Siberia Institute for the Environment UNC-Chapel Hill Siberian Institute for Ecological Initiatives
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