Ile Alatau Research Articles

Identifying Fire Blight-Resistant Malus sieversii Rootstocks Grafted with Cultivar ‘Aport’ Using Monitoring Data

In the present study, the most valuable cultivar ‘Aport krovavo-krasnyy’ was grafted onto M. sieversii genotypes harvested from 11 populations in Dzungarian Alatau and Ile Alatau to identify ones resistant to Erwinia amylovora. The wild apple populations included in the present research have not been previously explored. Seedling population 10, developed using rootstocks from a M. sieversii population growing in Turgen, demonstrated the highest resistance to Erwinia amylovora, showing no fire blight symptoms and no positive PCR results for E. amylovora during the eight years of monitoring in the Talgar field (Kazakhstan) from 2015 to 2022. The population from Steep Tract (seedling population 1) was also valuable for breeding and reduced the pathogen distribution to below 30%. Genotypes from a genetic reserve (seedling population 5) were the most susceptible among the researched populations, with a disease distribution level of 24–95%. In seedling population 5, trees affected at least twice by the pathogen exhibited wilting, shepherd’s crook formation, leaf necrosis, and occasional exudate droplets, while trees in other combinations primarily showed shoot wilting and leaf death. Fire blight disease also developed more rapidly within the plant in seedling population 5; by 2020, one tree nearly died after only two infections.

Assessment of the current state and temporal changes of glacial-moraine lakes in the Central and Eastern part of the northern slope of the Ile Alatau, Kazakhstan

Retreat of glaciers and partial melting of permafrost moraines recorded since the 1970s, led to the formation and rapid accumulation of glacial-moraine lakes in Ile Alatau, Kazakhstan. For its part, there was a necessity to analyse hydrometeorological and morphometric data on the current state and temporal changes of moraine lakes. Maps provided comprehensive information about the state of moraine-glacial lakes to prevent and protect objects from the negative effects of mudflow hazards. In this regard, the purpose of the article is to prepare a systematic inventory as a result of the study, compare and analyse the changes and evolution of the lakes. The findings of this study show that the total number of moraine lakes increased over the study period from 20 in 1978 to 77 in 2021. It is visible that the glacial-moraine lakes are increasing in number and area, thereby posing possible mudflow hazards to the densely populated downstream land. The study on glacial-moraine lakes in the Ile Alatau region has practical value in several areas: it helps assess the risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and enables authorities to develop effective strategies for disaster management; it informs planners and developers about potential hazards; it provides valuable information for protecting sensitive ecosystems and maintaining the ecological balance of mountainous regions.

СТАТИСТИЧЕСКИЙ АНАЛИЗ МНОГОЛЕТНИХ ДАННЫХ О СХОДЕ СНЕЖНЫХ ЛАВИН И СНЕЖНО-МЕТЕОРОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ УСЛОВИЙ В ГОРАХ ИЛЕ АЛАТАУ

Based on long-term observations at snow avalanche stations in the vicinity of Almaty, more than 5 thousand snow avalanches have been recorded since 1966. After statistical analysis of the data, the main characteristics of the avalanches were determined and snow and meteorological conditions were analyzed. The average volume of avalanches is 4 thousand m3, but this value is distorted due to the nonparametric distribution law. The median value of the volume of avalanches is 750-800 m3. 50% of cases within the upper and lower quartiles are 250-2500 m3. Catastrophic avalanches of more than 30 thousand m3 account for 3% of cases, and more than 100 thousand m3 only 0.3% of cases. Typical weather conditions during periods of avalanche danger are: snow height on the slopes 80-90 cm, on the meteorological site 50-60 cm, precipitation 15-19 mm, snow growth 25-30 cm. The dominant factors in avalanche formation were the height of the snow cover on the slopes, the amount of snowfall precipitation, snow cover increase, maximum air temperature. Spearman's correlation coefficients were found to be statistically significant for these parameters at the standard 5% significance level (a-level) with a probability of error (p-level) of less than 0.01. The results of factor analysis showed that avalanches are influenced by three groups of predictors: snow depth, precipitation and snow growth, and temperature conditions. Analysis of catastrophic avalanches in the indicator avalanche collection in the Kotyrbulak gorge showed typical conditions for mass avalanches in Ile Alatau in the spring - snow height at the weather site 50 cm, precipitation amount 53 mm, snow increase 28 cm. The agreement criteria we calculated turned out to be statistically significant by 5% level of significance. The standard errors of some data were within the recommended limits of 10%, which indicates the reliability of the results.

Моделирование стока горных рек Илейского Алатау с применением модели HBV-light

The research aimed to evaluate the possibility of applying the HBV model for assessing the flow of the Ile Alatau Mountain Range rivers. The main part of the corresponding water resources forms on the northern slopes of the Ile Alatau making them a significant water balance and water supply factor for the major cities of Almaty, Kaskelen, Talgar, and Yesik. The article includes a brief description of the HBV model, as well as hydrometeorologicaland topographical inputs, and continues with the description of the flow simulation outputs for the rivers with the catchment area varying between 71-601 km2. For the periods of 2000-2016, the model parameters were calibrated using the GAP optimization algorithm. The model’s performance was evaluated based on several criteria: Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Percent bias (PBIAS), and Root Mean Standard Deviation Ratio (RSR). The selection of optimal parameters allowed obtaining the following model efficiency values: 0.80-0.93 (as per NSE), -0.78 to -15.33% (as per PBIAS), and 0.27–0.80 (as per RSR). The calculated model efficiencies point to the sufficient correlation between the dynamics of the observed and simulated runoffs during the calibration period. The study likewise included the assessment of the HBV model applicability as a forecasting technique based on the ratio. The outcomes of that exercise confirmed the facility of using the model for predicting the runoff of the Kaskelen, Talgar, Ulken Almaty, and Kishi Almaty Rivers. Due to the fact that the observation data were available only for 2020, the HBV model parameters of all the studied rivers, except the Talgar River, underwent validation for the periods of 2017-2020. The calibrated and validated parameters of the obtained Ile Alatau Mountain River Model can be recommended for runoff modeling based on the HBV-light model as well as for runoff forecasting, namely for short- and medium-term water flow forecasts, with the exception of the Turgen, Prokhodnaya and Uzyn Kargaly River Basins.

ИЗМЕНЕНИЕ ОЛЕДЕНЕНИЯ СЕВЕРНОГО СКЛОНА ИЛЕ АЛАТАУ ЗА СЕМИДЕСЯТИЛЕТНИЙ ПЕРИОД

The problem of shortage of water resources, especially fresh water and runoff during the growing season, is relevant for all countries in arid regions. In Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, mountainous regions are one of the main suppliers of fresh water. The climate-caused degradation of mountain glaciation causes changes in mountain ecosystems, having direct impact to human life, causes changes in hydrological cycles, biogeochemistry of rivers and glacial lakes, affecting the quality and availability of water resources. The article presents the results of the seventy-year monitoring of changes in the area of glaciation of the northern slope of Ile Alatau. According to the satellite surveys of the Landsat 5 TM+ and Landsat 8, 9 OLI TIRS sensors for 1990, 2006, 2014 and 2022, the state of glaciation was assessed. To analyze the degradation of the glacial system were used the data from previous inventories of this region - as of 1955, 1974, 1979, 1990, 2008. For 67 years, the glaciation of the northern slope of Ile Alatau has decreased in area by 140.4 km2 (by 49%), losing 2.1 km2 or 0.72% of its area per year. The rate of degradation has not changed much in comparison with previous studies of the glaciation of this region. Based on the forecast, by the end of the 21st century, the glaciation of the northern slope of the Ile Alatau may disappear, of course, by the remaining conditions of degradation.

Study of temporal changes in the hydrographic network of small mountain rivers in the Ile Alatau, Kazakhstan

Abstract The article presents the outcomes of an assessment of hydrographic network changes within the Almaty city, utilizing geographic information system (GIS) technology and Earth remote sensing data. Two gauge stations were selected along the main rivers within the Almaty city. To identify distinctive alterations in these rivers, hydrological data series encompassing the maximum runoff from 1970 to 2021 were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. Differential integral curves were constructed to pinpoint periods corresponding to peak and trough runoff levels. For each of these identified periods, the processing of satellite imagery allowed for the computation of meandering coefficients for the river channels. Additionally, refinements were made to the slope values of the rivers during these same timeframes, and connectivity graphs were established to elucidate the relationship between slope and liquid runoff for each period. The analysis encompassed an assessment of the impact of anthropogenic factors on both artificial and natural bodies of water while also considering shifts in the boundaries of the Almaty city. The findings derived from this study have practical applications in the planning and design of water supply systems and in the implementation of measures aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of anthropogenic factors on water bodies.

Assessing the efficacy of ameliorants on saline-sodic soils: Laboratory insights for reclamation strategies

This study presents the combined findings of laboratory experiments conducted to assess the efficacy of various ameliorants on saline-sodic soils in the foothill plain of Ile Alatau in the Northern Tianshan region. The investigation focused on the influence of phosphogypsum, elemental sulfur, nano sulfur, and sulfuric acid on the ionic composition of the soil solution and their impact on the soil-absorbing complex. Different doses of these ameliorants were applied to saline-sodic soil samples, and their incubation period was observed. The analysis of the aqueous extract of the soil emphasized the presence of bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, calcium, and sodium ions. The results revealed that sulfuric acid was the most effective ameliorant, rapidly neutralizing extreme alkalinity, reducing bicarbonate and carbonate ion content, and increasing sulfate and sodium ion concentrations. Elemental sulfur ranked second in effectiveness, significantly decreasing bicarbonate and carbonate ions and increasing sulfate and sodium ions. Phosphogypsum exhibited the lowest effectiveness, causing reductions in bicarbonate and carbonate ions and modest increases in sulfate and calcium ions. The study demonstrated that the introduction of phosphogypsum led to an increase in calcium and sulfate ions in the soil solution, while elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid significantly increased the sulfate ion content. Sulfuric acid exhibited the highest efficacy among the ameliorants, completely neutralizing normal carbonates and reducing alkalinity in the soil solution. The formation of subsoil gypsum through the interaction of sulfuric acid with calcium carbonates facilitated the displacement of sodium from the soil-absorbing complex. These findings contribute to our understanding of the processes involved in the amelioration of saline-sodic soils and provide insights into effective soil management practices. They serve as a theoretical basis for developing strategies for the reclamation of such soils worldwide. The research highlights sulfuric acid as the most effective ameliorant for saline-sodic soils, resulting in a significant rearrangement of the soil's ionic composition. Further research and field studies are necessary to validate and refine these laboratory findings for practical applications in soil improvement methods.

Distribution of fungi of the genera Nectria and Neonectria in the southeast of Kazakhstan

The article presents data on the distribution of microscopic fungi of the genera Nectria and Neonectria in the territory of the south-east of Kazakhstan, developing as saprotrophs on fallen or dead branches of the host, or as wound parasites. The material for the research was the authors’ own collections on the territory of the Ile Alatau, Dzhungarian Alatau, Kungey Alatau, the Ketmen, Terskey and Altyn-Emel ridges, as well as herbarium specimens stored in the mycological herbarium of the Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction. 5 species of Nectria and Neonectria were identified, developing on 25 species of feeding plants. Most of the samples are represented by the conidial stage. The most common species is Nectria cinnabarina. Among the most affected species are representatives of the genus Ribes L., as well as the genera Acer L., Betula L., Malus Mill. and Rhamnus L. The maximum number of Nectria and Neonectria species was recorded at an altitude of 1200-1600 m above sea level, which corresponds to the belt of steppes, small-leaved and dark coniferous forests. In the steppe belt, representatives of Nectria and Neonectria are found in floodplain forests and shrubs.

Experience of release of an avalanche bulletin for the mountain region of Ile Alatau

Experience of release of an avalanche bulletin for the mountain region of Ile Alatau

Mountain Resilience: A Tool for Mudflow Risk Management in the Ile Alatau Mountains, Kazakhstan

Mountain Resilience: A Tool for Mudflow Risk Management in the Ile Alatau Mountains, Kazakhstan

Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Assessment and Forecast of Avalanche Danger in the Ile Alatau Ridge

The assessment and forecast of avalanche danger are very important means of preventing avalanche fatalities, especially in recreational areas. The use of artificial intelligence methods for these purposes significantly increases the accuracy of avalanche forecasts. The purpose of this re-search was to improve the methods for assessing and forecasting avalanche danger in the Ile Alatau Ridge. To create a training sample, the data from three meteorological and two avalanche stations for the period from 2002 to 2022 were used. The following predictors were chosen: air temperature, snow cover depth, precipitation, and snowpack stability index. The subject of the assessment and forecasts was the level of avalanche danger, assessed on a five-point scale. The program Statistica StatSoft was used as a neurosimulator. When forecasting avalanche danger, the predictive values of air temperature and precipitation, obtained from numerical weather forecast models, were used. The model correctly assessed the current level of avalanche danger in 90% of cases. The forecast of avalanche danger was justified in 80% of cases. The artificial intelligence program helped the avalanche forecaster to improve the forecast quality. This method is currently being used for compiling an avalanche bulletin for two river basins in the Ile Alatau.

Camera trapping efficiency in studying daily activity patterns of Turkestan lynx in the Northern Tien Shan

In order to determine the relationship between elusive carnivorans and other species, understand the mechanisms of their adaptation in the environment, as well as for regulation of strategies for rare carnivores’ conservation, it is relevant and necessary to study their daily activity rhythms. As a nocturnal species in the remote mountains of the Northern Tien Shan, the behavioral ecology and, in particular, the activity rhythms of the Turkestan lynx (Lynx lynx isabellina Blyth, 1847) are poorly studied. This article presents data on the daily activity of the lynx and an analysis of its correlation with the activity rhythms of its prey species in the Northern Tien Shan using camera traps. As a result of research conducted in Ile and Kungei Alatau from 2013 to 2022, we used 11,258 trap-days and obtained 59 frames with individual passages of Turkestan lynx and 528 frames with passages of its prey species – tolai hare (Lepus tolai), Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red tree squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris exalbidus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The rhythms of lynx’s daily activity coincided with the activity of its prey in three different time peaks: in the early morning, in the afternoon, and at night. Tolai hare in Kungei Alatau and Siberian roe deer in Ile Alatau play a significant role in the conservation of the lynx population. The results obtained prove the need to protect these six species to ensure the Turkestan lynx populations stability in the Northern Tien Shan. Keywords: Turkestan lynx, daily activity, specially protected natural areas, camera traps

Ceramics of the inhabitants of Zhetysu in the Bronze Age (Based on field research of the Rakhat archaeological complex)

The article deals with fragments of ceramics originating from the archaeological complex of the Bronze Age located on the terraces above the floodplain at the exit of the Rakhat River from the gorge of the same name, between the cities of Talgar and Esik along the road to the gorge. Orman and 1.5 km southeast of the ancient settlement of Rakhat. The complex consists of a settlement and memorial and burial fences of the Bronze Age. This monument was studied by the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Esik”. The settlement and mounds have layers of the Saka community, early and late Middle Ages. The main materials i.e. archaeological sources for the interpretation of the cultural layers of the site are fragments of ceramics of the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age. This article will consider fragments of ceramics and tools of the Bronze Age. The task of the study was the scientific attribution of ceramic fragments based on the traces of work, the identification of separate groups among them with features characteristic of each series, and the restoration to some extent of those production processes that took place in the economy of the tribes of the Bronze Age. To achieve this goal, a comparison and comparative typological analysis of artifacts from the collection of ceramics of the Bronze Age of the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan was carried out. Ceramics is the most widely used material in any archaeological site. Definable fragments of ceramics are reliably associated with their own characteristics, for example, pottery school, visual culture, sign system, etc. An analysis of the studied artifacts shows that in the Bronze Age, traditional stone tools were mainly used, which were used in metallurgy and ceramic production in the extraction and processing of minerals, successively associated with the previous era. These are tools used in mining, copper smelting, agriculture, hunting and domestic crafts. Key words: Rahat settlement, ceramics, collection, bronze Age, typology, archaeological expedition, settlements, analysis, monument, foothills of Ile Alatau

Some rare and new plants in the National Parks of Northern Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan)

The article gives information on the distribution of four rare species (Hepatica falconeri, Kaufmannia semenovii, Neuroloma beketovii, Gymnospermium altaicum) with brief abundance data and state of populations. This studies based on the materials of many years researches carried out by the authors on the territory of two state national natural parks (SNNP) of the Northern Tien Shan (Ile Alatau and Kolsai Kolderi). Nine species (Gagea turkestanica, Bunias orienta-lis, Viola dissecta, Clinopodium integerrimum, Melissa officinalis, Sambucus nigra, Hieracium pilosella, Lapsana intermedia and Xanthium spinosum) were first found on surveyed areas, which allows supplementing the existing publications on the flora of the national parks Ile Alatau and “Kolsai Kolderi”, as well as the Kungei Alatau ridge. Three of them (Gagea turkestanica, Viola dissecta, Clinopodium integerrimum) are native to this area, which indicates that the flora of the region is not well studied. Six others (Bunias orientalis, Melissa officinalis, Sambucus nigra, Hieracium pilosella, Lapsana intermedia and Xanthium spinosum) are alien species, which confirms the ongoing process of synanthropization of the flora of the Northern Tien Shan even within specially protected natural areas.

Interannual Variability of Snowiness and Avalanche Activity in the Ile Alatau Ridge, Northern Tien Shan

Snowiness and avalanche activity are very important natural characteristics of mountain areas. They have a great influence on the possibility of areas’ development, especially regarding winter recreation. This article considers the interannual variability of snowiness and avalanche activity in the Ile Alatau Ridge (Northern Tien Shan), which belongs to the areas with a continental snow climate. The sum of winter precipitation and snow depth are used as snowiness indices, and the indices of avalanche activity are the total avalanche volume, maximum avalanche volume and number of avalanches. The work uses archival data for the period from 1966 to 2022. Interannual variability of snowiness and avalanche activity indices and long-term temporal trends were assessed, correlation between these indices was studied, and extreme values with different return periods were calculated. The relationship between years with a high snowiness and years with a high avalanche activity, as well as years with a high avalanche activity and years with a large number of avalanche victims and high avalanche damage has been studied. Similar studies have not been previously carried out for the areas with a continental snow climate. Snowiness indices have weak, non-significant, increasing temporal trends. The total avalanche volume has a non-significant decreasing temporal trend, and the maximum avalanche volume has a significant decreasing one. The number of avalanches has a significant increasing temporal trend. This study could be relevant for understanding the features of temporal variability of snowiness and avalanche activity in the mountainous regions with a continental snow climate.

Изучение воздействия снежных лавин на горнолесные ландшафты в Илейском Алатау с применением ДЗЗ и ГИС-технологий

The features of the impact of snow avalanches to the mountain forest landscapes of Ile Alatau are considered. Regularities in the distribution of mountain forest landscapes and forms of avalanche activity have been studied. The quantitative assessment of the impact of avalanches on the mountain forest landscapes in Ile Alatau was carried out using remote sensing data and GIS technologies. Based on the processed data of satellite images for determination of mountain forest landscapes, the areas of forests and avalanche swath were calculated for river basins and high-altitude zones of the northern slope of the ridge. The shares of avalanche swath from the total forest area were defined. It has been determined that avalanches significantly reduce the area of mountain forests.

Средние многолетние значения метеорологических элементов зимнего периода в Иле Алатау

The article is devoted to calculations of the average long-term characteristics of the weather in the Ile Alatau Mountains. This is necessary for the long-term assessment of avalanche danger and planning the work of special services. The main factors of avalanche formation are the height and strength of the snow cover, as well as the amount of precipitation. These characteristics have been observed for many years at the avalanche stations "Shymbulak" and "Lake Ulken Almaty" near the city of Almaty. The average values of meteorological elements were calculated for the period 2001-2021. The data were collected from various sources - technical reports of avalanche stations, data from meteorological stations of international exchange and the archives of the Institute of Geography. Based on the results of the work, a climatic reference book was created for the needs of workers of the avalanche service.

Исследования криосферы в горах Иле Алатау

This article presents the stages of cryosphere studies in the Ile Alatau Range in XIX–XXI. Based on published official and literary data and oral reports, 3 main periods of research are described according to the socio-political conditions. The efforts of enthusiasts, followed by the period of regular measurements and observations, involvement of women in science. After the period of the USSR disintegration the systematic observations were continued with the expanded scientific contacts, use of new scientific equipment and methods of research.

Ceramics of the settlement of Rakhat site of IX – the beginning of the XIII centuries (Results of field research in the archaeological complex of Rakhat)

The article put into scientifical turn data on archaeological materials obtained in 2021 during the archaeological research of the Rakhat site. This site is located between the cities of Talgar and Issyk a few hundred meters above the route connecting them. A brief history of the study of this extraordinary site has been given by archaeologists, employees of the Issyk Reserve-Museum since 2013, including, collaborative with Chinese colleagues in the period 2017-2019. The main materials – archaeological sources for interpreting the cultural layers of the site are fragments of ceramics of medieval times. The article describes fragments from the excavations of 2021, together with their images. The fragments are interpreted (typologized) – possible forms of medieval kitchen, dining, container vessels belonging to the Karluk and Karakhanid periods are restored. A statistical summary is given of the material discovered during excavations and collected from the modern surface over the years of research by the reserve staff on the site. An analysis of the purpose of these vessels is made in the context of the current state of study of the site. Ceramics is the most massive artifact on almost any archaeological site. Any detectable fragment of ceramics is reliably associated with its own characteristics: pottery school, fine culture, sign system and clay deposit. Thus, it is possible to define an epoch and an ethno-cultural group. A potter is a representa- tive of one of the first creative professions, when household items (ceramic vessels) were obtained from clay, and a fragment of ceramics carries information about its era. Key words: Monument, foothills of Ile Alatau, Rakhat site, Middle Ages, ceramics, typology and statistical analysis.

Distribution of fungi of the genus Septoria in the Northern Tien Shan (Ile Alatau and Kungey Alatau, Kazakhstan)

Data on the distribution of microscopic fungi of the genus Septoria in the Northern Tien Shan withinKazakhstan (Ile Alatau and Kungey Alatau) are presented. A list of the species of Septoria is given, indicating the familyand species of the affected plants. 78 species of fungi of the genus Septoria, developing on 90 plant species which belongto the 35th family were identified. According to our research, herbaceous plants are most susceptible to Septoria (86.6 %of the total number of species).