Eastern Altai Research Articles

Human occupation of South Eastern Altai highlands (Russia) in the context of environmental changes

Multidisciplinary investigations including geomorphological and geoarchaeological approaches, litho-stratigraphic and pedogenetic analysis accompanied by radiocarbon dating show the contrasting human environmental changes within the highlands of the Russian Altai since the late Paleolithic. Radiocarbon ages of fossil soils formed at 1,475–1,730 m a.s.l. indicate draining of the ice-dammed lake in the Kurai basin before the beginning of the Holocene and disintegration of the Chuya lake into several shallow but quite spacious reservoirs by 8,223 ± 181 cal. BP. Using archaeological sites as spatio-temporal markers allows reconstructions to be specified based on geological data. Archaeological site distribution in the Chuya valley between the Chuya and Kurai basins indicates that all cataclysmic flood events related to the Holocene hydrological changes occurred before the Scythian epoch. Due to the redeposition of most Paleolithic finds in the region, they should be carefully examined before they are utilized for any reconstructions. Using fossil and contemporary soils as an independent informative climatic proxy archive supports the conception of generally more humid and warmer climate conditions in the first half of the Holocene within the SE Altai and a more arid and cold climate in the second one. The repeated climate deteriorations that caused glacier expansion and the progressive aridity intensification in the region along with the sociopolitical reasons are the major factors that controlled the habitat of nomadic communities and cultures shifting within the SE Altai in the second half of the Holocene. Anthropogenic impact together with the progressive aridization led to the deforestation of the eastern part of the Chuya depression.

Identifying a contact zone between two phylogeographic lineages of Clematis sibirica (Ranunculeae) in the Tianshan and Altai Mountains

Abstract Clematis sibirica, a woody vine occurring primarily under conifer forests, is widespread in northern Eurasia. In this study, we intend to illustrate how the taxon has responded in the area of the Tianshan and Altai Mountains of Central Asia to the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. The chloroplast intergenic spacer psbA‐trnH was sequenced for 125 individuals from 28 populations, and a total of eight chlorotypes were identified. The presence of definite phylogeographic structure was detected for the species (NST > GST, P < 0.001), and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the eight chlorotypes were clustered into two divergent lineages. They split at approximately 550–690 ka BP, according to coalescence analysis, coincident with the Pleistocene maximum glacial stage in these mountains, which suggests the restriction of these lineages to separate refugia at that time. Spatial analysis of molecular variance likewise divided the sampled populations into two associations, an Altai and eastern Tianshan group (populations 1–17), and a western Tianshan group (populations 18–28). Low levels of genetic diversity and unimodal mismatch distributions were obtained for both of these groups, suggesting postglacial range expansions. During the course of these expansions, mountain ranges surrounding the Dzungarian Basin probably served as migration corridors. In addition, a contact zone was identified in the central Tianshan and eastern Altai Mountains between the two phylogeographic lineages.

Variations of the tree line and glaciers in the Central and Eastern Altai regions in the Holocene

Variations in the tree line position and glacier activity in the Central and Eastern Altai regions in the Holocene were reconstructed on the basis of analysis of sixty radiocarbon and eighteen dendrochronological dates. The tree line was higher than now in the Early and Middle Holocene, and the climate was warmer and, likely, more humid. Glaciers advanced in the forests 300, 1400, and 3000–6000 years ago. In the last millennium the forest decline at the upper tree limit occurred in 1206–1256, 1445–1501, and 1642–1736.

Exhumation of a Cretaceous rift complex within a Late Cenozoic restraining bend, southern Mongolia: implications for the crustal evolution of the Gobi Altai region

Abstract: The Gobi Altai region of southern Mongolia contains intramontane basins dominated by Jurassic–Cretaceous clastic and volcanic deposits. The origin of the basins is poorly documented because Late Cenozoic transpressional mountain building and associated alluvial sedimentation have overprinted and obscured the older Mesozoic history. In this study, we report the discovery of Cretaceous high-angle normal faults and a major low-angle extensional detachment fault bordering the Altan Uul range in southern Mongolia, which indicates that NW–SE crustal stretching was responsible for creating the accommodation space for thick Jurassic–Cretaceous sedimentary accumulations in southern Mongolia. The detachment fault separates chlorite-grade metasedimentary rocks in the footwall from intensely sheared and flattened unmetamorphosed conglomerates and breccias in the hanging wall. The significant metamorphic break across the detachment fault, associated extensional structures in the hanging wall, and domal form of the footwall block indicate that NW Altan Uul has some structural and topographic characteristics typically associated with metamorphic core complexes. However, NW Altan Uul lacks ductile extensional fabrics along the detachment fault and in the adjacent footwall, and limited stretching in the upper plate suggests less total extensional slip than is reported from typical metamorphic core complexes. Unconformable relations in hanging-wall strata and palynological data indicate that extensional detachment faulting at NW Altan Uul occurred in the Aptian (120–112 Ma) similar in time to metamorphic core complex development previously reported in Mongolia–China border areas and the Daqing Shan of northern China. Post-detachment fault Cretaceous sedimentation buried NW Altan Uul, which is now exposed only as a result of erosional denudation associated with uplift of the recent Nemegt–Altan Uul restraining bend. The discovery of significant Aptian crustal extension in the southern Gobi Altai suggests that Early Cretaceous diffuse rifting encompassed an even wider region than was previously recognized, including areas of the eastern Altai, central, southern and eastern Mongolia, and adjacent areas of northern and northeastern China and Transbaikalia, constituting one of Earth's largest continental interior extensional provinces. Workers investigating the neotectonic development of the Gobi Altai should consider the extent to which the pre-existing rift basin architecture may have influenced the recent range development and network of seismically active faults in the region.

Barbula amplexifolia from the Altai Mountains of Russia

Barbula amplexifolia (Mitt.) Jaeg. is reported from the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia as new to Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and is found to be distin- guishable from the very similar Barbula coreensis (Card.) Saito of eastern Asia. The senior author collected a gemmiferous Bar- bula during recent bryological exploration of the Altai Mountains of the Oirot Autonomous Region, eastern Altai Territory, Russia, CIS. It was similar to the well-known Barbula coreensis (Card.) Saito of Japan and Korea (Saito 1975) in having leaves crispate when dry, oblong-lanceolate, with plane margins and acuminate apices, but differed in im- portant respects. Specimens of B. coreensis from Japan seen by us consistently had fewer gemmae per plant, usually 5-7(-20); the gemmae were larger, 110-150 Am in length; the axillary stalks bearing the gemmae were longer, consisting of several cells; and the abaxial surface of the costa was papillose. Noguchi (1988) described B. coreensis as having numerous9 gemmae, but this we found to be an inappropriate description, at least in comparison with the present collections. We identified the Altai collections as belonging to Barbula amplexifolia (Mitt.) Jaeg. (Fig. 1-12), previously known from India (Gangulee 1972) and from western North America (U.S.A. Arizona and Alaska; Canada. Northwest Territories) (Zander 1979). The Altai collections are described as fol- lows: plants in moderately dense tufts, dull dark brownish-green; stem to 1.0 cm in length, with a well-developed central strand and enlarged cortical cells; leaves crispate when dry, 1.3-1.9 mm in length, oblong-lanceolate, abaxial surface of costa smooth or nearly so, apex broadly acuminate, leaf base often broadened and squared; upper laminal cells quad- rate, rather small, 5.5-6.5 Am diam. (occasionally ca. 7.0 Am in young innovations), marginal cells usually somewhat transversely elongate; upper lam- inal papillae 2-4 per cell, rather high; axillary hairs of 7-8 uniseriate cells. Gemmae abundant, globose, elliptic, or pyriform, (30-)55-65(-90) Am in length, ca. 5 Am in width, rather transparent, borne on short axillary stalks 2-3(-5) cells in length. As described by Saito (1975) and Gangulee (1972), B. amplexifolia is a robust plant having leaves with strongly widened bases (Fig. 3-5). This character is, however, not immediately obvious. Differences are minor among the Altaian, Indian, and North Amer- ican populations and are summarized as follows: stem length is ca. 20 mm in Indian plants but ca. 10 mm in the others; leaf length is 1.5-2.0 in Indian plants, 1.3-1.9 in Altai plants, and 1.2-1.7 mm in North American plants; gemma median size (range) is ca. 70 (60-90) Am in Indian plants, ca. 60 (30- 90) Am in Altai plants, and ca. 50 (45-75) Am in Canadian plants. Specimens ofBarbula amplexifoliafrom the Altai Moun- tains of the Turochak District, Altai Republic, Altai Ter- ritory, Russia, CIS: 5 1?50'N, 87048'E, Kamga River basin, Bolshoy Shaltan Creek, Ignatov, 7 May 1989 (BUF, MHA), Zolotukhin, 7 May 1989 (MHA); 51046'N, 87039'E, near Teletzkoye (Telezkoje) Lake, Ok-Porok Creek, Ignatov 2/19, 23 June 1991 (BUF, MHA). Plants of the Russian population grew near streams on permanently wet rocks and below overhanging rocks. Associated species include: Blindia acuta (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. in B.S.G., Cyrtomnium hymenophylloides (Hueb.) Nyh. ex T. Kop., Didy- modon icmadophilus (Schimp. ex C. Miill.) Saito, Ditrichum flexicaule (Schwaegr.) Hampe, Myurella sibirica (C. Mill.) Reim., Plagiobryum zieri (Hedw.) Lindb., and Plagiopus oederiana (Sw.) Crum & An- derson.

Central Asia's new dastans

The dastan is ornate oral history and an important part of the Turkic literature of Central Asia. Traditionally, dastans have been repositories of ethnic identity and history, and some constitute nearly complete value systems for the peoples they embrace. The primary, or mother, dastans are those composed to commemorate specific liberation struggles. [1] Set mostly in verse by an ozan, [2] more than 50 mother dastans are recited by Central Asians from the Eastern Altai to the Western Ural Mountains and as far south as Bend-e Turkestan in Afghanistan.

Haemaphysalis (Allophysalis) garhwalensis sp. n. (Acarina: Ixodidae) Parasitizing Sheep and Goats in Garhwal Region, Uttar Pradesh, India

Four previously described species included in the subgenus Allophysalis of the genus Haemaphysalis occur in high altitudes of Eurasia. A fifth species, H. (A.) garhwalensis sp. n., here described from adults from the Himalayan mountain range in Garhwal region, Uttar Pradesh, India, is structurally intermediate between H. (A.) pospelovashtromae Hoogstraal and H. (A.) tibetensis Hoogstraal. Hoogstraal (1966) included in the subgenus Allophysalis of the genus Haemaphysalis four species from high elevations in mountainous regions of Asia and southeastern Europe. These were H. (A.) kopetdaghicus Karbabayev from Turkmen SSR; H. (A.) pospelovashtromae Hoogstraal from Georgia SSR, Tadzhik SSR, Kirgiz SSR, and Chulyshman River valley, eastern Altai in RSFSR; H. (A.) tibetensis Hoogstraal from Tsela Dzong, Tsangpo valley, southeastern Tibet, and Yatung, at the mouth of Chumbi valley, southwestern Tibet; and H. (A.) warbtlrtoni Nuttall from Szechwan Province, China, and the Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh, India. The discovery of a fifth species, H. (A.) garhwalensis sp. n., from Garhwal region in the Himalayan range of Uttar Pradesh, about 100 miles east of a collecting locality of H. warburtoni, is of considerable interest because it throws further light on distribution and on stepwise evolution within the genus Haemaphysalis. The following description is based on material collected by one of us (H.R.B.) during a field trip to areas adjoining Tibet in the Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Haemaphysalis (Allophysalis) garhwalensis sp. n. The Garhwal Haemaphysalid (Figs. 1-12) Holotype Male, VRC No. A74807-1, from domestic sheep, Mana (altitude approximately 3,200 m), near Received for publication 16 April 1968. * The Virus Research Centre is jointly maintained by the Indian Council of Medical Research and The Rockefeller Foundation. The Centre also receives a grant (3x4307) of the PL 480 Funds from the NIH, USPHS, through the Indian Council of Medical Research. Badrinath, Chamoli District, Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, India, 3 June 1967, H. R. Bhat. Deposited in the Virus Research Centre, Poona, tick collection.