Olkhon Island Research Articles

The Miocene Tagay locality of Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia) – a multidisciplinary approach

The Miocene Tagay locality of Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia) – a multidisciplinary approach

Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha (Mammalia) of the Miocene Tagay fauna (Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia): A preliminary report

The current paper is a preliminary attempt to describe the eulipotyphlan fauna from the Early/Middle Miocene (MN5) Tagay-1 locality. Our results reveal one hedgehog species, Parvericius cf. P. buk (Erinaceinae), one desman species, Desmaninae gen. et sp. indet. (Desmaninae), three mole species, Quyania sp., Urotrichini gen. et sp. indet. and Yanshuella cf. Y. primaeva, one Desmanodon species (Talpidae incertae sedis) and three shrew species, Plesiosorex sp., Heterosorex sp. and Miosorex sp. (Plesiosoricidae, Soricidae). Therefore, the Tagay fauna is composed of European, Asian and North American genera. The desman remains are very similar to Late Miocene representatives of European Archaeodesmana, and represent the first Miocene record of Desmaninae in northern Asia. Our small mammal assemblage of the Tagay-1 section allows us to confirm the earlier reconstruction of the local palaeoenvironmental conditions as linked habitats such as closed forest and open ecotonal habitats preferred by ground-dwelling hedgehogs, shrew moles and shrews, and subterranean groups such as digging moles. The presence of desmans indicates flowing waters and probably wetland areas that would also be the favoured habitat of shrews.

Cricetodontinae (Rodentia, Mammalia) of the Miocene Tagay fauna (Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia)

The collection of fossil Rodentia from the Miocene Tagay fauna comprises Aplodontidae, Mylagaulidae, Sciuridae, Gliridae, Castoridae, Eomyidae and Cricetodontinae. Represented by three taxa the Cricetodontinae dominate the rodent assemblage of the Tagay fauna. The fossils were collected by wet-screening of test samples along the section Tagay-1 at Tagay Bay of Olkhon Island. Here, we report on the medium-sized Democricetodon cf. lindsayi, the very small Democricetodon sp. and the large Gobicricetodon filippovi. The primitive dental pattern of D. cf. lindsayi and G. filippovi suggest archaic members of the genera, and an age around the Early/Middle Miocene transition.

Geology and lithology of the Tagay-1 section at Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia), and description of Aplodontidae, Mylagaulidae and Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia)

Excavations along the Tagay-1 section shed light into the composition of small mammal assemblages of the Tagay site. The present paper focuses on the geology and geomorphology of Olkhon Island, the lithology and fossil evidence along the Tagay-1 section and descriptions of the aplodontid, mylagaulid and sciurid rodents. The described fossils are isolated teeth of four taxa, Ansomys sp. (Aplodontidae), Lamugaulus olkhonensis Tesakov and Lopatin, 2015 (Mylagaulidae), Sciuridae indet. and Spermophilinus debruijni nov. spec. (Sciuridae). The archaic tooth pattern of these rodents suggests an age around the Early/Middle Miocene transition.

The northernmost Eurasian Miocene beavers: Euroxenomys (Castoridae, Mammalia) from Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal (Eastern Siberia)

The castorid dental material described in this paper derives from Miocene, fossiliferous deposits of the Baikal rift valley, exposed at Tagay Bay on Olkhon Island in the Lake Baikal, in eastern Siberia. It consists of maxillary fragments and isolated upper and lower teeth of the small trogontheriine beaver Euroxenomys minutus (von Meyer, 1838). It is the first record of the species in Asia and at the same time the northernmost occurrence of Eurasian Miocene beavers. The magnetostratigraphic correlation of the Tagay -1 section, indicates a late Burdigalian, Early/early Middle Miocene age of ~16.5 to ~16.3 Ma that corresponds to the Mammalian Neogene zone MN4/5. The presence of E. minutus in Tagay is an indicator for an Orleanian European-Siberian bioprovince during the Mid-Miocene Climate Optimum, and for a continuous belt of humid, warm-temperate to subtropical forests, stretching from Europe to Siberia, and probably further to East and South-Eastern Asia. In Eurasia, beaver remains are an indicator of permanent water bodies, which is in agreement with the palaeoenvironment of the Tagay locality.

Gliridae and Eomyidae (Rodentia) of the Miocene Tagay fauna (Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia)

The small mammals Myomiminae indet. (Gliridae), Leptodontomys cf. gansus Zheng and Li, 1982 (Eomyidae) and the new species Keramidomys sibiricus nov. spec. (Eomyidae) are described. They were collected from six layers of the middle to upper part of the Tagay-1 section on Olkhon Island. The glirid Myomiminae indet. is represented by only a few isolated teeth, the small eomyid Leptodontomys cf. gansus by a mandible with two teeth, and the second small eomyid Keramidomys sibiricus nov. spec. by several isolated teeth and a mandible. The ancestral tooth characteristics of Keramidomys sibiricus nov. spec. indicate an early evolutionary stage of Keramidomys in Asia. The suggested age of the assemblage is Early/Middle Miocene transition.

Assessment of soil pollution level using environmental indices in the Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia: primary data

ABSTRACT This work is dedicated to the study of ecological and geochemical state of mountain-stepper landscapes of the OlkhonIsland, LakeBaikal, which are influenced by modern human-caused impact. The main goal of our research is the assessment of the soil pollution level caused by entry of heavy metals into soil cover. We studied the distribution of toxic elements such as Hg, As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, which is based on atomic absorption and X-ray fluorescence methodology. To evaluate the contamination of the soils examined, we appliedgeoecological indices used in ecological-geochemical assessment such as enrichment factor, contamination factor, degree of the contamination and pollution load index were applied. During the research, we made the following conclusions. The tests revealed the elevated contents of Cd, Co, Pb, Ni, Zn in the soils examined. Namely, the degree of the contamination for the mean metal contents in all five profiles (A, B, C, D, E) indicated moderate pollution level of the environment. The pollution load index for all profiles denoted that C profile was heavily polluted; A, B, D and E profiles were moderately polluted. Thus, the obtained primary results indicated the moderate soil pollution level at all profiles in the island. Finally, we emphasise that the increase of the contribution of metals from the anthropogenic sources in soils plays an important role in the environment of the island.

About the Deep Earth's Crust Structure by Earthquake Hypocenters in the Region of Olkhon Island

The aseismic structure identified by the analysis of seismicity in the region of Olkhon Island which is associated with the central part of the Shebarta complex, composed of metamorphic rocks. The effect of subsidence of the seismically active layer under Olkhon Island is observed, and it rises to the center of the Baikal depression.

«ЗЕЛЕНЫЕ» ГОРОДА В СИБИРИ: КОНЦЕПЦИИ И МЕТОДЫ АНАЛИЗА

The aim of this article is to represent in the systematic manner the conceptual approaches and methods of economic analysis for practice of realizing the idea of green cities in Siberia with purpose for solving problems concerning decarbonisation of Russian economy. Critical review of actual tendencies provides five conceptual approaches - low-carbon development, carbon neutrality, “net zero”, deep decapbonisation and ‘zero’ carbon development. In correspondence with these concepts there are elaborated new modes of spatial development - green cites, eco-villages, sustainable agglomerations, etc. Project analysis appears to be in demand for proper economic evaluation of ecological consequences for development of such areas, e.g. eco-village in Olkhon island and “green” city Baykalsk in Siberia.

Cladocera species (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) in the littoral zone of Lake Baikal: some representatives of Daphniidae families

Brief morphological descriptions of new Cladocera taxa (Daphniidae): Daphnia (Daphnia) turbinata Sars, 1903; Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) sinensis Gu, Xu, Li, Dumont et Han 2013, found in Lake Baikal are presented. The representatives of these taxa inhabit the littoral zone of the lake and Olkhon Island. Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) sinensis were encountered in the water bodies in the south of Eastern Siberia for the first time.

Problems of tourism infrastructure development (on the example of Olkhon Island)

In this article we consider the main problems associated with the anthropogenic load and underdeveloped tourist infrastructure on Olkhon Island. Large numbers of tourists arrive on the island uncontrollably, complicating the operation of transport infrastructure and putting pressure on the landscape. In this regard, there is a need to develop a way to control the tourist flow. Olkhon Island is a protected area, the natural resources of which are protected by many laws and restrictions. At the same time, restricting tourist entry is not possible due to the fact that tourism is the main way for many residents to earn money. In this article, a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the tourist infrastructure on Olkhon Island is made, the main problems are identified, and promising approaches and possible solutions are outlined. We considered the main methods for registering tourists, which are used both in the Russian Federation and in tourist centres in many countries. It was proposed to create an electronic resource that will not only provide up-to-date information about Baikal, Olkhon Island and tourist services, but also allow electronic registration of tourists in this area.

ArchBukhta. Teleportation-2021, Art-Residence "Port Olkhon"

The 15th All-Russian architectural festival “ArchBukhta. Teleportation” was held on Olkhon Island from 10 to 15 March. More than one hundred people from seven regions of Russia, from the first organizers to first-year students, took part in the competition. The article formulates the main idea of the Festival – to create art objects from local materials. The article also presents the results of the Festival: 20 art objects arranged on the territory of the Art Residence “Port Olkhon”. Five of them received prizes.

Management of Recreational Impacts on Landscapes of Olkhon Island

Management of Recreational Impacts on Landscapes of Olkhon Island

Assessment of metal pollution and subsequent ecological risk in the coastal zone of the Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia

Olkhon Island is the largest island in Lake Baikal and a part of Baikal National Park, Russia. The first objective of this study is to establish relationships between the particle size of accumulating sediments and their elemental composition, as well as the concentrations of heavy metals (Hg, Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn). The second goal is to completely assess the contamination level and to identify the possible sources of heavy metals using geochemical indices, including enrichment (EF) and contamination (Cf) factors, contamination degree (Cd), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), and pollution load index (PLI). The results obtained are summarized as follows. Heavy metal pollution in the coastal zone of Olkhon Island ranged from moderate to significant levels for Hg, As, Cd, Pb, and Cu. The EF and Igeo indices showed that Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cu sources were more likely to be anthropogenic, whereas the As, Cr, Co, Ni, and Zn sources were similar to crustal sources. Thus, Hg, Cd, and Pb are the main pollutants in the study area and pose high ecological risks. Pearson correlation analysis indicated high positive correlations between Pb and Hg (0.741), As and Cd (0.730), and Cd and Pb (0.803), and strong positive correlations among Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Fe. This can reflect the same source and migration pathway, either crustal or anthropogenic. However, it does not indicate that Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn have anthropogenic origins because these metals are linked with FeMn deposits. These findings could contribute to a more effective investigation of relationships between heavy metals and their sources. We emphasize that Hg, Cd, and Pb could rise to dangerous levels. These reliable results allow us to use our study as a model for studies relating to heavy metal contamination in different areas.

Народное деревянное зодчество ольхонского побережья озера Байкал

The purpose of the work is to study the features and typology of monuments of traditional folk wooden architecture in settlements on the shores of Lake Baikal, located in the western part of the lake on Olkhon Island. The study of the folk wooden architectural heritage in the coastal settlements was carried out in preparation for the development of the “Standard for the planning and development of the Baikal settlements”. Based on collected historical descriptions and materials of two historical and architectural surveys by specialists of the Irkutsk State Technical University at the end of the 20th century, an overview of the main characteristics and features of the traditional dwellings of Russian peasants and Buryat families who led a semi-nomadic lifestyle has been made. As a result of the work, the most ancient space-planning types of Russian folk dwellings in settlements on the Olkhon coast of Lake Baikal were identified. The descriptions of the three most common types of traditional Russian dwellings in this area were made –klet houses, link-up houses, and five-walled houses. Information about the rapid change in the traditional Buryat dwelling is presented: the transition from felt yurts to wooden yurts, and then to a winter Buryat dwelling of the Russian type. The importance of summer migrations and, accordingly, summer settlements –letniks– in the organization of pasture cattle breeding, land use, and preservation of the semi-nomadic way of life of the Buryats was revealed. It is concluded that the main types of folk dwellings in the settlements of the Olkhon coast changed during the 18th-19th centuries. The development of the forms of the Buryat folk dwelling proceeded most intensively. The evolution of the forms of traditional dwelling of both Russian peasants and Buryat families in the settlements of the Olkhonsky coast of Lake Baikal was part of the general process of the development of traditional folk dwellings throughout the Upper Angara region, including the Balagan steppe and the traditional settlements of the Upper Lena.

ШНУРОВАЯ КЕРАМИКА ИЗ АРХЕОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ОБЪЕКТОВ КУДИНСКОЙ ДОЛИНЫ (ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ ФОНДОВ ИОКМ И ПОЛЕВЫХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ 2020 Г.)

The Kuda river valley is a steppe region located to the west of Lake Baikal. It is a natural corridor that connects the valleys of the Angara and Lena rivers. Therefore, the study of cultural processes that took place there in ancient times is important for understanding the picture of the past of the entire Baikal Siberia. One of the most widespread categories of archaeological material is a fragment of ceramic vessels, among which the vessels with cord marking on the outside of the body stand out. In 2020, as a result of excavation work at the Kapsal-6 site (in the middle reaches of the Kuda River), the remains of at least 3 ceramic vessels were recorded, decorated with a combination of cord marking, pasted on rollers and imprints. The parameters of the artifacts made it possible to reconstruct the preliminary dimensions of the pottery, to reveal a number of points in the technology of its production. In addition, a preliminary dating has been established - the late Bronze Age of the 10th - 7th centuries BC, based on analogies with materials from the Tyshkine III station on Olkhon Island. Keywords: ceramic, cord marking, bands, station, cultural layer

Prospects for population genetic studies of cosmopolitan freshwater sponges of the Spongillidae family in Lake Baikal

Abstract. Cosmopolitan freshwater sponges inhabit Lake Baikal. They are of great interest for carrying out population genetic studies. Microsatellite markers are best suited for population genetic studies of sponges. To date, no markers have been developed for the species Ephydatia muelleri that is widespread in Lake Baikal and found across the northern hemisphere. In the course of this study, a search was carried out for microsatellite markers in the previously published complete genome of E.muelleri. The most promising microsatellite loci were selected among those found in the genome data. Selected loci were tested on E.muelleri DNA samples. A set of 11 specific variable microsatellite markers was developed and tested for further population genetic studies of E.muelleri. Also, the Maloye More Strait area of Lake Baikal was surveyed to determine the sites of mass accumulation of the Spongilliadae family representatives. An analysis of the species composition of cosmopolitan sponges was carried out for Site 1 (Olkhon Island). Two species were identified: E.muelleri (72%) and Spongilla lacusris (18%).

Святыни Утайшаня как объект изучения буддийского наследия

Introduction. In Buddhist religious practice, Wutaishan as a symbol of the five sacred mountains of China has long enjoyed fame among pilgrims as a holiest place in East and Central Asia subsequent to Lhasa (Tibet). The article considers the sacred objects of Wutaishan and features of veneration of Buddhist objects by pilgrims (including representatives of Mongolic peoples). Goals. The work focuses on contemporary local forms of Buddhist worship observed during visits to religious sites of Wutaishan, and identifies the general and specific features of such practices. Materials and Methods. The paper primarily analyzes the author’s field materials collected in the course of his 2019 journey to the Wutaishan Buddhist religious and pilgrimage center (Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China). The comparative analysis conducted involves traditional religious ideas of Mongolic peoples and the Buryats proper. The work employs the descriptive method, historical-comparative analysis, and the method of participant observation. Results. Nowadays, the opening of borders has resulted in that various objects — including religious ones, and particularly special places of worship — have become available for visits and inspections by representatives of traditional religious practices. According to the Buryat cultural and historical traditions, such places include sacred objects both in the territory of ethnic Buryatia (e.g., Olkhon Island and Mount Alkhanay), and in neighboring states (Gandantegchinlen Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Lhasa and Wutaishan in China, etc.). The primary study reveals certain historical ties between the sacred mountains of Wutaishan and other sacred sites in East and North Asia, and their religious-mythological parallels. The religious tradition says these objects (especially from the Yuan era onwards) have had great impacts on the development of Buddhism in the context of Mongolic ethnocultural traditions.

Network Platform for Tourism Sector: Transformation and Interpretation of Multifaceted Data

Modern network science has become a prominent concept, attracting diverse scientific societies to solve a wide spectrum of theoretical and practical problems. Tourism is a sphere wherein the outlines of the network’s scope are distinct. In the study, the network approach was applied in its dual form for both network-like regional tourism data (NLRTD) and network-unlike regional tourism data (NURTD), to explore the tourism destination of Baikal natural territory, Russia, in regard to the challenges of the general sustainability of regional socio-ecological systems. The aim of the study is to elaborate a comprehensive network platform to harmonize such complex and fragile systems as Baikal natural territory. Saturated with networking ideology, the approach spans a huge set of interacting social, technological and ecological elements of the comprehensive system in order to support its functionality and sustainability in general. Particularly, the paper utilizes data from interviews done in Olkhon island (2017–2018), and publicly available textual, spatial and temporal data. NLRTD with pertinent networkization procedures was utilized in transportation schemes, while the NURTD concept implies the networkalization of landscape and land use maps. The platform provides researchers and stakeholders with concentrated information which might be not only effectively processed, but also intelligible, and correctly compared and implemented in contiguous spheres.

Ancient Iron-Smelting Site “East Hungai” on Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal, Russia): Rock-Magnetic Approach to Archaeological Problems

Rock-magnetic techniques were used to examine topsoil layer over the “East Hungai” archaeological site on Olkhon Island (Lake Baikal, Siberia) in an effort to determine the possible sources of magnetic anomalies associated with iron smelting activity at about the BC/AD boundary. Measurements of surface and subsurface magnetic susceptibility and laboratory measurements of hysteretic parameters have shown a magnetic heterogenity of strata resulted from the interaction of two factors: the initial differentiation of the bedrock source material and the high intensity of the sedimentary process that contributed to significant desintegration of bedrock and to easy transporting of the disintegrated products. Because bedrock on the east and west sides of the valley are different, the distribution of magnetic susceptibility over the excavation area is rather complex. Nevertheless, susceptibility anomalies corresponding to ore preparation and ore storage zones could be recognized. Most likely East Hungai site was used during prospecting works and trial iron smelting in promising places, which testifies the remarkable activity of ancient metallurgists on the western shore of Lake Baikal