A BRIDLE PLATE FROM THE TOWN OF BEKESSAMSON. NEW DATA ON THE RESEARCH OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES DATING TO THE PRE-SCYTHIAN - EARLY SCYTHIAN AGE IN THE SOUTH OF THE CARPATHIAN BASIN

Работа посвящена анализу распространения одного из редких вариантов уздечных блях типа обнаруженной в окрестности г. Бекешшамшон в Юго-Восточной Венгрии. В ходе рассмотрения аналогий блях, найденных в памятниках Хорватии, Сербии и Северо-Западного Кавказа, подробно изучены сопровождающие находки и обстоятельства обнаружения. В результате можно прийти к выводу, что изучаемый бронзовый предмет датируется не ранее начала - первой половины VII в. до н. э. В ходе рассмотрения мелких деталей находки обращается внимание также на недостаточно разработанную типологию деталей уздечного набора и терминологию для описания их функционального назначения. This paper analyzes the distribution of one of the rare variants of horse bridle plates found in the vicinities of the town of Bekessamson in Southeastern Hungary. Considering the analogies to the plates discovered at the sites in Croatia, Serbia and the Northwestern Caucasus, accompanying finds and circumstances surrounding the finds were carefully examined. As a result, we come to the conclusion that the bronze object, studied by the authors cannot be dated earlier than the beginning - the first half of the 7 c. BC. While carefully examining small parts of the find, attention is paid to insufficiency of typology of the horse bridle details and terminology used for describing their functional purpose.

Microbial respiration and functional diversity of soil microbial community under treeline shifts in the Northwestern Caucasus

In mountain areas, one of the noticeable results of modern climate change is rapid shift of treelines to subalpine and alpine meadows. Such vegetation shifts is associated with a change in quality of the plant residues entering the soils, which in turn can affect the mineralization activity (basal respiration) and functional diversity of the soil microbial community. Therefore, the study was aimed at assessing the soil microbial (basal respiration and functional diversity) and chemical (C, N, C/N, pH) properties (0-10 cm) along the reserved and grazed forest-meadow transects of the Northwestern Caucasus (Karachay-Cherkess Republic), as well as evaluating an effect of vegetation type and land use on variation of these soil properties. It was found that the C and N contents (for both land usees), pH and basal respiration (reserved slope) significantly increase from forest to meadow soils. In contrary, the microbial functional diversity decreased from forest to meadow soils, which might be due to less diverse organic compounds entering the soil only with grass residues than their combination with forest litter. Two-way ANOVA showed that soil microbial functional diversity, pH, C and N along the studied forest-meadow transects was mostly associated with vegetation type (1439 % of the explained variation), and C/N and basal respiration - with land use (3336 % of the explained variation). Thus, a land use change will have a more significant effect on the mineralization activity of soil microbial community than a treeline shifts.

The hidden diversity of the genus Lyurella Derzhavin, 1939 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae): four new species from the subterranean habitats of the northwestern Caucasus, Russia

Four new species of the Palaearctic crangonyctid amphipod genus Lyurella Derzhavin, 1939 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae), L. mikhailovi sp. n., L. fanagorica sp. n., L. fontinalis sp. n. and L. asheensis sp. n., are described based on an integrative approach from the subterranean habitats of the southwestern foothills of the Greater Caucasian Ridge (the north-eastern Black Sea coast). Despite the relative proximity of the habitats, the interspecific genetic divergence (by COI mtDNA gene marker) between the newly outlined Caucasian species of the genus varied from 11 to 21%, demonstrating a long-term isolation and lack of gene flow for at least 3–7Mya, starting from the Pliocene. The lowest genetic divergence between L. shepsiensis Sidorov, 2015 and L. asheensis sp. n., estimated as 4%, is also considered species-specific due to the presence of distinct morphological differences. We discuss the phylogeny, morphology, and distribution and provide a key for all known species of Lyurella. DNA barcoding data for all species, including the type species of the genus, Lyurella hyrcana Derzhavin, 1939, are presented for the first time.

TECTONIC STRUCTURE OF KERCH-TAMAN FOLD ZONE OF AZOV-KUBAN TROUGH

The nrotectonic structure of the Kerch-Taman folded zone, the southern deformed part of the Azov-Kuban piedmont trough, has a number of structural features and a history of deformation development. The authors divide the zone into five transverse segments, differing in the age of the main phase of folding. In the central Taman segment, folding is still going on, while in the framing segments, the main phases of folding took place in the Pliocene. In the peripheral segments, the main phase of folding is older - Early-Middle Miocene. The boundaries of the Kerch-Taman zone, as well as its youngest, the Taman segment, coincide with the transverse fault (fault-flexure) zones. It is shown that the southern frame of the Kerch-Taman folded zone is the continuation of the structures of the Crimean Mountains and the Northwestern Caucasus. The correlation of mud volcanism manifestations with tectonic elements of the Taman segment is noted to be ambiguous.

Long term natural dynamics of an alpine lichen heath in the Teberda State Biosphere Reserve, Northwestern Caucasus

The alpine vegetation of Europe and the Caucasus has experienced substantial changes due to climate warming and reduced grazing. Exposed ridge communities, such as alpine heaths, are presumed to be less vulnerable to such processes. Herein, we analyze long-term (37 years) dynamics of an alpine lichen heath in the Teberda State Biosphere Reserve, Karachaevo-Cherkessian Republic, Russia. We counted the shoots of all vascular plants present on permanent plots. Autocorrelated linear regressions, a non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination, and fourth-corner analysis were applied to characterize the relationships between shoot numbers, climate variables (temperatures and precipitation), functional traits, and species strategies. Nine species, including dominant Festuca ovina and Antennaria dioica, increased their abundance, and Carex spp. were observed to decrease. The overall dynamics were mainly driven by increasing mean temperatures during the growing season (July and August). None of the changes observed in the selected traits were correlated with increasing or decreasing numbers of species. However, some traits (plant height, specific root length, specific leaf area, and leaf carbon content) were potentially associated with climate variables. The observed dynamics suggested an overall increase in the abundance of herbaceous plants. Generally, our results support “greening” effects in tundra and alpine biomes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEGETATION COMPOSITION OF THE ABRASION COAST OF THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE BLACK SEA COAST OF THE CAUCASUS

Abrasion coasts (cliffs) are characterized by heterogeneity of the spatial structure and mobility of the substrate, which creates specific environmental conditions for plants. Nevertheless, plant communities of cliffs of the Black Sea coast of the Northwestern Caucasus are well developed due to the presence of a large number of Mediterranean species that are well adapted to such conditions. Communities are also supplemented by local endemics and representatives of petrophytic vegetation of adjacent areas. As a result, a specific plant community is formed on the cliff, represented by species from different floristic areas. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the species composition of higher vascular plants of the abrasion shore area of the Black Sea coast of the Northwestern Caucasus. On the studied cliff, 131 species of vascular plants were found, including 5 Crimean-Novorossiysk and 6 Novorossiysk endemic, as well as 6 species found in the Red List of the Russian Federation. Extreme unevenness in the density distribution of vegetation was noted, which may be due to the heterogeneity of the relief and the mobility of the substrate. Analysis of supraspecific taxa (families) showed the predominance of representatives of the Apiaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae families in the plant community. In addition, chorological analysis of vascular plant species was performed. The data of the performed chorological analysis confirm the relation of the studied territory to the Crimean Novorossiysk province. Thus, despite the specific environmental conditions, the plant community of the studied cliff is rich in species, including endemic species.

Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn).

C. monogyna is a widely distributed (Meusel et al., 1965), thorny shrub or small tree (up to 10 m high). It is an exceptionally variable species in all its morphological features, particularly in size and shape of leaves, resulting in a high number of forms described from various parts of its range (Browicz, 1986). Common hawthorn is native to most of Europe (excluding its northeastern part) and to some places on the Mediterranean seashore. In Asia it grows naturally in Anatolia (excluding the central and northeastern regions), in northwestern Caucasus, northeastern Iraq, northern Iran, western Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel (Boratynski, 1986). C. monogyna is generally regarded as lowland species, however it has been reported from Cyprus at 1525 m in altitude, Albania and Lebanon (1600 m), Macedonia (1630 m), Greece (1650 m) and Anatolia (up to 2200 m in altitude).