Active Layer Dynamics Near Norilsk, Taimyr Peninsula, Russia

This paper provides information on active layer thickness (ALT) dynamics, or seasonal thawing above permafrost, from a Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) site near the city of Norilsk on the Taimyr Peninsula (north-central Siberia) and the influences of meteorological and landscape properties on these dynamics under a warming climate, from 2005 to 2020. The average ALT in loamy soils at this 1 ha CALM site over the past 16 years was 96 cm, higher than previous studies from 1980s conducted at the same location, which estimated ALT to be 80 cm. Increasing mean annual air temperatures in Norilsk correspond with the average ALT increasing trend of 1 cm/year for the observation period. Active layer development depends on summer thermal and precipitation regimes, time of snowmelt, micro-landscape conditions, the cryogenic structure (ice content) of soils, soil water content leading up to the freezing period, drainage, and other factors. Differences in ALT, within various micro landscape conditions can reach 200% in each of the observation periods.

New cryptogamic records. 8

First records of silica-scaled chrysophyte alga for the Leningrad Region and North-West of European Russia, fungi for the Pskov and Novosibirsk regions, and the Republic of Tuva, myxomycetes for the Republic of Belarus, lichens for the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and West Siberia, liverworts for the Kurgan Region, mosses for the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, the Taimyr Peninsula, the Chukotka Autonomous Area, and the Kamchatka Territory from the North Koryakia are presented. The data on their localities, habitats, distribution, and specimens are provided. The specimens are kept in the Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute RAS (LE), the Herbarium of M. G. Popov at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden RAS (NSK), or the Herbarium of the Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany NAS of Belarus (MSK-F).

Supplemental Material: Latest Permian–Triassic magmatism of the Taimyr Peninsula: New evidence for a connection to the Siberian Traps large igneous province

<div>Table S1: Results for the SIMS SHRIMP and LA–ICPMS U-Pb zircon analysis. Table S2: Ar–Ar analytical data for studied samples. Table S3: Rb–Sr, Sm-Nd isotopic data of studied samples. Table S4: Major and trace element analyses of studied samples with the coordinates of studied samples (WGS84 projection). Figure S1: BSE–CL images of zircon grains from the studied granites. Figure S2: Concordia and weighted average diagrams for studied granites. Figure S3: Ar–Ar spectra on biotite and amphibole for studied latest Permian–Triassic granites.<br></div>

Findings of new and rare lichen species of Eastern Siberia

The materials of the article contain data on the findings of 13 new species of lichens from Eastern Siberia. Among them, Rhizocarpon chioneum is the species new for Southern Siberia, Peltigera lyngei and Biatora pallens are two new species for the Central Siberian Plateau, six new species are new for the Taymyrskyi Biosphere Nature Reserve (Taimyr Peninsula), Leproplaca chrysodeta, Rhizocarpon chioneum, Rinodina terrestris are new species of lichens for the Republic of Buryatia. The world’s northernmost habitat for the species Bryoria nadvornikiana is reported from the Taimyr Peninsula. New localities for species Leptogium burnetiae, Leptogium hildenbrandii, Lobaria retigera, Lobaria pulmonaria, Nephromopsis laureri, Pyxine sorediata listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008) are noted. New localities for the thirteen species included in the Red Data Books of the Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory are presented.

Russian Polar expedition and geopolitical interests at the turn of the XIXth and XXth centuries. Part 2. E.V. Toll’s expeditions and their geopolitical significance

Русская Полярная экспедиция (РПЭ) была важна с точки зрения геополитических интересов России: она имела широкий научный и общественный резонанс, находилась под Высочайшим покровительством президента Императорской Академии наук Великого князя Константина Константиновича. Оставшиеся в живых участники РПЭ и их последователи преодолели все сложности для того, чтобы спасти и сохранить геологические коллекции, собранные Э.В. Толлем на Таймыре и Новосибирских островах. Научные данные, полученные в ходе экспедиции, были столь значительны, что их обработка продолжалась вплоть до «дела Академии наук» (1929–1931 гг.) и ее реорганизации. Геологические образцы и некоторые документы Русской Полярной и других экспедиций с участием Э.В. Толля хранятся ныне в Рудно-петрографическом музее ИГЕМ РАН и доступны для дальнейших исследований. The Russian Polar Expedition (RPE) was important for Russian geopolitical interests: it had a broad social and academic resonance and was under the auspices of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, the President of the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences. The survived personnel of RPE and their followers managed to overcome the diffi culties to preserve the geological collections gathered by E.V. Toll at the Taimyr Peninsula and New Siberian Islands. The scientifi c results of the expedition were of paramount importance and were continuously studied and processes until the lawsuit of «The Plot at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR» was launched in 1929–1931, after which the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was reorganized. Geological samples and some documents of the Russian Arctic and other expeditions with the participation of E.V. Toll are now housed at the Ore and Petrographic Museum at IGEM RAS and are available for further studies.

New species of the genus Blattinopsis Giebel, 1867 (Insecta: Blattinopsida: Blattinopsidae) from the Permian of Taimyr Peninsula, Russia

Blattinopsis indefinitus Rasnitsyn et Aristov, sp. n. is described from the Lower Permian Fokina locality (the upper Burgukla subhorizont of the upper Kungurian Stage) in North-Western Siberia. It is the latest record of the genus Blattinopsis Giebel, 1867.

Continuous CO2 and CH4 Observations in the Coastal Arctic Atmosphere of the Western Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia: The First Results from a New Measurement Station in Dikson

Atmospheric observations of sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the pan-Arctic domain are highly sporadic, limiting our understanding of carbon turnover in this climatically sensitive environment and the fate of enormous carbon reservoirs buried in permafrost. Particular gaps apply to the Arctic latitudes of Siberia, covered by the vast tundra ecosystems underlain by permafrost, where only few atmospheric sites are available. The paper presents the first results of continuous observations of atmospheric CO2 and CH4 dry mole fractions at a newly operated station “DIAMIS” (73.30° N, 80.31° E) deployed on the edge of the Dikson settlement on the western coast of the Taimyr Peninsula. Atmospheric mole fractions of CO2, CH4, and H2O are measured by a CRDS analyzer Picarro G2301-f, which is regularly calibrated against WMO-traceable gases. Meteorological records permit screening of trace gas series. Here, we give the scientific rationale of the site, describe the instrumental setup, analyze the local environments, examine the seasonal footprint, and show CO2 and CH4 fluctuations for the daytime mixed atmospheric layer that is representative over a vast Arctic domain (~500–1000 km), capturing both terrestrial and oceanic signals.

Accurate continuous observations of carbon dioxide and methane dry mole fractions in the arctic atmosphere near the Dikson settlement, Siberia

&lt;div&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Measurements of the atmospheric sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;) and methane (CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) in the pan-Arctic domain are extremely sparse that limits our knowledge of carbon cycling over this dramatically sensitive environment and making predictions about a fate of carbon conserved in currently frozen ground. Especially critical are the gaps in the arctic latitudes of Siberia, covered by the vast permafrost underlain tundra, where only few continuous atmospheric observation stations are currently operational.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We present the first two years of accurate continuous observations of atmospheric CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; dry mole fractions at the new atmospheric carbon observation station located near the Dikson settlement (73.33&amp;#176; N, 80.34&amp;#176; E) on the seashore of the western part of the Taimyr Peninsula in Siberia. Data quality control of trace gas measurements is achieved by regular calibrations against WMO-traceable reference gases from pressurized dry air tanks filled at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (Jena, Germany). Associated meteorological variables permit evaluation of the climate variability of the local environment and provide a background for screening and interpreting the greenhouse gases (GHG) data records.&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Here we summarize the scientific rationale of the new site, give technical details of the instrumental setup, analyse the local environments and present CO&lt;/span&gt;&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;span&gt; and CH&lt;/span&gt;&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;span&gt; fluctuations in the arctic atmosphere. Along with the temporal variability of GHG&amp;#8217;s, we provide an overview of the angular distribution of detected GHG signals in the region and their input to the atmospheric fluctuations on the measurement site. Observation records deal with the daytime mixed layer and may be considered as representative throughout the vast area (~500&amp;#8211;1000 km), and cover the period from September 2018 to September 2020.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;reported study&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Krasnoyarsk Regional Fund of Science, project number 20-45-242908, RFBR project &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;18-05-60203&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;by the Max Planck Society (Germany)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/div&gt;