Wind power development in Eastern Kazakhstan threatens migration of eagles

On the basis of data obtained from ARGOS/GPS and GPS/GSM tracking of 34 eagles (4 Steppe Eagles (Aquila nipalensis) from Central KZ, 1 Steppe Eagle from Southern Ural region, 22 Steppe Eagles, 5 Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) from the ASR and 2 Greater Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga) from the from the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion), we have defined the main flyways, terms, and other parameters of migration of eagles through Eastern Kazakhstan. We have outlined the borders of the migration corridor and estimate the number of migrants passing through it. The study highlights the importance of the Karatau ridge for eagles from the vast territories of Russia and Kazakhstan. But we are also concerned about the development of wind farms with horizontal-axis wind turbines that expose ultimate danger for raptors in the Karatau migration corridor. One of them already exists – the Zhanatas Wind-Power Station. Here we calculated the possible negative impact on the eagle population from the existing and projected wind farms of the Karatau ridge and give our recommendations for neutralizing the damage from the development of the electric power industry in Karatau.

A new subspecies of Сryptocephalus ergenensis Morawitz, 1863 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from Kazakhstan and significance of colour pattern polymorphism examination

Cryptocephalus apicalis species group is introduced and defined within the subgenus Asionus Lopatin, 1988. Cryptocephalus ergenensis Morawitz, 1863 from this group is first recorded in Eastern Kazakhstan and this form with unusual colour pattern is described herein as a new subspecies kalbensis Mikhailov, ssp. nov. The members of Cryptocephalus apicalis species group are keyed and illustrated. Significance of the colour pattern polymorphism in taxonomy is discussed.

CHINGIZ EARTHQUAKE on January 20, 2015, KR=12.2, mb=5.6, I_0^P=5–6 NEAR the SEMIPALATINSK POLYGON (Eastern Kazakhstan)

The work presents the results of data analysis of the earthquake on January 20, 2015, mb=5.6 occurred at the low-active region of Eastern Kazakhstan near the border of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site. The work briefly describes the seismicity of the Semipalatinsk Test Site related to aseismic regions according to the acting map of general seismic zoning. The earthquake was recorded by permanent seismic stations of the Institute of Geophysical Research of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and by two strong-motion accelerometers. The earthquake was felt at distances up to 300 km from the epicentre, its maximum intensity was noted at Medeu settlement where the shaking intensity was 56 by the MSK-64 scale. The earthquake focal mechanism is shown, the parameters of seismic effects and response spectra are calculated.

Ranchers or pastoralists? Farm size, specialisation and production strategy amongst cattle farmers in south-eastern Kazakhstan

Against the global trend towards sedentary, specialised and feed-intensive cattle farming, we explore current patterns of production in Kazakhstan’s traditionally nomadic livestock sector. Experts see considerable potential for output expansion, and the government hopes to promote the sector as an alternative to revenues from hydrocarbons. Which production systems emerge will determine the use of the country’s vast pastoral resources, patterns of economic contribution from livestock and future greenhouse gas emissions. We focus on the beef sector, using original survey data and interviews from south-eastern Kazakhstan to compare rural households and farms by production strategy, generated using cluster analysis from data on livestock holdings, fodder provision and grazing. We examine in particular the relationships between farm size and the characteristics identified. We find that, rather than being specialised and intensive, larger farms tend to be highly diversified in terms of stock species, are more mobile and provide fewer supplements per head than smaller farms. Winter pastures appear to be a key resource associated with larger operations. Many large farms provide fodder mainly as low-quality roughage, although a subset with better access to cropland provide higher quality rations and fatten cattle before sale. Medium-sized farms lack either winter pasture bases or cropland for growing supplements, but proximity to markets enables some to compensate through fodder purchases. Inability to access government support, available only to large farms, hampers their expansion. Farmers’ professional background, distance from markets and environmental conditions are all associated with the production systems observed. In terms of policy, high transaction costs associated with leaseholds and lack of transferability between farmers impede access to land. Current pasture access mechanisms and institutions almost entirely exclude small farms and households. Changes in these systems, combined with infrastructure development, may bring economic, social and environmental benefits for the livestock sector and rural communities.

Age and Natural Environment of the Horse Hunters' Site Sholma I in the Right Bank of the Volga in Chuvashia

The paper presents new data on the dating and paleogeography of the Sholma I site, which has been studied by the authors since the early 2000s on the Tsivil River in Chuvashia. Two AMS dates obtained from horse bones from the 2017 excavation: 10838-10717 Cal BC (95,4%) (UOC-8154) и 11131-10846 Cal BC (95,4%) (UOC-8155) confirmed the authors ' opinion expressed in 2009 that the site of the final Paleolithic functioned in the natural conditions of the interstadial warming of the Allerød at the end of the ice Age. Results of a soil study of samples in 2017, in particular, analyzes for the content of gross phosphorus and microbiomorphs carried out by A. A. Golyeva are highlighted. Analogies to the features of the blade stone industry and trapezoid inserts of throwing weapons in the sites of the Pleistocene and Holocene boundary are revealed. As a result, the authors have outlined two possible directions of communication of specialized hunters who came to the Middle Volga region with a characteristic set of combat weapons in the conditions of interstadial warming. It could be south-east and south-west directions. The south-eastern one is represented by complexes with trapezia of the lower layers of the Shiderty 3 site in north-eastern Kazakhstan and the Gora Mayak settlement in the Samara trans-Volga region, and the south-western one – by the sites with trapezia and other forms of inserts that existed during Allerød in the valleys of the Seversky Donets and the Middle Don.

Ecological-morphological features of the East Kazakhstan endemic Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. (Fabaceae)

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in the directions determination of environment conservation. It requires an execution of many application strategies of natural resources for plants’ condition evaluation and solution of their problems. Study of morphological features of medicinal plant Hedysarum theinum Krasnob. distributed in East Kazakhstan is the aim of the research in conservation of biodiversity. The population has been investigated by route-observation research method, 1794 m above sea level at GPS coordinates 50о19‘5.969N, 83о52’44.270Е in Ivanov gorge of Altai Mountains (Kazakhstan). H. theinum Krasnob. is an endemic, perennial, main rooted species with 4–8 pairs of leaf, pink-purple corolla, egg shaped seeds in Altai, Central Asian mountains and Mongolia that represents Fabaceae family. There is a need in deep study of H. theinum Krasnob. because valuable medicinal plants found in Eastern Kazakhstan are not investigated sufficiently and growth area is reduced.

First records of Ceutorhynchus turbatus Schultze, 1903 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Novosibirsk Oblast (Western Siberia, Russia) and Eastern Kazakhstan

The first records of Ceutorhynchus turbatus Schultze, 1903 (Curculionidae, Conoderinae, Ceutorhynchitae, Ceutorhynchini) from Western Siberia (Novosibirsk Oblast) and Eastern Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region) are given. They are the most north-eastern and south-eastern finds of this species. A key for identifying species from Ceutorhynchus parvulus-group is presented.