Part Of Plain Research Articles

Semi-empirical model of the spatiotemporal surface temperature distribution on the plain part of Ukraine

The spatial variation of temperature is found to depend linearly on climate continentality, morphology of the relief, the position of the site with respect to seas, in addition to the usual elevation, latitude and longitude predictors. There are other factors that can have an additional significant influence: big bodies of water, terrain attributes relief, atmospheric factors (local circulation), configuration and aspect of coasts and vegetation. Therefore, these multifactorial influences form the climatic field of temperature.
 In this study, the regional semi—empirical model of the spatiotemporal distribution of the average annual and monthly temperature for the plain part of Ukraine on the basis of the methodology for assessing the influence of height above sea level and geographic coordinates is proposed. Based on the method for determining the altitudinal, latitudinal, and longitudinal gradients of meteorological parameters, we calculated these gradients for annual and monthly air surface temperature for the periods 1961—1990 and 1991—2020.
 Thus, on the plain part of Ukraine, the annual surface air temperature decreases by an average on 0.60—0.63 °C with a shift of 100 m height above sea level, on 0.51—0.55 °C with a shift of one latitude degree to the north, on 0.067—0.071 °C with a shift of one longitude degree to the east. Also, the variations of these annual mean temperature gradients from year to year over the period 1991—2020 are characteristic.
 The seasonal variation of gradients has a pronounced non—monotonic character: highest values of altitudinal gradientare typical for July—August (from –0.63 to –0.73 °C per 100 m), and the lowest values — for April—May (from –0.45 to –0.55 °C per 100 m); highest values of latitudinal gradient are typical for August—September (from –0.60 to –0.70 °С per 1 °N), and the lowest values — for April—May (from –0.20 to –0.35 °С per 1° N); the longitudinal gradients have positive values in June—August (0.074—0.128 °C per 1° E), and negative values in November—March (from –0.228 to –0.154 °C per 1° E).
 We found that the altitudinal and latitudinal gradients of temperature have the most spatiotemporal variability and the longitudinal gradient has the smallest one. Greatest variabilities of temperature gradient values are typical for February—March and July—September, and the least variability — for April—May.
 The analysis of the dynamics of gradient changes in the period 1991—2020 compared to the period 1961—1991 showed the following: the altitudinal gradientvalues increased by 8—13 %. in January and March—May; the latitudinal gradient values increased by ~30 % in December—February and decreased by ~20 % in May—August.
 The proposed semi—empirical model contains a coefficient that takes into account influence of additional effects associated with pronounced orographic and other terrain features. This study presents the numerical values of this coefficient for some specific microclimate regions of the plain part of Ukraine.
 The model estimates of thirty—year monthly mean temperature in Ukraine for the periods 1961—1990 and 1991—2020was calculated. A comparison of the model estimates of of the average annual and monthly temperature for 72 meteostations in Ukraine with their actual values showed a statistically significant correlation (the reliability of the linear approximation is 0.89—0.98). Thus, the presented design of the semi-empirical model makes it possible to quite well restore the annual and monthly temperature on the territory of Ukraine

Enrichment of Manganese at Low Background Level Groundwater Systems: A Study of Groundwater from Quaternary Porous Aquifers in Changping Region, Beijing, China

Manganese (Mn) could adversely affect water quality and is a concern for drinking water safety. In contrast to Mn-contaminated groundwater systems, Mn concentrations can increase up to 2 orders of magnitude in low background level groundwater systems (Mn < 100 µg/L). It is interesting to explore related hydrogeological and hydrochemical processes and controlling mechanisms. Our data showed that Mn of groundwater from Quaternary porous aquifers in the Changping region of Beijing in China varied from 0.02 to 522 µg/L, with an average of 45 µg/L. The high Mn concentration (>100 µg/L) in groundwater occurred in the lower plain, while the low Mn concentration was distributed in the upper plain. Association was not obvious between the Mn concentration and the depth of the groundwater. The water–rock interaction (e.g., dissolution of Mn-bearing minerals) and redox reactions dominated the distribution of Mn in groundwater. Particularly, the reduction of Mn4+ was a major cause of increasing Mn2+ concentration in groundwater. This is further evidenced by declining dissolved oxygen (DO) and NO3 in groundwater from the upper plain to the lower plain part. This study contributes to further understandings of hydrochemical processes for the enrichment of Mn in groundwater and offers a reference for the management and oversight of groundwater containing an excessive Mn level.

Assessing the geochemical processes controlling groundwater quality and their possible effect on human health in Patna, Bihar.

This research was conducted in the urban area of Patna region, the capital and largest city of Bihar, which is part of the Indo-Gangetic alluvium plain. This study aims to identify the sources and processes controlling groundwater's hydrochemical evolution in the Patna region's urban area. In this research, we evaluated the interplay between several measures of groundwater quality, the various possible causes of groundwater pollution, and the resulting health risks. Twenty groundwater samples were taken from various locations and examined to determine the water quality. The average EC of the groundwater in the investigated area was 728 ± 331.84 µS/cm, with a range of around 300-1700 µS/cm. Positive loadings were seen for total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), and sulphate (SO42-) in principal component analysis (PCA), demonstrating that these variables accounted for 61.78% of the total variance. In the groundwater samples, the following main cations are the most prevalent such as Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+, while the dominant anions are HCO3- > Cl- > SO42-. The elevated HCO3- and Na+ ions indicate that carbonate mineral dissolution might affect the study area. The result demonstrated that 90% of samples fall into the Ca-Na-HCO3 type, remaining in the mixing zone. The presence of the NaHCO3 kind of water is suggestive of shallow meteoric water, which may have originated from the river Ganga that is located nearby. The results show that a multivariate statistical analysis and graphical plots successfully identify the parameters controlling groundwater quality. In accordance with guidelines for safe drinking water, the electrical conductivity and potassium ion concentrations in the groundwater samples are 5% higher than acceptable levels. People who take large amounts of salt replacements report feeling tight in the chest, vomiting, having diarrhoea, developing hyperkalaemia, having trouble breathing, and even experiencing heart failure.

Aeolian processes on the outwash plain in the Oświęcim Basin, southern Poland

Abstract This article presents the results of studies on aeolian processes in the Oświęcim Basin in southern Poland. There are only a few large dunes in the western part (Woszczyce area) of the vast area of the Basin (about 1800 km2), and several dozen small forms (1–3 m high) in the central part (Świerczyniec area) All these forms are located on the outwash plain from the Odra Glaciation – dunes in the proximal part of sandur and small forms in the distal part. Grain size indices were determined for all samples taken at 17 sites, and quartz grain abrasion was examined using mechanical graniformametric and morphoscopic methods. The study found that the fluvioglacial deposits are not very diverse in grain size but significantly differentiated in terms of the degree of aeolization. In the proximal part of the outwash plain, deposits are characterized by very poor abrasion of quartz grains, two-three times worse than those from the distal part. Aeolian sands, in terms of grain size, do not differ essentially from fluvioglacial deposits, and in the distal part of sandur, there are no differences in the abrasion of the quartz grains. Conversely, in the proximal part, there was a significant increase in the degree of aeolization of the dune deposits compared to the source fluvioglacial deposits.

Protected areas in the Stara planina tourist region – current state and prospects for tourism development

Abstract Bulgaria is a country with an extremely diverse nature. Unlike a number of European countries, Bulgarian nature is relatively well preserved. For the purposes of its protection, a network of protected areas was created, which occupy 5.3% of the country’s territory. Bulgaria also participates in a number of international initiatives, which put about 1/3 of the territory of Bulgaria under protection of the natural environment. According to the Protected areas Act in Bulgaria, 6 categories are distinguished - national parks, natural parks, reserves, maintained reserves, protected localities, natural attractions. Among them, important resources for the development of tourism are national parks, natural parks, protected localities and natural attractions. They represent unique sites for the development of alternative forms of tourism such as ecological, cultural-cognitive, route-cognitive tourism, etc. On the other hand, reserves and maintained reserves prohibit tourism activities. The network of protected areas is unevenly developed throughout the country. It is better represented in the mountainous areas, and in the plain parts of the country it is more limited due to the strong anthropogenic changes and the pressure from various human activities. In connection with the preserved nature, the mountains are preferred sites for tourism. The contribution of the protected areas in this regard is significant. Stara planina tourist region is among the country’s tourist areas with well-defined mountainous characteristics. This is an important prerequisite both for the preservation of nature and for the formation of a suitable environment for recreation and tourism, and the mentioned directions are mutually bound. The purpose of this article is to valorize the protected areas in Stara Planina tourist region and to highlight the possibilities for their current and future use for the development of tourism.

Metagenome based analysis of groundwater from arsenic contaminated sites of West Bengal revealed community diversity and their metabolic potential

The study of microbial community in groundwater systems is considered to be essential to improve our understanding of arsenic (As) biogeochemical cycling in aquifers, mainly as it relates to the fate and transport of As. The present study was conducted to determine the microbial community composition and its functional potential using As-contaminated groundwater from part of the Bengal Delta Plain (BDP) in West Bengal, India. Geochemical analyses indicated low to moderate dissolved oxygen (0.42-3.02 mg/L), varying As (2.5-311 µg/L) and Fe (0.19-1.2 mg/L) content, while low concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon (TIC), nitrate, and sulfate were detected. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum, while the indiscriminate presence of an array of archaeal phyla, Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, etc., was noteworthy. The core community members were affiliated to Sideroxydans, Acidovorax, Pseudoxanthomonas, Brevundimonas, etc. However, diversity assessed over multiple seasons indicated a shift from Sideroxydans to Pseudomonas or Brevundimonas dominant community, suggestive of microbial response to seasonally fluctuating geochemical stimuli. Taxonomy-based functional potential showed prospects for As biotransformation, methanogenesis, sulfate respiration, denitrification, etc. Thus, this study strengthened existing reports from this region by capturing the less abundant or difficult-to-culture taxa collectively forming a major fraction of the microbial community.

Decrypting the stream periphyton physical habitat of recently deglaciated floodplains

The rapid recession of glaciers is exposing large zones to the development of embryonic phototrophic ecosystems and eventual ecological succession. Traditionally, succession patterns in glacial forefields have been seen as a response to time since deglaciation, but nowadays forefield exposure is so rapid that this theory may be less applicable. In this succession process, periphyton are potential pioneer organisms because of their role in modifying the local environment (e.g. access to water) to create conditions conducive to plant colonization. In this paper, we aim to decrypt the physical properties of the habitats that define the spatial and temporal assemblage of periphyton during the melt-season of an Alpine temperate glacier in the context of rapid climate change. We show that periphyton develop in glacial floodplains throughout the melt-season and could extend to cover significant surfaces. However, development is only possible when the combined conditions of stability and water accessibility are met. In glacial floodplains, stable zones exist and are typically located on terraces; but they can also be locally found for much shorter periods in the more active, glacial-stream reworked zone. On terraces, water accessibility can be a limit due to well-drained sediments, but when present, often aided by the role that biofilms play in creating an impermeable layer, it provides a stable and clear water source that biofilms could exploit. In the active part of the braid plain, whilst water availability is very high, the water is harsh (low temperature, high turbidity) and erosive. Therein, periphyton can rapidly exploit short windows of opportunity but the habitat conditions rarely remain stable for long enough for continuous periphyton cover to develop. Thus, the role of periphyton in ecosystem succession is strongly conditioned by the spatial extent of the active zone, itself a function of high rates of glacier melt and sediment supply associated with rapid glacier retreat.

New Data on the Distribution of Southern Forests for the West Siberian Plain during the Late Pleistocene: A Paleoentomological Approach

Subfossil remains of insects and branchiopod crustaceans (Cladocera and Notostraca) found in three late Pleistocene deposits in the Novosibirsk region in the vicinity of the village of Suzun have been described. The calibrated radiocarbon dates for these deposits were 24,893–25,966 cal BP (Suzun-1), 20,379–20,699 cal BP (Suzun-2), and 27,693–28,126 cal BP (Nizhny Suzun), which correspond to the onset of marine isotope stage 2 (MIS 2). The insect assemblages of these deposits are mainly represented by Coleoptera, which are noteworthy for high taxonomic and ecological diversity. At least 194 beetle species from 21 families have been found altogether. Of them, 74 species were found in the Pleistocene deposits of Western Siberia for the first time. All deposits were similar in species composition of beetles; Carabidae and Curculionidae prevailed everywhere. The ecological composition was dominated by steppe and tundra-steppe species; aquatic and riparian groups were also well represented. The Cladoceran and notostracan taxa revealed in Suzun-1 and Suzun-2 are characteristic of recent steppes rather than the forest zone of Western Siberia. The studied entomocomplexes are congruent with the periglacial “Otiorhynchus-type” fauna that inhabited the southern part of the West Siberian Plain at the end of the Pleistocene and had no close contemporary analogues. Cold and dry conditions, as well as the prevailing open landscapes of the tundra-steppe type, were the reconstructed conditions for this fauna. At the same time, the Suzun-1 and Suzun-2 entomocomplexes had a distinctive feature, namely a high proportion of forest species associated with both coniferous and deciduous trees. According to these data, at the beginning of MIS 2 in the Upper Ob region, spruce forests with the participation of small-leaved species (birch) were present. They were probably confined to river valleys and were not widely distributed.

Duna menti homoki gyepek domináns Festuca fajainak beltartalmi értékei (előzetes tanulmány)

There is a very old practice of grazing livestock in Hungary. Plants of the pastures are the most valuable feed for grazing animals. Supplementation of feed rations with fibre improves the saturation of the digestive tract, resulting in calmer animals and improved animal welfare. Grasses of pastures can be a useful supplement as they contain a lot of digestible fibre. Our purpose was to find out the grassland management values of sandy grasslands dominated by Festuca species along the Danube. We carried out cutting samples along the Danube, from the north-western part of the Little Hungarian Plain, through the sandy plains of the Carpathian Basin, Serbia, Romanian Plain to Bulgaria. The cut samples were analysed in the laboratory of MATE based on Weende analysis. The original dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and crude fibre content, as well as the measurement of fibre fractions (NDF, ADF, ADL) were analysed. The results showed that absolute dry matter, crude fibre and NDF contents were high in all samples. The five samples of Festuca species analysed showed significant differences in dry matter and crude fibre. Festuca wagneri had the highest dry matter content. The highest crude protein content was found in samples of Festuca vaginata, Festuca wagnerii and Festuca rupicola, but the highest crude fibre content was found in samples of Festuca tomanii.

Построение регулярного поля скоростей Tашкентского региона на основе интерполяции данных ГНСС пунктов

The Republic of Uzbekistan is actively developing a network of stations of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which is an integral part of the country’s national spatial data infrastructure. Particular attention in the republic has recently been paid to the practical use of the results of GNSS measurements and geoinformation security in areas with increased seismic hazard, especially near man-caused objects. The paper considers the territory of the Tashkent region—one of the most seismically active regions of the republic. GNSS measurements are often sparse and unevenly distributed, and to refine the “block” or “continuous” tectonic models and identify patterns of modern movements in this area, a spatial velocity model is needed, which can be obtained by interpolating discrete points to the remaining area not covered by measurements. The work used measurements at 14 GNSS points for the period from 2018 to 2020. Point velocities or the so-called velocity model obtained in the GAMIT/GLOBK program made it possible to estimate horizontal point velocities, the range of which varies from 21 mm/yr to 33 mm/yr. With respect to the “stable” Eurasian tectonic plate, the values of local displacements of the area were also calculated, which can be both a consequence of the movement of microblocks and the influence of technogenic factors (mining in the area of the Angren and Almalyk points). To obtain a continuous distribution field of the horizontal velocities of the region, the method of coupled interpolation of two-dimensional vectors of the velocity field was used, implemented in the GMT (Generic Mapping Tools) program. It was found that according to the geological data of the region, the interpolation method quite accurately allows to determine the main trends in the movements of the earth’s crust in the region. A rotational movement along the Karzhantau, Kumbel and Chatkal tectonic plates has been revealed. The values of horizontal displacements of points reached a minimum value of 3 mm in the plain part, and maximum values of up to 10 mm were noted in the mountainous areas of the region. The average velocity of stations in the region was 4 mm/year.

О демографической ситуации на Тамбовщине в эпоху средневековья

Importance. The main source of information about demographic processes that took place in the Middle Ages on the territory of modern Tambov region and adjacent territories is archaeological research. Almost to the present time, the Upper Don region and the Oka-Don plain remained a white spot on the medieval archaeological map. Only in recent decades has the source base been significantly expanded. Monuments of the first half of the first millennium of the new era belonging to the circle of Early Slavic antiquities were identified; studies of the monuments of the Don Slavs, the Old Russian time, the nomadic circle were carried out. The purpose of the study was to identify the directions of settlement of the Oka-Don plain in the Middle Ages, its dynamics, ethnic composition, contacts of the new population with the autochthonous. Materials and methods. The principle of historicism, the comparative typological method and the principle of objectivity. Both general and special methods of historical cognition were used. The dating of archaeological materials and their belonging to a certain ethnic group was determined by studying ceramics and a few individual finds. Results and Discussion. The territory of modern Tambov region, as part of the Oka-Don plain, has always been attractive due to its natural and climatic features not only for nomadic peoples, but also for settled tribes. Due to various factors, such as the Great Migration of peoples, periodic invasions of nomads, the disintegration of individual archaeological cultures, the demographic situation in the Middle Ages was extremely unstable. Residents of many settlements were forced to change their place of residence, or try to coexist with nomads. Conclusion. Conclusions are drawn about the diversity of ethnic groups in the Tambov region due to the presence of cultural finds, remnants of dwellings, burials in places of existence of various cultures. The novelty of the conducted research lies in the chronological systematization of the stages of life and activity of the peoples who lived in the first millennium on the territory of the modern Tambov region. Their ancestral and cultural ties, lifestyle and territorial movements for various reasons have become objects of study using archaeological methods, which has allowed us to expand our knowledge of the ancient history of the region. Further attention to the famous monuments and the discovery of new ones on the territory of the Oka-Don plain will allow us to study in more detail the demographic situation in the Middle Ages in this territory.

Quantifying the contribution of ecological water replenishment on aquifer recovery using a refined groundwater model.

Due to its independent control and directly easy operation, ecological water replenishment (EWR) has been an important measure for restoring river ecosystems. However, the positive and negative contribution of the EWR activities to aquifer system are not fully understood under the combined influences of climate change and human activities across time scales. A refined groundwater flow model integrating an open channel flow at daily time scales is developed in a part of Northern China Plain to reproduce the dynamic process of groundwater level changes. After model calibration with groundwater level and runoff data, the changes of simulated groundwater level and river runoff have the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.98 and 0.60, respectively. Results clearly demonstrate that the impulse response of aquifer recovery to runoff in three centralized EWRs. By using with and without EWR method, the simulated maximum contribution of EWR near river to aquifer recovery may be over 70 %. Scenario analysis method considering different precipitation, groundwater exploitation reduction and EWR activities are applied to evaluate the total quantities of aquifer recovery. The prediction of nine-year EWR activities under multiple scenarios shows that the increased groundwater level generally varies from 4.08 to 8.57 m, and the contribution of EWR accounts for 7.88 %-36.59 %. It is also noticed that 14 out of the 18 informal landfill sites will face potential groundwater pollution risks, indicating the negative influences of long-term EWR activities. This study can provide a method for quantifying the influences and contribution of EWR on aquifer recovery and can be referred to as a guideline for EWR evaluation with similar hydrogeological conditions.

Soft Sediment Deformation Structures in the Sediment Deposits of Ganga River and Its Oxbow Lakes in Parts of Indo-Gangetic Plain: Implications for Quake Proxies and Paleoseismicity Tracking

The Late Quaternary thick sedimentary fills of the Ganga basin predominantly consist of unconsolidated fluvial sandy deposits which are often intercalated with mud. These deposits at various places record the evidence of earthquakes, which occurred in the recent geological past. The evidence is contained and manifested in the form of Soft Sediment Deformation Structures (SSDSs). Saturated sediments/muds/soils are liquefied by earthquake tremors which either generate SSDS or produce structural discordance in the pre-existing sedimentary structures. The present study reports the occurrence of SSDS, e.g. load and associated flame structures, clastic dikes and sill structures, slump structures and sedimentary breccias, etc. from the Ganga River and adjacent oxbow lake sediment deposits. An attempt has been made to establish the origin of soft sediment structures of this region in accordance with its neotectonic history and in turn, identification of seismic structural proxies to delineate paleoseismic events in this region with futuristic implications. The preservation of soft sediment deformation structures in large numbers with multiple geomorphology and scale, in the river and adjoining lake sediments, is indicative of frequent earthquakes of high magnitude consequent to tectonic activism in the Himalayan region.

Cyanobacteria of Ukraine: Actual Diversity, Trends of Taxonomic Changes, Features of Zonal and Ectopic Distribution

Presenting the results of a critical taxonomic revision of the list of cyanobacteria of Ukraine and the analysis of their zonal, ecological and typological distribution. The list includes 766 species from 150 genera. They belong to the class <i>Cyanophyceae</i> Schaftner, four subclasses, 7 orders and 46 families. The subclass <i>Oscillatoriophycideae</i> (4 orders, 21 families, 65 genera, 333 species) is characterized by the greatest species and taxonomic diversity. The leading orders are <i>Synechococcales</i> (34.1%), <i>Nostocales</i> (26.8%) and <i>Oscillatoriales</i> (25.5%). Genera <i>Phormidium</i> Kütz. ex Gomont (7.3% of species), <i>Leptolyngbya</i> Anagn. et Komárek (5.4%), <i>Calothrix</i> C. Agardh ex Bornet et Flahault (3.8%) and <i>Oscillatoria</i> Vaucher ex Gomont (3.7%) lead in species richness. The obtained results are significantly different from the generalized data on the species and taxonomic diversity of cyanobacteria of Ukraine as of 2005. The growth of generic and species diversity is partly related to nomenclature and taxonomic changes; 7 genera and 50 species are new floristic records, revealed using molecular methods. The distribution of cyanobacteria on the territory of Ukraine has specific features. The highest diversity and uniqueness of species composition is characteristic of the Steppe zone of Ukraine: 539 species from 124 genera of <i>Cyanophyceae.</i> Of these, 101 species and 11 genera were recorded only within this zone. The ecological spectrum of Ukrainian cyanoflora consists of freshwater (66.3%), marine (14.5%), and terrestrial (9.5%) species, as well as species with a wide ecological range (7.3%), brackish water (4.1%) and eurytopic (1.4%) species. The representation of species in different habitat types varies widely. Most species were found in rivers (56.5% of the total list), lakes (38.0%), ponds (34.6%) and reservoirs (29.4%). Among continental water bodies, swamps have the most peculiar species composition (9.8% of species are found only here). Floodplain water bodies have the least specific species composition (0.5%). Among non-aquatic habitats, the largest number of species was found in soils (excluding saline): 179 species from 55 genera, 15.6% of species occur only in this type of habitats. In the Ukrainian sectors of the Black and Azov seas, 228 species from 80 genera of cyanobacteria were found, of which 41 species (17.9%) were not registered in other types of habitats. 43 species are widely distributed in water bodies and soils of Ukraine. They include the water bloom agents<i> Dolichospermum spiroides</i> (Kleb.) Wacklin et al., <i>Microcystis flosaquae</i> (Wittrock) Kirchn. and <i>M. viridis</i> (A.Braun in Rabenh.) which most often occur in reservoirs of the plain part of Ukraine.

МОРФОДИНАМИКА РЕЧНЫХ ДОЛИН ЛЕВОБЕРЕЖЬЯ АНГАРЫ

The article presents the results of the first stage of a comprehensive (hydrological, paleogeographic, and landscape-geomorphological) study of the development of river valleys on the left bank of the Angara. An analysis of fluctuations in the maximum runoff performed with the use of difference integral runoff curves, identified six periods of change in water content of the rivers under study according to the maximum annual discharges for the period from the beginning of observations to 2019. Basing on the analysis of the structure and composition of the floodplain alluvium in the foothill and plain areas, the features of the Holocene sedimentation in the valley of the Belaya River were revealed. The existing ideas about the chronology of the formation of the floodplain massifs are presented in detail. Differences in the facies structure of the floodplain deposits in the piedmont and plain parts of the basin reflect the morphodynamics of the floodplain-channel complexes. For the sections of the foothill part of the basin, there is noted a lack of facies of the near-channel shoal. At the same time, the age of the sands of the floodplain facies here is much younger (800–900 years) than in the lower part of the basin (2.5–3.4 thousand years), which indicates the dynamics of the channels in the foothill part. A number of pronounced changes in sedimentation within the studied floodplains (8.8 thousand cal. BP, 3.4 thousand cal. BP) chronologically correlate with regional climatic changes, which may indicate a significant role that climate andclimate-driven changes in fluvial activity played in the formation of floodplains in the study area. The use of evolutionary series of plant communities in floodplain complexes is possible when typing the morphological elements of the valley during the transition from channel to floodplain states. In the future, this approach could serve as a criterion for the identification of overgrowing invariants when comparing valleys of different basins, but under similar morphodynamic conditions.

ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCE UPON THE SUKIL RIVER BED FUNCTIONING

A river bed is a main indicator of the changes, including manmade ones that take place in their catchment basins. These changes are reflected in the river beds functioning, especially within the catchment basins located in the Ukrainian Carpathians. These basins have been noticeably affected by human impact during last century. The Sukil River (left tributary of the Svicha River) is one of them. By the relief morphology features and geologic-geomorphologic structure the Sukil River basin is divided into three parts: mountain, premountain and plain. The river bed within these three parts is characterized by noticeable difference in morphological and morphodynamical parameters. And the reaction of the riverbed on the manmade changes also is different in all three parts. First of all, it is a deforestation, agriculture, unauthorized gravel intake within the river bed and floodplain, river bed straightening, river bank consolidation and flood protection dikes constructing, melioration and ponds constructing etc. Research results ascertained noticeable difference between manmade influences in different parts of the catchment basin, especially the effects on the river beds and their functioning. In the mountain part the moderate impact dominates and is mainly presented by timber falling which has caused significant sediments runoff increasing during the floods of 2008 and 2010. In the premountain part the strongest impact is done by the unauthorized alluvium mining in the river bed. It caused increasing in the river bed morphodynamics and reinforcing of the linear and local side erosion. The erosion processes threat the roads and buildings within the river valley. The plain part of the river basin is most transformed. The river bed strengthening is carried out since the middle of ХХ-th century which was accompanied by the dikes and drainage network constructing. As the result many boggy areas were drained, the morphology of the Sukil river bed was changed, the meander process was stopped. But the tendencies to renaturalization of the river valley are observed during the last years. Conducted research are important for the rivers renaturalization and providing the strategy of sustainable development in Ukraine in the matter of natural resources protection and management. Key words: channel morphodynamics; Sukil River; anthropogenic influence; mountain, premountain and plain parts of the basin.

To what extent tsunami source information can be extracted from tsunami deposits? Implications from the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami deposits and sediment transport simulations

A quantitative understanding of paleotsunamis is a significant issue in tsunami sedimentology. Onshore tsunami deposits, which are geological records of tsunami inundation, are used to reconstruct paleotsunami events. Numerical models of tsunami hydrodynamics and tsunami-induced sediment transport are utilized in such reconstructions to connect tsunami deposit characteristics, flow conditions, and (paleo-) tsunami sources. Recent progress in tsunami numerical modeling has increased the possibility of developing a methodology to estimate paleotsunami sources from tsunami deposits. Several previous studies have estimated paleotsunami sources using tsunami sediment transport simulations. However, the accuracy of paleotsunami source estimation has not yet been explored. Thus, to bridge this research gap, in this study, we showed the potential and limitations of deposit-based tsunami source estimation based on the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami deposit data on the southernmost part of the Sendai Plain, northeastern Japan. The tsunamigenic megathrust along the Japan Trench was divided into ten subfaults having similar lengths and widths. The hypothetical source models with varying slips on each subfault were examined by comparing the depositional volume and sediment source of onshore tsunami deposits. Due to limited information on the depositional area of the tsunami deposits used in the modeling, slips only in some parts of the entire tsunami source region could be estimated. The fault slip was slightly overestimated but could be compared with previous well-constrained source models. Thus, these results indicated that vast high-quality datasets of tsunami deposits can improve the accuracy of paleotsunami source estimation. It is also suggested that the amplitude of the receding wave affects the erosion pattern from the shoreface to the nearshore area. Although sufficient data for paleotsunami source estimation are lacking, an effective combination of tsunami deposit data and sediment transport simulations potentially improves the accuracy of the source estimation. The results will contribute to developing a framework of deposit-based paleotsunami source modeling and assessing its accuracy.

Ціанобактерії України: актуальне різноманіття, тенденції таксономічних змін, особливості зонального та ектопічного поширення

The paper presents the results of a critical taxonomic revision of the list of cyanobacteria of Ukraine and the analyzis of their zonal, ecological and typological distribution. The list includes 766 species from 150 genera. They belong to the class Cyanophyceae Schaftner, four subclasses, 7 orders and 46 families. The subclass Oscillatoriophycideae (4 orders, 21 families, 65 genera, 333 species) is characterized by the greatest species and taxonomic diversity. The leading orders are Synechococcales (34.1%), Nostocales (26.8%) and Oscillatoriales (25.5%). Genera Phormidium Kütz. ex Gomont (7.3% of species), Leptolyngbya Anagn. et Komárek (5.4%), Calothrix C.Agardh ex Bornet et Flahault (3.8%) and Oscillatoria Vaucher ex Gomont (3.7%) lead in species richness. The obtained results are significantly different from the generalized data on the species and taxonomic diversity of cyanobacteria of Ukraine as of 2005. The growth of generic and species diversity is partly related to nomenclature and taxonomic changes; 7 genera and 50 species are new floristic records, revealed including using molecular methods. The distribution of cyanobacteria on the territory of Ukraine has specific features. The highest diversity and uniqueness of the species composition is characteristic of the Steppe zone of Ukraine: 539 species from 124 genera of Cyanophyceae. Of these, 101 species and 11 genera were recorded only within this zone. The ecological spectrum of Ukrainian cyanoflora consists of freshwater (66.3%), marine (14.5%), terrestrial (9.5%) species, as well as species with a wide ecological amplitude (7.3%), brackish water (4.1%) and eurytopic (1.4%) species. The representation of species in different habitat types varies widely. Most species were found in rivers (56.5% of the total list), lakes (38.0%), ponds (34.6%) and reservoirs (29.4%). Among continental water bodies, swamps have the most peculiar species composition (9.8% of species are found only here). Floodplain water bodies have the least specific species composition (0.5%). Among non-aquatic habitats, the largest number of species was found in soils (excluding saline): 179 species from 55 genera, 15.6% of species occur only in this type of habitats. In the Ukrainian sectors of the Black and Azov seas, 228 species from 80 genera of cyanobacteria were found, of which 41 species (17.9%) were not registered in other types of habitats. 43 species are widespread in Ukraine. They include the water bloom agents Dolichospermum spiroides (Kleb.) Wacklin et al., Microcystis flosaquae (Wittrock) Kirchn. and M. viridis (A.Braun in Rabenh.) which most often occur in reservoirs of the plain part of Ukraine.

Rural settlement as a factor of administrative and territorial changes (on the example of Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions)

Purpose: to analyze the features of rural settlement in Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions and to identify its influence on the formation and functioning of territorial communities and districts of these regions. Methods. comparative-geographical, statistical, analytical method, structural-functional approach Results: the rural settlement network of the Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions was analyzed from a socio-geographic point of view, taking into account the similarity of natural and geographical conditions, historical, ethno-geographical aspects of the formation of settlements and modern socio-spatial processes in the regions. It is noted that the regions have a number of common features of rural settlement, in particular, high density and average population of settlements in the plain part and zones of dispersed settlement in mountainous areas, which must be taken into account in the process of formation of territorial communities. It is noted that according to the results of the ATU reform in the regions, rural communities absolutely prevail. This will contribute to the preservation of the demographic and socio-economic potential of rural settlements - community centers, however, in remote peripheral and depressed areas, rural communities may not be able to cope financially and administratively given the limitations of their own resources. Possible positive and negative consequences of the impact of the reform on changes in inter-settlement relations, functions of settlements, and their further development are identified and summarized. Conclusions: Intra-regional differences in rural settlement are an important factor in administrative-territorial changes and were taken into account in the process of formation of territorial communities and new districts. Most communities in both regions are rural; the settlements that became their centers received broad powers and prospects for development. In today's conditions, most rural communities cannot take advantage of the opportunities of decentralization due to the limited socio-economic potential of settlements. According to indicators of economic activity, these communities are mostly subsidized and require significant investment income. The development of rural areas will contribute to the strengthening of the grassroots link of the administrative-territorial system.

A Multi-Method Study of a Chalcolithic Kiln in the Bora Plain (Iraqi Kurdistan): The Evidence From Excavation, Micromorphological and Pyrotechnological Analyses

Abstract Pyrotechnology has always been a core topic in the archaeological debate concerning phases of deep cultural transformations, such as the Chalcolithic period in the Near East (c. 6000–3500 BC). However, previous studies on pyrotechnological installations, such as pottery kilns, pertaining to this period, have often been mainly descriptive, with a limited use of archaeometric investigations. This work presents a multi-method investigation of a Chalcolithic kiln recently discovered in the Bora Plain (part of the larger Peshdar Plain, in Iraqi Kurdistan), which combines stratigraphic analysis, pyrotechnological, micromorphological, and micro-remains analyses. Since this kiln represents the first Chalcolithic architectural feature excavated in the Bora Plain, this work offers precious insights into the pyrotechnology of the period, which is still relatively poorly understood, through the reconstruction of the kiln’s use and abandonment processes. The analytical outputs can be used to compare with other Near East kilns from the Chalcolithic and later periods.