an analysis of meteorological data, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations in glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains between 2000 and 2020, and used the MCE-CA-Markov model to predict their changes in the future. According to the results, as of 2020, there are 3824 glacial lakes in the Altai Mountains, with an area of 682.38 km2. Over the entire period, the glacial lake quantity growth rates and area were 47.82% and 17.07%, respectively. The distribution of glacial lakes in this region showed a larger concentration in the north than in the south. Most glacial lakes had areas smaller than 0.1 km2, and there was minimal change observed in glacial lakes larger than 0.2 km2. Analyzing the regional elevation in 100 m intervals, the study found that glacial lakes were predominantly distributed at elevations from 2000 m to 3000 m. Interannual rainfall and temperature fluctuations in the Altai Mountains have slowed since 2014, and the trends for the area and number of glacial lakes have stabilized. The growth of glacial lakes in both number and surface area is expected to continue through 2025 and 2030, although the pace of change will slow. In the context of small increases in precipitation and large increases in temperature, in the future, glacial lakes with faster surface area growth rates will be located primarily in the southern Altai Mountains.

This paper reviews significant issues related to the fossil hominins from the Altai Mountains of Siberia (Russia), namely Denisovans, Neanderthals, and early modern humans. Uncritical acceptance of the recovered information by some authors has resulted in unreliable chronologies of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic artifact assemblages and the animal and hominin fossils. We examine the chronostratigraphic contexts and archaeological associations of hominin and animal fossils and the lithics discovered at the Denisova, Okladnikov, Strashnaya, and Chagyrskaya cave sites. Taphonomic, site formation, and geomorphological studies show evidence of disturbance and redeposition caused by carnivore activity and sediment subsidence at these sites, which complicates the dating of the human remains. Our analysis indicates that the Middle Paleolithic is dated to ca. 50,000–130,000 years ago, and the Upper Paleolithic to ca. 12,000–48,000 years ago. The best age estimate for Denisovans is ca. 73,000–130,000 years ago. The ages of Neanderthals can be determined as more than 50,000–59,000 years ago, and of modern humans at roughly 12,000–48,000 years ago. Denisovan and Neanderthal fossils are associated with Middle Paleolithic complexes only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation is an important natural resource relating to regional sustainability in arid central Asia, and the stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes provide useful tracers to understand precipitation processes. In this study, we collected the hourly meteorological data at several stations on the southern slope of the Altai Mountains in arid central Asia, from March 2017 to June 2022, and examined the diurnal impact of below-cloud evaporation on stable isotope compositions of precipitation. During nighttime, the changes in isotope compositions below cloud base are generally weak. The enhanced impact of below-cloud evaporation can be found after around 15:00, and the impact is relatively strong in the afternoon, especially from 18:00 to 22:00. Summer and spring usually have a larger impact of below-cloud evaporation than autumn, and the winter precipitation is generally not influenced by below-cloud evaporation. On an annual basis, the differences in evaporation-led isotope changes between daytime and nighttime are 1.1‰ for stable oxygen isotope compositions, 4.0‰ for stable hydrogen isotope compositions and 4.7‰ for deuterium excess. The period from 2:00 to 10:00 shows relatively low sensitivity to relative humidity, and from 14:00 to 22:00 the impacts are sensitive. Considering the fluctuations of precipitation isotope compositions, the impact of below-cloud evaporation does not greatly modify the seasonal environmental signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies were carried out in the upper reaches of the Akkem River aimed at explaining why the local ungulates consume clay rocks common in the basin of the Yarlu River, a tributary of the Akkem River. Chemical composition of river and spring waters and mineral and chemical composition of clay rocks consumed by wild and domestic ungulates at kudurs were studied. The waters in the local watercourses are ultra-fresh, hydro-carbonate-calcium. Increased concentrations of rare-earth elements (REE) were observed in waters of the Yarlu River. Consumed clayey rocks (kudurits) are represented by finely dispersed quartz-plagioclase-mica-chlorite mineral associations — the products of transformation of shale rocks of the Early Paleozoic age. The comparison of the chemical composition of kudurits and coprolites of red deer showed that when the rocks pass through the digestive tract, out of all macroelements, only Na is reliably assimilated in the body in amounts from 0.1 to 0.3 g per kg of kudurit. In addition, kudurits act as sorbents, removing P, K, Mg, and sometimes Ca from the body. As part of micronutrients, they are most active in sorbing and removing REE from the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Altai Mountains are located at the junction of Asia and Europe and pathways linking East Asian climate with the Arctic and North Atlantic. Here, we report a record of n -alkanes from the sediments of Shuanghu Lake in the Altai Mountains. In this forested region, the vegetation is dominated by C 3 plants and the long-chain n -alkanes (C29–C31) in the lake sediments are predominantly derived from leaf wax lipids. The compound-specific carbon isotopic values of the long-chain n-alkanes are sensitive to regional moisture. Both the δ13C 29–31 value and the Paq index show a decreasing trend since ∼9.0 kyr BP, implying an increase in moisture. This trend is punctuated by abrupt decreases in isotopic values centered at 8.2, 7.4, 5.6, 3.0, 2.0 and 0.2 kyr BP, which may indicate cold and wet events on decadal–centennial timescales. The Holocene hydrological patterns recorded at Shuanghu Lake are different from those from monsoonal Asia and they may reflect a response to decreasing Arctic sea ice cover that provided an enhanced moisture source and promoted increased heavy snowfall in the study region, or an increase in the temperature gradient and strength of the jet stream and extratropical cyclones at mid-latitudes, as proposed previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkbilig/Turkoloji Arastirmalari Dergisi is the property of Turkbilig/Turkoloji Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Political boundaries often do not coincide with ecological boundaries, and it is common for the same physical geographical unit to span multiple countries. Exploring establishing transboundary protected areas and ecological networks can effectively protect the integrity of natural ecosystems separated by political boundaries. Based on the integrated evaluation of ecosystem services function, ecological vulnerability, and ecosystem integrity, this study explored a methodological system for evaluating ecological protection priority areas in transboundary areas and selected the Altai Mountains, which span four countries, contain China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia, as a typical case to conduct empirical research. The study found that the extremely important areas of ecosystem services function, ecological vulnerability, and ecosystem integrity showed transboundary contiguous characteristics. Furthermore, weighted overlay analysis identified the spatial distribution pattern of ecological protection priority areas in the Altai Mountains. We suggested establishing transboundary protected areas in the four countries' transboundary areas, building the identified ecological protection priority areas and existing protected areas into a transboundary protected area network, and deepening a multi-party transboundary protection cooperation mechanism. This study can provide a theoretical and practical reference to achieve the 2030 biodiversity conservation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 2000 years, a high-resolution pollen record from the Yushenkule Peat (46°45′–46°57′N, 90°46′–90°61′E, 2374 m a.s.l.) in the south-eastern Altai Mountains of northwestern China has been used to explore the changes in vegetation and climate. The regional vegetation has been dominated by alpine meadows revealed from pollen diagrams over the past 2000 years. The pollen-based climate was warm and wet during the Roman Warm Period (0–520 AD), cold and wet during the Dark Age Cold Period (520–900 AD), warm and wet during the Medieval Warm Period (900–1300 AD), and cold and dry during the Little Ice Age (1300–1850 AD). Combined with other pollen data from the Altai Mountains, we found that the percentage of arboreal pollen showed a reduced trend along the NW-SE gradient with decreasing moisture and increasing climatic continentality of the Altai Mountains over the past 2000 years; this is consistent with modern distributions of taiga forests. We also found that the taiga (Pinus forest) have spread slightly, while the steppe (Artemisia, Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae) have recovered significantly in the Altai Mountains over the past 2000 years. In addition, the relatively warm-wet climate may promote high grassland productivity and southward expansion of steppe, which favors the formation of Mongol political and military power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arid Zone Research / Ganhanqu Yanjiu is the property of Arid Zone Research Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Art History / Sanat Tarihi Dergisi is the property of Ege University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Snow properties and their changes are crucial to better understanding of hydrological processes, soil thermal regimes, and surface energy balances. Reliable data and information on snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) are also crucial for water resource assessments and socio-economic development at local and regional scales. However, these data are extremely limited and unreliable in northern Xinjiang, China. This study thus aims to investigate spatial variations of snow depth, SWE, and snow density based on winter snowfield surveys during 2015 through 2017 in the Altai Mountains, northwestern China. The results indicated that snow depth (25–114 cm) and SWE (40–290 mm) were greater in the alpine Kanas-Hemu region, and shallow snow accumulated (9–42 cm for snow depth, 26–106 mm for SWE) on the piedmont sloping plain. While there was no remarkable regional difference in the distribution of snow density. Snow property distributions were strongly controlled by topography and vegetation. Elevation and latitude were the most important factors affecting snow depth and SWE, while snow density was strongly affected by longitude across the Altai Mountains in China. The influence of topography on snow property distributions was spatially heterogenous. Mean snow depth increased from 13.7 to 31.2 cm and SWE from 28.5 to 79.9 mm, respectively, with elevation increased from 400 to 1000 m a.s.l. on the piedmont sloping plain. Snow depth decreased to about 15.1 cm and SWE to about 28.5 mm from 1000 to 1800 m a.s.l., then again increased to about 98.1 cm and 271.7 mm on peaks (∼2000 m a.s.l.) in the alpine Kanas-Hemu. Leeward slopes were easier to accumulate snow cover, especially on north-, east-, and southeast-facing slopes. Canopy interception was also the cause of the difference in snow distribution. Snow depth, SWE, and snow density in forests were reduced by 8%–53%, 2%–67% and −4% to +48%, respectively, compared with surrounding open areas. Especially when snow depth was less than 40 cm, snow depth and SWE differences in forests were more exaggerated. This study provides a basic data set of spatial distributions and variations of snow depth, SWE and snow density in the Altai Mountains, which can be used as an input parameter in climate or hydrological models. These first-hand observations will help to better understand the relationship between snow, topography and climate in mountainous regions across northern China and other high-mountain Asian regions.

Mountain glaciers are an important component of the global hydrological cycle. Existing research about glacier changes in the Altai focused on limited regions. Study about recent glacier changes in the entire Altai Mountains is still lacking. We presented a consistent method for identifying glacier margins. The two new glacier inventories in 2000 and 2020 were derived from Landsat satellite imagery. Glacier surface elevation change and mass balance were obtained by comparing the 2000 Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and 2020 Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) generated from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images. The spatial pattern of glacier changes was discussed in conjunction with climate trends. We mapped a total area of 1,096.06 ± 53.32 km2 around 2020, which amounts to 1,927 glaciers in the Altai Mountains. That was 12.02 ± 3.01% (or 0.60 ± 0.15%·a−1) less than the 1,245.75 ± 58.52 km2 around 2000. The geodetic mass balance of the monitoring glaciers in the Aktru basin for the period 2000–2011 was used to validate the geodetic survey. The average geodetic mass balance of -0.32 ± 0.09 m w. e.·a−1 on monitoring glaciers was slightly exaggerated than the observed mass balance of -0.26 m w. e.·a−1, but it was proved that the geodetic mass balance could reflect glacier changes in the Altai Mountains. An average mass loss of 14.55 ± 1.32 m w. e. (or 0.74 ± 0.07 m w. e.·a−1) was found during 2000–2020 in the Altai Mountains. Although the glacier area changes and mass balance were characterized by spatial heterogeneity, the glaciers in the Altai had experienced an accelerated shrinkage from 2000 to 2020 compared to the 20th century. The rising temperature is the foremost reason for glacier area shrinkage and mass loss according to the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) reanalysis data.

Drifting snow is a significant factor in snow redistribution and cascading snow incidents. However, field observations of drifting snow are relatively difficult due to limitations in observation technology, and drifting snow observation data are scarce. The FlowCapt sensor is a relatively stable sensor that has been widely used in recent years to obtain drifting snow observations. This study presents the results from two FlowCapt sensors that were employed to obtain field observations of drifting snow during the 2017–2018 snow season in the southern Altai Mountains, Central Asia, where the snow cover is widely distributed. The results demonstrate that the FlowCapt sensor can successfully acquire stable field observations of drifting snow. Drifting snow occurs mainly within the height range of 80-cm zone above the snow surface, which accounts for 97.73% of the total snow mass transport. There were three typical snowdrift events during the 2017–2018 observation period, and the total snowdrift flux caused during these key events accounted for 87.5% of the total snow mass transport. Wind speed controls the occurrence of drifting snow, and the threshold wind speed (friction velocity) for drifting snow is approximately 3.0 m/s (0.15 m/s); the potential for drifting snow increases rapidly above 3.0 m/s, with drifting snow essentially being inevitable for wind speeds above 7.0 m/s. Similarly, the snowdrift flux is also controlled by wind speed. The observed maximum snowdrift flux reaches 192.00 g/(m2·s) and the total snow transport is 584.9 kg/m during the snow season. Although drifting snow will lead to a redistribution of the snow mass, any accumulation or loss of the snow mass is also affected synergistically by other factors, such as topography and snow properties. This study provides a paradigm for establishing a field observation network for drifting snow monitoring in the southern Altai Mountains and bridges the gaps toward elucidating the mechanisms of drifting snow in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia. A broader network of drifting snow observations will provide key data for the prevention and control of drifting snow incidents, such as the design height of windbreak fences installed on both sides of highways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Silurian sediments in the central part of the Altai Mountains (Gorny Altai) by limestone dissolution has revealed two groups of spherical objects; large microspheres 90–120 µm and small nanofossils (nanospheres) 5–18 µm in diameter. Their double-layered walls are composed of standard-sized siderite microcrystals replaced by goethite. The Altai microspheres have a low Ca content (<0.5 wt %) so cannot be interpreted as calcispheres. The Altai Silurian microspheres and nanofossils (nanospheres) are tentatively attributed to biomineralized remains of loricae (shell-like envelopes) of various euglenoid alga generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]