Intraplate thrust orogeny of the Altai Mountains revealed by deep seismic reflection.

The Altai orogen is a typical intracontinental orogen in Central Asia that experienced far-field deformation associated with Indian-Eurasian plate convergence. This region is characterized by uplift comparable to that of the Tianshan Mountains but has a distinct strain rate. Half of the Indo-Asia strain is accommodated by the Tianshan Mountains, whereas the Altai Mountains accommodates only 10%. To elucidate how the Altai Mountains produced such a large amount of uplift with only one-fifth of the strain rate of the Tianshan Mountains, we constructed a detailed crustal image of the Altai Mountains based on a new 166.8-km deep seismic reflection profile. The prestack migration images reveal an antiform within the Erqis crust, an âˆ¼10 km Moho offset between the Altai arc and the East Junggar area, and a major south-dipping (30° dip) thrust in the lower crust beneath the Altai Mountains, which is connected to the Moho offset. The south-dipping thrust not only records the southward subduction of the Ob-Zaisan Ocean in the Paleozoic but also controlled the Altai deformation pattern in the Cenozoic with the Erqis antiform. The Erqis antiform prevented the extension of deformation to the Junggar crust. The south-dipping thrust in the lower crust of the Altai area caused extrusion of the lower crust, generating uplift at the surface, thickening of the crust, and steep (∼10 km) Moho deepening in the Altai Mountains. This process significantly widened the deformation zone of the Altai Mountains. These findings provide a new geodynamic model for describing how inherited crustal structure controls intraplate deformation without strong horizontal stress.

Insufficient Cold Resistance as a Possible Reason for the Absence of Darkling Beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) in Pleistocene Sediments of Siberia.

The level of diversity and abundance of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) is the main difference between the late Pleistocene and modern insect faunas of arid regions. In the Pleistocene assemblages they are extremely rare, whereas in the modern ones they predominate. It is assumed that the reason for their rarity in fossil entomological complexes is their lack of cold resistance. The supercooling points (SCP) and low lethal temperatures (LLT) of adults from five species of Altai darkling beetles that overwinter in the soil and larvae from one such species were measured in the laboratory. All beetles supercooled at negative temperatures but could not survive freezing, with the average SCP of the most cold-resistant species between -25.7 and -21.7 °C (Bioramix picipes, Anatolica dashidorzsi, and Penthicus altaicus). However, 50% of the individuals from different species in the experiment died after exposure during two days at temperatures ranging from -22 to -20 °C. The focal species are distributed in parts of Central Asia with an extreme continental climate, and the temperatures measured in the soil of these natural areas turned out to be lower than or close to the limit of cold resistance of the beetles. Overwintering of darkling beetles is therefore only possible in areas with deep snow: in hollows, under bushes, and under large cereals. Darkling beetles with poor cold resistance could not have existed in the colder climate of the late Pleistocene, which explains their absence from fossil fauna.

Conservation Priorities and Demographic History of Saussurea involucrata in the Tianshan Mountains and Altai Mountains.

Rare and vulnerable endemic plants represent different evolutionary units that occur at different times, and protecting these species is a key issue in biological protection. Understanding the impact of the history of endangered plant populations on their genetic diversity helps to reveal evolutionary history and is crucial for guiding conservation efforts. Saussurea involucrata, a perennial alpine species mainly distributed in the Tianshan Mountains, is famous for its medicinal value but has become endangered due to over-exploitation. In the present study, we employed both nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences to investigate the genetic distribution pattern and evolutionary history of S. involucrata. A total of 270 individuals covering nine S. involucrata populations were sampled for the amplification and sequencing of nrDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and chloroplast trnL-trnF, matK and ndhF-rpl32 sequences. Via calculation, we identified 7 nuclear and 12 plastid haplotypes. Among the nine populations, GL and BA were characterized by high haplotype diversity, whereas BG revealed the lowest haplotype diversity. Molecular dating estimations suggest that divergence among S. involucrata populations occurred around 0.75 Ma, coinciding with the uplift of Tianshan Mountains. Our results reveal that both isolation-by-distance (IBD) and isolation-by-resistance (IBR) have promoted genetic differentiation among populations of S. involucrata. The results from the ecological niche modeling analyses show a more suitable habitat for S. involucrata in the past than at present, indicating a historical distribution contraction of the species. This study provides new insight into understanding the genetic differentiation of S. involucrata, as well as the theoretical basis for conserving this species.

Individual Differences in Growth and in Accumulation of Secondary Metabolites in Rhodiola rosea Cultivated in Western Siberia.

In this study, growth parameters of underground parts and concentrations of phenylpropanoids, phenylethanoids, flavonoids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and catechins in aqueous-ethanol extracts of 6-year-old cultivated plants of Rhodiola rosea (propagated in vitro) of Altai Mountain origin were analyzed, and differences in chemical composition among plant specimens and between plant parts (rhizome and root) were evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography detected 13 phenolic compounds. Roots contained 1.28 times higher phenylethanoids levels (1273.72 mg/100 g) than rhizomes did. Overall, the concentration of phenylethanoids in underground organs was not high and ranged from 21.36 to 103.00 mg/100 g. High variation among R. rosea individual plants was noted both in growth characteristics and in levels of secondary metabolites under our cultivation conditions. It was found that concentrations of phenylpropanoids, phenylethanoids, and catechins significantly depend on the plant part analyzed (p ≤ 0.05). Specimen No. 4 is characterized by the highest concentration of rosavins (1230.99 mg/plant) and the lowest concentration of cinnamyl alcohol (62.87 mg/plant). Despite the wide range of values, all 10 tested specimens (underground part) met the minimum requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia (2015) for rosavins (0.3%) and of the Russia State Pharmacopoeia (2015) for the average level of rosavins (roots): (1%).

The dynamic land-cover of the Altai Mountains: Perspectives based on past and current environmental and biodiversity changes.

We present climate-dependent changes in the high-mountain forest ecotone, old-growth forests, alpine phytocenoses, and deglaciated forelands in the Aktru glacial basin (Altai Republic, Russia). A number of independent sources (variations in upper treeline altitude, dendrochronological data, analysis of lacustrine sediments and botanical and geographical studies linked with the dynamics of glacial-dammed lakes in the Chuya and Kurai intermountain depressions) suggest Holocene temperatures reached about 4 °C higher than today. Unlike the European Alps, glaciers in the continental Altai Mountains disappeared before forming again. Also, the upper altitudinal limit of mountain forests during the Holocene was greater than in the European Alps. The high variability of mountain ecosystems in southern Siberia suggests their potential instability in a currently changing climate. However, periglacial successions associated with the strong continental climate and glacier retreat represent an area of increasing biodiversity and plant cover. The historical and current sensitivity of the continental mountains to climate variations which exceeds that of the European Alps requires greater understanding, environmental protection, and increased social responsibility for the consequences of anthropogenic contributions to climate change: the isolated Altai areas contribute little to climate changes, but are greatly affected by them.

Continuously observed light absorbing impurities in snow cover over the southern Altai Mts. in China: Concentrations, impacts and potential sources.

The deposition of light absorbing impurities (LAIs) (e.g., black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), mineral dust (MD)) on snow is an important attribution to accelerate snowmelt across the northern Xinjiang, China. At present, there is still a lack of understanding of the LAIs concentration, elution and enrichment process in snow cover over Xinjiang. Based on these, continuously sampling during two years carried out to investigate the concentrations, impacts and potential sources of LAIs in snow at Kuwei Station in the southern Altai Mountains. The average concentrations of BC, OC and MD in the surface snow were 2787 ± 2334 ng g-1, 6130 ± 6127 ng g-1, and 70.03 ± 62.59 µg g-1, respectively, which dramatically increased along with snowmelt intensified, reflecting a significant enrichment process of LAIs at the snow surface. Besides, high LAIs concentrations also found in the subsurface and melting layers of the snowpit, reflecting the elution and redistribution of LAIs. With the simulation of the SNow ICe Aerosol Radiative model, BC was the main dominant factor in reducing snow albedo and radiative forcing (RF), its impact was more remarkable in the snowmelt period. The average contribution rates of BC, MD and BC + MD to snow albedo reduction increased by 20.0 ± 1.9%, 13.0 ± 0.2%, and 20.5 ± 2.3% in spring compared with that in winter; meanwhile, the corresponding average RFs increased by 15.8 ± 3.4 W m-2, 4.7 ± 0.3 W m-2 and 16.4 ± 3.2 W m-2, respectively. Changes in the number of snowmelt days caused by BC and MD decreased by 3.0 ± 0.4 d to 8.3 ± 1.3 d. It indicated that surface enrichment of LAIs during snow melting might accelerate snowmelt further. Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry model showed that the resident emission was the main potential source of BC and OC in snow. This implied that the mitigation of intensive snowmelt needs to mainly reduce resident emission of LAIs in the future.

Holocene moisture variations in the Arid Central Asia: New evidence from the southern Altai Mountains of China.

A continuous peat sequence collected in the southern Altai Mountains provides a new opportunity to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation and moisture history in the Arid Central Asia. Based on pollen data of 190 samples with a chronologic support of eight AMS dates from a 380-cm core at Tuolehaite (TLHT) Peat, the Holocene moisture variations in the southern Altai Mountains of China were reconstructed. The reconstruction revealed a wet early Holocene (~10,600-~8500cal. yr BP), a considerably dry middle Holocene (~8500-~4000 cal. yr BP) and a resumed wet late Holocene (~4000-0 cal. yr BP). The Holocene moisture reconstruction is generally corroborated by other reviewed sequences from the southern Altai Mountains and the surrounding areas. According to the analysis of modern sources of precipatable water vapor for the southern Altai Mountains, the Holocene moisture variations in the southern Altai Mountains were proposed to have been causally associated with the variations in the sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic Ocean and also with the variations in the strength of Siberian High Pressure in the core of the Eurasian continent.

Rubiaphis, a new aphid genus from the Altai Republic (Homoptera: Aphididae, Macrosiphini).

Rubiaphis altaicus gen. nov., sp. nov. from Rubus idaeus, collected in the Altai Republic, is described. The species is illustrated and biometric data are provided. This aphid genus is closely related to Myzaphis van der Goot, 1913. The taxonomic position of the genus is discussed.

Archaeological evidence for two separate dispersals of Neanderthals into southern Siberia.

Neanderthals were once widespread across Europe and western Asia. They also penetrated into the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia, but the geographical origin of these populations and the timing of their dispersal have remained elusive. Here we describe an archaeological assemblage from Chagyrskaya Cave, situated in the Altai foothills, where around 90,000 Middle Paleolithic artifacts and 74 Neanderthal remains have been recovered from deposits dating to between 59 and 49 thousand years ago (age range at 95.4% probability). Environmental reconstructions suggest that the Chagyrskaya hominins were adapted to the dry steppe and hunted bison. Their distinctive toolkit closely resembles Micoquian assemblages from central and eastern Europe, including the northern Caucasus, more than 3,000 kilometers to the west of Chagyrskaya Cave. At other Altai sites, evidence of earlier Neanderthal populations lacking associated Micoquian-like artifacts implies two or more Neanderthal incursions into this region. We identify eastern Europe as the most probable ancestral source region for the Chagyrskaya toolmakers, supported by DNA results linking the Neanderthal remains with populations in northern Croatia and the northern Caucasus, and providing a rare example of a long-distance, intercontinental population movement associated with a distinctive Paleolithic toolkit.

Sophronia salaganella sp. n. from the Russian Altai and new data on Palaearctic Sophronia Hübner, [1825] species (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae).

Sophronia salaganella Sumpich Bidzilya, sp. n., is described based on specimens collected in the mountains of the Altai Republic and Buryatia in Russia. The new species is most similar to S. illustrella (Hübner, 1796) and S. orientalis Li Zheng, 1998 from which it can be reliably distinguished by characters of the genitalia. Sophronia iciculata Omelko, 1999, syn. n., is a junior synonym of S. orientalis; and S. marginella Toll, 1936, syn. n., is a junior synonym of S. consanguinella Herrich-Schaffer, [1854]. Sophronia alaicella Caradja, 1920 is redescribed, and the adult and the male and female genitalia are illustrated. Sophronia illustrella (Hübner, 1796) is recorded from Russia for the first time. A checklist of Sophronia Hübner, [1825] of the world is provided.

Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Remote Sensing for Monitoring Rangeland Dynamics in the Altai Mountain Region.

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with remote sensing capabilities to monitor rangeland dynamics could lead to more acceptable, efficient, and beneficial rangeland management schemes for stakeholders of grazing systems. We contrasted pastoralists' perception of summer pasture quality in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) metrics obtained from Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite sensor. The spatial relationship between satellite-based assessment of the grassland quality and on-the-ground evaluation by local herders was first assessed for a single year using 49, 1 × 1 km grassland blocks sampled in July 2013. Herder-derived forage value was positively and strongly (63% of variance explained) related to satellite-derived NDVI values (MODIS 1 km monthly data, MOD13A3) as well as field estimates of % vegetation cover (62% explained) and to a lesser degree to vegetation height (28% explained). Herders' multi-year perception (i.e., recall ability) was also contrasted with satellite observations of their herding areas over the period of 2006-2016 during which NDVI temporal anomaly explained >11% of variance in estimates of pasture quality recalled. Few herders in Kazakhstan could recall pasture conditions, most herders in Russia and China could but inconsistently (4 and 7% variation explained, respectively), whereas most herders in Mongolia could recall pasture conditions in strong agreement with NDVI anomaly (30% variation explained), patterns reflecting herders' regional dependence on herding as a livelihood. Corroboration of herder-derived estimates and satellite-derived vegetation indices creates opportunity for re-expression of satellite data in map form as TEK-derived indices more compatible with herder perceptions.

Dissolved organic carbon in snow cover of the Chinese Altai Mountains, Central Asia: Concentrations, sources and light-absorption properties.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in snow plays an important role in river ecosystems that are fed by snowmelt water. However, limited knowledge is available on the DOC content in snow of the Chinese Altai Mountains in Central Asia. In this study, DOC in the snow cover of the Kayiertesi river basin, southern slope of Altai Mountains, was investigated during November 2016 to April 2017. The results showed that average concentrations of DOC in the surface snow cover (1.01 ±â€¯0.52 mg L-1) were only a little higher than those in glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau, European Alps, and Alaska, but much higher than in Greenland Ice Sheet. Depth variations of DOC concentrations from snowpack profiles indicated higher values in the surface layer. During the observation period, scavenging efficiency for DOC in snow cover is estimated to be 0.15 ±â€¯0.10, suggesting that DOC in snow can be affected more by the meltwater during ablation season than during accumulation season. The average mass absorption cross section at 365 nm and the absorption Ångström exponent of DOC were 0.45 ±â€¯0.35 m2 g-1 and 2.59 ±â€¯1.03, respectively, with higher values in March and April 2017. Fraction of radiative forcing caused by DOC relative to black carbon accounted for about 10.5%, implying DOC is a non-ignorable light-absorber of solar radiation in snow of the Altai regions. Backward trajectories analysis and aerosol vertical distribution images from satellites showed that DOC in the snow of the Altai Mountains was mainly influenced by air masses from Central Asia, Western Siberia, the Middle East, and some even from Europe. Biomass burning and organic carbon mixed with mineral dust contributed significantly to the DOC concentration. This study highlights the effects of DOC in the snow cover for radiative forcing and the need to study carbon cycling for evaluation of quality of the downstreams ecosystems.

The first record of the anopsobiid genus Shikokuobius Shinohara, 1982 in continental Asia, with the description of a new species from the Altais, southwestern Siberia, Russia (Chilopoda, Lithobiomorpha, Anopsobiidae).

A new lithobiomorph species, Shikokuobiusaltaicus sp. n., is described from the Altai Mountains in southwestern Siberia, Russia. This is the first record of the genus Shikokuobius Shinohara, 1982 in continental Asia, all previous reports being from Japan. The distribution of Shikokuobius is mapped.

The last 50 years of climate-induced melting of the Maliy Aktru glacier (Altai Mountains, Russia) revealed in a primary ecological succession.

In this article, we report and discuss the results obtained from a survey of plants, microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), and soil elements along a chronosequence in the first 600 m of the Maliy Aktru glacier's forefront (Altai Mountains, Russia). Many glaciers of the world show effects of climate change. Nonetheless, except for some local reports, the ecological effects of deglaciation have been poorly studied and have not been quantitatively assessed in the Altai Mountains. Here, we studied the ecological changes of plants, fungi, bacteria, and soil elements that take the form of a primary ecological succession and that took place over the deglaciated soil of the Maliy Aktru glacier during the last 50 year. According to our measurements, the glacier lost about 12 m per year during the last 50 years. Plant succession shows clear signs of changes along the incremental distance from the glacier forefront. The analysis of the plant α- and ß-diversity confirmed an expected increase of them with increasing distance from the glacier forefront. Moreover, the analysis of ß-diversity confirmed the hypothesis of the presence of three main stages of the plant succession: (a) initial (pioneer species) from 30 to 100 m; (b) intermediate (r-selected species) from 110 to 120-150 m; and (c) final (K-selected species) from 150 to 550. Our study also shows that saprotrophic communities of fungi are widely distributed in the glacier retreating area with higher relative abundances of saprotroph ascomycetes at early successional stages. The evolution of a primary succession is also evident for bacteria, soil elements, and CO 2 emission and respiration. The development of biological communities and the variation in geochemical parameters represent an irrefutable proof that climate change is altering soils that have been long covered by ice.

Tree Wave Migration Across an Elevation Gradient in the Altai Mountains, Siberia.

The phenomenon of "tree waves" (hedges and ribbons) formation within the alpine ecotone in Altai Mountains and its response to observed air temperature increase was considered. At the upper limit of tree growth Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) forms hedges on windward slopes and ribbons on the leeward ones. Hedges were formed by prevailing winds and oriented along winds direction. Ribbons were formed by snow blowing and accumulating on the leeward slope and perpendicular to the prevailing winds, as well as to the elevation gradient. Hedges were always linked with microtopography features, whereas ribbons were not. Trees are migrating upward by waves and new ribbons and hedges are forming at or near tree line, whereas at lower elevations ribbons and hedges are being transformed into closed forests. Time series of high-resolution satellite scenes (from 1968 to 2010) indicated an upslope shift in the position ribbons averaged 155±26 m (or 3.7 m yr-1) and crown closure increased (about 35-90%). The hedges advance was limited by poor regeneration establishment and was negligible. Regeneration within the "ribbon zone" was approximately 2.5 times (5060 vs 2120 ha-1) higher then within the "hedges zone". During the last four decades, Siberian pine in both hedges and ribbons strongly increased its growth increment and recent tree growth rate for 50 year old trees was about twice higher than recorded for similarly aged trees at the beginning of the 20th century. Hedges and ribbons are phenomena that are widespread within the southern and northern Siberian Mountains.

Strong genetic admixture in the Altai at the Middle Bronze Age revealed by uniparental and ancestry informative markers.

The Altai Mountains have been a long-term boundary zone between the Eurasian Steppe populations and South and East Asian populations. To disentangle some of the historical population movements in this area, 14 ancient human specimens excavated in the westernmost part of the Mongolian Altai were studied. Thirteen of them were dated from the Middle to the End of the Bronze Age and one of them to the Eneolithic period. The environmental conditions encountered in this region led to the good preservation of DNA in the human remains. Therefore, a multi-markers approach was adopted for the genetic analysis of identity, ancestry and phenotype markers. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that the ancient Altaians studied carried both Western (H, U, T) and Eastern (A, C, D) Eurasian lineages. In the same way, the patrilineal gene pool revealed the presence of different haplogroups (Q1a2a1-L54, R1a1a1b2-Z93 and C), probably marking different origins for the male paternal lineages. To go further in the search of the origin of these ancient specimens, phenotypical characters (i.e. hair and eye color) were determined. For this purpose, we adapted the HIrisPlex assay recently described to MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In addition, some ancestry informative markers were analyzed with this assay. The results revealed mixed phenotypes among this group confirming the probable admixed ancestry of the studied Altaian population at the Middle Bronze Age. The good results obtained from ancient DNA samples suggest that this approach might be relevant for forensic casework too.