Siberia - UNC Institute for the Environment

Siberia

Institute for the Environment

UNC-Chapel Hill

Siberian Institute for Ecological Initiatives

Dr. Pavel Barsukov Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry

Siberian Institute for Ecological Initiatives (S.I.E.I.)

Founder and Director

Dr. Nikolai N. LashchinskyCentral Siberian Botanical Garden in Novosibirsk

Director of Siberian Field Studies

UNC-CH Faculty

Dr. Mark Sorensen

Professor of Biological Anthropology

Dr. Greg Gangi

Associate Director for Education

Institute for the Environment

Dr. Andrei Babenko

S.I.E.I.Tomsk University

Ecology and Entomologist

Ms. Elena Smolentseva

S.I.E.I.Institute for Soil Science

and AgrochemistrySoil Science and Geomorphologist

Sasha and Lena

The Crew

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

• Program Setting II – Altai Mountains– Artybash– Seminsky Pass– Karakol– Chagan-Uzun

•Visit several institutes •Conduct field studies at multiple sites•Learn about various scientific initiatives promoting sustainable development•Explore difference between private and collective farms

Program Setting I

Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region

Dominant trees:Betula pendula Populus tremula

Other common species:Betula pubescens Pinus sylvestris

Forest – steppe zone

Forest vegetation

Forest – steppe zone

Dry meadow vegetation

Dominant plants:Helictotrichon pubescensPoa angustifolia Phleum phleoides

Other common species:Phlomis tuberosa Galium verum Oxytropis campanulata Filipendula vulgaris

Luvic Chernozems

Bt

Ah (mull type of humus)

AhBt

Bk

Forest–steppe zonemeadow biomes

Chebula

ChebulaField studies: subtaiga and forest steppe

View of Trans-Siberian Railroad

Chebula

Program Location I

Drawing water to prepare a Russian Sauna

Lake Svetloe

Ob River – 5th largest river in worldIntro to ichthyology, biodiversity of fishes in Siberia

Central Siberian Botanical Garden in Novosibirsk

Location: Krivoyash

Tasting different honey products at bee farm

Krivoyash

Bee farm and example of failed collective farming

On to the next site…

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk

TomskIntroduction to Ornithology

Field work: Bird Identification

Nearby Tomsk

Floating Islands

Location: PlotnikovoField work: Identifying raised bogs and peat soils

-Classification of bogs-Ecological and social problems of peat bogs

Vasjugan bog in West Siberia is the biggest bog tract in the World

Areas covered by bogs: 60-80% in tundra and taiga zones and 15% in forest-steppe zone

Plotnikovo

Drosera Rotundifolia

-Carnivorous

Plotnikovo

Field work: southern taiga

Southern taiga

Dominant trees:Pinus sibirica Abies sibirica

Other common species:Pinus sylvestris Populus tremulaBetula pubescens

Forest vegetation

Southern taiga

Pinus sibirica

Southern taigashrubs and herbaceous layers

Dominant plants:Carex macrouraCalamagrostis obtusata

Other common species:Dryopteris carthusianaAthyrium filix–feminaDaphne mezereumRubus saxatilis

Plotnikovo

Field Studies: southern taiga

Hyppopitis monotropa

Siberian orchids in southern

taiga

Cypripedium calceolus

Cypripedium macranthon

Epipogium aphyllum

Aprelka

Old manganese quarry dug by a Gulag camp

Location: UrskWooden Orthodox Church-Example of wooden architecture-Students meet with orthodox priest

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk– Salair

Salair

-Low mountains

Salair Mountains

Salair Mountains

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

Location: Barnaul

Field work: flood plain of Ob river

Steppe zone

Dominant plants:Stipa capillataStipa pennataFestuca valesica

Other common species:Goniolimon speciosumPotentilla humifusa

Stipa capillata

Southern variant of

steppe zone

Oxytropis pilosa

Barnaul

Field work: steppe

Visit Altai Institute of Agriculture

Barnaul

Altai Institute of Agriculture: diversity of agricultural crops

Barnaul

Open air market

-Local honey and herbal products

Program Setting II – The Golden Altai Mountains

•The Altai Mountain range is one of the areas of greatest biodiversity within northern Asia

•Listed as UNESCO World Nature Heritage Site

•Total protected area of 1,611,457 ha

•Home to rare snow leopard; Altai population of snow leopards is a core source for populations in surrounding areas

•Headwaters of western Siberia’s most important rivers—The Ob and Irtysh—can also be found here

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

• Program Setting II – Altai Mountains– Artybash

Entering Altai Region

Katun River

Katun River• Rafting

Location: Artybash

Field studies: Intro to theriology/mammalogy

Lake Teleskoe6th deepest lake in world

Field studies: peculiarities of lake and its importance to local people

Lake Teleskoe

Life at Artybash Biological Station

R&R at the biological station

Cherga

Cherga: European Bison farm

-Efforts to sustain and reintroduce endangered megafauna

Crane

Location: Shebalino

Excursion to local Altaian museum

-tasting of local food/drink

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

• Program Setting II – Altai Mountains– Artybash– Seminskiy Pass

Seminskiy Pass

-High mountains

Seminskiy Pass

Field work: mountain tundra belt, geomorphologic features of high Altai Mountains

Kolya explains use of different plants as medicine in local culture

Day hike through Seminskiy Pass

Altai Village

In treeless landscapes dung becomes an important energy source

Examples of animal husbandry

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula/Novosibirsk – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

• Program Setting II – Altai Mountains– Artybash– Seminskiy Pass– Karakol

Location: Karakol

7-day Horseback riding tour

Field studies:

-Ecology and economics of pastoralism

-Altai people under collective agricultural system

-Decollectivization and distribution of animals and property

Artur, Altaian guide

Reflecting on traditions and ways of life for Altai peoples with a local villager

Preparation for feast celebrating return from horseback riding trip

The group enjoys traditional music and food in an authentic yurt

Petroglyphs

Altaian Princess, currently in Novosibirsk

Great Altai National Celebration Al-Oiyn in Tuekta-Highlighting native customs

-Buzkashi: The player’s goal is to grab the carcass of a goat, calf or ram and then get it clear of the other players and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle or vat. (Similar to polo)

Chuja River Campsite

Siberia Field SiteProgram locations

• Program Setting I – Novosibirsk-Tomsk-Barnaul Region– Chebula/Novosibirsk – Tomsk– Salair– Barnaul

• Program Setting II – Altai Mountains– Artybash– Seminskiy Pass– Karakol– Chagan-Uzun

Chagan-Uzun

Field work: Central Asian semidesert zone

-Vegetation of edaphic semidesert

-Ancient subduction zone

-Serpentines and products of their weathering

Chagan-Uzun

Ortolyk

Field work: Chuyan Steppe

-biggest intermountain depression in Altai Mountains

Muslim graveyard

Meeting of rivers

-glacial input

Katun terracesField work: alluvial deposits

Taldura River

Field work: study 2003 earthquake site

Telengit

Field work: sandy semi desert, camel pastures

Compiled by: Lindsay Leonard with special thanks to Danielle Del Sol and Nikolay Laschinsky

Photos by: Greg Gangi, Melanie Haywood, Stephanie Jones, Sarah Jones, Nikolay Laschinsky, Lindsay Leonard, Hannah Owensby, Beth Anne Purvis, Mark Sorensen, and Zach Tewell