Glacier Recession in Altay Mountains after the LIA Maximum

The recent glaciation of the southern part of the Altai is estimated (1256 glaciers with the total area of 559.15±31.13 km2), the area of the glaciers of the whole Altai mountains is evaluated by 1096.55 km2. In the southern part of Altai 2276 glaciers with the total area of 1348.43±56.16 km2 were reconstructed, the first estimate of the LIA glacial area for the whole Altai mountain system is given (2288.04 km2). Since the LIA the glaciers decrease by 59% in the southern part of Altai and by 47.9% for the whole Altai. The ELA in the southern part of Altai increased averagely by 106 m. The higher changes of ELA in relatively humid areas is probably caused by decrease of precipitation. Glaciers of Tavan Bogd glacial center degraded with higher rates after 1968 relative to the interval between 1850-1968. One of the intervals of the fastest shrinkage of the glaciers in 2000-2010 was caused by unfavorable for the glaciers dry and warm interval 1989-2004. However, the fast decrease of the glaciers in 2000-2010 was mainly caused by the shrinkage or disappearance of the smaller glaciers, large valley glaciers started fast retreat after 2010.

Water Quality for Agricultural Irrigation and Aquatic Arsenic Health Risk in the Altay and Tianshan Mountains, Central Asia

Due to a lack of water-quality studies compared with water-quantity studies, an investigation into the factors influencing the hydrochemical composition of the rivers in the Tianshan and Altay Mountains was conducted with a model of multiple linear regression, while the suitability of the water quality for irrigation and the health risks of arsenic (As) were assessed with classical evaluation methods. The results suggest that 44.0% of the water samples from the Altay Mountains fell into the Ca-HCO3 category type, 48.0% of the water samples were of the Ca-HCO3-Cl type, and the remaining samples belonged to the Ca-Na-HCO3-Cl type. In the Tianshan Mountain area, 58.6% of the water samples fell into the Ca-HCO3 hydrochemical category, 20.7% of the water samples were of the Ca-HCO3-Cl type, and 20.7% of the water samples belonged to the Ca-Na-HCO3-Cl type. The major ions in the water were dominated by the control of the water and rock interaction. The interaction between water and rock in the Altay area controlled 69.2% of the overall variance in the As content in the river waters, and it dominated 76.2% of the variance in the Tianshan region. The river waters in the Altay and Tianshan Mountain regions are suitable for agricultural irrigation with excellent-to-good water quality. The results also suggest that there is no non-carcinogenic risk and that the carcinogenic risk is between the acceptable/tolerable risk range of 10−6–10−4, except only one sample in Tianshan Mountain region. The research methodology provided a reference for revealing the potential sources of toxic element pollution, and the results provided a scientific basis for regional agricultural irrigation, as well as a reference for decision making on the environmental protection of the watershed.

Bidirectional introgression between Betula tianshanica and Betula microphylla and its implications for conservation

SummaryMolecular markers can allow us to differentiate species that occupy a morphological continuum, and detect patterns of allele sharing that can help us understand the dynamics of geographic zones where they meet. Betula microphylla is a declining wetland species in NW China that forms a continuum of leaf morphology with its relative Betula tianshanica.We use ecological niche models (ENM) to predict the distribution of B. microphylla, B. tianshanica and the more commonly occurring B. platyphylla. We use restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and SSRs to resolve their genetic structure and patterns of allele sharing.ENM predicted an expansion of suitable range of B. tianshanica into B. microphylla since the Last Glacial Maximum and the contraction of B. microphylla’s range in the future. We resolved the species identification of some intermediate morphotypes. We found signatures of bidirectional introgression between B. microphylla and B. tianshanica with SNPs showing more admixture than SSRs. Introgression from B. microphylla into B. tianshanica was greater in the Tianshan Mountains where the two species have occurred in proximity. Unexpectedly, introgression from B. tianshanica into B. microphylla was widespread in the Altay Mountains where there are no records of B. tianshanica occurrence.This presence of B. tianshanica-derived alleles far beyond the species’ current range could be due to unexpectedly high pollen flow, undiscovered populations of B. tianshanica in the region, incomplete lineage sorting, or selection for adaptive introgression in B. microphylla. These different interpretations have contrasting implications for the conservation of B. microphylla.

Significance of meltwater in estimating runoff using Budyko framework in Northwest Xinjiang, China

<p>Budyko framework has been widely used to estimate the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and runoff as a function of an aridity index (i.e., ratio of potential evapotranspiration to precipitation) in catchments where snow or glaciers are absent. Where snow or glaciers exist, meltwater from either may considerably affect the performance of the Budyko framework. However such effects have not been investigated in the Xinjiang territory of Northwest China, which features many meltwater-dependent river systems. To analyze the effects of meltwater on hydrological cycles in Xinjiang, we utilized a calibrated hydrological model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) to estimate meltwater from snow or glaciers. The water budgets of 21 catchments across three major mountain ranges of Xinjiang showed that normalized contributions of meltwater to river runoff were respectively 89.9%, 77.0%, and 55.6% in the catchments of Altay, Kunlun and Tienshan Mountains. The results showed that the catchments of Altay Mountains with the highest meltwater ratio (defined as the ratio of meltwater to the sum of meltwater and rainfall, 0.572 ± 0.075) had the lowest Budyko parameter ω (1.238), while those of Tienshan Mountains with the lowest meltwater ratio (0.239 ± 0.143) had the highest ω value (1.348). This indicated that the Budyko parameter ω was negatively correlated to meltwater ratio across three mountains. Incorporating meltwater from snow and glaciers into the Budyko framework significantly increased the values of ω in all three mountain ranges, indicating that the Budyko framework without inclusion of meltwater could under-estimate evapotranspiration in Xinjiang, China. There results derived from this research also implied that both surface runoff and evapotranspiration may increase under a warming climate in mountain areas.</p>

Albasty: A Female Demon of Turkic Peoples

Albasty is one of the most commonly known malevolent beings among Turkic peoples from the Altay Mountains via the Caucasus and up as far as the Volga River. This article focuses on Turkic data from the Volga region (Chuvash, Tartar, Bashkir) and the Eurasian Steppe (Kazak, Kyrgyz, Nogay, Uzbek). Various areas can be ascertained on the basis of verbal charms and folk-belief narratives. On the Eurasian Steppe, for example, Albasty was first and foremost a puerperal demon. In this territory, specialists (kuuču) were called in to keep away or oust the demon at birth. Many recorded legends and memorates concern healing methods and the process of becoming a healer. In contrast, epic texts or narratives are rarer,in the Volga region, yet there are certain verbal incantations against the Albasty, which here is rather a push or disease demon.