Biofacies analysis of Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Ust-Yenisei region: Implications of palynomorphs

The results of palynomorph biofacies analysis in the Upper Cretaceous deposits of the Ust-Yenisei region are presented. The established facies confinement and indicative features of separate palynomorph groups are used, along with identified dinocyst morphotypes and taxa, in paleogeographic reconstructions. Seven palynomorph associations characterizing continental, coastal-marine, shallow-and deep-water facies are distinguished based on quantitative proportions between morphological groupings and individual taxa. As boundaries between distinguishable biostratigraphic and facies subdivisions do not coincide, dinocysts were likely insignificantly dependent in distribution on facies in the West Siberian epicontinental basin at least. On the other hand, distribution trends of particular dinocyst morphotypes and other microphytofossils are correlative with transgressive-regressive cycles and can be used for reconstruction of paleoenvironments.     

Condition of coastal mesoplankton communities in the northeastern area of the Black Sea in 2005

The structure and distribution of mesoplankton in the northeastern part of the Black Sea along 6-mile and 100-mile sections in the area off Golubaya Bay (near the city of Gelendzhik) were analyzed. The studies were performed from R/V Akvanavt and the boat Ashamba. The observations were carried out during the vegetation season from the beginning of June to the first half of October 2005. Samples of mesoplankton were collected with use of a BSD net with an opening of 0.1 m² and a mesh size of 180 μm. Both the total (over the entire water column) and layer-by-layer (separately for the upper quasi-homogeneous layer, the seasonal thermocline, and the subthermocline layer) hauls were performed down to the bottom (at sea depths of less than 200 m) or down to the upper boundary of the hydrogen sulfide waters. The particular hydrophysical conditions that were observed in 2005 resulted in an approximately one-month advance of the phenological condition of the planktonic community as compared to the usual pattern. Beroe ovata appeared in the plankton at the end of July, the mass development of Mnemiopsis leidyi was suppressed, and the duration of its influence on edible zooplankton was essentially reduced. As a result, the total mesoplankton biomass in August–October 2005 was 1.5–2 times as great as that in 2004. The abundance of Acartia clausi increased approximately 4–5 times and the quantity of Sagitta setosa also considerably increased. At selected stations, Mnemiopsis leidyias, the main predator in the community, was replaced by Sagitta setosa.     

Estimation of drought-related yield loss using the dynamic statistical model of crop productivity forecasting

The methodological approach is proposed to the estimation of drought-related crop yield loss based on the dynamic statistical model of crop productivity forecasting. The obtained results agree well with the total actual crop yield loss. The approach under consideration is the first stage of creation of operational assessment of expected loss.     

Mercury in Hydrobionts and Their Habitat in Grønfjorden,West Spitsbergen,in Early Springtime

The first data were obtained on the total mercury content in hydrobionts and their habitat in Grønfjorden, Spitsbergen, at the waste discharge sites of the settlement of Barentsburg in early spring 2017. The Hg concentration was below the detection limit in the water and varied from 7.1 to 42.3 ng/g of dry weight in the bottom sediments. Mercury concentration in the hydrobionts increased toward the inner fjord and was higher near the mouth of the Grøndalen River, which flows into the fjord. Elevated Hg concentrations at the mouth of the Grøndalen River indicate that much of the toxic metal is brought to the inner part of the fjord with riverine runoff, and this Hg source is likely more important than the surface supply of Hg transferred from local surface pollution centers at Barentsburg. The Hg concentration depended on the position of the marine organisms in the trophic chain and was the highest in the detritophage mollusks Thyasira gouldi, Cardium sp., and Macoma calcarea, the specialized predatory sea snail Cryptonatica affinis, and the cod Gadus morhua, which is a benthosophage–secondary predator. The total Hg concentrations in the hydrobionts and their habitat in Grønfjorden were generally relatively low and close to the background one.     

Palynostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene Deposits in the South of Western Siberia by Example of Russkaya Polyana Boreholes,Omsk Trough

The detailed study of Boreholes 8, 10, and 2 in the Russkaya Polyana district (Omsk Trough) made it possible to reveal the complex structure of the Upper Cretaceous sediments formed in unstable conditions of the marginal part of the Western Siberian basin. The Pokur, Kuznetsovo, Ipatovo, Slavgorod, and Gan’kino formations were subjected to palynological analysis and substantiation of their Late Cretaceous age. Eight biostratigraphic units with dinocysts and five units with spores and pollen from the Albian to the Maastrichtian were identified. The joint application of biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic methods made it possible to reveal the stratigraphic breaks in the studied sedimentary stratum and to estimate their scope. The age of the Lower Lyulinvor Subformation was specified in the marginal part of the Omsk Trough. The ingression traces of the Western Siberian basin in the Albian were found for the first time in the considered region.     

Geoeffective Disturbances in the Solar Wind near the Solar Activity Minimum according to the Data of a Two-year Series of Observations of Interplanetary Scintillations with the BSA LPI Radio Telescope

Astronomy Reports - A joint analysis of the monitoring data of interplanetary scintillations with solar and geophysical data showed that at the descending phase of the 24 solar activity cycle, the...     

Reconstruction of the upper pleistocene glaciation of East PamirRekonstruktion der oberpleistozänen vergletscherung des ostpamirsReconstruction de la glaciation du Pamir oriental dans le pleistocène supérieur

The paper deals with type, age, and climatic conditions of the last vast glaciation in the East Pamir Mountains. The combination of paleobotanic and geomorphological data as well as absolute age dating of the Kara-Kul lake terrace (27,700 ± 700 years old) supports the thesis that maximum glaciation occurred in the Upper Pleistocene, 14–15 thousand years ago. By special calculations it was established that the tectonic factor of glaciation practically did not exist. This confirmed the existing opinion of a number of scientists that by the beginning of the Upper Pleistocene the Pamir Mountains had almost achieved their present altitude. The analysis of paleobotanic literature permitted the assumption that the amount of precipitation was about the same as it is now: 750 mm/year at an altitude of 4950 m (altitude of the present-day firn line). It was established that the Upper Pleistocene glaciation was caused only by general climatic cooling.     

Micromorphology of solonetzic horizons as related to environmental events in the Caspian Lowland

Micromorphology of solonetz species with special attention to natric horizon was studied in microcatenas at the Dzhanybek Research Station （northwestern Caspian Lowland）. The solonetzic （natric） horizon is easily identified, and it occurs at varying depths, which are the criteria for subdividing solonetzes into 4 species, namely, crusty, shallow, medium and deep. In this sequence, the depth of humus-accumulative horizons increases, and the upper boundary of salinity manifestations goes down. The following micromorphological features are assumed as typical for natric horizons： angular blocky microstructures with partially accommodated aggregates having sharp boundaries and narrow plane-like packing voids; b-fabric speckled in the aggregates＇ centers and monostriated at their peripheries merging into stress coatings; very few interpedal voids; organo-clay coatings; humus- enriched infillings; no calcite and gypsum pedofeatures. A complete set of ＂natric＂ features was found only in the crusty solonetz; the shallow solonetz lacks only illuviation coatings, while the medium and deep species have several modifications of fabric elements： blocky aggregates have a rounded shape and are penetrated by biogenic channels favoring their further biogenic reworking; plant residues became more abundant and diverse, and blackened tissues occur; illuviation clay coatings evolved into papules; stress coatings gave birth to striated bfabrics, thus maintaining a high plasma orientation. The thin sections of natric horizons made 50 and 20 years ago were examined to study the influence of environmental changes （increase in precipitation and rise of ground water table） on micropedofeatures. The following processes took place： （i） in the topsoil： humus accumulation and biogenic structurization; （ii） in the natric horizon - re-arrangement of clay coatings into micromass b-fabrics; and （iii） in the lower part of the natric horizon - development of pseudosand fabric, calcite and gypsum formation. The trends revealed are in good agreement with the environmental events.     

Palynofacies in upper cretaceous sediments of northern Siberia

Different palynomorph groups (spores and pollen of terrestrial plants, dinoflagellate cysts, prasinophytes, acritarchs, Zygnemataceae algae, and others) have been thoroughly studied to define major patterns in their distribution depending on the impact of different environmental factors and to establish their paleoecological characteristics. The comparative analysis of palynomorph assemblages from coeval Cenomanian-Coniacian sediments of the Ust’-Yenisei area, Berezovskaya 23k, Yuzhno-Russkaya 113, Leningradskaya-1 boreholes and Santonian-Campanian sequences of the Ust’-Yenisei, Khatanga and Polar Urals regions reveals transgressive-regressive cycles, which are best evident in coastal sections and smoothed in their marine counterparts. The biofacies and compositions of palynomorphs form the regular succession from the periphery toward central parts of the West Siberian basin. The facies successions in Santonian-Campanian sections of the eastern and western parts of the basin are inconsistent with each other, which may be explained by influence of both the West Siberian and Russian seas on sedimentation in its western areas.     

Evolutionary stages of the karst-anthropogenic system of the Yucatán Peninsula

An analysis is made of the karst geomorphosystems of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is found that the main factors influencing its formation were climate and ocean level oscillations, tectonic movements, and impact effects. It is established that as a result of an active influence of the Maya civilization on the karst landscape of the peninsula, the geomorphosystems was transformed to the karst-anthropogenic system. The karstic landforms, and also the underground caverns experienced the anthropogenic impact, and the subsurface waters were particularly heavily influenced, which, on the one hand, determined the places of concentration of settlements and were actively consumed by the population, and, on the other, their reserves were replenished at regular intervals as a result of the creation of artificial subsurface water storages. In a further transformation of the karst-anthropogenic system, two stages were additionally identified: dominated by natural karstic processes (after the decline of the Maya civilization), and with a renewed intensification of anthropogenic pressure (1980s–current period). The last transformation stage is distinguished by an extension of the impact to the surface karst as well as to the underground caverns: they are subjected to mechanical destruction with an enhancement in the chemical impact as a result of inputs of polluted runoffs to encompass ever deeper horizons of subsurface waters. It is established that the rates of transformation processes of anthropogenic objects created of limestone are, in general, comparable with the mean rates of natural karstic processes on the neighboring territories: the formation of karrens on Maya steles is generally proceeding at the rate of 0.04 mm/year, while the growth rates of flowstones within urban structures of limestone vary from 0.03 to 0.6 mm/year.