Jiri Chlachula

This study reports on the first Mustelidae find from the Arctic (NE Yakutia) sealed in intact Pleistocene cryolithic beds. A morphological analysis of semi-adult male sable remains—cranium and dentalia—shows a close affinity with the modern subspecies Martes zibellina jenisseensis . Absence of damage and attrition of the bone surface indicate in-situ burial of the ancient cadaver prior to soft-tissue decomposition. Just minor signs of microbial decay and post-mortem diagenesis changes in the osteological structure of the well-preserved skull and maxilla are consistent with long-term deep freezing. This fossil sable from the Ogorokha site (Central Indigirka, 68°23'N) is ¹⁴ C-dated to > 45,000 BP, i.e., it is older than ~47,000 calendar years. The modern analogue of this typical woodland animal occupies today open taiga habitats in southern Siberia. The fossil sable shows that climatically moderate circumpolar interstadial ecosystems are conserved in local yedoma deposits. This unique find indicates a former geographic distribution of sable far north into the present sub-arctic and arctic territories, and supports the existence of biotically rich forest refugia during the Last Glacial.

The present study discusses the results of geological and geoarchaeological research at Manaqi in Al-Rustaq, the new Iron Age (1300–300 BC) complex in north-central Oman. The regional relief attests to pronounced geo-environmental dynamics, largely linked to orogeny of the central Jabal Akhdar Range, as well as climate change. The investigated prehistoric site provides evidence of multiple phases of occupation, the earliest being represented by numerous stone tools, documenting a sequenced presence of Palaeolithic people in the vicinity of an ancient fluvial channel. The principal Iron Age site with residential buildings, tombs and other architectural elements (defensive, irrigation, stone-mining) bear witness to a well-organised settlement with distinct areas, suggesting specific functions. The size and layout of households and funerary structures built from local bedrock and alluvial boulders point to social complexity of a semi-sedentary society. The spatial organisation and internal arrangement of the Manaqi Site suggest that its economic significance was likely linked to an ancient trade route along the present Wadi Al-Fara, connecting the Al-Hajar Mountains with the coast of the Sea of Oman. The synthesized field and analytical data provide a geo-contextual background for the regional pre-Islamic settlements within the South Batinah Governorate. The Manaqi locality also represents a most interesting geo-site, illustrating a multi-facetted geological and palaeoenvironmental history of the present rocky desert subjected to active geomorphic modelling with an ancient anthropogenic imprint. Climate was a key factor in controlling the rise of pre-Islamic civilisation in the Oman Sultanate.

The SE Baltic area, the former Eastern Prussia, is renowned for complex natural history. Over the past millions of years, the area experienced major geological events and geomorphic landscape transformations, resulting in the present relief configuration. Past climates and environments gave rise to the specific life-forms that proliferated in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic–Early Cenozoic shallow sea/lacustrine basins, and the Late Cenozoic riverine and continental settings. During the Paleogene, forested sub-tropical lands and deltaic settings of coastal sea lagoons gave rise to the famed amber formations (Blue Ground) hosting inclusions of resin-sealed insect and other small invertebrates that offer an unprecedented look into the 35–34 million-year habitats. Ferruginous sandstones, formed in shallow waters incorporating remains of thermophilous fauna—bivalves and gastropods, bryozoans, and sea urchins, among others—lie above the amber-bearing deposits. Oligocene–Miocene continental (riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine) conditions relate to the “Brown Coal Formation”, embedding a variety of fossil plants. Finally, the Quaternary Period brought dramatic geo-environmental shifts, with cyclic interstadial sea transgressions and massive glacial erosion events delivering fossiliferous erratics with an array of primitive Paleozoic and later Mesozoic life-forms. Overall, the extraordinary paleontology of the SE Baltic area adds, within its geological context, to the European geoheritage and the world natural heritage.

The Kaliningrad Region is physiographically a mosaic and travel-attractive part of the SE Baltic coast. The Sambia Peninsula, the geomorphically most interesting, E-W-oriented extension of the mainland, has been shaped by past dynamic processes, starting with the Precambrian tectonics, the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sea transitions, the Last Ice Age glaciations, the post-glacial riverine network formation, and the present shoreline erosion. The complex geological and palaeogeographical history generated a broad variety of geo-forms and landscapes, relicts of which are seen from the sea coast to the mainland. Rich fossils sealed in ancient, well-stratified formations of specific lithologies, with the famous Palaeogene amber beds, provide witness of past natural settings with flourishing life forms. The great geo-diversity of the peninsula underscores its scientific value as well as national and international tourism significance, adding to the historical architectural sites of this area. Some of these geomorphologically and geologically valuable places are increasingly threatened, besides anthropogenic factors, by storm surges, gravity flows and aeolian activity, causing progressing erosion along undercut cliffs, slumping and degradation of sand dune fields, among other geo-hazards. Survey, mapping and publicity of unique geo-sites are a proviso for their registration in natural heritage programmes with the implementation of appropriate geo-environmental protection strategies in balance with land-use management. This paper outlines the scientific, educational and touristic potential of the national geoheritage in the frame of the Baltic Sea coast geo-conservation initiatives.

Paleontological remains retrieved from permafrost represent the most informative records of Pleistocene ecosystems. Different levels of past microbial activity affecting fossil material preservation are presented for two selected bone samples—an almost intactBisonsp. metacarpus (45.0 ± 5.0¹⁴C ka BP) and a weatheredEquussp. metacarpus (37.8 ± 1.7¹⁴C ka BP) from the recently exposed cryogenic geo-contexts in the Yana River basin, NE Yakutia. Diagenetic changes in bone porosity and chemical composition as a result of the past microbial activity were investigated by multiple analytical methods. In the bison bone, which was permafrost-sealed shortly after death of the animal and conserved for ca. 45 ka in a frozen state in a cryolithic formation, only superficial microbial degradation processes were detected. Progressive microbial attacks characterize the horse bone, which was exposed to MIS 3 sub-aerial biogenic decay and modern surficial weathering. This is evidenced by extensive bacterial micro-boring with the typical focal destructions, an increase in microbial porosity, and de-mineralized osseous zones due to waterlogged and poorly oxygenated past depositional conditions. New information contributes to better understanding of the diagenesis particularities and the associated chemical and biological agents of the fossil osteological assemblages with respect to their taphonomic and paleoenvironmental implications.

The ribbon-like pine forests of North Kazakhstan represent the principal territorial intrazonal and azonal biotopes. Integrated bio-geographic studies of the pine forests’ status were performed in the Beskaragai and Chaldai Nature Reserves in the Pri-Irtysh River basin within, at present, the climate–change most susceptible transitional parkland-steppe zone of Central Asia, adjoining the West Siberian Lowland. The investigations followed the regional topographic gradient with a series of mapped sites characterizing the spatial relief patterns of the pristine forest distribution and the associated phytocenoses. The results revealed marked natural arboreal cover restoration differences between the geographically close upland and lowland forest ecosystems. The regional tree growth dynamics show the varying intensity of the pine seedlings’ succession, the tree stands’ biomass productivity and the environmental stability, weakened by the extreme continentality and progressing aridification along with adverse anthropogenic ecological impacts. The specific geomorphic, soil and hydrological conditions are the principal determining factors. The more vital plain and lowland pine forests host the floristically richer fescue-dominated communities compared to the more fragile and precipitation-poorer upland pine settings. The latter forest ecosystems display a higher vulnerability to the current climate change, generating tree drying, forest fires, and to modern human activities such as logging, herding and recreation. The research conclusions provide new insights on the natural ribbon-like pine forests’ sustainability and adaptation to the ongoing continental warming triggering fundamental environmental transformations in Central Asia’s parklands.