Search

Central Asia hosts grassland and desert regions that are globally important to nature conservation and local livelihoods. Several major vegetation surveys have been published on the region, with the majority focussing on areas within central Mongolia and north-eastern China. Much less information is available on plant community composition on the Dzungarian Basin, which forms a transitional zone between Central and Middle Asia in terms of flora. The Altai Mountains extend along the northern and eastern boundaries of the basin and introduce further environmental heterogeneity. For the present study, we assess horizontal and vertical gradients in plant community composition in both the Chinese and Mongolian parts of the Dzungarian Basin and the adjacent Altai Mountains. We show that steep environmental gradients trigger notable differences in plant community composition over relatively short distances. The study is based on data collected over three different sampling periods in the Mongolian part: In 2003, we sampled 208 plots; in 2010, 152 plots; and during the vegetation periods of 2012-2014, 280 plots. On the Chinese side, 58 samples were taken in 2013. Sample sites were deliberately chosen to represent relevant vegetation types, ranging from those of the high mountains to the lower oases. We collected biomass and mixed topsoil samples for soil analysis and compiled additional environmental data. A vegetation map was then prepared based on the supervised classification of remote sensing imagery. Our results reveal that four different main vegetation types (forest-steppe, steppe, desert and oasis) encompass twenty-one plant communities, with each type showing a clear altitudinal distribution, except for that at oases. Detrended Correspondence Analysis revealed the expected close correlation between altitude and species composition and productivity, but it also highlighted significant differences between the vegetation of neighbouring mountain ranges in the Chinese and Mongolian Altai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus 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.)

We demonstrate the results of morphometric investigations of hybrids in Veronica subg. Pseudolysimachium (V. × altaica Kosachev und V. × kolyvanensis Kosachev et Shmakov) and their parents. Based on PCoA analysis with seven morphological characters, we reveal an intermediate position of the investigated hybrids and the most important taxonomic characters: ratio of length and width of the lamina of the upper leaves, height of plants, length of the longest corolla lobe and calyx lobe, presence of hairs on the calyx and their position, as well as the length of hairs on the internode below the inflorescence.

Abstract In many regions of the world, traditional and local ecological knowledge is still important today for coping with environmental challenges. This study explored the relevance of such knowledge for predicting and coping with harsh winter conditions (dzud) in a remote area of western Mongolia, where government support to disaster-affected herders is restricted by weak infrastructure. Structured face-to-face interviews were held in 50 households (HHs), addressing aspects of livestock possession and management as well as disaster prediction and mitigation. The responses disclosed that livestock losses during the 2009/10 dzud averaged 112.4 animals per HH, equaling nearly 80% of the interviewees’ total livestock possession in summer 2013. To reduce such high losses in the future, herders planned to improve their hay-making efforts and winter pen preparation. However, they also stated that the earliest signs for a dzud occur in September, when it is already too late for substantial hay-making. Therefore, some herders underlined the necessity of maintaining livestock productivity through segregated summer grazing of specific animal groups, controlled mating and early sale of weak livestock. Animals are then entering a harsh winter in good body condition. National and international organizations wishing to support livestock keepers in this and similar regions should therefore highlight the relevance of local strategies for disaster prevention and support community-based approaches that can compensate for the prevalent lack of family labour.

Прослеживается взаимосвязь топонимов, преимущественно народных названий различных сельхозугодий, с особенностями хозяйственного освоения русским населением территории Горного Алтая. Особое внимание уделяется специфике землепользования в горной местности, такой как угол наклона, экспозиция склона, степень залесенности. Дробность угодий различного назначения обусловлена природными условиями региона. Изучается отражение этой особенности в локальной топонимике. Исследование основано на полевых материалах автора различных лет, собранных преимущественно в Усть-Коксинском, Шебалинском, Усть-Канском районах Республики Алтай и содержащихся в архивных материалах.

Information on polymorphism of the spittlebug Philaenus spumarius L. in five protected nature reservations of Altai Mountains (Katunsky State Nature Reserve, Tigireksky State Nature Reserve, Shavlinsky Nature Area, Katon-Karagaysky Natural Park, Saylyugemsky Natural Park) is presented. The total amount of collected P. spumarius was 549. Six colour forms have been registered in this region: typica, populi, flavicollis, leucocephala, leucophthalma, quadrimaculata, and, in addition, one unidentified form. The occurrence rate of different colour forms of the spittlebug was analyzed. The spatial and biotopical distribution of the registered forms was evaluated. The highest occurrence rate of P. spumarius is reported from shadowed, moderately humid habitats with high diversity of host plants, in particular, in forests (63%), ruderal (47%) and wetland (45%) habitats. According to the results of comparative analysis of morph composition in the Altai and the Ural Mountains, it was concluded that such composition is typical for humid and highland regions of Palaearctic. The obtained data fully confirm the trends revealed in the previous research dedicated to polymorphism of P. spumarius: in humid regions morph composition is more meager and dark colour morphs are prevailing

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49930-3. Correction to: I Scientific Reports i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49930-3, published online 26 September 2019 The original version of this Article contained errors in Figure 3, in panels (a) and (b), where the "Initial Upper Palaeolithic" was incorrectly given as "Initial Middle Palaeolithic". [Extracted from the article]

The features of the ontogenetic structure of cenopopulations of a rare species Hedysarum gmelinii Ledeb. (Fabaceae) were studied on the periphery of its range (the Middle Volga region and the Bashkir Cis-Urals) and in its central part (the Altai Mountains region). Types of cenopopulations were determined according to the "delta-omega" criterion: in the Bashkir Urals, they were mostly young, in the Middle Volga region, they were mature, in the Altai Mountains, they were maturing. The proportion of pregenerative individuals in populations increases in habitats with high moisture levels. Anthropogenic load (mainly in the form of grazing) had a greater effect on the number and density of individuals, rather than on the type of ontogenetic spectrum of cenopopulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the molecular taxonomic studies on the Eurasian long-eared bats (Plecotus) are based on mitochondrial data only, which might lead to erroneous assessment of the phylogenetic relationships. Here, the genetic divergence among the Mongolian species of Plecotus is examined using sequences of two nuclear introns (THY and ABHD11) and the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Both mitochondrial and nuclear data support the existence of three species: Plecotus ognevi, P. kozlovi, and P. turkmenicus. The status of the latter taxon was unclear, as it was previously known from a single record in Mongolia. In our study, P. turkmenicus is found to be widely distributed across the hyperarid deserts south of the Altai Mountains. In several locations, it is sympatric with P. kozlovi, the distribution of which is associated mostly with the semidesert zone, while P. ognevi occurs in the steppe and forest zones of northern Mongolia. The two desert species (P. kozlovi and P. turkmenicus) are quite similar in their morphology and ecological affinities; however, the molecular data clearly show that P. turkmenicus is highly divergent from both P. kozlovi and P. ognevi. In contrast, the mtDNA difference between the arid-dwelling P. kozlovi and the morphologically distant forest-steppe P. ognevi is low. This result demonstrates that more than one lineage of Plecotus independently developed adaptations to the arid habitats of Central Asia and suggests that the morphological similarity between P. kozlovi and P. turkmenicus is a result of convergence. The difference in mtDNA between the Mongolian and West-Central Asian populations of P. turkmenicus indicates that the former may represent a separate taxon of uncertain rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of researchers studying horse domestication come to a conclusion that this process happened in multiple locations and involved multiple wild maternal lines. The most promising approach to address this problem involves mitochondrial haplotype comparison of wild and domestic horses from various locations coupled with studies of possible migration routes of the ancient shepherds. Here, we sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes of six horses from burials of the Ukok plateau (Russia, Altai Mountains) dated from 2.7 to 1.4 thousand years before present and a single late Pleistocene wild horse from the neighboring region (Denisova cave). Sequencing data indicates that the wild horse belongs to an extinct pre-domestication lineage. Integration of the domestic horse data with known Eurasian haplotypes of a similar age revealed two distinct groups: the first one widely distributed in Europe and presumably imported to Altai, and the second one specific for Altai Mountains and surrounding area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent results indicate contrasting Holocene moisture histories at different elevations in arid central Asia (ACA). However, relatively little is known about Holocene temperature changes at different elevations. Here we report an independently dated peat brGDGTs‐based MBT'5ME record from the Narenxia peatland (NRX) in the southern Altai Mountains. The record suggests a long‐term warming trend since ~7.7 cal. kyr bp, with a warmer stage during ~7–5.5 cal. kyr bp, a cold stage during ~5.5–4 cal. kyr bp, and a warming trend over the last ~4 kyr. The long‐term warming trend indicated by the NRX MBT'5ME record is largely consistent with Holocene temperature records from nearby sites covering an altitudinal range of ~1700–4100 m above sea level. This consistent long‐term warming trend at different elevations differs from the long‐term Holocene drying/wetting trends at high/low elevations of the Altai Mountains. We propose that the warming trend and consequent permafrost thawing at high elevations could have resulted in increased meltwater runoff, which would have contributed to the long‐term wetting trend at low elevations. Our findings potentially provide an improved understanding of regional climate change and associated water resource availability, with implications for their possible future status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we apply geometric-morphometric shape analysis to Middle Paleolithic bone retouchers from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The cave contains evidence of the easternmost manifestation of the Micoquian industry, associated with Neanderthals at end of MIS4 and the beginning of MIS3. Taphonomic and scar pattern analyses were performed first on random samples exhibiting appropriate characteristics. Several retouchers produced on intentionally modified blanks were identified in our sample, suggesting that some of the Chagyrskaya Cave bone retouchers can be described as formal tools. All retouchers from Chagyrskaya Cave exhibit a similar general morphology. The most variable group is comprised of complete retouchers without blank modifications. Retouchers exhibiting minor damage affect the general pattern of variability and it is not possible to identify them only by means of geometric-morphometric shape analysis. Complete retouchers with blank modifications fall within the range of variability of complete retouchers without blank modification, suggesting intentional shaping of blanks to conform to a standard template. The range of variability of the bone retouchers does not differ significantly from that of the most highly modified lithic artifacts at Chagyrskaya – plano-convex bifaces – which may indicate intentional shape control for such artifacts. Geometric-morphometric analysis indicates that the anatomical origin of bone blanks does not significantly influence the retouchers' shape, which may point to strict blank selection and, at the same time, intentional modification. Our results raise questions regarding the integration of retouchers into a complex, multidimensional "chaine-opératoire" as well as the nature of Neanderthal cognitive abilities. Geometric-morphometric shape analysis represents a major step forward in the study of prehistoric retouchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a 177-year April–June Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for the southern slopes of the Altay Mountains (China) was reconstructed based on the earlywood width of 96 Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) samples located at eight different sites. The reconstructed PDSI tracked the observed data well (r = 0.723, p <.0001, n = 52). This PDSI reconstruction captures some drought years and periods noted in historical documents, and it agrees well with other hydroclimatic reconstructions for the surrounding area. The 22-, 11-, 2.3-, and 2.1-year cycles of the reconstruction and the spatial correlation with sea surface temperature revealed that the variability of the PDSI for the study area might be influenced by both the Schwabe cycle of solar activity and the interannual oscillation of land–atmosphere–ocean circulation systems. Spatial correlation also showed the reconstruction contained climatic signals, being representative of a larger area extending from northern Xinjiang to northeastern Kazakhstan and a part of southern Russia. Synoptic climatology analysis revealed a relationship between anomalous atmospheric circulation and wet/dry years on the southern slopes of the Altay Mountains in China and its surrounding area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of an archaeological research project, we investigate the geomorphology of the cold and arid study area by combining field mapping with use of orthoimages and DEM. To the north of a broad trunk valley floor, gentle slopes continuously vegetated culminate around 3000 m, while to the south steep slopes reaching to 3500 m are deeply incised and covered mainly by regolith. The basin has been intensively glaciated as evidenced by the till covering the gentler slopes, several morainic complexes, kame terraces and roches moutonnées. The present morphodynamics of this permafrost-affected basin is mainly periglacial, with blockfields, solifluction lobes, patterned ground and rock glaciers on gentle slopes to high-elevated flat terrain, and block slopes and rockfall talus on steeper slopes. Large alluvial fans at the outlet of the steep lateral valleys constrain the anastomosing channel of the Kalguty river. Active braided channels in those valleys evidence seasonal high peak discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eidophasia assmanni sp. nov., a new species of Plutellidae from the alpine zone of Russian Altai Mountains, is described from diagnostic morphology and DNA barcodes. Male adult and genitalia are illustrated, whereas the female sex remains unknown. The species inhabits alpine scree with patchy herbaceous plants and is considered as possible endemic species of the Altai Mountains. An updated checklist of the 13 global Eidophasia Stephens, 1842 species is provided. The likely polyphyly of the genus is discussed from molecular data of the barcode region of the mt COI gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different agricultural and metallurgical systems had developed at the eastern and western ends of Eurasia continent before 3000 BC. As one of the earliest Bronze Age cultures in the Eurasian steppe, the Afanasyevo Culture originating from Southern Siberia, Russia, had played an extremely significant role in facilitating cultural interactions and the spread of domestic species in Eurasia. Hence, investigating the diets of Afanasyevo populations during their movements across the Eurasian steppe possibly provides important clues to explore when, where, and how the earlier cultural interactions happened. Here, we present the isotopic analysis of Afanasyevo humans found in Ayituohan Ι Cemetery (ca. 2836–2490 cal BC) in the southern Altai Mountains, Xinjiang of China, and compare with those of Afanasyevo humans from the different regions in Southern Siberia of Russia. All of the high δ15N values indicate that the subsistence strategies of Afanasyevo populations were dominated by the animal husbandry during their movements; meanwhile, the obviously high δ13C values in this study suggest that a certain amount of millet-based foods (millet crops and/or domesticated animals fed on millets) appeared in their diets as they settled in the southern Altai Mountains in Xinjiang of China. It provides new evidence for the millet transmission along Inner Asian Mountain Corridor and especially for the early interaction of multiregional agropastoralism between Eurasian steppe and northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a better understanding of the precipitable water in the arid northwestern China (NWC), we surveyed the water vapour variability on both sides of the alpine range crests based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission monthly precipitation data (TRMM 3B43). There were 12 target zones and 23 subzones in six mountain systems representatively selected according to alpine hydrogeomorphology. They were used for comparative analyses in time and space. Comparisons between the two sides of the range crests revealed that there is more precipitable water on the south slopes of the Qilian, Altun, Kunlun, and Altai Mountains, on the north slope of the Tian Mountains, and on the east slope of Helan Mountains. High correlations were detected between precipitable water for both sides of the range crests in target zones, while low correlations were found among precipitable water separately averaged in the Kunlun, Tian, and Qilian Mountains including both sides of the range crests. The proportion of precipitable water during the rainy season gradually increased from west to east along the mountains. Temporally, precipitation presented synchronous increases or decreases on the two sides of the range crests in most of the target zones during the time period from 1998 to 2016, and an overall increase in alpine annual precipitable water was found in the area, except for the decrease in the Altun and western Tian Mountains. The summer decay dominated the decrease in these two target zones, while strengthened conveyance was observed in other seasons, especially in spring and autumn, which compensated for, and led to, total increases in precipitable water in most of the target zones. All of the above findings were indicative of differences in vapour transport from outside areas into diverse alpine systems in the arid NWC, which could be schematically evidenced by the spatial patterns of monthly and annual water vapour conveyance retrieved from the TRMM precipitation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of the soluble forms of 41 elements were determined by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) along with pH, Eh, and total dissolved solids in water of lakes and streams in the Kucherla River basin. The abundant rains, which enhance water exchange, along with meltwater from glaciers and snowfields are the governing factors in the dynamics of physicochemical characteristics. The rivers and lakes examined in the Kucherla basin show concentrations of Al, Fe, and Zn in excess of MACs of hazardous substances for water bodies used for fishery and the MACs for Al and Sb introduced for drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sequenced the genome of a Neandertal from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains, Russia, to 27-fold genomic coverage. We show that this Neandertal was a female and that she was more related to Neandertals in western Eurasia [Prüfer et al., Science 358, 655-658 (2017); Hajdinjak et al., Nature 555, 652-656 (2018)] than to Neandertals who lived earlier in Denisova Cave [Prüfer et al., Nature 505, 43-49 (2014)], which is located about 100 km away. About 12.9% of the Chagyrskaya genome is spanned by homozygous regions that are between 2.5 and 10 centiMorgans (cM) long. This is consistent with the fact that Siberian Neandertals lived in relatively isolated populations of less than 60 individuals. In contrast, a Neandertal from Europe, a Denisovan from the Altai Mountains, and ancient modern humans seem to have lived in populations of larger sizes. The availability of three Neandertal genomes of high quality allows a view of genetic features that were unique to Neandertals and that are likely to have been at high frequency among them. We find that genes highly expressed in the striatum in the basal ganglia of the brain carry more aminoacid- changing substitutions than genes expressed elsewhere in the brain, suggesting that the striatum may have evolved unique functions in Neandertals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of satellite images revealed by 25% decrease of the Altai mountains' glaciation area over last 50 years. In 2008–2017, deglaciation rate increased twice. This tendency is in good agreement with an observed increase in the Katun River flow by 9% in 2008–2017 as compared to 1940–1968 (under invariable total precipitation). The analysis of trends of main meteorological parameters based on weather station data and the ERA-Interim reanalysis demonstrated that statistically significant warming in the region occurs only during the warm season and does not exceed 0.5°С/10 years. For this reason, "atmosphere–glaciers" turbulent heat transfer has increased by 4 W/m2 in last two years, that caused an annual melting layer increase by 100 mm water equivalent (w.e.). However, the main reason for the Altai mountains' deglaciation is an increase of downward solar radiation flux, which amounted to 5 W/m2 per decade and increased the melting layer by 365 mm w.e. per year. A positive trend in net radiation agrees well with a decrease in cloud amount, which is associated with an increase in the moisture divergence flux and geopotential height and with the weakening of zonal winds in the middle troposphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palaeoclimatic variations during the past ~2000 years in western Mongolia were reconstructed using a high‐resolution pollen sequence obtained from Bayan Nuur. The pollen‐based mean annual precipitation (MAP) from Bayan Nuur and the tree ring‐based temperature anomalies from the nearby Altai Mountains exhibit a 'warm‐dry' Roman Warm Period (RWP; ~1900 to ~1500 cal. a BP), a 'cool‐wet' Dark Age Cold Period (DACP; ~1500 to ~1150 cal. a BP), a 'warm‐dry' Medieval Warm Period (MWP; ~1150 to ~800 cal. a BP) and a 'cool‐wet' Little Ice Age (LIA; ~800 to ~100 cal. a BP). Nevertheless, the Current Warm Period (CWP; since ~100 cal. a BP) is an exception that fits a 'warm‐wet' mode. A more detailed comparison between the pollen‐based MAP curve and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index curve suggests that the higher‐precipitation episodes generally corresponded with more negative NAO episodes. The chronological correspondence between the higher‐precipitation episodes and the more negative NAO episodes means that more Atlantic storm tracks originated from the southern part of the North Atlantic Ocean and also from the Mediterranean Sea during negative NAO episodes. It implies that the precipitation variations during the past two millennia have been modulated primarily by NAO variations and negatively phased NAO settings contributed to more winter precipitation in Bayan Nuur basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Onosma fuyunensis, a new species of Boraginaceae from northern Xinjiang, China, is described and illustrated here. Onosma fuyunensis is similar to O. simplicissima and O. gmelinii; it differs in having a particularly bristly indumentum, unbranched stems, white and yellow corollas, anthers united only at base, and nutlets with a stipitate cicatrix. An updated key to the species of Onosma from Xinjiang and Altai Mountains is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the intermediate zone between the taiga forests in Siberian Plain and the deserts in Central Asia, the Altai Mountains are of scientific concern about Holocene climate change in the past decades. However, researches about modern climate changes are relatively scarce in the Altai Mountains. In this study, temporal- spatial changes of air temperature and precipitation were investigated systematically in the Altai Mountains based on fifteen meteorological records over the period of 1970–2015. The Altai Mountains experienced a rapid warming trend with a rate of 0.41°C/decade and an insignificantly wetting trend at a rate of 4.82 mm/decade during 1970–2015. The magnitude of temperature trend was negatively correlated with elevation in cold season (spring and winter), whereas that was positively correlated with elevation in warm season (summer and autumn). The cyclonic anomalies to the northwest and an anticyclonic anomalies to the southeast blocked the southward cold air and then provided the favorable condition for an increasing precipitation via the southwesternly wind in the Altai Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterologia is the property of Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterologia 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.)

Neanderthals were once widespread across Europe and western Asia. They also penetrated into the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia, but the geographical origin of these populations and the timing of their dispersal have remained elusive. Here we describe an archaeological assemblage from Chagyrskaya Cave, situated in the Altai foothills, where around 90,000 Middle Paleolithic artifacts and 74 Neanderthal remains have been recovered from deposits dating to between 59 and 49 thousand years ago (age range at 95.4% probability). Environmental reconstructions suggest that the Chagyrskaya hominins were adapted to the dry steppe and hunted bison. Their distinctive toolkit closely resembles Micoquian assemblages from central and eastern Europe, including the northern Caucasus, more than 3,000 kilometers to the west of Chagyrskaya Cave. At other Altai sites, evidence of earlier Neanderthal populations lacking associated Micoquian-like artifacts implies two or more Neanderthal incursions into this region. We identify eastern Europe as the most probable ancestral source region for the Chagyrskaya toolmakers, supported by DNA results linking the Neanderthal remains with populations in northern Croatia and the northern Caucasus, and providing a rare example of a long-distance, intercontinental population movement associated with a distinctive Paleolithic toolkit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluminous Silurian-Devonian granitoids intruded a greywacke-dominated Ordovician accretionary wedge in the Chinese Altai. These granitoids are characterized by significant Nd-Hf isotopic decoupling, the underlying mechanism of which, so far, has been poorly understood. This issue is addressed in this study by the integration of our new and regional published geological and geochemical data. Geological studies indicated a close spatial relationship between the regional anatexis of the Ordovician wedge and the formation of the granitoids, which is characterized by a gradual textural evolution from the partial molten Ordovician wedge sedimentary rocks (the Habahe Group) to the granitoid bodies. Compositionally, these granitoids and the Ordovician Habahe Group rocks displayed close geochemical similarities, in the form of arclike trace elemental signatures as well as comparable Nd isotopic characteristics. Combined with regional available data, we suggest that the Silurian-Devonian granitoids originated from the immature and chemically primitive Habahe Group rocks. Since Nd and Hf isotopic data for the Habahe Group rocks show significant Nd-Hf isotopic decoupling, we propose that the Silurian-Devonian granitoids inherited the Nd and Hf isotopic signatures from their sources, i.e., the Habahe Group rocks. In other words, the Nd-Hf decoupling in the Habahe Group rocks is the primary causative factor leading to the prevailing Nd-Hf isotopic decoupling of the Silurian-Devonian granitoids in the Chinese Altai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent anthropological and archaeological studies have established the significance of the Altai Mountains prehistoric sites, which illustrate complex peopling events. In this paper, we use the chaîne opératoire techno-economic approach to describe the reduction sequences from layers 5 and 3 of Ust'-Kanskaya cave, Gorny Altai, Russia. The Levallois concept is attested in both layers by the presence of cores, flakes, points and blades. However, the majority of the products do not correspond to the cores, which implies a shift at some point of the reduction sequence. Shorter reduction sequences that do not demand such a high degree of predetermination have also been identified. The two layers display similar technological features and can both be associated with the Levalloiso-Mousterian variant of the Altai Middle Palaeolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Psiloboletinus was proposed by Rolf Singer in 1945 based on Phylloporus lariceti, a species that associates with Larix in the Altai Mountains of central and eastern Asia. However, this classification has been controversial due to the morphological similarity to known genera Boletinus and Fuscoboletinus. Because of the lack of fresh material to study, the phylogenetic position of Psiloboletinus has remained unknown since its publication. However, the recently described species Suillus foetidus reported from northeast China allows this issue to be reexamined and resolved. Through morphological observations and comparison, we find that S. foetidus is a heterotypic synonym of Ps. lariceti. Furthermore, Psiloboletinus should be retained as an independent genus sister to Suillus based on molecular phylogenetic evidence and morphological features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparison of karren formation on various rocks under diverse environmental conditions makes an important contribution to our understanding of the formation and development of karst. In this regard, the present study brings a number of new insights through description of the karst development on marbles at the foothills of the Altai Mountains. We studied karst phenomena in the field and in laboratory where structural-textural properties, mineral composition and quantity of carbonate components were determined. Rivers dissected karst surface and additionally uncovered carbonate rocks. The marble layers are faulted, folded and sheared, consequently containing numerous densely spaced net of discontinuities, which are often parallel. Brittle deformations significantly increased the rocks' porosity, consequently making it more sensitive to water absorption and freezing thaw effect. Distinct continental climate, with extreme daily and seasonal temperature variations, conditions the pronounced peeling off of the marbles along discontinuities. The diversity of disintegration is conditioned by the massive or oriented structure, cleavage, texture, and type and grainsize of the marbles' mineral constituents. Interaction and alternation of chemical dissolution and mechanical disintegration play the major role on the karren formation and its preservation. The formed karren is mostly destroyed due to peeling off and disintegration of the marbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the impact of livestock on native wildlife is of increasing conservation relevance. For the Vulnerable snow leopard Panthera uncia , wild prey reduction, intensifying human–wildlife conflicts and retaliatory killings are severe threats potentially exacerbated by the presence of livestock. Elucidating patterns of co-occurrence of snow leopards, wild ungulate prey, and livestock, can be used to assess the compatibility of pastoralism with conservation. We used camera trapping to study the interactions of livestock, Siberian ibex Capra sibirica and snow leopards in a national park in the Altai mountains, Mongolia. We obtained 494 detections of wild mammals and 912 of domestic ungulates, dogs and humans. Snow leopards and Siberian ibex were recorded 14 and 33 times, respectively. Co-occurrence modelling showed that livestock had a higher estimated occupancy (0.65) than ibex, whose occupancy was lower in the presence of livestock (0.11) than in its absence (0.34–0.35 depending on scenarios modelled). Snow leopard occupancy did not appear to be affected by the presence of livestock or ibex but the robustness of such inference was limited by uncertainty around the estimates. Although our sampling at presumed snow leopard passing sites may have led to fewer ibex detections, results indicate that livestock may displace wild ungulates, but may not directly affect the occurrence of snow leopards. Snow leopards could still be threatened by livestock, as overstocking can trigger human–carnivore conflicts and hamper the conservation of large carnivores. Further research is needed to assess the generality and strength of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively reconstructs Holocene climate based on a palynological analysis of a 745-cm lake core at Gun Nuur in the northern Mongolian Plateau. The core is precisely dated with 49 dates and the dataset comprises 372 pollen samples providing high temporal resolution. We obtained quantitative reconstructions of annual temperature (Tann) and precipitation (Pann) based on comparison with a modern pollen dataset comprising 604 data sites for which climate correlation coefficients are high (R2 = 0.76 for Tann and R2 = 0.70 for Pann) and the uncertainties are relatively small (RMSEP = 1.99 °C for Tann and RMSEP = 46.22 mm for Pann). Results show that the climate in the northern Mongolian Plateau experienced a warm-dry climate in the early Holocene (∼10,300 to ∼7900 cal. yr BP), a stable cool-wet climate in the middle and early-late Holocene (∼7900 to ∼2300 cal. yr BP), and an increasingly cool-wet climate in more recent times (last ∼2300 years). The high temperature in the northern Mongolian Plateau before ∼7900 cal. yr BP is attributable to the thermal sensitivity of the interior Asian continent to high summer insolation. The nearly constant and rather stable temperature during the past ∼7900 years is most likely the result of the thermal insensitivity of the well-developed and densely-covered Taiga forests in south Siberia to declining summer insolation. Increasing precipitation in the northern Mongolian Plateau in the period before ∼7900 cal. yr BP is similar to coeval records from the Altai Mountains, the Yinshan Mountains and the Lake Baikal basin, and most likely resulted from rising sea surface temperature both in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean. The stable and nearly constant precipitation during the past ∼7900 years most likely resulted from the combined effect of decreasing water vapor supply from the cooling Western Tropical Pacific Ocean and the increasing water vapor supply from the warming North Atlantic Ocean. • Holocene temperature variations were attributed to the temperature sensitivity to the summer insolation. • Holocene precipitation variations were mainly controlled by North Atlantic SST and Western Tropical Pacific SST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sino-Mongolian border region is an important exploration hotspot in the Asia-Pacific margin and hosts one of the three major porphyry Cu-Au-Mo mineralization belts in the world. Variations in the concentration and spatial distribution of Mo in the region can indirectly reflect the distribution of other minerals, such as copper; therefore, Mo has been widely used as a pathfinder element for geochemical prospecting for porphyry Cu deposits. However, comprehensive and integrated analytical studies of single elements (e.g., Mo) in the Sino-Mongolian border region are lacking. Therefore, this study collected 10,453 catchment sediment samples from the study region and analyzed 69 elements. The concentration of Mo in these samples ranged from 0.10 to 84.96 mg/kg, with a median and mean of 0.84 mg/kg (considered the geochemical background value) and 0.97 mg/kg, respectively. The factors influencing the Mo concentration and spatial distribution along the Sino-Mongolian border region were investigated in terms of geological background, climate, precipitation, mineral distribution, and exploitation history. Influenced by climate and precipitation, Mo in catchment sediments is solubilized and easily transported under the oxidizing effect of hypergenesis. Mo concentrations were low in forested areas along the Altai Mountains in the west and Da Hinggan Ling Mountains in the east. Sixteen high-concentration Mo areas (geochemical province/domain, > 1.07 mg/kg, > Q75%) that contained 46 Mo geochemical anomalies (> 1.24 mg/kg, > Q85%) were circumscribed in this study. These anomalous areas were mainly related to the widespread distribution of minerals, coal-forming strata, and black shale deposits in the region. Compared to previous studies, this study identified more concentrated geochemical anomaly areas with a wider distribution in the Sino-Mongolian border region and provided higher quality geochemical data to promote further mineral exploration and support environmental change studies in this area. • Concentrations of Mo in 10,453 samples of catchment sediments were measured. • Regional Mo distribution map of the Sino-Mongolian border region was prepared. • Sixteen high-concentration Mo areas were delineated in the study region. • Forty-six Mo anomaly areas were identified. • Various factors influence the distribution of Mo in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands can archive exceptional paleoenvironmental histories of dust delivery because of their uninterrupted and elevated accumulation rates, yet long-term records of dust deposition and its effect on peat accumulation are rare in the arid and semiarid Asian regions that can be major dust sources. We present here high-resolution Holocene peat accumulation and paleodust records from the Tielishahan (TLSH) and Halashazi (HLSZ) peatlands in the Altai Mountains of northwestern China. We find that although the two peatlands share common histories of external climate forcing and dust delivery, they have significantly different long-term rates of peat accumulations. Peat deposition initiated ~2 kyr earlier in the HLSZ peatland than in the TLSH peatland, exhibiting higher peat accumulation rates and greater mineral dust fluxes during the early Holocene, but it has constantly smaller values from the mid-Holocene to the present. The TLSH peatland has a higher peat accumulation rate and mineral dust flux during the early Holocene, lower values during the mid-Holocene, and increasing values during the latest Holocene. The elemental proxies in the two peat cores indicate that atmospheric deposition is the major factor in controlling delivery of mineral elements in HLSZ peatland, whereas elemental delivery in the TLSH peat record is affected by both the regional atmospheric dust flux and the water table under this sequence. We also find that peat accumulation is closely related to mineral dust deposition, as most Asian locations generally share similar patterns in long-term peat accumulation and dust deposition. We postulate that increased aridity in the dust sources of arid central Asia and stronger westerly winds induced by negative NAO variations are key drivers on greater dust deliveries. We further postulate that local factors, such as site-specific differences in permafrost thawing, the areas of the peatlands, and their hydrology are the main reasons for the asynchronous Holocene histories of these two neighboring peatlands. These local factors should be considered when interpreting long-term paleoclimate records from rates of peat accumulation and paleodust delivery. • High-resolution peat accumulation and dust records from two specific peatlands in the Altai Mountains, northwest China. • Evident difference in long-term peat accumulation and dust deposition between two peatlands. • Peat accumulation in the Altai Mountains is closely related to mineral dust delivery. • Specific features of different peatlands play important roles on long-term peat accumulation and dust deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• P ann since 13.7 ka was reconstructed from the pollen record of a high-altitude lake in the Mongolian Altai Mountains. • Higher P ann occurred in the middle to late Holocene, possibly because of inland warming. • A major climatic and ecological transition at ∼7 ka is widely recorded in the Altai Mountains. Holocene climate changes in the Altai Mountains and the surrounding areas are well documented, but the timing of the Holocene precipitation maximum remains controversial. We obtained 17 accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dates and 310 fossil pollen assemblages from sediments in Tolbo Lake, which we used to reconstruct the history of vegetation and climate change in the Mongolian Altai Mountains over the past 13,750 years. The results suggest that mean annual precipitation (P ann) was the most significant control on the fossil pollen record at the study site. Based on the fossil pollen record from Tolbo Lake and 469 surface pollen samples within the radius of 1300 km, the reconstructed P ann was lowest during 13.7–11.3 ka (1 ka = 1,000 cal yr BP); relatively low but increasing P ann occurred in the early Holocene (11.3–9.4 ka); and maximum P ann occurred during the middle to late Holocene (after 6.8 ka), possibly because of the high temperatures. A significant climatic and ecological transition occurred in the Altai Mountains at ∼7 ka: steppe and desert steppe vegetation with generally low P ann was present before ∼7 ka, while subsequently there was the expansion of forest vegetation and a marked increase in P ann , possibly in response to the minimum in Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and the increased radiative forcing caused by rising atmospheric greenhouse gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the semiarid climate of northwestern Mongolia, glaciers are critical contributors to water resources, particularly during the dry summer months. Nevertheless, our knowledge of the contribution of glacier runoff in the Upper Khovd River Basin (UKRB) is limited. This study investigates the impact of glacier recession on the UKRB's hydrology in western Mongolia's Altai Mountains. The analysis included glaciological method measurements, satellite-derived glacier extent records, and a simple ice ablation model. Our modeling used a mass balance gradient of 0.50 meters water equivalent 100 m–1 for the years 2000, 2010, and 2016 and included a sensitivity analysis that applied lower and upper mass balance gradient values and ±200 m around the equilibrium line altitude (ELA). The glacier contribution to the UKRB's water resources decreased from almost 8% in 2000 to 6.7% in 2016. Hypsometries revealed that glacier areas decreased at all elevations, indicating that only small accumulation zones exist. Therefore, applying a modeled increased ELA better represents glacier contribution to total runoff, at 18.7% in 2000 and 15.4% in 2016. The decreasing glacier runoff contribution indicates that the UKRB glaciers have passed the tipping point of an increased contribution that first follows enhanced melting. The continued glacier recession and uncertain water availability represent challenges for water resource management and future human–water relations in the Mongolian Altai.

We present here the results of the first‐ever Quaternary entomological research in China. The Halashazi Wetland, located in the southern Altai Mountain region in the northernmost part of Xinjiang Province, yielded Holocene insect fossils (mostly beetles) from two peat profiles. In total, 55 Coleoptera taxa were found, including 37 identified species. A new species, Helophorus sinoglacialis, was identified. The fauna is strongly northern Holarctic in character. The interval from 10 424 to 9705 cal a BP was probably a cold and wet period, and the study site was above the treeline. From 9665 to 9500 cal a BP it was probably warmer and drier, and treeline moved to higher elevations. Following a depositional hiatus, mid‐Holocene (5400–4400 cal a BP) insect assemblages represent cold conditions with the site above the treeline. The exception was a brief warming around 5450 cal a BP, when bark beetle evidence suggests that the treeline moved to a higher elevation. Of the 37 identified beetle species from the Halashazi site, 34 (92%) have modern records in Siberia. The Altai Mountains probably served as a dispersal corridor between the Siberian arctic and alpine regions of northern China. Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Bulletin of National Mining University is the property of National Mining University, State Higher Educational Institution 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.)

Aims: We aim to understand bird richness and variation in species composition (beta diversity) along a 630 km riparian landscape in the Altai Mountains of China and to test whether vegetation cover is the main explanation of species diversity. Methods: We selected nine regions along a gradient of natural vegetation change. Bird surveys and environmental measurements were conducted at 10 points in each of the nine regions. We collected environmental land cover variables such as wood cover (area proportion of trees and shrubs with saplings in habitats; here trees are woody plant with a single trunk and higher than 3 m, shrubs and saplings are distinguished from trees by their multiple trunks and shorter height) and tree cover, and two climate factors which were Annual Mean Temperature (AMT) and Annual Precipitation (AP). We used Liner Regression Models to explore the correlation between bird species richness and environmental variables. We used Sørensen's dissimilarity index to measure birds' beta diversity, and quantified the contribution of environmental variables to this pattern using a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Results: Wood cover was the strongest predictor of overall, insectivore, and omnivore bird richness. Regions with wood cover contained more bird species. Beta diversity was overall high in the studied regions, and turnover components occupied a major part of beta diversity. Wood cover and AP were significant predictors of bird species composition explaining 33.24% of bird beta diversity together. Conclusions: Wood vegetation including trees, shrubs, and saplings, rather than only trees, contains high bird richness. High beta diversity suggests that expansion of the existing nature reserves is needed in the riparian landscapes to capture the variation in bird species composition. Thus all wood cover in the overall riparian landscapes of Altai Mountains should be protected from farming and grazing to improve bird conservation outcomes. OPEN RESEARCH BADGES: This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at Raw bird data in this study: osf.io/78qcw; Raw environment data: osf.io/qr5cw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here preset a result of high-resolution pollen data of a lacustrine-peat sediment core from Yushenkule (YSKL) Peat, southern Altai Mountains, northwestern China. We aim to reconstruct the palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate variations in the southern Altai Mountains and further evaluate the role of autogenic process of the raised bog itself in driving the local vegetation dynamics. The pollen data of YSKL core-2 show two major vegetation stages in YSKL Peat area and the surrounding areas during the data-covering period. During the stage lasting from ~4870 to ~2550 cal. yr BP, regional vegetation was dominated by desert steppe and local vegetation in YSKL Peat was characterized by Artemisia -dominated mountain steppe. During the stage lasting from ~2550 to ~700 cal. yr BP, regional vegetation was characterized by Artemisia -dominated steppe and local vegetation in YSKL Peat was characterized by Cyperaceae-dominated wetland herbs. The Ar/Am (Artemisia /Amaranthaceae) ratio-indicated moisture increasing trend of southern Altai Mountains can attribute to the combined effects of decreased temperature and increased precipitation. The lithologic transition from lake to peat of YSKL core-2 can be explained by invoking the variations in the areal extent of ice covers in the Altai Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial haplotype U5a1 was identified from an Eneolithic grave associated with the Afanasievo archaeological culture in Bayankhongor Province, Erdenetsogt Township, at the site of Shatar Chuluu. This is the earliest appearance of an mtDNA haplotype associated with modern European populations on the Mongol Steppe. This evidence demonstrations that people with "western" mtDNA lived on the Mongol Steppe east of the Altai Mountains before the Bronze Age and refutes the notion that the Altai Mountains were a substantial barrier to gene flow, and definitively expands the acknowledged range of the Afanasievo archaeological culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on pollen data of 274 samples from a 550-cm core at Kelashazi Peat in the southern Altai Mountains within China, we reconstructed the Holocene vegetation dynamics and climatic change. The pollen assemblages and the associated biome scores indicate that the vegetation in Kelashazi valley was dominated by alpine meadows during the early Holocene (before ~8.2 cal. kyr BP) and by taiga forests in the middle Holocene (~8.2-~5.6 cal. kyr BP) that was followed by an expansion of alpine meadows (~5.6-~3.2 cal. kyr BP). The pollen-based temperature index-indicated thermal maximum lasting from ~8.0 to ~5.6 cal. kyr BP was consistent with temperature stack for 60–30°N and the later onset warming at Kelashazi Peat was associated with the cooling influence of remnant ice sheets in the early Holocene. The pollen-based increasing moisture index curve from Kelashazi Peat is in a good agreement with the synthesized decreasing aridity index curve in low-elevation regions of the Altai Mountains and the surrounding areas during the data-overlapping period between ~12.0 and ~3.2 cal. kyr BP. The Holocene wetting trend at Kelashazi Peat might have resulted not only from the increasing trend of NAO-related winter precipitation but also from the increasing trend of AMO-modulated summer precipitation. • Holocene vegetation and climate changes was reconstructed in the southern Altai Mountains. • Thermal maximum was consistent with temperature stack for 60–30°N. • Moisture reconstruction is consistent with synthesized Holocene aridity index in low-elevation regions. • Holocene wetting trend have resulted from the increasing trends of NAO-related winter precipitation and AMO-related summer precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on numerical experiments undertaken with nine climate models, the glacier equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) in western China during the last glacial maximum (LGM) are investigated to deepen our understanding of the surface environment on the Tibetan Plateau. Relative to the preindustrial period, the summer surface air temperatures decrease by 4–8°C while the annual precipitation decreases by an average of 25% across the Tibetan Plateau during the LGM. Under the joint effects of reductions in summer temperature and annual precipitation, the LGM ELAs in western China are lowered by magnitudes that vary with regions. The ELAs in the southern margin and northwestern Tibetan Plateau decline by approximately 1100 m; the central hinterland, by 650–800 m; and the eastern part, by 550–800 m, with a downward trend from southwest to northeast. The reduction in ELAs is no more than 650 m in the Tian Shan Mountains within China and approximately 500–600 m in the Qilian Mountains and Altai Mountains. The high-resolution models to reproduce the low values of no more than 500 m in ELA reductions in the central Tibetan Plateau, which are consistent with the proxy records from glacier remains. The accumulation zones of the Tibetan Plateau glaciers are mainly located in the marginal mountains during the LGM and have areas 2–5 times larger than those of the modern glaciers but still do not reach the central part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kekebieketi mining area is located on the southern margin of the Altai Mountains in Northern Xinjiang and is at the junction of the Siberia and Kazakhstan‐Junggar plates. Faults and magmatic rocks are well developed, and the main stratum is the Middle Devonian Kaxiweng Formation. The Kekebieketi‐Kalatongke‐Xibodu basic to ultrabasic mixed rock strip is an appropriate area for mineral resources and a good target to study the crustal and mantle evolution. This study explored the tectonic age and setting of basic rocks in the Kekebieketi mining area and provides a basis for the study of basic rocks and discrimination of the wider formation. The basic rocks were mainly gabbro, pyroxenolite, basic subvolcano rock, and diabase. They have all been altered to different degrees through amphibolization, sub‐amphibolization, actinolitization, chloritization, epidotization, zoisitization, uralitization, and serpentinization. Similar rare earth element compositions of the different rock types suggest that they are homologous. Enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (Cs, Rb, Sr, and U) and depletion of high field strength elements (Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf) showed that the basic rocks have the characteristics of island arc magmatic rocks. A single zircon U–Pb age of 321 ± 2.5 Ma was obtained from a hornblende gabbro. Based on the petrological and geochemical features, we concluded that the basic rocks in the study area were formed during the post‐collision period in East Junggar. The parental magma is mainly composed of metasomatic mantle wedge material and upwelling asthenosphere, which is why it showed geochemical characteristics of subduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research is a comprehensive evaluation of the character of the impact of recreational activity and tourism on the biological communities of the Republic of Altai. The article discusses the main tendencies of changes in biological communities in the Altai Mountains proper to places of high recreational load. It is shown that as a rule, changes are manifested in the impoverishment of biological diversity, local extinction or decrease of the number of stenotopic bank types and the extension of the spatial distribution anthropoperseverant species. The general regularities and specificity of the reaction of the researched groups of organisms are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with remote sensing capabilities to monitor rangeland dynamics could lead to more acceptable, efficient, and beneficial rangeland management schemes for stakeholders of grazing systems. We contrasted pastoralists' perception of summer pasture quality in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) metrics obtained from Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite sensor. The spatial relationship between satellite-based assessment of the grassland quality and on-the-ground evaluation by local herders was first assessed for a single year using 49, 1 × 1 km grassland blocks sampled in July 2013. Herder-derived forage value was positively and strongly (63% of variance explained) related to satellite-derived NDVI values (MODIS 1 km monthly data, MOD13A3) as well as field estimates of % vegetation cover (62% explained) and to a lesser degree to vegetation height (28% explained). Herders' multi-year perception (i.e., recall ability) was also contrasted with satellite observations of their herding areas over the period of 2006–2016 during which NDVI temporal anomaly explained >11% of variance in estimates of pasture quality recalled. Few herders in Kazakhstan could recall pasture conditions, most herders in Russia and China could but inconsistently (4 and 7% variation explained, respectively), whereas most herders in Mongolia could recall pasture conditions in strong agreement with NDVI anomaly (30% variation explained), patterns reflecting herders' regional dependence on herding as a livelihood. Corroboration of herder-derived estimates and satellite-derived vegetation indices creates opportunity for re-expression of satellite data in map form as TEK-derived indices more compatible with herder perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]