Expended range of Gomphonema firmum (Bacillariophyceae), once considered a Lake Baikal endemic, with notes on the identity of G. lanceolatum var. maximum

This note describes a new record of Gomphonema firmum Skvortzow, which expanded both morphological and distributional ranges of the species. This conspicuous diatom was previously unknown outside of Lake Baikal, where it inhabits deep-water areas. The newly discovered locality belongs to a small stream at a distance of 180 km west from Lake Baikal, where the species was found in a relatively high abundance that enabled to trace a size diminution series including specimens shorter than previously described. In addition, G. lanceolatum var. maximum Poretzky, a name for a diatom from Lake Teletskoe, was included in a synonymy of G. firmum that further expanded the species distribution. In the light of the presented data, the species appears to be a rare diatom with current distribution limited to a few scattered localities in southern Siberia.

Remains of the Baikal yak (Poehpagus mutus baikalensis N. Verestchagin, 1954) from Late Pleistocene localities of Southern Siberia

136 bones of the postcranial skeleton and a part of the skull of a female Baikal yak (Poephagus mutus baikalensis N. Verestcthagin, 1954), originating from 18 cave locations and open-type Paleolithic sites in Altai-Sayan, Transbaikalia and Central Mongolia were examined. The material includes 38 metacarpals and 9 metatarsals of the yak. Morphometric differences in the structure of the postcranial skeleton of the yak and the bison (Bison priscus Bojanus, 1827) were revealed. The body size of the Baikal yak significantly exceeded that of the wild Tibetan yak (Poephagus mutus Przewalski, 1883). The largest representatives of P. m. baikalensis inhabited the Altai Mountains. In most of the sites, located in the mid-mountain landscapes of Southern Siberia (with absolute heights of 500–700 m), only a few remains of the Baikal yak were found, accounting for 0.01% to 1–2% of the number of megafauna remains. Most likely, herds of yaks did not live here permanently, but appeared only sporadically, during seasonal migrations. In higher mountainous areas (from 1000–1500 m) of Gorny Altai and Khangai Mountains in Central Mongolia, the proportion of the remains of the Baikal yak increases significantly – up to 16–22%. Like the contemporary P. mutus, the Pleistocene yak found its ecological optimum in the high-mountainous parts of ridges and mountain plateaus, dominated by cold, dry mountain-steppe landscapes with herb-grass vegetation and a small amount of snow. During the periods of cryochrones, the area of P. m. baikalensis apparently expanded significantly, incorporating the adjacent foothill territories. During the periods of thermochrones, it was most likely limited to the high-mountainous areas of the mountain uplifts of Southern Siberia.

Kangur – totem czy esencja? Dwie koncepcje krajobrazu

The paper analyzes landscapes of indigenous societies. Howard Morphy, in his work focusing on the Aborigines, treated the landscape as a representation of past mythical events. Such an approach involves taking a closer look at the material aspects of landscape and emphasizes the existence of realties between contemporary Aborigines and the past. A different theoretical approach was developed by Tim Ingold, conceptualizing landscape as a human-land relationship based on essence, where all beings derive their essential form and substance directly from the land, which embodies the creative forces of the ancestors. Ingold’s understanding of landscape led me to rethink my research in the Altai Mountains of Southern Siberia, conducted 25 years ago. I argue that the relationship with the land is crucial for the Altaian people. The land’s essence is not changeable and all living beings are its emanation. The landscape is therefore not a record of the past, but an active field in which the relationship between human and non-human subjects and the land is established.

Migration of the Oirats in the first quarter of the 17th century on the eve of returning to Dzungaria

In 1541 the Oirats managed to form the Middle Confederation, which was led by the Khoshuts as the most powerful people. In the second half of the same XVI century the Oirats, suffering from attacks of their neighbors - the Turkic peoples from the west and south and the eastern Mongols from the east, began to move towards southern Siberia. Earlier they used to roam along the Black Irtysh river and north of the lake Zaysan, but now they began to move below the lake Yamysh. Opinions on the migration routes of the Oirats, existing in the literature, need clarification. The author offers his vision based on the archival materials and the Mongolian sources: the Hoyt Oirats, driven out of Kharakhoto by the Tumat Altan Khan, were the first to go towards the Altai Mountains. The next were the Torgut Oirats, who crossed the Altai, and then, together with the Derbets, they moved down the Irtysh river. The Elelets, the future Dzungars, left Western Mongolia for the Yenisei river sources. Already in the second decade of the 17th century the Oirats wandered along Om, Kamyshlov, Tobol and Ishim rivers, that is, they were roaming along the middle reaches of the Irtysh river. In 1623, at lake Yamysh, they defeated the troops of the Hotogoit Altyn Khan Sholoi Ubashi-Khuntaiji, but this victory did not exclude an internal struggle in the ruling house of the Khoshuts, which resulted in weakening of this people. Further civil strife forced the Torguts to move towards west, and in the early 1630s they reached the Volga river. Migrations over such long distances were possible only if there was an effective management apparatus, while maintaining traditions and identity.

Last interglacial environment of the Baikal Region (Southern Siberia, Russia) based on analysis of fossil invertebrates and plants

New data on fossil insects, soil and freshwater invertebrates, plant macrofossils, pollen and spores were obtained from a problematic lower unit of the reference section Bely Yar-II (Tunka Rift, Baikal Region, Russia). The invertebrates show a natural succession from a small lake to a wetland; plant macrofossils confirm the early stages of succession. Pollen and spore data reflect a wide range of environments and vegetation from moderate climate supporting regional forests to relatively cold, dry parkland. New Uranium-Thorium data (99 ± 20 ka and 101 ± 13 ka), along with environmental reconstructions, indicate that the lower unit was probably formed during one of the cold sub-stages towards the end the last inter-glaciation (MIS5).

Repatriation of Polish refugees of World War I: the case of the Altai Province

During World War I a large number of refugees evacuated to the Russian Empires periphery, such as the many Poles who were temporarily transported eastward to Siberia. This article studies their repatriation after the conflicts end, which bears some relevance to forced migration, refugees and repatriation in todays world. Based on archival and secondary sources, the authors endeavor to reconstruct the repatriation of Polish refugees from Altai province in southern Siberia. Beginning in earnest after the Soviet Unions war with Poland of 1918-21, their return was hampered by the difficult conditions of the past Civil War and the countrys economic crisis. Although an extensive network of organizations was set up to carry the repatriation out, poor communication with the center, insufficient staff and the absence of registration forms made its work extremely difficult. At the same time, many refugees returned on their own, which further complicated matters. Nevertheless, most Poles eventually made it back home. The Russian-Ukrainian-Polish Mixed Commission on Repatriation announced that its work was done in 1924, although in fact it lasted for another year.

BILINGUALISM AND LANGUAGE ATTITUDES OF RESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLICS OF SOUTHERN SIBERIA IN THE CONTEXT OF URBANIZATION

Statement of the problem. The article examines the problems of co-functioning of the state languages of the republics of Southern Siberia in the context of urbanization processes that affect the acceleration of ethnocultural and linguistic assimilation of minority ethnic groups. The purpose of the article is to identify the features of the development of national-Russian bilingualism in the context of the linguistic attitudes of the speakers of the second state languages – Altai, Tuvan and Khakass, in the urban communicative space of the republics of southern Siberia. Research results indicate the commonality of bilingualism development in the three republics of Southern Siberia, determined by its legislatively enshrined status. The features of the actual use of its components correlate with the historically established ethno-demographic structure of the population, the pace and monocentrism of urbanization in the capital cities. Language attitudes of urban residents of the three republics in relation to the second state languages are generally positive, however, they are differentiated in the context of the ethnicity of the respondents, correlating with the ingrained social and ethno-identification attitudes in relation to languages of different status, which determines their communicative power. The metropolitan respondents of the titular nationalities demonstrate more positive linguistic attitudes in terms of their readiness to support the second state languages in comparison with the Russian respondents. At the same time, the level of fluency in all types of speech activity in native languages among young people in the capitals of the republics of Southern Siberia is lower than in rural areas.