Northern Foothills Research Articles

The genus Freylinia Pangella ex Colla (Scrophulariaceae: Teedieae): a re-assessment of the systematics and conservation status

The taxonomy of Freylinia Pangella ex Colla (Scrophulariaceae) is revised and eight species are recognised. Each species is fully described, with complete nomenclature, typification, ecological notes, and an updated conservation assessment. The subtropical F. tropica S.Moore is segregated as the new sect. Tropicae J.C.Manning, defined by axillary inforescences and flowers with a glandular corolla tube. The remaining species from temperate South Africa share terminal inflorescences and eglandular corollas. Within this group two sections are recognised. Sect. Freylinia comprises the type of the genus F. lanceolata (L.f.) G.Don, and is readily segregated on the basis of its sessile foliage and small capsules, whereas the remaining, strictly shrubby species share petiolate foliage and larger capsules and are recognised as sect. Macrocarpae J.C.Manning. The latter section includes several highly local endemics, most of them of conservation concern, and among which we propose several taxonomic changes. The most significant of these are the inclusion of F. vlokii Van Jaarsv. in F. undulata (L.f.) Benth., and a reappraisal of the identity F. longiflora Benth., which is recognised here as an earlier name for F. helmei Van Jaarsv. The new species F. brevistyla J.C.Manning & N.A.Helme is accordingly described for the populations that were previously misidentified as F. longiflora, and which are readily distinguished from all other species by their short style and unique, obtuse hairs in the corolla throat. This taxon was thought to be restricted to the Hottentots Holland Mtns near Elgin but a recent collection from the northern foothills of the Klein River Mtns represents a significant range extension. Finally, examination of the type of F. undulata var. macrophylla Hiern. shows it to be misplaced in the genus and we identify it as a synonym of Selago myrtifolia Rchb.

Validation of Permafrost Active Layer Estimates from Airborne SAR Observations

In permafrost regions, active layer thickness (ALT) observations measure the effects of climate change and predict hydrologic and elemental cycling. Often, ALT is measured through direct ground-based measurements. Recently, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) measurements from airborne platforms have emerged as a method for observing seasonal thaw subsidence, soil moisture, and ALT in permafrost regions. This study validates airborne SAR-derived ALT estimates in three regions of Alaska, USA using calibrated ground penetrating radar (GPR) geophysical data. The remotely sensed ALT estimates matched the field observations within uncertainty for 79% of locations. The average uncertainty for the GPR-derived ALT validation dataset was 0.14 m while the average uncertainty for the SAR-derived ALT in pixels coincident with GPR data was 0.19 m. In the region near Utqiaġvik, the remotely sensed ALT appeared slightly larger than field observations while in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, the remotely sensed ALT appeared slightly smaller than field observations. In the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, near Toolik Lake, there was minimal bias between the field data and remotely sensed estimates. These findings suggest that airborne SAR-derived ALT estimates compare well with in situ probing and GPR, making SAR an effective tool to monitor permafrost measurements.

SIFAT FISIKOKIMIA LAHAN PERTANIAN MONOKULTUR PADA BEBERAPA KELAS LERENG DI DAERAH UTARA KAKI GUNUNG TALANG

The area at the foot of Mount Talang is one of the areas that excellent in agriculture, especially the cultivation of horticultural crops. In the northern area with steep slope conditions, the local community applies an intensive monoculture cropping system, this will accelerate land degradation in the long term. This study aims to examine the physicochemical properties of monoculture agricultural land in the northern foothills of Mount Talang on several slopes. This research was conducted with a survey method, soil sampling was carried out by means of purposive random sampling, on monoculture agricultural land on slopes > 45%, 25-45%, 15-25%, and 8-15% and forest as control, at a depth of 0 -20cm and 20-40cm. The results showed that the soil texture that dominates at the forest and monoculture agricultural land are dusty loam. Soil water content increases with increasing soil layer depth, soil water content in monocultures 25-45% (73.72%) is the highest. Soil volume weight ranging from 0.4-0.6 g / cm 3 has the same tendency at both soil depths. The total pore space of forest land and monoculture agricultural land is a large average of 75% with high criteria. The highest soil organic C content was found in monoculture agricultural land with a slope of >45%. The pH value of H 2 O for all land uses was 5.15-5.29 and the pH for KCl was 4.5-5.2 for acid criteria. The cation exchange capacity was above 40 me/100g (very high criteria), the total N content was 0.8-1.6% with very high criteria, too. Based on the researchs data, the physicochemical properties of monoculture agricultural land on several slope classes matched the physiochemical conditions of the forest. The potential for land degradation is still minimal even though it is on the upper slopes of the foot of Mount Talang. However, monoculture farming while maintaining soil organic matter content must remain a priority for agricultural land management in this area. Key words : monoculture land, forest, slope, North area of foot Mount Talang

Accompanying Burials of Horses in the Funeral Rite of the Population of the Bystryanka Culture of Altai in the Scythian-Saka Time

The article presents the results of the study of one of the elements of the ritual practice of the population of the Bystryanka archaeological culture — the tradition of arranging accompanying burials of horses to a person's burial. The analysis of materials from excavations of all known necropolises of the northern foothills of Altai of the Scythian-Saka time with the involvement of information about the complexes of «early» nomads in adjacent territories is carried out. Despite the known limitations of the source base, including those associated with the robbery of most of the objects, the available data turned out to be sufficient to indicate the key characteristics of horse burials made by the population of the Bystryanka culture. It was found that one horse or several animals were in 59 objects studied at 18 burial grounds, which is about a third of the recorded complexes. As a rule, the horse was placed on the step to the right of the deceased person, parallel to it and was oriented in the same sector of the horizon as the deceased, most often in the western direction. The fixation of elements of equipment on horses probably reflects the key «transport» function of animals in the ritual practice of the ancient population.

A description of the second species of the genus Bleptus Eaton, 1885 (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) from Japan, and phylogenetic relationships of two Bleptus mayflies inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences

A new mayfly species, Bleptus michinokuensis sp. nov. (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) is described on the basis of specimens of male and female adults and mature nymphs collected at a seepage zone of a small freshwater branch of the ‘Tachiya-zawa-gawa’ River located amongst the northern foothills of Mt. Gassan (Shonai-machi Town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan). This new Bleptus species is characterized by its clear fore and hind wings. That is, they neither exhibit the distinct black band on the fore wings, nor the characteristic darkened margins along the edges of both the fore and hind wings. Rather it has a blackish colored terminal half of its fore legs (i.e., tibial, tarsal and pretarsal segments). These features differ clearly when comparing them to the other known species, Bleptus fasciatus Eaton. The information and data describing the habitat and distribution range of this new species are also noted. We also examined and discussed the genetic relationship of two Bleptus mayflies to settle the taxonomic status, inferred from the partially sequenced cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and large mitochondrial ribosomal subunit (16S rRNA) genes, and also the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) gene sequences. Consequently, phenetic and molecular phylogenetic analyses agreed well in terms of clustering.

The soils physicochemical properties of monoculture land in several slopes at Northern Areas of Mount Talang

In the northern area of Mount Talang with some steep slopes (more than 30°), the local community implements an intensive monoculture agricultural system that can accelerate land degradation in the long term. Study was aimed to examine the soils physicochemical properties of monoculture land on several slopes in the northern foothill of Mount Talang. Survey method and soil sampling were implemented in this research, using a purposive random sampling toward the monoculture land on slopes> 45%, 25-45%, 15-25%, 8-15%, and the forest as control, at 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depth. The results revealed that the soil texture that dominates the forest and monoculture cropping system is sandy loam. In addition, soil water content increases by the increased soil layer depth as well, with highest level observed in monoculture cropping system 25-45% (73.72%). Soil bulk density ranging from 0.4-0.6 g / cm3, or have the same tendency at both soil depths. The total pore space of forest land and monoculture agricultural land is 75%, categorized as high. The highest soil organic C content was found in monoculture agricultural land with a slope of >45%. The value of pH for all land uses was 5.15-5.29 on acid criteria. The cation exchange capacity was above 40 me / 100g and the total N content is 0.8-1.6%, so both of them are categorized as very high. Based on the data, the soils physicochemical properties of monoculture cropping system on several slope classes similar to the forest. The land quality for monoculture cropping system is still maintained, even though it is on the upper slopes of the foothill of Mount Talang. However, in the monoculture cropping systems will trigger the loss of soil organic matter, so the addition of soil organic matter content should be prioritized, especially in the agricultural land management of this area.

The Seasonality of In‐Stream Nutrient Concentrations and Uptake in Arctic Headwater Streams in the Northern Foothills of Alaska's Brooks Range

AbstractOver the past 30 plus years, the Arctic has warmed at a rate of 0.6°C per decade. This has resulted in considerable permafrost thaw and alterations of hydrological and biogeochemical processes. Coincident with these changes, recent studies document increases in annual fluxes of inorganic nutrients in larger Arctic rivers. Changing nutrient fluxes in Arctic rivers have been largely attributed to warming‐induced active layer expansion and newly exposed subsurface source areas. However, the ability of Arctic headwater streams to modulate inorganic nutrient patterns manifested in larger rivers remains unresolved. We evaluated environmental conditions, stream ecosystem metabolism, and nutrient uptake in three headwater streams of the Alaskan Arctic to quantify patterns of retention of inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P). We observed elevated ambient nitrate‐N (NO3‐N) concentrations in late summer/early fall in two of three experimental stream reaches. We observed detectable increases in uptake as a result of nutrient addition in 88% of PO4‐P additions (n = 25), 38% of NH4‐N additions (n = 24), and 24% of NO3‐N additions (n = 25). We observed statistically significant relationships between NH4‐N uptake and ecosystem respiration, and PO4‐P uptake and gross primary productivity. Although these headwater streams demonstrate ability to control downstream transport of PO4‐P, we observed little evidence the same holds for dissolved inorganic N. Consequently, our results suggest that continued increases in terrestrial to aquatic N transfer in Arctic headwater landscapes are likely to be evident in larger Arctic rivers, in‐network lakes, and coastal environments.

Basement Structure and Styles of Active Tectonic Deformation in Central Interior Alaska

Central Interior Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions in North America, exhibiting a high concentration of intraplate earthquakes approximately 700 km away from the southern Alaska subduction zone. Seismological evidence suggests that intraplate seismicity in the region is not uniformly distributed, but concentrated in several discrete seismic zones, including the Nenana basin and the adjacent Tanana basin. Although the location and magnitude of the seismic activity in both basins are well defined by a network of seismic stations in the region, the tectonic controls on these intraplate earthquakes and the heterogeneous nature of Alaska’s continental interior remain poorly understood. We investigated the crustal structure of the Nenana and Tanana basins using available seismic reflection, aeromagnetic and gravity anomaly data, supplemented by geophysical well logs and outcrop data. We developed nine new two-dimensional forward models to delineate internal geometries and the crustal structure of Alaska’s interior. The results of our study demonstrates a strong crustal heterogeneity beneath both basins. The Tanana basin is a relatively shallow (up to 2 km) asymmetrical foreland basin with its southern, deeper side controlled by the northern foothills of the Central Alaska Range. Northeast-trending left lateral strike-slip faults within the Tanana basin are interpreted as a zone of clockwise crustal block rotation. The Nenana basin has a fundamentally different geometry. It is a deep (up to 8 km), narrow transtensional pull-apart basin that is deforming along the left-lateral Minto Fault. This study identifies two distinct modes of current tectonic deformation in Central Interior Alaska and provides a basis for modeling the interplay between intraplate stress fields and major structural features that potentially influence the generation of intraplate earthquakes in the region.

Sardes: Tarih, Mimarlık ve Şehircilik

Sardis is located on the northern foothills of Tmolos Mountains in western Anatolia. It was the capital of the Lydian Kingdom until its defeat by the Persians in 547 BCE. The city became the western capital of the Seleucid Empire in 280 BCE. The Lydian city featured massive fortifications with terraced structures. Hellenistic and Roman Sardis followed the organic planning principles of its predecessor, never adopting the grid plan. The foremost monument of the ancient city is the Temple of Artemis, the largest pseudodipteros of the ancient world, started under the Seleucids (ca. 280-260 BCE) and completed under Hadrian.

New Records of Polymita venusta (Gmelin, 1792) Populations in Northern Foothills of Sierra de Boniato, Santiago de Cuba Province

Three new localities of Polymita venusta are uncovered from the northern foothills of Sierra de Boniato in the Santiago de Cuba province. In those, five new populations inhabiting fragmented forests over karstic substratum were found between 238-405 meters above sea level. The rediscovery of a unique color form took place in one colony from the La Luz vicinity. These populations occupy a highly deforested area where the main activities are cattle grazing and agriculture, combined with other anthropic threats. Protected Areas planning for this human highly disturbed zone is nonexistent.

Rediscovering the genus Lubaria (Rutaceae: Galipeinae), a new species and first record for Colombia

A new species from the northern foothills of the central Andes of Colombia belonging to the previously monotypic genus Lubaria (Sapindales: Rutaceae) is here described and illustrated; comments about its distribution, habitat and conservation status are made. Named L. heterophylla, it differs from L. aroensis by its trifoliolate leaves (one of the two at a node is smaller and frequently bifoliolate or simple), smaller flowers, and blunt anther connective. Given the vast unexplored area between the location of L. heterophylla and those of L. aroensis in Venezuela and Costa Rica, further explorations in the continental southern Caribbean basin could help to find additional populations of both species. Leaf form and size variation found in this new species might be a mechanism of phenotypic plasticity probably related to limiting transpiration during dry seasons.

THE ARZAWA LANDS. THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF IZMIR AND ITS ENVIRONS DURING LATE BRONZE AGE IN THE LIGHT OF NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH

The core of Arzawa (Arzawa Minor) before Mursili II is defined as the maritime Ephesos/Apasa region extending from Mount Arinnanda (Mycale) to Lebedos (Hittite Lipa?), including the inland settlement Puranda (Bademgedigi Tepe). Cayster river basin and northern foothills of Mountain (Mt.) Tmolos from Karabel pass to the east seemed to constitute the land of Mira which had a legitimate vassal kingdom after Mursili II and incorporated into Arzawa Minor. Considering the northern foothills of Mt. Tmolos belonging to Mira we have then an important clue to locate the cities of Arsani, Sarawa, Impa and Hapanuwa which were fortified and garrisoned by Mursili II on his way from Seha River land back to Mira, following a route from west to east. This was plausibly the same geographic order for the cities of Mira i.e., Arsani - Sarawa - Impa - Hapanuwa written in the texts. If my proposal Sarawa > *Swar > Sfarλ > Sfarda > Sardis is correct we may localize these cities of Mira [1] with some certainity. Recently discovered Late Bronze Age (LBA) pottery at Sardis might also shed light. Arsani might be located in the west of Sarawa. LBA mound of Gavurtepe (Alasehir) in the east of Sardis (Sarawa), would be then presumably identified as Impa (Gavurtepe Alasehir). Hapanuwa is mentioned as the last city which might be related with Hypaipa located in the Cayster valley. New evidence for revising the boundaries of Kuwaliya provided the site for Elmacik near Usak. The classical site of Caualia/Cabalia located at Elmacik is related to Kuwaliya. A prehistoric mound with LBA pottery discovered at Elmacik is a hint that the area between Elmacik, Banaz and Akarcay (Astarpa) constituted the upper part of Kuwaliya adjacent partly to the Siyanta River land in the north. Finally we have new additions for “the web of interlocking locations [2] ” defining the historical geography of Central West Anatolia during LBA. Arzawa Minor: Arinnanda, Mycale, Apasa-Ephesos, Lipa?-Lebedos, Puranda-Bademgedigi Tepe. Mira: Karabel pass, Karakuyu stele, Arsani-?, Sarawa-Sardis, Impa-Gavurtepe (Alasehir), Hapanuwa-Hypaipa (Odemis). Kuwaliya: Caualia (Elmacik near Usak). [1] see supra n. ???. [2] Hawkins 2020: 342.

Pleistocene dynamics of dust accumulation and soil formation in the southern Caspian Lowlands - New insights from the loess-paleosol sequence at Neka-Abelou, northern Iran

The southern Caspian Lowland sensitively reacted to Pleistocene climate change and is a key area for reconstructing climate dynamics and landscape evolution in Southern Eurasia. Loess-paleosol sequences (LPS) of the northern foothills of Alborz Mountains provide detailed records of climate-induced changes of dust accumulation and soil formation correlating with relatively dry or moist conditions of the past. The LPS at Neka-Abelou (NA) was studied in detail in order to understand these dynamics and provide a base for regional pedostratigraphic correlation. We have carried out high-resolution analyses of grain-size, sediment color, mass specific and frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility and carbonate content and established a temporal framework as based on luminescence dating using a post-IR infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) protocol and fading corrections. The LPS of NA is composed of finely textured loess, which is subdivided by at least eleven paleosols. Moreover, it contains a thin loess layer with lenses of trachytic tephra which most likely originated from the Damavand volcano and was deposited during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4. The lower part of the LPS at NA consists of four strongly-developed reddish-brown paleosols (Bt, Btg horizons) separated by thin layers of pedogenically-altered loess indicating moist climate conditions and low dust accumulation rates during the Middle Pleistocene or earlier. The central part contains a pedocomplex of clay-rich paleosols composed of well developed Bt, ABk and Bw horizons formed under strongly reduced dust accumulation rates and intercalated by loess layers. Pedostratigraphic reasoning suggests that this pedocomplex formed during MIS 5, which is corroborated by luminescence dating. The pedocomplex reflects precession time scale climate change and represents an excellent pedostratigraphic marker recognized in numerous exposures along the northern foothills of the Alborz Mountains. The upper part of the LPS accumulated during the Last Pleniglacial and contains probably six weakly developed synsedimentary paleosols (CBk horizons) as well as the modern soil (Bt horizon). Magnetic susceptibility records show very close similarity with the pleniglacial sequence of the LPS at Toshan located about 100 km farther to the east of the Caspian Lowlands suggesting that the weak paleosols at both locations have formed synchronously, which is supported by luminescence dating. Their presence thus reflects at least a regional-scale climate change between dry phases and those of slightly increased edaphic moisture with ongoing dust supply. The LPS of the Caspian Lowlands document a multitude of changes between dominance of dust accumulation or pedogenesis controlled by moisture availability in the context of Pleistocene climate change. The proposed regional pedostratigraphy for the Late Quaternary provides a scheme for large-scale stratigraphic correlation and reconstruction of climate change in Southern Eurasia.

Түркі қағанаты дәуіріндегі Алтайдың тарихи географиясы (VI-XIII ғғ.)

In the article the political, economic and cultural changes that took place in the Altai area in the epoch, in which the ancient Turks lived and founded the Kaganate (V-VIII centuries BC). For this, first of all, different ethnic groups (Gaoshae, Dinlin, Togyz Oguz, Basmyl) that inhabited Altai and its surroundings on the eve of the Turkic Era, their ethnic relations with the Blue Turks, migration, and political ties were considered. At the same time, attaching great importance to the legends and stories about the origins of the development and statehood of the Blue Turks, their first Turkic Kaganate, which created the Altai Mountains Central, and its division into two wings East-West, the relations of the West Turkic Kaganate and East Turkic Kaganate with the Tang empire were investigated. The geopolitical position of the Altai region in these historical processes is reflected. This is due to the fact that the Altai region plays a leading role in world historical processes. Three great empires that had an active influence on world history were first established in Altai and were widely spread from it. They are the empires of the Huns, the Blue Turks and the Genghis Khan. It is certainly no coincidence that all these empires could become the mainstay of Altai and influence the world. The article stresses the role and place of the Altai in the spiritual life of Turkic peoples, especially its paramount importance, by a careful examination of various situations characteristic only of the Turkic epoch. The first part deals with the role of Altai in a historical stage of Türks. For the first time it is analyzed as a unified historical and geographical region in the northeastern part of Eastern Turkestan (Xinjiang province of the PRC), where Bogd, Bayt and Altai mountains, Altai and Mountain Altai, as well as Sayan and Oypsei lowlands are located. This is the Altai area that we are constantly talking about. The article reveals the spiritual, economic and political role of the Altai Mountains in the formation of the state and their influence on the outside world and the prosperity of the Turks in the centre of this immense expanse. To that end great importance was attached to historical and geographical signs reflected in the legends about the origin of Türks, recorded in such historical sources of China as «The History of northern khanates», «The book of Chzhou», and «The book of Sui». All these data testify that ancient Türks inhabited in the subsequent half of V century BC from Northern foothills of Gaochan (Idikut) up to the Altai Mountains and its suburbs. So what were the earlier names and where did the Turks walk? To answer that question in the second part of the article we will briefly outline the history of several ethnic groups that formed the Türks. They are Dinlin, Gaoshe, Basmyl and Togyz Oguz, who since ancient times inhabited Altai and established their state one by one. Their entry onto the historical scene, interrelationship, migration, and cultural and economic development in chronological order are investigated in the article. The third section was devoted to the study of political events that took place in Altai during the time of the Turkic Kaganate. In the middle of VI century, the Turks grew out of the Telians that inhabited Altai. They were the Sueyantuo (xueyantuo), Dieleer (Dieleer), Shipan (Shipan), and Daqi (Daqi), inhabiting southwest of the Altai Mountains among 41 tribes stretching widely from Lake Baikal to the river Volga, in the south to the Jetkabyga (northern foothills of Tien Shan), which are mentioned in the «Book of Sui». In 546 other tribes of the Teli, who captured Oguzes, united and went on the offensive against Juzhans. The Tyumen Kagan started the subjugated Teli tribes, ruined them on the road, and took over 50 thousand rubles. From that moment their force increased. The article also emphasized that during the Türkic Kaganate Altai was a centre, and then a border of the Eastern and Western Türkic Kaganates, and the events that took place there affected each side. At the same time the major events that took place in Altai and influenced the political life of Western and Eastern Turkic Khaganates have been considered.

КУРГАННЫЙ МОГИЛЬНИК ЭПОХИ ЖЕЛЕЗА УСТЬ-БЕЛОКУРИХА-3: АВАРИЙНЫЕ РАСКОПКИ 1990 Г. В ЗОНЕ СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВА АВТОДОРОГИ БИЙСК - БЕЛОКУРИХА

The article publishes materials from the Ust-Belokurikha 3 burial ground. The site is located in the Smolensk District of the Altai Territory. The burial ground was destroyed during construction work. There were five burial mounds on the site. One burial mound was excavated. Its artificial hill had been built of stone. There was one burial in the center of the mound. The deceased in the grave was laid on his back and his head was oriented to the southwest. His legs were bent. The specifics of the funeral rite allow dating the site to the Early Iron Age. Preliminary dating of the necropolis can be attributed to the Bystryanskaya culture. The absence of visually prominent mounds at the site is characteristic of most mound necropolises of this kind in the northern foothills of Altai. Those sites were destroyed during the intensive anthropogenic use of the area. Continuing plowing of the land containing archaeological sites in the foothill zone creates an additional threat to the deteriorating condition of the ancient burial mounds. Keywords: burial mound, early Iron Age, Scythian-Saka time, northern foothills of Altai, Bystryanskaya culture

Исследования С. М. Сергеева на погребальном комплексе у с. Майма-Чергачак

The article presents the results of the work of S. M. Sergeev at the burial complex near the village. Maima. In 1934, after being transferred to the Oirot Regional Museum, the researcher unearthed two mounds of the Scythian-Saka period at this burial ground. According to the characteristics of the funeral rite and grave goods, the necropolis under consideration, with a high degree of probability, belongs to the Bystryan culture of the northern foothills of Altai. Currently, on the right bank of the Katun, in the vicinity of the designated village, three burial grounds of the community under consideration(Maima VI, VII, XIX) are known, however, all of them are located east of the Chuisky tract,while the indicated monument is located to the west of it. Perhaps S. M. Sergeev recorded another burial ground of the Bystryanskaya culture, which is now not preserved, located on the territory of the Maiminsky archaeological complex.

Керамический комплекс поселения Курлек (северные предгорья Алтая)

Ancient pottery has a tremendous information potential for cultural and historical reconstructions. Such source of information requires a comprehensive study. The article presents a comprehensive analysis of a small collection of ceramic fragments (about 200 items) originating from the destroyed cultural layer of the Kurlek settlement in the northern foothills of Altai. According to the shape and ornamentation of the rims, the collection highlights and demonstrates the materials of three known archaeological cultures of the Early Iron Age: Bystryanskaya, Kulaiskaya and Maiminskaya. The results of the technical and technological research are of special importance. Seven different recipes of pottery paste have been recorded. They have been correlated with other identified features of ceramic production. There has been made a conclusion about contacts of the Bystryanskaya culture population with the representatives of the Kulaiskaya historical and cultural community. The Maiminskaya ceramics showed a mixture of different cultural traditions. Having studied the presented materials, there is still need for further considering other available finds within the framework of the mentioned cultures. Keywords: northern foothills of Altai, Kurlek, settlement, fragments of ceramics, Early Iron Age, ornament, technical and technological analysis, Bystryanskaya culture, Kulaiskaya culture, Maiminskaya culture Acknowledgements: The study was partially carried out within the framework of state assignment No. 0329–2019–0003 “Historical and cultural processes in Siberia and adjacent territories” (performer — N. F. Stepanova).

Ориентировка погребенных в некрополях быстрянской культуры северных предгорий Алтая (скифо-сакское время)

The article presents the results of studying the orientation of buried in a certain sector of the horizon on the basis of materials from the excavations of the necropolises of the Bystryanka archaeological culture. Information about 168 burials investigated at 26 necropolises of the northern foothills of Altai of the Scythian-Saka period was used. It has been established that the dominant tradition was to direct the buried people with their heads to the western sector of the horizon. At the same time, deviations are recorded due to various factors. A number of approaches traditionally used in this kind of research were used to interpret the identified orientations. The authors concluded that the observed deviations from the westerly direction are associated with the seasonal movement of the sun. At the same time, a possible basis on which the population of Bystryanka culture relied when orienting the dead is the sunset point. The most probable explanation for the spread of directions other than those in the West is the contacts with carriers of other cultural traditions. Opportunities for further study and interpretation of the revealed patterns in the orientation of the buried people based on the materials of the Bystryanka culture are associated with a more detailed analysis of individual necropolises, including the specification of the landscape features of specific monuments. Of particular importance is the expansion of the data used by attracting information about unpublished complexes. In addition, the correlation of the considered element of the ritual with other indicators of funeral practice, including the peculiarities of the position of the buried people and the traditions of placing goods in the grave, seems promising.

Динамика расселения каменки-плясуньи Oenanthe isabellina (Temm.) на Крымском полуострове

The expansion of Oenanthe isabellina in Ukraine began at the end of 1950s - early 1960s. The Isabelline Wheatear settled along the coast of the Sea of Azov from east to west and appeared on the Crimean Peninsula later than in the regions located to the west of it. Since the late 1960s, this species has been nesting near the mouth of the Dnipro River which located in the west of the Crimean Peninsula. The nesting of Oenanthe isabellina was found in the northern part of the Crimean Peninsula in 1973. In the mid-1980s, the Isabelline Wheatear inhabited the northwestern coast of Crimea and appeared far in the east - on the Kerch Peninsula. In the southeastern part of the peninsula the range of the Wheatear reached the Black Sea coast by the end of the 1980s, when the species nesting was found near Feodosia. In the southeastern part of Crimea, the Isabelline Wheatear continued to settle along the Black Sea coast in a westerly direction in the 1990s: its nesting was found near Sudak. In the central Crimea, the species range reached the northern foothills of the Crimean Mountains at this time. The species expansion to the south slowed down by the beginning of the 2000s. In the western Crimea, the southernmost settlement of the Isabelline Wheatear was found near Evpatoria. In the northern foothills of the Crimean Mountains (Central Crimea), the range border has not changed. There were no significant changes in the southeastern Crimea during this period - in the 2000s, O. isabellina nested near Sudak as in the 1990s. The species expansion almost stopped in Crimea in the 2010s. The settling of the Isabelline Wheatear in the steppe regions of the southwestern Crimea did not occur, possibly due to the absence of little ground squirrel settlements, whose burrows birds usually use for nesting. The border of the O. isabellina range has moved southward on about 100 km for three decades - from the beginning of the 1970s to the beginning of the 2000s -, i.e. the settlement speed of the species in Crimea was about 3 km per year.

Collections of the Bystryanka Culture in the Archaeological Collection of the Altai State Museum of Local Lore

The article presents the characteristic of objects from the archaeological collections of the Altai State Museum of Local Lore, associated with the complexes of the northern foothills of Altai in the Scythian-Saka time. The authors carried out the analysis of materials of a number of monuments and justified their assignment to the Bystryanka archaeological culture. The main stages in the history of the formation of a collection of objects from the sites of this community are demonstrated, and the interpretation of the objects is presented, taking into account the accumulated experience of researching synchronous monuments. It has been established that the materials of the works of A.P. Kirshevsky in the Biysk region, finds from a destroyed object near the Novoobinka village, several ceramic items from the third cultural-chronological complex of the Elbanka settlement, as well as fragments of a ceramic vessel discovered during exploratory excavations by V.A. Mogilnikov and B.Kh. Kadikov near the village Surtayka could be correlated with the Bystryanka archaeological culture. Despite the comparative fragmentation, these collections allow us to consider various, including poorly studied, aspects of the history of the population of the northern foothills of Altai at the Scythian-Saka time, and also provide an opportunity to demonstrate their material culture in the framework of exposition and exhibition activities.