Foreword.- 1: Background to the natural landscape and the consequences of the ecosystem conversion.- 1.1 Background of the natural landscape.- 1.1.1 The Kulunda-steppe as part of the Eurasian steppe belt (Authors: Silanteva, M.M- Hensen, I.).- 1.1.2 Climate and vegetation gradients: from the forest to the dry steppe (Authors: Lashchinsky, N., Wesche, K.).- 1.1.3 Soils of the Kulunda steppe (Authors: Kudryavcev, A. E., Mizgirev, A., Guggenberger, G., Mikutta, R.).- 1.2 Anthropogenic influences.- 1.2.1 Early Steppe cultures (Authors: Silanteva, M.M., Kudryavcev, A. E.).- 1.2.2 Russian settlements and the beginning of agriculture (Authors: Fr