Vychegda River Research Articles

Намеренная фрагментация кремнёвых изделий в неолите (по материалам стоянки Пезмогты 3А на Средней Вычегде, Республика Коми)

Намеренная фрагментация кремнёвых изделий в неолите (по материалам стоянки Пезмогты 3А на Средней Вычегде, Республика Коми)

Спутниковые методы в анализе изменений экосистем бассейна р. Вычегда

Спутниковые методы в анализе изменений экосистем бассейна р. Вычегда

Rare Macroscopic Algae Species In The Pechora And Vychegda River Basins (North-Eastern Part Of European Russia)

Abstract Ten rare species of macroscopic algae were found in freshwater ecosystems of the Pechora and Vychegda River basins, belonging to four divisions: Cyanoprokaryota - 1 species, Rhodophyta - 3, Chrysophyta - 1, Charophy-ta - 5. Some of these were included in the regional Red Data Books of Nenets Autonomous District and Komi Republic, others were recommended to be included. Areas of distribution were marked; algae development conditions and limiting factors were described.

Another Way of Early Pottery Distribution in Eastern Europe? Case Study of the Pezmog 4 Site, European Far Northeast

A case study of the Neolithic comb ceramic site Pezmog 4 of the Kama culture presents a situation when results of radiocarbon dating change long-existing concepts concerning the development of archaeological events. Until the early 2000s, the chronology of the Kama culture, distributed mainly in the Kama and Vychegda River basins, has been based on comparative-typological analysis. Estimates of the age of this culture changed from the 3rd millennium BC in the 1950s to the 1st half of the 4th millennium BC by the 1990s. Research concerning the Pezmog 4 site in the central Vychegda River basin in 1999–2002 has abruptly changed this chronological understanding. The data obtained put the age of the early stage of Kama culture within the time range 5750–5620 cal BC and allowed us to propose the existence of another way of early pottery distribution in the forest zone of eastern Europe at the beginning of the 6th millennium BC. This innovation probably penetrated from the trans-Ural region.

Another Way of Early Pottery Distribution in Eastern Europe? Case Study of the Pezmog 4 Site, European Far Northeast

A case study of the Neolithic comb ceramic site Pezmog 4 of the Kama culture presents a situation when results of radiocarbon dating change long-existing concepts concerning the development of archaeological events. Until the early 2000s, the chronology of the Kama culture, distributed mainly in the Kama and Vychegda River basins, has been based on comparative-typological analysis. Estimates of the age of this culture changed from the 3rd millennium BC in the 1950s to the 1st half of the 4th millennium BC by the 1990s. Research concerning the Pezmog 4 site in the central Vychegda River basin in 1999–2002 has abruptly changed this chronological understanding. The data obtained put the age of the early stage of Kama culture within the time range 5750–5620 cal BC and allowed us to propose the existence of another way of early pottery distribution in the forest zone of eastern Europe at the beginning of the 6th millennium BC. This innovation probably penetrated from the trans-Ural region.

Paleochannel Studies in Archaeology: The Case of The Vychegda River, Northeastern European Russia

Geological and geomorphological settings are often taken into account when choosing strategy in archaeological studies. In the Vychegda River valley (Archangelsk Province, Komi Republic), at the end of the Late Pleistocene and in the Holocene, lateral channel migrations were the dominant process of riverine landscape changes and hence directly influenced human occupation of the valley. Therefore, to assess the physical settings of archaeological sites we employed paleochannel analysis, a geomorphological technique aimed at reconstructing river channel transformations in the historical and geological past. The potential application of paleochannel analysis in archaeology includes designing archaeological surveys and predicting destructive river actions at archaeological sites located in river valleys.

Biomorphological structure of the flora of Vychegda River water basin

The annotated list and biomorphological analysis of water flora from the basin of Vychegda River are represented. Flora of water bodies is mostly represented by perennial herbaceous plants which have high expansion potential. A lot of species from these flora belong to the special biomorphological group of polycarpous long-lived plants.

Луговая растительность пойм рек Вычегда и Печора. Порядок Molinietalia Koch 1926

Syntaxonomic variety of the meadow vegetation of the order Molinietalia of the Vychegda and Pechora rivers’ floodplains (Komi Republic) presented by 2 unions, 6 associations, 7 subassociations and 9 variants, including 5 new associations. They are Bromopsido inermis–Alopecurietum pratensis, Bistorto majoris–Alopecuretum pratensis, Alopecuro pratensis–Calamagrostidetum purpureae, Alopecurо pratensis–Deschampsietum cespitosae, Filipendulo ulmariae–Deschampsietum cespitosae. Most plant associations are heterogeneous in floristic composition and they can be divided into 4 subassociations and 9 variants. The peculiarities of the floristic composition of the above mentioned associations, as well as their distribution and ecology are discussed. A comparison of plant communities of the Vychegda and Pechora river floodplains with communities described in other regions of the Eastern Europe and the Asian part of Russia was carried out.

Distribution and diversity of aquatic Oligochaeta in small streams of the middle taiga

The goal of the present study was to describe the fauna, community structure, distribution, diversity, abundance, and ecology of Oligochaeta in small streams of the Komi Republic. The work was performed in 13 streams located in the Vychegda River basin during the month of July, 2005-2008. During the study, 48 taxa from 7 families were collected. The habitat of each study stream was determined with respect to chemical water composition (Na^+, Mg^{2+}, Ca^{2+}, Cl^-, and total phosphorus (P^{tot}), among others) and some environmental factors: bottom structure (hard or soft), water temperature, depth, flow velocity, moss or algae cover, etc. The species composition, diversity, and determination of the small streams' aquatic Oligochaeta as well as the influence of different ecological factors on these characteristics were analyzed and discussed. The number of species, their composition, and the average abundance and biomass of Oligochaeta were found to depend upon bottom texture, current velocity, moss or algae cover, water temperature, and changes in the water chemicals (Na^+, Mg^{2+}, and P^{tot} concentrations), as well as the nitrogen, carbon, and humus contents in the bottom sediments.

Reconstruction of local environments of ancient population in a changeable river valley landscape (The Middle Vychegda River, Northern Russia)

Abstract In river valleys, both human occupation and subsequent preservation of archaeological sites are affected by active landscape transformation caused by river lateral migration, incision/aggradation cycles and changes of river hydrological regime. In the middle Vychegda River valley (Northern Russia), there are numerous traces of human presence since the Mesolithic. We exploit multi-disciplinary archaeological, geomorphological and geochronological approach to elucidate the environmental preferences of settlements positioning during different epochs of the Holocene. High resolution space image supplemented with data on alluvial stratigraphy derived from bank exposures and hand cores, as well as 51 radiocarbon dates were used to make the geomorphic map showing ages of floodplain/terrace segments and palaeochannels. Using this map together with sediment facial interpretation, position of archaeological sites was analysed in the context of local geomorphic and hydrologic situation. The majority of archaeological sites and modern settlements are found on terraces at river banks or at oxbow lakes which were well connected to the river. Few exceptions from this rule may be explained by seasonal character of dwelling functioning, ritual burial practice or specialization of settlements. Geomorphic situation was used as a background for planning further prospection of different-age archaeological objects.

The role of different links of the river net in forming winter river runoff

Results of investigations of the winter river runoff formation in the Northern Dvina River basin (without the Vychegda River basin) are under consideration. The peculiarities of the winter runoff formation are revealed from the analysis of the conditions of the runoff reduction in different parts of the river basin. A regulatory effect of the upper links of the river net on the lower links is established.

Zooplankton in the Vychegda River

The species composition of plankton invertebrates was studied in the middle Vychegda River (the main tributary of the Northern Dvina River) in 2003–2005. A list of planktonic rotifers and lower crustaceans was made. The dominating complexes of zooplankton organisms were found. The quantitative characteristics of plankton communities in the river were described.

Диатомовые водоросли (Bacillariophyta) в ручьях лесного заказника «Белый» (бассейн реки Вычегды, Республика Коми)

The article contains first data on diatoms composition in the forest streams of the “Bely” Sanctuary (Vychegda River basin). In total, 210 species and intraspecific taxa from 28 genera and 15 families were revealed. Taxonomical, ecological, geographical and saprobiological analyses of the diatoms are made. The taxonomical list contains ecological, geographical characteristics of the taxa and their distribution in streams with different рН level.

Subfossil oribatid mites as the bioindicators of profound environmental changes during the holocene.

Oribatid mites (moss mites) are microarthropods that inhabit all soils in the world. The history of the studies of moss mites is long. In Russia, C.L. Koch published the first works on mites in the 19th century. However, investigations on fossil oribatids are not numerous in Russia to date. At the same time, studies on subfossil (i.e., fossilized but not lithified) moss mites even from comparatively young deposits provide entirely new information on the ecosystems of the past. This allows us to improve our knowledge of the history and ways of the environment development. The field material for this work was collected in the Holocene peat mire in the southern Arkhangel’sk oblast. The sampling site was located in the lower Vychegda River basin ( 61°16 ′ N, 46°44 ′ E) in the middle taiga subzone. The section was located in the outcrop of the river floodplain deposits, 6 m thick. The maximum radiocarbon (noncalibrated) age of the uncovered deposits was as old as 9000 years B.P. [1]. From each layer, samples were collected for the radiocarbon dating, pollen, and spores analyses, and for the study of oribatids. Sample 1 from a depth of 2.41‐2.45 m was 6155 ± 60 years old; i.e., this layer was formed during the Atlantic period of the Holocene. The present analogue region reconstructed on the basis of the pollen flora is located in the middle Vyatka River basin, in the coniferous‐broadleaf forest zone. Sample 2 from a depth of 1.78‐1.81 m depth was 3250 ± 65 years old (the Subboreal period), and its floristic analogue is located in the Sukhona River basin, near the north boundary of the south taiga zone [1]. Sample 3 was collected from a depth of 2.07‐2.11 m. Its radiocarbon age was 4505 ± 50 years (Subboreal), and its floristic analogue is located in the Unzha River basin. The pollen flora of sample 4 (its age was 860 ± 60 years) from a depth of 0.70‐0.74 m did not differ from the contemporary flora of the study site. Mites’ shells were extracted from peat using the paraffin flotation method, which is new for Russia. This method [2] is based on the difference in the ability of liquid paraffin to modify plant and chitin particles. This method is effective and time saving: it allows separating the chitin remains from the mineral and plant particles within 2 h. Two samples aged 6155 and 3250 years B.P. were chosen for the comparative analysis of the oribatid faunas. A total of 162 shells were extracted from these samples. They belong to 47 species of 34 genera of 25 families of moss mites. Of these, 27 species and 5 genera have not been found before in the fossil state in Russia. From the sample of 6155 years B.P., a new genus Alexebates D. Krivolutski et E. Sidorchuk, 2003 was described [3]. One hundred and sixty shells were extracted from the 4505-year-old sample. Three of them belonged to another new genus, Palaeonothrus D. Krivolutski et E. Sidorchuk, 2003 [3]. The youngest sample with a 14 C age of 860 years B.P. appears to be extremely poor in oribatids; only ten shells were extracted from it. Two of them belonged to a new species (see the description below).

Historical background to floodplain morphology: examples from the East European Plain

Abstract Floodplain morphology is described in relation to channel pattern changes in the past. The oldest segments of the present-day floodplains were formed in the Late Valdai (Weichselian). Their morphology is inherited from large palaeomeanders (macromeanders) formed under extremely high discharge conditions. A map of the spatial distribution of Late Valdai macromeander relics on the East European Plain is given. Various floodplain segments have a spectrum of ages that may reflect only selected portions of the river history. The most widespread morphological units correspond to the periods when the river was undergoing its widest lateral migration. Periods of stable channel position may result in a gap in the floodplain age spectrum. The channel pattern and rates of river migration are controlled both by hydrological conditions and by valley floor morphology inherited from the preceding river regime. Heterogeneity of floodplains is illustrated from three key sites: the Khoper River (Southern Russia), the Protva River (Central Russia) and the Vychegda River (Northern Russia).