Fifteen Years of Phytolith Research at Altai State University, Russia

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• December 12, 2024
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One important group of Russian phytolith researchers works at Altai State University, located in harsh Siberia near the Altai Mountains, a region noted for its floristic diversity and archeology.

Phytolith research at the Department of Botany was initially pursued in association with archaeological research projects. Kirill and Yuri Kiryushin performed the first phytolith studies at archaeological settlements in southwestern Siberia.

Botanical phytolith research began with student studies under the supervision of Professor Marina Silantieva and Associate Professor Natalia Speranskaya, with expert guidance from Alexandra Golyeva (Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences), who still supports the group’s ongoing research.

During the past 15 years, the research team in the Department of Botany at Altai State University has expanded the scope of its research, and is currently exploring the following research areas: 1) phytoliths in plants and their morphometry; 2) phytolith complexes in top soils of phytocenoses in the southwestern Siberia (Photo 1); 3) phytolith studies in archeology and paleoecology; and 4) phytolith analysis applied to anthropogenic transformation of vegetation and ecosystem productivity. Distinguished phytolith researcher Mikhail Blinnikov, formerly President and currently Treasurer of the International Phytolith Society, has provided great support to the development of the study of phyoliths in Siberian topsoils.

The research team has changed over the years, currently composed of five scientists with diverse backgrounds, as well as students, postgraduates, and research engineers.

Marina Silantyeva PhD, Professor, head of the Department of Botany. The topic of her dissertation is “Flora of the Altai Territory: analysis and history of development”. Research areas: plant geography, biogeography, floristry, protection of vegetation, specially protected natural areas, archaeobotany reconstruction and anthropogenic transformation of vegetation. Project Leader: Influence of ecological and climatic factors on the composition of phytolith assemblages in modern soils under main types of plant communities of the Northern Altai.

Marina Solomonova, PhD, Associate Professor, leading researcher. The topic of her dissertation is “Phytolith assemblages of Northern Kulunda and vegetation changes in the second half of the Holocene”. Research areas: Pooideae phytoliths, morphometric studies, phytolith assemblages of topsoils, phytolith studies in archeology. Past research projects: «Phytolith research of the Iron Age and Bronze Age archaeological sites in Northern Kulunda (RFBR, 16-36-00130)», «Phytoliths variability of Dactylis glomerata L. short epidermal cells in the conditions of the south of Western Siberia (Presidential Grants Council, МК-3359.2022.1.4)». Current project: «Ecological and taxonomic specificity of crenate morphotype forms in phytoliths of Pooideae Benth. grasses in the south of Western Siberia based on morphometric data.

Natalia Speranskaya, PhD, Associate Professor. Dissertation: «Composition and the vital state assessment of tree plantations in Barnaul». Research areas: Phytoliths of cultivated grasses and their related species, non-Poaceae phytoliths, Pinaceae phytolith, phytolith assemblages of phytocenoses and archaeological sites, specially protected natural sites.

Natalia Elesova PhD, Associate Professor. Dissertation: “Anthropogenic transformations of forage lands of Central Kulunda and problems of their restoration.” Research interests: geobotany, steppe studies, specially protected natural areas, assessment of the state of vegetation.

Kirill Kiryushin, PhD, Associate Professor. Dissertation: “Cultural and chronological complexes of the Tytkeskene-2 ​​settlement”. Research interests: Neolithic and Eneolithic of the South of Western Siberia. Current project: Funeral complexes of the Neolithic-Eneolithic of the Barnaul Ob region in the circle of synchronous monuments of Southern Siberia and adjacent territories.

Students and postgraduates take an active part in phytolith research and preparation of scientific publications. Latest article from the research group: “Standardization of two forms of the CRENATE (Pooideae Benth.) phytolith morphotype and their potential for environmental reconstructions” Flora 2025,322:152646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2024.152646