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The study presents a simulation of climate change across Northern Eurasia during the 20th and 21st centuries using two different versions of the Earth system model developed by the Marchuk Institute of Numerical Mathematics at the Russian Academy of Sciences (INMCM). Model version INMCM5 participates in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and has the lowest equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) among the CMIP6 models. In the next model version, INMCM6, changes in the physical parameterisations lead to an increase in ECS by a factor of 2. Changes in near-surface temperature, precipitation, snow cover area and sea ice extent simulated by both model versions are compared with available observational and reanalysis data. Climate change predictions for the middle and end of the twenty-first century are provided by two model versions. Both model versions simulate similar climate changes for the upcoming two decades. After the middle of twenty-first century, the model version with high equilibrium climate sensitivity simulates stronger climate changes over Northern Eurasia than the model version with low sensitivity. But, in general, the ratio of predicted warming is much less than the ratio of ECS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosing the mobility of individuals involved in metal production helps to understand practices of metallurgy and related social processes in the southern Trans-Urals during the Late Bronze Age. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of a unique Sintashta culture grave of an elderly male individual, dated to the early 2nd millennium BCE. The grave is notable for evidence of craft specialization in metal production, as indicated by a specific set of artifacts, while the deceased individual possessed unusual physical appearance, which apparently did not cause his social marginalization. The individual's lifetime mobility is suggested by 87Sr/86Sr values in his tissues that differ from those typical for the cemetery locus and the presence of non-local copper ore indicates long-distance exchange or import. We assume that craft specialization in metal production could be a factor in individual mobility related to the ore procurement and metal exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of research on the number and distribution of the Bohemian waxwing in the territory of Northern Eurasia within the borders of the Soviet Union in 1990. The work uses materials collected in the period from 1880 to 2022 (intermittently and mainly since 1960) in the first half of summer (during nesting), in winter, and partially throughout the year. The Bohemian waxwing abundance was estimated on the basis of the results of bird counts on routes with a length of about 300 000 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have emphasized the significant influence of the atmospheric heat source of the Tibetan Plateau (TPHS) on the weather and climate in East Asia, but the causes and mechanisms of the TPHS variations remain unclear. In this study, the physical linkage between the winter northern Eurasian snow depth and early summer (May and June) TPHS during 1950–2019 is investigated. Our results indicate that excessive winter northern Eurasian snow can decrease the early summer TPHS through a delayed hydrological effect. In winter, excessive northern Eurasian snow depths lead to more snowmelt and wetter local soil in early summer. The wetter soil not only reduces the surface temperatures in northern Eurasia but also cools the atmosphere in the middle and upper troposphere. This cooling enhances the meridional temperature gradient between northern and southern Eurasia, which reinforces the westerly jet stream at mid-latitudes. The strong westerly jet stream enhances the sensible heat flux over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) by increasing the near-surface wind speed. Moreover, the enhanced meridional temperature gradient generates an anticyclonic and high-pressure anomaly over the southwestern side of the TP, thus decreasing the latent heat release over the TP. Because early summer marks the beginning of the rainy season on the TP, the TPHS in early summer is dominated by latent heat released by precipitation, which means that the wetter soil caused by the excessive winter snow depth in northern Eurasia eventually weakens the TPHS in early summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—The geodynamics of Northern Eurasia has been analyzed based on repeated coordinate solutions for GNSS stations throughout the Russian Federation territory from 2015 to the present. Two sources of data were used for this purpose: observations at the stations of the Russian Fundamental Astro-Geodetic Network (FAGN) and stations of the International GNSS Service (IGS) with permanent satellite tracking. This data set allowed one to estimate correctness of the block kinematics of the Eurasian plate in three tectonic plate motion models: NUVEL-1A, NNR-MORVEL-56, and ITRF2014. The analysis of the misfits between the observed and model velocities has shown that these misfits have a systematic component in the vicinity of the East European Platform, which differs for each of three models. In addition to analyzing the block kinematics of the Eurasian Plate, we also evaluated its internal stability. For this purpose, we calculated the areal deformations of Northern Eurasia using the finite element method. To this end, the processing results of two original datasets were complemented by the results for the observation data from the global dataset of the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory. Besides interplate boundary deformations, which are consistent with existing ideas of the geodynamics of Northern Eurasia, the strain field analysis also revealed intraplate deformations distributed consistently with the configuration of the Northern Eurasia cratons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher gold grades (0.1–1 g/t) in porphyry systems of northern Eurasia make them competitive with the Andean porphyries despite usually smaller volumes of mineralization and lower copper grades. It is concluded that porphyry systems of northern Eurasia occurred in island arc settings as did the porphyries of the West Pacific, contrary to the Andean continental magmatic arcs. The paper considers structural and tectonic control of porphyry clusters in northern Eurasia, as well as practical aspects to estimate the depth of erosion in porphyry systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—To reveal the features of the distribution of birds in Northern Eurasia, the results of surveys carried out in the period from 1880 to 2019 (with interruptions and mainly since 1960) averaged over the first half of summer (May 16–July 15) were analyzed. Three hundred and fifty-four researchers participated in the collection of material (over 110 years). Data processing was carried out using multivariate statistics methods, including cluster analysis and linear qualitative approximation of the connection matrices. The classification of bird species by their distribution accounts for 42% of its similarity. The information content of representations decreased by only 10–15% (by 12%, on average) with twice as many species analyzed, with a significantly larger number of surveyed habitats and area of the studied territory (as compared to the previously surveyed East European and West Siberian plains and Altai). This level of explanation can be considered satisfactory (the correlation coefficient is 0.65). The summer distribution of bird species, as well as the heterogeneity of their distribution on the whole, is determined by changes in the hydrothermal regime in the zonal belt and provincial aspects. The heat-to-moisture ratio determines the type of vegetation and its productivity both on land and in aquatic and semiaquatic habitats. The specificity of the vegetation type in territories and water areas, taking into account the anthropogenic transformation, coincides with the heterogeneity of the bird distribution and the formation of ornithocomplexes as a whole. With the division of geographical space into zones, subzones, and especially physical-geographic countries, the variability in the distribution of birds and their communities is associated to a lesser extent, occupying the second and third places in the hierarchy of significance, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of interannual variability in the surface air temperature of the summer season for individual regions of Russia, as well as for most of its territory between 1930 and 2020, has been performed. For the analysis, average daily air temperature data from 526 stations of the Roshydromet observation network and the ECMWF-ERA and NOAA-CIRES reanalyses are used. Based on the meteorological station's observations and on the calculated number of days with extreme temperature values, the spatiotemporal distribution of ground air temperature for some summer months and for the summer season as a whole are evaluated. It is established that, over the past 60 years, the number of days with extremely high temperatures increased by a factor of 1.5 in most of Russia, with the largest number of such days occurring in July. Both the secular records of average monthly air temperature in the summer months as well as the absolute maximum temperature are established to be extreme. For the 30-year-long periods of instrumental observations, the maximum air temperature exceeded +39°C in some regions of Russia. It is shown that abnormally hot years have been unprecedented in the history of meteorological observations in Russia in terms of both record temperature values and the duration. The temperature regime of most areas of Russia is characterized by a spatiotemporal inhomogeneity. The analysis of temporal variation of extreme air temperature values suggests that the circumpolar and high-mountain areas are characterized by a fall in temperature in the summer months, whereas the temperate climate zones and southern regions of the country undergo a rise in temperature. It is established that, at the end of the 20th century and the early 21st century, the number of days with extremely high surface air temperature increased in the territory of Russia, which may be a precondition for the occurrence of dangerous meteorological phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to a little-known episode in the history of the development of the Russian North, one that is associated with the name of the Vologda merchant Alexander Ivanovich Dengin. The contribution brings together the available biographical information about A.I. Dengin and characterizes his project concerning the economic development of the territory adjacent to the mouth of the Pechora River. This project he elaborated in the 1820s to 1840s; it aimed at the development of both the Pechora Region and Western Siberia by establishing regular water communication between the European and Asian parts of Russia. The article reviews the various stages in the drafting of this document, and traces its way through different instances. Filled with patriotic rhetoric, the source under consideration emphasizes not only Dengins personal interest - to derive material benefits from the exploitation of the Pechora estuary - but also reflects that entrepreneurs were fully aware of the necessity to develop the northern territories in order to integrate these regions fully into the Russian Empire. A close cooperation between state authorities and representatives of private capital was considered an indispensable condition for achieving this goal. A.I. Dengins note also reveals how the Russian merchant class of the pre-Reform period viewed the world. They had a very high opinion of their professional activities, which they thought were indispensable not only for the successful functioning of the economy but also for raising the general level of culture and education among the population. Commerce was seen as the most important means for achieving progress and common welfare.

Composite paleotemperature curves (values of average annual temperature and sea surface temperature) for high and low latitudes of Northern Eurasia have been compiled. A model of the climate history of the Northern Hemisphere in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic was built on their basis. The relationship of climate variations with other significant geological events, including eccentricity cycles of the Earth's orbit, impact events, and inversions of the geomagnetic field, is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average numbers of birds recorded over the first half of summer (May 16–July 15) from 1880 to 2019 (with intervals predominantly since 1960) have been analyzed to identify the spatial typological structures and organization of bird assemblages in northern Eurasia. Overall, 352 researchers have been involved in collecting this material for 110 years. Data processing is carried out with multivariate statistics methods, including cluster analyses, qualitative linear approximation to the connectivity matrices, and the gradient and expert approaches. Therefore, the main spatial trends in corvid communities and the natural and anthropogenic regimes correlating with them have been identified. The relationship between the spatial variability of the assemblages of these birds and the heterogeneity of habitats has been assessed. The quasi-fractal patterns of spatial differentiation of communities are shown. The analysis of corvid groups based on factor classification give unsatisfactory results on approximation for spatial and typological variability in their assemblage abundance at the confined-landscape scale level, while it shows rather high informativity of classification of species abundance across all 8144 habitats. A satisfactory explanation of heterogeneity in communities of Corvidae was achieved only after averaging the values for abundances of bird species associated with landcover types. It is impossible to get an idea about them based on cluster analysis, while the gradient and expert (speculative) approaches followed by estimating the informativity of concepts may be considered acceptable for such generalizations. The techniques indicated above contribute to a higher informativity score incorporating representiveness by the average abundance values, which had sevenfold and threefold increases in terms of the explained dispersion and the multiple coefficients of correlation, respectively. In addition, structural classifications of species and, especially, territorial communities acquire a two-dimensional reticular (grid-based) structure. The formalized classification of corvid species is seven times and two times more informative about distribution similarity and assemblages, respectively, than the expert and speculative ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Yellow wagtails are one of the key groups of ground–nesting Passeriformes birds of steppe communities. Data on the distribution and settlement density of yellow wagtails allow us to use the group as an indicator of the state of steppe communities. Material and methods. During the 2016-2022 field seasons, comprehensive studies of nesting biotopes of yellow wagtails were conducted in the steppe regions of Northern Eurasia: the Middle Volga Region, the Southern Urals, and the south of Western Siberia. The chemical composition of the soil and plant associations at sites in nesting biotopes of yellow wagtail colonies were analyzed. Results. Yellow wagtails prefer nesting biotopes in steppe conditions in the floodplains of salt lakes and steppe rivers characterized by the following chemical and mechanical features of the soil: pH from slightly acidic to neutral (Lim 4.7–7.8); organic matter content from moderate to high (Lim 3.0–14.3); phosphorus content from low to very high (Lim 20-460.0); potassium content from moderate to very high (Lim 65-1540); calcium content from moderate to very high (Lim 5.6–43.8); magnesium content from low to very high (Lim 1.5–17.1); the sulfur content is from low to high (Lim 2-15.0); copper content from moderate to high (Lim 2.6–8.8); zinc content from low to moderate (Lim 0.33–11.5); manganese content from moderate to high (Lim 5.2–86.5); mechanical composition of the soil – from sandy loam to medium clay (Lim 10.7–75). Conclusion. Yellow wagtails in steppe conditions prefer biotopes for nesting in the floodplains of salt lakes and steppe rivers, with pH-neutral soil, high in phosphorus and potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese and rather loose (from sandy loam and light loam to medium clay) , malleable for the device nesting fossa. Yellow wagtails are indicators of the conservation of steppe landscapes, salt lake floodplains, and soil features in halophytic steppe and meadow biotopes.

Dead wood, including coarse woody debris, CWD, and fine woody debris, FWD, plays a substantial role in forest ecosystem functioning. However, the amount and dynamics of dead wood in the forests of Northern Eurasia are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to develop a spatially distributed modelling system (limited to the territories of the former Soviet Union) to assess the amount and structure of dead wood by its components (including snags, logs, stumps, and the dry branches of living trees) based on the most comprehensive database of field measurements to date. The system is intended to be used to assess the dead wood volume and the amount of dead wood in carbon units as part of the carbon budget calculation of forests at different scales. It is presented using multi-dimensional regression equations of dead wood expansion factors (DWEF)—the ratio of the dead wood component volume to the growing stock volume of the stands. The system can be also used for the accounting of dead wood stock and its dynamics in national greenhouse gas inventories and UNFCCC reporting. The system's accuracy is satisfactory for the average level of disturbance regimes but it may require corrections for regions with accelerated disturbance regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented heat waves have been demonstrated sweeping across much of the Northern Hemisphere in recent summers. However, this study reveals that for northern Eurasia (30°–70°N, 10°–130°E), significant increases in summer extreme high temperature days (EHTDs) have already commenced since the mid-1990s, with the peaks centered on the surrounding areas of the Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal. Results indicate that compared with the period of 1960–1994 (P1), during 1995–2018 (P2) high-pressure and anticyclonic anomalies occupy the areas around the Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal, thus suppressing local cloud cover and precipitation, enhancing the solar radiation and high-temperature anomalies. The anticyclonic anomaly over Lake Baikal shows a close relationship with the increasing trend of global temperature, and the anomalous anticyclone over the Caspian Sea is under the influence of the warm North Atlantic and anomalous upper-troposphere jet stream during P2. The warmer than normal North Atlantic leads to the high-pressure anomaly over the Caspian Sea by modulating the Rossby wave activity. In addition, during P2, the temperatures in the middle North Atlantic and Western Europe show greater increments than those over higher latitudes, and thus the temperature gradient enhances the westerly thermal wind, which therefore leads to an anomalous upper-level jet stream to the North of the Caspian Sea. Under this circumstance, the Caspian Sea is located to the right side of the anomalous jet exit, inducing the suppressed upward motion over there and favoring the occurrence of more EHTDs after the mid-1990s.

Numerous depictions of elk-shaped ships are discovered in rock art of the Northern Europe and Siberia, dating from the Mesolithic time to the Bronze age. Usually they are interpreted as Boats of the Deads, connecting the Worlds. The water is the symbol of a border between Worlds in traditional societies. Northern Europe archaeological findings prove that images of the Cervid as a mediator between Worlds and the Boat of the Deads became connected in the Stone Age. Red deer (Cervus Elaphus) remnants were found in burials from the Mesolithic period to the Iron Age. Cemeteries of humans in boats with deer antlers or elk-headed stuffs were discovered at the Mesolithic sites of Denmark (Vedbaeck, Mollegabet) and in Northern Russia (Bolshoy Oleniy Ostrov). Being of a great significance in the mytho-ritual complex of the Stone Age population in Europe, Elk-Boat as the transport between Worlds is preserved in folklore of South-East European people. Mythological motif of the Cervid, sailing on the Sea or the River, with the sleeping maiden on his antlers, is widespread in South and Eastern Europe.

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision-makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia’s role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large-scale water withdrawals, land use, and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that integrated assessment models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Wildfires play a critical role in re-shaping boreal ecosystems and climate. It was projected that, owing to the Arctic amplification, boreal wildfires would become more frequent and severe in the coming decades. Although provoking concern, the spatiotemporal changes in boreal wildfires remain unclear, and there are substantial inconsistencies among previous findings. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis to determine the spatiotemporal changes in wildfires over Northern Eurasia (NEA) from 2003 to 2020 using a reconstructed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fire product. We found that wildfires in NEA exhibited contrasting changes in different latitudinal zones, land cover types, and seasons from 2003 to 2020. Cropland wildfires, mainly distributed at low latitudes (50–60°N), considerably decreased by 81% during the study period. Whereas forest wildfires ignited at high latitudes (north of 60°N) have nearly tripled (increasing at rate of 11~13% per year) during the past two decades. The southwestern and northeastern NEA regions exhibited contrasting patterns of wildfire changes. The active fire counts in the southwestern NEA decreased by 90% at a rate of 0.29(±0.12) × 105 per year, with cropland fires contributing to ~66% of the decrease. However, the fire counts in the northeastern NEA increased by 292% at a rate of 0.23(±0.12) × 105 per year, with boreal forests contributing to ~97% of the increase. It is worth noting that the contrasting changes in wildfires during the past two decades have led to significant structural alternation in the NEA wildfire composition. Forest fires, contributing over 60% of the total fire counts in NEA nowadays, have become the predominant component of the NEA wildfires. The contrasting changes in NEA wildfires imply that more forest fires may emerge in far northern regions of the North Hemisphere as the Arctic becomes progressively warmer in the coming decades. As wildfires continue to increase, more gases and aerosols would be released to the atmosphere and cause considerable feedback to the Arctic climate. The increased wildfire-related climate feedbacks should, therefore, be seriously considered in climate models and projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of studies elucidating the characteristics of interannual variability in different models, especially for northern Eurasia. Therefore, spatial patterns of interannual variability in summer precipitation over northern Eurasia across 15 models of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were investigated using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and cluster analysis. The spatial patterns of EOF1‐3 obtained from the models exhibited similar features across the models. The spatial pattern characteristics of the interannual variability of models were similar to those of the actual observations. However, their contribution rates and the order of magnitude of the EOFs in each model differ among models and from observations. Despite the similarity between the patterns of the EOF in the models and the observations, the atmospheric circulations causing the pattern differed in the models and actual observations, resulting in uncertainty in the models. This indicates that in the analysis of extreme events and their impact, the reproducibility and uncertainty of climate models with regard to interannual variability need to be adequately evaluated. In addition, similar to many climate models, the spatial pattern of interannual variability, which is different from any of EOF1‐3 for the observations, has been more strongly represented than the actual observations. Clarification of the factors governing the common but unsuitable variability across models may be expected to decrease the uncertainty of the models in terms of interannual variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and spreading of grass fires in the steppe regions of Northern Eurasia occurs against the background of spatial heterogeneity of landscapes and differences in the structure of nature management. The studies of the spatiotemporal regularities in the development of fires make it possible to identify complex relationships between natural and anthropogenic factors in the formation of pyrological conditions. The FIRMS (2001‒2021) global archive of thermal anomalies and burnt areas and the results of interpretation of satellite images from Landsat (1984‒2021) and MODIS in the key regions were used as sources of data on the fires. It was revealed that during the period under review in the study region four phases with different levels of exposure to fire phenomena have been observed. Sharp worsening of the pyrological situation in the early 2000s was caused by a reduction in agricultural production in the countries of the former Soviet Union, formation of vast regions of underused land, and continued practice of burning crop residues and other types of use of fire for economic purposes. Variations associated with the peculiarities of the meteorological conditions in individual years were observed against the background of the same type of conditions of the fire hazard phases, which is especially characteristic of the modern period, starting from 2011. The pyrological situation in the steppe regions and adjacent territories recorded in a long-term series has been developing synchronously in general, but differences were observed in parameters such as the characteristics of the seasonal development of fires, the morphometric and quantitative indicators of burnt areas, and the types of agricultural land affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ants of the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex are widespread across Eurasia. However, it is still a matter of debate if it constitutes one or two species. In this study, we collected a sample of specimens from different parts of Eurasia, sequenced the mitochondrial cox1 and cytb genes, as well as three nuclear loci—wg, Top1, and ITS2—and analyzed the available published data. We found this complex to contain a new, yet undescribed, taxon that has a large distribution in Siberia and East Asia. Thus, the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex consists of at least three taxa with distinct distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tasks of establishing an ecological network are presented, outlining some outcome of the long-term study of the Great Eurasian Natural Tract (Backbone), which is a continuous series of natural ecological systems from the Pacific Ocean to Fennoscandia. The story of the tract's detection is briefly told as a modern geographical discovery. Its delineation is based on the map of Russia's biomes resulting from remote-sensing analysis with field verification and other open data. Information about changing the area of natural ecosystems and variations of phytomass stock in various biomes are given. The authors give a monetary assessment of the ecosystem services of the Great Eurasian Natural Tract (GEANT), and a short-term forecast of changes in the productivity of its ecosystems is proposed. The issues of GEANT management are discussed: the inclusion of the concept of the ecological network in the Strategy for the Development of a System of Specially Protected Natural Areas in the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2030 and the creation of a state agency that would supervise the territorial conservation. It is proposed to consolidate the GEANT's status legally as a unique world natural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent studies relevant to cold winter atmospheric anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere are briefly reviewed, and causes for their development and possible connections with the Arctic amplification of warming are discussed. An expected frequency of occurrence of anomalous air temperature and precipitation patterns is evaluated over Northern Eurasia in the 21st century under conditions of anthropogenic growth in the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration. The evaluation was carried out using a multi-model ensemble consisting of nine CMIP6 climate models with two scenarios of greenhouse gas forcing. The analysis revealed that warm and wet winters with frequent 0°C crossing would be more frequent in Russia by the middle of the 21st century. Unfavorable conditions may result from more frequent summer hot and dry patterns in the regions of advanced farming and increased wildfires in the European part of Russia and Western Siberia. The most negative consequences of climate change may be associated with an implementation of the rough SSP5-8.5 forcing scenario at the end of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Eurasia is made up of a complex and diverse set of physical, ecological, climatic and human systems, which provide important ecosystem services including the storage of substantial stocks of carbon in its terrestrial ecosystems. At the same time, the region has experienced dramatic climate change, natural disturbances and changes in land management practices over the past century. For these reasons, Northern Eurasia is both a critical region to understand and a complex system with substantial challenges for the modeling community. This review is designed to highlight the state of past and ongoing efforts of the research community to understand and model these environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic changes. We further aim to provide perspectives on the future direction of global change modeling to improve our understanding of the role of Northern Eurasia in the coupled human-Earth system. Modeling efforts have shown that environmental and socioeconomic changes in Northern Eurasia can have major impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems services, environmental sustainability, and the carbon cycle of the region, and beyond. These impacts have the potential to feedback onto and alter the global Earth system. We find that past and ongoing studies have largely focused on specific components of Earth system dynamics and have not systematically examined their feedbacks to the global Earth system and to society. We identify the crucial role of Earth system models in advancing our understanding of feedbacks within the region and with the global system. We further argue for the need for integrated assessment models (IAMs), a suite of models that couple human activity models to Earth system models, which are key to address many emerging issues that require a representation of the coupled human-Earth system.

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Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the initial steps in the domestication process of the wolf. We discuss the human-initiated model in which wolf pups were brought to camp sites by male hunters and cared for by nursing women. A good relation between the more sociable and playful pups and the women and their children likely formed affiliative bonds and led to the survival of such pups into maturity. Some of these animals could have reproduced and delivered at least one litter. A selection on the behaviour of subsequent generations could ultimately have led to Palaeolithic dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies of the genetic control of pigmentation have identified many DNA markers that affected human eye and hair color development. The European HIrisPlex system of markers was developed on the basis of the genetic diversity of the population of Western Europe and has slightly reduced accuracy in Russian populations, while the Russian system of markers, including 31 SNPs, was developed using Russian population samples. In the present study, the distribution of these markers in the populations of Russia and neighboring countries was examined. Each of the 31 markers included in the Russian system was genotyped in a total sample of 1153 individuals representing 22 populations, which covered the main gene pool diversity of Northern Eurasia. On the basis of the obtained allele frequencies, a cartographic atlas was constructed, which included the distribution maps of 62 alleles, as well as maps of genotype-to-phenotype prediction accuracy. Cartographic and statistical analyses revealed the three main patterns of the pigmentation marker genetic landscapes. First, the main pattern of most maps is the east–west gradient of allele frequencies. In most cases (but there are exceptions), the frequency of the allele that determines light eye and hair pigmentation increases westward. Second, there are no relationships between the genetic contribution of DNA marker to pigmentation and its interpopulation variability. Third, the genetic peculiarity of the Caucasian and Ural populations was revealed, in which the frequencies of pigmentation-associated genetic markers do not correspond to either the "western" or "eastern" type. The maps of pigmentation prediction accuracy also revealed the uniqueness of Russian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dead wood, including coarse woody debris, CWD, and fine woody debris, FWD, plays a substantial role in forest ecosystem functioning. However, the amount and dynamics of dead wood in the forests of Northern Eurasia are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to develop a spatially distributed modelling system (limited to the territories of the former Soviet Union) to assess the amount and structure of dead wood by its components (including snags, logs, stumps, and the dry branches of living trees) based on the most comprehensive database of field measurements to date. The system is intended to be used to assess the dead wood volume and the amount of dead wood in carbon units as part of the carbon budget calculation of forests at different scales. It is presented using multi-dimensional regression equations of dead wood expansion factors (DWEF)—the ratio of the dead wood component volume to the growing stock volume of the stands. The system can be also used for the accounting of dead wood stock and its dynamics in national greenhouse gas inventories and UNFCCC reporting. The system’s accuracy is satisfactory for the average level of disturbance regimes but it may require corrections for regions with accelerated disturbance regimes.

The latest data on holes in the spinous processes of the vertebrae of woolly mammoths, a rare pathology, are presented. This was identified at 19 sites of northern Eurasia. Such destructive changes are recorded ca. 34–12k 14C a bp, and only two sites dated to >50k and >41k 14C a bp. The main hypotheses about hole formation are: vertebral abnormalities; bone infections; genetic traits; and unfavourable geochemical environment. The pathology occurred in mammoths of all age groups, and could have arisen at the embryonic stage. There are two types: classic holes associated with osteolytic changes; and very rarely tumour‐like lesions. The most likely cause of the lesions is alimentary osteodystrophy caused by chronic mineral starvation. The aetiology of this disease is usually associated with a deficiency or excess of macro‐ and microelements in the geochemical landscape, and through forage and water this leads to a severe metabolic disorder. Analysis of palaeopathological data shows two waves of geochemical stress in animals, ca. 26–18k and ca. 16–12k 14C a bp. Therefore, the woolly mammoth extinction can be viewed as a non‐linear function, with two peaks of high mortality corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum and the Lateglacial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reconstruction model of surface solar radiation (SR) is developed. The results of reconstructing the interannual SR variability for the period of 1968–2016 are tested against the observations at MSU (Lomonosov Moscow State University) Meteorological Observatory for the warm season (May–September), the comparison showed a good agreement (the coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.8 ). The analysis of temporal variations in SR over Northern Eurasia (40°–80° N; 10° W–180° E) due to various factors revealed that in most cases there has been a trend toward an SR increase since 1979. In addition, it is demonstrated that the long-term SR variability over Northern Eurasia was effectively explained by variations in the cloud transmission of SR, except for the polluted regions of Siberia and China and several stations in Northern Europe, where the aerosol factor dominates in some cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires play a critical role in re-shaping boreal ecosystems and climate. It was projected that, owing to the Arctic amplification, boreal wildfires would become more frequent and severe in the coming decades. Although provoking concern, the spatiotemporal changes in boreal wildfires remain unclear, and there are substantial inconsistencies among previous findings. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis to determine the spatiotemporal changes in wildfires over Northern Eurasia (NEA) from 2003 to 2020 using a reconstructed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fire product. We found that wildfires in NEA exhibited contrasting changes in different latitudinal zones, land cover types, and seasons from 2003 to 2020. Cropland wildfires, mainly distributed at low latitudes (50–60°N), considerably decreased by 81% during the study period. Whereas forest wildfires ignited at high latitudes (north of 60°N) have nearly tripled (increasing at rate of 11~13% per year) during the past two decades. The southwestern and northeastern NEA regions exhibited contrasting patterns of wildfire changes. The active fire counts in the southwestern NEA decreased by 90% at a rate of 0.29(±0.12) × 105 per year, with cropland fires contributing to ~66% of the decrease. However, the fire counts in the northeastern NEA increased by 292% at a rate of 0.23(±0.12) × 105 per year, with boreal forests contributing to ~97% of the increase. It is worth noting that the contrasting changes in wildfires during the past two decades have led to significant structural alternation in the NEA wildfire composition. Forest fires, contributing over 60% of the total fire counts in NEA nowadays, have become the predominant component of the NEA wildfires. The contrasting changes in NEA wildfires imply that more forest fires may emerge in far northern regions of the North Hemisphere as the Arctic becomes progressively warmer in the coming decades. As wildfires continue to increase, more gases and aerosols would be released to the atmosphere and cause considerable feedback to the Arctic climate. The increased wildfire-related climate feedbacks should, therefore, be seriously considered in climate models and projections.

Observational data from the Russian sub-Arctic stations are used to investigate long-term variability of the growing season length (GSL) and the number of frost days (FD) in 1949-2013. Consistent with the global warming pattern we find a trend-like increase (decrease) of GSL (FD) which is evident since early 1970th of the last century. These trendlike changes are best pronounced at Western stations (i.e. in European Russia and western Siberia) and they are essentially smaller to the East. Although we find some significant links to regional teleconnections (such as Scandinavian, East Atlantic and West Pacific teleconnections), in general our results imply rather weak impact of large scale atmospheric dynamics on interannual variability of GSL and FD. Further analysis of correlations between GSL and FD on the one side and snow cover on the other side revealed generally stronger links to snow cover compared to teleconnections. However, revealed links to regional atmospheric teleconnections and snow cover are significantly impacted by the linear trends. In general, our results imply that compared to large scale atmospheric dynamics impacting interannual variability, snow cover (being a result of wintertime synoptic activity) plays a more important role in decadal-interdecadal variations of GSL and FD in Russian sub-Arctic, which may have some value regarding predictability of the summer climate in the region.

Ants of the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex are widespread across Eurasia. However, it is still a matter of debate if it constitutes one or two species. In this study, we collected a sample of specimens from different parts of Eurasia, sequenced the mitochondrial cox1 and cytb genes, as well as three nuclear loci—wg, Top1, and ITS2—and analyzed the available published data. We found this complex to contain a new, yet undescribed, taxon that has a large distribution in Siberia and East Asia. Thus, the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex consists of at least three taxa with distinct distributions.

We present probabilistic projections of 21st century climate change over Northern Eurasia using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Integrated Global System Model (IGSM), an integrated assessment model that couples an Earth system model of intermediate complexity with a two-dimensional zonal-mean atmosphere to a human activity model. Regional climate change is obtained by two downscaling methods: a dynamical downscaling, where the IGSM is linked to a three-dimensional atmospheric model, and a statistical downscaling, where a pattern scaling algorithm uses climate change patterns from 17 climate models. This framework allows for four major sources of uncertainty in future projections of regional climate change to be accounted for: emissions projections, climate system parameters (climate sensitivity, strength of aerosol forcing and ocean heat uptake rate), natural variability, and structural uncertainty. The results show that the choice of climate policy and the climate parameters are the largest drivers of uncertainty. We also find that different initial conditions lead to differences in patterns of change as large as when using different climate models. Finally, this analysis reveals the wide range of possible climate change over Northern Eurasia, emphasizing the need to consider these sources of uncertainty when modeling climate impacts over Northern Eurasia. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Changes in the phytomass of the ecosystems of Northern Eurasia were traced based on the results of modeling and analysis of multispectral satellite imagery (MODIS archives 2000–2020). It was established that, since the end of the 20th century, an increase in reserves has been noted caused by climate change (an increase in the concentration of CO2, annual mean temperatures, etc.). Application of the GIS-information products based on the MODIS-projective vegetation cover (MODIS/006/MOD44B), evapotranspiration and the thermal field (MOD16A2), and biological production (MOD17A3HGF) allowed us to conduct retrospective modeling of the trend in the aboveground carbon reserves (tC/ha). It was revealed that in the years 2000–2020, a slight trend remained of an increase in the phytomass of forest ecosystems (1.2–6.0%), floodplain, and mountain meadows and shrubs (8.1–9.8%). In the last 17 years, a negative trend has been observed in treeless biomes: –6.0% in tundra, –9.0% in meadow and typical steppes, and –11.3% in deserted steppes. Multidirectional changes in carbon reserves of the aboveground phytomass of biomes, in addition to the internal (succession) and external (climate and anthropogenic transformation: forest felling, landscape fires, etc.) factors, are also due to the synergy of their action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difference between soil and air temperatures (ΔT) in a specified time is dependent on meteorological conditions, properties of soil and land covers. Understanding ΔT is critical in assessing land–atmosphere thermal interactions in changing environment. However, systematic knowledge of interannual variations and responses of ΔT to the environmental changes (e.g., snow cover and soil moisture) at decadal scales remain limited. Here, variations of the mean annual air and soil temperatures, and ΔT were investigated at 217 sites in northern Eurasia during 1981–2015. It is found that changes in the mean annual air and soil temperatures were inconsistent as the average increase in soil temperature was generally less than that of air. The relationships between trends in soil and air temperatures were significant in the upper ground (0.2 and 0.8 m) over the seasonal frost region but insignificant in the permafrost regions and deeper ground. During the period, widespread changes in ΔT occurred and closely responded to the environmental changes, but the relationships varied with soil depth. Among the tested factors, trends in snow cover thickness dominantly control trends in ΔT, followed by trends in snow cover duration and solar radiation. Both linear and nonlinear analyses indicate enhanced relationships between trends in snow depth and ΔT as depth increases. This study provides the first view of decadal trends in ΔT and conjunctions with the environmental changes during 1981–2015 over northern Eurasia. The findings are relevant to quantify land–atmosphere thermal interactions given impacts of future environmental changes. Plain Language Summary: Environmental conditions affect the difference between soil–atmosphere temperatures in a specified period, for example the annual soil–atmosphere temperature difference (ΔT). However, knowledge of how ΔT has changed during the past few decades and its relations with changing snow cover, solar radiation, rainfall, soil moisture, and vegetation is insufficient. Here, we examined the trends in ΔT and linked them with the environmental changes during 1981–2015 over northern Eurasia. We found discordant warming rates in air and soil temperatures during the period, leading to extensive variations in ΔT, which significantly respond to multiple environmental changes. The changes in snow cover, solar radiation, and soil moisture significantly correlate with trends in ΔT, while vegetation and rainfall changes have less clear relations. The changes in snow cover thickness are more influential on trends in ΔT than that of snow cover duration. As the first one, this study provides a holistic view of long‐term trends in ΔT and quantifies the role of changing environment at large space and time scales. The findings can enhance our understanding of the variability of land‐atmosphere temperature difference in a changing environment. The work is also relevant for the research in ecosystem functions, roots development, and infrastructure stability under future climate. Key Points: The study is the first view of the trend in soil‐air temperature difference and its links with changing environment over northern EurasiaDiscordance between trends in mean annual air and soil temperatures causes the varying temperature difference during 1981–2015Trends in temperature difference significantly respond to the altered snow cover, solar radiation, and soil moisture during the period [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results obtained by field tectonophysical methods applied to study tectonic stresses of the Northern Eurasia regions, including young and ancient platforms (West European, Timan–Pechora, Turan, West Siberian, East European, and East Siberian) and orogenic frame structures (Caucasus, Northern Tien Shan, Mongolia-Okhotsk system of mesozoids, and Sakhalin Island). Tectonic stress reconstructions provided the basis for analysing the influence of spreading in the North Atlantics and the Arctic on the stress state of the platforms in Northern Europe. A spatial boundary of the influence goes approximately along the margins of the Fennoscandian shield and the Russian plate in the north. Further southwards, the boundary is submeridional and extends from the western wing of the Byelorussian anteclise almost to the Eastern Carpathians. The stress reconstructions for this boundary show the WNW and W-E-trending axes of compression. The boundary line does not coincide with the Teisser-Tornquist line that represents the boundary between the platforms with heterochronous basements. However, it correlates well with heat flow anomalies. The boundary area is confined to the Baltic coast [Sim, 2000. Along the boundary area, near the Baltic Sea, there is an area wherein faulting is mainly caused by extension [Sim, 2000. In this setting, helium permeability is the highest, as shown by the crust map of the European part of the USSR [Eremeev, 1983. Extension in this area is probably related to formation of young grabens in the Baltic shield. Changes in the compression axis orientation may be due to the alternating activations of the grabens in the submeridionalBotnicGulf and the latitudinalGulf of Finland. Reconstructions for individual faults show contradictions in the directions of shear displacements: both right- and left-lateral displacements are possible on the same fault segments, and the axes of compression can have either latitudinal or meridional orientations. The focal mechanisms of the Osmussaar andKaliningrad earthquakes (meridional and latitudinal axes of compression, respectively) give evidence of specific current neotectonic stresses in this area. Another zone is distinguished at 52°N from the above-described area. It is mainly sublatitudinal and detected along the southern flank of the Byelorussian anteclise. Further to the east, its orientation changes to SSW, and it roughly follows the SW boundary of theVoronezh anteclise. Reconstructions for the Ukrainian Shield, located south of this zone, show mainly the unstable orientations of the axes of compression. For the platforms inNorthern Eurasia, the tectonophysical methods reconstructed neotectonic stresses in the structures formed under the influence of intraplatform tectonic stresses. These are the residual gravitational horizontal compression stresses released by long-term denudation and uplifting of the structures, including the Khibiny massif of the Baltic Shield, theOlenek and Munsky massifs of the East Siberian platform. These structures are composed of the ancient Archaean-Proterozoic rock complexes, which have been subjected to predominantly vertical displacements for a long time, from the Paleozoic to the modern stage. Special attention should be given to the tectonic stresses ofSakhalin located at the boundary between the Eurasian and North American lithospheric plates. At the edges of these two largest plates, there are the Amur and Okhotsk microplates separated by theCentral Sakhalin fault, as described in some publications. Neotectonic stress reconstructions forSakhalinIsland show sublatitudinal compression and submeridional extension in the common stress field of shearing. The tectonophysical studies show that the neotectonic stresses differ in large structures: horizontal compression and shearing are typical of the uplifts (Kola Peninsula, Tien Shan, Sakhalin), while horizontal extension and extension with shearing are characteristic of depressions (Kandalaksha graben, depressions of theTatarGulf and theSea ofOkhotsk). Our studies provide the data on spacious ‘white spots’ in the modern stress maps ofNorthern Eurasia. The stress reconstructions for practically all the studied structures show that shearing is the dominant geodynamic regime in the study region.

A small sample of paleoanthropological materials from the burial grounds Buchta Nakhodka 2 and Yumadoto 1 in the Yamal Peninsula (Yamal district of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Tyumen Region) has been studied in order to specify the nature of intra-group and inter-population variability. The morphological features of the skulls indicate their belonging to the eastern Mongoloid anthropological formation, but in terms of the nasal bridge structure, they at the same time tend to the western Caucasoid population. According to the results of multidimensional statistics, despite a high individual variability typical of the modern species of Homo sapiens, the range of variability observed in the materials from the burial grounds Buchta Nakhodka 2 and Yumadoto 1 is not beyond the scope of the inter-group variability typical of the Northern Samodians. A more representative sample of this ethnic group has been formed on this basis, which is taxonomically included in the Yamalo-Enisey group of populations of the West Siberian anthropological formation. Authors’ contribution: A.N. Bagashev and S.M. Slepchenko have made measurements of skulls, analyzed the obtained data and have written the paper; O.V. Kardash has carried out archaeological excavations of the burial ground Bukhta Nakhodka 2 and has co-written the paper.

Previously published and original data on the Holocene distribution and extinction of ungulates in northern Eurasia are examined. Data on the relative and absolute age and finding places on the wild horse (Equus ferus Boddaert 1785), the European ass (Equus hydruntinus Regalia 1907), the giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus Blumenbach 1799), the steppe bison (Bison priscus Bojanus 1825), the musk ox (Ovibos moschatus Zimmermann 1780), and the aurochs (Bos primigenius Bojanus 1825) are analyzed and summarized; the patterns of changes in the species ranges and extinction processes are compared. It has been concluded that, in the last interglacial era, the limits of the ranges changed at different rates, not only in different species, but also in one species in different parts of the range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term investigations devoted mostly to the Eurasian Arctic sedimentary deposits have provided dated climatic sequence within the Late Pleistocene period. Most of the dates (ca. 315) were obtained by electron spin resonance (ESR) method on marine mollusc remains taken directly from transgressive marine sedimentary deposits. Here, it is shown that the climatic signature revealed in the studied sedimentary sequences can be compared by proxy- and chronologic correlation with the climatic signals recorded in different parts of the continent from deposits of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial origin. The resulting climate-chronostratigraphic record allow the last interglacial to be placed approximately between 145–140 ka and 70 ka with concentration of overwhelming majority of the warm climate-related dates (ca. 82%) in the second half of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 in the time range between 110 and 70 ka. This evidence coincides with integrative multidisciplinary results derived from the south-eastern coast of the Gulf of Finland. They show unambiguously that the second half of the MIS 5 sequence, at least between ca. 94 ka and 71 ka, reflects the fully interglacial character of the studied deposits. The climate-chronostratigraphic record within MIS 3 displays a sequence of three successive palaeoenvironmental events (59.0–52.0 ka, 47.5–40.0 ka and 32.4–24.8 ka), which are interpreted as the consequence of large-scale climate amelioration during which marine sedimentation occurred on palaeo-shelves what is now dry land. The consistency of the parallel comparative dating results obtained in this study by different methods, both the numerical and relative, exemplify the potential of palaeodosimetric dating methods mainly used in this study — mollusc shell-based electron spin resonance (ESR) and feldspar-based infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL) — to chronologically organize the sequence of the Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental events, and to improve understanding of the palaeoenvironmental evolution during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warming in the Arctic is occurring at twice the rate of the global average, resulting in permafrost thaw and a restructuring of the Arctic hydrologic cycle as indicated by increased stream discharge during low‐flow periods. In these cold regions, permafrost thaw is postulated to increase low‐flow discharge, or baseflow, through either: (a) localized increases in groundwater storage and discharge to streams due to increased aquifer transmissivity from thickening of the freeze–thaw layer above permafrost known as the active layer or (b) long‐term increases in regional groundwater circulation via enhancement of groundwater–surface water interactions due to extensive permafrost loss over decades. While increasing baseflow has been observed throughout northern Eurasia, the precise mechanistic causes remain elusive. In this study, we differentiate between where these two subsurface physical mechanisms of baseflow increase are occurring by performing a baseflow recession analysis using daily streamflow records from 1913 to 2003 for 139 stations in northern Eurasia underlain by varying permafrost areal extents. Results indicate that from 1913 to 2003, the majority of catchments underlain by continuous permafrost have an increasing trend in their recession flow intercepts, a proxy for increasing active layer thickness. Alternatively, the majority of catchments underlain by permafrost types that are less spatially extensive (e.g., discontinuous, sporadic, isolated, or no permafrost) have decreasing trends in their recession flow intercepts, indicating that a potential increase in active layer thickness is not the driving factor of baseflow variations in these catchments. This may indicate that in catchments underlain by continuous permafrost, active layer thickening correlates with increases in baseflow, whereas, in other catchments with less extensive permafrost, increases in baseflow may be caused by wholesale permafrost loss and vertical talik expansion that enhances regional groundwater circulation. The results of this work may inform our understanding of the subsurface mechanisms responsible for the changing Arctic hydrologic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the first release version of a new lexicostatistical database of Northern Eurasia, which includes Europe as the most well-researched linguistic area. Unlike in other areas of the world, where databases are restricted to covering a small number of concepts as far as possible based on often sparse documentation, good lexical resources providing wide coverage of the lexicon are available even for many smaller languages in our target area. This makes it possible to attain near-completeness for a substantial number of concepts. The resulting database provides a basis for rich benchmarks that can be used to test automated methods which aim to derive new knowledge about language history in underresearched areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the main regularities in changes of types of alloying in the Eurasian Bronze Age. The aim of the article is to show the reasons and mechanisms of these changes. The article is based on researches by the author of the Eurasian Bronze Age slags which showed direct link of use of particular alloys with types of ore and gangue. Deviations from this rule are rare. Social processes stimulating expansion of metal consumption were a cornerstone of these changes. It led to change of the ore base that resulted in emergence of appropriate technologies of ore smelting, technologies and types of alloying and, eventually, morphology of metal artifacts. The mass transition to arsenic copper or to use of copper-arsenic ore became possible with transition from smelting rather pure pieces of malachite to smelting ore with fragments of ore-bearing rock. This type of alloying was possible in case of low-temperature smelting of oxidized ores. After the abrupt territorial expansion of metallurgical technologies and increase in amounts of metallurgical production at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age, the mass use of ores from refractory rocks and coper-iron sulfides begins. It resulted in increase of smelting temperature and made impossible the alloys with arsenic because arsenic vaporized. Therefore a necessity to look for other alloying component was created. And it was tin. But, as its deposits were rare, specific conditions for its wide circulation and organization of trade and exchange network were necessary. Such conditions in Northern Eurasia were provided by migrations from east to west at first of the Seima-Turbino, and then of the Andronovo tribes. But the same processes took place in Europe and the Middle East, stimulating new social realities.

Abstract During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision-makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia’s role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large-scale water withdrawals, land use, and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that integrated assessment models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Populations of the indigenous ethnic groups of Northern Eurasia are of considerable interest for population genomics, both because they have been relatively poorly studied with the use of modern genomic technologies and owing to the specificity of their gene pools that developed in various genetic-demographic conditions. We used genotype data on 242 179 autosomal SNPs of 876 individuals to search for regions with runs of homozygosity of more than 1 Mb. For Siberian populations, the number of runs of homozygosity and their total length was higher than for other populations of Northern Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silurian cyathaspidid heterostracans discovered from the East Baltic, North Timan, the Central and Southern Urals, and the Novaya Zemlya and Severnaya Zemlya archipelagoes in 1970-2006 were studied. Earlier known taxa Archegonaspis schmidti (Geinitz, 1884), Archegonaspis lindstroemi Kiaer, 1932, Archegonaspis integra (Kunth, 1872) and Tolypelepis undulata Pander, 1856 were identified and described. Archegonaspis bimaris Novitskaya, 1970 is synonymized under A. schmidti (Geinitz) and Tolypelepis mielnikensis Dec, 2015 under Tolypelepis undulata Pander, 1856. Three new taxa, Archegonaspis bashkirica sp. nov., Cyathaspis alexanderi sp. nov. and Tolypelepis bedovensis sp. nov., were established, while two taxa, Archegonaspis lindstroemi? Kiaer and Tolypelepis sp. indet., remained in open nomenclature. The new subfamily Archegonaspidinae subfam. nov. was created. It is shown that besides details of the morphology of shields and plates, sculpture characteristics can be utilized in taxonomy. The material described complements the taxonomic content as well as the spatio-temporal distribution data of the species of the family Cyathaspididae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article begins by examining the conventional interpretative frameworks of the process of the incorporation of Siberia into Russia - social evolutionism, the Marxist formation theory, and the "frontier thesis". A conclusion is made that none of them explains the swiftness of the Russian colonization, the specific features of Moscow's policies towards the indigenous populations, and the intensity of the Russian-Indigenous contacts. The article then discusses and provides arguments in support of the "Eurasian conception". The term may have certain political connotations, but here Eurasianism is understood in two ways - as an ethnocultural phenomenon and the shared socio-political and mental heritage of the peoples of northern Eurasia, on the one hand, and as a methodological foundation of examining the ethnocultural interactions of the populations of this region, on the other. One example of such interactions was the Russian migration into Siberia that started at the end of the sixteenth century. A conclusion is made that the success of the Russian colonization can be explained by the presence in the Moscow statehood and Russian mentality, on the one side, and in the state (or potestary) institutions and the world view of the Siberian indigenous populations, on the other side, of shared - Eurasian - ideas about the principles and the structure of power and authority, about the administrative structure of society and hierarchy, as well as about interethnic relations in a polyethnic state. This shared Eurasian heritage facilitated substantially the Russian colonization of Siberia. This article is a result of decades of archival and ethnographic research undertaken by the author in Siberia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle is a hydatophyte with a disjunctive semicosmopolite range playing a significant role in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The structure of the coenocompleх of the species in northern Eurasia includes 19 associations belonging to 17 formations of the freshwater macrophyte vegetation. Ninety-one species of hydromacrophytes have been recorded as part of the phytocoenosis with the participation of H. verticillata. Associations Hydrilla verticillata (Northern Eurasia) and Nymphaea candida— Ceratophyllum demersum + Hydrilla verticillata (Eastern Europe and Western and Central Siberia) have the widest geographical range. This paper describes the tolerance limits of H. verticillata to major abiotic factors: type of bottom soil, flow rate, trophicity, saprobity, alluviality, and content of main ions of dissolved salts and soluble forms of heavy metals in the water. In environmental terms, H. verticillata should be regarded as a freshwater alkaliphylic oligo-mesotrophic oligo-β-mesosaprobic mesoalluvialitic psammopelophyt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]