Northwest Black Sea Region Research Articles

New Sarmatian grave on the left bank of the Lower Dniester

In 2018, a secondary Sarmatian burial with an impressive inventory (molded pot, pottery jug, silver earring, necklace of beads) was discovered in the Scythian mound in the course of the study of the barrow group Garden near the Glinoe village, Slobodzeya region, on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. Orientation of the buried head to the south-southeast is quite rare in the North-West Black Sea region. The cult of fire is fixed by the finds of three burned pebbles from the left to the head. A handmade pot combines features known for the dishes of a given cultural and chronological period. At the same time, the wave-like ornament in the upper part of the body was fixed only once on a similar vessel in the Danube-Dniester interfluve. Of particular interest is a pottery jug from the complex. Such forms were not previously known in the North-West Black Sea region. The closest analogies to the vessel come from the sites of the Volga-Don interfluve. Earrings identical to those found in the published grave are widely represented in the materials of the Prut-Dniester interfluve, the Middle and Lower Dniester. Necklaces of various shapes and beads belong to the most mass material received by the Sarmatians from ancient centers. The burial dates back to the 2nd century based on the analysis of the grave goods.

Scythian Barrow of the Second Half of the 5th Century BC in the Lower Dniester Region

Introduction. The article publishes and analyses the materials obtained during excavations of Scythian barrow 9 of the group Vodovod near the Glinoe village, Slobodzeysk district, on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The barrow was surrounded by a ring ditch and contained two burials of medieval nomads - the main one, the Scythian, and the secondary, the inlet one. Methods. The mound was excavated by the method of parallel trenches, leaving stratigraphic profiles. When analyzing the materials obtained, a comparatively typological method was applied. Analysis. The main burial was made in a catacomb of unusual construction. The entrance well of the catacomb was filled with stone slabs and boulders characterized with utmost accuracy of production. Despite this, in antiquity the burial was robbed three times: through the entrance well, through the roof of the funeral chamber and through the robbery mine, which went to the burial chamber from the north-eastern floor of the mound. The preserved grave goods are represented with a handmade pot, an iron knife, an iron needle and an awl, a lead finial, a stone slab, a burned pebble, a piece of mineral paint, a wooden kneader, a bronze horse harness and golden pendants. The stone slab was made very carefully, and the wooden kneader is the second such find in the North-West Black Sea region. Bronze items of horse harness have no analogues in the Scythian burial complexes of the North Black Sea region. The construction of barrow 9 of the group Vodovod dates back to the second half of the 5th century BC and is determined on the basis of gold pendants, which analogies are known only in the Malyy Chertomlyk barrow in the Lower Dnieper region. Results.The most important is the fact that the studied barrow was found in the microzone (near the Glinoe village of the Slobodzeya district), where at the moment not only the Scythian burial sites of the 5th - 2nd centuries BC are known, but also a settlement of that time. This testifies to the continual dwelling of the Scythians on the left bank of the Lower Dniester River during this period.

THE IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS OF PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING TRENDS WITH TECHNOLOGY

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of self-directed learning tendencies of prospective teachers on the self-efficacy beliefs of technology integration. In addition, prospective teachers’ opinions of technology integration were researched. The research was designed using a mixed method. The study group of the research consisted of prospective teachers (pre-test n = 170 and post-test n = 131) who are studying at the Faculty of Education located in Northwest Black Sea Region of Turkey during the spring semester of the 2016-2017 academic year and who are taking the course of Instructional Technology and Material Design. The Technology Integration Self-Efficacy Scale, Self-directed Learning with Technology Scale and focus group interview were used to collect the data of the study. At the end of the research, it was found that prospective teachers’ self-directed learning tendency scores were predictive both pre-test and post-test scores their technology integration self-efficacy beliefs. Article visualizations:

Engineering Faculty Students' Perceptions on Climate Change

This research aims to determine how engineering faculty students perceive climate change. Such perceptions of climate change were also investigated according to gender. Participants included 23 engineering faculty students who are continuing their education at a university in Turkey's Northwest Black Sea Region during the second semester of the 2016-2017 academic year. Data were collected through a climate change perception scale developed by the researcher. At the end of the study, it was determined that engineering faculty students had a high level of awareness of climate change. Further, it was found that climate change perceptions of engineering faculty students did not differ across genders.

Assessment of rock slope stability with the effects of weathering and excavation by comparing deterministic methods and slope stability probability classification (SSPC)

Cut slopes are prone to fail due to the disturbance on original geometry and strength. In addition, because of these disturbances and stress relief, natural apertures which increase the weathering effects widen in engineering time. Owing to these reasons, slope stability assessment has a prominent role on these road cuts. Generally, slope stabilities are assessed by deterministic approaches with a significant engineering judgment. Because of this reason the reputation of probabilistic approaches is increasing. In this study, 20 road cuts located in North West Black Sea region of Turkey were evaluated using slope stability probability classification (SSPC). Considering this probabilistic approach, rock strength parameters and failure mechanisms were determined. Furthermore, slope mass rating (SMR) classification was applied for each road cut in order to compare with the results obtained from SSPC. These overall results were then evaluated with the field observations considering rockslope deterioration assessment (RDA) and Falling Rock Hazard Index (FRHI) for the disturbed/weathered zones, and failure mechanisms. According to these, SSPC is found to be more accurate for surficial degradations (raveling and fall) using samples taken from the disturbed/weathered zones rather than using relatively fresh samples beyond the disturbed zone. Moreover, despite strength differences between weathered and relatively fresh zones, SMR classification is identified to reveal the same stable probabilities. It is found that SSPC shows more detailed probabilistic results than SMR. Lastly, rockfall and raveling mechanisms determined by RDA and rockfall risk by FRHI were found to be coherent with SSPC and field observations.

Weathering and Excavation Effects on the Stability of Various Cut Slopes in Flysch-Like Deposits

Cut slopes are very sensitive to weathering because of disturbed rock mass and topographical condition by excavation. During and right after an excavation process of a cut slope, weathering and erosion may act on this newly exposed rock material and mass. These acting on the rock may degrade and change its engineering properties and the stability of the cut slope in its engineering lifetime. In this study, weathering and excavation effects on stability of sixteen cut slopes in flysch-like deposits at North West Black Sea region of Turkey were investigated. The properties of the weathered and fresh rock materials including unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength, direct shear, slake durability and methylene blue tests were determined in the laboratory. Kinematic, limit equilibrium and rockfall analyses were performed for each stop. It was found that two testing cycles are insufficient to assess the degradation of the rocks based on the slake durability test results. Based on the limit equilibrium analyses, plane failure is expected with low factor of safety in one of the cut slopes. Factor of safeties of the cut slopes for mass failure are generally high except two slopes also evidenced with the field observations. No significant rockfall problems are expected according to the analyses. The effects of weathering and excavation were found to be changing between 10 and 50 cm in average within 5 years lifespan of the cut slopes. According to the results these disturbed zones would only create surficial degradation for the current thicknesses.

The model of eutrophication of marine and estuarine ecosystems in the northwest Black Sea Region

The paper outlines the mathematical structure of the numerical mathematical model of water eutrophication. The model is based on the numerical non-stationary hydrothermodynamic model MECCA (Model for Estuarine and Coastal Circulation Assessment) supplemented with a chemical-biological modular unit designed in accordance with the principles of preparation of the water quality model RCA-HydroQual with some modifications introduced by the author. The chemical-biological unit of the model includes a description of the dynamics of the following hydroecological variables at a local point of space: biomass of phytoplankton, mineralization-resistant organic phosphorus in suspended (detrital) and dissolved fractions, labile organic phosphorus in suspended and dissolved fractions, dissolved mineral phosphorus, stable organic nitrogen in suspended and dissolved fractions, labile organic nitrogen in suspended and dissolved fractions, ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, suspended and dissolved fractions of organic carbon resistant to biochemical oxidation, suspended and dissolved fractions of labile organic carbon and water-dissolved oxygen. The paper presents results of calibration and verification of 1D version of the model for the case of the Tyligulskiy Liman (Estuary) in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. A conclusion is drawn that the model makes it possible to display the main features of the annual dynamics of hydroecological characteristics of the liman during phytoplankton vegetation season, in particular, the conditions determining the processes of primary production and biochemical oxidation of organic substance, regeneration of mineral forms of biogenic elements. Application of the model in order to assess the impact of deepening the ‘liman-sea’ connecting canal on the hydroecological characteristics of the Tyligulskiy Liman proved that intensification of water exchange with the sea through the canal will help to reduce phytoplankton production, concentration of organic substance in the water of the liman and, ultimately, will lead to improvement of its trophic status. The model is expected to be further used to assess the effectiveness of various scenarios of managing the hydroecological regime of the limans of the north-western Black Sea region considering the changes of climatic conditions.

Barrow 5 of the «Sluiceway» group on the left bank of the Lower Dniester and Scythian cenotaphs of the North-West Black Sea Region

The paper publishes and analyzes the Scythian barrow 5 of the Sluiceway group of barrows located near Glinoe village, Slobodzeya District, on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The mound was erected at the turn of the 4th-3rd centuries BC and contained eight Scythian funeral structures, three of which were cenotaphs. Only 14 such symbolic graves are known in the North-West Black Sea region. In addition to the three graves published in the present work, there is Balabany 6/1, Semyonovka 20, Kochkovatoe 48/4, Volovarskata Mogila 1 and 2, Glinoe 40/1, Glinoe/Sluiceway 6/3, 6/4, 8/1 and 8/4, Glinoe/Garden 7/3. They were made in the second half of the 4th-2nd centuries BC. A significant number of childrens cenotaphs (8), allows us to assume that they were all made by settled Scythians. The use of some of the complexes (4 cases) as cenotaphs can be impugned. At the same time, there are no doubts about the existence of real cenotaphs (under-barrow complexes, with or without funeral structures) intended for symbolic internment of people (10 cases), whose bodies could not be betrayed to earth for any reasons.

The state of natural leptospirosis cells activity and functioning in the dry steppe zone of the Northwest Black Sea region

The territory of arid steppe terrain in climate and landscape social conditions largely determines the capacity and activity of local cells of leptospirosis.The features of enzootic functioning of cells in different landscape areas have the key meaning in the epidemic estimation of the territory that requires detailed knowledge of ecological, landscape and biocenotical geographical specificity of circulation circles of pathogen leptospirosis. On the basis of serological control of rodents and reporting data of laboratories SES about the results of analytical studies was made the analysis of eco-social nature of epizootic manifestations of natural infection in the region and established that a key role belongs to economic and socio-economic factors, the effect of which covers the entire research area and changes spatial, structure and etiological structure of natural cells of leptospirosis

Contamination of atmospheric air of cities of coastal zone cities North Western Black Sea region by specific contaminаnts

The areas of the Northwest Black Sea region are an area of unique recreational resources and tourism, sanatorium treatment and recreation, maritime transport and shipbuilding, grain and grape cultivation. This territory includes Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. The area is the largest in Ukraine. It occupies the southern seaside (Black Sea and Azov) territory of the country. His industrial production is concentrated mainly in port cities. Purpose.. Analysis of the level of pollution of the airspace of the cities of the coastal zone of the Northwest Black Sea coast by specific specific impurities. Methods. Statistical and comparative analysis. Results. The level of atmospheric air pollution in the cities of the coastal zone of the North-Western Black Sea region: dust, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, phenol and hydrogen fluoride have been analyzed. Assessment of the level of pollution on the basis of the calculation of the air pollution index and the indicator of the maximum permissible pollution. A correlation analysis was used to assess the effect of carbon monoxide on formaldehyde content. In most cases, the relationship between the content of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde in the atmospheric air of Odessa is characterized as "average" (rxy = 0.4 - 0.6 - medium average , rxy = 0.6 - 0.8 - the connection is tight and high). It should also be noted that there are negative rxy values indicating the feedback and, consequently, the presence of additional sources of formaldehyde. Conclusions. The highest level of atmospheric air pollution is observed in all cities by the content of formaldehyde, the highest level of pollution for all impurities is observed in Odessa.

Identification conformity of wetlands biotopes of the Northwest of the Black Sea region

This publication presents the analysis of the mostly used international and Ukrainian classification systems for wetland areas performed for identification of different-type marsh biotopes of steppe rivers in the Northwest Black Sea Region. Among the classification systems, the most well-known are the Ramsar Classification System for Wetland Type (1971) and Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin et al., 1979). In these systems, valley marsh biotopes are identified as riverine and palustrine, non-tidal, unstable (perennial impounded and seasonal/intermittent) freshwater marshes on mineral rich soils predominantly covered by grasslike plants (rush, reedmace, sedge). The delta marshes of the Danube, Dniester and Dnieper are referred to as tidal brackish and freshwater marshes. According to Ukrainian classification systems for hygromorphic geosystem, marsh biotopes are regarded as mouth wetlands, which is peculiar to delta marsh areas of the Danube and Dnieper interfluve. Thus, riverbed marshes of small and medium-sized rivers are located in other areas and are usually met both in the lower (continuous marsh areas), middle (fragmented marsh mosaic), and upper (coastland) river flow areas, which is caused by an unstable watercourse rate and transforming of their riverbed parts into marsh sections covered by eurytopic wetland species.

TO THE QUESTION OF MODERN CHANGES OF CLIMATE OF NORTHWEST BLACK SEA REGION

Purpose. In recent years, climate indices, the majority of which belongs to the category of so-called «extreme indices», widely used in international practice for assessing global and regional climate changes. The purpose of this article is to identify the characteristics of climate change, the North-Western Black Sea region since the beginning of the twentieth century through the use of climate indices. Data & Methods. For the analysis and evaluation of the changes of climate of the North-west Black Sea region have used the series of monthly, seasonal and annual values of the most informative climate indices for weather station Odessa-GMO for the period 1900-2015 from the site of European Climate Assessment & Data (ECA&D) project. In total have used 22 indexes, 12 of which are temperature, 5 – precipitation, 5 – complex. Analysis and assessment of climate change made using the comparative–geographical, graph-analytical and statistical methods of analysis. Results. During 1900-2015 years according to observations at the meteorological station of Оdessa-GMO had been an increase both air temperatures and precipitation amount. In so doing in the long-term course of most of the indices manifested the periodicity of changes with the characteristic average size equal to 62-64 years. The most intensely during this period occurred raising the minimum air temperature. While the coefficient of linear trend of average annual air temperature (TG index) equals 1,23° C / 100 years, for the absolute annual minimum of air temperature (TNn index) this coefficient equals 2.97° C / 100 years. Since the late 70-ies of the last century has been a significant increase in the intensity of warming. In particular, over the last 35 years the average annual air temperature increased by 2° C, the annual minimum air temperature increased by 4° C, more than in 2 times there was an increase the number of «summer days», in 3.5 times increased number of «tropical nights», and in 1,5 times reduced the number of «frosty nights». It should also be emphasized that in the dynamic of precipitation amount over the last 35 years the monotonicity of changes, typical for the temperature indexes, is absent. In the seasonal aspect most intensive growth both of air temperature and precipitation as a whole for period under consideration is typical for winter, the least an intensive –for the summer, which led to a decrease in annual amplitude of air temperature and equalization of distribution within the year of precipitation amount, respectively. At the same time in the last 35 years against the background of a slight increase in summer precipitation significantly increased their intensity.

Quantitative SWOT analysis for prioritizing ecotourism-planning decisions in protected areas: Igneada case

ABSTRACTAs environmental problems and pressures on natural resources escalate, awareness building and efforts to protect natural areas have also became a major goal to ensure sustainability. Ecotourism is one of the major activities to protect natural and cultural resources, while also providing economic benefits to both local people and government. Successful ecotourism planning is a function of establishing sound goals and criteria. In this paper, we have presented the example of Igneada, Turkey, as a case to elaborate this point. Igneada a coastal town, located on the north-west Black Sea region of Turkey, was declared a national park in 2007. The park is well known for its longos forests (flooded), lagoons, endemic and endangered species, and wildlife. However, currently, unsustainable economic activities, overgrazing, and urbanization cause threats to its sensitive ecosystems. Promoting ecotourism is a sustainable approach to balance economic, social, and environmental aspects in the development of Igneada.The aim of this study is to define a set of ecotourism criteria and propose an ecotourism vision for Igneada. The methodology in this research involves field observations and a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis with an Analytical Hierarchy Process. A survey study is conducted with both local people and experts to define a framework to generate a priority ranking for ecotourism-planning decision. The research generated 5 main criteria and 14 subcriteria, among which ‘Proposal of Igneada in Turkey’s 2023 Tourism Strategy Plan’ was the highest ranked opportunity for ecotourism planning and development in the town.

Демембрация в погребальном обряде ингульской катакомбной культуры Северо-Западного Причерноморья

Демембрация в погребальном обряде ингульской катакомбной культуры Северо-Западного Причерноморья

Analysis of the Greek Amphorae Discovered in the Barrow no. 7 at Crihana Veche (Republic of Moldova)

The article presents an analysis of the amphora material from the excavation of grave no. 2 of the Scythian burial mound no. 7 near the village of Crihana Veche in the Republic of Moldova. In the burial mound of the local aristocrat, which was twice robbed in ancient times, along with the remnants of ornaments, weapons, and other objects used in the funeral ceremony, fragments of Greek amphorae were found (both in the burial and in the grave goods), which belonged to only one Greek center of production – Thasos. More than 27 Thasian amphorae in which expensive wine was brought in, as well as other ritual funerary objects, indicate that the man buried there had a special position in the local hierarchy. Also important for research are five amphora stamps on the handles of the Thasian amphorae, which confirm the dating of amphora fragments and indicate the exact sequence of activity of two Thasian magistrates, which previously did not have a basis of support. This funerary complex is singular for the fact that only Thasian amphorae of the same type were found in the burial (usually Heraclean amphorae were put in Scythian burials), which indicates the uniqueness of this complex in the territory between the Prut and Dniester Rivers, and the north-west Black Sea region as a whole.

Evolution and Petroleum Potential of the Pre-Dobrodian Foredeep, Northwest Black Sea Region

The pre-Dobrodian foredeep formed during the Paleozoic and early Triassic by some phases of crustal stretching. Throughout most of the Paleozoic, the area was dominated by relatively stable, shallow water shelf and/or lagoonal conditions, as indicated by the dominance of limestones, dolomites, shales, and evaporites. During the Permian and early Triassic, terrigenous, volcanic, and evaporitic series accumulated in individual, fault-controlled depocenters. Two phases of active contraction, regional uplift and folding, can be deduced from analysis of structural features. The southwestern part of the Dobrudian foredeep is characterized by the northeast-verging imbricate structures of the lower Prut and Tulcha zones which involve thick Paleozoic sequences. Variations in hydrocarbon generation, accumulation and retention in the Paleozoic rocks of the pre-Dobrudian foredeep result from repeated changes in its geodynamic setting. During the Late Paleozoic, conditions were favorable for petroleum generation in the Middle Devonian and Lower Carboniferous series in two areas located to the southwest and southeast of the foredeep. A second phase of hydrocarbon generation from these series occurred during the Permian and Triassic. Early Cretaceous contraction of the basin resulted in destruction of earlier hydrocarbon accumulations contained in Paleozoic reservoirs and development of new traps in Paleozoic strata. In the evaluationmore » of the hydrocarbon potential of the Dobrudian foredeep, trap preservation plays an important role. On the basis of hydrocarbon gas-geochemical surveys, it is assumed that seal integrity is better in the imbricated lower Prut zone than in other areas of the pre-Dobrudian foredeep. This suggests that the generally negative views on the poor prospectivity of this basin should be revised, particularly regarding the potential of Devonian and Carboniferous reservoirs which extend in an autochthonous position beneath the lower Prut and Tulcha thrust zones.« less

Microsatellite locus Ame17 polymorphism for round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) from Northwest Black Sea region

Aim. To identify the Ame17 polymorphic variants for round goby Neogobius melanostomus from Northwest Black Sea region. Methods. We determined polymorphism for 102 individuals of round goby. Genotyping was performed by PCR-analysis of Ame17 as described by Brown et al., 2008. The PCR-amplified DNA products were subjected to electrophoresis in 8 % polyacrylamide gel. Results. There have been identified 23 alleles. The range of repeat sizes was from 140 to 300 bp. The average heterozygosity was 0.76. Conclusions. There have been analyzed polymorphisms of Ame17 microsatellite locus for round goby from Northwest Black Sea region. The highest genetic diversity at Ame17 locus was observed for fish from the Gulf of Odessa. In terms of heterozygosity subpopulation of round goby from Bay Dzharylgach was significantly different from other localities.
 Keywords: round goby, polymorphism, microsatellite loci, Ame17.