Caucasus Research Articles

High‐Resolution Climate Simulations Over the Eastern Mediterranean Black Sea Region Using the Pseudo‐Global Warming Method With a CMIP6 Ensemble

AbstractThe strong drying expected in the Eastern Mediterranean with climate change could cause mass migration of people already living under water shortages. On the other hand, precipitation is expected to increase toward the region’s north, particularly those along the interior of the eastern Black Sea coasts, which could worsen existing floods. However, this double‐sided adverse phenomenon and its underlying reasons have been investigated by relatively low‐resolution models in the Eastern Mediterranean Black Sea (EMBS) region, where orographic precipitation prevails. This study performs 4 km resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations with and without climate change signals retrieved from a CMIP6 GCM ensemble via pseudo‐global‐warming (PGW). The WRF simulations captured the large‐scale dynamics affecting the EMBS fairly well: an anticyclonic low‐level circulation and enhancing subsidence stem from anomalous ridge development over the central Mediterranean in winter (DJF), and a cyclonic low‐level circulation and weakening subsidence rise from heat‐low development over the Eastern Mediterranean in summer (JJA). The resulting picture of future warming and drying over the area generally supports the literature, although new insights emerge in anomalous precipitation increase, especially in the summer season over the Greater Caucasus and nearby regions. Most likely, the warmer‐than‐expected Caspian Sea induces a large increase in specific humidity and, thus, a large moisture source in the lower troposphere and an extension of the heat‐low effect in the mid‐troposphere. In addition, the high‐resolution WRF simulations provide added value over the complex topography of the Caucasian Mountain range for new insights into this region.

Краткий обзор деятельности исторических научных сообществ Российской империи по охране объектов культурного наследия на территории Кавказа последней четверти XIX – начала XX вв.

The article provides a brief review of the activities of historical scientific communities in the Russian Empire during the post-reform period, predominantly focusing on the Moscow Archaeological Society and the Imperial Archaeological Commission. It outlines the main results of their work in the North Caucasus region, detailing the emergence of practices for organizing research expeditions within these historical scientific communities and the evolution of the research process concerning dolmens, monuments of the northeastern part of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Armenia, Georgia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. The article also highlights the individual contributions of several scholars to the study of the region’s heritage, including P.S. Uvarova, E.D. Felitsyn, and others. It examines administrative protective measures for culturally and historically significant objects. Moreover, the article delineates additional research directions and perspectives for further exploration of the functioning of historical scientific communities in the Russian Empire. Moving forward, continued exploration and examination of administrative protective measures are essential for ensuring the ongoing safeguarding of culturally and historically significant objects. This brief overview underscores the importance of historical scientific communities in shaping our understanding of the region’s heritage and points towards promising avenues for future research in the field.

Role of Cryoconite Translocation on the Biogeochemical Features of Alpine Soils at the Central Caucasus Region, Mount Elbrus

Role of Cryoconite Translocation on the Biogeochemical Features of Alpine Soils at the Central Caucasus Region, Mount Elbrus

Can Small States Reshape Their Regional Identities? Examining Georgia’s Cognitive Dissonance between South Caucasus and Eastern Europe

Abstract Georgia represents an interesting case to study the agency of small states in reshaping their regional identity and external environment. Although much of the world has considered Georgia as politically part of the South Caucasus region, the country’s political elites themselves have long attempted to escape the geographic boundaries of the South Caucasus region and relocate their country into Eastern Europe. We argue that Georgian elites were partially successful in their quest for foreign political identity change. Although they did not manage to entirely change the international perception about Georgia’s geographic belonging, the country has politically moved closer to Eastern Europe and is considered to be part of “Associated Trio” together with Ukraine and Moldova—and recently became an EU candidate. From a theoretical perspective, we argue that Georgia’s quest for foreign policy identity recalibration fits the constructivist paradigm of international relations well. It can be argued that Georgia’s political elites were partially driven by ideational factors and were ignorant of the balance of power in their external environment, which cost the country the lost wars and compromised territorial sovereignty.

Risk Assessment of AFM1 in Raw Milk and Dairy Products Produced in Armenia, a Caucasus Region Country: A Pilot Study.

This paper presents the first assessment of dietary exposure to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and associated health risks through milk and dairy product consumption in Armenia. Data on AFM1 in raw milk were obtained from an annual residue monitoring program. Additionally, commonly consumed dairy products (pasteurized milk, cheese, sour cream, curd cheese) were sampled, considering the sources of raw milk used by dairy companies. Per capita consumption of raw milk was sourced from national food balance databases, while individual consumption data for dairy products was collected via a 24 h recall survey with 1400 adult respondents. Detectable levels of AFM1 were observed in 7.14% of raw milk samples (up to 0.334 μg/kg) and, albeit at lower amounts (up to 0.009 µg/kg), in 30% and 40% of sour cream and curd cheese, respectively. The AFM1 levels were lower than the national maximum permitted level (0.5 μg/kg); however, levels in raw milk exceeded the EU ML (0.05 μg/kg). The estimated margin of exposure values for dairy products indicated no significant risk, whereas a reasonable worst-case estimate, using the measurable levels of AFM1 in raw milk consumption indicated a potential public health concern. This study provides a scientific basis for evaluating aflatoxin issues in the Caucasus area.

The potential range of west Asian apple species Malus orientalis Uglitzk. under climate change

The wild relatives of cultivated apples would be an ideal source of diversity for breeding new varieties, which could potentially grow in diverse habitats shaped by climate change. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the potential distribution of these species. The aim of the presented work was the understand the impacts of climate change on the potential distribution and habitat fragmentation of Caucasian crab apple (Malus orientalis Uglitzk.) and the designation of areas of high interest according to climatic conditions. We used the MaxEnt models and Morphological-Spatial Analysis (MSPA) to evaluate the potential distribution, suitability changes, habitat fragmentation, and connectivity throughout the species range in Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Iran. The results revealed that the potentially suitable range of M. orientalis encompasses 858,877 km², 635,279 km² and 456,795 km² under the present, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenario, respectively. The range fragmentation analysis demonstrated a notable shift in the edge/core ratio, which increased from 50.95% in the current scenario to even 67.70% in the future. The northern part of the range (Armenia, northern Georgia, southern Russia), as well as the central and western parts of Hyrcania will be a core of the species range with suitable habitats and a high connectivity between M. orientalis populations and could work as major refugia for the studied species. However, in the Zagros and central Turkey, the potential range will shrink due to the lack of suitable climatic conditions, and the edge/core ratio will grow. In the southern part of the range, a decline of M. orientalis habitats is expected due to changing climatic conditions. The future outlook suggests that the Hyrcanian forest and the Caucasus region could serve as important refuges for M. orientalis. This study helps to understand spatial changes in species’ range in response to climate change and can help develop conservation strategies. This is all the more important given the species’ potential use in future breeding programs aimed at enriching the gene pool of cultivated apple varieties.

ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE LABOR MARKET IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS REGION

The purpose of this study is an econometric analysis of the labor market in the North Caucasus region in the Russian Federation. The article examines the main indicators characterizing the labor market, such as the average monthly nominal accrued wages of workers across the entire spectrum of economic organizations as a whole by business entities, the real average monthly accrued wages of workers, the share of the number of workers employed in work with harmful and/or dangerous conditions labor in organizations, Labor productivity index, Level of innovative activity of organizations, Degree of depreciation of fixed assets in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation of the Russian Federation across the entire spectrum of organizations, Consumer price indices for all goods and services by subject at the end of the period, Number of graduates of higher educational institutions that have a direct impact on the level of unemployment and labor force in the region. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the study of the role of these indicators in the analysis of the region’s activities in an economic and social key. The structure of the article provides for a consistent presentation of the results of the analysis of each of the models, an assessment of their adequacy and explanatory power, as well as an interpretation of the obtained modeling results. Particular attention is paid to how changes in economic indicators and policies can affect the labor market and unemployment rates in the region. In conclusion, conclusions based on the results of the study are formulated and recommendations are proposed to stimulate economic growth and reduce unemployment in the North Caucasus Federal District.

Study of the lipid status and indicators of hemostasis among young men of different ethnic groups to assess thrombogenic risk

The aim of the study was to investigate the lipid status and indicators of the system of hemostasis in healthy young men of different linguistic families of the North Caucasus region to assess the risk of development of thrombogenic states.. Material and methods. A survey of young men aged 18 to 21 years was carried out with the subsequent establishment of region of residence and nationality to form ethnic groups. Based on the information received during the survey, 62 people were selected: 32 young men of the Indo-European language family (Russians, Greeks, Armenians) and 30 young men of the North Caucasian language family (Chechens, Ingush, Avars, Dargins). The assessment of lipid status was carried out by the photocolorimetric method on a biochemical analyzer, and the analysis of indicators of the hemostasis system was carried out by the clotting method on an automatic coagulometer analyzer. Homocysteine levels were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay on a microplate device. Genetic polymorphisms of the hemostatic system were identified using the real-time PCR. Results. Young men of the Indo-European language family have significantly more low density lipoprotein, triglyceride, homocysteine and antithrombine III content, than representatives of the North Caucasian language family (p < 0.001), and less total number and average platelet volume, prothrombin index, prothrombin concentration according to Quick (p < 0.001). There was also a significantly more frequent occurrence of mutations of the gene encoding fibrinase (p < 0.05) in young men of the Indo-European language family. Conclusions. A comprehensive study among young men of different ethnicities illustrates ethnic differences in lipid status and homocysteine level. Analysis of the main indicators of coagulogram and genetic polymorphism of the hemostasis system allowed us to establish a higher risk of thrombogenic conditions and atherosclerosis in young men of the North Caucasian language family

Phylogenetic analysis of Endonura Cassagnau, 1979 (Collembola, Neanuridae, Neanurinae), including descriptions of four new species

With 54 described species, Endonura is one of the most species-rich genera of the Neanurinae. The taxon is characterised by the presence of 0–2 ocelli, separate tubercles Di and De with the non-crossed type of chaetotaxy on the head, and two or three tubercles on the fifth abdominal tergite. Four new species from the Crimea and the Caucasian region have been described based on adult specimens: Endonura armeniacasp. nov., E. cochleariferasp. nov., E. crimicasp. nov., and E. duplexsp. nov. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Endonura using 70 characters of adult external morphology is presented. Two methods were chosen to examine different approaches to the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships: Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference (BI). Besides supporting Endonura monophyly both analyses failed to resolve any of the deeper relationships within the genus. All known species within the genus are grouped into two main clades, A and D. Both of these clades have members distributed throughout Europe, the Caucasus and the western part of Central Asia. Endonura crimicasp. nov. can be considered as an intermediate between these two clades.

The Diversity of Freshwater Stygobiotic Crustaceans in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania Provides New Evidence for the Existence of an Ancient Glacial Refugium in the North Caucasus Region

A review and partial revision of the diversity of freshwater stygobiotic crustaceans in the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, in the North Caucasus, is presented here. Previously, two species of the genus Proasellus Dudich, 1925 (Isopoda, Asellidae), P. uallagirus Palatov & Sokolova, 2020 and P. irystonicus Palatov & Sokolova, 2020, and one species of the genus Niphargus Schiödte, 1849 (Amphipoda, Niphargidae), N. alanicus Marin & Palatov, 2021, were described from the hyporhean/underground habitats (hyporhea) in the area. However, further research using an integrative approach has revealed that only a single species of the genus Proasellus (P. uallagirus) is actually widely distributed in the hyporhean riverbed habitats in the area, while the diversity of the genus Niphargus is higher than previously known. Six more new Niphargus species— namely, N. ardonicus sp. nov., N. sadonicus sp. nov., N. fiagdonicus sp. nov., N. tschertschesovae sp. nov., N. osseticus sp. nov. and N. zeyensis sp. nov., were discovered from the various hypogean underground water sources (i.e., springs and seeps) and are described in this article. Their phylogenetic relationships with their congeners, as well as their ecology and known distribution, are discussed. Furthermore, molecular genetic analysis, with an interpretation of the estimated divergence time, suggests that the studied hyporheic/stygobiotic crustaceans started to diverge from related European and Balkan sister species during the Late Miocene, approximately 8–5.8 Mya, with the reduction in the Paratethys and the uplifting of the Caucasus Mountains. Local speciation was led by local geological processes and karst fragmentation during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene periods, starting around 5.3 Mya. The obtained data suggest that the mountainous area of the North Ossetia–Alania could be considered as a post-Pliocene glacial refugium for subterranean and stygobiotic fauna—the first known for the North Caucasus region.

A new subgenus of hard ticks, Filippoviella n. subgen. (Acari: Ixodidae) comprising Ixodes trianguliceps Birula, 1895 and I. ghilarovi Filippova & Panova, 1988, parasites of small mammals in Europe and Asia

We establish a new subgenus, Filippoviella n. subgen. (Acari: Ixodidae) based on two species formerly assigned to the subgenus Exopalpiger Schulze, 1935 in the genus Ixodes Latreille, 1795. Ixodes (Filippoviella) trianguliceps Birula, 1895 is a tick species broadly distributed throughout Europe and western Siberia, the females, nymphs and larvae of which mostly feed on small mammals such as shrews and rodents. Ixodes (Filippoviella) ghilarovi Filippova & Panova, 1988 is found in the Caucasus region on rodents and shrews. The type species of this new subgenus is Ixodes trianguliceps. The major morphological differences allowing discrimination of the two species of Filippoviella n. subgen from members of the subgenus Exopalpiger are the shape of the idiosoma, shape of the basis capituli, development of palpal segment I, the suture between palpal segments II and III, development of syncoxae and chaetotaxy. We sequenced the entire mitochondrial genome of I. trianguliceps; according to our phylogeny from 10 protein-coding mitochondrial genes of 17 of the 23 Ixodes subgenera (34 spp.), I. (Filippoviella) trianguliceps is basal to the “other Ixodes” and polyphyletic with I. (Exopalpiger) fecialis Warburton & Nuttall, 1909.

Synergistic approach of PCR-based fragment length analysis and amplicon deep sequencing reveals rich diversity of S-alleles in sweet cherries from the Caucasian region of origin.

The self-incompatibility system in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) prevents fertilization with own or genetically related pollen, and is genetically determined by the multi-allelic S-locus. Therefore, determining S-alleles is crucial for plant breeding and fruit production, as it enables the selection of compatible combinations of S-genotypes for successful pollination. In this study, S-alleles were identified in a total of 260 genotypes from the Caucasian region, the species' center of origin. S-allele genotyping was conducted using PCR fragment length analysis with the standard marker PaConsI-F/R2 and reference genotypes, complemented by sequence analysis through amplicon deep sequencing. The genotypes collected from Azerbaijan and Turkey exhibit a high allelic richness at the S-locus, particularly compared to modern sweet cherry cultivars worldwide. Nine previously undescribed S-alleles were identified and designated as S45, S46, S47, S48, S49, S50, S51, S52 and S53. Given the expected high diversity for other traits, this plant material represents a valuable resource for further breeding research and introgression of new traits in future breeding programs. Furthermore, our results underscore that fragment length alone may not be sufficient for unambiguous assignment of S-alleles due to minimal length differences between different alleles. To address this issue, an S-allele reference ladder was developed using the rich diversity for precise assignment of the S-alleles. This tool can be applied in future experiments as a robust and cost-effective method for accurate S-genotyping across different runs and laboratories. Additionally, several selected S-genotypes were planted in a trial field and will be maintained as an S-allele reference collection.

RELIGIOUS FACTOR IN THE SYSTEM OF ENSURING REGIONAL SECURITY IN THE NORTHEAST CAUCASUS (AXIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS)

The authors write about the philosophical and political threats of the religious factor’s influence on the spiritual security in the North Caucasus region. The article provides that in order to develop the civil, spiritual and moral education and to level out the politicization of religion here it’s necessary to: 1) compliance with the constitutional principles of freedom of conscience and religion, of a person and citizen, regardless of nomenclature trends in the socio-political sphere; 2) distance of religious associations and the state; 3) the state non-interference in the internal affairs of religion; 4) equidistance of religious associations from the state; 5) equal legal personality for religious associations under the jurisdiction of the state.

The Problems of Declustering in the Processing of Seismic Information in the Tauro Caucasus Region

ABSTRACT Accurate calculation of a declustered earthquake catalog is essential for adequately evaluating seismic hazards in a given territory. Different declustering methods for different seismotectonic conditions can give different results. In this article, we analyze the efficacy of several declustering algorithms in study seismicity in the Tauro Caucasus region and their influence on seismic hazard assessment. We examine approaches proposed by Gardner and Knopoff (1974), as well as different windowing techniques suggested by Uhrhammer (1986) and a modified version of Grünthal (1985). We also investigate declustering methods introduced by Reasenberg (1985) and Zaliapin and Ben-Zion (2013). The results indicate that, for the Tauro Caucasian region, the Gardner and Knopoff, Gruenthal window and Zaliapin and Ben-Zion methods provide more objective results. In the process of declustering, previously unknown phenomenal manifestations of seismicity have been uncovered.

The first draft genome sequence of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) in Iran

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) is a native tree species of Iran and the Caucasus region growing in both wild habitats and cultivated settings. The area under cultivation of this tree has been increasing in recent years due to its ability to withstand drought and soil salinity. Revealing the complete genome of this tree holds great importance. To achieve this, a local cultivar of Russian olive was sampled from the northwest region of Iran for whole genome sequencing using the Illumina platform resulting in approximately 6GB of raw data. A quality check of the raw data indicated that approximately 45,011,388 read pairs were obtained from sequences totalling around 6.7×109bp with CG content of 31%. To assemble the genome of the Russian olive tree, the raw data was aligned to a reference sequence of the jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) genome, which is the taxonomically closest plant to the Russian olive. Assembly of alignments yielded a genome size of 553,696,299bp consisting of 339,701 contigs. The N50 value was 5,300 with an L50 value of 24,921 and GC content of the Russian olive genome was 31.5%. This research represents the first report on the genome of the Iranian cultivar of the Russian olive tree.

Occurrence of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe corylacearum on Hazelnuts in Israel

Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L) is an emerging crop in Israel, primarily cultivated as a host plant to establish truffle plantations through symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal fungi. A significant damage and yield reduction is caused by the prevalent occurrence of powdery mildew in hazelnut trees (Sezer et al., 2017). Until recently, Phyllactinia guttata was considered the primary pathogen in Western Asia, the Caucasus region, and Europe (Abasova et al. 2018; Arzanlou et al. 2018; Mezzalama et al. 2021). However, in the last years, a new destructive species Erysiphe corylacearum has been identified as the pathogen of powdery mildew on hazelnuts in these regions (Meparishvili et al. 2019; Mezzalama et al. 2021; Kalmár et al. 2022; Zajc et al. 2023). In May 2022, powdery mildew symptoms were observed on hazelnut plants in the Ein-Zivan truffle plantation, gardens of Merom-Golan, and the adjacent garden of the packing house Pri-Beresheet in the northern Golan region of Israel. Symptoms were observed on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces, fruits, and husks. Disease incidence and severity ranged between 30-70% and 5-90%, respectively. Disease severity was significantly greater on the leaves of the offshoots compared to those on the tree canopy. Morphological characterization of leaf samples from ten different trees showed the following characteristics: hyphal appressoria were lobed, solitary, 1–4 μm in diameter; mycelium was amphigenous, hyaline, and septate; conidiophores vertically elevated from the mycelium 50– 80 μm long. Conidia (n= 30) on conidiophores were hyaline, ellipsoid to ovoid, 24 – 34 μm long and 15.5 – 23 μm wide. Chasmothecia in several maturation degrees appeared in October on both sides of the leaves. They were spherical (n= 30) 86 – 125 μm in diameter, with 7 - 14 aseptate straight appendages, 67 - 96 μm long, 4.9 - 7.1 μm wide, dichotomous branched at the end 42 - 56 μm wide. In each chasmothecia, there were 3-5 asci (n=30) with a width of 38 – 43 μm and a length of 48–64 μm of oval-ellipsoid shape. Asci contained 4-8 ascospores (n=30), 18 - 26 μm long and 11 - 15.5 μm wide. A pathogenicity test was conducted to fulfill Koсh’s postulates. Both detached leaves and plants of C. avellana were artificially infected by brushing conidia from infected leaves. Inoculated leaves in Petri dishes on 2% water agar (n= 5), and plants (n= 5) were incubated under 25°C and 12-h photoperiod/day. Untreated leaves and plants served as control. Typical symptoms appeared on the upper surface of the leaves within 7-10 days after inoculation. No symptoms were found on untreated control plants or detached leaves. The fungus isolated from the inoculated leaves was morphologically identical to the original isolates from natural diseased plants. DNA was extracted and the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region of five isolates originated from leaves of the tree canopy and offshoots was amplified using primers ITS1 and ITS4, and sequenced. BLAST analysis of 595 bp fragments (all identical and represented by isolate Cora1, GenBank Accession No. OR752437) showed 99% identity to ITS rDNA sequences of E. corylacearum from Georgia (MK157199) and 100% identity to isolates from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Italy (LC270863, KY082910 and MW045425, respectively) and only 83% similarity to P. guttata (accession number AB080558). To the best of my knowledge this is the first report on E. corylacearum causing powdery mildew in Israel. Future control measures to manage the disease on hazelnuts in truffle plantations in Israel should be considered.

Benefits of ULV Application to Control Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia

This paper discusses the state-of-the-art of Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) spray application with rotary atomisers in the Caucasus and Central Asian (CCA) region to control locusts. The technology is widely used around the world for locust control and promoted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as an effective and efficient control intervention that meets the scale and challenge posed by large area locust outbreaks. The technology utilises precisely controlled spray droplets in the range 50–100um using ready-to-use oil-based ULV formulations to target locusts more efficiently. Volume rates as low as 0.5–1.0 l/ha are utilised which greatly improves productivity of ground and aerial spray applications, timeliness, and reduces cost and waste of pesticide and water. ULV has become more widely adopted in CCA during recent years to control major economic pests such as Moroccan, Italian, and Asian migratory locusts. Its further adoption is hampered by the lack of available ULV formulations in the region and need for investment and training in the technology. ULV technology is highly appropriate for use of biological products to reduce risks to operators and the environment and efforts to increase regional cooperation and the registration of safer pesticides across the region present opportunities for its wider adoption.

Provenance and the U–Pb age constraints on the tuff beds of the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Bazhenovo Formation, West Siberian Basin

AbstractThin tuff beds of the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Bazhenovo Formation are laterally widespread in the central part of the West Siberian Basin (ca 0.5 million km2). However, the source of the tuff beds remains unclear. The stratigraphy, geochemistry and geochronology of the tuff beds were investigated to reveal their magmatic origin and potential source region. Most of the tuff beds are recorded in member 4 and can be correlated through the Bazhenovo sequence. Thin‐section petrography and X‐ray diffraction indicate that the tuffs mostly comprise clay minerals and K‐feldspars. Less common minerals are plagioclase, quartz and pyrite. The geochemical composition of the Bazhenovo tuff beds suggests a parental magma origin of andesite/basalt, which came from volcanic arc‐related settings. Considering the results of geochemical studies along with LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U–Pb dating (141.3 ± 0.3/2.8 Ma), the palaeovolcanoes of the Caucasus region or south‐east Mongolia–North‐East China are one of the potential source regions of the tuffs. The record of these tuffs indicates the intensive volcanic eruption during the Volgian–Ryazanian, accompanied by a very low‐sedimentation rate and preservation in a reducing environment. The tuff beds have broad implications as an isochronous marker horizon and constraints for the numerical age of the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary in the Boreal Realm.

The first record of the rarely observed rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski et al., 2019 (Squamata, Colubridae) for Iraq

The Urartian rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski, Kukushkin, Avcı, Bunyatova, Ilgaz, Tuniyev & Jandzik, 2019, is a recently described species within the genus Elaphe, found in eastern Anatolia, Caucasian region and the northern Middle East. It stands as one of the rarely observed snake species, with its distribution and other aspects of natural history largely unexplored. This is particularly true for the territories of Iraq and Iran. Therefore, we report on the presence of the species in Iraq, the first documented evidence of the species’ distribution within the country. In conjunction with this record, we provide initial data regarding the species’ habitat and ecology in the region. The distribution record presented here is further supplemented by a new species record from the border regions between Iraq and Iran, encouraging further herpetological exploration within the Zagros Mountains.

Analysing the factor structure of the plurilingual and pluricultural competence scale: dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the adapted Russian version

ABSTRACT This study aimed to adapt the Plurilingual and Pluricultural Competence scale (PPC) to the Russian-speaking population and to assess its psychometric properties. Five hundred and sixty-four undergraduate students from Western, Central, and Caucasian regions of Russia and Kazakhstan participated in the study. Internal consistency, factorial, construct, and criterion validity of the Russian version of the scale (PPCr) were examined. Unidimensional and several competing multidimensional models of the scale's structure were tested against data using confirmatory factor analysis. The final model included four first-order factors (plurilingual conversation, plurilingual cognition, intercultural tolerance, and intercultural skills) and two second-order factors (plurilingual competence and intercultural competence). The PPCr scale demonstrated good internal consistency and criterion validity. The PPCr total and plurilingual subscales scores significantly correlated with language repertoire and overall language proficiency self-assessments. Regional differences in the total PPCr score, plurilingual conversation, and intercultural tolerance scores were documented. These findings were discussed in the context of research and assessment of PPC in different socio-cultural environments. We recommended not contrasting unidimensional and multidimensional models of PPC but considering them two poles on the continuum. It suggests transitioning from a multidimensional to a unidimensional model when an individual acquires more plurilingual and pluricultural experience.