Eastern Siberian Research Articles

The characterization of TBEV of European subtype circulating in Siberia, Russia

The aim of the study was to obtain the complex characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) of European subtype circulating in Western and Eastern Siberia. Using full-genome sequencing approach it was demonstrated that TBEV strains of European subtype isolated in Siberia are genetically similar to the strains from European part of its habitat range, and with the representatives from South Korea. It was confirmed that the homology of TBEV strains of European subtype isolated in different parts of the virus habitat area from Scandinavian countries in the west to the eastern borders of the area (South Korea) is much higher than the homology level of TBEV strains of Far Eastern and Siberian subtypes. The Siberian population of TBEV of European subtype is presented with two groups of strains called as Eastern Siberian and Western Siberian variants, which differ in the combinations of amino acid substitutions in all proteins except NS2B protein. It is found that TBEV strains of European subtype from Siberia possess high neurovirulence, but some of them, like strains from Europe, demonstrate low invasiveness. It is shown that TBEV strains of European subtype have good adaptive capacity, and therefore, can easily adapt to the circulation in various biocenoses in the territory of different landscape-geographical zones. It was found that the circulation of TBEV of European subtype is fixed in Siberia territory for over 40 years. It was emphasized that in spite of circulation of TBEV of European subtype in the significantly different areas by climatic conditions, topography, landscape, habitat characteristics it possesses a high degree of genome stability.

Reconstructing genetic history of Siberian and Northeastern European populations.

Siberia and Northwestern Russia are home to over 40 culturally and linguistically diverse indigenous ethnic groups, yet genetic variation and histories of peoples from this region are largely uncharacterized. We present deep whole-genome sequencing data (∼38×) from 28 individuals belonging to 14 distinct indigenous populations from that region. We combined these data sets with additional 32 modern-day and 46 ancient human genomes to reconstruct genetic histories of several indigenous Northern Eurasian populations. We found that Siberian and East Asian populations shared 38% of their ancestry with a 45,000-yr-old Ust’-Ishim individual who was previously believed to have no modern-day descendants. Western Siberians trace 57% of their ancestry to ancient North Eurasians, represented by the 24,000-yr-old Siberian Mal'ta boy MA-1. Eastern Siberian populations formed a distinct sublineage that separated from other East Asian populations ∼10,000 yr ago. In addition, we uncovered admixtures between Siberians and Eastern European hunter-gatherers from Samara, Karelia, Hungary, and Sweden (from 8000–6600 yr ago); Yamnaya people (5300–4700 yr ago); and modern-day Northeastern Europeans. Our results provide new insights into genetic histories of Siberian and Northeastern European populations and evidence of ancient gene flow from Siberia into Europe.

Population structure of common juniper in the Cis-Urals and Southern Urals

The population structure of common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) growing in the Cis-Urals and Southern Urals has been studied using 17 morphological traits of generative and vegetative organs. A multivariate analysis of ten coenopopulations has recognized three phenotypically different local populations: Cis-Ural, forest Cis-Ural forest-steppe, and Southern Ural mountain populations. The Cis-Ural forest population is strictly associated with lowland pine forests of the northwestern part of the Bashkir Cis-Urals. The Cis-Ural forest-steppe population is located in the northwestern part of the Bashkir Cis-Urals and the southeastern part of the Udmurt Cis-Urals. The Southern Ural mountain population is located in the central part of the Southern Urals and is associated mainly with mountain pine and dark coniferous forests. The last population is divided into forest and forest-edge subpopulations; the first one is represented by typical undergrowth locations, whereas the second is associated with open steppelike slopes and forest edges. In general, based on morphological traits of generative organs, the revealed local subpopulations hold an intermediate position between the Eastern European and Siberian populations of common juniper. Based on the morphological traits of vegetative organs, Cis-Ural populations are considered related to the populations of the European part of Russia, whereas the mountain Southern Ural population resemble Siberian populations. Concerning morphological traits of generative organs, the intrapopulation phenotypic diversity of common juniper is higher for mountain habitats; in the case of vegetative organs, the maximum diversity is observed for lowland habitats. The character of phenotypic differentiation determines the need to conserve the gene pool of common juniper of the Cis-Urals and southern Urals on a population basis.

Range-wide patterns of population differentiation of Eurasian Black Terns (Chlidonias niger niger) related to use of discrete post-nuptial staging sites

The Eurasian Black Tern, Chlidonias niger niger, nests in marshes continuously distributed across Eurasia, but migration routes, staging sites, and non-breeding distributions are not well understood. In western Europe some populations have declined substantially over several decades (>90%), thus a more complete understanding of breeding site connectivity and migratory routes is needed. We collected tissue samples of terns in breeding colonies in the Netherlands, Latvia, southern Ukraine, eastern Siberian Russia, and from individuals at one important post-nuptial staging site in The Netherlands. Microsatellite data suggest significant differentiation among all breeding sites and the pattern is supported by differences among sites in most morphological measures. Conversely, mitochondrial DNA suggests similarity and population expansion especially from the region around Ukraine. We assigned 70% of the birds sampled on the staging site to the Netherlands/Latvia breeding population, but none to the southern Ukrainian or eastern Russian population. Our data indicated limited contact at post-nuptial staging sites contribute to genetic structure among breeding sites for this species. Our study demonstrates the utility of genetic data in migration studies to delineate migratory flyways and highlight the importance of specific staging sites to specific breeding subpopulations.

The Chara–Sina dyke swarm in the structure of the Middle Paleozoic Vilyui rift system (Siberian Craton)

The formation of the Vilyui rift system in the eastern Siberian Craton was finished with breakdown of the continent and formation of its eastern margin. A characteristic feature of this rift system is the radial distribution of dyke swarms of basic rocks. This peculiarity allows us to relate it to the breaking processes above the mantle plume, the center of which was located in the region overlain in the modern structure by the foreland of the Verkhoyan folded–thrust belt. The Chara–Sina dyke swarm is the southern part of a large area of Middle Paleozoic basaltic magmatism in the eastern Siberian Craton. The OIB-like geochemical characteristics of dolerite allow us to suggest that the melting substrate for Middle Paleozoic basaltic magmatism was represented by a relatively homogeneous, mid-depleted mantle of the plume with geochemical parameters similar to those of OIB.

Heat flow and destabilized cratons: a comparative study of the North China, Siberian, and Wyoming cratons

ABSTRACTHeat has a close relation to cratonic stability. We reconstructed the thermal history of the eastern North China, Wyoming, and Siberian cratons by using xenolith and thermal indicator data, and then the thermal lithospheric thickness in geological time was calculated by combining the crustal structural and thermal parameters. Researches from three cratons demonstrate that heat-flow values of the eastern North China Craton (eNCC) and Wyoming Craton (WC) have increased exceeding 20 mW/m2 in the Meso-Cenozoic and the thermal lithospheric thickness has decreased by >100 km because of the cratonic destabilization. However, the thermal history variation of the Siberian Craton (SC) is small, ~5 mW/m2, the lithosphere has remained stable and it has experienced relatively little lithospheric thinning <100 km. The differences of the cratonic thermal regime are related to the breakup of the Pangea supercontinent. Destabilized cratons on active continental margin are directly affected by plate subduction. Stable cratons in the interior of the supercontinents are directly affected by the upwelling of superplumes and that may result in lithospheric thinning. Differences in the thermal evolutions of cratons provide new geothermal evidence for the different thermal regimes associated with the breakup of the Pangea supercontinent.

Features of Population Formulation in Siberian Territories

The article examines differences in the current demographic situations in areas bordering Kazakhstan and Eastern Siberia. It shows that negative natural growth plays an important role in population decline in the Kazakhstan border regions, while migration plays that role for those along Eastern Siberia. The territories actively losing population include Zabaikalsk krai and some of its bordering municipalities, especially rural settlements, where the population decreased by more than 30–40 percent during 1989–2010. This settlement pattern does not reflect the country’s economic and geopolitical interests, and it represents a threat to territorial integrity and national security. The geopolitical, economic, and demographic value of Siberia’s lands is very important to the Eastern Siberian segment of the border. This was the region given special attention in the demographic research under the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Interdisciplinary Integration Project no. 146.

A genetic perspective of prehistoric hunter-gatherers in the Siberian Arctic: Mitochondrial DNA analysis of human remains from 8000 years ago

Archaeological evidence of human occupation in Arctic Siberia dates to at least 27,000years before present (YBP) but the population history of these early inhabitants is not fully understood. Genetic research on contemporary indigenous Siberian populations has suggested a distinct pattern between populations from south/central Siberia and the extreme northeast Siberia. However, the picture is complicated by the fluctuations of movement by various cultural groups in the last millennium that has resulted in admixture as well as genetic drift. In order to better understand the genetic history of early humans in northern Siberia, we obtained ten human skeletal remains from four areas of the eastern Siberian Arctic, stretching from the low Yana River in the west to midstream of Bol'shaya Chukoch'ya River and Kolyma River in the east, and the Zhokhov site in the New Siberian Islands. We extracted DNA from the skeletal remains ranging from around 27,000YBP to as recent as the 18th century AD and analyzed the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. We successfully identified five haplotypes that include haplogroups A2 and C4. The presence of haplogroup C4 in Arctic Siberia by 8000years ago illustrates the antiquity and widespread distribution of the maternal lineage in the region. On the other hand, haplogroup A2 is frequent among contemporary northeastern Siberian populations. Overall, the results from our ancient DNA analysis suggest maternal lineages among contemporary Siberians were present as far back as 8000years ago in the Siberian Arctic.

Peptic Ulcer Disease and Helicobacter pylori Infection in Different Siberian Ethnicities.

The high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in eastern Siberia is consistently established. In the same geographic area, however, fragmentary information is available on the epidemiology of the peptic ulcer disease (PUD). To assess the prevalence of H. pylori infection (including CagA status) and PUD in different eastern Siberian ethnicities. An endoscopy population of 3149 eastern Siberian dyspeptic patients was considered [1727 Europoids and 1422 Mongoloids (Evenks = 792; Khakases = 630)]. H. pylori status was assessed by urease test and/or serum anti-H. pylori IgG and/or histology. CagA status was serologically assessed (anti-CagA antibodies). All the Siberian ethnicities featured high rates of H. pylori infection (Europoids = 87.1%, Evenks = 88.6%, Khakases = 85.4%). Among the 1504 H. pylori-positive Europoids, the prevalence of CagA-positive status (68.7%) was significantly higher than that featured by the 1240 H. pylori-positive Mongoloid ethnicities (46.9%; p < .001 for both comparisons). Peptic ulcer disease significantly prevailed among Europoids (prevalence among Europoid Evenks and Khakases: 8.9% and 8.3%, respectively; prevalence among Mongoloid Evenks and Khakases = 1.0% and 4.4%, respectively). eastern Siberian populations feature consistent high rates of H. pylori infection, but different prevalence of peptic ulcer disease. In particular, Europoids featured a prevalence of both CagA-positive status and peptic ulcer disease significantly higher than that of the Mongoloid ethnicities. These results suggest that both environmental factors (coexisting with the H. pylori infection) and host-related variables modulate the clinicopathological expression of the H. pylori -associated gastric diseases.

A key Paleozoic section in the northern part of the Western Siberian Region

A few of our predecessors considered the Eastern Siberian Region to be a huge territory with similar geological history without hydrocarbon prospecting opportunities. It was also proposed to search for oil and gas in the seas of the Arctic Ocean. Not denying these search directions, we have offered to explore the Western Siberian Region by analysis of numerous deep wells, variable facial zones of Paleozoic complexes, and real prospects of searching for oil and gas fields.

Water track distribution and effects on carbon dioxide flux in an eastern Siberian upland tundra landscape

Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems may act as a positive feedback to climate warming, the strength of which depends on its spatial extent. Recent studies have shown that shrub expansion is more likely to occur in areas with high soil moisture and nutrient availability, conditions typically found in sub-surface water channels known as water tracks. Water tracks are 5–15 m wide channels of subsurface water drainage in permafrost landscapes and are characterized by deeper seasonal thaw depth, warmer soil temperatures, and higher soil moisture and nutrient content relative to adjacent tundra. Consequently, enhanced vegetation productivity, and dominance by tall deciduous shrubs, are typical in water tracks. Quantifying the distribution of water tracks may inform investigations of the extent of shrub expansion and associated impacts on tundra ecosystem carbon cycling. Here, we quantify the distribution of water tracks and their contribution to growing season CO2 dynamics for a Siberian tundra landscape using satellite observations, meteorological data, and field measurements. We find that water tracks occupy 7.4% of the 448 km2 study area, and account for a slightly larger proportion of growing season carbon uptake relative to surrounding tundra. For areas inside water tracks dominated by shrubs, field observations revealed higher shrub biomass and higher ecosystem respiration and gross primary productivity relative to adjacent upland tundra. Conversely, a comparison of graminoid-dominated areas in water tracks and inter-track tundra revealed that water track locations dominated by graminoids had lower shrub biomass yet increased net uptake of CO2. Our results show water tracks are an important component of this landscape. Their distribution will influence ecosystem structural and functional responses to climate, and is therefore of importance for modeling.

The use of FTIR methods for rapid determination of contents of mineral and biogenic components in lake bottom sediments, based on studying of East Siberian lakes

Technique for estimation of contents of the major components of lake bottom sediments using single peak analysis procedure has been developed. The technique allows estimation of biogenic silica (BSi), total inorganic carbon (TIC), total organic carbon (TOC) and quartz and feldspars content in bottom sediments. The calibration models are based on the following spectral regions: bands at 646 cm−1 (feldspars), 695 cm−1 (quartz), 874 cm−1 (TIC); the range from 818 to 835 cm−1 (BSi), the range of C–H vibrations (2800–3000 cm−1) (TOC). The technique has been probed for a number of Eastern Siberian lakes and results are compared with the data of other methods. It has been shown that the use of single peak analysis procedure allows very rapid FTIR estimation of the major components content in bottom sediments with accuracy, which is acceptable for many tasks.

The influence of meteorology and phenology on net ecosystem exchange in an eastern Siberian boreal larch forest

The influence of meteorology and phenology on net ecosystem exchange in an eastern Siberian boreal larch forest

New strains of an aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Porphyrobacter donghaensis isolated from a Siberian thermal spring and a weakly mineralized lake

A strain of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (AAPB) isolated from the surface of a cyano- bacterial mat of an Eastern Siberian thermal spring (40 C) and designated Se 4 was identified as Porphyro- bacter donghaensis according to its 16S rRNA gene sequence. A DNA-DNA hybridization level of 95% was determined between strain Se-4 and the type strain of this species; SW-132@T. The isolate was an obligate aerobe,. forming orange round colonies on solid media, which turn red in the course of growth. The cells were motile rods capable of branching. The cells divided by uniform fission by constriction. Optimal growth was observed at pH 7.5 and NaCl concentrations from 0 to 1 g/L. The pigments present were carotenoids and bacteriochlorophyll a. Another Porphyrobacter donghaensis strain, Noj- 1, isolated from a purple mat developing on the surface of a coastal set-up in a steppe low-mineralization (1.5 g/L) soda lake Nozhii (Eastern Siberia) possessed similar characteristics. Thus, the AAPB species Porphyrobacter donghaensis was shown to-occur, apart from its known habitat, marine environments, in low-mineralization soda lakes and freshwater thermal springs. Description of the species Porphyrobacter donghaensis was amended.

東シベリア・カラマツ林における水・エネルギー・炭素循環−GAME，CREST，RIHNの成果より−

東シベリアにおける1998年～2013年にわたる水・エネルギー・炭素（WEC）循環の結果を総括する．スパスカヤパッド観測サイトでは，カラマツ林での暖候期におけるWEC循環と様々な環境因子との関係が明らかになった．また，スパスカヤパッドとエルゲイでの観測では，同じカラマツ林でほぼ等しい気象条件であっても下層構成樹種によりWEC循環が異なっていた．レナ河流域における流出量の観測では，永久凍土帯における年々の活動層深は100 cm year-1 で深くなっており，近年はその速度が増加していた．WEC循環のモデル研究では，陸面モデルで推定された蒸発散量は渦相関法から導かれた蒸発散量の実測値とほぼ同じ範囲にあった．流出モデルでは，年間の流出量のうち約30 ％が非常に遅い流出成分であり，それは実測値ともほぼ一致した．今後は，地球温暖化が予測される中で，東シベリアに存在する北方林が環境の変化にどのように応答するのかを明らかにすることが課題である．東シベリアにおける湿潤化のWEC循環への影響は，流域全体へと広がっていくであろう．WEC循環の研究は，乾燥化ばかりでなく湿潤化にも目を向けなければならない．

Географический и фитоценотический ареалы эндемика Южного Урала Delphinium uralense Nevski

The geographical and phytocoenotic areas of the endemic of the Southern Urals Delphinium uralense that is a relic species of the ancient Pleistocene steppe were studied. Species is listed in the Red book of the Russian Federation (2008) and the Red Book of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2011). The main part of the geographical area of the investigated species is limited by the Zilair plateau located in the south-western tip of the Ural Mountains, within the Urals fold-block surface. The phytocoenotic area of this species includes the xerophytic communities referring to 2 classes, 3 orders, 4 alliances, 1 suballiance, 2 associations, 1 subassociation, 1 variantand 4 non-ranking communities The formation of the unique complex of xerophytic oak-larch sparse forests and rocky steppes in the southern Urals is linked with the occurrence of the mountainous steppe with larch groves, which were the remnants of the xerophytic mountain landscape —“Pleistocene floristic complex” (Igoshina, 1961, 1963). The enrichment the floristic composition of the complex took place in the late Pleistocene due to following facts: the appearance of rock and mountain-steppe Asian relict species (Ryabinina, 1993), the migration of Eastern Siberian elements to the West, the movement of European species to the East, the formation of the Urals endemic floristic races (Krasheninnikov, 1939). Later, in the Holocene, the Pleistocene floristic complex was enriched by some species of broad-leaved forests (including oak Quercus robur), the penetration ofthe south richsteppe flora, and replenishment of the floristic complex by the Pontic and Sarmatic species (Igoshina, 1961). As a result of mentioned above processes a unique complex of xerophytic rocky mountain steppes and of sparse oak and larch elfin woodswas formed in the Zilair plateau.

東シベリアカラマツ林における下層植生と全生態系からの蒸発散量の年々差

東シベリアカラマツ林における下層植生と全生態系からの蒸発散量の年々差

Northernmost Islam: “Islamic Factor” in Eastern Siberia

The article dwells on the growing Islamic factor in Eastern Siberia, namely in Krasnoyarsk Krai. Neither area has ever been a Muslim territory, and Muslims still make up a minority in these regions. Starting from the 1970’s–1980’s, the number of Muslims living in Eastern Siberia has been growing, and so has their influence on the processes occurring in the Eastern Siberian economy, politics, and culture. There isn’t a single Muslim ummah in Krasnoyarsk Krai. The Muslim groups living there differ by ethnic origin. The main reason behind the increase in the Muslim population in Krasnoyarsk Krai is active labor migration from ex-Soviet countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. As the number of labor migrants continues to grow, it may trigger Islamophobia and increase migrant-phobia and xenophobia in the area. On the other hand, as their population grows, Eastern Siberian Muslims are likely to develop their own set of political interests which they will want to see catered to. One way or another, unless there is special political management in place taking these issues into account, the chances of ethnic and religious tensions in society will only keep growing. Another worrying thing is that radical Islamists also infiltrate Eastern Siberia as part of labor migration. Modern-day Muslim communities are gradually changing the social, demographic, and cultural face of urban communities in Eastern Siberia. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s7p143

RAD-seq data point to a northern origin of the arctic–alpine genus Cassiope (Ericaceae)

Many arctic–alpine plants display a highly disjunct distribution between the Arctic/Boreal regions and the southern Asian mountains. Two main hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of this biogeographic pattern: (1) south-to-north migration in the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene, and (2) north-to-south migration during the Miocene. The genus Cassiope is disjunctly distributed between the Arctic/Boreal regions and the Himalayan–Hengduan Mountains (HHM) and was selected to test these hypotheses. We constructed a fossil-calibrated phylogeny of Ericaceae using two plastid regions to estimate the crown group age of Cassiope, and used sequence data from thousands of loci produced by restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to reconstruct the phylogeny of Cassiope. We also performed Bayesian divergence time analysis and biogeographic analysis. The Cassiope crown group was estimated to have originated in the Miocene, which predates the onset of Northern hemisphere glaciation. All HHM species formed a clade together with one eastern Siberian species, and this clade was sister to all other Arctic/Boreal species. This topology implies a northern origin of Cassiope, which is confirmed by our biogeographic analysis. Our results thus suggest that the ancient north-to-south migration hypothesis is most consistent with the origin of Cassiope.

Stress Response at the Cellular and Biochemical Levels Indicates the Limitation of the Environmental Temperature Range for Eastern Siberian Populations of the Common GastropodLymnaea stagnalis

ABSTRACT Temperature is a major environmental factor that influences all aquatic organisms. Our objective was to expose individuals of Lymnaea stagnalis from an Eastern Siberian population to wide temperature gradients to determine whether they express a thermal stress response and what mechanisms are involved in this process. Several parameters of the cellular mechanisms of thermal resistance were tested under the experimental conditions: the level of lipid peroxidation, the synthesis of heat shock protein HSP70, the activities of antioxidative enzymes and changes in the content of energy-associated metabolites. The results of this study show that the temperature at which the cellular and biochemical stress-response is activated in the L. stagnalis from Eastern Siberian lakes directly corresponds to environmental temperature within the range of 3 to 15°C. The exposure of the gastropods to temperatures outside this range resulted in the activation of HSP70 synthesis, changes in the activities of antioxida...