Extinction may not be forever

Here we review the phenomenon of ecomorph evolution and the hypothesis of iterative climatic cycles. Although a widely known phenomenon, convergent evolution has been underappreciated in both its scope and commonality. The power of natural selection to override genealogy to create similar morphologies (even among distantly related organisms) supports classical Darwinian evolution. That this occurs repeatedly in stratigraphically closely spaced intervals is one of the most striking features of Earth history. Periodic extinctions followed by re-evolution of adaptive types (ecomorphs) are not isolated occurrences but are embedded within complex ecological systems that evolve, become extinct, and repeat themselves in temporal synchrony. These complexes of radiation and extinction bundle the biostratigraphic record and provide the basis for a global stratigraphy. At this scale, climatic change is the only mechanism adequate to explain the observed record of repeating faunas and floras. Understanding of the underlying causes may lead to predictive theories of global biostratigraphy, evolutionary processes, and climatic change.     

Earliest and first Northern Hemispheric hoatzin fossils substantiate Old World origin of a “Neotropic endemic”

The recent identification of hoatzins (Opisthocomiformes) in the Miocene of Africa showed part of the evolution of these birds, which are now only found in South America, to have taken place outside the Neotropic region. Here, we describe a new fossil species from the late Eocene of France, which constitutes the earliest fossil record of hoatzins and the first one from the Northern Hemisphere. Protoazin parisiensis gen. et sp. nov. is more closely related to South American Opisthocomiformes than the African taxon Namibiavis and substantiates an Old World origin of hoatzins, as well as a relictual distribution of the single extant species. Although recognition of hoatzins in Europe may challenge their presumed transatlantic dispersal, there are still no North American fossils in support of an alternative, Northern Hemispheric, dispersal route. In addition to Opisthocomiformes, other avian taxa are known from the Cenozoic of Europe, the extant representatives of which are only found in South America. Recognition of hoatzins in the early Cenozoic of Europe is of particular significance because Opisthocomiformes have a fossil record in sub-Saharan Africa, which supports the hypothesis that extinction of at least some of these “South American” groups outside the Neotropic region was not primarily due to climatic factors.     

Skeletal remains of a diminutive primate from the Paleocene of Germany

Most living mammal orders, including our own, started their career during the first 10 million years of the Cenozoic, the Age of Mammals. The fossil record documents that early Paleogene adaptive radiations of various clades included tiny species of the size of living shrews. Remains of particularly diminutive limb bones are described from the late Paleocene site of Walbeck, Sachsen-Anhalt. Discovered in 1939, it has remained the only known Paleocene mammal-bearing locality from Germany. The remains are referred to the family Adapisoriculidae, which is considered on the basis of the present postcranial evidence to represent plesiadapiform primates rather than alleged lipotyphlan insectivores as previously proposed. The Walbeck fossils compete with the Early Eocene species Toliapina vinealis from Europe and Picromomys petersonorum from North America for the status of the smallest known primate, fossil and living. Their estimated body weights are as small as 10 g. The limb bones show features related to enhanced flexion at the elbow and hip joint, suggesting arboreal habits and environments such as terminal branches. The diminutive size and tooth morphology suggest feeding on small insects and other invertebrates. Postcranials are important to assess early radiations, such tiny specimens as the present ones are extremely scarce in the fossil record, however.     

松属植物地质历史及生物地理演变

松属(Pinus L.)约113种,是松科现代属中最原始的类群。松属植物种类丰富且研究领域广泛,对其已经积累的资料数据进行系统梳理总结十分必要。本文通过总结国内外松属大化石资料,结合分子系统发育、地质背景和地理隔离事件讨论了其地史分布及植物地理学意义;该属化石在早白垩世至全新世地层中均有记录。化石证据表明松属很可能在早白垩世(之前)起源于西欧地区,从这一起源地通过北大西洋陆桥扩散到北美洲东部,而东亚的类群可能是从北美洲西部经过白令陆桥散布的。在晚白垩世分化出双维管束松亚属Subgenus Pinus L.及单维管束松亚属Subgenus Strobus (D.Don) Lemmon,前者更接近祖先类群。古新世由于全球显著增温以及白垩纪末期大灭绝等地质事件的影响使松属数量急剧减少,在晚始新世至中新世时期随着气温转凉转冷再次分化扩散,中新世达到其发展高峰且分布面貌与现代类群近似。松属多样性时空历史可能和新生代气候变迁及晚新生代构造运动塑造的山地隆升等环境变化紧密相关。     

长江三角洲平原南部上新世以来古环境演变及多重地层划分

对长江三角洲平原BZK01钻孔进行沉积物¹⁴C测年、粒度、磁学、孢粉和微体古生物分析,结合伽玛测井、岩性地层讨论了上新世以来钻孔揭示的孢粉组合、沉积环境演化、沉积相和古气候特征,建立了钻孔的第四纪多重地层划分对比框架。结果表明,受原始地形地貌、海平面变化、海陆变迁、古气候冷暖更替及新构造运动的影响,研究区上新世以来经历了多次环境变化。钻孔自下而上揭示岩性地层依次为基岩长河组、新近纪-第四纪沉积的嘉兴组、前港组、东浦组、宁波组、镇海组,孢粉组合可划分出16个孢粉带,按暖期温暖潮湿-冷期寒冷干燥古气候旋回变化的周期律,BZK01钻孔反映该区域共存在7个古气候旋回。建立的钻孔多重地层划分对比揭示151.9～278.0 m为河流相和河湖相交替沉积的上新世-早更新世时期,存在两个气候旋回过程;83.5～151.9 m为河流相-河湖相-浅湖相沉积环境的中更新世,包含两个气候旋回过程;15.4～83.5 m为晚更新世,沉积环境自下而上为河口相-河湖相-潮坪相-滨海相-河湖相,与王店海侵-杭州海侵时期对应,包括两个气候旋回;0～15.4 m为河口相-河湖相-泻湖相沉积环境的全新世,对应富阳海侵,包括一个气候旋回。     

New postcrania of Deccanolestes from the Late Cretaceous of India and their bearing on the evolutionary and biogeographic history of euarchontan mammals

Extant species of the supraordinal mammal clade Euarchonta belong to the orders Primates, Scandentia, or Dermoptera. The fossil record of euarchontans suggests that they underwent their initial radiation during the Paleocene (65–55 million years ago) in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. The time and place of origin is poorly resolved due to lack of definitive fossils of euarchontan stem taxa. We describe a fragmentary humerus and two fragmentary ulnae from the latest Cretaceous of India that bear significantly on this issue. The fossils are tentatively referred to Deccanolestes cf. hislopi due to their small size and the fact that Deccanolestes is the only eutherian dental taxon to have been recovered from the same locality. The new fossils are used to evaluate the existing behavioral hypothesis that Deccanolestes was arboreal, and the competing phylogenetic hypotheses that Deccanolestes is a stem eutherian versus a stem euarchontan. The humerus resembles those of euarchontans in possessing a laterally keeled ulnar trochlea, a distinct zona conoidea, and a spherical capitulum. These features also suggest an arboreal lifestyle. The ulnar morphology is consistent with that of the humerus in reflecting an arboreal/scansorial animal. Detailed quantitative comparisons indicate that, despite morphological correlates to euarchontan-like arboreality, the humerus of Deccanolestes is morphologically intermediate between those of Cretaceous “condylarthran” mammals and definitive Cenozoic euarchontans. Additionally, humeri attributed to adapisoriculids are morphologically intermediate between those of Deccanolestes and definitive euarchontans. If adapisoriculids are euarchontans, as recently proposed, our results suggest that Deccanolestes is more basal. The tentative identification of Deccanolestes as a basal stem euarchontan suggests that (1) Placentalia began to diversify and Euarchonta originated before the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary and (2) the Indian subcontinent, Eurasia, and Africa are more likely places of origin for Euarchonta than is North America.     

A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) with Asian affinities from the latest Cretaceous of North America

Dromaeosaurids from the Maastrichtian of North America have a poor fossil record and are known largely from isolated teeth, which have typically been referred to taxa based on more complete material from earlier Campanian strata. An almost complete maxilla with well-preserved dentition and an associated dentary from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana are used to establish a new dromaeosaurid taxon in the latest Maastrichtian, immediately prior to the end-Cretaceous extinction event. Acheroraptor temertyorum gen. et sp. nov. is differentiated from other dromaeosaurids on the basis of a hypertrophied postantral wall that projects posteriorly into the antorbital fenestra, a maxillary fenestra positioned low in the antorbital fossa and directly posterior to the promaxillary fenestra, and distinctive dentition with marked apicobasal ridges. The new material allows a dromaeosaurid from the Maastrichtian of North America to be placed within a phylogenetic framework for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis suggests Acheroraptor is a velociraptorine that is more closely related to Asian dromaeosaurids, including Tsaagan and Velociraptor, than it is to Dromaeosaurus, Saurornitholestes, or any other taxon from North America. As part of the Lancian Tyrannosaurus–Triceratops fauna, A. temertyorum is the latest occurring dromaeosaurid. Its relationships and occurrence suggest a complex historical biogeographic scenario that involved multiple, bi-directional faunal interchanges between Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous.     

华北平原典型剖面地下水三氮污染时空分布特征

华北平原地下水氮元素污染的时空分布特征鲜有报道,本文结合华北平原水文地质条件,从山前平原至中部平原选取两个剖面,四次采集地下水样品并测定三氮含量,调查评价典型剖面上三氮污染状况并深入分析其时空分布特征。结果表明:华北平原典型剖面上地下水的三氮中超标最为严重的是氨氮;三氮总量整体上随时间呈上升趋势;硝态氮、氨氮、亚硝态氮含量的空间分布不尽相同,前两者在山前平原的含量高于中部平原;第三者则呈相反趋势;从垂直方向上看,三氮含量随地下水埋深增加而减小。在不同的水井类型中,灌溉井和监测井中三氮的含量普遍较高,而在饮用水井中氨氮污染相对严重,会对人类健康造成一定风险。     

Earliest zygodactyl bird feet: evidence from Early Cretaceous roadrunner-like tracks

Fossil footprints are important in understanding Cretaceous avian diversity because they constitute evidence of paleodiversity and paleoecology that is not always apparent from skeletal remains. Early Cretaceous bird tracks have demonstrated the existence of wading birds in East Asia, but some pedal morphotypes, such as zygodactyly, common in modern and earlier Cenozoic birds (Neornithes) were unknown in the Cretaceous. We, herein, discuss the implications of a recently reported, Early Cretaceous (120–110 million years old) trackway of a large, zygodactyl bird from China that predates skeletal evidence of this foot morphology by at least 50 million years and includes the only known fossil zygodactyl footprints. The tracks demonstrate the existence of a Cretaceous bird not currently represented in the body fossil record that occupied a roadrunner (Geococcyx)-like niche, indicating a previously unknown degree of Cretaceous avian morphological and behavioral diversity that presaged later Cenozoic patterns. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Neues vom Ontong-Java-Plateau (Westpazifik)

For the investigation of climatic history for the last 65 million years, several holes were drilled in 1990 on the Ontong Java Plateau by the drilling vessel Joides Resolution, under the auspices of the international Ocean Drilling Program. The Ontong Java Plateau is the largest basalt plateau on earth, and was formed in the Middle Cretaceous. From the core material, seismic reflectors from the overlying sediments can be associated with specific, climate-related oceanic events. For the cyclic sediments of the last 2 million years, high-resolution isotope curves were generated which depict the two dominant Milankovitch cycles with periods of 100 000 and 41000 years.     

Climate change impact, mitigation and adaptation strategies for agricultural and water resources, in Ganga Plain (India)

Agriculture consumes more than two-thirds of global fresh water out of which 90 % is used by developing countries. Freshwater consumption worldwide is expected to rise another 25 %by 2030 due to increase in population from 6.6 billion currently to about 8 billion by 2030 and over 9 billion by 2050. Worldwide climate change and variability are affecting water resources and agricultural production and in India Ganga Plain region is one of them. Hydroclimatic changes are very prominent in all the regions of Ganga Plain. Climate change and variability impacts are further drying the semi-arid areas and may cause serious problem of water and food scarcity for about 250 million people of the area. About 80 million ha out of total 141 million ha net cultivated area of India is rainfed, which contributes approximately 44 % of total food production has been severely affected by climate change. Further changing climatic conditions are causing prominent hydrological variations like change in drainage density, river morphology (tectonic control) & geometry, water quality and precipitation. Majority of the river channels seen today in the Ganga Plain has migrated from their historic positions. Large scale changes in land use and land cover pattern, cropping pattern, drainage pattern and over exploitation of water resources are modifying the hydrological cycle in Ganga basin. The frequency of floods and drought and its intensity has increased manifold. Ganga Plain rivers has changed their course with time and the regional hydrological conditions shows full control over the rates and processes by which environments geomorphically evolve. Approximately 47 % of total irrigated area of the country is located in Ganga Plain, which is severely affected by changing climatic conditions. In long run climate change will affect the quantity and quality of the crops and the crop yield is going to be down. This will increase the already high food inflation in the country. The warmer atmospheric temperatures and drought conditions will increase soil salinization, desertification and drying-up of aquifer, while flooding conditions will escalate soil erosion, soil degradation and sedimentation. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of different hydrological changes due to climatic conditions and come up with easily and economically feasible solutions effective in addressing the problem of water and food scarcity in future.     

Middle-Eocene artiodactyls from Shanghuang (Jiangsu Province,Coastal China) and the diversity of basal dichobunoids in Asia

A new assemblage of basal dichobunoid artiodactyls from the middle-Eocene Shanghuang fissure fillings includes the diacodexeid Jiangsudon shanghuangensis gen. and sp. nov., a new species of the lantianine dichobunoid Elaschitotherium, Elaschitotherium crepaturus sp. nov., and an indeterminate suoid which is presently the earliest record of this clade. Diacodexeids are also represented by two forms provisionally referred to cf. Diacodexis sp. and to an indeterminate Diacodexeidae, respectively. The occurrence of diacodexeids in Shanghuang contrasts with the early and earliest middle-Eocene chronological range of the family in Europe and North America and suggests that the stratigraphic range of the family in Asia extends up to the middle Eocene. This may reflect particular habitats in coastal China that may have been relatively stable during the early and middle Eocene, thus preserving forest-dwelling artiodactyls that became extinct in the other Holarctic regions. Compared to other supposedly coeval North American, European, and Asian faunas, the Shanghuang mammalian assemblage is most similar to early Uintan faunas of North America but is also remarkable in recording forms close to taxa that are characteristic of the Wasatchian and Bridgerian North American Land Mammal Ages. The Irdinmanhan age of the Shanghuang fauna is supported by the mammalian assemblage recovered from the fissure D, but an Arshantan age cannot be completely ruled out at this point. Although the Shanghuang assemblage is biased towards preservation of small components of the mammalian fauna, the Shanghuang fauna provide an important and unique window into the Eocene diversity and early evolution of cetartiodactyls in eastern Asia.     

1961—2015年西南区域单季稻生长季气候年型及其生产潜力分析

了解气候变化背景下农作物气候年型以及不同气候年型下作物的生产潜力,对实现农业的可持续发展具有重要意义。基于1961—2015年西南区域单季稻种植区316个气象台站的逐日气象资料和单季稻生产资料,利用异常度概念分析了单季稻生长季的10种气候年型,解析了不同气候年型下单季稻的气候生产潜力,并分析气候变化对单季稻生长季气候年型及生产潜力的影响。结果表明：（1）近55年来西南区域单季稻生长季正常年型发生频次最高,平均21.5次,其次是少雨年型和多雨年型。从空间分布来看,正常年型多出现在云南南部和西北部、四川攀西和四川盆地南部的部分地区,少雨和多雨年型多出现在四川盆地大部和其他省市的部分地区,高温年型多出现在四川攀西地区、云南和贵州的个别地区,低温和寡照年型的空间差异不明显。（2）1961—2015年,西南区域单季稻气候生产潜力平均为7065.6 kg/hm²。与正常年相比,多雨年型气候生产潜力偏高超过10%,少雨年型偏低超过14%,降水是影响单季稻气候生产潜力的最主要因子。（3）气候变暖对西南区域单季稻生长季气候年型变化的影响最为显著。与1961—1990年相比,1991—2015年暖年增加,冷年减少。近55年来西南各省市单季稻气候生产潜力均呈下降趋势,1990年代以来暖年的增加有利于气候生产潜力的提高,而少雨和寡照年的增加是气候生产潜力总体下降的主要原因。     

全球变化对我国荒漠化的影响

本文根据当前国内外科学家们对全球变化的研究及＂联合国环境与发展大会＂的决议第１２款,＂荒漠化＂的定义,探讨全球变化对我国土地荒漠化的影响。文中利用我国７００多个气象站点３０年的平均气象资料,采用联合国环境规划署环境监测系统／全球资料数据库方案活动中心以及国际上广泛应用的Ｔｈｏｒｎｔｈｗａｉｔｅ计算ＰＥ与气候分类方法,计算和绘制了当ＣＯ_２倍增、气温升高１．５－４．５℃时我国干旱区、半干旱区及半湿润干旱区（Ａｒｉｄ,ｓｅｍｉ－ａｒｉｄａｎｄｄｒｙｓｕｂ－ｈｕｍｉｄａｒｅａｓ）分布变化的图表,同时利用我国北方１６０个气象台站近４０年连续记录的气象资料,进行滑动平均,计算和绘制了干旱、半干旱区的最近４０年来气温变暖及干湿变化的趋势图,分析了在全球变化下如果工业发展和其结构不变的情况下,未来３０－５０年我国土地荒漠化的发展趋势,为我国荒漠化监测预报和防治提供依据和对策。     

The last decade in ecological climate change impact research: where are we now?

Climate change is increasingly affecting organisms and ecosystems. The amount of research and the number of articles in this field is overwhelming. However, single studies necessarily consider limited aspects. Hence, there is an increasing need for structuring the research approaches and findings in climate change research in order to direct future action in an efficient way towards research gaps and areas of uncertainty. Here, we review the current state of knowledge accumulated over the last 10 years (2003–2012) about impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems. Almost 1,200 articles of the scientific literature listed in the ISI Web of Science are analysed. We explore the geographical distribution of knowledge gain, the studied taxonomic groups, ecosystems and environmental parameters as well as the applied methods. Several knowledge gaps arise. Most of the first authors of the analysed articles are residents of North America, Australia or Europe. A similar pattern is found for the study areas. Vascular plants and therewith forests are the most studied taxonomic group and ecosystem. The use of models to estimate potential impacts of climate change is well established in climate change impact research and is continuously developing. However, there is a lack of empirical data derived from experimental climate change simulations. In a rapidly evolving research landscape, this review aims at providing an overview of the current patterns of knowledge distribution and research demands arising from knowledge gaps and biases. Our results should help to identify future research needs and priorities.     

The oldest haplogyne spider (Araneae: Plectreuridae), from the Middle Jurassic of China

New fossil spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Middle Jurassic (ca. 165 Ma) strata of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China are described as Eoplectreurys gertschi gen. et sp. nov. and referred to the modern haplogyne family Plectreuridae. This small family is restricted to southwestern USA, Mexico, and the adjacent Caribbean area today and hitherto has only a sparse Cenozoic fossil record. The morphology of Eoplectreurys is remarkably similar to modern forms and thus demonstrates great evolutionary conservatism. This new discovery not only extends the fossil record of the family by at least 120 Ma to the Middle Jurassic but also supports the hypothesis of a different distribution of the family in the past than today and subsequent extinction over much of its former range.     

Consequences of correlations between habitat modifications and negative impact of climate change for regional species survival

While several empirical and theoretical studies have clearly shown the negative effects of climate or landscape changes on population and species survival only few of them addressed combined and correlated consequences of these key environmental drivers. This also includes positive landscape changes such as active habitat management and restoration to buffer the negative effects of deteriorating climatic conditions. In this study, we apply a conceptual spatial modelling approach based on functional types to explore the effects of both positive and negative correlations between changes in habitat and climate conditions on the survival of spatially structured populations. We test the effect of different climate and landscape change scenarios on four different functional types that represent a broad spectrum of species characterised by their landscape level carrying capacity, the local population turnover rates at the patch level (K-strategies vs. r-strategies) and dispersal characterstics. As expected, simulation results show that correlated landscape and climatic changes can accelerate (in case of habitat loss or degradation) or slow down (in case of habitat gain or improvement) regional species extinction. However, the strength of the combined changes depends on local turnover at the patch level, the overall landscape capacity of the species, and its specific dispersal characteristics. Under all scenarios of correlated changes in habitat and climate conditions we found the highest sensitivity for functional types representing species with a low landscape capacity but a high population growth rate and a strong density regulation causing a high turnover at the local patch level.The relative importance of habitat loss or habitat degradation, in combination with climate deterioration, differed among the functional types. However, an increase in regional capacity revealed a similar response pattern: For all types, habitat improvement led to higher survival times than habitat gain, i.e. the establishment of new habitat patches. This suggests that improving local habitat quality at a regional scale is a more promising conservation strategy under climate change than implementing new habitat patches. This conceptual modelling study provides a general framework to better understand and support the management of populations prone to complex environmental changes.     

改革开放以来广州市番禺区景观格局变化研究

番禺区作为广州市新的发展方向,处于中国经济和社会发展的前沿。研究番禺区20年来的景观格局变化,对于其经济社会的可持续、健康发展有一定的指导意义。利用番禺区1979年、1990年、2000年的MSS、TM、ETM^＋影像,在GIS的支持下,结合景观生态学的理论分析了番禺区三个时期的景观格局及其动态变化。结果表明,20年来,番禺区的景观格局变化迅速,斑块数量和空间格局变化较大;各景观类型之间的转移明显,耕地、林地快速向建设用地、养殖水域等转变。人文因素是景观格局变化的直接驱动力,人口增长、经济发展是导致景观系列变化最根本的原因。     

Interannual variability of carbon cycle implied by a 2-d atmospheric transport model

A 2-dimensional atmospheric transport model is deployed in asimplified CO2 inverse study. Calculated carbon flux distribution for the interval from 1981 to 1997 confirms the existence of a terrestrial carbon sink in mid-high latitude area of North Hemisphere. Strong interannual variability exists in carbon flux patterns, implying a possible link with ENSO and other natural episodes such as Pinatubo volcano eruption in 1991. Mechanism of this possible link was investigated with statistic method. Correlation analysis indicated that in North Hemisphere, climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation, to some extend, could influence the carbon cycle process of land and ocean, thus cause considerable change in carbon flux distribution. In addition, correlation study also demonstrated the possible important role of Asian terrestrial ecosystems in carbon cycle.     

柴达木盆地盐类资源成矿构造环境及成矿预测

运用区域地质资料和地球重力测量资料的分析成果,对柴达木盆地新生代地层沉积建造的空间位置和基本构造形式进行了讨论;用实验对比和地质概化的方法,建立了新生代盆地的构造边界和构造系统;用地球动力成矿和层位耦合成矿的规律说明,新生代盆地内部存在共轭成矿作用,并可用来预测成盐成矿地段和筛选寻矿找矿靶区,为中国大陆盆地的盐类矿产资源的开发和研究提供依据。根据柴达木盆地基底构造的分析,在第四纪成矿作用的基础上,在新生代地层深部寻找新的盐类矿床是大有前景的。依据成矿环境条件,圈定出5个盐类矿床的成矿构造带,是今后找矿勘探的靶区及成矿远景地带。