Temporal-Spatial Variances of Holocene Precipitation at the Marginal Area of the East Asian Monsoon Influences from Pollen Evidence

The woodland-steppe ecotone in the. southern Nei Mongol Plateau is located at the northern edge of the east Asian monsoon influences. A marked southeastern - northwestern (SE - NW) precipitation gradient exists in this region. Quantitative reconstruction of palaeo-precipitation of this region is helpful to reveal the development of monsoon climate and to predict die future desertification. Based on modern vegetation and surface pollen studies, a pollen-precipitation transfer function in the study region was established. Pollen data from three sediment sequences within the ecotone were used to reconstruct palaeo-precipitation during the Holocene. The processes of precipitation changes in the three sequences were quite different. There was a tendency of precipitation declined from the onset of the Holocene to 1 100 a BP in Haoluku. But, in Liuzhouwan and Xiaoniuchang, both located south of Haoluku, the annual precipitation reached highest values during 7 800 - 6 200 a BP and 7 200 - 5 000 a BP, respectively. The influences of southwestern (SW) monsoon and the variances of topographical conditions have possibly caused these temporal-spatial variances.

A Discovery of Anomozamites with Reproductive Organs

Anomozamites haifanggouensis (Kimura et al.) Zheng et Zhang comb. nov. is a characteristic Bennettitalean plant in Middle Jurassic flora. Only one specimen was collected from Haifanggou Formation (Middle Jurassic) in Daohugou village, Shantou town, Ningcheng County, Nei Mongol Autonomous Region, China. The stem of plant is slender and repeatedly branches as a dichasial system with a fertile shoot in the fork, forming equal and widely divergent branches, on the branches born with the fronds of Anomozamites type. Its reproductive organs consists of some microsporophylls and a few of the bracteoid small leaves (or receptacular leaves). Some scattered bracteoid leaves and microsporophylls were formerly considered by Pan as dicots. Since then, they were proposed to be a non-committal genus Pankuangia and described them as P. haifanggouensis by Kimura et al. In this study, we discover that these bracteoid small leaves and microsporophylls should be of Anomozamites. This discovery provides strong evidence for the 'Pankuangia' determination of the taxonomical position.

Level of Independence in Georgia Throughout the 14th Century

In 1329-1334, George the Brilliant took advantage of the situation created in the llkhanate, eliminated his political opponents and restored the territorial integrity of Georgia. He created a solid legal basis for the country and regulated the ecclesiastic area. He was in West Georgia in 1329-1332/1333. The llkhanid coin was not minted in Georgia during that period; yet, soon the king of Georgia, which had already been united by that time, restored relations with llkhanids and returned to Tbilisi, which implied making the already united Georgia subject to Mongols. Ilkhanid coins and later, coins of Chobanids, the Golden Horde and Jalayirids circulated during the reign of George the Brdhant. In 1338-1339 George the Brilliant conquered Ossetia and Ilkhanid coins were disseminated on the territory of the Golden Horde after that. Formally, Georgia remained under the control of Ilkhanids, which was replaced by Chobanids in 1338 and the governors of the Golden Horde in 757/1356; and in parallel and afterwards by Jalayirids, which is evidenced by written sources as well as numismatic data; Despite formal dependence on the foreign power, which is evidenced by the deployment of 10,000 troops at the border of Georgia as well, the country enjoyed a rather wide internal autonomy. Participation of George the Brilliant in sending envoys for the purpose of the redemption of the Jvari （Cross） Monastery in Palestine in 1316/7, 1320 cannot be assumed. It seems that in those years envoys were sent by Constantine, the king of West Georgia. All the above do not diminish the merits of George V to the Georgian nation and his historic role in terms of the political unification of the country, the creation of a legal basis for it and the regulation of ecclesiastic affairs--the accomplishments of the king, who deservedly bears the name ＂the Brilliant＂.

A New Titanosaurian Sauropod from Late Cretaceous of Nei Mongol, China

A specimen collected from the Upper Cretaceous Erlian Formation of Nei Mongol （Inner Mongolia）, China, represents a new genus and species of titanosaurian sauropod. The new taxon is named and described on the basis of the holotype and the only known specimen, which comprises several dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae, several dorsal ribs, one anterior chevron, and much of the pelvis. Diagnostic features of the new species include a thick ridge extending down from the postzygapophysis on the lateral surface of the neural arch of the posterior dorsal vertebrae, a transversely oriented accessory lamina present between the anterior centroparapophyseal limina and the lateral centraprezygapophyseal lamina of the posterior dorsal vertebrae, long, anteroventrally directed caudal rib that bears two distinctive fossae on its posterior margin on the anterior caudal vertebrae and a prominent vertical ridge above the pubic peduncle on the medial surface of the ilium, among others. The ilium is pneumatic, a feature not common among non-avian dinosaurs. The new taxon has an unusual combination of primitive and derived character states. Preliminary character analysis shows a complex character distribution within the Titanosauriformes. Recent titanosauriform discoveries suggest that a significant radiation occurred in Asia early in the titanosauriform evolution.

A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION ON LAND DESERTIFICATION IN NORTH CHINA

Desertification control has been facing severe situations in the interlocking area between cultivated land and grazing land in North China since the Qing Dynasty because of unreasonable land utilization. The paper analyzes the policies of all the previous governments to open up land, and examines the historical and geographical background and process by means of historical records. We consider that causes of the area of land desertification to extend are increase of farming migrants, the change of life style of Mongol and weather and land conditions. In order to control the spread of land desertification, we suggest the level of the government to make policies should be improved, the number of farming migrants should be controlled, the Government′s general and specific polices should be actively publicized, and investment in agriculture should be increased.

Late Mesozoic topographic evolution of western Transbaikalia:Evidence for rapid geodynamic changes from the Mongol-Okhotsk collision to widespread rifting

The Mesozoic geodynamic evolution of Transbaikalia has been largely controlled by the scissors-like closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean that separated Siberia from Mongolia-North China continents.Following the oceanic closure,the tectonic evolution of that region was characterized by collisional uplift and subsequent extension that gave rise to the formation of metamorphic core complexes.This complex tectonic setting prevailed simultaneously between 150 Ma and 110 Ma both in Transbaikalia,North Mongolia,and within the North China Craton.Published paleobotanical and paleontological data show that the oldest Mesozoic basins had formed in western Transbaikalia before the estimated age of extension onset.However no precise geochronological age is available for the onset of extension in Transbaikalia.The Tugnuy Basin,as probably the oldest Mesozoic basin in western Transbaikalia,is a key obj ect to date the onset of extension and following changes in tectonic setting.In this study,U-Pb(LA-ICP-MS)dating of detrital zircons from three key Jurassic sediment formations of the Tugnuy Basin are used to identify the potential source areas of the sediments,understand the changes in sediment routing and provide insights on the topographic evolution of western Transbaikalia.Our results show several significant changes in tectonic regime after the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean.A wide uplifted plateau formed during the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean,determining the Early Jurassic drainage system reaching the AngaraVitim batholith to the north and shedding sediments to the continental margin to the South.The following collisional event at the end of the Early Jurassic led to the uplift of the collision zone,which partially inverted the drainage system toward the North.A strike-slip displacement induced by the oblique collision initiated some of the early Transbaikalian depressions,such as the Tugnuy Basin at about 168 Ma.A phase of basin inversion,marked by folding and erosion of the Upper Jurassic sediments,could correspond to the short-term collision event that took place during the latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt.The following inversion in tectonic regime from compression to extension is consistent with the mid-lower-crustal extension that led to the formation of the numerous metamorphic core complexes throughout northeastern continental Asia during the Early Cretaceous.

Nutritional Composition, Physical Characteristics and Sanitary Quality of the Tomato Variety Mongol F1 from Burkina Faso

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is quantitatively the highest vegetable consumed in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical, nutritional characteristics, and sanitary quality of the tomato variety Mongal F1 from different production sites. Twenty-eight (28) samples of Mongal F1 fresh tomatoes were collected from 28 producers at three different localities of Ouahigouya, Loumbila and Ouagadougou. The physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics were determined by standardized methods and the traces metallic elements by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results revealed a degree brix varying from 4.07° to 5.50° and a pH ranging from 3.71 to 4.08 corresponding to a total acidity of 0.39% to 0.55% citric acid equivalents. The moisture content, the ash content, the total carbohydrates content, the reducing carbohydrates content, the lipids content and the protein content were ranged from 95.09% to 96.17%, 9.25% to 10.60%, 47.00% to 53.43%, 30.03% to 41.21%, 3.04% to 7.71% and 17.09% to 25.03% respectively. The results of the trace metals showed a high accumulation of total cadmium from 0.11 to 0.22 ppm, of total lead of 1.15 to 1.27 ppm and arsenic total of 0.19 to 0.20 ppm. The results proved that environmental conditions influence the quality of the tomato Mongal F1. Detection of trace elements in the tomato fruits suggests that a better production practices are needed.

Late Jurassic adakitic ore-bearing granodiorite porphyry intrusions in the Xiaokele porphyry Cu(–Mo)deposit,Northeast China:implications for petrogenesis and tectonic setting

The Xiaokele Cu(–Mo)deposit is a recently discovered porphyry deposit in the northern Great Xing’an Range(GXR)of northeast China.The ore bodies in this deposit are mainly hosted within granodiorite porphyry intrusions.Potassic,phyllic,and propylitic alteration zones develop from center to edge.In this paper,we present zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb ages,zircon Hf isotopic compositions,and whole-rock geochemistry of the ore-bearing granodiorite porphyries from the Xiaokele Cu(–Mo)deposit.Zircon U–Pb dating suggests that the Xiaokele granodiorite porphyries were emplaced at 148.8±1.1 Ma(weighted-mean age;n=14).The Xiaokele granodiorite porphyries display high SiO2,Al2O3,Sr,and Sr/Y,low K2O/Na2O,MgO,Yb,and Y,belonging to high-SiO2 adakites produced by partial melting of the subducted oceanic slab.Marine sediments were involved in the magma source of the Xiaokele granodiorite porphyries,as indicated by enriched Sr–Nd isotopic compositions(eNd(-t)=-1.17–-0.27),low positive zircon eHf(t)values(0.4–2.2),and high Th contents(4.06–5.20).The adakitic magma subsequently interacted with the mantle peridotites during ascent through the mantle wedge.The Xiaokele granodiorite porphyries were derived from slab melting during the southward subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean.

Study on the Kind and Character of Mongol Hats in Yuan Dynasty

In the thirteenth century the Mongols created a vast, transcontinental empire that intensified cultural, art, craftwork, garment and commercial contact throughout Eurasia. Hats were so indispensable parts of formal Mongol dress that were seen as a symbol of Mongol traditional garment. Roughly Mongolian men＇s headgear can be divided into two groups, which are Li and Mao. In addition, Mongolian women＇s Gu-gu-gwan, a kind of bonnet, was the head-dress for the empress, concubines of the emperor, and wife of high ranking ministers. This study, based on the analysis of image resources and existing evidence, discusses the hats of Yuan period in the context of its group, origin, decoration and cultural influences.

From Alliance to Tutelage： A Historical Analysis of Manchu-Mongol Relations before the Qing Conquest

Before 1644, the Manchu rulers pursued a deliberate policy of alliances with the southern （later ＂Inner＂） Mongol tribes. In the 1630s the system of treaties and alliances gave way to the creation of the League-Banner system, the jasaq system, and the Lifan Yuan. The new territorial and political organization meant that the southern Mongols, while retaining a degree of autonomy, became subjects of the Qing dynasty. This essay explores the historical circumstances of the transformation of the relationship between Manchus and Mongols from partnership to subordination. It also aims to explain the political principles deployed by the Manchus in the redefinition of their relationship with the Mongol elites. More specifically, the essay proposes that the new forms of administration of Inner Mongolia stemmed from a condition of ＂tutelage.＂ Tutelage was not simply imposed by the Manehus upon their erstwhile allies, but actively sought by Mongol aristocrats in the context of the intra-Mongol wars carried out by the Caqar leader Ligdan Khan.

The Making of Iconic Disloyalty： The Evolution of Liu Mengyan＇s （1219-ca. 1295） Image since the Thirteenth Century

This paper traces the deeds and evolving images of Liu Mengyan （1219-ca. 1295）, the top candidate in the 1244 civil service examination who was later promoted to Chief Councilor of the Southern Song （1127-1279） in 1275. After the Southern Song collapse, Liu joined the Yuan （1271-1368） government and continued his career as a high official. In contrast to the prominent Song loyalist Wen Tianxiang （1236-83）, who enjoyed excellent posthumous fame, Liu Mengyan was repeatedly denounced upon his death and even became an icon of disloyalty. This paper examines how this image of disloyalty was forged from the late-thirteenth century onwards. It suggests that the way Liu＇s contemporaries and later literati interpreted and portrayed his deeds depended on political and social circumstances, and this in turn related to the ideal loyalist prototype by which they considered Liu, as well as on their interpretation of the concept of loyalty and their attitudes towards non-Han ＂barbarians.＂

Early Ming Imperial Ambitions： The Legacy of the Mongol Yuan in Spatial Representations and Historical Judgements

This article discusses how the Mongol Yuan dynasty served as a model of empire-building for the rulers of the early Ming dynasty. It argues that early Ming emperors and statesmen imagined the Ming empire as a Yuan successor state, and endeavoured to match the Yuan＇s territorial extent and encompass the steppe region. By comparing imperial maps from the eleventh through fifteenth centuries, this article demonstrates that early Ming depictions of empire more closely match those of the Mongol Empire than those of its ＂Confucian＂ predecessor, the Song dynasty. Ming rulers＇ judgments of history further reflect the full incorporation of the Yuan dynasty into China＇s imperial past, and those judgements referenced the Yuan for examples of successful and unsuccessful policy while circumventing its foreign Mongol origins. Thus, Mongol-style martial values and imperial ambitions maintained a core place in Ming strategic and intellectual thought through the first eighty years of Ming rule.

A Preliminary Study of Mongol Costumes in the Ming Dynasty

The Yuan dynasty was the first great unified empire founded by an ethnic minority in Chinese history. A great number of ancient sources have proven that under the Yuan, the Mongols＇ distinctive costumes, expressive of their nomadic identity, exerted an influence upon Chinese fashions of the time. Even after the collapse of the Yuan, Mongol dress did not disappear but became even more popular in various forms throughout the following Ming dynasty. On the basis of examination of a large number of historical written materials, this paper makes an in-depth study of the various styles and uses of Mongol-style clothing in the Ming dynasty. It provides a panoramic survey in an attempt to outline the use and evolution of Mongol styles in the Ming and to examine some representative case studies in detail. Thus, besides discussing traditional issues in the history of clothing, such as the use, design changes and abandonment of Mongol clothing in the Ming dynasty, it initiates a series of studies from a sociological perspective, offering a preliminary study of the groups who wore Mongol-style clothing in the Ming dynasty, including their occupations, their reasons for using these costumes, and how this mode of dress influenced the social psychology of the period. It also attempts, via clothing, to discuss the changes in transitional Chinese society arising from the movement of nomadic ethnic groups in northern China to the hinterland （another question to be addressed）.

Minority Language Issues in Chinese Higher Education:Policy Reforms and Practice among the Korean and Mongol Ethnic Groups

The purpose of this study is to compare Korean and Mongol minorities in the People’s Republic of China in terms of their native language preservation and educational experiences at the higher education level,and to investigate differences and similarities between Korean and Mongol minorities’language issues.Content area experts on Chinese minority education from China,South Korea,and the United States were interviewed for this study.Findings include suggestions for helping to formulate government educational policies regarding issues related to language in Chinese minority education at the higher education level.This information is helpful to better understand and educate others in school and home settings where Chinese ethnic minority students reside.The advancement of Chinese minority education knowledge related to higher education will significantly strengthen and empower individuals,families,and communities throughout the People’s Republic of China.

COSMIC DUSTS FROM WENDUERMIAO GROUP AND BAINAIMIAO GROUP IN NEI MONGOL OF CHINA

When we investigated the occurring conditions of the iron-riih deposits in Jining-Erlian area, Nei Mongol, in 1977, many opaque and shiny steel balls about 200μ in diameter have been found in the strong magnetic fraction of both natural and artifact heavy minerals from the Wenduermiao Group and Bainaimao Group. Examinations of different approaches led to the conclusion that they are the cosmic dusts.