The dilemma of gaps in carbonate stratigraphic sequences: A case history from the Jurassic of the Venetian Alps, Italy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zempolich, W.G.

The Lower Ammonitico Rosso (L.A.R.) of the western Venetian Alps is a thin, red nodular limestone that overlies a thick Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) shallow-water platform sequence. It is thought to represent a Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) drowning event whereby the Trento Platform became a submerged plateau. The L.A.R. is problematic in that it (1) is rich in ammonites and other pelagic fauna; (2) contains stromatolites, oncolites, and shallow-water sedimentary structures; and (3) directly overlies platform sediments that contain complex brecciated fabrics filled by cement and Bajocian-age sediment. These seemingly contradictory features have generated much debate as to themore » sequence stratigraphy of the Trento Platform. New evidence suggests that the L.A.R. was deposited in a shallow-water environment following a period of subaerial exposure. In an east-west transect from the platform edge to platform interior, a clear transition is exhibited from high- and low-energy open-marine facies to restricted lagoonal facies. High-energy open-marine facies include well-sorted skeletal- and peloidal-rich sands possessing low-angle to planar cross stratification and thin, fairly sorted ammonite- and belemnite-rich gravels. Sands include both shallow-water and pelagic fauna; gravels commonly contain ripup clasts from underlying sediments. Low-energy open-marine facies consist of buff colored wackestones and packstones that contain ammonites, belemnites, pelagic bivalves, and peloids. With respect to paleogeography, the abrupt transition from open-marine facies at the platform edge to lagoonal facies in the platform interior indicates that thrombolites, stromatolites, and oncolites accumulated in a shallow restricted environment.« less

Discovery of Jurassic ammonite-bearing series in Jebel Bou Hedma (South-Central Tunisian Atlas): Implications for stratigraphic correlations and paleogeographic reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrouni, Néjib; Houla, Yassine; Soussi, Mohamed; Boughdiri, Mabrouk; Ali, Walid Ben; Nasri, Ahmed; Bouaziz, Samir

2016-01-01

Recent geological mapping undertaken in the Southern-Central Atlas of Tunisia led to the discovery of Jurassic ammonite-bearing series in the Jebel Bou Hedma E-W anticline structure. These series represent the Southernmost Jurassic rocks ever documented in the outcrops of the Tunisian Atlas. These series which outcrop in a transitional zone between the Southern Tunisian Atlas and the Chott basin offer a valuable benchmark for new stratigraphic correlation with the well-known Jurassic series of the North-South Axis of Central Tunisia and also with the Jurassic subsurface successions transected by petroleum wells in the study area. The preliminary investigations allowed the identification, within the most complete section outcropping in the center of the structure, of numerous useful biochronological and sedimentological markers helping in the establishment of an updated Jurassic stratigraphic framework chart of South-Western Tunisia. Additionally, the Late Jurassic succession documents syn-sedimentary features such as slumping, erosion and reworking of sediments and ammonite faunas that can be considered as strong witnesses of an important geodynamic event around the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary. These stratigraphic and geodynamic new data make of the Jurassic of Jebel Bou Hedma a key succession for stratigraphic correlation attempt between Atlas Tunisian series and those currently buried in the Chott basin or outcropping in the Saharan platform. Furthermore, the several rich-ammonite identified horizons within the Middle and Upper Jurassic series constitute reliable time lines that can be useful for both paleogeographic and geodynamic reconstructions of this part of the North African Tethyan margin but also in the refinement of the potential migration routes for ammonite populations from the Maghrebian Southern Tethys to Arabia.

Stratigraphy and macrofauna of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation, central Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sorogy, Abdelbaset S.; Gameil, Mohamed; Youssef, Mohamed; Al-Kahtany, Khaled M.

2017-10-01

The stratigraphy and macrofaunal content of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation was studied at Khashm adh Dhibi, central Saudi Arabia. The studied succession is dominated by limestones and dolomites, with subordinate occurrences of sandstones, siltstones and claystones. The formation is highly fossiliferous with brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves, ammonites and echinoids, particularly the lower and upper members. Twenty nine species are identified, they include 7 species of brachiopods, 8 gastropods, 8 bivalves, 4 ammonites and 2 echinoids. Many of the identified fauna are correlated with Jurassic equivalents in Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Egypt and India. Three gastropod species: Globularia subumbilicata, Ampullospira sp., Purpuroidea peristriata and seven bivalve species: Palaeonucula lateralis, Chlamys (Radulopecten) fibrosa, Eligmus weiri, E.integer, E. asiaticus, Musculus somaliensis and Pholadomya orientalis were recognized for the first time in the Lower Jurassic deposits of Saudi Arabia.

Gratkorn - A new late Middle Miocene vertebrate fauna from Styria (Late Sarmatian, Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, M.; Böhme, M.; Prieto, J.

2009-04-01

Integrated stratigraphic approaches provide precise correlations of global standard stages with regional Paratethys stages. Nevertheless, higher resolution stratigraphic matching of terrestrial deposits remains challenging due to the lack of a practical continental biostratigraphy. The mostly used tool for biostratigraphic correlation of non-marine deposits in the Old World is still the concept of Neogene Mammal-zones (MN-zones). However, at higher biostratigraphic resolution (<1 million years) this concept looses its practicability and has to be replaced by a taxon-range-zonation. To solve this problem a higher number of independently dated small-mammal localities are needed. This is especially crucial for the late Middle to earliest Late Miocene, for which vertebrate faunas in the (Central-)Paratethyan area rare. Recently, a new vertebrate fauna was discovered at the locality Gratkorn (clay pit St. Stefan) just beyond the northwestern margin of the Styrian Basin (Gratkorn Basin; 10 km NW Graz; 15°20'55"E/47°08'15"N). The fauna originates from a c. 0.5 m thick hydromorphic paleosol, underlain by fluvial sands and gravels and topped by c. 15 m thick limnic pelites (Gross, 2008). Sedimentological data as well as the gastropod (Harzhauser et al., 2008) and vertebrate faunas point to a highly structured, more or less vegetated alluvial fan/braided river landscape. Active and abandoned fluvial channels, moist floodplain-soils and ephemeral ponds but also nearby dryer open areas and limestone screes of the up-lifting Palaeozoic basement offered a wide range of habitats. The occurrence of xero- and thermophile terrestrial gastropods and ectothermic vertebrates correspond well with the late Middle/early Late Miocene dry-spell in Central Europe (Böhme et al., 2008). Furthermore, an overall semiarid climate is supported by the development of a calcrete horizon c. 0.6 m below the fossiliferous horizon. The vertebrate remains are irregularly distributed throughout the paleosol. Although articulated skeletons are missing, skeletal elements belonging to the same individual were found frequently close to each other. Many bones are broken and display imprints of gnawing structures. These taphonomic features point to a longer surface exposure before burial without considerable transportation. Trampling and the activity of scavengers (crunching, displacement of cadavers) are probable. Locally small- and medium-sized mammal remains (jaws and postcranial elements) of e.g., hamsters, flying squirrels, gymnures and shrews are concentrated, perhaps demonstrating feeding places of carnivores or more probably of birds of prey. Nonetheless, from geologic point of view, this paleosol represents an event horizon, which accumulated rapidly maybe within tens or hundreds of years. The vertebrate fauna comprises of scattered fishes (e.g. cyprinids, gobiids, ?channids), amphibians (e.g. salamandrids, ranids, discoglossids, bufonids, pelobatids,), reptiles (scincids, lacertids, gekkonids, anguids, varanids, colubrids, testudinids, emydids), birds (coliiformes), rodents and lagomorphs (cricetids, glirids, eomyids, sciurids, castorids), insectivores and chiropterans (erinaceids, soricids, talpids), and large mammals (suids, tragulids, moschids, cervids, ?palaeomerycids, equids, chalicotheriids, rhinos, proboscidians, carnivors). Litho- and biostratigraphy (terrestrial gastropods) as well as magnetostratigraphic data and the sequence stratigraphic and geodynamic frame indicate an age of 12-12.2 Ma (early Late Sarmatian s.str., chron 5An.1n) for the locality. Therefore, Gratkorn is one of richest and most complete fauna of the late Middle Miocene of Central Europe and will be confidentially one of the key faunas for a high-resolution continental biostratigraphy and the comprehension of the faunal succession and interchanges near the Middle/Late Miocene transition. Acknowledgements This is a preliminary overview of the Gratkorn vertebrate fauna. Several taxa are still under investigation. We are especially grateful to Gudrun Daxner-Höck, Ursula Göhlich (both Natural History Museum Vienna) and Getrud Rössner (University of Munich) for their comments to the rodents, ruminants, proboscidians and bird remains. References Böhme, M., Ilg, A., Winklhofer, M. 2008. Late Miocene "washhouse" climate in Europe.- Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 275: 393-401. Gross, M., 2008. A limnic ostracod fauna from the surroundings of the Central Paratethys (Late Middle Miocene/Early Late Miocene; Styrian Basin; Austria).- Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 264/3-4: 263-276. Harzhauser, M., Gross, M. & Binder, H., 2008. Biostratigraphy of Middle Miocene (Sarmatian) wetland systems in an Eastern Alpine intramontane basin (Gratkorn Basin, Austria): the terrestrial gastropod approach.- Geologica Carpathica, 59/1: 45-58.

Systematic palaeontology of the Perisphinctoidea in the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval at Le Chouet (Drôme, France), and its implications for biostratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frau, Camille; Bulot, Luc G.; Wimbledon, William A. P.; Ifrim, Christina

2016-06-01

This study describes ammonite taxa of the Perisphinctoidea in the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval at Le Chouet (Drôme, France). Emphasis is placed on new and poorly known Himalayitidae, Neocomitidae and Olcostephanidae from the lower part of the Jacobi Zone auctorum. Significant results relate the introduction of Lopeziceras gen. nov., grouping himalayitid-like forms with two rows of tubercles, and Praedalmasiceras gen. nov., grouping the early Berriasian Dalmasiceras taxa. Study of the ontogenetic sequences of both genera show that they were derived from late Tithonian Himalayitidae. This supports the distinction between the subfamilies Himalayitinae and Dalmasiceratidae subfam. nov. Content, variation, dimorphism and vertical range of the Neocomitidae Berriasella, Pseudoneocomites, Elenaella and Delphinella are discussed. A conservative use of the Olcostephanidae Proniceras is followed herein.

Campanian ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous Gober Chalk of Lamar County, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cobban, W.A.; Kennedy, W.J.

1992-01-01

The Roxton Limestone Member at the top of the Gober Chalk in northeast Texas yields a rich fauna, dominated by Baculites haresi Reeside, 1927, and Inoceramus balticus Boehm, 1909, with sparse occurrences of pachydiscus cf. P. paulsoni (Young, 1963), Anapachydiscus sp.juv., Placenticeras placenta (DeKay, 1828), Hoplitoplacenticeras aff. H. plasticum (Paulcke, 1907), Menabites (Delawarella) delawarensis (Morton, 1830), M.(D.) danei (Young, 1963), M.(D.) aff. M.(D.) vanuxemi (Morton, 1830), Submortoniceras vandalinaense Young, 1963, Submortoniceras sp., Eubostrychoceras sp., and Scaphites hippocrepis (DeKay, 1828) III. The presence of S. hippocrepis III suggests a late early Campanian age assignment for the fauna. The assemblage includes species known from the Western Interior, Gulf Coast, Atlantic seaboard, and western Europe. -Authors

Cretaceous biostratigraphy in the Wyoming thrust belt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, D.J.; Jacobson, S.R.

Biostratigraphy is essential to exploration for oil and gas in the Wyoming thrust belt because fossils provide a temporal framework for interpretation of events of faulting, erosion, sedimentation, and the development of hydrocarbon traps and migration pathways. In the Cretaceous section, fossils are especially useful for dating and correlating repetitive facies of different ages in structurally complex terrain. The biostratigraphic zonation for the region is based on megafossils (chiefly ammonites), which permit accurate dating and correlation of outcrop sections, and which have been calibrated with the radiometric time scale for the Western Interior. Molluscan and vertebrate zone fossils are difficultmore » to obtain from the subsurface, however, and ammonities are restricted to rocks of margin origin. Palynomorphs (plant microfossils) have proven to be the most valuable fossils in investigations of stratigraphy and structures in the subsurface of the thrust belt because palynomorphs can be recovered from drill cuttings. Palynomorphs also are found in both marine and nonmarine rocks and can be used for correlation between facies. In this paper, stratigraphic ranges of selected Cretaceous marine and nonmarine palynomorphs in previously designated reference sections in Fossil Basin, Wyoming, are correlated with the occurrence of ammonities and other zone fossils in the same sections. These correlations can be related to known isotopic ages, and they contribute to the calibration of palynomorph ranges in the Cretaceous of the Western Interior.« less

Sequence stratigraphy of the Lower Triassic Sinbad Formation, San Rafael Swell, east-central, Utah

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goodspeed, T.H.; Elrick, M.; Lucas, S.G.

1993-04-01

The Lower Triassic Sinbad Fm (20--30 m thick) in the San Rafael Swell of east-central Utah is high energy carbonate deposits that conformably overlie tidal flat/fluvial channel deposits of the Black Dragon Fm. The Torrey Fm conformably overlies the Sinbad Fm and consists primarily of siliciclastic tidal flat and fluvial deposits. Five facies (in ascending order) are characteristic of the Sinbad Fm: (1) bioturbated calcisiltite with calcite-replaced evaporite nodules and ripple laminations, (2) skeletal-oolitic-intraclastic packstone and grainstone, (3) slightly bioturbated, mechanically laminated, pelletal calcisiltite (5) trough cross-bedded, peloidal to oolitic grainstone, and (5) thin-bedded, skeletal-pelletal-oolitic grainstone with mud to wackestonemore » drapes. Regional facies relationships of the Sinbad Fm indicate initial deepening followed by shallowing. The skeletal-intraclastic packstone and grainstone facies represents maximum flooding. This facies thickens to the northwest and contains an open marine molluscan fauna of ammonites, bivalves, gastropods and scaphopods. The ammonites are indicative of the Tardus Zone of late Smithian age. Deposits above the maximum flooding zone (MFZ) are restricted foreshoal, pelletal calcisiltite, oolitic shoal, and backshoal skeletal-oolitic (with a restricted fauna of molluscs and ostracods) deposits. This shallowing-upward sequence represents the early HST. The Sinbad Fm represents the MFZ and early HST of a 150-m-thick depositional sequence of rocks with the Black Dragon FM representing the TST, and the Torrey Fm representing the late HST.« less

Olson's Extinction and the latitudinal biodiversity gradient of tetrapods in the Permian

PubMed Central

Day, Michael O.; Rubidge, Bruce S.; Fröbisch, Jörg

2017-01-01

The terrestrial vertebrate fauna underwent a substantial change in composition between the lower and middle Permian. The lower Permian fauna was characterized by diverse and abundant amphibians and pelycosaurian-grade synapsids. During the middle Permian, a therapsid-dominated fauna, containing a diverse array of parareptiles and a considerably reduced richness of amphibians, replaced this. However, it is debated whether the transition is a genuine event, accompanied by a mass extinction, or whether it is merely an artefact of the shift in sampling from the palaeoequatorial latitudes to the palaeotemperate latitudes. Here we use an up-to-date biostratigraphy and incorporate recent discoveries to thoroughly review the Permian tetrapod fossil record. We suggest that the faunal transition represents a genuine event; the lower Permian temperate faunas are more similar to lower Permian equatorial faunas than middle Permian temperate faunas. The transition was not consistent across latitudes; the turnover occurred more rapidly in Russia, but was delayed in North America. The argument that the mass extinction is an artefact of a latitudinal biodiversity gradient and a shift in sampling localities is rejected: sampling correction demonstrates an inverse latitudinal biodiversity gradient was prevalent during the Permian, with peak diversity in the temperate latitudes. PMID:28381616

Characterization of the Lower Aptian Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 1a in the Eastern Iberian Chain (Maestrat Basin, E Spain) by Means of Ammonite Biostratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno-Bedmar, J. A.; Company, M.; Bover-Arnal, T.; Delanoy, G.; Martinez, R.; Grauges, A.; Salas, R.

2008-05-01

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE1a) is now generally recognized to correlate with the lower part of the Leupoldina cabri planktonic foraminifer Zone. Unfortunately, the calibration of this zone against the standard ammonite scale has remained uncertain. Our recent high-resolution geochemical study (Carbon-isotope) of Lower Aptian sequences in the Iberian Chain of eastern Spain (Moreno-Bedmar et al., in prep) was used as proxy to further characterize OAE 1a. The sequence provides additional ammonite biostratigraphic data that permit correlation of the ammonite zonation with the isotopic signature of OAE1a. That interval includes specimens we identified with affinity for species of Roloboceras and Megatyloceras in the same beds that contain species of Deshayesites forbesi Casey, and Deshayesites gr. euglyphus/spathi, which are characteristic of the Deshayesites weissi Zone. Our results also indicate that D. deshayesi (d'Orbigny), the nominate taxon which marks the base of the superjacent Zone, first occurs a few meters above the geochemical signature corresponding to OAE 1a. Our isotopic data correlated with the ammonite occurrences are in further agreement with Roloboceras beds in England (Casey, 1961a, b; Casey et al., 1998) that are correlational with the Boreal Deshayesites forbesi Zone, which is coeval with the Mediterranean Deshayesites weissi Zone. Similarly, in the Cassis-La Bédoule area (SE France) the OAE 1a interval also corresponds to the Roloboceras beds, but they have been assigned to the Deshayesites deshayesi biozone (Ropolo et al., 2000; 2006). Here we argue that specimens attributed to D. deshayesi (d'Orbigny) and D. dechyi (Papp) from the Roloboceras levels (Ropolo et al., 2006) can be reinterpreted as belonging to D. forbesi, characteristic species of Deshayesites weissi Zone. Stratigraphic data from Roloboceras beds in le Teil region (Ardech patform, SE France) also reveal the presence of Deshayesites consobrinus (d'Orbigny) and Deshayesites gr. euglyphus Casey at these levels (Moreno et al., 2007). Thus, these taxa further support the stratigraphic position of these beds into the Deshayesites weissi Zone. Our results imply that OAE1 correlative with the Roloboceras beds in southeastern Spain and at Cassis correspond to the D. weissi Zone, as formerly established (Casey, 1961a, b; Casey et al., 1998; Moreno and Bover, 2007; Moreno et al., 2007). R. Casey, Palaeontology 3, 487-621 (1961a) R. Casey, Palaeontographical Society, London, 119-216 (1961b) R. Casey et al., Cretaceous Research 19, 511-535 (1998) J.A.Moreno and T. Bover, in XXIII Jornadas Sociedad Española de Paleontología, Libro de resúmenes. J. C. Braga, A. Checa and M. Company, Eds (Instituto Geológico y Minero de España y Universidad de Granada (2007) pp. 151-152 J. A. Moreno et al., Geogaceta 42, 75-78 (2007) P. Ropolo et al., Géologie Méditerranéenne 25 (1998), 167-175 (2000)

The base of the Campanian: a magnetostratigraphic definition, integrated biostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagreich, Michael; Dinarès-Turell, Jaume; Wolfgring, Erik; Omer Yilmaz, Ismail

2017-04-01

The base of the Campanian, the longest stage of the Late Cretaceous, is still not defined by a GSSP (Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point). Furthermore, no consensus exists about the boundary criterion: macrofossils like ammonites and inoceramids suffer from bioprovincialism. The LAD of the crinoid Marsupites testudinarius was proposed as the primary fossil marker. But this marker is mainly a chalk facies fossil, which is rare to absent in pelagic low-latitudes, absent in oceanic sections, and the LAD may be influenced by palaeoenvironmental and palaecological settings. More recently, a boundary defined by magnetostratigraphy, i.e. the base of Chron C33r after the Long Cretaceous Normal Chron C34n, has been discussed. Western Tethyan pelagic sections from Austria and Turkey provide means for integrating various stratigraphic methods. A robust magnetostratigraphic signal was found at the Postalm section (Gosau Group, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria) which may serve as a reference section for the northwestern Tethys. Including nearby complementary sections, palaeomagnetic data can be integrated with strontium isotope stratigraphy and stable isotope data, planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy, , and ammonite, crinoid and inoceramid data. The Postalm section shows a deepening trend from upper Santonian conglomerates and grey shelf marls to pelagic bathyal red marly limestones of Campanian age. Palaeomagnetic data allow identifying the top of Chron C34n and the following reversal in the lower part of the red marly limestones. A 1 m-thick interval of high magnetic susceptibility is present at the end of C34n. Two of the main suggested biomarkers to pinpoint the Santonian-Campanian boundary, i.e. the last occurrence of the planktonic foraminifer Dicarinella asymetrica and the first occurrence of the nannofossil Broinsonia parca parca, occur in close proximity to the reversal, which is suggested herein as the primary marker event for the base of the Campanian. Strontium isotope stratigraphy indicates a value of 0.707534. Both carbon and oxygen isotope values show a negative excursion just below the boundary. The positive Santonian-Campanian boundary carbon isotope event (SCBE) starts probably just at the boundary level. This interval is considered to correspond to a short sea-level high in the late Santonian followed by a lowstand at the Santonian-Campanian boundary. Macrofossil data from the nearby Schattau section indicate the late Santonian Paraplanum ammonite Subzone, the presence of the crinoid Marsupites laevigatus and inoceramids, e.g. Cordiceramus muelleri muelleri, below the boundary as defined by magnetostratigraphy. Sections from the western Tethyan Mudurnu-Göynük basin (NW Turkey) provide similar evidence for the Santonian-Campanian boundary interval. Near Göynük town, a reversal of the magnetic polarity was identified to represent the base of C33r within a pelagic section. Biostratigraphic data suggest an age from the late Santonian Dicarinella asymetrica to the early Campanian Globotruncanita elevata planktonic foraminifera zone, and nannofossil zones UC13-CC14. Results from the assessment of field magnetic susceptibility give evidence for Milankovitch cycles, presumably the 405 ka eccentricity cycle.

A review of magnetostratigraphic results from the Tithonian-Berriasian of Nordvik (Siberia) and possible biostratigraphic constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnabl, Petr; Pruner, Petr; Wimbledon, William A. P.

2015-12-01

In this contribution we examine and discuss recently published magnetostratigraphic data from the Nordvik section (north Siberia) around the Tithonian-Berriasian (J/K) boundary, with a special emphasis on calibration with biostratigraphy and the reliability of both the fossil and magnetic records, as well as sedimentation rates. Specifically, we discuss original new interpretations by Bragin et al. (2013) and the commentary on that work by Guzhikov (2013). We consider some limitations of the Nordvik section, and conclude that the base of M18r, because it is in a condensed part of the sequence, makes a poor contender for precise long-range correlation. We discuss the lack of ammonites at several magnetozone boundaries, and whether the bases of the local zones of Craspedites taimyrensis and Arctoteuthis tehamaensis can be used to bracket the correlative horizon of Calpionella alpina, a widespread marker in the middle of M19n.2n in Tethys.

Biostratigraphic correlation chart of some Upper Cretaceous rocks from the Lost Soldier area, Wyoming to west of Craig, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bader, J.W.; Gill, J.R.; Cobban, W.A.; Law, B.E.

1983-01-01

This chart depicts the time-stratigraphic relations of some Upper Cretaceous rocks along the eastern and southeastern margins of the Greater Green River Basin, south-central Wyoming and northwestern Colorado. The purpose of this report is to release a preferred set of correlations based upon marine mollusk biostratigraphy. The senior author, with the help of B. E. Law, has acquired, synthesized, compiled, and interpreted data from various sources. These include selected published documents (see "References Cited") and unpublished reports of fossil identifications by W. A. Cobban who examined collections made by the late J. R. Gill. Numerous measured sections of Gill's were also utilized. It must be emphasized that all interpretations on this chart are based on information obtained from these sources and the senior author has yet to substantiate these correlations in the field. Not all data from the area of this study is included herein because it is either repetitive in nature or its reliability is uncertain. This uncertainty is due to the ambiguity inherent in both fossil identification and stratigraphic interpretation. Questionable unpublished material has been omitted while published data which is inconsistent with the senior author's correlations may be found in the footnotes portion of this report. The rock units are assigned to a range of ammonites that have been related to an absolute time scale. The ammonite zonation and age boundaries are adapted from Obradovich and Cobban (1975). "D" numbers are provided for each geographic locality where fossils were collected and described by personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey. These fossils may be accessed at the offices of the Survey in Lakewood, Colorado.

An overview of paleogene molluscan biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Gulf of Alaska region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marincovich, L.; McCoy, S.

1984-01-01

Paleogene marine strata in the Gulf of Alaska region occur in three geographic areas and may be characterized by their molluscan faunal composition and paleoecology: a western area consisting of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and adjacent islands; a central area encompassing Prince William Sound; and an eastern area extending from the mouth of the Copper River to Icy Point in the Lituya district. Strata in the western area include the Ghost Rocks, Narrow Cape (in part), Sitkalidak, Stepovak, Belkofski, and Tolstoi Formations; in the central area Paleogene strata are assigned entirely to the Orca Group; Paleogene strata in the eastern area include the Kulthieth and Poul Creek Formations and several coeval units. Environments ranging from marginal marine to bathyal and from subtropical to cool-temperate are inferred for the various molluscan faunas. Sediments range from interbedded coal and marine sands to deep-water turbidites. The known Paleogene molluscan faunas of these three southern Alaskan areas permit recognition of biostratigraphic schemes within each area, preliminary correlations between faunas of the three areas, and more general correlations with faunas of the Pacific Northwest, the Far Eastern U.S.S.R., and northern Japan. ?? 1984.

Lower and Middle Cenomanian ammonites from the Morondava Basin, Madagascar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, William James; Walaszczyk, Ireneusz; Gale, Andrew S.; Dembicz, Krzysztof; Praszkier, Tomasz

2013-12-01

Kennedy, W.J., Walaszczyk, I., Gale, A.S., Dembicz, K. and Praszkier, T. 2013. Lower and Midle Cenomanian ammonites from the Morondava Basin, Madagascar. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63(4), 625-655. Warszawa. Lower and Middle Cenomanian ammonite assemblages have been collected on a bed-by-bed basis from localities at Vohipaly and Mahaboboka, Madagascar, as well as from outcrops around Berekata, all in the Morondava Basin, southwest Madagascar. These collections demonstrate the presence of the upper Lower Cenomanian Mantelliceras dixoni Zone and the lower Middle Cenomanian Cunningtoniceras inerme Zone of the north-western European standard sequence. These records indicate that the striking anomalies in the zonal assemblages of the classic divisions of the Madagascan Cenomanian are based on mixed assemblages, rather than a succession that differs radically from that elsewhere in the world. The dixoni Zone fauna is: Desmoceras cf. latidorsatum (Michelin, 1838), Pachydesmoceras kossmati Matsumoto, 1987, Forbesiceras sp., F. baylissiWright & Kennedy, 1984, F. largilliertianum (d'Orbigny, 1841), Mantelliceras cantianum Spath, 1926a, M. dixoni Spath, 1926b, M. mantelli (J. Sowerby, 1814), M. picteti Hyatt, 1903, M. saxbii (Sharpe, 1857), Sharpeiceras sp., S. falloti (Collignon, 1931), S. mocambiquense (Choffat, 1903), S. cf. florencae Spath, 1925, Acompsoceras renevieri (Sharpe, 1857), A. tenue Collignon, 1964, Calycoceras sp., Mrhiliceras lapparenti (Pervinquière, 1907), Mariella (Mariella) stolizcai (Collignon, 1964), Hypoturrilites taxyfabreae (Collignon, 1964), Turrilites scheuchzerianus Bosc, 1801, Sciponoceras cucullatum Collignon, 1964, and Sciponoceras antanimangaensis (Collignon, 1964). The presence of Calycoceras in a Lower Cenomanian association represents a precocious appearance of a genus typically Middle and Upper Cenomanian in occurrence, and matches records from Tunisia. The inerme Zone yields a more restricted assemblage: Pachydesmoceras kossmati, Forbesiceras baylissi, Acanthoceras sp. juv., Cunningtoniceras cunningtoni (Sharpe, 1855) and Hypoturrilites taxyfabreae.

New insights on the age of the post-Urgonian marly cover of the Apt region (Vaucluse, SE France) and its implications on the demise of the North Provence carbonate platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frau, Camille; Pictet, Antoine; Spangenberg, Jorge E.; Masse, Jean-Pierre; Tendil, Anthony J.-B.; Lanteaume, Cyprien

2017-08-01

Our contribution presents an integrated litho-, bio- and chemostratigraphic study of the best-preserved outcrops of the post-Urgonian marly cover (A1 unit) of the North Provence carbonate platform. The study of the rich ammonite fauna from the Apt-Gargas area (SE Vaucluse) confirms that the A1 unit is older than previously assumed and dated to the upper (but non-uppermost) part of the lower Aptian Deshayesites forbesi Zone of the Mediterranean standard zonation. This interval is assigned to the lower part of the Roloboceras hambrovi Subzone as defined in the present contribution which is time equivalent to the spreading of the OAE 1a. Microfossil occurrences previously documented in the A1 unit are consistent with our ammonite-age calibration. Unfortunately, the curves of the carbon and oxygen stable isotopes exhibit a correlative signal probably caused by an early diagenetic overprint which questions the previous use of the C-isotope signal for precise chronostratigraphic correlation with respect to the OAE 1a excursion. The top of the A1 unit is marked by a burrowed firmground locally infilled and capped by glauconite-rich sandy marls which grade into the blue-grey muddy marls of the overlying A2 unit. The hiatus associated to this discontinuity is equivalent to the culmination of the OAE 1a, including the uppermost D. forbesi Zone (= upper R. hambrovi Subzone as herein defined) and the lower D. deshayesi Zone. The revised calibration of the post-Urgonian marl implies that the ammonite-age calibration of the North Provence carbonate platform should be revised and questions the timing and driving mechanisms of its stepwise demise.

Thermal erosion of cratonic lithosphere as a potential trigger for mass-extinction

PubMed Central

Guex, Jean; Pilet, Sebastien; Müntener, Othmar; Bartolini, Annachiara; Spangenberg, Jorge; Schoene, Blair; Sell, Bryan; Schaltegger, Urs

2016-01-01

The temporal coincidence between large igneous provinces (LIPs) and mass extinctions has led many to pose a causal relationship between the two. However, there is still no consensus on a mechanistic model that explains how magmatism leads to the turnover of terrestrial and marine plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. Here we present a synthesis of ammonite biostratigraphy, isotopic data and high precision U-Pb zircon dates from the Triassic-Jurassic (T-J) and Pliensbachian-Toarcian (Pl-To) boundaries demonstrating that these biotic crises are both associated with rapid change from an initial cool period to greenhouse conditions. We explain these transitions as a result of changing gas species emitted during the progressive thermal erosion of cratonic lithosphere by plume activity or internal heating of the lithosphere. Our petrological model for LIP magmatism argues that initial gas emission was dominated by sulfur liberated from sulfide-bearing cratonic lithosphere before CO2 became the dominant gas. This model offers an explanation of why LIPs erupted through oceanic lithosphere are not associated with climatic and biotic crises comparable to LIPs emitted through cratonic lithosphere. PMID:27009463

New biostratigraphic data on an Upper Hauterivian–Upper Barremian ammonite assemblage from the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy)

PubMed Central

Lukeneder, Alexander

2012-01-01

A biostratigraphic subdivision, based on ammonites, is proposed for the Lower Cretaceous pelagic to hemipelagic succession of the Puez area (Southern Alps, Italy). Abundant ammonites enable recognition of recently established Mediterranean ammonite zones from the upper Hauterivian Balearites balearis Zone (Crioceratites krenkeli Subzone) to the upper Barremian Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone (Gerhardtia sartousiana Subzone). Ammonites are restricted to the lowermost part of the Puez Formation, the Puez Limestone Member (ca. 50 m; marly limestones; Hauterivian–Barremian). Numerous ammonite specimens are documented for the first time from the Southern Alps (e.g., Dolomites). Ammonite abundances are clearly linked to sea-level changes from Late Hauterivian to mid Late Barremian times. Abundance and diversity peaks occur during phases of high sea-level pulses and the corresponding maximum flooding surfaces (P. mortilleti/P. picteti and G. sartousiana zones). The ammonite composition of the Puez Formation sheds light on the Early Cretaceous palaeobiogeography of the Dolomites. It also highlights the palaeoenvironmental evolution of basins and plateaus and provides insights into the faunal composition and distribution within the investigated interval. The intermittent palaeogeographic situation of the Puez locality during the Early Cretaceous serves as a key for understanding Mediterranean ammonite distribution. PMID:27087716

Middle Triassic molluscan fossils of biostratigraphic significance from the Humboldt Range, northwestern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Silberling, Norman J.; Nichols, K.M.

1982-01-01

Cephalopods and bivalves of the genus Daonella occur at certain levels throughout the Middle Triassic section in the Humboldt Range, northwestern Nevada. These fossiliferous strata are assigned to the Fossil Hill Member and upper member of the Prida Formation, which here forms the oldest part of the Star Peak Group. The distribution and abundance of fossils within the section is uneven, partly because of original depositional patterns within the dominantly calcareous succession and partly because of diagenetic secondary dolomitization and hydrothermal metamorphism in parts of the range.Lower and middle Anisian fossil localities are restricted to the northern part of the range and are scattered, so that only three demonstrably distinct stratigraphic levels are represented. Cephalopods from these localities are characteristic of the Caurus Zone and typify the lower and upper parts of the Hyatti Zone, a new zonal unit whose faunas have affinity with those from the older parts of the Varium Zone in Canada.The upper Anisian and lowermost Ladinian, as exposed in the vicinity of Fossil Hill in the southern part of the range, are extremely fossiliferous. Cephalopod and Daonella shells form a major component of many of the limestone interbeds in the calcareous fine-grained clastic section here. Stratigraphically controlled bedrock collections representing at least 20 successive levels have been made from the Fossil Hill area, which is the type locality for the Rotelliformis, Meeki, and Occidentalis Zones of the upper Anisian and the Subasperum Zone of the lower Ladinian. Above the Subasperum Zone fossils are again scarce; upper Ladinian faunas representing the Daonella lommeli beds occur at only a few places in the upper member of the Prida Formation.Although unevenly fossiliferous, the succession of Middle Triassic cephalopod and Daonella faunas in the Humboldt Range is one of the most complete of any known in the world. Newly collected faunas from this succession provide the basis for revising the classic monograph on Middle Triassic marine invertebrates of North America published in 1914 by J. P. Smith and based largely on stratigraphically uncontrolled collections from the Humboldt Range. Taxonomic treatment of these collections, old and new, from the Humboldt Range provides the documentation necessary to establish this Middle Triassic succession as a biostratigraphic standard of reference.Of the 68 species of ammonites described or discussed, 4 are from the lower Anisian, 20 from the middle Anisian, 39 from the upper Anisian, 4 from the lower Ladinian, and 1 from the upper Ladinian. A few additional ammonite species from other localities in Nevada are also treated in order to clarify their morphologic characteristics and stratigraphic occurrence. Other elements in the Middle Triassic molluscan faunas of the Humboldt Range comprise five species of nautiloids and three of coleoids from the middle and upper Anisian parts of the section. Eight more or less stratigraphically restricted species of Daonella occur in the upper Anisian and Ladinian.

The fauna of the so-called Dakota formation of northern central Colorado and its equivalent in southeastern Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeside, John B.

1923-01-01

This paper describes a small fauna from beds in northern central Colorado that have long been designated the Dakota formation, often with doubt that all the beds so named were really equivalent to the typical Dakota sandstone of eastern Nebraska. The upper part of the equivalent beds in southeastern Wyoming was referred by some writers to the Benton Shale and the lower part of the Cloverly formation. This so-called Dakota formation of northern central Colorado and its equivalent in southeastern Wyoming consist of cherty conglomerate, brown quartzose sandstone, and dark shale. The conglomerate is usually at the base of the series and at many localities is overlain by a single shale unit and that in turn by a sandstone. At other localities, however, there are several alternations of sandstone and shale above the basal conglomeratic layer. The fossil described in this paper, except one specimen, were obtained from the shales of the middle part of the formation. The single specimen, an ammonite, came from the uppermost sandstone.

Oyster-bioimmured ammonites from the Upper Albian of Annopol, Poland: stratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machalski, Marcin; Kennedy, William J.

2013-12-01

Machalski, M. and Kennedy, W.J. 2013. Oyster-bioimmured ammonites from the Upper Albian of Annopol, Poland: stratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic implications. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (4), 545-554. Warszawa. Ammonites Mortoniceras (Subschloenbachia) sp. are preserved as attachment scars on the oyster shells from the topmost portion of the Albian succession at Annopol, Poland. These oyster-bioimmured ammonites show a closest affinity to the representatives of Mortoniceras (Subschloenbachia) characteristic of the upper Upper Albian Mortoniceras perinflatum Zone. No ammonites indicative of the uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian Praeschloenbachia briacensis Zone are recorded. Thus, the hiatus at the Albian-Cenomanian boundary at Annopol embraces the latter zone. The presence (and dominance) of Mortoniceras in the upper Upper Albian ammonite assemblage of Annopol suggests that the representatives of this Tethyan genus could migrate into the epicratonic areas of Poland directly from the Tethyan Realm, via the Lwow (Lviv) region.

An 8.5 m long ammonite drag mark from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Lithographic Limestones, Germany

PubMed Central

Falkingham, Peter L.; Schweigert, Günter; Jiménez, Alejandro P.

2017-01-01

Trackways and tracemakers preserved together in the fossil record are rare. However, the co-occurrence of a drag mark, together with the dead animal that produced it, is exceptional. Here, we describe an 8.5 m long ammonite drag mark complete with the preserved ammonite shell (Subplanites rueppellianus) at its end. Previously recorded examples preserve ammonites with drag marks of < 1 m. The specimen was recovered from a quarry near Solnhofen, southern Germany. The drag mark consists of continuous parallel ridges and furrows produced by the ribs of the ammonite shell as it drifted just above the sediment surface, and does not reflect behaviour of the living animal. PMID:28489915

Biostratigraphy and structural setting of the Permian Coyote Butte Formation of central Oregon.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardlaw, B.R.; Nestell, M.K.; Dutro, J.T.

1982-01-01

Larger isolated outcrops of the limestones of the Coyote Butte Formation consistently contain younger over older faunas that range through most of the Leonardian Series of the Early Permian. The outcrops of the Coyote Butte Formation are interpreted as right- side up blocks probably introduced into the area as one massive exotic unit. The Coyote Butte Formation is very similar to the Lower Permain limestone near Quinn River Crossing, Nevada, and both are suggested to have a similar origin. The Coyote Butte Formation was probably introduced during a late-stage event to deforming Mesozoic oceanic sediments in Mesozoic time. -Authors

The morpho-mechanical basis of ammonite form.

PubMed

Moulton, D E; Goriely, A; Chirat, R

2015-01-07

Ammonites are a group of extinct cephalopods that garner tremendous interest over a range of scientific fields and have been a paradigm for biochronology, palaeobiology, and evolutionary theories. Their defining feature is the spiral geometry and ribbing pattern through which palaeontologists infer phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trends. Here, we develop a morpho-mechanical model for ammonite morphogenesis. While a wealth of observations have been compiled on ammonite form, and several functional interpretations may be found, this study presents the first quantitative model to explain rib formation. Our approach, based on fundamental principles of growth and mechanics, gives a natural explanation for the morphogenesis and diversity of ribs, uncovers intrinsic laws linking ribbing and shell geometry, and provides new opportunities to interpret ammonites' and other mollusks' evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oligocene and Early Miocene coral faunas from Iran: palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, F.; Wielandt, U.

Oligocene and Early Miocene coral assemblages from three sections of central Iran are investigated with respect to their palaeoecological and palaeobiogeographic implications. These corals are compared with faunas from the Mediterranean Tethys and the Indopacific. Associated larger foraminifers are used for biostratigraphy and to support the palaeoecological interpretation. The studied sections are situated in the foreland basins of the Iranian Plate which is structured into a fore-arc and a back-arc basin separated by a volcanic arc. The coral assemblages from Abadeh indicate a shallowing-upward trend. Infrequently distributed solitary corals at the base of the section indicate a turbid environment. Above, a distinct horizon characterised by a Leptoseris-Stylophora assemblage associated with lepidocyclinids and planktonic foraminifers is interpreted as maximum flooding surface. Small patch reefs with a Porites-Faviidae assemblage are a common feature of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene coral occurrences and indicate water depths of less than 20m. The diversity of the coral faunas shows marked differences. Oligocene corals from the Esfahan-Sirjan fore-arc basin comprise more than 45 species of 32 genera and occur in a wide range of environments. Early Miocene corals from the Qom back-arc basin are less frequent, show a lower diversity (13 genera with 15 species) and occur in single horizons or small patch reefs.

On the age of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lena, Luis; Ramos, Victor; Pimentel, Marcio; Aguirre-Urreta, Beatriz; Naipauer, Maximiliano; Schaltegger, Urs

2017-04-01

Calibrating the geologic time is of utmost importance to understanding geological and biological processes throughout Earth history. The Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary has proven to be one of the most problematic boundaries to calibrate in the geologic time. The present definition of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary still remains contentious mainly because of the dominant endemic nature of the flora and fauna in stratigraphic sections, which hinders an agreement on a GSSP. Consequently, an absolute and precise age for the boundary is yet to meet an agreement among the community. Additionally, integrating chemical, paleomagnetic or astronomical proxies to aid the definition of the boundary has also proven to be difficult because the boundary lacks any abrupt geochemical changes or recognizable geological events. However, the traditional Berriasella jacobi Subzone is disregarded as a primary marker and the use of calpionellids has been gaining momentum for defining the boundary. The Jurassic Cretaceous boundary in the Vaca Muerta Fm. in the Nuequen Basin of the Andes is a potential candidate for the boundary stratotype because of its high density of ammonites, nannofossils and interbedded datable horizons. Consequently, the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary is very well defined in the Vaca Muerta Fm. On the basis of both ammonites and nannofossils. Here we present new high-precision U-Pb age determinations from two volcanic ash beds that bracket the age of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary: 1) ash bed LLT_14_9, with a 206Pb/238U age of 139.7 Ma, which is 2 meters above Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary based on the Argetiniceras noduliferum (Early Berriasian ) and Substeueroceras Koeneni (Late Tithonian) ammonites zone; and 2) bed LLT_14_10, with an age of 140.1 Ma, located 3m below the J-K boundary based on last occurrence of the nannofossils N. kamptneri minor and N. steinmanni minor. Therefore, we propose that the age of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary should be close to 140 Ma, which is in conflict with the currently set age of 145 Ma. Therefore, this suggests a revision of the age of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary.

The "Unknown" Greek Paleoenvironment: Curriculum Proposals through an Infusion Model for Elementary School, Using Ammonite Fossils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fragouli, Stiliani; Rokka, Aggeliki

2017-01-01

In this study we introduce an infusion model to "inject" ammonites and ammonite fossils in current subjects of Greek primary curriculum. Paleontology and mainly fossils attract more and more elementary students and teachers, yet in Greece this trend is solely about dinosaurs, despite the fact that the most common Greek fossils are not…

Short-term survival of ammonites in New Jersey after the end-Cretaceous bolide impact

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landman, Neil H.; Garb, Matthew P.; Rovelli, Remy; Ebel, Denton S.; Edwards, Lucy E.

2012-01-01

A section containing the Cretaceous/Paleogene (= Cretaceous/Tertiary) boundary in Monmouth County, New Jersey, preserves a record of ammonites extending from the end of the Cretaceous into possibly the beginning of the Danian. The section includes the upper part of the Tinton Formation and lower part of the Hornerstown Formation. The top of the Tinton Formation is represented by a richly fossiliferous unit (the Pinna Layer) that contains many bivalves in life position as well as ammonite jaws preserved inside body chambers. Ammonites include Pachydiscus (Neodesmoceras) mokotibensis, Sphenodiscus lobatus, Eubaculites carinatus, E. latecarinatus; Discoscaphites iris, D. sphaeroidalis; D. minardi, and D. jerseyensis. The Pinna Layer probably represents a relatively short interval of time lasting tens to hundreds of years; it is conformably overlain by the Burrowed Unit, which contains a single fragment of Discoscaphites sp. and several fragments of E. latecarinatus, as well as several isolated specimens of ammonite jaws including two of Eubaculites. Examination of the mode of preservation of the ammonites and jaws suggests that they were fossilized during deposition of the Burrowed Unit and were not reworked from older deposits. Based on the ammonites and dinoflagellates in the Pinna Layer and the Burrowed Unit, these strata traditionally would be assigned to the uppermost Maastrichtian, corresponding to calcareous nannofossil Subzone CC26b. However, a weak iridium anomaly (500–600 pg/g) is present at the base of the Pinna Layer, which presumably represents the record of the bolide impact. Correlation with the iridium layer at the Global Stratotype Section and Point at El Kef, Tunisia, would, therefore, imply that these assemblages are actually Danian, provided that the iridium anomaly is in place and the ammonites and dinoflagellates are not reworked. If the iridium anomaly is in place, or even if it has migrated downward from the top of the Pinna Layer, the ammonites would have survived the impact at this site for a brief interval of time lasting from a few days to hundreds of years.

Stratigraphic implications of trace element and strontium-isotope analyses of Kimmeridgian shell calcite from the Lower Saxony Basin, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Fanfan; Heimhofer, Ulrich; Huck, Stefan; Erbacher, Jochen; Bodin, Stephane

2017-04-01

Stratigraphic uncertainties due to the lack of open marine marker fossils (e.g. ammonites) hamper the precise age assignment and stratigraphic correlation of Kimmeridgian strata found in the Lower Saxony Basin of Northern Germany. Correlation of these deposits with the Jurassic standard ammonite zonation is still difficult, since the existing ostracod biostratigraphy is facies-controlled and of only limited stratigraphic precision. In this study, a chemostratigraphic approach has been chosen and biogenic shell material produced by brachiopods, oysters and lithiotids is evaluated for its reliability to act as proxy of the original Jurassic seawater strontium isotope composition. Low-Mg calcite shells have been collected from three stratigraphic sections accessible in open-cast quarries located in the Lower Saxony Basin of Northern Germany. In order to identify diagenetically altered shell calcite, trace element and stable isotope analysis of 227 calcite samples (oysters=101; brachiopods=60; Trichites=52) has been carried out. The geochemical results reveal that (1) concentration of different trace elements varies between the different groups of shell-forming organisms, which may be related to vital effects and (2) high strontium contents, low Mn and Fe contents and the lack of correlation between these elements indicate near-pristine calcite shells, and therefore shells are supposed to record the ambient sea water composition during the Late Jurassic. Strontium-isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis of diagenetically screened samples indicates an Early Kimmeridgian age of the studied deposits, which is in accordance with ostracod biostratigraphic data. An increasing trend in 87Sr/86Sr with stratigraphic height fits well with the global strontium-isotope curve. Besides, similar 87Sr/86Sr ratios derived from different organisms from a single stratigraphic level highlight the suitability of the shells for strontium-isotope stratigraphy. Despite the shallow-marine character of the studied deposits, no evidence for significant riverine influence on the strontium-isotope signature is observed. The new chemostratigraphic data will provide a more precise age assignment for Kimmeridgian strata in the Lower Saxony Basin and thus enable the establishment of a solid integrated stratigraphic scheme that can be used for correlation on both regional and global scale.

Some perisphinctoid ammonites of the Štramberk Limestone and their dating with associated microfossils (Tithonian to Lower Berriasian, Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vašíček, Zdeněk; Reháková, Daniela; Skupien, Petr

2017-08-01

The present contribution deals with the taxonomy of seven species of perisphinctoid ammonite from the Štramberk Limestone (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic) deposited in Moravian-Silesian museums. The age of these studied ammonites is compared with that of index microfossils contained in the matrix adhering to or infilling the studied specimens. The ammonites document a stratigraphic range from earliest Tithonian to early Berriasian. In addition to taxonomy and new ontogenetic data on some species, we also present data on their palaeogeographic distribution. The occurrence of Subboreal himalayitids in the Štramberk Limestone of an early Berriasian age is determined by both the microfauna and accompanying ammonites, which indicate connection of the Silesian-part of the Tethyan Carpathian area with the Subboreal Russian Platform Basin. These records also suggest an early Berriasian age (Jacobi Chron) for the lowermost part of the Ryazanian stage in its type area.

Some perisphinctoid ammonites of the Štramberk Limestone and their dating with associated microfossils (Tithonian to Lower Berriasian, Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vašíček, Zdeněk; Reháková, Daniela; Skupien, Petr

2016-08-01

The present contribution deals with the taxonomy of seven species of perisphinctoid ammonite from the Štramberk Limestone (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic) deposited in Moravian-Silesian museums. The age of these studied ammonites is compared with that of index microfossils contained in the matrix adhering to or infilling the studied specimens. The ammonites document a stratigraphic range from earliest Tithonian to early Berriasian. In addition to taxonomy and new ontogenetic data on some species, we also present data on their palaeogeographic distribution. The occurrence of Subboreal himalayitids in the Štramberk Limestone of an early Berriasian age is determined by both the microfauna and accompanying ammonites, which indicate connection of the Silesian-part of the Tethyan Carpathian area with the Subboreal Russian Platform Basin. These records also suggest an early Berriasian age (Jacobi Chron) for the lowermost part of the Ryazanian stage in its type area.

The Swimming Ammonite: How Computed Tomography can Address Questions of Functional Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemanis, Robert; Hoffmann, Rene; Zachow, Stefan

2014-05-01

The external shell of the ammonite is a readily recognized and iconic fossil yet the function of this structure remain contested. The shell is divided into the phragmocone, comprised of a series of mostly gas filled chambers separated by septa, and the body chamber where the animal would have resided. Quantitative studies of the functional morphology of the shell have relied on geometric simplifications and mathematical models which limit accuracy and invite controversy. Past work has used simplified models which showed adult ammonites as negatively buoyant and were the basis for arguments of a benthic mode of life for adult ammonites. Many palaeobiologists however argue ammonites lived in the water column, if this is true then the shell must possess neutral/positive buoyancy to allow the animal to live in the water column without expending energy to stay afloat. Using exceptionally preserved hollow ammonite fossils and the shells of modern cephalopods: the external shell of Nautilus pompilius and the internal shell of Spirula spirula, we employ micro-CT, nano-CT and synchrotron x-ray tomography techniques to construct 3D models that are used to evaluate the buoyant properties of the cephalopod phragmocone. This method is applied to the Nautilus to evaluate the accuracy of the method and demonstrates the utility of CT data in volumetric analyses. The phragmocone of a hatchling Spirula seems to be capable of supporting the body in the water column with a single chamber, however difficulties in estimating the volume of the soft body create divergent developments of the buoyant properties through ontogeny. Further investigation of the hatchling ammonite Cadoceras show that it was capable of achieving neutral/positive buoyancy provided the phragmocone possess three or more chambers. Using this technique we are able to reconstruct the ability of the Nautilus and Spirula to maintain a position in the water column by exploiting the buoyancy of the phragmocone. This method has strong potential to address the controversial life-habits of adult ammonites through the study of the buoyant properties of the phragmocone and the structural properties of the shell. The implications for palaeobiology are clear, however the understanding of ammonite life-habits is also important for utilization as archives for palaeoenvironmetal/geochemical data.

Final results on the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the Gresten Klippenbelt (Austria): Macro-, micro-, nannofossils, isotopes, geochemistry, susceptibility, gamma-log and palaeomagnetic data as environmental proxies of the early Penninic Ocean history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukeneder, A.; Halásová, E.; Kroh, A.; Mayrhofer, S.; Pruner, P.; Reháková, D.; Schnabl, P.; Sprovieri, M.

2009-04-01

Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous pelagic sediments are well known to form a major element of the northernmost tectonic units of the Gresten Klippenbelt (Lower Austria). The Penninic Ocean was a side tract of the Central Atlantic Oceanic System intercalated between the European and the Austroalpine plates. Its opening started during the Mid Jurrasic, as rifting of the of the oceanic crust between the European and the Austroalpine plates. The turnover of the deposition on the European shelf (Helvetic Zone) from deep-water siliciclastics into pelagic carbonates is correlated with the deepening of this newly arising ocean. Within the Gresten Klippenbelt Unit, this transition is reflected by the lithostratigraphic boundary between the Tithonian marl-limestone succession and the Berriasian limestones of the Blassenstein Formation. This boundary is well exposed in a newly discovered site at Nutzhof, in the heart of Lower Austria (Kroh and Lukeneder 2009, Lukeneder 2009, Pruner, Schnabl, and Lukeneder 2009, Reháková, Halásová and Lukeneder 2009). Biostratigraphy. According to microfossil (calcareous dinoflagellates, calpionellids) and palaeomagnetic data, the association indicates that the cephalopod-bearing beds of the Nutzhof section belong to the Carpistomiosphaera tithonica-Zone of the Early Tithonian up to the Calpionella Zone of the Middle Berriasian. This interval corresponds to the ammonoid zones from the Early Tithonian Hybonoticeras hybonotum-Zone up to the Middle Berriasian Subthurmannia occitanica-Zone. Ammonoids. Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous ammonoids were collected at the Nutzhof locality in the eastern part of the Gresten Klippenbelt in Lower Austria. The cephalopod fauna from the Blassenstein Formation, correlated with micro- and nannofossil data from the marly unit and the limestone unit, indicates Early Tithonian to Middle Berriasian age (Hybonoticeras hybonotum Zone up to the Subthurmannia occitanica Zone). According to the correlation of the fossil and magnetostratigraphic data, the entire succession of the Nutzhof section embraces a duration of approx. 8 million years (approx. 150-142 Ma). The deposition of the limestones, marly limestones and marls in this interval occurred during depositionally (e.g. tectonics) unstable conditions.The ammonite fauna comprises 6 different genera, each apparently represented by a single species. The occurrence at the Nutzhof section is dominated by ammonites of the perisphinctid-type. Ammonitina are the most frequent component (60 per cent; Subplanites and Haploceras), followed by the Phylloceratina (25per cent; Ptychophylloceras and Phylloceras), and the Lytoceratina (15 per cent; represented by Lytoceras and Leptotetragonites). The ammonite fauna consists solely of Mediterranean elements. Crinoids. Only the Tithonian part of the section proved suitable for bulk sampling. Four crinoid taxa (Margocrinus cf. pentagonalis, Saccocoma tenella, Crassicoma ? sp., and Phyllocrinus belbekensis could be documented. Among these only S. tenella and probably Crassicoma ? sp. appear to be autochthonous, the others are interpreted as transported based on preservation and size range. Observed changes in lithology and microfauna may be reflect geodynamically induced palaeogeographic changes and/or basinal deepening. Microfossils. The biostratigraphic study based on the distribution of calpionellids allowed us to distinguish the Boneti Subzone of the Chitinoidella Zone in the Nutzhof section. The J/K boundary in this section is situated between the Crassicollaria and Calpionella Zone (interval limited by samples 7.0-5.6). This base is defined by the morphological change of Calpionella alpina tests. The base of the Crassicollaria Zone approximately coincides with the onset of Tintinnopsella remanei and the base of the standard Calpionella Zone, with the monospecific calpionellid association being dominated by Calpionella alpina. Two further Subzones (Ferasini and Elliptica) of the standard Calpionella Zone were recognized in radiolarian-calpionellid and calpionellid-radiolarian wackestones in the overlying topmost part of the investigated sequence. Nannofossils. Calcareous nannofossils from the Nutzhof section belong to low poorly diversified, because of the lithology. Nonetheless, the appearance of several important genera was determined, allowing the studied deposits to be attributed to the Early, Middle and Late Tithonian, the approximation of the Tithonian-Berriasian boundary, and the definition of the Early Berriasian nannofossil zones. The results show the major role of the coccoliths of the family Watznaueriaceae and nannoliths of the genera Conusphaera, Nannoconus and Polycostella in the assemblage composition. The interval between the FAD of Nannoconus wintereri co-occurring with small nannoconids in sample No 9 (the uppermost Tithonian) and the FAD of Nannoconus kamptneri minor in sample No 5 (lowermost Berriasian; 143.92 Ma after Hardenbol et al. 1998) is interpreted as the Tithonian-Berriasian boundary interval. The nannoconid dominance ("Nannoconus world") starts, also in Nutzhof profile, in the lowermost Berriasian. Palaeomagnetic data. The principal aim of detailed magnetostratigraphic and micropalaeontological investigation on the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary is precisely determine the boundaries of magnetozones and narrow reverse subzones, and find global correlation across the J/K boundary. A high resolution study focusing on the detailed biostratigraphy of the limestone-, marly limestone- and marl succession at Nutzhof has been carried out. Eleven magnetic polarity zones, six reverse (R) and five normal (N) polarity - are included in the whole interval (18 m) around J/K boundary of Nutzhof section. The J/K boundary (the Berriasian Stage base), located near Calpionella Zone base roughly corresponds to magnetozone M19N a succession of M-zones correlative with M17N to M22R. Low-field magnetic susceptibility (k) ranges from -5.9 to 94.9×10-6 SI and the intensity of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) varies between 31 and 615×10-6 A/m. The samples display a two- to three-component remanence. The average sampling density for the whole section was around two samples per 1 m of true thickness of limestone strata in these preliminary results. The next step of investigation will be to precisely determine the boundaries of magnetozones M19 and M20 including narrow reverse subzones with the high resolution sampling density for the whole section. Stable isotope data (C, O, Sr). High-resolution reconstruction of the carbon cycle, by isotope stratigraphy, is the key for drawing conclusions on the palaeooceanography of the Nutzhof area. The approach using oxygen isotope analysis, by constraining diagenesis impacts, will yield a picture of the Lower Cretaceous palaeoclimatology here. The investigations on istopes will be rigorously linked and networked with measurements and results of cyclostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy. C-istopes are extremely important calibration tools between ammonoids and magnetostratigraphy (Henning et al. 1999). Cyclostratigraphy is crucial in comparing the lithologic appearance of different units and the carbon isotope records. A detailed cyclostratigraphic reconstruction of the record will be carried out by comparing (1) the results obtained by time series analysis of the collected faunal and isotope proxy records with (2) the reconstructed lithologic cycle patterns of the studied sedimentary sections. A first-order floating cyclostratigraphy will be refined using a tentative calibration of the record to the available numerical solutions of the insolation curve. This approach should provide an absolute age for the different stratigraphic events recognised throughout the record. Gamma-log and Geochemistry. We conducted geochemical analyses of the carbonate, sulphur and organic carbon content in the limestones and marls of the different lithological units. The gamma log measures the radioactivity of the rock and represents a direct function of its clay-mineral content. Higher radioactivity reflects a higher clay content. The gamma-log curve supports the biostratigraphic data very well. The gamma response becomes gradually weaker in the upper, undisturbed part of the section (Nu10-Nu0, Berriasian). The lower part (Nu18-Nu10, Tithonian) of the section shows the highest gamma responses. The gamma curve pattern at Nutzhof therefore shows decreasing values what corresponds well with decreasing values of susceptibility as well with the contrastingly, increasing values in carbonate content (from 50 per cent up to 95 per cent CaCo3) and increasing grey scale values (up to 250). The above reported results strongly suggest that the section mirrors a change of the depositional position of the Nutzhof section from a shallower into a deeper region, and a more stable environment on the European Helvetic shelf to slope during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous time. References Hardenbol, J., Thierry, J., Farley, M. B., Jacquin, T., de Graciansky, P. C. & Vail, P. R. (1998): Mesozoic and Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy of European basins. - SEMP, Special Publications, 60, 1998. Tulsa. Henning, S., Weissert, H., Bulot, L. 1999. C-isotope stratigraphy, a calibration tool between ammonite- and magnethostratigraphy: the Valanginian-Hauterivian transition. Geologica Carpathica, 50 (1), 91-96. Kroh, A., Lukeneder, A. 2009. Crinoids from the Late Jurassic of the Nutzhof section (Lower Austria, Gresten Klippenbelt). - Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 383-399. Lukeneder A. 2009. New biostratigraphic ammonite data from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary at Nutzhof (Gresten Klippenbelt, Lower Austria) Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 313-329. Pruner, P. Schnabl, P., Lukeneder A. 2009. Preliminary results of magnetostratigraphic investigations across the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary strata at Nutzhof, Austria. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 331-344. Reháková, D., Halásová, E., Lukeneder, A. 2009. The Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the Gresten Klippen Belt (Nutzhof, Lower Austria): Implications for Micro- and Nannofacies analysis. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 345-381.

Gratkorn: A benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatian s.str. of the Central Paratethys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, M.; Böhme, M.; Prieto, J.

2011-11-01

This paper presents one of the richest and most complete vertebrate faunas of the late Middle Miocene (~12 Ma) of Central Europe. Up to now, sixty-two vertebrate taxa, comprising all major groups (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals), have been recorded. Based on sedimentological and palaeobiological evidences, this Fossillagerstätte is assumed to originate from a floodplain paleosol formed on top of a braided river sequence. The fauna points to a highly structured, somewhat vegetated landscape with a wide array of habitats (e.g., fluvial channels, sporadically moist floodplains, short-lived ponds, savannah-like open areas and screes). It was preserved due to a rapid drowning and the switch to a freshwater lake environment. Palaeoclimatological data, derived from pedogenic features as well as from biota, indicate an overall semi-arid, subtropical climate with distinct seasonality (mean annual precipitation 486 ± 252 mm, mean annual temperature ~15°C). This underlines the late Middle/early Late Miocene dry-spell in Central Europe. From taphonomical point of view, the irregularly distributed but roughly associated larger vertebrate remains refer to an in situ accumulation of the bone bed. Splintered bones, gnawing marks as well as rhizoconcretions and root corrosion structures record some pre- and post-burial modification of the taphocoenose. However, the findings of pellet remains argue for a very fast burial and thus to a low degree of time-averaging. For this reason, the fossil fauna reflects the original vertebrate community rather well and is a cornerstone for the understanding of late Middle Miocene terrestrial ecosystems in this region. Certainly, Gratkorn will be one of the key faunas for a high-resolution continental biostratigraphy and the comprehension of Europe's faunal interchanges near the Middle/Late Miocene transition.

A fossiliferous spherule-rich bed at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary in Mississippi, USA: Implications for the K–Pg mass extinction event in the Mississippi Embayment and Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witts, James D.; Landman, Neil H.; Garb, Matthew P.; Boas, Caitlin; Larina, Ekaterina; Rovelli, Remy; Edwards, Lucy E.; Sherrell, Robert; Cochran, J. Kirk

2018-01-01

We describe an outcrop of the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary exposed due to construction near New Albany, Union County, Mississippi. It consists of the Owl Creek Formation and overlying Clayton Formation. The Owl Creek Formation is rich in the ammonites Discoscaphites iris and Eubaculites carinatus, which, along with biostratigraphically important dinoflagellate cysts and calcareous nannofossils, indicate deposition occurred within the last 1 million years, most likely last 500 kyrs, of the Cretaceous. The base of the overlying Clayton Formation marks the K–Pg boundary, and consists of a 15-30 cm thick muddy, poorly sorted quartz sand containing abundant spherules representing ejecta derived from the Chicxulub impact event. Impact spherules range in size from 0.5 mm to 1 mm in diameter and are hollow and well preserved, with details such as smaller vesicular spherules enclosed within. The spherules are altered to clay minerals such as smectite and are typical of those found at K–Pg boundary sites in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. Spherules are scattered throughout the bed, and surface counts suggest an average of 4 spherules per cm2. Macrofossils within the spherule bed represent a rich fauna of ammonites, benthic molluscs (bivalves and gastropods), echinoids, as well as crabs and sharks. Macrofossil preservation ranges from whole to fragmentary, with most fossils preserved as internal moulds. The infill of the fossils is lithologically identical to the matrix of the spherule bed, including impact ejecta preserved within phagmocones and body chambers of ammonites, and differs from the underlying Owl Creek Formation. This suggests that the animals were either alive or loosely scattered on the sea floor at the time of deposition. Grain size changes indicate multiple events were responsible for deposition, and together with taphonomic evidence are consistent with dynamic high energy post-impact processes. Later sea level change during the Paleocene is responsible for a sharp contact at the top of the spherule bed. Geochemical evidence from the Owl Creek and Clayton Formations at this locality indicate numerous local palaeoenvironmental changes affected the Mississippi Embayment at the time of the K–Pg boundary and mass extinction event.

Ammonites and magnetostratigraphy of the Berriasian-Valanginian boundary deposits from eastern Crimea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkadiev, Vladimir V.; Grishchenko, Vladimir A.; Guzhikov, Andrei Yu.; Manikin, Aleksey G.; Savelieva, Yuliya N.; Feodorova, Anna A.; Shurekova, Olga V.

2017-08-01

Euthymi, Crassicostatum and Callisto ammonite subzones, correlable with Paramimounum, Picteti, and Alpillensis subzones and probably with the Late Berriasian Otopeta Subzone of the Boissieri Standard Zone have been recognized in calcareous clays of the Berriasian-Valanginian boundary sequence in the Feodosiya district (eastern Crimea). The ammonite Leptoceras studeri (Ooster) suggests Late Berriasian to Early Valanginian age. Geomagnetic polarity indicates M16-M14r magnetozones. Therefore, the base of the Valanginian sequence in eastern Crimea should be placed within the M14r magnetozone.

The Late Triassic bivalve Monotis in accreted terranes of Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Silberling, Norman J.; Grant-Mackie, J. A.; Nichols, K.M.

1997-01-01

Late Triassic bivalves of the genus Monotis occur in at least 16 of the lithotectonic terranes and subterranes that together comprise nearly all of Alaska, and they also occur in the Upper Yukon region of Alaska where Triassic strata are regarded as representing non-accretionary North America. On the basis of collections made thus far, 14 kinds of Monotis that differ at the species or subspecies level can be recognized from alaska. These are grouped into the subgenera Monotis (Monotis), M. (Pacimonotis), M. (Entomonotis), and M. (Eomonotis). In places, Monotis shells of one kind or another occur in rock-forming abundance. On the basis of superpositional data from Alaska, as well as from elsewhere in North America and Far Eastern Russia, at least four distince biostratigraphic levels can be discriminated utilizing Monotis species. Different species of M. (Eomonotis) characterize two middle Norian levels, both probably within the supper middle Norian Columbianus Ammonite Zone. Two additional levels are recognized in the lower upper Norian Cordilleranus Ammonite Zone utilizing species of M. (Monotis) or M. (Entomonotis), both of which subgenera are restricted to the late Norian. An attached-floating mode of life is commonly attributed to Monotis; thus, these bivalves would have been pseudoplanktonic surface dwellers that were sensitive to surface-water temperature and paleolatitude. Distinctly different kinds of Monotis occur at different paleolatitudes along the Pacific and Arctic margins of the North American craton inboard of the accreted terranes. Comparison between thse craton-bound Monotis faunas and those of the Alaskan terranes in southern Alaska south of the Denali fault were paleoequatorial in latitude during Late Triassic time. Among these terranes, the Alexander terrane was possibly in the southern hemisphere at that time. Terranes of northern Alaska, on the other hand, represent middle, possibly high-middle, northern paleolatitudes.

Macrofossil extinction patterns at Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, Peter D.; Macleod, Kenneth

1988-01-01

Researchers examined several K-T boundary cores at Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) core repositories to document biostratigraphic ranges of inoceramid shell fragments and prisms. As in land-based sections, prisms in the deep sea cores disappear well before the K-T boundary. Ammonites show a very different extinction pattern than do the inoceramids. A minimum of seven ammonite species have been collected from the last meter of Cretaceous strata in the Bay of Biscay basin. In three of the sections there is no marked drop in either species numbers or abundance prior to the K-T boundary Cretaceous strata; at the Zumaya section, however, both species richness and abundance drop in the last 20 m of the Cretaceous, with only a single ammonite specimen recovered to date from the uppermost 12 m of Cretaceous strata in this section. Researchers conclude that inoceramid bivalves and ammonites showed two different times and patterns of extinction, at least in the Bay of Biscay region. The inoceramids disappeared gradually during the Early Maestrichtian, and survived only into the earliest Late Maestrichtian. Ammonites, on the other hand, maintained relatively high species richness throughout the Maestrichtian, and then disappeared suddenly, either coincident with, or immediately before the microfossil extinction event marking the very end of the Cretaceous.

Chemo- and biostratigraphy of the Late Jurassic from the Lower Saxony Basin, Northern Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erbacher, Jochen; Luppold, Friedrich Wilhelm; Heunisch, Carmen; Heldt, Matthias; Caesar, Sebastian

2013-04-01

The upper Jurassic (Oxfordian to Tithonian) sediments of the Lower Saxony Basin (Northern Germany) comprises a succession of limestones, marlstones and claystones deposited in a shallow marine to lacustrine epicontinental basin situated between the Tethys and the Sub-Boreal seas. Both, the depositional environment and the palaeogeographically isolated position strongly compromise a chronostratigraphic dating of the regional lithostratigraphical and biostratigraphical units. In order to obtain a stratigraphic standard section for the Late Jurassic of the Lower Saxony Basin we drilled a 325 m long core (Core Eulenflucht 1) covering the lower part of the Berriasian (Wealden 2-3 of the Bückeburg Formation) to the lower Oxfordian (Heersum Formation). A compilation with a section outcropping in an active quarry 2 km north of the drill site resulted in a 340 m long section reaching down to the late Callovian (Ornatenton Formation) . Ammonites have only been described in the lowermost, Callovian part of the section. Investigations of benthic foraminifers, ostracods as well as palynology, however, allowed for a rather detailed biozonation of the core. These data indicate the stratigrapical completeness of the section when compared to the regional stratigraphic data of the Lower Saxony Basin. Due to the lack of ammonites in Late Jurassic part of the section, which would have allowed for a correlation with Tethyan successions, high resolution stable carbon isotope data have been produced from bulk rock carbonate. Even though most of the data derive from shallow marine, rather coarse grained carbonates, such as ooliths and floatstones the resulting carbon isotope curve is surprisingly clean with only little "noise" in the upper part (early Tithonian?) of the measured succession. The curve clearly shows some distinctive features reported from biostratigraphically well-dated carbon isotope records of the Northern Tethys (e.g. Bartolini et al., 2003, Padden et al., 2002, Rais et al., 2007) and the Sub-Boreal (Nunn et al., 2009, Nunn & Price, 2010). Therefore it allows for a correlation of isotope excursions such as the pronounced mid-Oxfordian positive and the two brief negative excursions of the mid-Oxfordian, the broad positive excursion in the late Oxfordian and a general trend towards light values starting at the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian boundary. This results in a chronostratigraphic re-interpretation of the Oxfordian to lower Tithonian litho- and biostratigraphic units in the Lower Saxony Basin, details of which are presented on our poster.

Morphomechanics and Developmental Constraints in the Evolution of Ammonites Shell Form.

PubMed

Erlich, Alexander; Moulton, Derek E; Goriely, Alain; Chirat, Regis

2016-11-01

The idea that physical processes involved in biological development underlie morphogenetic rules and channel morphological evolution has been central to the rise of evolutionary developmental biology. Here, we explore this idea in the context of seashell morphogenesis. We show that a morphomechanical model predicts the effects of variations in shell shape on the ornamental pattern in ammonites, a now extinct group of cephalopods with external chambered shell. Our model shows that several seemingly unrelated characteristics of synchronous, ontogenetic, intraspecific, and evolutionary variations in ornamental patterns among various ammonite species may all be understood from the fact that the mechanical forces underlying the oscillatory behavior of the shell secreting system scale with the cross-sectional curvature of the shell aperture. This simple morphogenetic rule, emerging from biophysical interactions during shell formation, introduced a non-random component in the production of phenotypic variation and channeled the morphological evolution of ammonites over millions of years. As such, it provides a paradigm for the concept of "developmental constraints." © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Systematics, biostratigraphy, and dental evolution of the Palaeothentidae, later Oligocene to early-middle Miocene (Deseadan- Santacrucian) caenolestoid marsupials of South America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bown, T.M.; Fleagle, J.G.

1993-01-01

Fifty-two gnathic and dental characteristics were used to identify the taxonomy and to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Palaeothentidae. Analysis of sequencing of appearances of derived characters documents rampant convergencies at all taxonomic levels and considerable phenotypic plasticity in the organization of the palaeothentid dentition. Certain highly generalized character states survive for the duration of the family in some lineages, whereas others are phenotypically lost for a time and then reappear as a minor percentage of character variability. In general, replacement faunas of palaeothentids were morphologically more generalized than their antecendent forms. Dental character regression indicates that palaeothentids arose prior to the Deseadan from a relatively large-bodied marsupial having generalized tribosphenic molars with more or less bunodont cusps; probably an unknown member of the Didelphidae. -from Authors

Mercury anomalies and the timing of biotic recovery following the end-Triassic mass extinction

PubMed Central

Thibodeau, Alyson M.; Ritterbush, Kathleen; Yager, Joyce A.; West, A. Joshua; Ibarra, Yadira; Bottjer, David J.; Berelson, William M.; Bergquist, Bridget A.; Corsetti, Frank A.

2016-01-01

The end-Triassic mass extinction overlapped with the eruption of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), and release of CO2 and other volcanic volatiles has been implicated in the extinction. However, the timing of marine biotic recovery versus CAMP eruptions remains uncertain. Here we use Hg concentrations and isotopes as indicators of CAMP volcanism in continental shelf sediments, the primary archive of faunal data. In Triassic–Jurassic strata, Muller Canyon, Nevada, Hg levels rise in the extinction interval, peak before the appearance of the first Jurassic ammonite, remain above background in association with a depauperate fauna, and fall to pre-extinction levels during significant pelagic and benthic faunal recovery. Hg isotopes display no significant mass independent fractionation within the extinction and depauperate intervals, consistent with a volcanic origin for the Hg. The Hg and palaeontological evidence from the same archive indicate that significant biotic recovery did not begin until CAMP eruptions ceased. PMID:27048776

The Oldest Jurassic Dinosaur: A Basal Neotheropod from the Hettangian of Great Britain.

PubMed

Martill, David M; Vidovic, Steven U; Howells, Cindy; Nudds, John R

2016-01-01

Approximately 40% of a skeleton including cranial and postcranial remains representing a new genus and species of basal neotheropod dinosaur is described. It was collected from fallen blocks from a sea cliff that exposes Late Triassic and Early Jurassic marine and quasi marine strata on the south Wales coast near the city of Cardiff. Matrix comparisons indicate that the specimen is from the lithological Jurassic part of the sequence, below the first occurrence of the index ammonite Psiloceras planorbis and above the last occurrence of the Rhaetian conodont Chirodella verecunda. Associated fauna of echinoderms and bivalves indicate that the specimen had drifted out to sea, presumably from the nearby Welsh Massif and associated islands (St David's Archipelago). Its occurrence close to the base of the Blue Lias Formation (Lower Jurassic, Hettangian) makes it the oldest known Jurassic dinosaur and it represents the first dinosaur skeleton from the Jurassic of Wales. A cladistic analysis indicates basal neotheropodan affinities, but the specimen retains plesiomorphic characters which it shares with Tawa and Daemonosaurus.

Timing of Late Cretaceous Gulf Coast volcanism and chronostratigraphic constraints on deposition of the Ripley Formation from a newly recognized bentonite bed, Pontotoc County, Mississippi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitale, E. J.; Gifford, J.; Platt, B. F.

2017-12-01

The Upper Cretaceous Ripley Formation is present throughout the Mississippi (MS) Embayment and contains local bentonite lenses related to regional volcanism. The Pontotoc bentonite is such a lens located near the town of Pontotoc, MS, that was strip-mined and has not been accessible since reclamation of the land. Recent investigations in Pontotoc County south of the Pontotoc bentonite site resulted in the discovery of a previously unknown bentonite bed. Litho- and biostratigraphy indicate that the bentonite is younger than known volcanism from MS. The purposes of the present investigation are 1) to test whether the new bentonite bed is correlative to the Pontotoc bentonite & 2) to recover volcanogenic zircons for U-Pb dating to better constrain timing of volcanism and chronostratigraphy of the Ripley Fm. Outcrops in an active sand pit in the field area expose 2.5 m of fine sand, and an upper gradational contact with an overlying 2.5 m of sandy clay, containing the bentonite bed. Two trenches were excavated through the outcrop, and in each trench a stratigraphic section was measured and bulk samples collected for zircons. Sampling began in the lower bounding sand and continued upsection in 1 m intervals, corresponding to the gradational contact with the bentonite, and 2 locations within the bentonite. The Ripley Fm. consists of 73 m of fossiliferous clay, sand, and calcareous sand beds. Recent stratigraphic revisions of the lateral facies in MS recognize a lower transitional clay facies, a limestone, marl, and calcareous sand facies, a sandy upper Ripley facies, and the formally named Chiwapa Sandstone Member. Ammonite biostratigraphy places the contact between the Chiwapa and the overlying Owl Creek/Prairie Bluff at 68.5 Ma. Unlike the mined area north of Pontotoc where the bentonite is within the Chiwapa, the bed here is directly above the Chiwapa section and its upper contact represents the Ripley Fm. / Owl Creek Fm. contact. Where the bentonite is present, it forms a synchronous surface in this part of the Cretaceous section. This is significant due to it being a potential previously unknown bout of volcanism, which, if the source can be found, implies a new region that may have experienced thermal maturation of hydrocarbon source rocks at a shallower depth than would have been expected under the normal geothermal gradient.

A transgressive Santonian-Campanian boundary sequence revisited - High resolution planktonic and benthic foraminifera stratigraphy of the Schattau section, Northern Calcareous Alps.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfgring, Erik; Wagreich, Michael; Summesberger, Herbert; Kroh, Andreas

2016-04-01

The Schattau section is part of the Austrian Gosau Group, Northern Calcareous Alps. We record a Santonian to early Campanian transgressive sequence. Previous investigations already provide a biostratigraphic framework; a multidisciplinary study to reveal the local stratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental properties: Planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannoplankton, ammonite, echinoid and crinoid biostratigraphy data suggest a Santonian to earliest Campanian age for this section (see Wagreich et al., 2009). This work aims at a high resolution assessment of foraminiferal assemblages recorded from a time interval that has undergone significant palaeoenvironmental changes. The Santonian Hochmoos Formation, with the Sandkalkbank Member representing it's topmost subunit, is overlain by the Santonian to Campanian Bibereck Formation. While The Hochmoos Formation records a shallowing succession that finds the Sandkalkbank Member (representing very shallow conditions, sometimes sub aerial exposure) at its top. The overlying Bibereck Formation records a distinct deepening trend displaying increasingly marine, neritic to outer neritic conditions. The stratigraphically older subunits of the Schattau sections are characterised by abundant larger benthic foraminifera (Nummofallotia cretacea), miliolid foraminifera (Quinqueloculina spp, Spiroloculina fassistomata) as well as rotaliid foraminifera (Hoeglundia spp., Gavellina spp.). The Sandkalkbank member marks the end of the shallow water sequence recorded from foraminifera assemblages at the Schattau section. Up section communities are characterised by increasing share of planktonic foraminifera. Biostratigraphic marker fossils like Dicarinella asymetrica and Sigalia sp. (decoratissima?) were identified and indicate a Santonian age for the Bibereck Formation. The appearance of Globotruncanita elevata and disappearance of D. asymetrica and Sigalia sp. Suggests an early Campanian age for the topmost part of the Schattau section. Tubular and bi- and triserial agglutinated foraminifera (e.g. Ammobaculites spp., Dorothia spp., Gaudryina spp., Tritaxia spp.) as well as spiral calcareous benthic foraminifera (Gavellinella spp., Lenticulina spp.) are recorded in the younger deposits at the Schattau section (in the Bibereck Formation). Developments in benthic foraminiferal taxa do not only seem to provide valuable information on palaeoenvironmental properties. The succession of certain benthic taxa (e.g.. Gavellinella spp.) provides valuable data on local benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy which is particularly valuable if environmental factors inhibit the occurrence of planktonic foraminiferal markers. References: Wagreich, M., Summesberger, H., Kroh, A., 2010. Late Santonian bioevents in the Schattau section, Gosau Group of Austria - implications for the Santonian - Campanian boundary stratigraphy. Cretaceous Research, 31, 2, 181-191

Oligocene and Miocene larger foraminiferida from Australia and New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaproniere, G. C. H.

The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and the systematics of larger foraminiferids at several Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene localities in Australia are described. In particular, sediments of this interval in the North West Cape area of the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia, yielded diverse faunas of larger and planktic foraminiferids. Areas in New Zealand were also sampled and studied. Forty species and subspecies, representing 25 genera or subgenera of larger foraminiferids, were recorded. Wherever possible, biometric methods have been used to discriminate between taxa. Such studies suggest that the rates of evolution of some groups of larger foraminiferids in New Zealand were different from those in the Australian region. Among the taxa that are illustrated and described in detail are two subspecies of Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) proposed as new: Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) howchini praehowchini and Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) orakeiensis waikukuensis. Topotypes of L. (N.) orakeiensis hornibrooki and L. (N.) howchini howchini are discussed and figured.

Middle Jurassic Planktonic Foraminifer in Saudi Arabia - a new biostratigraphical marker for the J30 maximum flooding surface in the Middle East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminski, Michael; Babalola, Lameed; Chan, Septriandi

2017-04-01

Planktonic foraminifera are found in marls of the lowermost portion of Unit D5 of the middle Dhruma Formation exposed west of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This lower part of this unit corresponds to the J30 Maximum Flooding Surface of Sharland et al., (2001) and has been correlated to the lower Bathonian Clydocromphalus ammonite zone by Énay et al. (2009) (= the Procerites aurigerus ammonite zone in the global scale). This lithological subunit can be correlated throughout the Middle East, from Saudi Arabia to Oman and Syria. Our discovery is the first report of planktonic foraminifera in the Middle Jurassic (lower Bathonian) of Saudi Arabia. Two genera are recognized: a low-spired species identified as Globuligerina sp., and a high-spired form assigned to Conoglobigerina sp. The planktonic foraminifera comprise approximately 5-10% of the assemblage at the studied locality, and are found within a benthic foraminiferal assemblage consisting of a mixture of smaller agglutinated species (Nautiloculina, Haplophragmoides, Ammomarginulina, Sculptobaculites), and calcareous species (nodosariids, opthalmidiids, epistominids, polymorphinids, and spirillinids) without any larger foraminifera. The assemblage is indicative of open-marine shelf conditions, and represents a typical Middle Jurassic benthic foraminiferal fauna from a marly carbonate substrate. The calcareous benthic foraminifera are of small dimensions, indicating that oligotrophic environmental conditions prevailed at the time of deposition of the unit. The discovery of planktonic foraminifera in the D5 Unit of the Dhruma Formation provides a new correlation tool for recognizing the J30 maximum flooding surface in the Middle East. Sharland, P.R., Archer, R., Casey, D.M., Davies, R.B., Hall, S.H., Heward, A.P., Horbury, A.D. & Simmons, M.D. 2001. Arabian Plate Sequence Stratigraphy. GeoArabia Special Publication, 2, 371 pp. Énay, R., Mangold, C., Alméras, Y. & Hughes, G.W. 2009. The Wadi ad Dawasir "delta", central Saudi Arabia: A relative sea-level fall of Early Bathonian age. GeoArabia, 14 (1), 17-52.

The first Late Eocene continental faunal assemblage from tropical North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez-Hidalgo, Eduardo; Smith, Krister T.; Guerrero-Arenas, Rosalia; Alvarado-Ortega, Jesus

2015-01-01

To date, the terrestrial faunal record of the North American late Eocene has been recovered from its subtropical and temperate regions. We report the first late Eocene continental faunal assemblage from tropical North America, in southern Mexico. Fossil specimens were collected from mudstones that crop out in the Municipality of Santiago Yolomécatl, in northwestern Oaxaca. Previously published K-Ar ages of 32.9 ± 0.9 and 35.7 ± 1.0 Ma in overlain nearby volcanic rocks and biostratigraphy of these new localities suggests a Chadronian mammal age for this new local fauna. The assemblage is composed by two turtle taxa, Rhineura, two caniform taxa, a sciurid, a jimomyid rodent, a geomyine rodent, Gregorymys, Leptochoerus, Perchoerus probus, Merycoidodon, a protoceratid, Poebrotherium, Nanotragulus, Miohippus assinoboiensis, a chalicotherid, a tapiroid, cf. Amynodontopsis, Trigonias and the hymenopteran ichnofossils Celliforma curvata and Fictovichnus sciuttoi. The records of these taxa in northwestern Oaxaca greatly expand southerly their former geographic distribution in North America. The records of the geomorph rodents and Nanotragulus extend their former known biochronological range to the late Eocene. The hymenopteran ichnofossils in the localities suggest the presence of a bare soil after periodic waterlogging, under a sub-humid to sub-arid climate. This new local fauna represents the first glimpse of Eocene vertebrate and invertebrate terrestrial life from tropical North America.

Along strike behavior of the Tizi n' Firest fault during the Lower Jurassic rifting (Central High Atlas Carbonate basin, Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarih, S.; Quiquerez, A.; Allemand, P.; Garcia, J. P.; El Hariri, K.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study is to document the along-strike early syn-rift history of the Lower Jurassic Carbonate basin of the Central High Atlas (Morocco) by combining sedimentological observations and high-resolution biostratigraphy. Six sections, each from the Sinemurian to the Upper Pliensbachian, were investigated along a 75 km-long transect at the hanging wall of a major fault of the Lower Jurassic Basin (i.e. the Tizi n' Firest fault). Depositional geometries of the early syn-rift deposits were reconstructed from the correlation between eight main timelines dated by biochronological markers for a time span covering about 6 Ma. Depocentre migration was examined and accommodation rates were calculated at the sub-zone timescale to discuss the along-strike-fault behavior of the Lower Jurassic basin formation. The early stages of extension are marked by contrasted along-strike variations in depositional geometry thickness, depocentre migration and accommodation rates, leading to the growth of three independent sub-basins (i.e. western, central, and eastern), ranging in size from 30 to 50 km, and displaying three contrasted tectono-sedimentary histories. Our results suggest that, during the early rifting phase, tectonic activity was not a continuous and progressive process evolving towards a rift climax stage, but rather a series of acceleration periods that alternated with periods of much reduced activity. The length of active fault segments is estimated at about 15-20 km, with a lifespan of a few ammonite sub-zones (> 2-3 Ma).

Paleoecological evaluation of Late Eocene biostratigraphic zonations of the Pacific Coast of North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDougall, Kristin

1980-01-01

The late Eocene zonal criteria of the west coast of North America are to a large extent controlled by paleoecology and, therefore, the correlation of coeval but environmentally different benthic foraminiferal faunas cannot be achieved before paleoecological control of the biostratigraphy is understood. The faunal trends, morphology, characteristic occurrences and estimated upper depth limits of the benthic foraminifers and associated microfossils in the Oregon and Washington study sections lead to the recognition of paleoecologic facies. The interpretation of these late Eocene facies as bathymetric and low-oxygen facies is based on analogous late Eocene and Holocene assemblages. The paleoecologic facies criteria are often identical to the stage and zonal criteria. In the California zonal schemes, the Narizian zones are identified by lower and middle bathyal faunas whereas the Refugian zones are identified by outer neritic and upper bathyal faunas. The Washington late Eocene zones are identified by middle bathyal and transported neritic faunas. Modifications of the existing zonal schemes such that time and not paleoecology is the controlling factor results in a zonation that synthesizes the existing zonal schemes, recognizes regional stratigraphic ranges of diagnostic species, and removes paleoecologically controlled species occurrences. The late Narizian encompasses a bathyal and a neritic facies. The bathyal facies is correlative with a modified Bulimina corrugata Zone of California and the Uvigerina cf. U. yazooensis Zone of Washington. The neritic late Narizian facies corresponds to a modified Bulimina schencki-Plectofrondicularia cf. P. jenkinsi Zone of Washington and a modified Amphimorphina jenkinsi Zone of California. The Refugian can also be divided into a neritic and a bathyal facies. Although the early and late subdivisions of this stage are tentative, the early Refugian is equivalent to the modified versions of the Cibicides haydoni and the Uvigerina atwilli Subzones of the Valvulineria tumeyensis Zone and the Uvigerina vicksburgensis Zone (in part) of California and the modified version of the Sigmomorphina schencki Zone of Washington. The late Refugian is equivalent to modified versions of the California Uvigerina vicksburgensis Zone (in part) and the Washington Cassidulina galvinensis Zone. The Cibicides haydoni Subzone is the neritic facies of the Refugian Stage, whereas the faunas of the Uvigerina atwilli Subzone and the Uvigerina vicksburgensis, Sigmomorphina schencki and Cassidulina galvinensis Zones represent the bathyal Refugian facies.

Integrated foraminiferal biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of the querecual formation (Cretaceous), Eastern Venezuela

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crespo De Cabrera, S.; Sliter, W.V.; Jarvis, I.

1999-01-01

An integrated foraminiferal biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy is presented for the Lower to Upper Cretaceous Querecual Formation exposed on Chimana Grande Island, Eastern Venezuela. The formation consists of >450 m alternating foraminiferal and organic-rich carbonates and laminated mudrocks, and is considered the main hydrocarbon source rock for the eastern Venezuela Basin. Biostratigraphic resolution within the Querecual Formation is poor, due to a paucity of keeled planktonic foraminifera and impoverished benthic faunas. Deposition occurred in a bathyal environment, with dysaerobic or anoxic bottom waters resulting from high rates of surface productivity associated with an upwelling environment. Biostratigraphic evidence indicates that the Querecual Formation ranges from the upper Albian Rotalipora ticinensis Zone to the Santonian Dicarinella asymetrica Zone. Iron and Al contents fall through the Albian-Cenomanian indicating a progressive decrease in the detrital supply, driven by rising eustatic sea level. A Ca profile demonstrates variations in carbonate production and dissolution. High total organic carbon (TOC) intervals occur in the upper Albian to mid-Cenomanian and Turonian, and high Ba/Al and Si/Al ratios characterize mid-Cenomanian and younger sediments. Variations in these elements primarily reflect changes in marine productivity, but are also affected by diagenetic processes. A stable carbon isotope curve established from analysis of organic matter (??13Corg) correlates well with published ??13C curves for carbonates from England and Italy. The Cenomanian/Turonian boundary cannot be identified using planktonic foraminifera, because key taxa are absent, but the base of the Turonian is clearly indicated by a sharp fall in ??13C immediately above a major positive excursion. The bottom of the Coniacian is placed below a ??13C minimum, towards the base of the Dicarinella concavata Zone. Combined with the foraminiferal data, the isotopic data enable much improved stratigraphic resolution compared to previous investigations of the formation.

Direct evidence of hybodont shark predation on Late Jurassic ammonites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vullo, Romain

2011-06-01

Sharks are known to have been ammonoid predators, as indicated by analysis of bite marks or coprolite contents. However, body fossil associations attesting to this predator-prey relationship have never been described so far. Here, I report a unique finding from the Late Jurassic of western France: a complete specimen of the Kimmeridgian ammonite Orthaspidoceras bearing one tooth of the hybodont shark Planohybodus. Some possible tooth puncture marks are also observed. This is the first direct evidence of such a trophic link between these two major Mesozoic groups, allowing an accurate identification of both organisms. Although Planohybodus displays a tearing-type dentition generally assumed to have been especially adapted for large unshelled prey, our discovery clearly shows that this shark was also able to attack robust ammonites such as aspidoceratids. The direct evidence presented here provides new insights into the Mesozoic marine ecosystem food webs.

Connectivity controls on the late Miocene eastern Mediterranean fish fauna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agiadi, Konstantina; Antonarakou, Assimina; Kontakiotis, George; Kafousia, Nefeli; Moissette, Pierre; Cornée, Jean-Jacques; Manoutsoglou, Emmanouil; Karakitsios, Vasileios

2017-04-01

Environmental change significantly affects the production of fish resources and their dependent societies. The paleontological record offers unique insight into the effects of long-term paleoenvironmental variability on the fish species' distributions and abundances. In the present study, we investigate the late Miocene (7.5-6.5 Ma) fish assemblages of the Potamida section in western Crete (eastern Mediterranean). The determined fish taxa are examined in a paleobiogeographic context, with regard to their geographic and stratigraphic distribution from the early Miocene ( 13 Ma) through today. In addition, present-day ecological data are used to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions in the study area. Planktonic foraminifer biostratigraphy significantly improves the earlier dating of the studied sequence. The late Miocene fish fauna of Potamida includes 35 taxa (seven in open nomenclature) from 13 teleost families. The eastern Mediterranean biostratigraphic and geographic distribution of 32 taxa is significantly expanded into the Tortonian, whereas 13 species are recorded for the first time from the Messinian. Four stages are distinguished in the area's paleoenvironmental evolution. (1) The Potamida area was an open marine environment with depths exceeding 150 m between 7.5-7.45 Ma. (2) Between 7.45-7.36 Ma, the results suggest depths between 300-400 m. (3) The depositional depth increases between 7.36-7.28 Ma to 400-550 m. (4) Later on, approximately between 6.8-6.6 Ma, the depth is again estimated around 100-150 m.

Ammonite habitat revealed via isotopic composition and comparisons with co-occurring benthic and planktonic organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessa, Jocelyn Anne; Larina, Ekaterina; Knoll, Katja; Garb, Matthew; Cochran, J. Kirk; Huber, Brian T.; MacLeod, Kenneth G.; Landman, Neil H.

2015-12-01

Ammonites are among the best-known fossils of the Phanerozoic, yet their habitat is poorly understood. Three common ammonite families (Baculitidae, Scaphitidae, and Sphenodiscidae) co-occur with well-preserved planktonic and benthic organisms at the type locality of the upper Maastrichtian Owl Creek Formation, offering an excellent opportunity to constrain their depth habitats through isotopic comparisons among taxa. Based on sedimentary evidence and the micro- and macrofauna at this site, we infer that the 9-m-thick sequence was deposited at a paleodepth of 70-150 m. Taxa present throughout the sequence include a diverse assemblage of ammonites, bivalves, and gastropods, abundant benthic foraminifera, and rare planktonic foraminifera. No stratigraphic trends are observed in the isotopic data of any taxon, and thus all of the data from each taxon are considered as replicates. Oxygen isotope-based temperature estimates from the baculites and scaphites overlap with those of the benthos and are distinct from those of the plankton. In contrast, sphenodiscid temperature estimates span a range that includes estimates of the planktonic foraminifera and of the warmer half of the benthic values. These results suggest baculites and scaphites lived close to the seafloor, whereas sphenodiscids sometimes inhabited the upper water column and/or lived closer to shore. In fact, the rarity and poorer preservation of the sphenodiscids relative to the baculites and scaphites suggests that the sphenodiscid shells may have only reached the Owl Creek locality by drifting seaward after death.

Paleoecology and biostratigraphy of graptolites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hughes, C.P.; Rickards, R.B.; Chapman, A.J.

1985-01-01

This book presents papers from a conference on graptolites. It emphasizes the uses of graptolites in biostratigraphy. Some information on paleobiology and paleontology is included, and new discoveries about the mode of life of the extant hemichordata zooid are presented.

Biostratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGowran, Brian

2005-10-01

Using fossils to tell geological time, biostratigraphy balances biology with geology. In modern geochronology - meaning timescale-building and making correlations between oceans, continents and hemispheres - the microfossil record of speciations and extinctions is integrated with numerical dates from radioactive decay, geomagnetic reversals through time, and the cyclical wobbles of the earth-sun-moon system. This important modern synthesis follows the development of biostratigraphy from classical origins into petroleum exploration and deep-ocean drilling. It explores the three-way relationship between species of microorganisms, their environment and their evolution through time as expressed in skeletons preserved as fossils. This book is essential reading for advanced students and researchers working in basin analysis, sequence stratigraphy, palaeoceanography, palaeobiology and related fields. Now recognised as an important disciplinary subject, biostratigraphy is treated here in much greater detail than in other major modern texts Brings together biological and geological research in an accessible way Discusses applications as well as theory

Assessing the Record of Anoxic/Dysoxic Events in Lower Aptian Cupido/La Peña Formations, Northeastern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurrasse, F. J.; Barragan-Manzo, R.; Ponton, C.

2008-05-01

Lower Aptian series at the la Huasteca Canyon, Nuevo Leon, NE Mexico, include the uppermost part of the Cupido Formation, a shallow-platform facies (TIC > 60%) succeeded by the La Peña Formation (TIC very variable 17 - 92 %). The change indicated a long-term shift in sedimentation characterized by distinct periodic increase in terrigenous, organic matter and abundant occurrence of ammonites. The interbeds of marls, calcareous shales, marly calcilutites and calcirudites of the La Peña facies contain abundant thin-shelled ammonites, and few planktonic foraminifera. The change occurred in the Dufrenoya justinae ammonite Zone, coeval with the Dufrenoya furcata Zone of the standard ammonite biochronostratigraphy of the Mediterranean province for the uppermost Early Aptian (Barragan-Manzo and Mendez-Franco, 2005; Barragan and Maurrasse, 2008). These zones differentiate the upper part of the Lower Aptian, therefore posterior to OAE1a. Nonetheless, while microfacies of the La Peña Fm show also intermittent belemnites, small pelecypods other than rudists, and sea urchins, benthic foraminifera are mostly absent occurring toward younger levels in the Gargasian coincident with highest taxonomic diversity. Benthic foraminifers are conspicuously absent particularly at the levels closest to the transition zone with the infrajacent Cupido facies. Also, despite increase in TOC (up to 2.6 %) in the La Peña facies, ∂13 Corg curve shows little co-variation with increasing OM, which we interpret to represent a regional phenomenon related to super-productivity in the isolated sub-basin of the Mexican platform (Maurrasse et al., 2006). In contrast, typical Cupido Fm microfacies exhibit abundant miliolids (20-30 %), fragments of rudists, echinoids, ostracods (> 30-40%), very few thin ammonite shell debris, and oolites at intermittent levels. Rich benthic foraminifer assemblages are indicative of well-oxygenated bottom conditions. However, there are three horizons about 60 cm-thick each that are remarkably devoid of benthic foraminifers. They occur at 5. 72 m, 11.45m and 29.6 m, respectively, below the La Peña Fm. Variations within the Cupido Fm are consistent with fluctuating high- productivity, well-oxygenated neritic environment punctuated by development of hypoxic to anoxic bottom waters (Maurrasse et al., 2006). These recurrent episodes of severe oxygen depletion fall within the time interval that may be correlational with the infrajacent D. deshayesi to possibly the D. wessi zones in the Mediterranean ammonite biozonation scheme. We interpret these horizons to represent recurrent hypoxic to anoxic bottom conditions that are local expression of global forcing factors during Cretaceous greenhouse conditions that lead to well-defined OAE-1a and the subsequent anoxic events. Barragan-Manzo, R., and Maurrasse, F., (2008) Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geologicas, v. 25, 1, p. 145-157. Barragan-Manzo, R., and Mendez-Franco, 2005, Towards a standard ammonite zonation for the Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of northern Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geologicas, v. 22, 1, p. 39-47. Maurrasse, F. J-M. R., Barragan-Manzo, R., and Ponton, C. 2006, Cupido- La Peña Formations: High-Productivity to Super-Productivity during the Cretaceous Enhanced Greenhouse Conditions, GSA Abst.with programs v. 38, no 7, p. 491.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antao, S.M.

The crystal structure of a biogenic aragonite from the nacre of an ammonite shell was obtained using synchrotron high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction (HRPXRD) data and Rietveld structure refinement. The well-preserved ammonite sample is from Alberta, Canada, and is from the Cretaceous period. The aragonite structure was refined in space group Pmcn, Z = 4, and the cell parameters obtained are a = 4.96265(2), b = 7.97016(4), c = 5.74474(3) {angstrom}, and V = 227.222(2) {angstrom}{sup 3}. The chemical analyses indicate a formula of [Ca{sub 0.995}Sr{sub 0.004}Ba{sub 0.001}]{Sigma} = 1.0(CO{sub 3}). The average and distances are 2.5281(3) and 1.2871(6)more » {angstrom}, respectively, and the average angle is 119.94(8){sup o}. The CO{sub 3} groups are non-planar. Based on crystal-structure data for biogenic and non-biogenic aragonite samples, aragonite from ammonite nacre has minimal structural distortions and is very similar to non-biogenic aragonite, in particular, a sample from Spain.« less

Silicified sea life - Macrofauna and palaeoecology of the Neuburg Kieselerde Member (Cenomanian to Lower Turonian Wellheim Formation, Bavaria, southern Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Simon; Jager, Manfred; Kroh, Andreas; Mitterer, Agnes; Niebuhr, Birgit; Vodrazka, Radek; Wilmsen, Markus; Wood, Christopher J.; Zagorsk, Kamil

2013-12-01

Schneider, S., Jager, M., Kroh, A., Mitterer, A., Niebuhr, B., Vodražka, R., Wilmsen, M., Wood, C.J. and Zagoršek, K. 2013. Silicified sea life - Macrofauna and palaeoecology of the Neuburg Kieselerde Member (Cenomanian to Lower Turonian Wellheim Formation, Bavaria, southern Germany). Acta Geologica Polonica, 63(4), 555-610. Warszawa. With approximately 100 species, the invertebrate macrofauna of the Neuburg Kieselerde Member of the Wellheim Formation (Bavaria, southern Germany) is probably the most diverse fossil assemblage of the Danubian Cretaceous Group. Occurring as erosional relicts in post-depositional karst depressions, both the Cretaceous sediments and fossils have been silicified during diagenesis. The Neuburg Kieselerde Member, safely dated as Early Cenomanian to Early Turonian based on inoceramid bivalve biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy, preserves a predominantly soft-bottom community, which, however, is biased due to near-complete early diagenetic loss of aragonitic shells. The community is dominated by epifaunal and semi-infaunal bivalves as well as sponges that settled on various (bio-) clasts, and may widely be split into an early bivalve-echinoid assemblage and a succeeding sponge-brachiopod assemblage. In addition to these groups we document ichnofauna, polychaete tubes, nautilids and bryozoans. The fauna provides evidence of a shallow to moderately deep, calm, fully marine environment, which is interpreted as a largescale embayment herein. The fauna of the Neuburg Kieselerde Member is regarded as an important archive of lower Upper Cretaceous sea-life in the surroundings of the Mid-European Island.

Conodont and fusulinid biostratigraphy and history of the Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian Keeler Basin, east-central California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, C.H.; Stone, P.; Ritter, S.M.

2001-01-01

The Pennsylvanian-Lower Permian Keeler Canyon Formation and lower part of the Lower Permian Lone Pine Formation in east-central California were deposited in a deep-water basin that originated in the Morrowan (Early Pennsylvanian), was fully established by the Desmoinesian (Middle Pennsylvanian), and lasted into the Sakmarian (Early Permian). Stratigraphic studies indicate that the Keeler Canyon Formation can be divided into members recognizable throughout the area of our detailed mapping. From older to younger they are the Tinemaha Reservoir, Tihvipah Limestone, Cerro Gordo Spring, and Salt Tram Members. Rocks in this basin, here referred to as the Keeler basin, contain numerous fusulinid and conodont faunas most of which were deposited by sediment-gravity flows probably originating at the margin of the Bird Spring carbonate platform to the northeast. Sixty-one species of Atokan to Sakmarian fusulinids and 38 species of Desmoinesian to Sakmarian conodonts are recognized. These, in addition to four species of Morrowan conodonts previously reported, show that every stage from the Morrowan to Sakmarian is represented in the basin. The fusulinid faunas are composed largely of taxa of the North American craton, especially the south-central USA, with important endemic constituents and some McCloud Limestone forms, representing the Eastern Klamath terrane. Conodonts are closely similar to species in the Ural Mountains region of Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as the American midcontinent. The co-occurrence of fusulinids and conodonts in the Keeler basin results in a better correlation of zones based on these two groups of fossils than generally is possible.

Current research on the late Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits north of Homa Mountain, southwestern Kenya.

PubMed

Ditchfield, P; Hicks, J; Plummer, T; Bishop, L C; Potts, R

1999-02-01

The late Pliocene and Pleistocene sediments of the Homa Peninsula in southwestern Kenya are richly fossiliferous, preserve Early Stone Age archaeological traces and provide one of the few paleoanthropological data sets for the region between the branches of the East African Rift Valley. This paper presents preliminary results of our ongoing investigation of late Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits at the localities of Rawi, Kanam East, Kanam Central and Kanjera. While fossils have been collected from the peninsula since 1911, little systematic effort has been made to place them into a broader litho-and chronostratigraphic framework. This project has conclusively demonstrated that fossils occur in good stratigraphic context at all of the study localities and that claims of sediment slumping (Boswell, 1935) have been greatly overstated (Behrensmeyer et al., 1995; Plummer & Potts, 1989). A provisional chronostratigraphic framework based on magneto- and biostratigraphy is presented here. We have revised the Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphy of the Rawi and Kanam gullies to include three formations: the Rawi, Abundu and Kasibos Formations. Based on magneto- and biostratigraphy, these formations are dated between approximately three and one m.y.a. (Gauss Chron-Jaramillo Subchron) (Cande & Kent, 1995). The Apoko Formation unconformably overlies the others and may be middle to late Pleistocene in age. All formations contain rich patches of fossils, and Acheulean artifacts have been surface collected from the Abundu and Kasibos Formations. Deposition of the fossil- and artefact-bearing sediments at Kanjera North began in the early Pleistocene and continued into the middle Pleistocene. Deposition at Kanjera South began over one million years earlier than previously thought, at approximately 2.2 m.y.a., and continued into the Olduvai Subchron (1.770-1.950 m.y.a.; Cande & Kent, 1995). Excavations have recovered Oldowan artefacts in association with well-preserved fossil fauna near the base of the sequence, the oldest archaeological traces yet known from southwestern Kenya.

A condensed middle Cenomanian succession in the Dakota Sandstone (Upper Cretaceous), Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hook, Stephen C.; Cobban, William A.

2007-01-01

The upper part of the Dakota Sandstone exposed on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, northern Socorro County, New Mexico, is a condensed, Upper Cretaceous, marine succession spanning the first five middle Cenomanian ammonite zones of the U.S. Western Interior. Farther north in New Mexico these five ammonite zones occur over a stratigraphic interval more than an order of magnitude thicker. The basal part of this marine sequence was deposited in Seboyeta Bay, an elongate east-west embayment into New Mexico that marked the initial transgression of the western shoreline of the Late Cretaceous seaway into New Mexico. The primary mechanism for condensing this section was nearshore, submarine erosion, although nondeposition played a minor role. The ammonite fossils from each zone are generally fragments of internal molds that are corroded on one side, indicating submarine burial, erosion of the prefossilized steinkern, and corrosion on the sea floor. In addition, the base of the condensed succession is marked by a thin bed that contains abundant, white-weathering, spherical to cylindrical phosphate nodules, many of which contain a cylindrical axial cavity of unknown origin. The nodules lie on the bedding surface of the highly burrowed, ridge-forming sandstone near the top of the Dakota and occur in the overlying breccia. The breccia consists of rip-up clasts of sandstone and eroded internal molds of the ammonite Conlinoceras tarrantense, the zonal index for the basal middle Cenomanian. The nodules below the breccia imply a time of erosion followed by nondeposition or sediment bypass during which the phosphatization occurred. The breccia implies a time of submarine erosion, probably storm-related. Remarkably, this condensed succession and the basal part of the overlying Mancos Shale tongue contain one of the most complete middle Cenomanian ammonite sequences in the U.S. Western Interior. Five of the six ammonite zones that characterize the middle Cenomanian of the Western Interior are found on Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Only representatives of the second oldest zone are missing, although stratigraphically there is room for this zone. Fossils from each zone occur in stratigraphically separated beds; no zone overlaps with or is superimposed on another.Maps of the western shoreline of the seaway at the beginning and end of the time represented by the condensed succession show the progression of the Late Cretaceous seaway from embayment to ocean covering most of New Mexico. These maps, combined with the resolving power of the middle Cenomanian biostratigraphic framework, indicate that the southern shoreline of Seboyeta Bay, which was only a few miles south of Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, was virtually stationary for most of this time. This ensured that the refuge was under shallow, well-oxygenated, marine waters for much of middle Cenomanian time. It also ensured that deposited sediments would be subjected periodically to erosion by nearshore waves and currents. This report marks the first recorded occurrence in New Mexico of the following ammonite species: Acanthoceras muldoonense (zonal index), A. bellense (zonal index), Turrilites (Euturrilites) scheuchzerianus, Cunningtoniceras cf. C. cunningtoni, and Paraconlinoceras leonense. The occurrences of the zonal indices in the Dakota Sandstone on and to the south of the refuge increase not only their geographic distributions, but also the biostratigraphic resolution in the middle Cenomanian of New Mexico.

Trilobite-based biostratigraphy (arthropoda-trilobita) and related faunas of the Cambrian from Sonora, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuen-Romero, F. J.; Valdez-Holguín, J. E.; Buitrón-Sánchez, B. E.; Monreal, R.; Enríquez-Ocaña, L. F.; Aguirre-Hinojosa, E.; Ochoa-Granillo, J. A.; Palafox-Reyes, J. J.

2018-04-01

A biostratigraphic analysis based on trilobites of the main Cambrian outcrops from Sonora, Mexico is performed. The data are based on a combination of field work and published sources, including four previously studied locations from northern and eastern Sonora (Caborca, Cananea, Mazatán, and Arivechi) as well as a new location in the central part of the state of Sonora (San José de Gracia). Chronostratigraphic positions are assigned to the Cambrian outcrops according to Peng et al., 2012 and Cohen et al., 2017. In the Caborca area, the Puerto Blanco, Proveedora, Buelna, Cerro Prieto, Arrojos and El Tren formations comprise a wide range of biozones, which starts from the Fritzaspis Zone until the Glossopleura walcotti Zone (Begadean-Lincolnian Series, global Stage 3-Stage 5, Series 2-Series 3). The Bolsa Quartzite and the Abrigo Limestone exposed in Cananea area are assigned to the Cedaria/Cedarina dakotaensis Zone until the Crepicephalus Zone (Lincolnian Series-Marjuman Stage, global Series 3-Guzhangian). In the San José de Gracia area, The Proveedora, Buelna, Cerro Prieto and El Gavilán formations range from the ?Bristolia mohavensis or ?Bristolia insolens zones until the upper part of Mexicella mexicana Zone, Albertella highlandensis Subzone (Series 2-Series 3, Stage 4-Stage 5). In the Arivechi area, the La Sata, El Mogallón, La Huerta and the Milpillas formations range from Poliella denticulata Zone to the Elvinia Zone (Lincolnian-Millardan, Delamaran-Steptoean, global Series 3-Furongian, Stage 5-Paibian). Paleozoic marine fauna distribution in northwest Mexico and the southwest United States of America, suggest that during this time an extensive faunal province existed, containing a great variety of marine invertebrates with notorious intraspecific affinity. The biotic association includes poriferans, archaeocyathids, brachiopods, mollusks, arthropods and echinoderms as predominant elements.

Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, William James; Klinger, Herbert Christian

2013-12-01

Kennedy, W.J. and Klinger, H.C. 2013. Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (4), 527-543. Warszawa. Scaphitid ammonites are described and illustrated from the Upper Cretaceous of the coastal region of north-eastern South Africa. Scaphites kieslingswaldensis Langenhan and Grundey, 1891, Scaphites manasoaensis Collignon, 1965, and Yezoites concinna sp. nov. occur in the Coniacian part of the St Lucia Formation in northern KwaZulu-Natal. A further Yezoites sp. may also be from this level. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. occurs in the Santonian to Lower Campanian Mzamba Formation on the northernmost coast of Eastern Cape Province. Yezoites australis sp. nov. occurs in the Upper Santonian part of the St Lucia and Mzamba formations of these areas, and Scaphites reesidei Collignon, 1969, is recorded from the Lower Campanian part of the Mzamba Formation. The scaphitid assemblage includes species previously described from Western Europe and Madagascar, together with Argentoscaphites, previously known only from Patagonia (and possibly South India). Dimorphism is recognised in Scaphites reesidei, Yezoites concinna sp. nov. and Y. australis sp. nov. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. and Yezoites sp. are represented by microconchs only. Dimorphism has not been recognised in Scaphites kieslingswaldensis.

Testing seasonality of the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway with stable isotope analysis of ammonites (Baculites)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, N.; Tobin, T. S.

2017-12-01

Common to the Western Interior Seaway, Baculites is a genus of ammonite with a straight-shelled morphology that serve as index fossils for the Late Cretaceous. Powdered shell samples were generated along growth sequences from several large Baculites fragments (20 - 40 cm) that preserve original aragonite. Stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ18O) were determined for samples using standard techniques. Sine curves were fit to δ18O and δ13C signals, where the seasonal temperature differential is expressed as the amplitude of the δ18O signal. The periods of the signals represent one annual cycle, from which preliminary Baculites growth rate estimates have been established. Additionally, carbon and oxygen isotope data obtained by Fatheree et al. [1998] were re-analyzed and fit to a sine curve. All of the Baculites that produced usable data and the Fatheree et al. [1998] Baculites produced similar periods (30 - 35 cm), suggesting that Baculites likely utilized an r-type life strategy where they reach maturity rapidly, produce large amounts of offspring, and die within a few years. Understanding their life behaviors is critical to the use of Baculites as a paleoclimate proxy since potential migration, both geographic and in the water column, may influence carbon and oxygen isotope signals. The sinusoidal nature of the isotope signals observed in several Baculites suggests that seasonal inputs are most prevalent. Changes in ammonite activity and/or behavior driven by seasonal progression, seasonally mediated environmental changes, or combinations of these are hypothesized inputs that may result in the observed sinusoidal signals. Amplitudes of δ18O signals suggest seawater temperature variance that is consistent with the paleolatitudes associated with the Baculites specimens sampled. Ammonites from higher paleolatitudes yielded larger amplitude signals indicating greater seasonality at these locations. Further experimentation with Baculites aptychi is ongoing and may yield additional paleoclimate data.

Middle to Upper Jurassic sedimentary sequences and marine biota of the early Indian Ocean (Southwest Madagascar): some biostratigraphic, palaeoecologic and palaeobiogeographic conclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mette, Wolfgang

2004-03-01

As part of an intradisciplinary project which was concerned with the early rifting processes between Madagascar and East Africa, the Middle to Upper Jurassic sedimentary sequences of the Morondava Basin in Southwest Madagascar has been investigated with respect to biostratigraphy, sedimentary facies and palaeoecology. The transgressive sedimentary sections in the Bajocian and Callovian-Oxfordian yield rich macro- and microfossil assemblages which improved the biostratigraphic framework and gave some important information about the palaeoenvironments. Palaeogeographic distribution patterns of the Bajocian ostracod Paradoxorhyncha are suggestive of a migration along the southern shores of Gondwana between Madagascar, Australia and South America. The Callovian ostracods show strong affinities to the Indian faunas, indicating existence of a free migration route for shallow marine benthic organisms between Madagascar and India. Significant faunal differences between Madagascar and Tanzania suggest a physical or environmental migration barrier between Madagascar and East Africa during the Callovian to Kimmeridgian interval. The Upper Jurassic ostracods from the northern and eastern margin of Gondwana show a very high degree of endemism and they can be assigned to two faunal provinces in North Gondwana (Arabia, Near East, North Africa) and South Gondwana (India, Madagascar, East Africa).

Carbon cycle history through the Middle Jurassic (Aalenian - Bathonian) of the Mecsek Mountains, Southern Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Gregory D.; Főzy, István; Galácz, András

2018-04-01

A carbonate carbon isotope curve from the Aalenian-Bathonian interval is presented from the Óbánya valley, of the Mecsek Mountains, Hungary. This interval is certainly less well constrained and studied than other Jurassic time slices. The Óbánya valley lies in the eastern part of the Mecsek Mountains, between Óbánya and Kisújbánya and provides exposures of an Aalenian to Lower Cretaceous sequence. It is not strongly affected by tectonics, as compared to other sections of eastern Mecsek of the same age. In parts, a rich fossil assemblage has been collected, with Bathonian ammonites being especially valuable at this locality. The pelagic Middle Jurassic is represented by the Komló Calcareous Marl Formation and thin-bedded limestones of the Óbánya Limestone Formation. These are overlain by Upper Jurassic siliceous limestones and radiolarites of the Fonyászó Limestone Formation. Our new data indicate a series of carbon isotope anomalies within the late Aalenian and early-middle Bajocian. In particular, analysis of the Komló Calcareous Marl Formation reveals a negative carbon isotope excursion followed by positive values that occurs near the base of the section (across the Aalenian-Bajocian boundary). The origin of this carbon-isotope anomaly is interpreted to lie in significant changes to carbon fluxes potentially stemming from reduced run off, lowering the fertility of surface waters which in turn leads to lessened primary production and a negative δ13C shift. These data are comparable with carbonate carbon isotope records from other Tethyan margin sediments. Our integrated biostratigraphy and carbon isotope stratigraphy enable us to improve stratigraphic correlation and age determination of the examined strata. Therefore, this study of the Komló Calcareous Marl Formation confirms that the existing carbon isotope curves serve as a global standard for Aalenian-Bathonian δ13C variation.

The sequence stratigraphy of the latest Cretaceous sediments of northern Wyoming: The interplay of tectonic and eustatic controls on foreland basin sedimentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hicks, J.F.; Tauxe, L.

1992-01-01

A west-east chronostratigraphic correlation has been made of the latest Cretaceous sediments of northern Wyoming. Five sections from Jackson Hole to Red Bird have been dated magnetostratigraphically (C34N-C26R) and radiometrically (81-68 Ma), and integrated with the ammonite biostratigraphy of the Niobrara and Pierre Shale. Four major sequence surfaces have been identified in section and the time missing within the unconformities has been measured and traced laterally. These bounding unconformities define six alloformations. The lowest straddles the C34N/C33R chronic boundary and contains the Cody, Telegraph Creek and Eagle Fms. The second ranges from the mid- to upper part of C33N ofmore » C32R and contains the Claggett and Judith River/Mesaverde Fms. The third (C32R ) is the Teapot Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Fm. The fourth extends from the lower to upper part of C32N or to mid-C31R and includes the Bearpaw Shale and Meeteetse Fm. The fifth extends from C31N to C30N or C29N and includes the Harebell and Lance Fms. The base of the uppermost alloformation has been identified within C26R in the uppermost alloformation has been identified within C26R in the lowermost Fort Union. The unconformable surfaces are angular adjacent to the Sevier Thrust Belt but form paraconformities or hiatuses in the marine units to the east. The unconformities are eustatically controlled throughout the Campanian, but become tectonically driven in the Maastrichtian with the onset of rapid foredeep subsidence in Jackson Hole, and forebulge uplift in the Bighorn and Wind River Basin region which correlates exactly to the rapid regression of the Bearpaw Sea from the area in the range of Baculites clinolobatus.« less

Encrustation of inarticulate brachiopods on scaphitid ammonites and inoceramid bivalves from the Upper Cretaceous U. S. Western Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landman, Neil H.; Slattery, Joshua S.; Harries, Peter J.

2016-12-01

The inarticulate brachiopod Discinisca is a rare faunal element in the Upper Cretaceous of the U.S. Western Interior. We report two occurrences of encrustation of Discinisca on a scaphitid ammonite (scaphite) and several inoceramids from the lower Maastrichtian Baculites baculus/Endocostea typica Biozones of the Pierre Shale at two localities. Six specimens of Discinisca are present on a single specimen of Hoploscaphites crassus from east-central Montana. They occur along the furrow at the mature apertural margin. Because the brachiopods are restricted to the margin and do not occur on the rest of the shell, it is likely that they encrusted the ammonite during its lifetime. If so, this implies that the soft body of the scaphite did not cover the outside surface of the aperture, leaving this area vulnerable to epizoan attachment. A total of 13 specimens of Discinisca are also present on four specimens of Cataceramus? barabini from east-central Wyoming. The brachiopods occur in crevices on the outside of the shells and may have encrusted the inoceramids after their death as the shells began to break down and delaminate, resulting from the decomposition of the organic matrix holding them together. Based on the faunal assemblages at both localities, the presence of Discinisca may indicate environments with either low oxygen levels and/or few predators or competitors.

Intraspecific variation of phragmocone chamber volumes throughout ontogeny in the modern nautilid Nautilus and the Jurassic ammonite Normannites

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Naoki; Wani, Ryoji; Naglik, Carole; Klug, Christian

2015-01-01

Nautilus remains of great interest to palaeontologists after a long history of actualistic comparisons and speculations on aspects of the palaeoecology of fossil cephalopods, which are otherwise impossible to assess. Although a large amount of work has been dedicated to Nautilus ecology, conch geometry and volumes of shell parts and chambers have been studied less frequently. In addition, although the focus on volumetric analyses for ammonites has been increasing recently with the development of computed tomographic technology, the intraspecific variation of volumetric parameters has never been examined. To investigate the intraspecific variation of the phragmocone chamber volumes throughout ontogeny, 30 specimens of Recent Nautilus pompilius and two Middle Jurassic ammonites (Normannites mitis) were reconstructed using computed tomography and grinding tomography, respectively. Both of the ontogenetic growth trajectories from the two Normannites demonstrate logistic increase. However, a considerable difference in Normannites has been observed between their entire phragmocone volumes (cumulative chamber volumes), in spite of their similar morphology and size. Ontogenetic growth trajectories from Nautilus also show a high variation. Sexual dimorphism appears to contribute significantly to this variation. Finally, covariation between chamber widths and volumes was examined. The results illustrate the strategic difference in chamber construction between Nautilus and Normannites. The former genus persists to construct a certain conch shape, whereas the conch of the latter genus can change its shape flexibly under some constraints. PMID:26500816

Foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of the youngest (Late Albian through Late Cenomanian) sediments of the Tatra massif, Central Western Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bąk, Krzysztof; Bąk, Marta

2013-06-01

Bąk, K. and Bąk M. 2013. Foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of the youngest (Late Albian through Late Cenomanian) sediments of the Tatra massif, Central Western Carpathians. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (2), 223-237. Warszawa. The foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of selected sections of the Zabijak Formation, the youngest sediments of the Tatra massif (Central Western Carpathians), have been studied. Benthic foraminifers, mainly agglutinated species, occur abundantly and continuously throughout the studied succession, while planktic foraminifers are generally sparse. Five planktic and two benthic foraminiferal zones have been recognized. The marly part of the Zabijak Formation comprises the Pseudothalmanninella ticinensis (Upper Albian) through the Rotalipora cushmani (Upper Cenomanian) planktic foraminiferal zones, and the Haplophragmoides nonioninoides and Bulbobaculites problematicus benthic foraminiferal zones. The radiolarians were recognized exclusively in the Lower Cenomanian part of the formation.

Paleocene calcareous nannofossils biostratigraphy from the Sergipe Sub-basin, northeastern Brazil: Implications for this depositional environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade Oliveira, Geize Carolinne Correia; de Oliveira, Rick Souza; Monte Guerra, Rodrigo; de Lima Filho, Mario Ferreira

2018-03-01

This study reports on the biostratigraphy of Paleocene calcareous nannofossils and paleoenvironmental inferences based on five wells drilled on the offshore portion of the Sergipe Sub-basin. Five biostratigraphic zones were defined for the Paleocene in zones of Brazilian continental margin basins N-305, N-307, N-330, N-340 and N-350, and four hiatuses were identified based on the absence of marker species. These hiatuses were interpreted as excavations originated by turbulent to hyperpycnal flows, revealing an important application of biostratigraphy to better understand depositional environments that are often limited by little variation in lithology or low variation in the well log patterns. In Paleoecological terms, the Sergipe Sub-basin, in the Paleocene, experienced geological and environmental events similar to those of other sedimentary basins on the eastern passive continental margin of Brazil, but has a more complete biostratigraphic record of calcareous nannofossils.

Upper Cretaceous molluscan record along a transect from Virden, New Mexico, to Del Rio, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cobban, W.A.; Hook, S.C.; McKinney, K.C.

2008-01-01

Updated age assignments and new collections of molluscan fossils from lower Cenomanian through upper Campanian strata in Texas permit a much refined biostratigraphic correlation with the rocks of New Mexico and the Western Interior. Generic names of many Late Cretaceous ammonites and inoceramid bivalves from Texas are updated to permit this correlation. Strata correlated in the west-to-east transect include the lower Cenomanian Beartooth Quartzite and Sarten Sandstone of southwest New Mexico, and the Eagle Mountains Formation, Del Rio Clay, Buda Limestone, and. basal beds of the Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations of the Texas-Mexico border area. Middle Cenomanian strata are lacking in southwestern New Mexico but are present in the lower parts of the Chispa Summit and Boquillas Formations in southwest Texas. Upper Cenomanian and lower Turonian rocks are present at many localities in New Mexico and Texas in the Mancos Shale and Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations. Middle Turonian and younger rocks seem to be entirely nonmarine in southwestern New Mexico, but they are marine in the Rio Grande area in the Chispa. Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations. The upper part of the Chispa Summit and Boquillas contain late Turonian fossils. Rocks of Coniacian and Santonian age are present high in the Chispa Summit, Ojinaga, and Boquillas Formations, and in the lower part of the Austin. The San Carlos, Aguja, Pen, and Austin Formations contain fossils of Campanian age. Fossils representing at least 38 Upper Cretaceous ammonite zones are present along the transect. Collections made in recent years in southwestern New Mexico and at Sierra de Cristo Rey just west of downtown El Paso, Texas, have been well treated and do not need revision. Taxonomic names and zonations published in the pre-1970 literature on the Rio Grande area of Texas have been updated. New fossil collections from the Big Bend National Park, Texas, allow for a much refined correlation in the central part of the transect in Texas. Middle Turonian-Campanian zonation in southwest Texas is based mainly on ammonites of the Family Collignoniceratidae, as opposed to the scaphitid and baculitid ammonites that are especially abundant farther north in the Western Interior.

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Tethyan Seaway, Qom Formation, Central Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabaghi Sadr, Fatemeh; Schmiedl, Gerhard

2017-04-01

The Cenozoic climate transition from greenhouse to icehouse conditions was associated with major paleogeographic changes in the Tethyan realm. The closure of the Tethyan Seaway and its Iranian gateways during the terminal Paleogene and early Neogene, between approximately 28 and 18 million years, influenced the latitudinal exchange of water masses and energy and is documented in sediment successions of the Qom formation in central Iran. Little is known on the spatial expression and the exact depositional histories of the Qom Formation on orbital time-scales, including a lack of quantitative sea-level reconstructions and studies on the impact of climatic and tectonic changes on marine ecosystems and sedimentation processes. The PhD project focuses on the investigation of lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, paleoecology and paleoenvironmental evolution of the Iranian gateways based on late Oligocene to early Miocene foraminiferal faunas and carbonate facies from selected sediment sections of the Qom Basin. The Qom Formation was deposited in the Central Iranian back-arc basin during the Oligocene-Miocene. In this study foraminiferal faunas and carbonate microfacies were studied based on total 191 samples of two section of Qom Formation. One of them is Molkabad section, which is located northwest of Molkabad mountains, southeast of Garmsar. The section mainly consists of limestones, calcareous marls, marls, and gypsum-bearing marls with a total thickness of 760 meters. The Qom Formation at Molkabad section overlies Eocene rocks with an unconformity and consists of the following lithostratigraphic units (from the lower to upper part): Lithothamnium Limestone, Lower Marl Limestone, Bryozoa Limestone, and Upper Marl Group. The Molkabad fault separates the Qom Formation from the overlying Upper Red Formation. The other section is located at Navab anticline in Qom Formation .The section mainly consist of limestone, marl, and gypsum with a total thickness of 318 meters Navab anticline section overlies Eocene rocks with an unconformity. In a novel approach, ecological information from recent faunas of the Persian Gulf will be applied to the assessment of changes in paleo-water depth and paleo-salinity. Based on these data, global glacio-eustatic signals will be separated from regional tectonic events. This information can be used to better assess potential impacts of the closure of the Tethyan Seaway on Cenozoic paleooceanography and paleoclimate.

Some American Jurassic ammonites of the genera Quenstedticeras, Cardioceras, and Amoeboceras, family Cardioceratida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeside, John B.

1919-01-01

The species cordiforme Meek and Hayden, distans Whitfield, canadense Whiteaves, and dubium Hyatt (probably including whitneyi J. P. Smith), variously assigned to the genera Amaltheus, Quenstediceras, Amoeboceras, and Cardioceras, and subtumidum Whitfield and Hovey, assigned to Aegoceras, include all the previously described species of Jurassic ammonites that are considered in this paper. Material accumulated in the National Museum at Washington, mainly through the efforts of field parties of the United States Geological Survey, has shown, however, the presence of a number of undescribed forms of considerable scientific interest. These new species were obtained mainly from the Sundance formation of Wyoming. One comes from the Ellis formation of Montana, one from Jurassic beds near Lillooet, British Columbia, and three from the Cardioceras-bearing beds near the base of the Naknek formation of Alaska.

Biostratigraphy and petrography of upper Paleozoic rocks of Sierra Las Pintas, northern Baja California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navas-Parejo, Pilar; Lara-Peña, R. Aaron; Torres-Martínez, Miguel Angel; Martini, Michelangelo

2018-07-01

A transported crinoid fauna is herein described for the first time in the Paleozoic succession cropping out in the Sierra Las Pintas, northern Baja California, northwestern Mexico. The fossil association includes Heterostelechus texanus Moore and Jeffords, Preptopremnum laeve? Moore and Jeffords, and Mooreanteris perforatus Moore and Jeffords, which indicates a Middle Pennsylvanian-early Permian time-averaged age. The studied area corresponds with the northernmost outcrop of definitely late Paleozoic deep-water facies in northwestern Mexico and the southern United States. Petrographic analyses indicate that the studied metasandstones were primarily derived from high-grade metamorphic rocks and from a shallow-water platform environment dominated by crinoid meadows. These results allow the correlation of the studied metasedimentary rocks with the Carboniferous Rancho Nuevo Formation of the Sonora allochthon, which crops out in central Sonora. The Sonora allochthon includes an Early Ordovician-Late Pennsylvanian sedimentary succession that was deposited in the oceanic basin located south of the Laurentian craton. Therefore, upper Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Sierra Las Pintas were deposited along the same continental margin of Laurentia as those rocks in the Sonora allochthon, and were mostly derived from metamorphic rocks of the continental craton and by the typical Carboniferous encrinites, which characterize the shallow-water rocks of central and northern Sonora.

First Clarkforkian Equivalent Land Mammal Age in the Latest Paleocene Basal Sparnacian Facies of Europe: Fauna, Flora, Paleoenvironment and (Bio)stratigraphy

PubMed Central

Smith, Thierry; Quesnel, Florence; De Plöeg, Gaël; De Franceschi, Dario; Métais, Grégoire; De Bast, Eric; Solé, Floréal; Folie, Annelise; Boura, Anaïs; Claude, Julien; Dupuis, Christian; Gagnaison, Cyril; Iakovleva, Alina; Martin, Jeremy; Maubert, François; Prieur, Judicaël; Roche, Emile; Storme, Jean-Yves; Thomas, Romain; Tong, Haiyan; Yans, Johan; Buffetaut, Eric

2014-01-01

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is correlated with the first occurrences of earliest modern mammals in the Northern Hemisphere. The latest Paleocene Clarkforkian North American Land Mammal Age, that has yielded rodents and carnivorans, is the only exception to this rule. However, until now no pre-PETM localities have yielded modern mammals in Europe or Asia. We report the first Clarkforkian equivalent Land Mammal Age in the latest Paleocene deposits of the basal Sparnacian facies at Rivecourt, in the north-central part of the Paris Basin. The new terrestrial vertebrate and macroflora assemblages are analyzed through a multidisciplinary study including sedimentologic, stratigraphic, isotopic, and palynological aspects in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and to evaluate biochronologic and paleogeographic implications. The mammals are moderately diverse and not abundant, contrary to turtles and champsosaurs. The macroflora is exceptional in preservation and diversity with numerous angiosperms represented by flowers, fruits, seeds and wood preserved as lignite material, revealing an abundance of Arecaceae, Betulaceae, Icacinaceae, Menispermaceae, Vitaceae and probably Cornaceae. Results indicate a Late Paleocene age based on carbon isotope data, palynology and vertebrate occurrences such as the choristoderan Champsosaurus, the arctocyonid Arctocyon, and the plesiadapid Plesiadapis tricuspidens. However, several mammal species compare better with the earliest Eocene. Among these, the particular louisinid Teilhardimys musculus, also recorded from the latest Paleocene of the Spanish Pyrenees, suggests a younger age than the typical MP6 reference level. Nevertheless, the most important aspect of the Rivecourt fauna is the presence of dental remains of a rodent and a “miacid” carnivoran, attesting to the presence of two modern mammalian orders in the latest Paleocene of Europe. Interestingly, these two groups are also the only modern groups recorded from the latest Paleocene of North America, making Rivecourt the first direct equivalent to the Clarkforkian Land Mammal Age outside of North America. PMID:24489703

The Antiquity of the Rhine River: Stratigraphic Coverage of the Dinotheriensande (Eppelsheim Formation) of the Mainz Basin (Germany)

PubMed Central

Böhme, Madelaine; Aiglstorfer, Manuela; Uhl, Dieter; Kullmer, Ottmar

2012-01-01

Background Mammalian fossils from the Eppelsheim Formation (Dinotheriensande) have been a benchmark for Neogene vertebrate palaeontology since 200 years. Worldwide famous sites like Eppelsheim serve as key localities for biochronologic, palaeobiologic, environmental, and mammal community studies. So far the formation is considered to be of early Late Miocene age (∼9.5 Ma, Vallesian), representing the oldest sediments of the Rhine River. The stratigraphic unity of the formation and of its fossil content was disputed at times, but persists unresolved. Principal Findings Here we investigate a new fossil sample from Sprendlingen, composed by over 300 mammalian specimens and silicified wood. The mammals comprise entirely Middle Miocene species, like cervids Dicrocerus elegans, Paradicrocerus elegantulus, and deinotheres Deinotherium bavaricum and D. levius. A stratigraphic evaluation of Miocene Central European deer and deinothere species proof the stratigraphic inhomogenity of the sample, and suggest late Middle Miocene (∼12.5 Ma) reworking of early Middle Miocene (∼15 Ma) sediments. This results agree with taxonomic and palaeoclimatic analysis of plant fossils from above and within the mammalian assemblage. Based on the new fossil sample and published data three biochronologic levels within the Dinotheriensand fauna can be differentiated, corresponding to early Middle Miocene (late Orleanian to early Astaracian), late Middle Miocene (late Astaracian), and early Late Miocene (Vallesian) ages. Conclusions/Significance This study documents complex faunal mixing of classical Dinotheriensand fauna, covering at least six million years, during a time of low subsidence in the Mainz Basin and shifts back the origination of the Rhine River by some five million years. Our results have severe implications for biostratigraphy and palaeobiology of the Middle to Late Miocene. They suggest that turnover events may be obliterated and challenge the proposed ‘supersaturated’ biodiversity, caused by Middle Miocene superstites, of Vallesian ecosystems in Central Europe. PMID:22615819

First Clarkforkian equivalent Land Mammal Age in the latest Paleocene basal Sparnacian facies of Europe: fauna, flora, paleoenvironment and (bio)stratigraphy.

PubMed

Smith, Thierry; Quesnel, Florence; De Plöeg, Gaël; De Franceschi, Dario; Métais, Grégoire; De Bast, Eric; Solé, Floréal; Folie, Annelise; Boura, Anaïs; Claude, Julien; Dupuis, Christian; Gagnaison, Cyril; Iakovleva, Alina; Martin, Jeremy; Maubert, François; Prieur, Judicaël; Roche, Emile; Storme, Jean-Yves; Thomas, Romain; Tong, Haiyan; Yans, Johan; Buffetaut, Eric

2014-01-01

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is correlated with the first occurrences of earliest modern mammals in the Northern Hemisphere. The latest Paleocene Clarkforkian North American Land Mammal Age, that has yielded rodents and carnivorans, is the only exception to this rule. However, until now no pre-PETM localities have yielded modern mammals in Europe or Asia. We report the first Clarkforkian equivalent Land Mammal Age in the latest Paleocene deposits of the basal Sparnacian facies at Rivecourt, in the north-central part of the Paris Basin. The new terrestrial vertebrate and macroflora assemblages are analyzed through a multidisciplinary study including sedimentologic, stratigraphic, isotopic, and palynological aspects in order to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and to evaluate biochronologic and paleogeographic implications. The mammals are moderately diverse and not abundant, contrary to turtles and champsosaurs. The macroflora is exceptional in preservation and diversity with numerous angiosperms represented by flowers, fruits, seeds and wood preserved as lignite material, revealing an abundance of Arecaceae, Betulaceae, Icacinaceae, Menispermaceae, Vitaceae and probably Cornaceae. Results indicate a Late Paleocene age based on carbon isotope data, palynology and vertebrate occurrences such as the choristoderan Champsosaurus, the arctocyonid Arctocyon, and the plesiadapid Plesiadapis tricuspidens. However, several mammal species compare better with the earliest Eocene. Among these, the particular louisinid Teilhardimys musculus, also recorded from the latest Paleocene of the Spanish Pyrenees, suggests a younger age than the typical MP6 reference level. Nevertheless, the most important aspect of the Rivecourt fauna is the presence of dental remains of a rodent and a "miacid" carnivoran, attesting to the presence of two modern mammalian orders in the latest Paleocene of Europe. Interestingly, these two groups are also the only modern groups recorded from the latest Paleocene of North America, making Rivecourt the first direct equivalent to the Clarkforkian Land Mammal Age outside of North America.

Integrated stratigraphy of the Agrio Formation (Neuquén Basin, Argentina): towards an intercalibration with the Mediterranean basins during Valanginian-Hauterivian times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre-Urreta, Beatriz; Martinez, Mathieu; Schmitz, Mark; Lescano, Marina; Omarini, Julieta; Concheyro, Andrea; Tunik, Maisa; Rawson, Peter; Ramos, Victor

2017-04-01

The Valanginian and Hauterivian stages (Early Cretaceous) represent an 11-myr interval. They were periods of transition between the relatively cold Late Jurassic to the greenhouse world which continued in the rest of the Cretaceous, and the world seemed to have distinct climate zones, reflected in distinct Boreal, Tethyan and Austral marine faunas. It was also a time of great paleogeographic reorganizations related to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean which notably affected the paleooceanographic patterns, producing numerous environmental changes. In that sense a positive shift in δ13C in the early-late Valanginian transition (known as the 'Weissert Event'), and deposits of black shales in the Mediterranean nearly at the end of the Hauterivian (the 'Faraoni Event') have been recognized. However, due to the fact that the durations of the Valanginian and the Hauterivian stages are presently under much debate, the numerical ages of these two events are poorly constrained. This fact has also hindered its globalism and the possible factors that caused their deposition. To tackle these and other Valanginian and Hauterivian topics we are studying the Agrio Formation of west-central Argentina. The Neuquén Basin is a retro-arc basin developed in a normal subduction segment at the foothills of the Andes. Laterally continuous outcrops and an abundant fossil record, combined with tuffaceous layers interbedded in thick, expanded sedimentary successions make the basin an excellent site for stratigraphical, paleontological, and radio-isotopic studies. The infill of the basin during the late early Valanginian to the earliest Barremian is represented by the Agrio Formation. We have studied this unit for more than 20 years with bed-by-bed collection of fossils and more recently we have started sampling the tuff layers. There are three high precision CA-ID TIMS U-Pb radio-isotopic ages; the three horizons are well constrained biostratigraphically by ammonites and calcareous nannofossils which correlate with the 'standard' sequence of the Tethyan Realm. The oldest one is 130.39 ± 0.16 Ma (early Hauterivian), the second is 129.09 ± 0.16 Ma (base of late Hauterivian) and the third one is 127.42 ± 0.15 Ma (late Hauterivian). Now, we have selected a stratigraphic section at the locality El Portón where this formation is composed of marl-limestone alternations, likely forced by orbital cycles and have performed magnetic susceptibility measurements having the first orbital time scale of the Agrio Formation. We are also improving our chemostratigraphical data. Thus, we have achieved a robust combination of cyclostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and high-precision radio-isotopic ages for the Agrio Formation. This new data have been used to correlate the results obtained in the Neuquén Basin with those of classic sections of the Tethys, including the candidates for the base of the Hauterivian (La Charce, France) and the base of the Barremian (Río Argos, Spain). Therefore, the new geological time scale for the Valanginian-Hauterivian stages proposed in the Mediterranean region integrating astrochronological, biostratigraphic and radiochronological data differs with the current official geological time scale which still maintains poorly constraint absolute ages for the Valanginian-Hauterivian interval.

Palynology of the Kashafrud Formation, Koppeh Dagh basin, Northeastern Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashemi, H.; Sajjadi, F.; Dehbozorgi, A.

2009-04-01

Diverse and moderately well-preserved palynofloras occur in Middle Jurassic sediments of the Kashafrud Formation at the Senjedak section, southeast of Mashhad, northeastern Iran. Trilete and monolete spores and pollen dominate the assemblages, whereas dinoflagellate cysts, foraminiferal test linings, and fungal spores are minor components. Forty-seven species of spores (30 genera) and 15 species of pollen (eight genera) are identified. Representatives of Dictyophyllidites and Klukisporites are particularly abundant. Based on the stratigraphic distribution of miospores, three distinctive stratigraphically successive palynofloras informally termed in ascending order, Assemblages A, B, and C are identified within the Kashafrud Formation. These are compared with palynozones known from Iran and elsewhere. Based on the presence of certain miospore species, the Kashafrud palynofloras are collectively dated as Middle Jurassic (Bajocian-Bathonian), thus corroborating the faunal (ammonoid) evidence. The appearance of a key miospore species, Contignisporites burgeri, within the succession has been used to attribute a late Bajocian age and early Bathonian age to the lower and upper parts of the studied interval, respectively. Inferred natural relationships of the miospores imply derivation from a diverse parental flora of Pterophyta and gymnosperms, such as Coniferophyta, Cycadophyta, and Ginkgophyta, growing under warm, humid conditions during the Bajocian-Bathonian. The associated marine fauna (ammonites), marine palynomorphs (proximate dinoflagellate cysts, and acritarchs such as Micrhystridium), and foraminiferal test linings, along with terrestrial palynomorphs (spores and pollen) collectively indicate an open marine, nearshore depositional setting for the Kashafrud Formation at the section studied.

Marine Early Bajocian Deposits of the Lower Volga Region (Volgograd Region) and Their Belemnite-Based Stratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ippolitov, A. P.

2018-05-01

A representative early Bajocian belemnite assemblage containing four genera and 11 species (two identified in open nomenclature and five new: Eocylindroteuthis weisi sp. nov., E. mariottii sp. nov., E. yarkovi sp. nov., Homaloteuthis volgogradensis sp. nov., and Hastites orphana sp. nov.) is described from a section near the Dubovoi hamlet in the Greater Don Bend area (southern termination of the Don-Medveditsa dislocations). Some members of this assemblage were previously known from the Caucasus; however, it is possible to state the discovery of a Euroboreal belemnite fauna completely new for Russia, previously described only from Central Europe and almost unknown for Eastern Europe. The age of the studied assemblage collected from the lower part of the section, traditionally considered to be Upper Bajocian, corresponds to the Laeviuscula ammonite Chronozone and is the first reliable evidence of marine settings in the Volga Region for the early Bajocian. Two new biostratigraphic units, Beds with Eocylindroteuthis weisi and Beds with H. orphana, are introduced. The former, judging from the occurrences of its characteristic species in Western Europe, has a broad correlative potential. On the basis of datings obtained, the scheme of the formational subdivision of the Middle Jurassic of the Volga Region near Volgograd is revised, and the formerly abandoned Bakhtemir Formation is reinstated as a valid unit. Its total range is reestablished as corresponding to the upper part of the Discites (?)/Laeviuscula Chronozone (lower Bajocian)-Garantiana Chronozone (upper Bajocian).

Heteromorph ammonites from the Upper Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) Baculites cuneatus and Baculites reesidei zones of the Pierre Shale in Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, W.J.; Cobban, W.A.; Scott, G.R.

2000-01-01

Calcareous sandstone concretions in the Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale in Middle Park and in the Fort Collins area of Colorado in the U.S. Western Interior contain heteromorph ammonites of the families Nostoceratidae HYATT, 1894, and Diplomoceratidae SPATH, 1926. The following species are described: Nostoceras cf. N. approximans (CONRAD, 1855), Nostoceras cf. N. obtusum HOWARTH, 1965, N. larimerense sp. nov., Nostoceras cf. N. splendidum (SHUMARD, 1861). Didymoceras aurarium sp. nov., D. draconis (STEPHENSON, 1941), Cirroceras conradi (MORTON, 1841), Anaklinoceras minutum sp. nov., Solenoceras texanum (SHUMARD, 1861), Solenoceras cf. S. reesidei STEPHENSON, 1941, Lewyites oronensis (LEWY, 1969), and Lewyites? sp. All these species are migrants from the Gulf coastal region. Didymoceras draconis and Cirroceras conradi are also known from the Delaware-New Jersey area, and these two species, together with Solenoceras texanum are known from as far away as Israel.

Aptian Carbon Isotope Stratigraphy in Sierra del Rosario, Northeastern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barragan-Manzo, R.; Moreno-Bedmar, J.; Nuñez, F.; Company, M.

2013-05-01

In most recent years Aptian carbon isotope stratigraphy has been widely studied in Europe where isotopic stages have been developed to correlate global events. Two negative excursions have been recorded in the Lower Aptian, the older is OAE 1a in the middle part, and a younger negative excursion labeled "Aparein level", which occurs in the uppermost part of the Lower Aptian. In Mexico previous works reported a carbon isotope negative excursion in the lowermost part of the La Peña Formation that was assigned to the onset of Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (=OAE 1a). In this work we study the isotopic record of the δ13Ccarb of 32 bulk rock samples of limestone from the uppermost part of the Cupido Formation and the lower part of the La Peña Formation at the Francisco Zarco Dam Section (=FZD), Durango State, northeastern Mexico. The isotopic data are calibrated using the latest ammonite biostratigraphic biozonation of the Aptian. This age calibration allows us to make a precise correlation between the carbon isotopic record of Mexico and several European sections (e.g. Spain and France). In the studied Francisco Zarco Dam section we recognize a negative carbon isotopic excursion in the Dufrenoyia justinae ammonite Zone that corresponds to the "Aparein level", which we correlate using the ammonite zonation of others European sections (Figure 1). This correlation allows us to see how the negative excursion that characterizes the "Aparein level" is consistent with the C7 segment. Thus, our recent stratigraphic study allows us to conclude that the ammonite record in the lowermost part of the La Peña Formation is regionally isochronous, and correlates with the Dufrenoyia justinae Zone and Lower Aptian isotope interval C7. In agreement to these biostratigraphic data, the supposed record of the OAE 1a in the lowermost part of the La Peña Formation is not correct, and the carbon isotope negative excursion must be assigned to the younger event "Aparein level". Taking this into account, other Lower Aptian negative excursions reported in the literature and assigned to the OAE 1a, perhaps, must be reconsidered to distinguish among the two Lower Aptian negative excursions.; Figure 1: Isotopic curve of the FZD section compared with one section of Spain. The sharp negative peak in the Mexican section is compared with the Spanish section (see the arrow).

Biostratigraphy of the San Joaquin Formation in borrow-source area B-17, Kettleman Hills landfill, North Dome, Kettleman Hills, Kings County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, Charles L.; Fisk, Lanny H.; Maloney, David F.; Haasl, David M.

2010-01-01

The stratigraphic occurrences and interpreted biostratigraphy of invertebrate fossil taxa in the upper San Joaquin Formation and lower-most Tulare Formation encountered at the Chemical Waste Management Kettleman Hills waste disposal facility on the North Dome of the Kettleman Hills, Kings County, California are documented. Significant new findings include (1) a detailed biostratigraphy of the upper San Joaquin Formation; (2) the first fossil occurrence of Modiolus neglectus; (3) distinguishing Ostrea sequens from Myrakeena veatchii (Ostrea vespertina of authors) in the Central Valley of California; (4) differentiating two taxa previously attributed to Pteropurpura festivus; (5) finding a stratigraphic succession between Caesia coalingensis (lower in the section) and Catilon iniquus (higher in the section); and (6) recognizing Pliocene-age fossils from around Santa Barbara. In addition, the presence of the bivalves Anodonta and Gonidea in the San Joaquin Formation, both restricted to fresh water and common in the Tulare Formation, confirm periods of fresh water or very close fresh-water environments during deposition of the San Joaquin Formation.

Terrestrial environments during MIS 11: evidence from the Palaeolithic site at West Stow, Suffolk, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preece, R. C.; Parfitt, S. A.; Bridgland, D. R.; Lewis, S. G.; Rowe, P. J.; Atkinson, T. C.; Candy, I.; Debenham, N. C.; Penkman, K. E. H.; Rhodes, E. J.; Schwenninger, J.-L.; Griffiths, H. I.; Whittaker, J. E.; Gleed-Owen, C.

2007-05-01

Multidisciplinary investigations of the sequence at Beeches Pit, West Stow (Suffolk, UK), have a direct bearing the age of the Hoxnian Interglacial and its correlation with the continental Holsteinian and with the global marine record. At this site, glacial deposits (till and outwash gravels) referable to the Anglian Lowestoft Formation fill a subglacial channel cut in Chalk bedrock. Above these glacial deposits a series of interglacial sediments occurs, consisting of limnic, tufaceous and colluvial silts, lacking pollen but rich in shells, ostracods and vertebrates. Lower Palaeolithic flint artefacts of Acheulian character have also been recovered, including refitting examples. Charred material is abundant at certain horizons and many of the bones have been burned. Several discrete areas of burnt sediment are interpreted as hearths. The molluscan fauna comprises some 78 taxa and includes species of considerable zoogeographical and biostratigraphical importance. The land snail assemblage from the tufa consists of woodland taxa with no modern analogue, including species that are either extinct (e.g. Zonitoides sepultus) or which no longer live in Britain (e.g. Platyla polita, P. similis, Neniatlanta pauli). This is also the type locality of Retinella ( Lyrodiscus) skertchlyi, which belongs to a subgenus of zonitid land snail now living only on the Canary Islands. There are indications from this fauna ('the Lyrodiscus biome') that the climate was wetter and perhaps warmer than the present day. The vertebrate fauna is also noteworthy with species of open habitats, such as rabbit ( Oryctolagus cf . cuniculus), and of closed forest, such as squirrel ( Sciurus sp.) and garden dormouse ( Eliomys quercinus) present at different times. The occurrence of southern thermophiles, such as Aesculapian snake ( Zamenis longissimus), indicates temperatures warmer than those of eastern England today. The upper levels include much material reworked from the interglacial sediments, although there is clear faunal evidence for climatic deterioration. Both the molluscan and vertebrate faunas suggest correlation of the interglacial sediments with the Hoxnian. Uranium series dates from the tufa (˜455 ka BP), TL dates from burnt flints (414±30 ka BP) and a range of amino acid racemization data all support correlation of this interglacial with MIS 11. However, four OSL dates from sand beneath the interglacial sequence yield a mean age of 261±31 ka BP, far younger than all other age determinations and far younger than implied by the biostratigraphy. Archaeologically the site is unusual in showing prolonged human occupation within closed deciduous forest and evidence for controlled use of fire in a Lower Palaeolithic context. Biostratigraphical correlations with other Lower Palaeolithic sites support the suggestion that Acheulian and Clactonian industries both occurred in southern Britain during the same substage of the Hoxnian, although not necessarily at precisely the same time. The characteristics of the MIS 11 interglacial in Britain are discussed in the light of evidence from Beeches Pit and elsewhere.

Microfacies analysis of foraminifera rich sedimentary rocks from the Desert Plateau, central Egypt.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karnitschar, C.; Briguglio, A.; Hohenegger, J.

2012-04-01

Microfacies analysis on some samples from the Thebes Group have been carried on by means of thin sections. The study area is included in the Libyan Desert Plateau (central Egypt) at following coordinates N27° 36'30.58" E29° 44'58.34", near the biggest dune of Egypt, the Ghard Abu Muharik. Because of the round shape of the rocks and the desert patina on the surface they could easily be classified as the so called "Melonstones", which are located more southwards and mainly composed by stromatolites. On the contrary, the investigated samples show a completely different fauna and therefore have been separated from the "Melonstones". Even if shape and size are very similar and the desert patina covers all surfaces the same way the differences are impressive. To investigate the samples, two thin-sections have been prepared and analyzed at the microscope. The observed fauna is composed by: agglutinated benthic foraminifera (e.g., Dictyoconus egypticus), complex larger miliolids (e.g., Pseudolacazina cf. danatae, Fabularia sp.), alveolinids (Alveolina vredenburgi), green algae (Dasycladaceae), echinoids and corals. Because of the presence of symbionts bearing larger benthic foraminifera, which need light to feed photosymbionts, the rock was formed in a shallow water environment. With the abundant rock-building benthic foraminifera and calcareous algae the limestone shows a tendency to the packstone/wackestone facies. Based on the presence of Alveolina vredenburgi, the age of the samples can be estimate as lowermost Eocene belonging to the shallow benthic zone 5 (sensu Serra-Kiel et al., 1998). According the obtained data on stratigraphy and palaeoecology, a partial palaeoenvironmental reconstruction is possible for the Libyan Desert Plateau where outcrops are largely missing. Because of the round shape of the samples and the patina which covers them all around it can be assumed that they have been transported from longer distance. According to the geological map of the area and to the fauna observed in the sections, the source of the samples can be related to the Farafra Formation, which is characterized by white to grey alveolinid shallow water limestone. The closest outcrop belonging to this formation can be found around 50 kilometers westwards from the location where the samples were taken. Serra-Kiel J., Hottinger L., Caus E., Drobne K., Ferrà Ndez C., Jauhria.K., Less G., Pavlovec R., Pignatti J., Samsó J.M., Schaub H., Sirel E., Strougo A., Tambareau Y., Tosquella J., ZAKREVSKAYA E., 1998 - Larger Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy Of The Tethyan Paleocene And Eocene. Bull. Soc. géol. France, 169 (2): 281-299.

Paleobiogeography, high-resolution stratigraphy, and the future of Paleozoic biostratigraphy: Fine-scale diachroneity of the Wenlock (Silurian) conodont Kockelella walliseri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cramer, Bradley D.; Kleffner, Mark A.; Brett, Carlton E.; McLaughlin, P.I.; Jeppsson, Lennart; Munnecke, Axel; Samtleben, Christian

2010-01-01

The Wenlock Epoch of the Silurian Period has become one of the chronostratigraphically best-constrained intervals of the Paleozoic. The integration of multiple chronostratigraphic tools, such as conodont and graptolite biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, and ??13Ccarb chemostratigraphy, has greatly improved global chronostratigraphic correlation and portions of the Wenlock can now be correlated with precision better than ??100kyr. Additionally, such detailed and integrated chronostratigraphy provides an opportunity to evaluate the fidelity of individual chronostratigraphic tools. Here, we use conodont biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and carbon isotope (??13Ccarb) chemostratigraphy to demonstrate that the conodont Kockelella walliseri, an important guide fossil for middle and upper Sheinwoodian strata (lower stage of the Wenlock Series), first appears at least one full stratigraphic sequence lower in Laurentia than in Baltica. Rather than serving as a demonstration of the unreliability of conodont biostratigraphy, this example serves to demonstrate the promise of high-resolution Paleozoic stratigraphy. The temporal difference between the two first occurrences was likely less than 1million years, and although it is conceptually understood that speciation and colonization must have been non-instantaneous events, Paleozoic paleobiogeographic variability on such short timescales (tens to hundreds of kyr) traditionally has been ignored or considered to be of little practical importance. The expansion of high-resolution Paleozoic stratigraphy in the future will require robust biostratigraphic zonations that embrace the integration of multiple chronostratigraphic tools as well as the paleobiogeographic variability in ranges that they will inevitably demonstrate. In addition, a better understanding of the paleobiogeographic migration histories of marine organisms will provide a unique tool for future Paleozoic paleoceanography and paleobiology research. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

A new species of Gulo from the Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (Eastern United States); rethinking the evolution of wolverines

PubMed Central

Bredehoeft, Keila E.; Wallace, Steven C.

2018-01-01

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest living terrestrial member of the Mustelidae; a versatile predator formerly distributed throughout boreal regions of North America and Eurasia. Though commonly recovered from Pleistocene sites across their range, pre-Pleistocene records of the genus are exceedingly rare. Here, we describe a new species of Gulo from the Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee. Based on biostratigraphy, a revised estimate of the age of the Gray Fossil Site is Early Pliocene, near the Hemphillian—Blancan transition, between 4.9 and 4.5 Ma. This represents the earliest known occurrence of a wolverine, more than one million years earlier than any other record. The new species of wolverine described here shares similarities with previously described species of Gulo, and with early fishers (Pekania). As the earliest records of both Gulo and Pekania are known from North America, this suggests the genus may have evolved in North America and dispersed to Eurasia later in the Pliocene. Both fauna and flora at the Gray Fossil Site are characteristic of warm/humid climates, which suggests wolverines may have become ‘cold-adapted’ relatively recently. Finally, detailed comparison indicates Plesiogulo, which has often been suggested to be ancestral to Gulo, is not likely closely related to gulonines, and instead may represent convergence on a similar niche. PMID:29682423

Biostratigraphy and event stratigraphy in Iran around the Permian Triassic Boundary (PTB): Implications for the causes of the PTB biotic crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozur, H. W.

2007-01-01

The conodont succession and stratigraphic events around the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) have been investigated in detail in the open sea deposits of Iran (Abadeh and Shahreza in central Iran, and Jolfa and Zal in northwestern Iran). This investigation produced a very detailed conodont zonation from the Clarkina nodosa Zone up to the Isarcicella isarcica Zone. All significant events have been accurately located and dated within this zonation, and the duration of most of these conodont zones has been calculated by cross-correlation with continental lake deposits that display obvious Milankovitch cyclicity. The unusually short duration of all conodont zones in the interval from the C. nodosa up to the Hindeodus parvus Zone indicates that there was persistent high ecological stress during this time interval. Most of the conodont zones can be accurately correlated with South China. In the interval from the C. hauschkei Zone to the H. parvus Zone, even correlation with the Arctic is possible. Within three thin stratigraphic intervals, the Changhsingian (Dorashamian) warm water conodont fauna of the C. subcarinata lineage is replaced by a cool water fauna with small H. typicalis, rare Merrillina sp., and cool water Clarkina that have very widely spaced denticles. The uppermost cool water fauna horizon comprises the lower C. zhangi Zone and can be accurately correlated with continental beds by recognition of a short reversed magnetozone below the long uppermost Permian-lowermost Triassic normal magnetozone. In Iran and Transcaucasia, this short reversed zone comprises the upper C. changxingensis- C. deflecta Zone and most of the C. zhangi Zone. Its top lies 50 cm below the top of the Paratirolites Limestone (s.s.) in the Dorasham 2 section, which is at the beginning of the upper quarter of the C. zhangi Zone. In the Germanic Basin, this short palaeomagnetic interval comprises the lower and the basal part of the upper Fulda Formation. On the Russian Platform, the Nedubrovo Formation belongs to this short reversed magnetic interval. In its upper part (corresponding to the top of the lower C. zhangi Zone, see above) there is a fallout of mafic tuffs from the Siberian Trap event that originated about 3000 km away in eruption centres in the Siberian Tungusska Basin. In the Germanic Basin and in Iran, this horizon contains volcanic microsphaerules. Thus, a direct correlation can be made between the immigration of a cool water fauna into the tropical realm and an exceptionally strong interval of explosive activity during the Siberian Trap volcanic episode. These faunal changes are the same as those found at the base of the Boundary Clay, suggesting that a short cooling event at this horizon also was due to intense volcanism. Additional influence by a bolide impact cannot be excluded. Most of the events in the interval from the C. nodosa up to the I. isarcica Zone (upper Changhsingian to middle Gangetian) in the Iranian sections can be also observed in other marine sections (e.g., in Meishan) and even in continental sections of the Germanic Basin. Of particular significance is the fact that, in the investigated Iranian sections, the PTB lies either in red sediments or in light grey sediments (as in Abadeh) that contain an ostracod fauna indicative of highly oxygenated bottom waters. Therefore, anoxia cannot be the reason for the PTB extinction event in this region, even though anoxia does cause locally or regionally elsewhere an overprint on the extinction event.

Upper Tithonian ammonites (Himalayitidae Spath, 1925 and Neocomitidae Salfeld, 1921) from Charens (Drôme, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frau, Camille; Bulot, Luc G.; Wimbledon, William A. P.; Ifrim, Christina

2016-12-01

This contribution focuses on the Perisphinctoidea ammonite taxa from the Upper Tithonian at Charens (Drôme, south-east France). Emphasis is laid on five genera that belong to the families Himalayitidae and Neocomitidae. We document the precise vertical range of the index-species Micracanthoceras microcanthum, and a comparative ontogenetic- biometric analysis sheds new light on its range of variation and dimorphism as compared to the bestknown Spanish populations. As herein understood, the lower boundary of the M. microcanthum Zone (base of the Upper Tithonian) is fixed at the FAD of its index species. The faunal assemblages and species distribution of the P. andreaei Zone are rather similar to those described at the key-section of Le Chouet as confirmed by the co-occurrence of the genera Protacanthodiscus, Boughdiriella and Pratumidiscus. New palaeontological evidence supports the view that the basal Neocomitidae Busnardoiceras busnardoi was derived from Protacanthodiscus andreaei in the upper part of the P. andreaei Zone.

The old and the new plankton: ecological replacement of associations of mollusc plankton and giant filter feeders after the Cretaceous?

PubMed Central

Tajika, Amane; Nützel, Alexander

2018-01-01

Owing to their great diversity and abundance, ammonites and belemnites represented key elements in Mesozoic food webs. Because of their extreme ontogenetic size increase by up to three orders of magnitude, their position in the food webs likely changed during ontogeny. Here, we reconstruct the number of eggs laid by large adult females of these cephalopods and discuss developmental shifts in their ecologic roles. Based on similarities in conch morphology, size, habitat and abundance, we suggest that similar niches occupied in the Cretaceous by juvenile ammonites and belemnites were vacated during the extinction and later partially filled by holoplanktonic gastropods. As primary consumers, these extinct cephalopod groups were important constituents of the plankton and a principal food source for planktivorous organisms. As victims or, respectively, profiteers of this case of ecological replacement, filter feeding chondrichthyans and cetaceans likely filled the niches formerly occupied by large pachycormid fishes during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. PMID:29333344

Ammonites and Stratigraphy of the Terminal Part of the Middle Volgian Substage (Upper Jurassic; Epivirgatites nikitini Zone and Its Equivalents) of the Panboreal Realm: 2. Titanites and Glaucolithites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiselev, D. N.; Rogov, M. A.

2018-01-01

The genera Titanites and Glaucolithites, which were previously known only from the Portlandian of Northwestern Europe are now established in Epivirgatites nikitini Zone of European Russia. The Volgian species of Titanites are represented by both the endemic taxa Titanites (Paratitanites) manipulocostatus subgen. et sp. nov. and T. (Pseudogalbanites) triceps subgen. et sp. nov. and Titanites (Titanites) ex gr. titan Buckman of the Portland type. A new species Glaucolithites gardarikensis is described. It is likely that these ammonites migrated to the Central Russian Sea from northwestern Europe via the Norway-Greenland seaway and further to the Mezen-Pechora system of straits, which is supported by occurrences of Titanites in the north of Central Russia and Glaucolithites in East Greenland and on Spitsbergen. The direct and indirect correlations show that the middle part of the Nikitini Zone (Lahuseni Subzone) should at least partly be correlated with the Portlandian Kerbeus Zone.

Trans-Tethyan correlation of the Lower-Middle Cenomanian boundary interval; southern England (Southerham, near Lewes, Sussex) and Douar el Khiana, northeastern Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, William J.; Gale, Andrew S.

2017-03-01

A 480 m section of marls with widely separated levels of nodular limestone in the Fahdene Formation north of Bou Khadra in Tebessa Province, northeastern Algeria, spans the Lower/Middle Cenomanian boundary. A total of 30 ammonite species are present, of which two: Forbesiceras reversum and Calycoceras (Newboldiceras) algeriense are new. The fauna allows recognition of the Northwest European upper Lower Cenomanian Mantelliceras dixoni Zone, the succeeding lower Middle Cenomanian Cunningtoniceras inerme Zone, the Acanthoceras rhotomagense Zone and its subzones of Turrilites costatus and Turrilites acutus. The sequence of index species occurs in the same order in both north-eastern Tunisia and the Southerham Grey Pit in Sussex (and indeed elsewhere in Northwest Europe), indicating these to be robust assemblage zones and subzones that can be recognised on both the north and south sides of the Tethys. Other occurrences of taxa that are common in both sections and regions are markedly different, and include the co-occurrence of Cunningtoniceras inerme (Pervinquière, 1907) with Acanthoceras rhotomagense (Brongniart, 1822) in the costatus Subzone in north-eastern Algeria and central Tunisia, the extension of Acompsoceras renevieri (Sharpe, 1857) into the lower Middle Cenomanian in north-eastern Tunisia, whilst the acme of Turrilites scheuchzerianus Bosc, 1801, is in the dixoni Zone in Northwest Europe, and in the inerme Zone in northeasten Algeria and adjacent parts of Central Tunisia. These differences are not a result of collection failure or non-preservation, but must rather reflect environmental controls on occurrence and abundance.

A not-so-big crisis: re-reading Silurian conodont diversity in a sequence-stratigraphic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarochowska, Emilia; Munnecke, Axel

2016-04-01

Conodonts are extensively used in Ordovician through Triassic biostratigraphy and fossil-based geochemistry. However, their distribution in rock successions is commonly taken at face value, without taking into account their diverse and poorly understood ecology. Multielement taxonomy, ontogenetic and environmental variability, difficulties in extraction, and relative rarity all contribute to the general lack of quantitative studies on conodont stratigraphic distribution and temporal turnover. With respect to Silurian conodonts, the concept of recurrent conodont extinction events - the so called Ireviken, Mulde and Lau events - has become a standard in the stratigraphic literature. The concept has been proposed based on qualitative observations of local extirpations of open-marine pelagic or nekto-benthic taxa and temporary dominance of shallow-water species in the Silurian succession of the Swedish island of Gotland. These changes coincided with positive carbon isotope excursions, abrupt facies shifts, "blooms" of benthic fauna, and changes in reef communities, which have all been combined into a general view of Silurian bio-geochemical events. This view posits a deterministic, reproducible pattern in Silurian conodont diversity, attributed to recurrent ecological or geochemical conditions. The growing body of sequence-stratigraphic interpretations across these events in Gotland and other sections worldwide indicate that in all cases the Silurian "events" are associated with rapid global regressions. This suggests that faunal changes such as the dominance of shallow-water, low-diversity conodont fauna and the increase of benthic invertebrate diversity and abundance represent predictable consequences of the variation in the completeness of the rock record and preservation potential of different environments. Our studies in Poland and Ukraine indicate that the magnitude of change in the taxonomic composition of conodont assemblages across the middle Silurian global regression and the hypothesized Mulde Event is proportional to the associated facies shift. Quantitative data on facies distribution of individual conodont species combined with sequence stratigraphic architecture provides a testable model for the impact of sea-level changes on perceived conodont diversity in a section or basin. This approach highlights the need for quantitative data on conodont distribution in their environmental context, their integration into conodont-based stratigraphy and geochemistry, and for the regular use of Occam's razor to interpretations of paleobiodiversity.

The ammonite genus Prionocycloceras (Spath, 1926), from the Coniacian of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinger, Herbert C.; Kennedy, William J.

2016-12-01

Subprionocyclus latiumbilicatus (Van Hoepen, 1968), and Subprionocyclus obesus (Van Hoepen, 1968), are revised, and referred to Prionocycloceras (Spath, 1926), a genus not previously recognised from the South African Cretaceous. The material comes from the Middle and Upper Coniacian St Lucia Formation of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Paleobiology of the Latest Tithonian (Late Jurassic) Ammonite Salinites grossicostatum Inferred from Internal and External Shell Parameters.

PubMed

Zell, Patrick; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Based on material from the uppermost Tithonian La Caja Formation at Puerto Piñones, northeastern Mexico, the complete ontogenetic development (protoconch to adult) of the ammonite Salinites grossicostatum is outlined by a detailed morphometrical shell analysis. The embryonic stage, consisting of a small ellipsoid protoconch and ammonitella, ends at about 0.6 mm. Four major morphological changes are differentiated throughout ontogeny based on internal features such as reduced septal spacing and siphuncle position. Sexual dimorphism is reflected by shell size, siphuncular diameter, differences in the morphology of the apophysis, and by two distinct general trends in septal spacing. In addition, macroconchs are characterized by septal crowding at different stages, followed by the return to normal septum distances. Our analysis indicates a change in the mode of life after the neanic stage. A change in habitat preference is inferred for adult individuals. While microconchs persisted at Puerto Piñones, large mature macroconchs temporarily migrated to other areas, possibly for egg deposition. Salinites grossicostatum is endemic to the ancient Gulf of Mexico and is there restricted to outer continental shelf environments.

The chronostratigraphic framework of the South-Pyrenean Maastrichtian succession reappraised: Implications for basin development and end-Cretaceous dinosaur faunal turnover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fondevilla, Víctor; Dinarès-Turell, Jaume; Oms, Oriol

2016-05-01

The evolution of the end-Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems and faunas outside of North America is largely restricted to the European Archipelago. The information scattered in this last area can only be integrated in a chronostratigraphic framework on the basis of robust age constraints and stratigraphy. Therefore, we have revisited the puzzling age calibration of the sedimentary infilling from the Isona sector in the Tremp syncline (South-Central Pyrenees), an area renowned for its rich Maastrichtian dinosaur fossil record. Aiming to shed light to existing controversial age determinations, we carried out a new magnetostratigraphic study along the ~ 420 m long Orcau and Nerets sections of that area. Our results reveal that most of the succession correlates to the early Maastrichtian (mostly chron C31r) in accordance to ages proposed by recent planktonic foraminifera biostratigraphy. The resulting chronostratigraphic framework of the entire Maastrichtian basin recorded in the Tremp syncline shows that a significant sedimentary hiatus of about 3 My characterizes most of the late Maastrichtian in the study area. This hiatus, related to an abrupt migration of the basin depocenter, is temporally close to similar hiatuses, decreases in sedimentary rates and facies shifts recorded in other southwestern European areas. The present chronologic framework sets the basis for a thorough assessment of end-Cretaceous terrestrial faunal turnover and extinction patterns, and the establishment of a more rigorous Pyrenean basin evolution analysis.

Fauna and Predator-Prey Relationships of Ettling, an Actinopterygian Fish-Dominated Konservat-Lagerstätte from the Late Jurassic of Southern Germany

PubMed Central

Ebert, Martin; Kölbl-Ebert, Martina; Lane, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

The newly recognized Konservat-Lagerstätte of Ettling (Bavaria), field site of the Jura-Museum Eichstätt (JME), is unique among Late Jurassic plattenkalk basins (Solnhofen region) in its abundant, extremely well preserved fossil vertebrates, almost exclusively fishes. We report actinopterygians (ginglymodins, pycnodontiforms, halecomorphs, aspidorynchiforms, “pholidophoriforms,” teleosts); turtles; and non-vertebrates (echinoderms, arthropods, brachiopods, mollusks, jellyfish, sponges, biomats, plants) in a current faunal list. Ettling has yielded several new fish species (Bavarichthys incognitus; Orthogonikleithrus hoelli; Aspidorhynchus sanzenbacheri; Macrosemimimus fegerti). Upper and lower Ettling strata differ in faunal content, with the lower dominated by the small teleost Orthogonikleithrus hoelli (absent from the upper layers, where other prey fishes, Leptolepides sp. and Tharsis sp., occur instead). Pharyngeal and stomach contents of Ettling fishes provide direct evidence that Orthogonikleithrus hoelli was a primary food source during early Ettling times. Scarcity of ammonites and absence of vampyromorph coleoids at Ettling differ markedly from the situation at other nearby localities in the region (e.g., Eichstätt, Painten, Schamhaupten, the Mörnsheim beds), where they are more common. Although the exact biochronological age of Ettling remains uncertain (lack of suitable index fossils), many Ettling fishes occur in other plattenkalk basins of Germany (e.g., Kelheim) and France (Cerin) dated as Late Kimmeridgian to Early Tithonian (eigeltingense horizon), suggesting a comparable geologic age. The Ettling deposits represent an independent basin within the larger Upper Jurassic “Solnhofen Archipelago”, a shallow subtropical sea containing scattered islands, sponge-microbial and coral reefs, sandbars, and deeper basins on a vast carbonate platform along the northern margin of the Tethys Ocean. PMID:25629970

Recovery of Carbonate Ecosystems Following the End-Triassic Mass Extinction: Insights from Mercury Anomalies and Their Relationship to the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corsetti, F. A.; Thibodeau, A. M.; Ritterbush, K. A.; West, A. J.; Yager, J. A.; Ibarra, Y.; Bottjer, D. J.; Berelson, W.; Bergquist, B. A.

2015-12-01

Recent high-resolution age dating demonstrates that the end-Triassic mass extinction overlapped with the eruption of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), and the release of CO2 and other volatiles to the atmosphere has been implicated in the extinction. Given the potentially massive release of CO2, ocean acidification is commonly considered a factor in the extinction and the collapse of shallow marine carbonate ecosystems. However, the timing of global marine biotic recovery versus the CAMP eruptions is more uncertain. Here, we use Hg concentrations and Hg/TOC ratios as indicators of CAMP volcanism in continental shelf sediments, the primary archive of faunal data. In Triassic-Jurassic strata, Muller Canyon, Nevada, Hg and Hg/TOC levels are low prior to the extinction, rise sharply in the extinction interval, peak just prior to the appearance of the first Jurassic ammonite, and remain above background in association with a depauperate (low diversity) earliest Jurassic fauna. The return of Hg to pre-extinction levels is associated with a significant pelagic and benthic faunal recovery. We conclude that significant biotic recovery did not begin until CAMP eruptions ceased. Furthermore, the initial benthic recovery in the Muller Canyon section involves the expansion of a siliceous sponge-dominated ecosystem across shallow marine environments, a feature now known from other sections around the world (e.g., Peru, Morocco, Austria, etc.). Carbonate dominated benthic ecosystems (heralded by the return of abundant corals and other skeletal carbonates) did not recover for ~1 million years following the last eruption of CAMP, longer than the typical duration considered for ocean acidification events, implying other factors may have played a role in carbonate ecosystem dynamics after the extinction.

Fauna and predator-prey relationships of Ettling, an actinopterygian fish-dominated Konservat-Lagerstätte from the Late Jurassic of southern Germany.

PubMed

Ebert, Martin; Kölbl-Ebert, Martina; Lane, Jennifer A

2015-01-01

The newly recognized Konservat-Lagerstätte of Ettling (Bavaria), field site of the Jura-Museum Eichstätt (JME), is unique among Late Jurassic plattenkalk basins (Solnhofen region) in its abundant, extremely well preserved fossil vertebrates, almost exclusively fishes. We report actinopterygians (ginglymodins, pycnodontiforms, halecomorphs, aspidorynchiforms, "pholidophoriforms," teleosts); turtles; and non-vertebrates (echinoderms, arthropods, brachiopods, mollusks, jellyfish, sponges, biomats, plants) in a current faunal list. Ettling has yielded several new fish species (Bavarichthys incognitus; Orthogonikleithrus hoelli; Aspidorhynchus sanzenbacheri; Macrosemimimus fegerti). Upper and lower Ettling strata differ in faunal content, with the lower dominated by the small teleost Orthogonikleithrus hoelli (absent from the upper layers, where other prey fishes, Leptolepides sp. and Tharsis sp., occur instead). Pharyngeal and stomach contents of Ettling fishes provide direct evidence that Orthogonikleithrus hoelli was a primary food source during early Ettling times. Scarcity of ammonites and absence of vampyromorph coleoids at Ettling differ markedly from the situation at other nearby localities in the region (e.g., Eichstätt, Painten, Schamhaupten, the Mörnsheim beds), where they are more common. Although the exact biochronological age of Ettling remains uncertain (lack of suitable index fossils), many Ettling fishes occur in other plattenkalk basins of Germany (e.g., Kelheim) and France (Cerin) dated as Late Kimmeridgian to Early Tithonian (eigeltingense horizon), suggesting a comparable geologic age. The Ettling deposits represent an independent basin within the larger Upper Jurassic "Solnhofen Archipelago", a shallow subtropical sea containing scattered islands, sponge-microbial and coral reefs, sandbars, and deeper basins on a vast carbonate platform along the northern margin of the Tethys Ocean.

Vertebrate assemblages from the early Late Cretaceous of southeastern Morocco: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavin, L.; Tong, H.; Boudad, L.; Meister, C.; Piuz, A.; Tabouelle, J.; Aarab, M.; Amiot, R.; Buffetaut, E.; Dyke, G.; Hua, S.; Le Loeuff, J.

2010-07-01

Fossils of vertebrates have been found in great abundance in the continental and marine early Late Cretaceous sediments of Southeastern Morocco for more than 50 years. About 80 vertebrate taxa have so far been recorded from this region, many of which were recognised and diagnosed for the first time based on specimens recovered from these sediments. In this paper, we use published data together with new field data to present an updated overview of Moroccan early Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages. The Cretaceous series we have studied encompasses three Formations, the Ifezouane and Aoufous Formations, which are continental and deltaic in origin and are often grouped under the name "Kem Kem beds", and the Akrabou Formation which is marine in origin. New field observations allow us to place four recognised vertebrate clusters, corresponding to one compound assemblage and three assemblages, within a general temporal framework. In particular, two ammonite bioevents characterise the lower part of the Upper Cenomanian ( Calycoceras guerangeri Zone) at the base of the Akrabou Formation and the upper part of the Lower Turonian ( Mammites nodosoides Zone), that may extend into the Middle Turonian within the Akrabou Formation, and allow for more accurate dating of the marine sequence in the study area. We are not yet able to distinguish a specific assemblage that characterises the Ifezouane Formation when compared to the similar Aoufous Formation, and as a result we regard the oldest of the four vertebrate "assemblages" in this region to be the compound assemblage of the "Kem Kem beds". This well-known vertebrate assemblage comprises a mixture of terrestrial (and aerial), freshwater and brackish vertebrates. The archosaur component of this fauna appears to show an intriguingly high proportion of large-bodied carnivorous taxa, which may indicate a peculiar trophic chain, although collecting biases alter this palaeontological signal. A small and restricted assemblage, the OT1 assemblage, possibly corresponds to a specific, localised ecosystem within the Kem Kem beds compound assemblage. Microfossils and facies from the Aoufous Formation, corresponding to the top of the compound assemblage, provide evidence of extremely abiotic conditions (hypersalinity), and thus of great environmental instability. At the base of the Akrabou Formation the first ammonite bioevent, Neolobites, corresponds to the onset of the marine transgression in the early Late Cenomanian while the Agoult assemblage (Late Cenomanian?) contains a variety of small fish species that have Central Tethyan affinities. Finally, the youngest Mammites bioevent in the late Early Turonian corresponds to a deepening of the marine environment: this sequence is isochronous with the Goulmima assemblage, a diverse collection of fish and other marine taxa, and shows affinities with taxa from the South Atlantic, the Central Tethys and the Western Interior seaway of North America, and further highlights the biogeographical importance of these North African Late Cretaceous assemblages.

Rock magnetic record of the Karoo-Ferrar effect on sediments: Timing and duration of the environmental change (Monte Serrone section, Northern Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satolli, S.; Muttoni, G.; Di Cencio, A.; Lanci, L.

2017-12-01

The early Toarcian is globally characterized by a concomitance of extensional tectonics, volcanism, greenhouse conditions, marine transgression, mass extinction and increase in the total organic carbon, generally resulting in an organic rich facies known as the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE). These events have been related to the eruption of the Karoo-Ferrar igneous province. We characterize the time interval encompassing the T-OAE in the Marne del Serrone section (Northern Apennines, Italy). This 62-m-thick section is characterized by micritic limestones, red-green marls and by 50-cm-thick black shale and massive slumps in its bottom part. The age of the section has been constrained trough magnetostratigraphy and ammonite biostratigraphy in the Spinatum to Variabilis biozones. Non-oriented samples were collected at 5-to-10-cm sampling space and analyzed in order to detect variations in the magnetic minerals content. Rock magnetic investigations comprise mass-normalized NRM and magnetic susceptibility (MS), isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) at room temperature, and thermal demagnetization of a three-component IRM. The section is magnetic-wise characterized by an alternate predominance of two end-members: magnetite and hematite. Higher SIRM coupled with lower S-ratio documented in red levels and nodular grey-reddish marl indicates higher presence of hematite, suggesting a detrital input. Instead, the black shale is characterized by a comparably high amount of magnetite. Here, the absence of hematite suggests the lack of continental influx. The cyclicity of rock magnetic parameters S-ratio and MS record was studied as a proxy for changes in productivity due to fluctuations in hematite of detrital origin. The latter reflects the expression of orbital modulation on the lithological alternations found in the upper part of the section (Bifrons biozone). The analysis allowed quantifying the timing and duration of the environmental change triggered by the Karoo-Ferrar event, which in the Marne del Serrone section is mirrored by a rapid increase in the SIRM starting in the "Posidonia Beds" and reaches its acme few meters above the anoxic level. The decrease in the magnetization of saturation is gradual after the event and characterized by peaks in the magnetization intensity.

Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene sediments from southern Tanzania: Tanzania Drilling Project Sites 27-35

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimènez Berrocoso, Àlvaro; Huber, Brian T.; MacLeod, Kenneth G.; Petrizzo, Maria Rose; Lees, Jacqueline A.; Wendler, Ines; Coxall, Helen; Mweneinda, Amina K.; Falzoni, Francesca; Birch, Heather; Singano, Joyce M.; Haynes, Shannon; Cotton, Laura; Wendler, Jens; Bown, Paul R.; Robinson, Stuart A.; Gould, Jeremy

2012-07-01

The 2008 Tanzania Drilling Project (TDP) expedition recovered common planktonic foraminifera (PF), calcareous nannofossils (CN) and calcareous dinoflagellates with extraordinary shell preservation at multiple Cenomanian-Campanian sites that will be used for paleoclimatic, paleoceanographic, and biostratigraphic studies. New cores confirm the existence of a more expanded and continuous Upper Cretaceous sequence than had previously been documented in the Lindi and Kilwa regions of southeastern coastal Tanzania. This TDP expedition cored 684.02 m at eight Upper Cretaceous sites (TDP Sites 28-35) and a thin Paleocene section (TDP Site 27). TDP Sites 29, 30, 31 and 34 together span the lowermost Turonian to Coniacian (PF Whiteinella archaeocretacea to Dicarinella concavata Zones and CN Zones UC6a-9b), with TDP Site 31 being the most biostratigraphically complete Turonian section found during TDP drilling. A discontinuous section from the Santonian-upper Campanian (PF D. asymetrica to Radotruncana calcarata Zones and CN Zones UC12-16) was collectively recovered at TDP Sites 28, 32 and 35, while thin sequences of the lower Cenomanian (PF Thalmanninella globotruncanoides Zone and CN subzones UC3a-b) and middle Paleocene (Selandian; PF Zone P3a and CN Zone NP5) were cored in TDP Sites 33 and 27, respectively. Records of δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb from bulk sediments generated for all the Cretaceous sites show largely stable values through the sections. Only a few parallel δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb shifts have been found and they are interpreted to reflect local processes. The δ18Ocarb record, however, is consistent with Late Cretaceous cooling trends from the Turonian into the Campanian. Lithologies of these sites include thick intervals of claystones and siltstones with locally abundant, finely-laminated fabrics, irregular occurrences of thin sandstone layers, and sporadic bioclastic debris (e.g., inoceramids, ammonites). Minor lithologies represent much thinner units of up to medium-grained, massive sandstones. The %CaCO3 (∼5-40%) and %Corg (∼0.1-2%) are variable, with the highest %CaCO3 in the lower Campanian and the highest %Corg in the Turonian. Lithofacies analysis suggests that deposition of these sediments occurred in outer shelf-upper slope, a setting that agrees well with inferences from benthic foraminifera and calcareous dinoflagellates.

Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous sediments from southern Tanzania: Tanzania drilling project sites 21-26

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez Berrocoso, Álvaro; MacLeod, Kenneth G.; Huber, Brian T.; Lees, Jacqueline A.; Wendler, Ines; Bown, Paul R.; Mweneinda, Amina K.; Isaza Londoño, Carolina; Singano, Joyce M.

2010-04-01

The 2007 drilling season by the Tanzania drilling project (TDP) reveals a much more expanded Upper Cretaceous sequence than was recognized previously in the Lindi region of southern Tanzania. This TDP expedition targeted recovery of excellently preserved microfossils (foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils) for Late Cretaceous paleoclimatic, paleoceanographic and biostratigraphic studies. A total of 501.17 m of core was drilled at six Upper Cretaceous sites (TDP Sites 21, 22, 23, 24, 24B and 26) and a thin Miocene-Pleistocene section (TDP Site 25). Microfossil preservation at all these sites is good to excellent, with foraminifera often showing glassy shells and consistently good preservation of small and delicate nannofossil taxa. In addition to adding to our knowledge of the subsurface geology, new surface exposures were mapped and the geological map of the region is revised herein. TDP Sites 24, 24B and 26 collectively span the upper Albian to lower-middle Turonian (planktonic foraminiferal Planomalina buxtorfi- Whiteinella archaeocretacea Zones and calcareous nannofossil zones UC0a-UC8a). The bottom of TDP Site 21 is barren, but the rest of the section represents the uppermost Cenomanian-Coniacian ( W. archaeocretacea- Dicarinella concavata Zones and nannofossil zones UC5c-UC10). Bulk organic δ 13C data suggest recovery of part of Ocean Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) from these four sites. In the upper part of this interval, the lower Turonian nannofossil zones UC6a-7 are characterized by a low-diversity nannoflora that may be related to OAE2 surface-water conditions. TDP Site 22 presents a 122-m-thick, lower-middle Turonian ( W. archaeocretacea- Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica Zones) sequence that includes the nannofossil zones UC6a(-7?), but invariable isotopic curves. Further, a lower to upper Campanian ( Globotruncana ventricosa- Radotruncana calcarata Zones and nannofossil subzones UC15b TP-UC15d TP) succession was drilled at TDP Site 23. Lithologies of the new sites include thin units of gray, medium to coarse sandstones, separating much thicker intervals of dark claystones with organic-rich laminated parts, irregular silty to fine sandstone partings, and rare inoceramid and ammonite debris. These lithofacies are interpreted to have been deposited in outer shelf and upper slope settings and indicate relatively stable sedimentary conditions during most of the Late Cretaceous on the Tanzanian margin.

Integrated stratigraphy of the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary interval: improving understanding of Oceanic Anoxic Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvis, Ian

2014-05-01

The Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (CTB) interval ~ 94 Ma represented a period of major global palaeoenvironmental change. Increasingly detailed multidisciplinary studies integrating sedimentological, palaeontological and geochemical data from multiple basins, are enabling the development of refined but complex models that aid understanding of the mechanisms driving changes in ocean productivity and climate. This paper reviews some of the exciting new developments in this field. Facies change characterizes the CTB interval in most areas. In the Chalk seas of northern Europe, a widespead hiatus was followed by the deposition of clay-rich organic-lean beds of the Plenus Marl and its equivalents, and then nodular chalks. In the North Sea basin and its onshore extension in eastern England and northern Germany, black shales of the Black Band (Blodøks Formation, Hasseltal Formation) occur. Similarly, in northern Tethys, a brief interval of black shale accumulation within a predominantly carbonate succession, is exemplified by the Niveau Thomel in the Vocontian Basin (SE France), and the Livello Bonarelli in Italy. Widespread deposition of organic-rich marine sediments during CTB times led to 12C depletion in surface carbon reservoirs (oceans, atmosphere, biosphere), and a large positive global δ13C excursion preserved in marine carbonates and both marine and terrestrial organic matter (Oceanic Anoxic Event 2). Significant biotic turnover characterises the boundary interval, and inter-regional correlation may be achieved at high resolution using integrated biostratigraphy employing macrofossils (ammonites, inoceramid bivalves), microfossils (planktonic foraminifera, dinoflagellate cysts) and calcareous nannofossils. Correlations can be tested against those based on comparison of δ13C profiles - carbon isotope chemostratigraphy, supplemented by oxygen isotope and elemental data. Interpretation of paired carbonate - organic matter δ13C data from multiple CTB sections implicates rising atmospheric pCO2 linked to volcanic outgassing as a major forcing mechanism for palaeoclimate warming and palaeoceanographic change accompanying OAE2. New marine 187Os/188Os isotope stratigraphy further reveals the interaction of volcanism and ocean circulation during OAE2, and provides a further chemostratigraphic tool. Li isotope (δ 7Li) data may be interpreted as evidence that increased silicate weathering promoted by rising pCO2 acted as both a forcing and negative feedback mechanism driving OAE2 history. Neodymium and sulphur isotopes offer further insights into interactions between global biogeochemical cycles and ocean circulation changes.

Conodont biostratigraphy and biofacies of the Lisburne Group

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harris, A.G.; Krumhardt, A.P.; Watts, K.F.

1995-05-01

Conodont data from the Lisburne Group are presented in three parts. Part 1 summarizes the thesis work of Andrea P. Krumhardt on the conodont biostratigraphy and biofacies of the Wahoo Limestone in the eastern Sadlerochit Mountains. This is virtually the same report as Krumhardt and others. A more detailed report on the Wahoo Limestone is in the final stages of preparation as a US Geological Survey Professional Paper. The major results of this study include the precise determination of the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian boundary within the lower member of the Wahoo Limestone and establishment of a conodont biostratigraphy for the Pennsylvanian partmore » of the Wahoo that is applicable to northern Alaska. Conodont biofacies are related to depositional environments and compared with carbonate microfacies analyses; both indicate high-energy, chiefly normal-marine conditions in the northern part ANWR. Part 2 describes the conodont zonation used for the middle Carboniferous in northern Alaska and the criteria used for assigning ages. A series of chronostratigraphic diagrams illustrates age variations and correlation of the Lisburne Group in ANWR, at two localities in the central Brooks Range, and in wells in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Part 3 includes a map showing conodont color alteration indices. Variations in the thermal history of different parts of ANWR are related to the tectonics of the northeastern Brooks Range.« less

A Beach in Your Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conn, Kathleen

2001-01-01

Introduces an integrated science activity in which students learn about the principles of superposition, biostratigraphy, and correlation and study the single-celled microorganism foraminifera to learn about marine biology. (YDS)

Integrated bio-magnetostratigraphy of ODP Site 709 (equatorial Indian Ocean).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Giuliana; Fioroni, Chiara; Florindo, Fabio

2015-04-01

Over the last decade, calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the lower Eocene-Oligocene sediments has shown great potential, through identification of several new nannofossil species and bioevents (e.g. Fornaciari et al., 2010; Bown and Dunkley Jones, 2012; Toffanin et al., 2013). These studies formed the basis for higher biostratigraphic resolution leading to definition of a new nannofossil biozonation (Agnini et al., 2014). In this study, we investigate the middle Eocene-lower Oligocene sediments from ODP Hole 709C (ODP Leg 115) by means of calcareous nannofossils and magnetostratigraphy. Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 709 was located in the equatorial Indian Ocean and biostratigraphy has been investigated in the nineties (Okada, 1990; Fornaciari et al., 1990) while paleomagnetic data from the Initial Report provided only a poorly constrained magnetostratigraphic interpretation, thus the cored succession was dated only by means of biostratigraphy. Our goal is to test the reliability in the Indian Ocean of the biohorizons recently identified at Site 711 (Fioroni et al., in press), by means of high resolution sampling, new taxonomic updates, quantitative analyses on calcareous nannofossils allowed to increase the number of useful bioevents and to compare their reliability and synchroneity. The new magnetostratigraphic analyses and integrated stratigraphy allow also to achieve an accurate biochronology of the time interval spanning Chrons C20 (middle Eocene) and C12 (early Oligocene). In addition, this equatorial site represents an opportunity to study the carbonate accumulation history and the large fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) during the Eocene (e.g. Pälike et al., 2012). The investigated interval encompasses the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO), and the long cooling trend that leads to the Oligocene glacial state. By means of our new bio-magnetostratigraphic data and paleoecological results we provide further insights on nannofossil assemblage response to the paleoclimatic changes that led to the Oligocene glacial state. References Agnini, C., Fornaciari, E., Raffi, I., Catanzariti, R., Pälike, H., Backman, J., Rio, D., 2014. Biozonation and biochronology of Paleogene calcareous nannofossils from low and middle latitudes. Newsletters on Stratigraphy, doi:10.1127/0078-0421/2014/0042. Bown, P. R., Dunkley Jones, T., 2012. Calcareous nannofossils from the Paleogene equatorial Pacific (IODP Expedition 320 Sites U1331-1334). Journal of Nannoplankton Research 32(2), 3-51. Fioroni, C., Villa, G., Persico, D., Jovane L. (in press). Middle Eocene-lower Oligocene Calcareous Nannofossil biostratigraphy and paleoceanographic implications from Site 711(equatorial Indian Ocean). Mar. Micropal. Fornaciari, E., Raffi, I., Rio, D., Villa, G., Backman, J., Olaffson, G., 1990. Quantitative distribution patterns of Oligocene and Miocene calcareous nannofossils from the western equatorial Indian Ocean. In: Duncan, R. A., Backman, J., Peterson, L. C., Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Resuls, 115, 237-254. Fornaciari, E., Agnini, C., Catanzariti, R., Rio, D., Bolla, E.M. , Valvasoni, E. 2010. Mid-latitude calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, biochronology and evolution across the middle to late Eocene transition. Stratigraphy 7, 229-264. Okada, H., 1990. Quaternary and Paleogene calcareous nannofossils, Leg 115. In Duncan, R.A., Backman, J., Peterson, L.C., et al., (Eds), Proceedings ODP, Scientific Results 115, 129-174. College Station, TX: Ocean Drilling Program. Pälike, H. et al., 2012. A Cenozoic record of the equatorial Pacific carbonate compensation depth. Nature 488, 609-615, doi:10.1038/nature11360. Toffanin, F., Agnini, C., Rio, D., Acton, G., Westerhold, T., 2013. Middle Eocene to early Oligocene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy at IODP Site U1333(equatorial Pacific). Micropaleontology 59(1), 69-82.

Precise age of C33N-C32R magnetic-polarity reversal, San Juan Basin, New Mexico and Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fassett, James E.; Steiner, Maureen B.

1997-01-01

Polarity-chron boundary C33n-C32r has been identified in the Upper Cretaceous continental Farmington Sandstone Member of the Kirtland Shale in Hunter Wash in the southwest part of the San Juan Basin of New Mexico, and in the marine Lewis Shale at Chimney Rock, Colorado, in the northeast part of the basin. Single- and multiple-crystal laser fusion 40Ar/39Ar ages of sanidine crystals from volcanic ash beds bracketing the C33n-C32r polarity reversal at Hunter Wash establish its age as 73.50 ± 0.18 Ma. The reversal apparently occurs within the Baculites compressus Western Interior ammonite zone and within the Edmontonian land-vertebrate faunal zone. An 8 Ma hiatus separates Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks in the southern San Juan Basin. These findings provide a precise new interpolated Late Cretaceous tie point for geologic time scales, provide the basis for the direct correlation of Western Interior ammonite zones to European open-ocean faunal zones, and establish the first direct tie between continental and marine fossil zones within the Western Interior of North America.

Submicron-Chemical Speciation of Late Albian, Well-Preserved Fossil Samples from Tlayúa, the Mexican Solenhofen.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcus, M.; Fakra, S.; Tamura, N.; Alvarado-Ortega, J.; Espinosa-Arruberena, L.; Banfield, J.; Cervini-Silva, J.

2007-12-01

The Tlayúa slurry quarry constitutes the most important paleontological locality in the American continent, and constitutes the second most important locality in its genre worldwide. The importance of Tlayúa strives inderives from the fact that a great diversity of marine and terrestrial fossils in perfect state of preservation have been found, with ages surpassing 115 million yrs. Paleomagnetic and biostratigraphic determinations conducted in ammonites and belemnites indicate that the formation of the Tlayúa slurry dates back to the late Albian. One of the most accepted hypothesis for explaining Tlayúa's formation relies on the deposition of sediments and fauna on a shallow platform of a tropical sea. A similar geographic place is located in Solenhofen, Germany, where slurries have been exploited for more than 200 yrs with a production of approximately 500 species. Remarkably, in the Tepexi del Rio region alone for the past 20 yrs more than 5,000 fossil specimens representing more than 200 species have been collected alone. An The exceptional specimen preservation found in Tlayúa has been attributed to restricted circulation of water resulting in an anaerobic and/or hypersaline environment, coupled with the general absence of infaunal species. There were periods when the deposition site supported a rich planktontic community. Large quantities of calcareous ooze were produced, resulting in rapid burial of the organisms. The presence of diagnostic terrestrial and freshwater organisms, including arachnids, insects, lizards, and chelonians, along with typical marine fauna, suggests that Tlayúa lagoon had periodic freshwater inflow, in addition to the strong marine, lagoonal, and reefal influence. Some organisms were transported into the lagoon when the barrier was breached, probably during periods of heavy rains and hurricanes, or during high tides. Additionally, some fishes from Tlayua have been found to have affinities with recent families known to inhabit brackish and freshwater environments. In search for reconstructing paleoenvironments in Tlayúa, fish bone samples from a Pachyrhizodontide specimens, from the telesteos incertae sedis group already extinct, were analyzed using XRFmicro X-ray fluorescence,  -X-ray diffraction RD, and -EXAFSnd XANES/EXAFS. Conducting Ca- EXAFS allowed us to resolve Ca-speciation in CaCO3 matrices. Micro Ca-EXAFSDiffraction and Ca K-edge XANES on bone material confirmed the presence of apatite, not hydroxyapatite consistent with highly-weathered environment. High concentrations of As were found in CaCO3) grains, Mn oxides grains as well as Celestine (SrSO4) grains dispersed in the egg core.

New Sections and Fossils From the Southern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming Document Faunal Turnover During the PETM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloch, J. I.; Boyer, D. M.; Strait, S. G.; Wing, S. L.

2004-12-01

Though earliest Eocene (Wa-0) mammals are known from the southern Bighorn Basin, late Paleocene mammals are not. Recent discovery of latest Paleocene mammals in section with new Wa-0 faunas and floras at Cabin Fork allows for the first studies of terrestrial biotic change across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary interval outside of the northern Bighorn Basin. A differential GPS was used to map the area and provide a framework for high-resolution biostratigraphy. Least squares interpolation of bedding planes from points marking outcrop of beds reveals high r2 coefficients (0.97-0.98). This indicates that small scale folding is minimal and bed traces are smoothly planar. Beds in the study area strike N-NW (355° ) and dip shallowly W-SW (<1.0° ). Smaller scale undulations are present: to the NE beds strike NW and dip to the SW (342° /1.0° ) whereas those to the SW strike NE and dip NW (5° /1.0° ). Shallow dips allow us to approximate stratigraphic thickness with elevation. Paleocene mammals, including diagnostic Clarkforkian land-mammal age indicators, Aletodon gunnelli, Apheliscus nitidus, and Haplomylus simpsoni, were found in a ferruginous, grit-pebble conglomerate at the base of a channel sand at the top of the Fort Union Fm. The fossiliferous horizon is extensive and has produced over 200 specimens from more than 60 sites for which positions have been determined with sub-meter accuracy. Absence of Plesiadapis cookei and Hyracotherium spp., together with high relative abundance of Phenacodus and Ectocion, indicate this fauna is latest Clarkforkian (Phenacodus-Ectocion Range Zone, Cf-3). Earliest Eocene mammals, including diagnostic Wa-0 taxa Arfia junnei, Copecion davisi, Hyracotherium sandrae, and Diacodexis ilicis, are represented by more than 233 specimens from 70 sites at three levels in the lowest Willwood Formation. The lowest fossils come from paleosols and claygall accumulations in stringer sands approximately 3 meters above the top of the channel sand that is the top of the Fort Union Formation, and 8 meters above the Clarkforkian localities. The second level is a fossiliferous paleosol 6-8 meters above the top of the channel sand. The third level is a paleosol fossil accumulation approximately 22 meters above the top of the channel sand and 15 meters below a large and persistent red paleosol informally called ?Big Red.? In the Cabin Fork area, Big Red produces mammal fossils, including Cardiolophus, that have been used to define the succeeding Wa-1 faunal zone (although some Wa-0 taxa have been recovered from Big Red approximately 6 km to the east). The Wa-0 interval in the Cabin Fork area is 38-40 meters thick and bounded by distinct Cf-3 and Wa-1 faunas. Preliminary analyses of fossils from the Cabin Fork section show that the faunal shift marking the PETM was very similar to that seen in the northern Bighorn Basin. This suggests that previously documented differences between Wa-0 mammalian faunas in the southern and northern Bighorn Basin, including the absence of certain diagnostic Wa-0 taxa in the south, may reflect local sampling variation or artifacts rather than regional variation in faunal composition.

Integrative stratigraphy during extreme environmental changes and biotic recovery time: The Early Triassic in Indian Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richoz, Sylvain; Krystyn, Leopold; Algeo, Thomas; Bhargava, Om

2014-05-01

The understanding of extreme environmental changes as major extinction events, perturbations of global biogeochemical cycles or rapid climate shifts is based on a precise timing of the different events. But especially in such moving environments exact correlations are difficult to establish what underlines the necessity of an integrated stratigraphy by using all tools at disposition. A Lower Triassic section at Mud in the Spiti Valley (Western Himalaya, India) is a candidate section for the GSSP of the Induan-Olenekian Boundary (IOB). The succession was deposited in a deep-shelf setting on the southern margin of the Neotethys Ocean. The section contains abundant fossils allowing a very precise regional biostratigraphy and displays no signs of sedimentary breaks. Analysis of pelagic faunas proves a significant, two-step radiation phase in ammonoids and conodonts close to the Induan-Olenekian boundary. These diversifications are coupled with a short-termed positive δ13Ccarb excursion of global evidence. The Spiti δ13Ccarb excursion displays, however, different amplitude and biostratigraphic position than in other relevant sections for this time interval. In this study, we analyzed δ13Ccarb, δ13Corg, and δ15Norg as well as major, trace, and REE concentrations for a 16-m-thick interval spanning the mid-Griesbachian to early Spathian substages, to better constrains the chain of events. Prior to the first radiation step, high difference gradient between the δ13Ccarb values of tempestite beds with shallow carbonate and carbonate originated in deeper water is interpreted as a sign of a stratified water column. This effect disappears with the onset of better oxygenated conditions at the time of the ammonoid-conodont radiation, which correspond as well to δ13Ccarb, δ13Corg and δ15Norg positive excursions. A decrease in Mo and U concentrations occurring at the same point suggests a shift toward locally less reducing conditions. The second step coincided with the change from terrigenous to almost pure carbonate sedimentation. This new set of data demonstrates from on hand the rapidity of radiation of the pelagic fauna in the aftermath of the Permian-Triassic extinction as soon as environmental conditions were favourable again. On the other hand, it demonstrates that bathymetry, for example, but also other local factors, could have had a significant impact in the timing of these radiations and may hamper solid worldwide correlations.

Volutidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Lakhra Formation (Earliest Eocene, Sindh, Pakistan): systematics, biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography.

PubMed

Merle, Didier; Pacaud, Jean-Michel; Métais, Grégoire; Bartolini, Annachiara; Lashari, Rafiq A; Brohi, Imdad A; Solangi, Sarfraz H; Marivaux, Laurent; Welcomme, Jean-Loup

2014-06-27

The paleobiodiversity of the Volutidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Ranikot Group (Sindh, Pakistan) and particularly of the Lakhra Formation (SBZ 5 biozone, Earliest Eocene), is reconsidered on the basis of new material collected during recent field trips. Ten new species are described (Mitreola brohii sp. nov., Lyrischapa vredenburgi sp. nov., L. brevispira sp. nov., Athleta (Volutopupa) citharopsis sp. nov., A. (Volutocorbis) lasharii sp. nov., Volutilithes welcommei sp. nov., V. sindhiensis sp. nov., Pseudaulicina coxi sp. nov., Sindhiluta lakhraensis sp. nov. and Pakiluta solangii sp. nov.) and one species is in open nomenclature (Lyria sp.). Three new genera are described: Lyriopsis gen. nov. [Volutinae, ?Lyriini, type species: Lyriopsis cossmanni (Vredenburg, 1923)], Sindhiluta gen. nov. [Volutilithinae, type species: Sindhiluta lakhraensis n. sp.] and Pakiluta gen. nov. [?Volutodermatinae, type species: Pakiluta solangii n. sp.]. Two new combinations are proposed: Lyriopsis cossmanni (Vredenburg, 1923) comb. nov. and Athleta (Volutopupa) intercrenatus (Cossmann & Pissarro, 1909) comb. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Lyria cossmanni Vredenburg, 1923, L. feddeni Vredenburg, 1923, Volutospina noetlingi Cossmann & Pissarro, 1909, V. intercrenata Cossmann & Pissarro, 1909 and Athleta (Volutocorbis) victoriae Vredenburg, 1923. With 21 species, this volutid fauna is the most diverse recorded from the Tethys Ocean during Earliest Eocene time. The assemblage is characterized by a strong turnover marked by regional speciation and the appearance of many western Tethyan invaders. Although at the species level, the assemblage documents a strong provincialism, at the genus level, the high number of shared genera between Eastern Tethyan and Old World Tethyan realms begins a phase of long-term homogeneity of volutid assemblages from the Tethyan paleobiogeographic province.

Editors' overview for the Alan Turner Memorial volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Regan, Hannah J.; Elton, Sarah; Schreve, Danielle

2014-07-01

The papers presented here, in this special volume dedicated to the memory of Alan Turner (1947-2012), provide a glimpse of the multi-faceted ways in which the mammalian fossil record can be investigated. The authors of contributions in this Special Issue are by no means an exhaustive list of his international collaborators and colleagues, and indeed, many are not represented here, but the contents cover many of the topics and issues that were of central archaeological and wider Quaternary mammalian interest to Alan. Although the papers are not intended to provide a comprehensive overview of all techniques that can be applied, the set nevertheless reveals a snapshot of the state-of-the-art and of some of the methods that have the potential to bring much more of the past to life. Alan always sought to move beyond the 'stamp-collecting' approach of simply listing which taxa were present at a site, attempting to elucidate what the presence of those animals might mean in terms of palaeoecology. In particular, the span of Alan's career has seen major advances in our understanding of Quaternary mammalian biostratigraphy and palaeobiogeography, the widespread application of novel techniques such as ancient DNA, the development of high-precision geochronology and the discovery of new hominin species. The papers presented here reflect those developments and highlight interdisciplinary approaches, from examination of sediments to careful measurements of the fossils themselves, from modelling the presence of taxa at particular points in the Quaternary to examination of the similarities and differences in fauna within and between sites.

Palaeobathymetric Interpretations using Foraminiferal Data from the North-west Continental Shelf off Western Australia, IODP Expedition 356

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamo, B. L.; Renema, W.; Auer, G.; Groeneveld, J.; Gallagher, S. J.; Fulthorpe, C.; Bogus, K.; Expedition 356 Scientists, I.

2016-12-01

In 2015, Integrated Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 356 drilled along the passive margin off the West Australian coast to investigate the history of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and its integral role in the development of global thermohaline circulation and climate. Throughout the expedition, a suite of foraminiferal analyses were employed to assess stratigraphy and benthic environments. Planktic foraminifera were primarily used for biostratigraphy and an incredibly diverse benthic fauna ( 260 species) yielded information regarding palaeobathymetric settings and variable conditions at the sediment-water interface. Benthic foraminiferal biofacies are particularly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and have rapid turnover making them ideal proxies for monitoring physical and chemical changes in marine environments. When these data are combined with a multi-proxy approach incorporating lithostratigraphic and other microfossil data, a robust understanding of past environments can be realised. Stretching from the Northern Carnarvon Basin north to the Roebuck Basin, several distinct biofacies were isolated at sites U1461-U1464 that reveal an array of marine settings and events that span from the Miocene through to the Pleistocene. These features include water depths ranging from Miocene shallows (including larger benthic foraminifera) to Pliocene bathyal depths ( 1000 m), the occurrence of key indicator species for both the Leeuwin Current and the West Pacific Warm Pool (Asterorotalia and Pseudorotalia), and episodes of downslope sediment transport. Here we present the main isolated biofacies, their associated lithofacies and their implications for reconstructing fluctuating sea-level, thermohaline circulation and sediment transport in a changing marine landscape.

A Random Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochran, Wendell

1976-01-01

Presented is a review of papers presented at the 25th International Geological Congress held August 16-25, 1976, Sydney, Australia. Topics include precambrian geology, tectonics, biostratigraphy, geochemistry, quaternary geology, engineering geology, planetology, geological education, and stress environments. (SL)

Publications - GMC 52 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

studies of the Pan American Napatuk Creek #1 well, Bethel basin, Alaska Authors: Van Alen, William, and information. Bibliographic Reference Van Alen, William, and Mobil Oil Coporation, 1982, Biostratigraphy

Quantitative Biostratigraphic Analysis of Central Asia with Implications for the Tien Shan of Kyrgyzstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, W. N.; Hopkins, S. S.

2013-12-01

Central Asia lies at a nexus both in terms of geology and evolutionary biogeography. With the convergence of the Indian and Asian plates creating high rates of deformation over broad regions, shortening of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic basement rocks has created a rich history of late Cenozoic sedimentary basins. In fact, Kyrgyzstan is the most seismically active country in the world. Additionally, Central Asia is a biogeographic crossroads, facilitating the intercontinental migrations of distant faunas from North American, Europe, Africa, and Southern Asia. With such an active geologic and biological evolution, the usefulness of temporal constraints is apparent. However, the continental collision environment has provided few volcanic rocks suitable for radiometric dating. Therefore, while less precise, the biostratigraphic analysis of Central Asia I present is an ideal method for both establishing ages and correlating between disparate basins. The last several decades provided great advancements in quantitative biostratigraphic methods applied to marine microfossils from drill cores. While these newer methods such as RASC (ranking and scaling), its sister program CASC, and CONOP (constrained optimization) provide a clear improvement over older methods such as graphic correlation, they have yet to be applied to terrestrial vertebrate faunas. Graphic correlation only allows comparison between two stratigraphic columns at a time and is heavily weighted by the initial selection of a type section. Both RASC and CONOP compare all stratigraphic sections simultaneously, eliminating type section bias. Previous vertebrate biostratigraphy methods attempted to predict FADs and LADs with the assumption they are generally minimum estimates. RASC instead establishes average stratigraphic ranges for each taxon and with CASC actually provides confidence intervals for each prediction, reducing the potential error resulting from reworking. CONOP generates maximum stratigraphic ranges observed in all sections, yet also includes error bars for the estimates of each biological event such as an extinction or origination. Used in conjunction, RASC, CASC, and CONOP provide both a solid evaluation of land mammal ages or zones for Central Asia and a predictive composite column for new late Cenozoic fossil localities. With a high degree of endemicity and migration, Central Asia cannot rely on the European Neogene Mammal Zones. This study aims to support and evaluate the emerging Asian biostratigraphic and geochronologic framework. With little fossil material currently collected from Kyrgyzstan, this study also sets a temporal framework for future paleontological work. Material is included from countries with much better constrained biostratigraphic records, preferably associated with existing radiometric dates. Specifically included were sites from Asiatic Russia, Mongolia, Western China, India, and Nepal. This geographic range is selected both to preserve the signal of faunas endemic to the Himalayan and Tibetan highlands, but also to provide a large enough sample to account for the well-known problems with the terrestrial fossil record such as high sampling errors and diachrony.

Early Miocene benthic foraminifera and biostratigraphy of the Qom Formation, Deh Namak, Central Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daneshian, Jahanbakhsh; Dana, Leila Ramezani

2007-03-01

A total of 165 samples were collected from the Qom Formation investigated in a stratigraphic section north of Deh Namak, in Central Iran. From these, 35 genera and 47 species of benthic foraminifera were identified. The age of the studied section is Early Miocene (Aquitanian to Early Burdigalian) based on the occurrence of Borelis melo curdica, Meandropsina anahensis, Meandropsina iranica, Elphidium sp. 14, Peneroplis farsensis, and Triloculina tricarinata. The thickness of the Qom Formation is 401 m of which 161.2 m is early Burdigalian in age. Foraminiferal assemblages in the Deh Namak section are referable to the Borelis melo group- Meandropsina iranica Assemblage Zone and Miogypsinoides- Archaias-Valvulinid Assemblage Zone of [Adams, T.D., Bourgeois, F., 1967. Asmari biostratigraphy. Iranian Oil Operating Companies, Geological and Exploration Division, Report1074 (unpublished) 1-37.] described originally from the Asmari Formation.

Earth History databases and visualization - the TimeScale Creator system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogg, James; Lugowski, Adam; Gradstein, Felix

2010-05-01

The "TimeScale Creator" team (www.tscreator.org) and the Subcommission on Stratigraphic Information (stratigraphy.science.purdue.edu) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (www.stratigraphy.org) has worked with numerous geoscientists and geological surveys to prepare reference datasets for global and regional stratigraphy. All events are currently calibrated to Geologic Time Scale 2004 (Gradstein et al., 2004, Cambridge Univ. Press) and Concise Geologic Time Scale (Ogg et al., 2008, Cambridge Univ. Press); but the array of intercalibrations enable dynamic adjustment to future numerical age scales and interpolation methods. The main "global" database contains over 25,000 events/zones from paleontology, geomagnetics, sea-level and sequence stratigraphy, igneous provinces, bolide impacts, plus several stable isotope curves and image sets. Several regional datasets are provided in conjunction with geological surveys, with numerical ages interpolated using a similar flexible inter-calibration procedure. For example, a joint program with Geoscience Australia has compiled an extensive Australian regional biostratigraphy and a full array of basin lithologic columns with each formation linked to public lexicons of all Proterozoic through Phanerozoic basins - nearly 500 columns of over 9,000 data lines plus hot-curser links to oil-gas reference wells. Other datapacks include New Zealand biostratigraphy and basin transects (ca. 200 columns), Russian biostratigraphy, British Isles regional stratigraphy, Gulf of Mexico biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy, high-resolution Neogene stable isotope curves and ice-core data, human cultural episodes, and Circum-Arctic stratigraphy sets. The growing library of datasets is designed for viewing and chart-making in the free "TimeScale Creator" JAVA package. This visualization system produces a screen display of the user-selected time-span and the selected columns of geologic time scale information. The user can change the vertical-scale, column widths, fonts, colors, titles, ordering, range chart options and many other features. Mouse-activated pop-ups provide additional information on columns and events; including links to external Internet sites. The graphics can be saved as SVG (scalable vector graphics) or PDF files for direct import into Adobe Illustrator or other common drafting software. Users can load additional regional datapacks, and create and upload their own datasets. The "Pro" version has additional dataset-creation tools, output options and the ability to edit and re-save merged datasets. The databases and visualization package are envisioned as a convenient reference tool, chart-production assistant, and a window into the geologic history of our planet.

The Middle Ordovician Knox unconformity in the Black Warrior Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dwyer, Gary S.; Repetski, John E.

2012-01-01

Based on conodont biostratigraphy from four cores and from a previous study on cuttings from a nearby well, the unconformity is middle Whiterockian in age and likely spans most or all of the Histiodella holodentata Biozone.

From Submarine Volcanoes to Modern Atolls: New Insights from the Mozambique Channel (SW Indian Ocean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorry, S.; Courgeon, S.; Camoin, G.; BouDagher-Fadel, M.; Jouet, G.; Poli, E.

2016-12-01

Although the long-term evolution of isolated shallow-water carbonate platforms leading to guyot and atoll formation has been the subject of numerous studies during the last decades, their driving processes are still the subject of active debates. The Mozambique Channel (SW Indian Ocean) is characterized by several modern carbonate platforms, ranging from 11°S to 21°S in latitudes. These platforms are characterized by reef margins mostly developed on windward sides with internal parts blanketed by sand dunes and numerous reef pinnacles, or by Darwin-type atolls with enclosed lagoons. Dredge sampling, underwater observations and geophysical acquisitions carried out during recent oceanographic cruises (PTOLEMEE and PAMELA-MOZ1) along slopes and basins adjacent to modern platforms led to the discovery of flat-top seamounts corresponding to shallow-water carbonate platforms which grew on top of submarine volcanoes. Microfacies and datings (biostratigraphy analysis coupled with Strontium isotopic stratigraphy) indicate that those carbonate platforms, characterized by fauna assemblages dominated by corals, Halimeda and red algaes, and larger benthic foraminifera, developed in tropical settings from Early Miocene to Late Miocene/Early Pliocene times. Submarine volcanism, karstification and pedogenesis evidences on top of the drowned edifices demonstrate that tectonic deformation, rejuvenated volcanic activity and subaerial exposure occurred after and potentially during the Neogene platform aggradation. Growth of modern platforms on top of submerged carbonate terraces is explained by topographic irregularities inherited from volcanism, tectonic and/or subaerial exposure conditions which could have produced favorable substratum for carbonates which grew during the Plio-Quaternary, up to reach modern sea-level. This research is co-funded by TOTAL and IFREMER as part of the PAMELA (Passive Margin Exploration Laboratories) scientific project.

Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and geochronology of Neogene trench-slope cover sediments in the south Boso Peninsula, central Japan: Implications for the development of a shallow accretionary complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiyonobu, Shun; Yamamoto, Yuzuru; Saito, Saneatsu

2017-07-01

The geological structure and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Middle to Late Miocene trench-slope succession in the southern Boso Peninsula, central Japan, were examined to obtain chronological constraints on the accretion and formation of the trench-slope architecture. As a result, trench-slope cover sediments (Kinone and Amatsu Formations) are clearly distinguishable from the Early Miocene Hota accretionary complex (Hota Group). The Hota accretionary complex was deposited below the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) and was affected by intense shearing, forming an east-west trending and south-verging fold and thrust belt. In contrast, the trench-slope cover sediments basically have a homoclinal dip, except at the northern rim where they are bounded by fault contact. They contain many species of calcareous nannofossils and foraminifers, which are indicative of their depositional environment above the CCD, and they show shallowing-upward sedimentary structures. Biostratigraphy revealed that the depositional age of the trench-slope sediments is ca. 15-5.5 Ma, suggesting that there is an approximately 2 myr hiatus beween the Miura Group and the underlying accretionary prism. Based on these results, the age of accretion of the Hota Group is inferred to be between ca. 17-15 Ma, and the group is covered by trench-slope sediments overlain on it after ca. 15 Ma. The timing of accretion and the age of the trench-slope basin tend to be younger southward of the Boso Peninsula. The accretionary system of the Boso Peninsula apparently developed in two stages, in the Middle Miocene and in the Late Miocene to Pliocene.

Upper Albian-Maastrichtian calcareous plankton biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy and carbon isotope stratigraphy of the classical Tethyan Gubbio section (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premoli Silva, Isabella; Coccioni, Rodolfo; Sabatino, Nadia; Sprovieri, Mario; Voigt, Silke

2014-05-01

The Tethyan pelagic sections at Bottaccione and Contessa Highway (Gubbio, central Italy) are internationally recognized to be the standard reference sections for the Late Cretaceous to Eocene geomagnetic polarity time scale calibrated to the integrated planktonic foraminiferal and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy. Due to the presence of a gap within Chron C31n in the Bottaccione section, we use two distinct portions of these sections to construct an upper Albian-Maastrichtian complete and well-preserved composite stratigraphic record, 333.1 m in thickness and ~37 Myr in duration. A refined magnetostratigraphy and planktonic foraminiferal and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy is here presented for this stratigraphic succession. In particular, the recovery of planktonic foraminifera successfully disaggregated from the hard lithologies allows to place more precisely several bioevents that include the lowest occurrence (LO) of Thalmanninella globotruncanoides defining the Albian/Cenomanian boundary, the LO of Globotruncana linneiana that approximates the base of the Santonian, the LO of Globotruncana aegyptiaca occurring earlier than previously recognized, the LO of Pseudoguembelina palpebra, and, in addition, the well-constrained and complete pattern of the evolutionary origin of Racemiguembelina fructicosa from Pseudotextularia elegans through Pseudotextularia intermedia and Racemiguembelina powelli previously undetected. Moreover, the highest occurrence of Gansserina gansseri and the LO of Plummerita hantkeninoides allow to subdivide the latest Maastrichtian into the Pseudoguembelina hariaensis, Pseudotextularia elegans and Plummerita hantkeninoides planktonic foraminiferal Zones. The refined magnetobiostratigraphic framework may improve reliability of Late Cretaceous correlations at low to middle latitude as well as paleoenvironmental, paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic interpretations. Finally, an almost complete, high-resolution carbon isotope curve was recently presented for the upper Albian through the Maastrichtian interval from the Bottaccione-Contessa succession that integrated with the updated bio-, magneto-stratigraphies provides an invaluable tool for improving correlations through latitudes.

Patterns of megafloral change across the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Kirk R.; Hickey, Leo J.

1988-01-01

The spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation in the terminal Cretaceous of Western Interior North America was a complex mosaic resulting from the interaction of factors including a shifting coastline, tectonic activity, a mild, possibly deteriorating climate, dinosaur herbivory, local facies effects, and a hypothesized bolide impact. In order to achieve sufficient resolution to analyze this vegetational pattern, over 100 megafloral collecting sites were established, yielding approximately 15,000 specimens, in Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleocene strata in the Williston, Powder River, and Bighorn basins in North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. These localities were integrated into a lithostratigraphic framework that is based on detailed local reference sections and constrained by vertebrate and palynomorph biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and sedimentary facies analysis. A regional biostratigraphy based on well located and identified plant megafossils that can be used to address patterns of floral evolution, ecology, and extinction is the goal of this research. Results of the analyses are discussed.

Biostratigraphy and foraminiferal Assemblages of the West Siberian Albian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podobina, V. M.

2017-12-01

New data of the Biostratigraphy and Albian foraminiferal assemblages from the sections of newly drilled wells in the Yamal peninsula have been obtained. This territory is assigned by the author to the Northern palaeobiogeographical district, the southern border of which goes along the latitudinal flow of the Ob River. The most diverse Albian foraminiferal assemblages have been discovered in the section of borehole 50 of the Malyginskaya area as well as in the sections of borehole 124 of the West-Tambeiskaya, boreholes, 201, 205 of the North-Tambeiskaya areas. Somewhat similar Albian foraminiferal assemblages were earlier studied by the author in 10 sections of the boreholes of the Samatlor area in the latitudinal Ob River Region. The Middle Albian assemblage is the most stable and diverse in its specific respect. It was discovered not only in the identified sections in the Yamal wells but also southwards in the earlier explored areas. The Albian foraminiferal species of the Yamal peninsula are illustrated in 5 photos and 1 drawing.

Diatom biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the type section of the Luisian Stage, central California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldauf, Jack G.; Barron, John A.

1982-01-01

Diatoms from the type section of the Luisian Stage in central California correlate with the lowermost part of the Denticulopsis lauta Zone through the lower part of subzone "a" of the Denticulopsis hustedtii-D. lauta Zone and are early Middle Miocene in age (about 6.0 to 14.0 Ma), Rocks assigned to the Luisian Stage by benthic foraminifers elsewhere in California exhibit little diachroneity in terms of diatom biostratigraphy, however, detailed studies of boundaries have not been done. Planktic diatoms dominate the assemblages, although an increase in benthic and tychopelagic diatoms in the overlying Hames Member of the Monterey Formation probably reflects shoaling. A cooling trend is suggested by diatom assemblages in the upper part of the section and is most marked near the top of the type Luisian. This cooling trend is supported by data elsewhere in the Pacific Basin as well as by both megafossil and microfossil studies in California. One hundred four diatom taxa are documented, and one new species, Coscinodiscus volutus Baldauf, is described.

Conodont biostratigraphy of a more complete Reef Trail Member section near the type section, latest Guadalupian Series type region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardlaw, Bruce R.; Lambert, L.L.; Bell, G.L.; Fronimos, J.A.; Yisa, M.O.

2010-01-01

The original type section of the Reef Trail Member (uppermost part of the Bell Canyon Formation) is called the Park Boundary Section, and is less than satisfactory in several aspects. We propose a new reference section designated Reef Trail Reference section 1 (RTR1) on the same hill as the original type section. Section RTR1 compensates for some of the Park Boundary Section’s shortcomings, including better exposure of a single measured section with only minor offset. The conodont biostratigraphy of section RTR1 is presented that, when combined with a better set of described correlation intervals, allows for improved correlation to recently discovered, complete, basinal sections in the Patterson Hills. In comparison with the South Boundary basin section, both the Park Boundary and RTR1 sections are missing approximately the upper third of the Reef Trail Member. Transitional conodonts from the basin demonstrate that Jinogondolella crofti evolved directly from J. altudaensis. We formally elevate Clarkina postbitteri hongshuiensis to C. hongshuiensis.

Bio-, Magneto- and event-stratigraphy across the K-T boundary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Preisinger, A.; Stradner, H.; Mauritsch, H. J.

1988-01-01

Determining the time and the time structure of rare events in geology can be accomplished by applying three different and independent stratigraphic methods: Biostratigraphy, magneto-stratigraphy and event-stratigraphy. The optimal time resolution of the two former methods is about 1000 years, while by means of event-stratigraphy a resolution of approximately one year can be achieved. For biostratigraphy across the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary micro- and nannofossils have been found best suited. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of minerals and trace elements across the K-T boundary show anomalies on a millimeter scale and permit conclusions regarding the time structure of the K-T event itself. The results of the analyses find a most consistent explanation by the assumption of an extraterrestrial impact. The main portion of the material rain from the atmosphere evidently was deposited within a short time. The long-time components consist of the finest portion of the material rain from the atmosphere and the transported and redeposited fall-out.

The behavior limestone under explosive load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlov, M. Yu; Orlova, Yu N.; Bogomolov, G. N.

2016-11-01

Limestone behavior under explosive loading was investigated. The behavior of the limestone by the action of the three types of explosives, including granular, ammonite and emulsion explosives was studied in detail. The shape and diameter of the explosion craters were obtained. The observed fragments after the blast have been classified as large, medium and small fragments. Three full-scale experiments were carried out. The research results can be used as a qualitative test for the approbation of numerical methods.

Revision of Hamites wernickei Wollemann, 1902 (Cephalopoda, Ancyloceratina) from the classic Lüneburg section (Upper Cretaceous, northern Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niebuhr, Birgit; Jagt, John W. M.

2016-12-01

A re-examination of heteromorph ammonites of late Campanian age from the Zeltberg section at Lüneburg has demonstrated that the type series of Hamites wernickei in fact comprises two different species that are here assigned to the nostoceratid Nostoceras (Hyatt, 1894) and the polyptychoceratid Oxybeloceras (Hyatt, 1900)>. Nostoceras (Didymoceras) wernickei (Wollemann, 1902) comb. nov., to which three of the four specimens that were described and illustrated by Wollemann (1902) belong, has irregularities of ribbing and tuberculation and changes its direction of growth at the transition from the helicoidal whorls to the hook, which is a typical feature of members of the subfamily Nostoceratinae. Torsion of body chambers is not developed in hairpin-shaped ammonite species, which means that the species name wernickei is no longer available for such polyptychoceratine diplomoceratids. Consequently, the fourth specimen figured and assigned to Hamites wernickei by Wollemann (1902) is here transferred to Oxybeloceras and considered conspecific to material from the Hannover area (Lehrte West Syncline) as O. aff. crassum (Whitfield, 1877). In addition to the "Heteroceras-Schicht des Mucronaten-Senons" of Lüneburg (bipunctatum/roemeri Zone, upper upper Campanian), the geographic range of N. (D.) wernickei probably includes Upper Austria, Tunisia and the Donbass region, while O. aff. crassum is known from the Hannover area (northern Germany), southern France, northern Spain and Upper Austria.

Chitinoidellids from the Early Tithonian-Early Valanginian Vaca Muerta Formation in the Northern Neuquén Basin, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kietzmann, Diego A.

2017-07-01

As part of microfacies studies carried out on the Tithonian - Valanginian carbonate ramp of the Neuquén Basin, two stratigraphic sections of the Vaca Muerta Formation (Arroyo Loncoche and Río Seco de la Cara Cura) were chosen in order to analyze the chitinoidellid content and distribution. Calpionellids in the studied sections are relatively poorly preserved; hyaline calcite walls are often recrystallized making the systematic determination difficult. However, microgranular calcite walls seem to have resisted better the incipient neomorphism presented by the limestones of the Vaca Muerta Formation. Seven known species of Chitinoidellidae and four known species of Calpionellidae are recognized. The distribution of calpionellid species allows recognizing the Chitinoidella and Crassicollaria Zones in the Neuquén Basin. The Chitinoidella Zone correlates with the Virgatosphinctes mendozanus-Windhauseniceras internispinosum Andean ammonite Zones, and can be divided into two subzones. The lower one is poorly defined, while the upper one can be assigned to the Boneti Subzone. The Crassicollaria Zone in the Neuquén basin needs a detailed revision, but data provided in this work enable its correlation at least with the Corongoceras alternans ammonite Zone. Similar associations were reported in Mexico and Cuba, showing good consistency between these regions. However, in the Neuquén Basin unlike the Tethys, chitinoidellids persist until the lower Berriasian.

Graptolite graveyard: Re-Os dating of macroplankton at the Lower-Middle Ordovician boundary (Floian-Dapingian stage boundary), Tøyen Shale, southern Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goswami, V.; Stein, H. J.; Hannah, J. L.; Ahlberg, P.; Maletz, J.

2017-12-01

There exist only 16 radiometric ages for the entire 42 m.y. Ordovician Period. Stage boundaries are biostratigraphically defined by the first appearance of agreed on graptolite and conodont species. Cosmopolitan graptolites are common in the Ordovician and their relatively brief stratigraphic durations make them ideal for global correlations. The Floian-Dapingian stage boundary (Lower-Middle Ordovician boundary) is very poorly constrained, with an absence of radiometric dates for several million years below the boundary and poor statistics on ages in the lower Dapingian [1]. Here we use the Ordovician Tøyen Shale, widespread across southern Sweden and Norway with a highly-refined graptolite biostratigraphy, to add a new age constraint [2]. With drill core from Lerhamn, Sweden (samples from 35.75-36.70 m depth), we employ a novel approach to directly date the fauna. We physically extracted a well-preserved 5-cm fossil of macroplankton (graptolite) from organic-rich shales (up to 4% TOC) for Re-Os dating. The graptolite and its hosting shale together define a well-constrained Model 1 isochron of 469.4 ± 1.7 Ma (2s, MSWD = 1.7, n = 9) and an initial 187Os/188Os (Osi) of 0.802 ± 0.002 for seawater. The Osi documents sustained radiogenic Os input to seawater from the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian through the Early Ordovician, in concert with the Sr isotope seawater curve. The analyzed graptolite belongs to the species Pseudophyllograptus augustifolius, a member of the upper Floian fauna [2]. Our nominal age for the dated graptolite and the shale is lower Dapingian according to the 2017 GTS [1]. Therefore, the Re-Os age suggests the Floian-Dapingian stage boundary may be younger than currently accepted. As defined in the GTS, the Dapingian stage is only 2.7 m.y. (470.0 ± 1.4 to 467.3 ± 1.1 Ma); combined uncertainties could give the Dapingian a mere 0.2 m.y. duration (or a maximum of 5 m.y). Although uncertainties overlap, our first dating of the Lower-Middle Ordovician boundary suggests the Floian-Dapingian stage boundary may be somewhat younger, potentially shortening the duration of the Dapingian by 20% or more. Funding - NSF EAR0745946 and The Gyllenstierna Krapperuṕs Foundation [1] Cooper and Sadler, 2012, in The Geologic Time Scale (GTS)[2] Maletz and Ahlberg, 2011, Lethaia, DOI: 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2010.00246.x

Powdery Emulsion Explosive: A New Excellent Industrial Explosive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Ouqi; Zhang, Kaiming; Yu, Zhengquan; Tang, Shujuan

2012-07-01

Powdery emulsion explosive (PEE), a new powdery industrial explosive with perfect properties, has been made using an emulsification-spray drying technique. PEE is composed of 91-92.5 wt% ammonium nitrate (AN), 4.5-6 wt% organic fuels, and 1.5-1.8 wt% water. Due to its microstructure as a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion and low water content, it has excellent detonation performance, outstanding water resistance, reliable safety, and good application compared with other industrial explosives, such as ammonite, emulsion explosives, and ANFO.

[Community structure of soil fauna in Eucalyptus grandis plantations at different slope locations].

PubMed

Zhao, Yu; Zhong, Yu; Zhang, Jian; Yang, Wan-qin

2010-09-01

To understand the effects of slope location on the community structure of soil fauna in Eucalyptus grandis plantation, an investigation was made on the soil fauna in 3 E. grandis plantations at different slope locations in the hilly area of Sichuan Province from January to October 2009. A total of 39,2762 individuals were observed, belonging to 146 groups, 7 phyla, 16 classes, and 31 orders. The community composition, trophic group, diversity, and seasonal dynamics of soil fauna in the plantations all varied with slope. The abundance of macro-fauna, xeric meso- and micro-fauna, saprophagous macro-fauna, and omnivorous xeric meso- and micro-fauna increased with the decrease of slope, indicating that soil fauna had sensitive responses to the soil environmental factors affected by slope. Significant differences in the diversity of soil saprophagous macro-fauna and hygrophilous meso- and micro-fauna were observed at different slope locations, suggesting that these two faunal groups could be used as the indicators of the habitat heterogeneity of E. grandis plantations at different slope. Overall, slope location had definite effects on the community structure and distribution of soil fauna in the E. grandis plantations, but the effects were not statistically significant.

Severity of ocean acidification following the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact

PubMed Central

Tyrrell, Toby; Armstrong McKay, David Ian

2015-01-01

Most paleo-episodes of ocean acidification (OA) were either too slow or too small to be instructive in predicting near-future impacts. The end-Cretaceous event (66 Mya) is intriguing in this regard, both because of its rapid onset and also because many pelagic calcifying species (including 100% of ammonites and more than 90% of calcareous nannoplankton and foraminifera) went extinct at this time. Here we evaluate whether extinction-level OA could feasibly have been produced by the asteroid impact. Carbon cycle box models were used to estimate OA consequences of (i) vaporization of up to 60 × 1015 mol of sulfur from gypsum rocks at the point of impact; (ii) generation of up to 5 × 1015 mol of NOx by the impact pressure wave and other sources; (iii) release of up to 6,500 Pg C as CO2 from vaporization of carbonate rocks, wildfires, and soil carbon decay; and (iv) ocean overturn bringing high-CO2 water to the surface. We find that the acidification produced by most processes is too weak to explain calcifier extinctions. Sulfuric acid additions could have made the surface ocean extremely undersaturated (Ωcalcite <0.5), but only if they reached the ocean very rapidly (over a few days) and if the quantity added was at the top end of literature estimates. We therefore conclude that severe ocean acidification might have been, but most likely was not, responsible for the great extinctions of planktonic calcifiers and ammonites at the end of the Cretaceous. PMID:25964350

Severity of ocean acidification following the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact.

PubMed

Tyrrell, Toby; Merico, Agostino; Armstrong McKay, David Ian

2015-05-26

Most paleo-episodes of ocean acidification (OA) were either too slow or too small to be instructive in predicting near-future impacts. The end-Cretaceous event (66 Mya) is intriguing in this regard, both because of its rapid onset and also because many pelagic calcifying species (including 100% of ammonites and more than 90% of calcareous nannoplankton and foraminifera) went extinct at this time. Here we evaluate whether extinction-level OA could feasibly have been produced by the asteroid impact. Carbon cycle box models were used to estimate OA consequences of (i) vaporization of up to 60 × 10(15) mol of sulfur from gypsum rocks at the point of impact; (ii) generation of up to 5 × 10(15) mol of NOx by the impact pressure wave and other sources; (iii) release of up to 6,500 Pg C as CO2 from vaporization of carbonate rocks, wildfires, and soil carbon decay; and (iv) ocean overturn bringing high-CO2 water to the surface. We find that the acidification produced by most processes is too weak to explain calcifier extinctions. Sulfuric acid additions could have made the surface ocean extremely undersaturated (Ωcalcite <0.5), but only if they reached the ocean very rapidly (over a few days) and if the quantity added was at the top end of literature estimates. We therefore conclude that severe ocean acidification might have been, but most likely was not, responsible for the great extinctions of planktonic calcifiers and ammonites at the end of the Cretaceous.

Nannofossil biostratigraphy, strontium and carbon isotope stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy and an astronomically calibrated duration of the Late Campanian Radotruncana calcarata Zone

PubMed Central

Wagreich, Michael; Hohenegger, Johann; Neuhuber, Stephanie

2012-01-01

A section from the southern (Austro-Alpine Northern Calcareous Alps) margin of the Penninic Ocean in the NW Tethys realm of Late Campanian age is investigated stratigraphically. Plankton foraminifer and nannofossil biostratigraphy designate the presence of the Globotruncana ventricosa Zone and the Radotruncana (Globotruncanita) calcarata Zone, and standard nannofossil zones CC21–UC15cTP and CC22ab–UC15deTP. The combination of carbon isotope stratigraphy, strontium isotopes, and cyclostratigraphy allows a detailed chronostratigraphic correlation. Periodicity was obtained by power spectral analysis, sinusoidal regression, and Morlet wavelets. The duration of the calcarata Total Range Zone is calculated by orbital cyclicity expressed in thickness data of limestone–marl rhythmites and stable carbon isotope data. Precessional, obliquity, and short and long eccentricity cycles are identified and give an extent of c. 806 kyr for the zone. Mean sediment accumulation rates are as low as 1.99 cm/kyr and correspond well to sediment accumulation rates in similar settings. We further discuss chronostratigraphic implications of our data. PMID:27087718

Nannofossil biostratigraphy, strontium and carbon isotope stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy and an astronomically calibrated duration of the Late Campanian Radotruncana calcarata Zone.

PubMed

Wagreich, Michael; Hohenegger, Johann; Neuhuber, Stephanie

2012-12-01

A section from the southern (Austro-Alpine Northern Calcareous Alps) margin of the Penninic Ocean in the NW Tethys realm of Late Campanian age is investigated stratigraphically. Plankton foraminifer and nannofossil biostratigraphy designate the presence of the Globotruncana ventricosa Zone and the Radotruncana ( Globotruncanita ) calcarata Zone, and standard nannofossil zones CC21-UC15c TP and CC22ab-UC15de TP . The combination of carbon isotope stratigraphy, strontium isotopes, and cyclostratigraphy allows a detailed chronostratigraphic correlation. Periodicity was obtained by power spectral analysis, sinusoidal regression, and Morlet wavelets. The duration of the calcarata Total Range Zone is calculated by orbital cyclicity expressed in thickness data of limestone-marl rhythmites and stable carbon isotope data. Precessional, obliquity, and short and long eccentricity cycles are identified and give an extent of c. 806 kyr for the zone. Mean sediment accumulation rates are as low as 1.99 cm/kyr and correspond well to sediment accumulation rates in similar settings. We further discuss chronostratigraphic implications of our data.

A review of biostratigraphic studies in the olistostrome deposits of Karangsambung Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrizan, Marfasran

2018-02-01

Planktonic foraminifera is widely used for marine sediment biostratigraphy. Foraminiferal biostratigraphy of Karangsambung Formation is relatively rare to be investigated by previous researchers. A review of foraminiferal biostratigraphy is expected to be early work to perform a research about the ages of Tertiary rock formations in Karangsambung. The research area is formed by olistostrome process; a sedimentary slide deposit characterized by bodies of harder rock mixed and dispersed in a matrix. Biostratigraphic studies based on foraminifera and nannoplankton in Karangsambung Formation are still qualitative analysis using fossils biomarker. However, the age of this formation is still debatable based on foraminifera and nannofossil analysis. Two explanations of debatable ages in Karangsambung Formation that is possibly developed in Karangsambung area: firstly, Karangsambung Formation is characterized by normal sedimentation in some places and other regions such Kali Welaran and Clebok, Village as a product of olistostrome, and secondly, Karangsambung Formation is olistostrome deposit. However, micropaleontology sampling and analysis in matrix clays from olistostrome were ignored causing biostratigraphical results in those matrix clays occurred in normal sedimentation process and achieving the age of middle Eocene to Oligocene. We suppose previous authors picked samples in matrix of Karangsambung Formation from several river sections, which will make misinterpretation of the age of Karangsambung Formation. The age of middle to late Eocene probably is the dates of the older sediment that was reworked by sliding and sampling process and accumulated in Karangsambung Formation. The date of Karangsambung Fm is in Oligocene period based on a finding of several calcareous nannofossils. Detailed micropaleontological analysis of olistostrome deposits in Karangsambung Formation should be reevaluated for new finding of the accurate dating. Re-evaluation should start from detailed sedimentological mapping of Karangsambung Fm transects based on previous authors especially Kali Welaran, Jatibungkus transect and Clebok section followed by systematic sampling of normal sedimentation process from olistostrome products and matrix clays of olistostrome Karangsambung Formation. Finally, quantitative method of micropaleontological analysis can be applied to identify the age of Karangsambung Formation.

New uppermost Cambrian U-Pb date from Avalonian Wales and age of the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davidek, K.; Landing, E.; Bowring, S.A.; Westrop, S.R.; Rushton, A.W.A.; Fortey, R.A.; Adrain, J.M.

1998-01-01

A crystal-rich volcaniclastic sandatone in the lower Peltura scarabaeoides Zone at Ogof-odi near Criccieth, North Wales, yields a U-Pb zircon age of 491 ?? 1 Ma. This late Late Cambrian date indicates a remarkably young age for the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary whose age must be less than 491 Ma. Hence the revised duration of the post-Placentian (trilobite-bearing) Cambrian indicates that local trilobite zonations allow a biostratigraphic resolution comparble to that provided by Ordovician graptolites and Mesozoic ammonites.

The occurrence of a shallow-water Ammobaculoides assemblage in the Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) Dhruma Formation of Central Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminski, Michael A.; Hammad Malik, Muhammad; Setoyama, Eiichi

2018-01-01

We report the occurrence of an Ammobaculoides-dominated assemblage in the lowermost member of the Middle Jurassic Dhruma Formation exposed west of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new species Ammobaculoides dhrumaensis n.sp. is described from the green shale of the D1 unit (also known as the Balum Member) of the Dhruma Formation, which has been assigned an early Bajocian age based on ammonites. Our new finding constitutes the oldest reported worldwide occurrence of the agglutinated foraminiferal genus Ammobaculoides Plummer, 1932.

Soil macrofauna webmasters of ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frouz, Jan

2015-04-01

The role of plant roots and microflora in shaping many ecosystem processes is generally appreciated in the contrary rho role of soil mcrofauna in this context is assumed to be negligible and rather anecdotic. But more than half of the litter fall is consumed by soil fauna and soil fauna can also consume and or translocation substantial amount of soil. Here we demonstrate on example of post mining chronosequences how site colonization by soil fauna affect composition of whole soil biota community, plant succession and soil formation. Filed and laboratory experiments show that decomposition of fauna feces may be sped up compare to litter at the very beginning but in long term fauna feces decompose slower than litter. This is also supported by micro morphological observation which shows that fauna feces form substantial part of soil. Fauna feces also induce lover or even negative priming effect when introduced in soil in comparison with litter that triggers positive priming effect. Laboratory experiment show that fauna effect is context sensitive and is more pronounced in systems already affected by soil fauna. Soil mixing by soil fauna consequently affect environmental conditions in soils such as water holding capacity or nutrient availability, it also affect composition of decomposer food web including microbial community (fungal bacterial ratio) which feed back in alternation of plant community composition during succession This fauna activity is not constant everywhere the higher effect of fauna activity on litter layer was observed in temperate soils of deciduous forests and with litter having CN between 20-30. In conclusion soil fauna use directly only small proportion of energy in the litter but can substantially affect soil carbon turnover, soil formation, decomposer food web and plant community.

Malformations of calpionellid loricas recorded in Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous pelagic carbonates of the Western Carpathians, Western Balcan, Mexico and Cuba - a tool for paleoenvironmental interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reháková, Daniela; Michalík, Jozef; Lakova, Iskra; Petrova, Silviya; López-Martínez, Rafael

2017-04-01

Characteristic morphology and assemblage composition of of ancient planktonic ciliate protozoan loricas made of them a favourable tool for interregional correlation. They are playing a key role in the biostratigraphy of Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous sequences not only in areas lacking in ammonites. Detailed comparative analysis of calpionellid associations along all the Tethys shows variations in relative species abundance, variability, diversity changes and also in variability of their lorica structure. As oligotrophic organisms, they were sensitive to environmental perturbations such a change of the water temperature, chemistry, salinity and the nutrient supply. Mass occurrence of these microfossils was associated with shallow basins and with intrashelf elevations. These enviroments were characterized by a permanent current regime positively influencing the nutrient input. It is worth to mention, that the abundance and size of calpionellid loricas decrease towards the open sea - they are less frequent in deep basins, being very rare or seldom in reefal and lagoonal settings or in proximal settings with permanent river-influenced elevated nutrient level and with changes in surface water chemistry. Two diversity maxima were recorded within the Intermedia and the Oblonga subzones and two crisis were observed at the end of the Colomi Subzone and at the beginning of the Murgeanui Subzone. During the last mentioned events, deformations (aberrant morphology) were documented in Crassicollaria, Tintinnopsella and Praecalpionellites loricas (Reháková, 2000; Lakova and Petrova, 2013; López-Martínez et al., 2015). Teratological (malformed) tests may coincide either with metal poisoning or with salinity changes. Global climate changes could have been evoked by active volcanoes noted at this time (Casellato and Erba, 2015). Oxygen isotope data signalized late Tithonian cooling followed by a warming at the beginning of the Berriasian (Weissert and Erba, 2004). Huge portion of siliclastic input which was documented during the Late Tithonian and Valanginian could indicate tectonic activity combined with rised humidity and with the eustatic sea-level drop (Michalík, 2007). Rapid decrease of oligotrophic nannoconid abundance correlable with the extinction of calpionellids has been interpreted as the Cretaceous first biocalcification crisis (Erba and Tremolada, 2004). Thus, thinning and deformation of calpionellid loricas could have been associated with distant volcanic effusions producing metallic contaminants and salinity variations. Acknowledgement: The research was supported by APVV-14-0118 projects, by the VEGA Projects 2/0034/16 and 2/0057/16, by bilateral SK-BG 2013-0012 Project (registered as DNTS 01/9 by the Bulgarian Science Fund), and by Projekts PAPIT IA 102616, PAPIT IN 108516 of the UNAM.

[Effects of global change on soil fauna diversity: A review].

PubMed

Wu, Ting-Juan

2013-02-01

Terrestrial ecosystem consists of aboveground and belowground components, whose interaction affects the ecosystem processes and functions. Soil fauna plays an important role in biogeochemical cycles. With the recognizing of the significance of soil fauna in ecosystem processes, increasing evidences demonstrated that global change has profound effects on soil faunima diversity. The alternation of land use type, the increasing temperature, and the changes in precipitation pattern can directly affect soil fauna diversity, while the increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration and nitrogen deposition can indirectly affect the soil fauna diversity by altering plant community composition, diversity, and nutrient contents. The interactions of different environmental factors can co-affect the soil fauna diversity. To understand the effects of different driving factors on soil fauna diversity under the background of climate change would facilitate us better predicting how the soil fauna diversity and related ecological processes changed in the future.

Decline of a diverse fish fauna: patterns of imperilment and protection in the Southeastern United States

Treesearch

Melvin L. Warren; Paul L. Angermeier; Brooks M. Burr; Wendell R. Haag

1997-01-01

The Southeastern United States harbors the richest freshwater fish fauna on the North American continent north of Mexico, but portents of decline of this great fauna are increasingly acknowledged. Southeastern fishes (493 species) comprise about 47 percent of the North American fish fauna (1,061 species) and 62 percent of the fauna in the United States (790 species)....

Late Miocene/Pliocene Ostracod Biostratigraphy from South Carpathian Foredeep, Romania (Badislava-Topolog Area)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floroiu, Alina; Stoica, Marius; Vasiliev, Iuliana; Krijgsman, Wout

2016-04-01

The Paratethys epicontinental sea has been an essential paleogeographic feature defining the Eurasian interior since Oligocene. By the end of the Miocene, ongoing tectonic activity in the region determined severe restrictions of the connection of the large former Paratethys sea resulting in the formation of several smaller subbasins: the Pannonian basin, the Dacian basin, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. In the western part of the Dacian Basin, the thick and continuous Mio-Pliocene sedimentary successions of the Getic Depression of Romania provide an exceptional opportunity to study the paleoecological changes in the Eastern Paratethys during the time when the Mediterranean and Black Sea experienced important sea level changes related to the Messinian Salinity Crisis. These sedimentary successions were the basis of high-resolution magnetobiostratigraphic studies that allow a detailed correlation to the Geological Time Scale. Here, we present the main characteristics of the ostracod assemblages of the Late Miocene/Pliocene sedimentary succession from Badislava-Topolog section covering the Eastern Paratethys regional Maeotian and Pontian, stages that are, at moment, under ongoing formal stratigraphic definition process. The Mio-Pliocene is exposed in the central part of the Getic Depression, especially Topolog-Arges area, where it riches up to 500 m in thickness being incorporated into a large monocline structure with 15o-20o plungeto the south. The Upper Maeotian deposits from the area have developed mainly in fluviatile-deltaic facies with frequent continental intercalations. The ostracod assemblage is represented by rare fresh water ostracods of Candona, Pseudocandona and Ilyocypris genera, capable to populate unstable environments like flood-plains, lakes and rivers with temporary existence. The scarce Maeotian ostracod fauna from this marginal section differs essentially from the more diversified one of the same age recorded in areas that evolved in basinal conditions. The top of the Maeotian sequence is marked by an erosional surface. The overlaying Pontian has a transgressive character being represented only by the Late Pontian (Bosphorian) fining-upward sedimentary sequence that starts with coarse to medium-grained pebbles and sands in the lower part, passing to predominant pelitic deposits to the upper part. These Bosphorian, fine-grained sedimentary rocks provided a rich ostracods fauna represented mainly by species of Pontoniella, Camptocypria, Caspiocypris, Cypria, Amplocypris, Bakunella Tyrrhneocythere, Amnicythere, Loxoconcha and Amnicythere. There are no indications for the presence of the Lower and Middle Pontian (Odessian and Portaferrian) substages in the investigated area, the Upper Pontian deposits discordantly overlying the Upper Maeotian sediments. The transition to the Dacian stage (Lower Pliocene) is more gradual, some of Pontian species passing to the Lower Dacian (Getian) where they are in association with typical Dacian ostracods.

Gradients in precipitation and seasonality between Central and Eastern Asia (Mongolia, Northern Vietnam) during the Oligocene with implication for earlier monsoonal circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehme, Madelaine; Krings, Michael; Prieto, Jérome; Schneider, Simon

2010-05-01

Today Central and Eastern Asia are characterized by strong contrast in the amount and the annual distribution of rainfall as well as the seasonality in temperature, which is attributed to the uplifted Tibetian Plateau generating monsoonal circulation. Whereas Central Asia is characterized by strong continentality with cold winters and little rainfall concentrated in a short rainy season, the southern part of East Asia exhibit a paratropical climate with high amounts in precipitation distributed relatively even through the year. Palaeontological data (vertebrates and plant remains) from the Eocene and Oligocene of Mongolia and Northern Vietnam indicate that a strong gradient in precipitation and seasonality between Central Asia and East Asia was already established during the Oligocene, which emphasise the establishment of substantial monsoonal circulation at that time. Fossil amphibians and reptiles from Mongolia (45° N, 101° E; Böhme 2007) indicate a strong and abrupt drying and winter cooling at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary consistent with previous results (Dupont-Nivet et al. 2007). Late Eocene assemblages are characterized by crocodiles, salamanders and diverse aquatic turtles, whereas Early Oligocene faunas constitutes of pelobatid frogs, agamid and anguid squamates, diverse species of lizards, and an erycine boide snake. The environmental preferences of both contrasting assemblages point to a severe climate event around 34 myr ago, resulting in the lost of permanent freshwater bodies under humid and winter mild climate and the spread of open landscapes without permanent freshwater bodies under a dry arid to semi-arid climate with only a short rainy season. Oligocene reptiles, macro- and micro-botanical remains, as well as palaeosols from Northern Vietnam (22° N, 107° E; Böhme et al. subm.) suggest warm-humid, (para-) tropical climates with low seasonality in temperature and precipitation. Besides a high diversity in semi-aquatic turtles and the presence of large-sized longirostrine crocodiles we found diverse ferns, including arborescent Osmundaceae and planosol paleosoils similar to those which developed today in this region. Böhme, M. 2007. Oligocene-Miocene Vertebrates from the Valley of Lakes (Central Mongolia): Morphology, phylogenetic and stratigraphic implications - 3. Herpetofauna (Anura, Squamata) and palaeoclimatic implications: preliminary results.- Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien 108A: 43-52. Böhme, M., Prieto J., Schneider, S. (submitted): Cenozoic basins of Northern Vietnam: biostratigraphy, vertebrate and invertebrate fauna.- Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. Dupont-Nivet, G., Krijgsman, W., Langereis, C.G., Abels, H. A., Dai, S. and Fang, X. 2007. Tibetan Plateau aridification linked to global cooling at the Eocene-Oligocene transition.- Nature 445, 635-638.

Le Carbonifère du Maroc central : les formations de Migoumess, de Tirhela et d'Idmarrach. Lithologie, biostratigraphie et conséquences géodynamiquesThe Carboniferous formations of Migoumess, Tirhela and Idmarrach (central Morocco): lithology, biostratigraphy and geodynamic consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkhli, Mostafa; Vachard, Daniel

2002-01-01

New biostratigraphical data based on foraminifers, algae and pseudo-algae indicate that the limestone pebbles of the channelized polygenic conglomerates of the Migoumess formation contain Late Visean (V3b γ-V3c) assemblages. That confirms the Westphalian age attributed to this formation by Hollard [Zdt. Geol. Ges. 129 (1978) 495-512]. The Tournaisian age assigned to it by palynology [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, série II 310 (1990) 1573-1576] cannot be retained. The Tirhela formation, Late Visean and Serpukhovian (E1) in age, is coeval with the Akerchi formation [Berkhli, thèse d'État, 1999; Berkhli et al., J. Afr. Earth Sci. (accepté)]. The Idmarrach formation, mapped as a thrust sheet [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, série II 310 (1990) 1573-1576], is dated as Serpukhovian (E1) and its thrusting is consequently post-Serpukhovian. Palaeogeographic and geodynamic consequences are listed. To cite this article: M. Berkhli, D. Vachard, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 67-72

Biostratigraphic implications of the first Eocene land-mammal fauna from the North American coastal plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westgate, James W.

1988-11-01

A newly discovered vertebrate fossil assemblage, the Casa Blanca local fauna, comes from the Laredo Formation, Claiborne Group, of Webb County, Texas, and is the first reported Eocene land-mammal fauna from the coastal plain of North America. The mammalian fauna is correlated with the Serendipity and Candelaria local faunas of west Texas, the Uinta C faunas of the Rocky Mountains, the Santiago Formation local fauna of southern California, and the Swift Current Creek local fauna of Saskatchewan. The vertebrate-bearing deposit lies about 32 m above a horizon containing the marine gastropod Turritella cortezi, which ranges from east Texas to northeast Mexico in the lower half of the Cook Mountain and Laredo Formations and is a guide fossil to the Hurricane Lentil in the Cook Mountain Formation. Nannoplankton found in these middle Eocene formations belong to the upper half of Nannoplankton Zone I6 and allow correlation with European beds of late Lutetian to early Bartonian age.

[Microelement contents of litter, soil fauna and soil in Pinus koraiensis and broad-leaved mixed forest].

PubMed

Yin, Xiu-qin; Li, Jin-xia; Dong, Wei-hua

2007-02-01

The analysis on the Mn, Zn and Cu contents of litter, soil fauna and soil in Pinus korazenszis and broad-leaved mixed forest in Liangshui Natural Reserve of Xiaoxing' an Mountains showed that the test microelement contents in the litter, soil fauna and soil all followed the sequence of Mn > Zn > Cu, but varied with these environmental components, being in the sequence of soil > litter > soil fauna for Mn, soil fauna > litter and soil for Zn, and soil fauna > soil > litter for Cu. The change range of test microelement contents in litter was larger in broad-leaved forest than in coniferous forest. Different soil fauna differed in their microelement-enrichment capability, e. g. , earthworm, centipede, diplopod had the highest content of Mn, Zn and Cu, respectively. The contents of test microelements in soil fauna had significant correlations with their environmental background values, litter decomposition rate, food habit of soil fauna, and its absorbing selectivity and enrichment to microelements. The microelements contained in 5-20 cm soil layer were more than those in 0-5 cm soil layer, and their dynamics differed in various soil layers.

Chronology for the Cueva Victoria fossil site (SE Spain): Evidence for Early Pleistocene Afro-Iberian dispersals.

PubMed

Gibert, Luis; Scott, Gary R; Scholz, Denis; Budsky, Alexander; Ferràndez, Carles; Ribot, Francesc; Martin, Robert A; Lería, María

2016-01-01

Cueva Victoria has provided remains of more than 90 species of fossil vertebrates, including a hominin phalanx, and the only specimens of the African cercopithecid Theropithecus oswaldi in Europe. To constrain the age of the vertebrate remains we used paleomagnetism, vertebrate biostratigraphy and (230)Th/U dating. Normal polarity was identified in the non-fossiliferous lowest and highest stratigraphic units (red clay and capping flowstones) while reverse polarity was found in the intermediate stratigraphic unit (fossiliferous breccia). A lower polarity change occurred during the deposition of the decalcification clay, when the cave was closed and karstification was active. A second polarity change occurred during the capping flowstone formation, when the upper galleries were filled with breccia. The mammal association indicates a post-Jaramillo age, which allows us to correlate this upper reversal with the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary (0.78 Ma). Consequently, the lower reversal (N-R) is interpreted as the end of the Jaramillo magnetochron (0.99 Ma). These ages bracket the age of the fossiliferous breccia between 0.99 and 0.78 Ma, suggesting that the capping flowstone was formed during the wet Marine Isotopic Stage 19, which includes the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary. Fossil remains of Theropithecus have been only found in situ ∼1 m below the B/M boundary, which allows us to place the arrival of Theropithecus to Cueva Victoria at ∼0.9-0.85 Ma. The fauna of Cueva Victoria lived during a period of important climatic change, known as the Early-Middle Pleistocene Climatic Transition. The occurrence of the oldest European Acheulean tools at the contemporaneous nearby site of Cueva Negra suggest an African dispersal into SE Iberia through the Strait of Gibraltar during MIS 22, when sea-level was ∼100 m below its present position, allowing the passage into Europe of, at least, Theropithecus and Homo bearing Acheulean technology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Upper Campanian calciclastic turbidite sequences from the Hacımehmet area (eastern Pontides, NE Turkey): integrated biostratigraphy and microfacies analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, Bilal; Kandemir, Raif; Özer, Sacit; Walaszczyk, Ireneusz; Görmüş, Muhittin; Demircan, Huriye; Yilmaz, Cemil

2014-12-01

The upper Campanian (Cretaceous) of the Hacımehmet area (south of the city of Trabzon; Eastern Pontides) is mainly composed of calciclastic turbidites. The basinal unit of the 119 m thick succession includes thin red pelagic limestone interlayers and conglomerates dominated by volcanic clasts. The overlying upper slope and lower slope units of the sequence consist of an alternation of allochthonous calcarenite/calcirudite beds and pelagic marls and mudstones. Calcarenite/calcirudite beds dominate the upper slope unit of the succession and are composed of transported material, including benthic foraminifers, red algae, bryozoan, crinoid and rudist fragments, inoceramid bivalve prisms and neritic and pelagic carbonate lithoclasts. The occurrence of Helicorbitoides boluensis (Sirel) extracted from the calcarenite/calcirudite beds indicates a Campanian age. Identifiable rudists such as Joufia reticulata Boehm, Bournonia cf. anatolica Ozer, Biradiolites cf. bulgaricus Pamouktchiev and ?Biradiolites sp. from the upper slope unit of the succession indicate a late Campanian- Maastrichtian age. The planktonic foraminifers within the red pelagic limestone beds, marls and mudstones throughout the succession consist mainly of Campanian-Maastrichtian forms and suggest mainly basinal depositional conditions. The presence of Radotruncana cf. calcarata (Cushman) accompanied by Globotruncanita elevata (Brotzen) in the basinal unit of the succession indicates an early late Campanian age for the lower part of the succession. Inoceramid bivalves have been collected from the upper part of the succession. The fauna is dominated by `Inoceramus' tenuilineatus Hall and Meek, 1854 and Cataceramus haldemensis (Giers, 1964); other taxa recognised are: `Inoceramus' algeriensis Heinz, 1932, Platyceramus vanuxemi (Meek and Hayden, 1860), `Inoceramus' cf. nebrascensis Owen, 1852, Cataceramus aff. barabini (Morton, 1834), Cataceramus gandjaensis (Aliev, 1956), and `Inoceramus' sp.; the assemblage indicates the `Inoceramus' tenuilineatus Zone; corresponding to the middle-late Campanian boundary interval. The uppermost part of the succession is characterized by the presence of the trace fossils Scolicia strozzii and Scolicia isp., indicating a mixed Skolithos-Cruziana ichnofacies. This ichnofacies suggests a well-oxygenated environment.

The Lower Triassic sedimentary and carbon isotope records from Tulong (South Tibet) and their significance for Tethyan palaeoceanography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brühwiler, Thomas; Goudemand, Nicolas; Galfetti, Thomas; Bucher, Hugo; Baud, Aymon; Ware, David; Hermann, Elke; Hochuli, Peter A.; Martini, Rossanna

2009-12-01

The Lower Triassic sedimentary and carbonate/organic carbon isotope records from the Tulong area (South Tibet) are documented in their integrality for the first time. New age control is provided by ammonoid and conodont biostratigraphy. The basal Triassic series consists of Griesbachian dolomitic limestones, similar to the Kathwai Member in the Salt Range (Pakistan) and to the Otoceras Beds in Spiti (India). The overlying thin-bedded limestones of Dienerian age strongly resemble the Lower Ceratite Limestone of the Salt Range. They are followed by a thick series of dark green, silty shales of Dienerian-early Smithian age without fauna that strikingly resemble the Ceratite Marls of the Salt Range. This interval is overlain by thin-bedded, light grey fossil-rich limestones of middle to late Smithian age, resembling the Upper Ceratite Limestone of the Salt Range. These are followed by a shale interval of early Spathian age that has no direct counterpart in other Tethyan sections. Carbonate production resumes during the late early and middle Spathian with the deposition of red, bioclastic nodular limestone ("Ammonitico Rosso" type facies). Apart from its colour this facies is similar to the one of the Niti Limestone in Spiti and of the Spathian nodular limestone in Guangxi (South China). As in other Tethyan localities such as Spiti, the early-middle Anisian part of the Tulong section is strongly condensed and is characterized by grey, thin-bedded limestones with phosphatized ammonoids. As for many other Tethyan localities the carbon isotope record from Tulong is characterized by a late Griesbachian-Dienerian positive δ13C carb excursion (2‰), and a very prominent positive excursion (5‰) at the Smithian-Spathian boundary, thus confirming the well-documented perturbations of the global carbon cycle following the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event.

The Carboniferous of the Western Karakoram (Pakistan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaetani, M.; Zanchi, A.; Angiolini, L.; Olivini, G.; Sciunnach, D.; Brunton, H.; Nicora, A.; Mawson, R.

2004-05-01

The results of the study of the Carboniferous successions in the western part of the Northern Karakoram during three geological expeditions are summarized here. Rocks of that period are not uniformly preserved in the several thrust sheets forming the Northern Karakoram. In most of them only the basal part of the Carboniferous, up to the Visean, is preserved, whilst in the Karambar thrust sheet a more complete section—previously almost unknown—is preserved. Four new lithostratigraphic units, time-constrained by brachiopod and conodont biostratigraphy, are described, from bottom to top: (1) the Margach Formation: prevailing dark shales with subordinate fine subarkoses and quartzarenites, up to 300 m thick (mid-Famennian to middle Tournaisian); (2) the Ribat Formation: grey crinoidal limestones passing upwards to dark marly limestones and marls, at least 300 m thick (middle Tournaisian to Serpukhovian); (3) the Lupsuk Formation: subarkoses to feldspathic quartzarenites in thick beds, alternating with dark shales and siltstones, up to 400 m thick (Serpukhovian to uppermost Carboniferous); (4) within the Lupsuk Formation a local member, the Twin Valleys Member, up to 100 m thick, a bioclastic limestone intercalation of post-Moscovian age, is distinguished. The Carboniferous successions are invariably sealed by the arkoses to quartzarenites of the Gircha Formation, 133 m above the base of which, in the Karambar area, an Asselian brachiopod fauna was recovered. The Carboniferous succession is interpreted as recording the evolution of the passive margin of the Northern Karakoram Terrane, from early rifting stage in the Late Devonian to syn-rift events during the Late Carboniferous. The basal part of the Gircha Formation, of latest Carboniferous-earliest Permian age, is considered to have been deposited above a break-up unconformity, linked to the early drifting in the seaway bordering the Karakoram. In the palaeontological appendix the most significant brachiopod taxa (19 species, one new) are described.

[Contribution of soil fauna to the mass loss of Betula albosinensis leaf litter at early decomposition stage of subalpine forest litter in western Sichuan].

PubMed

Xia, Lei; Wu, Fu-Zhong; Yang, Wan-Qin; Tan, Bo

2012-02-01

In order to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to the decomposition of birch (Betula albosinensis) leaf litter in subalpine forests in western Sichuan of Southwest China during freeze-thaw season, a field experiment with different mesh sizes (0.02, 0.125, 1 and 3 mm) of litterbags was conducted in a representative birch-fir (Abies faxoniana) forest to investigate the mass loss rate of the birch leaf litter from 26 October, 2010 to 18 April, 2011, and the contributions of micro-, meso- and macro-fauna to the decomposition of the leaf litter. Over the freeze-thaw season, 11.8%, 13.2%, 15.4% and 19.5% of the mass loss were detected in the litterbags with 0.02, 0. 125, 1 and 3 mm mesh sizes, respectively. The total contribution of soil fauna to the litter decomposition accounted for 39.5% of the mass loss, and the taxa and individual relative density of the soil fauna in the litterbags had the similar variation trend with that of the mass loss rate. The contribution rate of soil fauna to the leaf litter mass loss showed the order of micro- < meso- < macro-fauna, with the highest contribution of micro-fauna (7.9%), meso-fauna (11.9%), and macro-fauna (22.7%) at the onset of freezing stage, deeply frozen stage, and thawing stage, respectively. The results demonstrated that soil fauna played an important role in the litter decomposition in subalpine forests of western Sichuan during freeze-thaw season.

Climate and litter quality differently modulate the effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition across biomes

PubMed Central

García-Palacios, Pablo; Maestre, Fernando T.; Kattge, Jens; Wall, Diana H.

2015-01-01

Climate and litter quality have been identified as major drivers of litter decomposition at large spatial scales. However, the role played by soil fauna remains largely unknown, despite its importance for litter fragmentation and microbial activity. We synthesized litterbag studies to quantify the effect sizes of soil fauna on litter decomposition rates at the global and biome scales, and to assess how climate, litter quality and soil fauna interact to determine such rates. Soil fauna consistently enhanced litter decomposition at both global and biome scales (average increment ~27%). However, climate and litter quality differently modulated the effects of soil fauna on decomposition rates between biomes, from climate-driven biomes to those where climate effects were mediated by changes in litter quality. Our results advocate for the inclusion of biome-specific soil fauna effects on litter decomposition as a mean to reduce the unexplained variation in large-scale decomposition models. PMID:23763716

[Responses of soil fauna to environment degeneration in the process of wind erosion desertification of Hulunbeir steppe].

PubMed

Lü, Shi-Hai; Lu, Xin-Shi; Gao, Ji-Xi

2007-09-01

To reveal the relationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors in the process of steppe desertification, field survey combined with laboratory analysis was made to study the community structure, population density and biodiversity of soil fauna, and their relationships with the changes of soil organic matter, hydrolysable nitrogen, available phosphorus and moisture contents and soil pH at different stages of desertification of Hulunbeir steppe. The soil faunal specimens collected belonged to 4 phyla, 6 classes and 12 orders. Nematoda was the only dominant group of medium- and small-sized soil fauna, occupying 94.3% of the total, while Coleoptera and Hemiptera were the dominant groups of large-sized soil fauna, with the amount of 79.7%. The group amount, population density, diversity, and evenness of soil fauna had an obvious decreasing trend with the aggravation of steppe desertification. At serious stage of desertification, soil fauna vanished completely. The population density of soil fauna in 0-20 cm soil layer had significant linear correlations with soil nutrients and moisture contents, soil pH, and litter mass, indicating that soil fauna had stronger sensibility to the changes of soil environmental factors in the process of wind erosion desertification of Hulunbeir steppe.

Effects of Formica ants on soil fauna-results from a short-term exclusion and a long-term natural experiment.

PubMed

Lenoir, Lisette; Bengtsson, Jan; Persson, Tryggve

2003-02-01

Wood ants (Formica spp.) were hypothesised to affect the composition and greatly reduce the abundance of large-sized soil fauna by predation. This was tested in two ways. Firstly, a 4-year-long experimental study was carried out in a mixed forest. Five ant-free 1.3-m(2) plots were created by fenced exclosures within an ant territory. Five nearby plots had fences with entrances for the ants. In addition, five non-fenced control plots were selected. Soil fauna (e.g. Coleoptera, Diptera larvae, Collembola and Araneae) was sampled during the summers of 1997-2000. The soil fauna was affected by the exclosures but there was no detectable effect of ants on the soil fauna. Secondly, soil fauna was studied within a large-scale natural experiment in which the long-term (30 years) effects of red wood ants could be assessed inside and outside ant territories. This long-term natural experiment revealed no significant effects of ants on the abundance or composition of soil fauna. The results from the two studies indicate that the effects of wood ants on soil fauna are fairly small. The hypothesis that wood ants are key-stone predators on soil fauna could, thus, not be supported.

Conodont biostratigraphy of the Permian-Triassic boundary sequence at Lung Cam, Vietnam

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardlaw, Bruce R.; Nestell, Merlynd K.; Nestell, Galina P.; Ellwood, Brooks B.; Lan, Luu Thi Phuong

2015-01-01

The occurrences of a few specimens of Clarkina and many specimens of Hindeodus at the Permian-Triassic boundary section at Lung Cam, Vietnam allow accurate graphic correlation to the P-T boundary stratotype at Meishan, China. One species of Clarkina, ten species and two subspecies of Hindeodus, and the apparatuses of Hindeodus latidentatus and Merrillina ultima are described and illustrated.

Soil ecological interactions: comparisons between tropical and subalpine forests

Treesearch

Grizelle Gonzalez; Ruth E. Ley; Steven K. Schmidt; Xiaoming Zou; Timothy R. Seastedt

2001-01-01

Soil fauna can influence soil processes through interactions with the microbial community. Due to the complexity of the functional roles of fauna and their effects on microbes, little consensus has been reached on the extent to which soil fauna can regulate microbial activities. We quantified soil microbial biomass and maximum growth rates in control and fauna-excluded...

[Co-occurrence of soil fauna communities with changes in altitude on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain].

PubMed

Tong, Fuchun; Jin, Zhedong; Wang, Qingli; Xiao, Yihua

2003-10-01

The co-occurrence of soil fauna communities at different altitudes may reflect at some extent the relationships among communities, their coexistence, and the replacement of species along the altitude gradient. The continuous or disjunctive distribution of different species along altitude gradient not only reflected the environment variation at altitude gradient, but also the biological and ecological spatiality as well as the adaptability of species. The northern slope of Changbai Moutain has not only a high diversity in soil fauna types and species, but also a high variation of diversity pattern along the altitude gradient, which is a perfect transect for the research of biodiversity and gradient patterns. From 550 m to 2,560 m on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, twenty-two plots were investigated with an interval of 100 m in altitude. By using Jaccard index, the co-occurrence of soil fauna communities at different altitudes was analyzed. For the species of different life forms or for all the species as a whole, the co-occurrence of soil faunae between neighboring communities was the highest, except for that between different soil fauna types. The peak and valley values of the co-occurrence of soil fauna communities along altitude gradient were matched with their gradient patterns, and the co-occurrence of soil faunae at different layers or all of the soil fauna communities were decreased with increasing altitude difference.

Timing is everything - implications of a new correlation of Triassic-Jurassic boundary successions and the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindström, Sofie; van de Schootbrugge, Bas; Pedersen, Gunver K.; Alsen, Peter; Thibault, Nicolas; Hansen, Katrine H.; Dybkjær, Karen; Bjerrum, Christian J.; Nielsen, Lars Henrik

2017-04-01

Understanding mass extinctions requires a clear insight into the stratigraphy of boundary sections, which allows for long-distance correlations and correct distinction of the sequence of events. However, even after the ratification of a Global Stratotype Section and Point, global correlations of Triassic-Jurassic boundary (TJB) successions are hampered by the fact that many of the traditionally used fossil groups were severely affected by the end-Triassic mass extinction (ETE). Recently, a new correlation of key TJB successions in Europe, U.S.A. and Peru, based on a combination of biotic (palynology and ammonites), geochemical (δ13Corg) and radiometric (U/Pb ages) constraints, was presented. This new correlation has an impact on the causality and temporal development during the end-Triassic event, as it indicates that the bulk of the hitherto dated, high-titanium, quartz normalized volcanism of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) preceded or was contemporaneous to the onset of the mass extinction. It further shows that the maximum phase of the mass extinction, which affected both the terrestrial and marine ecosystems, was associated with a major regression and repeated, enhanced earthquake activity in Europe. A subsequent transgression resulted in the formation of hiati or condensed successions in many areas in Europe. Later phases of volcanic activity of the CAMP, producing low titanium, quartz normalized and high-iron, quartz normalized basaltic rocks, continued close to the first occurrence of Jurassic ammonites and the defined TJB. This new correlations enables a reconstruction of the sequence of events; including records of e.g. pCO2 from soil carbonates and plant fossils, rare earth elements, biomarkers, charcoal, which allows an insight into the causality of this biotic crises.

West-east lithostratigraphic cross section of Cretaceous rocks from central Utah to western Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anna, Lawrence O.

2012-01-01

A west-east lithostratigraphic cross section of the Cretaceous rocks from central Utah to western Kansas was prepared as part of the former Western Interior Cretaceous (WIK) project, which was part of the Global Sedimentary Geology Program started in 1989. This transect is similar to that published by Dyman and others (1994) as a summary paper of the WIK project but extends further east and is more detailed. Stratigraphic control was provided by 32 geophysical logs and measured sections tied to ammonite and Inoceramus faunal zones. A variable datum was used, including the base of the Castlegate Sandstone for the western part of the section, and the fossil ammonite zone Baculites obtusus for the middle and eastern section. Lower Cretaceous units and the Frontier Formation and Mowry Shale are shown as undifferentiated units. Cretaceous strata along the transect range in thickness from more than 7,000 ft in the structural foredeep of the western overthrust belt in central Utah, to about 11,000 ft near the Colorado-Utah border as a result of considerable thickening of the Mesaverde Group, to less than 3,500 ft in the eastern Denver Basin, Kansas resulting in a condensed section. The basal Mancos Shale rises stepwise across the transect becoming progressively younger to the west as the Western Interior Seaway transgressed westward. The section illustrates large scale stratigraphic relations for most of the area covered by the seaway, from central Utah, Colorado, to west-central Kansas. These strata are predominantly continental and shoreline deposits near the Sevier thrust belt in Utah, prograding and regressive shorelines to the east with associated flooding surfaces, downlapping mudstones, and transgressive parasequences (shoreface) that correlate to condensed zones across the seaway in central Colorado and eastern Denver Basin.

Climate and litter quality differently modulate the effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition across biomes.

PubMed

García-Palacios, Pablo; Maestre, Fernando T; Kattge, Jens; Wall, Diana H

2013-08-01

Climate and litter quality have been identified as major drivers of litter decomposition at large spatial scales. However, the role played by soil fauna remains largely unknown, despite its importance for litter fragmentation and microbial activity. We synthesised litterbag studies to quantify the effect sizes of soil fauna on litter decomposition rates at the global and biome scales, and to assess how climate, litter quality and soil fauna interact to determine such rates. Soil fauna consistently enhanced litter decomposition at both global and biome scales (average increment ~ 37%). [corrected]. However, climate and litter quality differently modulated the effects of soil fauna on decomposition rates between biomes, from climate-driven biomes to those where climate effects were mediated by changes in litter quality. Our results advocate for the inclusion of biome-specific soil fauna effects on litter decomposition as a mean to reduce the unexplained variation in large-scale decomposition models. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Parasite fauna of Antarctic Macrourus whitsoni (Gadiformes: Macrouridae) in comparison with closely related macrourids.

PubMed

Münster, Julian; Kochmann, Judith; Klimpel, Sven; Klapper, Regina; Kuhn, Thomas

2016-07-20

The extreme, isolated environment within the Antarctic Convergence has fuelled the evolution of a highly endemic fauna with unique adaptations. One species known from this area is the Whitson's grenadier Macrourus whitsoni (Regan, 1913). While closely related species occurring in the Northern Hemisphere were targets of a variety of studies, knowledge on M. whitsoni is scarce, including not only its ecology but also its parasite fauna. Parasites, an often overlooked but important component of every ecosystem, can provide important insights into host ecology, including feeding habits, food web interactions and distribution patterns. The aim of our study was to increase the currently limited knowledge on the ecology of M. whitsoni and its parasite life-cycles. In this study, parasite fauna and stomach content of 50 specimens of M. whitsoni were sampled off Elephant and King George Islands. Fish samples were morphological, food ecological and parasitological examined and parasites morphological and partly molecular identified. To evaluate the findings, results were compared with other macrourid species. The parasite fauna of M. whitsoni revealed 9 genera and 17 species. Stomach content analysis indicated Amphipoda and Mysida as the primary food source. Considering the parasites of M. whitsoni, the highest diversity was found within the Digenea, while prevalence was highest for the Acanthocephala and Nematoda. The diverse parasite fauna of M. whitsoni together with the stomach content analysis, suggests a benthopelagic mode of life. Furthermore, an extensive evaluation of the parasite fauna of species of the Macrourinae was conducted, which is probably the most thorough one yet, to compare the findings with closely related host fish species. A similarity analysis revealed a strong connection between the parasite fauna composition and geographical distribution, with a clear separation between the parasite faunas in fishes sampled in the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. Due to the isolated habitat within the Antarctic Conversion, the parasite fauna of M. whitsoni differs clearly from those of closely related and closely occurring species of the genus Macrourus. Our study revealed an endemically dominated parasite fauna, with parasites often host-specific to M. whitsoni. The comparison with the faunas of other species of the Macrourinae revealed a largely endemic parasite fauna, which emphasizes again the isolated character of the Antarctic shelf regions.

Comparison of the abundance and composition of litter fauna in tropical and subalpine forests

Treesearch

G. Gonzalez; T.R. Seastedt

2000-01-01

In this study, we quantify the abundance and composition of the litter fauna in dry and wet tropical forests and north- and south-facing subalpine forests. We used the same litter species contained in litterbags across study sites to standardize for substrate conditions, and a single method of fauna extraction from the litter (Tullgren method). Fauna densities were...

Toward a complete soil C and N cycle: incorporating the soil fauna.

PubMed

Osler, Graham H R; Sommerkorn, Martin

2007-07-01

Increasing pressures on ecosystems through global climate and other land-use changes require predictive models of their consequences for vital processes such as soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. These environmental changes will undoubtedly affect soil fauna. There is sufficient evidence that soil fauna have significant effects on all of the pools and fluxes in these cycles, and soil fauna mineralize more N than microbes in some habitats. It is therefore essential that their role in the C and N cycle be understood. Here we introduce a new framework that attempts to reconcile our current understanding of the role of soil fauna within the C and N cycle with biogeochemical models and soil food web models. Using a simple stoichiometric approach to integrate our understanding of N mineralization and immobilization with the C:N ratio of substrates and faunal life history characteristics, as used in food web studies, we consider two mechanisms through which soil fauna can directly affect N cycling. First, fauna that are efficient assimilators of C and that have prey with similar C:N ratios as themselves, are likely to contribute directly to the mineral N pool. Second, fauna that are inefficient assimilators of C and that have prey with higher C:N ratios than themselves are likely to contribute most to the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool. Different groups of fauna are likely to contribute to these two pathways. Protists and bacteria-feeding nematodes are more likely to be important for N mineralization through grazing on microbial biomass, while the effects of enchytraeids and fungal-feeding microarthropods are most likely to be important for DOM production. The model is consistent with experimental evidence and, despite its simplicity, provides a new framework in which the effects of soil fauna on pools and fluxes can be understood. Further, the model highlights our gaps in knowledge, not only for effects of soil fauna on processes, but also for understanding of the soil C and N cycle in general.

Microfossils in Conophyton from the Soviet Union and their bearing on Precambrian biostratigraphy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schopf, J. W.; Sovetov, Iu. K.

1976-01-01

Silicified specimens of the Vendian (late Precambrian) 'index fossil' Conophyton gaubitza from South Kazakstan contain a diverse assemblage of well-preserved cyanophytic and apparently eukaryotic algae, the first stromatolitic microbiota to be reported from the Soviet Union. Unlike the stromatolites in which they occur, the microorganisms that apparently built this form of Conophyton did not become extinct at the end of the Precambrian.

Les séries du carbonifère inférieur de la région d'Adarouch, NE du Maroc central: lithologie et biostratigraphieEarly carboniferous series of the Adarouch area, northeast central Morocco: lithology and biostratigraphy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkhli, M.; Vachard, D.; Paicheler, J.-C.

2001-05-01

The early Carboniferous series of the Adarouch area (northeast central Morocco) are subdivided into three sedimentological and biostratigraphical units. The first unit, which belongs to the Late Visean zones V3bβ and V3bγ, was deposited on shallow carbonate platforms. The second unit belongs to the Late Visean zone, V3c, and incudes terrigenous deposits, such as turbidites, shales and olistostromes. The third unit belongs to the Serpukhovian stage and consists of sandstones and limestones. A new biostratigraphical analysis, which is based on foraminiferal, algae and pseudoalgae, allows an accurate dating of the units. The deposits of the zones V3bβ and V3bγ contain characteristic calcareous microfossils, such as Stacheoides sp., Pseudoendothyra sp. and Ungdarella uralica. The V3c zone (300-400 m) is shown in two oolitic beds of the Mouarhaz and Akerchi Formations, respectively, with Janischewskina sp. and Asteroarchaediscus sp. The Serpukhovian stage is characterised by the disappearance of the algae Koninckopora and the appearance of the brachiopod Titanaria. The new data from the Adarouch area confirm the Moroccan biostratigraphical scale of the Moroccan meseta.

Larger foraminifera of the Devil's Den and Blue Hole sinkholes, Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotton, Laura J.; Eder, Wolfgang; Floyd, James

2018-03-01

Shallow-water carbonate deposits are well-known from the Eocene of the US Gulf Coast and Caribbean. These deposits frequently contain abundant larger benthic foraminifera (LBF). However, whilst integrated stratigraphic studies have helped to refine the timing of LBF overturning events within the Tethys and Indo-Pacific regions with respect to global bio- and chemo-stratigraphic records, little recent work has been carried out in the Americas. The American LBF assemblages are distinctly different from those of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. It is therefore essential that the American bio-province is included in studies of LBF evolution, biodiversity and climate events to understand these processes on a global scale.Here we present the LBF ranges from two previously unpublished sections spanning 35 and 29 m of the upper Eocene Ocala limestone, as the early stages of a larger project addressing the taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the LBF of Florida. The study indicates that the lower member of the Ocala limestone may be Bartonian rather than Priabonian in age, with implications for the biostratigraphy of the region. In addition, the study highlights the need for multiple sites to assess the LBF assemblages and fully constrain ranges across Florida and the US Gulf and suggests potential LBF events for future integrated stratigraphic study.

Conodont biostratigraphy from the upper San Juan Formation (Middle Ordovician) at Niquivil, Argentine Precordillera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mango, M. J.; Albanesi, G. L.

2018-07-01

The present work deals with the conodont biostratigraphy from the upper San Juan Formation in the section of Niquivil, Central Precodillera of San Juan, Argentina. We study the upper 129.45 m of the San Juan Formation, starting from the upper strata of the second reef horizon up to the top of the formation. Digested limestone samples yielded 20 conodont species. The presence of Tripodus laevis Bradshaw not associated to Baltoniodus navis (Lindström) allows the recognition of the Baltoniodus triangularis-Tripodus laevis Zone, which is interpreted as correlative with the "Parapanderodus" nogamii/Parapanderodus gracilis/Ansella jemtlandica Association of Lehnert (1993, 1995; Lehnert and Keller, 1993), conversely to previous interpretations that suggested the latter as correlative to the Baltoniodus navis Zone. The zonal identification is supported by the associated conodonts Protopanderodus rectus (Lindström), Juanognathus jaanussoni Serpagli, Juanognathus n. sp., Protopanderodus gradatus (Serpagli), Rossodus barnesi Albanesi, Paltodus subaequalis Pander, Drepanodus arcuatus (Pander), Cornuodus longibasis (Lindström), Protopanderodus elongatus Serpagli, Oistodus lanceolatus Pander, Periodon flabellum (Lindström), Semiacontiodus potrerillensis Albanesi, Triangulodus brevibasis (Sergeeva), Paroistodus originalis (Sergeeva), Drepanoistodus forceps (Lindström), Oistodus multicorrugatus Harris, Parapanderodus paracornuformis (Ethington and Clark), Anodontus longus Stouge and Bagnoli, and Pteracontiodus cryptodens Mound. The petrographic microscope analysis of carbonate rocks thin sections refer to proximal middle ramp deposits.

Magnetochronology of the Oligocene mammalian faunas in the Lanzhou Basin, Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Peng; Ao, Hong; Dekkers, Mark J.; An, Zhisheng; Wang, Lijuan; Li, Yongxiang; Liu, Shihang; Qiang, Xiaoke; Chang, Hong; Zhao, Hui

2018-06-01

The fluvio-lacustrine sequence in the Lanzhou Basin, located at the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, is a rich source of Oligocene-Miocene mammalian fossils, critical to our understanding of the terrestrial Asian mammal and environmental evolution. While the Miocene mammalian faunas have been dated with magnetostratigraphy, the numerical age of the Oligocene faunas remains controversial. Here, we present new high-resolution magnetostratigraphic records from two fluvio-lacustrine sections in the central Lanzhou Basin, which provide age constraints for two Oligocene mammal assemblages in the Lower Xianshuihe Formation, the Nanpoping and Xiagou Faunas. The Lower Xianshuihe Formation is suggested to span from polarity chrons C12r to C7n, ranging from ca 31 Ma to 24 Ma. The Early Oligocene Nanpoping Fauna correlates to the C12r-C11n.2n polarity chron intervals, yielding an age of ∼31-30 Ma, while the Late Oligocene Xiagou Fauna correlates to chrons C7An-C8n.2n, with an age of ∼26-25 Ma. This magnetostratigraphy provides a more accurate age than biochronology for the Oligocene giant mammal Indricotheriinae contained in the Nanpoping Fauna and sheds new light on the chronology and distribution of Indricotheriinae in Eurasia. The faunas, in particular the Nanpoping Fauna, suggest a mixed setting of woodlands and grasslands associated with a humid environment in the Lanzhou Basin during Early Oligocene, in contrast to its present arid environment with few woodlands.

Tabulate Corals after the Frasnian/Famennian Crisis: A Unique Fauna from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

PubMed Central

Zapalski, Mikołaj K.; Berkowski, Błażej; Wrzołek, Tomasz

2016-01-01

Famennian tabulate corals were very rare worldwide, and their biodiversity was relatively low. Here we report a unique tabulate fauna from the mid- and late Famennian of the western part of the Holy Cross Mountains (Kowala and Ostrówka), Poland. We describe eight species (four of them new, namely ?Michelinia vinni sp. nov., Thamnoptychia mistiaeni sp. nov., Syringopora kowalensis sp. nov. and Syringopora hilarowiczi sp. nov.); the whole fauna consists of ten species (two others described in previous papers). These corals form two assemblages—the lower, mid-Famennian with Thamnoptychia and the upper, late Famennian with representatives of genera ?Michelinia, Favosites, Syringopora and ?Yavorskia. The Famennian tabulates from Kowala represent the richest Famennian assemblage appearing after the F/F crisis (these faunas appear some 10 Ma after the extinction event). Corals described here most probably inhabited deeper water settings, near the limit between euphotic and disphotic zones or slightly above. At generic level, these faunas show similarities to other Devonian and Carboniferous faunas, which might suggest their ancestry to at least several Carboniferous lineages. Tabulate faunas described here represent new recruits (the basin of the Holy Cross mountains was not a refuge during the F/F crisis) and have no direct evolutionary linkage to Frasnian faunas from Kowala. The colonization of the seafloor took place in two separate steps: first was monospecific assemblage of Thamnoptychia, and later came the diversified Favosites-Syringopora-Michelinia fauna. PMID:27007689

Tabulate Corals after the Frasnian/Famennian Crisis: A Unique Fauna from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland.

PubMed

Zapalski, Mikołaj K; Berkowski, Błażej; Wrzołek, Tomasz

2016-01-01

Famennian tabulate corals were very rare worldwide, and their biodiversity was relatively low. Here we report a unique tabulate fauna from the mid- and late Famennian of the western part of the Holy Cross Mountains (Kowala and Ostrówka), Poland. We describe eight species (four of them new, namely ?Michelinia vinni sp. nov., Thamnoptychia mistiaeni sp. nov., Syringopora kowalensis sp. nov. and Syringopora hilarowiczi sp. nov.); the whole fauna consists of ten species (two others described in previous papers). These corals form two assemblages-the lower, mid-Famennian with Thamnoptychia and the upper, late Famennian with representatives of genera ?Michelinia, Favosites, Syringopora and ?Yavorskia. The Famennian tabulates from Kowala represent the richest Famennian assemblage appearing after the F/F crisis (these faunas appear some 10 Ma after the extinction event). Corals described here most probably inhabited deeper water settings, near the limit between euphotic and disphotic zones or slightly above. At generic level, these faunas show similarities to other Devonian and Carboniferous faunas, which might suggest their ancestry to at least several Carboniferous lineages. Tabulate faunas described here represent new recruits (the basin of the Holy Cross mountains was not a refuge during the F/F crisis) and have no direct evolutionary linkage to Frasnian faunas from Kowala. The colonization of the seafloor took place in two separate steps: first was monospecific assemblage of Thamnoptychia, and later came the diversified Favosites-Syringopora-Michelinia fauna.

Fertilizer regime impacts on abundance and diversity of soil fauna across a poplar plantation chronosequence in coastal Eastern China

PubMed Central

Wang, Shaojun; Chen, Han Y. H.; Tan, Yan; Fan, Huan; Ruan, Honghua

2016-01-01

Soil fauna are critical for ecosystem function and sensitive to the changes of soil fertility. The effects of fertilization on soil fauna communities, however, remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of fertilization form and quantity on the abundance, diversity and composition of soil fauna across an age-sequence of poplar plantations (i.e., 4-, 9- and 20-yr-old) in the coastal region of eastern China. We found that the effects of fertilization on faunal abundance, diversity, and composition differed among stand ages. Organic fertilizers increased the total abundance of soil fauna, whereas low level inorganic fertilizers imparted increases only in the 4- and 9-yr-old stands. The number of faunal groups did not change with fertilization, but Shannon’s and Margalef diversity indices increased under low level organic fertilization, and decreased under inorganic fertilization in the 9- and 20-yr-old stands. Community composition of soil fauna differed strongly with fertilization and stand age. The changes in soil fauna were strongly associated with the changes in microbial biomass carbon, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, and available phosphorus and potassium. Our findings suggest that the responses of soil fauna to fertilization may be mediated through the fertilization effects on soil nutrient availability. PMID:26857390

Fertilizer regime impacts on abundance and diversity of soil fauna across a poplar plantation chronosequence in coastal Eastern China.

PubMed

Wang, Shaojun; Chen, Han Y H; Tan, Yan; Fan, Huan; Ruan, Honghua

2016-02-09

Soil fauna are critical for ecosystem function and sensitive to the changes of soil fertility. The effects of fertilization on soil fauna communities, however, remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of fertilization form and quantity on the abundance, diversity and composition of soil fauna across an age-sequence of poplar plantations (i.e., 4-, 9- and 20-yr-old) in the coastal region of eastern China. We found that the effects of fertilization on faunal abundance, diversity, and composition differed among stand ages. Organic fertilizers increased the total abundance of soil fauna, whereas low level inorganic fertilizers imparted increases only in the 4- and 9-yr-old stands. The number of faunal groups did not change with fertilization, but Shannon's and Margalef diversity indices increased under low level organic fertilization, and decreased under inorganic fertilization in the 9- and 20-yr-old stands. Community composition of soil fauna differed strongly with fertilization and stand age. The changes in soil fauna were strongly associated with the changes in microbial biomass carbon, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, and available phosphorus and potassium. Our findings suggest that the responses of soil fauna to fertilization may be mediated through the fertilization effects on soil nutrient availability.

Conidae and Terebridae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Philippines.

PubMed

Helwerda, Enate A

2017-01-20

Six species of Conidae and seven species of Terebridae are reported from the Plio-Pleistocene "Cabarruyan" fauna of Pangasinan, the Philippines. Eleven species are identified; these species all occur in the Recent Indo-Pacific fauna and seven of these are previously known from the fossil record as well. The species composition of this fauna shows little overlap with other fossil assemblages, except with the Fijian fossil assemblage. This is attributed to a lack of knowledge on Indo-pacific fossil faunas as well as to the relatively deep water setting (200-300 m) of this fauna. More research is needed to determine why the Fijian assemblage is relatively similar.

Effects of simulated acid rain on soil fauna community composition and their ecological niches.

PubMed

Wei, Hui; Liu, Wen; Zhang, Jiaen; Qin, Zhong

2017-01-01

Acid rain is one of the severest environmental issues globally. Relative to other global changes (e.g., warming, elevated atmospheric [CO 2 ], and nitrogen deposition), however, acid rain has received less attention than its due. Soil fauna play important roles in multiple ecological processes, but how soil fauna community responds to acid rain remains less studied. This microcosm experiment was conducted using latosol with simulated acid rain (SAR) manipulations to observe potential changes in soil fauna community under acid rain stress. Four pH levels, i.e., pH 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5, and a neutral control of pH 7.0 were set according to the current pH condition and acidification trend of precipitation in southern China. As expected, we observed that the SAR treatments induced changes in soil fauna community composition and their ecological niches in the tested soil; the treatment effects tended to increase as acidity increased. This could be attributable to the environmental stresses (such as acidity, porosity and oxygen supply) induced by the SAR treatments. In addition to direct acidity effect, we propose that potential changes in permeability and movability of water and oxygen in soils induced by acid rain could also give rise to the observed shifts in soil fauna community composition. These are most likely indirect pathways of acid rain to affect belowground community. Moreover, we found that nematodes, the dominating soil fauna group in this study, moved downwards to mitigate the stress of acid rain. This is probably detrimental to soil fauna in the long term, due to the relatively severer soil conditions in the deep than surface soil layer. Our results suggest that acid rain could change soil fauna community and the vertical distribution of soil fauna groups, consequently changing the underground ecosystem functions such as organic matter decomposition and greenhouse gas emissions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cretaceous gastropods: contrasts between tethys and the temperate provinces.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sohl, N.F.

1987-01-01

During the Cretaceous Period, gastropod faunas show considerable differences in their evolution between the Tethyan Realm (tropical) and the Temperate Realms to the north and south. Like Holocene faunas, prosobranch, gastropods constitute the dominant part of Cretaceous marine snail faunas. Entomotaeneata and opisthobranchs usually form all of the remainder. In Tethyan faunas the Archaeogastropoda form a consistent high proportion of total taxa but less than the Mesogastropoda throughout the period. In contrast, the Temperate faunas beginning in Albian times show a decline in percentages of archaeogastropod taxa and a significant increase in the Neogastropoda, until they constitute over 50 percent of the taxa in some faunas. The neogastropods never attain high diversity in the Cretaceous of the Tethyan Realm and are judged to be of Temperate Realm origin. Cretaceous Tethyan gastropod faunas are closely allied to those of the 'corallien facies' of the Jurassic and begin the period evolutionarily mature and well diversified. Three categories of Tethyan gastropods are analyzed. The first group consists of those of Jurassic ancestry. The second group orginates mainly during the Barremian and Aptian, reaches a climax in diversification during middle Cretaceous time, and usually declines during the latest Cretaceous. The third group originates late in the Cretaceous and consists of taxa that manage to either survive the Cretaceous-Tertiary crisis or give rise to forms of prominence among Tertiary warm water faunas. Temperate Realm gastropod faunas are less diverse than those of Tethys during the Early Cretaceous. They show a steady increase in diversity, primarily among the Mesogastropoda and Neogastropoda. This trend culminates in latest Cretaceous times when the gastropod assemblages of the clastic provinces of the inner shelf contain an abundance of taxa outstripping that of any other part of the Cretaceous of either realm. Extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary is much less pronounced in the Temperate Realm than in the Tethys. In essence, by the late Maastrichtian, gastropod faunas of the Temperate Realm had attained a modern faunal aspect. - from Author

A new early Oligocene mammal fauna from the Sirt Basin, central Libya: Biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coster, Pauline M. C.; Beard, K. Christopher; Salem, Mustafa J.; Chaimanee, Yaowalak; Brunet, Michel; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques

2015-04-01

We report the discovery of a new early Oligocene vertebrate fauna from the vicinity of Zallah Oasis in the Sirt Basin of central Libya. The Zallah Incision local fauna has been recovered from the base of a fluvial channel within a rock unit that has been mapped as "Continental and Transitional Marine Deposits." This rock unit has produced fossil vertebrates sporadically since the 1960s, but the Zallah Incision local fauna is the most diverse assemblage of fossil mammals currently known from this unit. In addition to lower vertebrates, the fauna includes an indeterminate sirenian, the anthracothere Bothriogenys, a new species of the hyracoid genus Thyrohyrax, new species of the hystricognathous rodent genera Metaphiomys and Neophiomys, Metaphiomys schaubi, and a new species of the parapithecid primate genus Apidium. The Zallah Incision local fauna from Libya appears to be close in age to Fayum quarries V and G in the Jebel Qatrani Formation of Egypt and the Taqah locality in the Ashawq Formation of Oman. Considered together, these early Oligocene faunas support a modest level of faunal provincialism across the northern part of Afro-Arabia during the early Oligocene.

Synchronous turnover of flora, fauna, and climate at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary in Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jimin; Ni, Xijun; Bi, Shundong; Wu, Wenyu; Ye, Jie; Meng, Jin; Windley, Brian F.

2014-12-01

The Eocene-Oligocene Boundary (~34 million years ago) marks one of the largest extinctions of marine invertebrates in the world oceans and of mammalian fauna in Europe and Asia in the Cenozoic era. A shift to a cooler climate across this boundary has been suggested as the cause of this extinction in the marine environment, but there is no manifold evidence for a synchronous turnover of flora, fauna and climate at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary in a single terrestrial site in Asia to support this hypothesis. Here we report new data of magnetostratigraphy, pollen and climatic proxies in the Asian interior across the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary; our results show that climate change forced a turnover of flora and fauna, suggesting there was a change from large-size perissodactyl-dominant fauna in forests under a warm-temperate climate to small rodent/lagomorph-dominant fauna in forest-steppe in a dry-temperate climate across the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary. These data provide a new terrestrial record for this significant Cenozoic environmental event.

Synchronous turnover of flora, fauna, and climate at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary in Asia.

PubMed

Sun, Jimin; Ni, Xijun; Bi, Shundong; Wu, Wenyu; Ye, Jie; Meng, Jin; Windley, Brian F

2014-12-12

The Eocene-Oligocene Boundary (~34 million years ago) marks one of the largest extinctions of marine invertebrates in the world oceans and of mammalian fauna in Europe and Asia in the Cenozoic era. A shift to a cooler climate across this boundary has been suggested as the cause of this extinction in the marine environment, but there is no manifold evidence for a synchronous turnover of flora, fauna and climate at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary in a single terrestrial site in Asia to support this hypothesis. Here we report new data of magnetostratigraphy, pollen and climatic proxies in the Asian interior across the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary; our results show that climate change forced a turnover of flora and fauna, suggesting there was a change from large-size perissodactyl-dominant fauna in forests under a warm-temperate climate to small rodent/lagomorph-dominant fauna in forest-steppe in a dry-temperate climate across the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary. These data provide a new terrestrial record for this significant Cenozoic environmental event.

Discovery of a black smoker vent field and vent fauna at the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Rolf B.; Rapp, Hans Tore; Thorseth, Ingunn H.; Lilley, Marvin D.; Barriga, Fernando J. A. S.; Baumberger, Tamara; Flesland, Kristin; Fonseca, Rita; Früh-Green, Gretchen L.; Jorgensen, Steffen L.

2010-01-01

The Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR) represents one of the most slow-spreading ridge systems on Earth. Previous attempts to locate hydrothermal vent fields and unravel the nature of venting, as well as the provenance of vent fauna at this northern and insular termination of the global ridge system, have been unsuccessful. Here, we report the first discovery of a black smoker vent field at the AMOR. The field is located on the crest of an axial volcanic ridge (AVR) and is associated with an unusually large hydrothermal deposit, which documents that extensive venting and long-lived hydrothermal systems exist at ultraslow-spreading ridges, despite their strongly reduced volcanic activity. The vent field hosts a distinct vent fauna that differs from the fauna to the south along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The novel vent fauna seems to have developed by local specialization and by migration of fauna from cold seeps and the Pacific. PMID:21119639

Changes in the bottom fauna of western Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manny, Bruce A.; Schloesser, D.W.; Munawar, M.; Edsall, T.; Munawar, I.F.

1999-01-01

The bottom fauna of western Lake Erie has changed dramatically over the past 50 years in response to environmental degradation and biological invasions. In 1953, low dissolved oxygen reduced the biodiversity of that fauna, especially burrowing mayflies and freshwater mussels (Unionidae). Canada and the United States signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. By 1982, over 7 billion dollars were spent to improve wastewater treatment plants in the Great Lakes Basin. To assess how the bottom fauna responded to pollution abatement measures, we studied the distribution, abundance, and diversity of bottom fauna in western Lake Erie in 1982 and compared our findings to those of Carr and Hiltunen (1965). Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) invaded Lake Erie in 1986 and greatly altered these waters. For perspective, we also compared our results to bottom fauna present at the same stations in 1930 (by reference to data in Carr and Hiltunen, 1965) and reviewed the responses of burrowing mayflies and freshwater mussels to the zebra mussel invasion.

Calibration of a conodont apatite-based Ordovician 87Sr/86Sr curve to biostratigraphy and geochronology: Implications for stratigraphic resolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltzman, M. R.; Edwards, C. T.; Leslie, S. A.; Dwyer, Gary S.; Bauer, J. A.; Repetski, John E.; Harris, A. G.; Bergstrom, S. M.

2014-01-01

The Ordovician 87Sr/86Sr isotope seawater curve is well established and shows a decreasing trend until the mid-Katian. However, uncertainties in calibration of this curve to biostratigraphy and geochronology have made it difficult to determine how the rates of 87Sr/86Sr decrease may have varied, which has implications for both the stratigraphic resolution possible using Sr isotope stratigraphy and efforts to model the effects of Ordovician geologic events. We measured 87Sr/86Sr in conodont apatite in North American Ordovician sections that are well studied for conodont biostratigraphy, primarily in Nevada, Oklahoma, the Appalachian region, and Ohio Valley. Our results indicate that conodont apatite may provide an accurate medium for Sr isotope stratigraphy and strengthen previous reports that point toward a significant increase in the rate of fall in seawater 87Sr/86Sr during the Middle Ordovician Darriwilian Stage. Our 87Sr/86Sr results suggest that Sr isotope stratigraphy will be most useful as a high-resolution tool for global correlation in the mid-Darriwilian to mid-Sandbian, when the maximum rate of fall in 87Sr/86Sr is estimated at ∼5.0–10.0 × 10–5 per m.y. Variable preservation of conodont elements limits the precision for individual stratigraphic horizons. Replicate conodont analyses from the same sample differ by an average of ∼4.0 × 10–5 (the 2σ standard deviation is 6.2 × 10–5), which in the best case scenario allows for subdivision of Ordovician time intervals characterized by the highest rates of fall in 87Sr/86Sr at a maximum resolution of ∼0.5–1.0 m.y. Links between the increased rate of fall in 87Sr/86Sr beginning in the mid-late Darriwilian (Phragmodus polonicus to Pygodus serra conodont zones) and geologic events continue to be investigated, but the coincidence with a long-term rise in sea level (Sauk-Tippecanoe megasequence boundary) and tectonic events (Taconic orogeny) in North America provides a plausible explanation for the changing magnitude and87Sr/86Sr of the riverine Sr flux to the oceans.

[Contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition of Abies faxoniana and Rhododendron lapponicum across an alpine timberline ecotone in Western Sichuan, China.

PubMed

Wang, Li Feng; He, Run Lian; Yang, Lin; Chen, Ya Mei; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jian

2016-11-18

Soil fauna is an important biological factor in regulation litter decomposition. In order to quantify the contributions of soil fauna to the mass losses of litter of two dominant species fir (Abies faxoniana) and rhododendron (Rhododendron lapponicum) in the alpine timberline ecotone (coniferous forest-timberline-alpine meadow) of western Sichuan, China, a field litterbag experiment was conducted from May 2013 to November 2014. Samples of air-dried leaf litter were placed in nylon litterbags of two different mesh sizes, i.e. 3.00 mm (with the soil animals) and 0.04 mm (excluded the soil animals). The results showed that the decomposition rate of A. faxoniana (k: 0.209-0.243) was higher than that of R. lapponicum (k: 0.173-0.189) across the timberline ecotone. Soil fauna had significant contributions to litter decomposition of two species, the contributions of soil fauna to mass loss showed a decreasing trend with increasing altitude. From the coniferous forest to the alpine meadow, the mass losses caused by soil fauna for the fir litter accounted for 15.2%, 13.2% and 9.8%, respectively and that for the rhododendron litter accounted for 20.1%, 17.5% and 12.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, the daily average contributions caused by soil fauna for the fir and rhododendron litter decomposition accounted for 0.17%, 0.13%, 0.12% and 0.26%, 0.25%, 0.23%, respectively. Relatively, soil fauna had more influence on alpine rhododendron decomposition. Two-way ANOVA showed that species, altitude and their interaction had significant impact on the litter mass loss and decomposition rate caused by soil fauna. The daily average contribution caused by soil fauna for the fir and rhododendron litter decomposition accounted for 0.25% and 0.44% in the first growing season, then 0.10% and 0.19% in the second growing season, both were higher than that of snow-covered season (0.07% and 0.12%). Regression analysis showed that the environmental factors (daily average temperature, freezing and thawing cycles and snow thickness) explained 42.7% and 50.9% in the mass loss as well as 43.2% and 55.6% in the contribution rate of fir and rhododendron litter decomposition. These results suggest that soil fauna contributes strongly to litter decomposition in the alpine ecosystem, and it is of great significance to thorough understanding and recognizing material cycle through the role of soil fauna in the litter decomposition.

Refinement of late-Early and Middle Miocene diatom biostratigraphy for the east coast of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barron, John A.; Browning, James; Sugarman, Peter; Miller, Kenneth G.

2013-01-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 313 continuously cored Lower to Middle Miocene sequences at three continental shelf sites off New Jersey, USA. The most seaward of these, Site M29, contains a well-preserved Early and Middle Miocene succession of planktonic diatoms that have been independently correlated with the geomagnetic polarity time scale derived in studies from the equatorial and North Pacific. Shallow water diatoms (species of Delphineis, Rhaphoneis, and Sceptroneis) dominate in onshore sequences in Maryland and Virginia, forming the basis for the East Coast Diatom Zones (ECDZ). Integrated study of both planktonic and shallow water diatoms in Hole M29A as well as in onshore sequences in Maryland (the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company well) and Delaware (the Ocean Drilling Program Bethany Beach corehole) allows the refinement of ECDZ zones into a high-resolution biochronology that can be successfully applied in both onshore and offshore regions of the East Coast of the United States. Strontium isotope stratigraphy supports the diatom biochronology, although for much of the Middle Miocene it suggests ages that are on average 0.4 m.y. older. The ECDZ zonal definitions are updated to include evolutionary events of Delphineis species, and regional occurrences of important planktonic diatom marker taxa are included. Updated taxonomy, reference to published figures, and photographic images are provided that will aid in the application of this diatom biostratigraphy.

Biostratigraphy of a Middle Miocene-Pliocene sequence from Cumarebo area, Falcon State, northwestern Venezuela

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giffuni, G.

1991-03-01

The southern Caribbean region offers little in the way of continuous sequences for the late Neogene. An upward facies shallowing trend unfavorable for planktonic foraminifers and erosional truncation seems to be almost a rule for such sediments. A fairly complete sedimentary sequence mainly represented by clays, silts, and carbonate rocks from the Cumarebo region, Falcon State, northwestern Venezuela, was chosen to study the biostratigraphy of the late Neogene using foraminifers. More than one hundred surface samples were analyzed throughout. The study of foraminiferal fossil assemblages and other microfossils was also used to define paleoenvironments of deposition. Four formations are involvedmore » in this work. From base to top they are the Socorro, Caujarao, El Veral, and Tucupido. From the study of planktonic foraminifers, six biostratigraphic zones were recognized: Globorotalia mayeri Zone, Globorotalia menardii Zone, Globorotalia acostaensis Zone, Globorotalia humerosa Zone, Globorotalia margaritae Zone, and Globorotalia miocenica Zone. These zones indicate that the age of the sequence ranks from late middle Miocene to middle Pliocene. Generally speaking, with some variations, the paleoenvironments of the sequence show a shallowing trend from marine upper-middle bathyal to middle neritic. These results make an important contribution to the stratigraphy and geologic history of the Cumarebo area, which is related to the Agua Salada basin, and may help clarify the paleogeography and paleotectonic evolution of this region for petroleum exploration.« less

Redefining the trophic importance of seagrasses for fauna in tropical Indo-Pacific meadows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vonk, Jan Arie; Christianen, Marjolijn J. A.; Stapel, Johan

2008-09-01

Fauna species living in seagrass meadows depend on different food sources, with seagrasses often being marginally important for higher trophic levels. To determine the food web of a mixed-species tropical seagrass meadow in Sulawesi, Indonesia, we analyzed the stable isotope ( δ13C and δ15N) signatures of primary producers, particulate organic matter (POM) and fauna species. In addition invertebrates, both infauna and macrobenthic, and fish densities were examined to identify the important species in the meadow. The aims of this study were to identify the main food sources of fauna species by comparing isotopic signatures of different primary producers and fauna, and to estimate qualitatively the importance of seagrass material in the food web. Phytoplankton and water column POM were the most depleted primary food sources for δ13C (range -23.1 to -19.6‰), but no fauna species depended only on these sources for carbon. Epiphytes and Sargassum sp. had intermediate δ13C values (-14.2 to -11.9‰). Sea urchins, gastropods and certain fish species were the main species assimilating this material. Seagrasses and sedimentary POM had the least depleted values (-11.5 to -5.7‰). Between the five seagrass species significant differences in δ13C were measured. The small species Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were most depleted, the largest species Enhalus acoroides was least depleted, while Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea rotundata had intermediate values. Fourteen fauna species, accounting for ˜10% of the total fauna density, were shown to assimilate predominantly (>50%) seagrass material, either directly or indirectly by feeding on seagrass consumers. These species ranged from amphipods up to the benthic top predator Taeniura lymma. Besides these species, about half of the 55 fauna species analyzed had δ13C values higher than the least depleted non-seagrass source, indicating they depended at least partly for their food on seagrass material. This study shows that seagrass material is consumed by a large number of fauna species and is important for a large portion of the food web in tropical seagrass meadows.

The Earliest Colubroid-Dominated Snake Fauna from Africa: Perspectives from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation of Southwestern Tanzania

PubMed Central

McCartney, Jacob A.; Stevens, Nancy J.; O’Connor, Patrick M.

2014-01-01

The extant snake fauna has its roots in faunal upheaval occurring across the Paleogene - Neogene transition. On northern continents, this turnover is well established by the late early Miocene. However, this transition is poorly documented on southern landmasses, particularly on continental Africa, where no late Paleogene terrestrial snake assemblages are documented south of the equator. Here we describe a newly discovered snake fauna from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania. The fauna is small but diverse with eight identifiable morphotypes, comprised of three booids and five colubroids. This fauna includes Rukwanyoka holmani gen. et sp. nov., the oldest boid known from mainland Africa. It also provides the oldest fossil evidence for the African colubroid clade Elapidae. Colubroids dominate the fauna, comprising more than 75% of the recovered material. This is likely tied to local aridification and/or seasonality and mirrors the pattern of overturn in later snake faunas inhabiting the emerging grassland environments of Europe and North America. The early emergence of colubroid dominance in the Rukwa Rift Basin relative to northern continents suggests that the pattern of overturn that resulted in extant faunas happened in a more complex fashion on continental Africa than was previously realized, with African colubroids becoming at least locally important in the late Paleogene, either ahead of or as a consequence of the invasion of colubrids. The early occurrence of elapid snakes in the latest Oligocene of Africa suggests the clade rapidly spread from Asia to Africa, or arose in Africa, before invading Europe. PMID:24646522

78 FR 13694 - Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

... Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); Sixteenth Regular Meeting; Tentative U.S. Negotiating Positions for... Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), will attend the... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna...

Soil fauna community in the black soil of northeast China under different conservation tillage systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil fauna is an important component in soil ecosystem. Through the soil moisture changes, soil environment is changed under different tillage systems, and then the population of soil fauna also is changed. This study tested whether conservation tillage or conventional tillage (CT) of black soil fie...

Synchronous turnover of flora, fauna, and climate at the Eocene–Oligocene Boundary in Asia

PubMed Central

Sun, Jimin; Ni, Xijun; Bi, Shundong; Wu, Wenyu; Ye, Jie; Meng, Jin; Windley, Brian F.

2014-01-01

The Eocene–Oligocene Boundary (~34 million years ago) marks one of the largest extinctions of marine invertebrates in the world oceans and of mammalian fauna in Europe and Asia in the Cenozoic era. A shift to a cooler climate across this boundary has been suggested as the cause of this extinction in the marine environment, but there is no manifold evidence for a synchronous turnover of flora, fauna and climate at the Eocene–Oligocene Boundary in a single terrestrial site in Asia to support this hypothesis. Here we report new data of magnetostratigraphy, pollen and climatic proxies in the Asian interior across the Eocene–Oligocene Boundary; our results show that climate change forced a turnover of flora and fauna, suggesting there was a change from large-size perissodactyl-dominant fauna in forests under a warm-temperate climate to small rodent/lagomorph-dominant fauna in forest-steppe in a dry-temperate climate across the Eocene–Oligocene Boundary. These data provide a new terrestrial record for this significant Cenozoic environmental event. PMID:25501388

[Community structure of soil meso- and micro-fauna in different habitats of urbanized region].

PubMed

Qin, Zhong; Zhang, Jia-en; Li, Qing-fang

2009-12-01

Investigations were made in May, June, and November 2007 and January 2008 to study the structural characteristics and their seasonal variations of soil meso- and micro-fauna communities in six habitats of three land use types (forest land, constructed grassland and farmland) in Tianhe District of Guangzhou City. The horizontal spatial distribution of soil fauna differed with habitat. During the investigation periods, the Botanical Garden of South China Agricultural University had the highest individual number (1286) of soil mesa- and micro-fauna, while the farmland, especially in the Fenghuang Street area, had the lowest number of individuals and groups. The seasonal variation of the individual number was in order of autumn (1815) > spring (1623) > winter (1365) > summer (1276). Hierarchical clustering and detrended correspondence analysis also showed that the community composition of soil meso- and micro-fauna in different habitats exhibited distinct seasonal variation. In the same seasons, the community structure and composition of soil meso- and micro-fauna in different habitats were correlated to the degrees of human interferences and the properties of soil environment.

Soil invertebrate fauna enhances grassland succession and diversity.

PubMed

De Deyn, Gerlinde B; Raaijmakers, Ciska E; Zoomer, H Rik; Berg, Matty P; de Ruiter, Peter C; Verhoef, Herman A; Bezemer, T Martijn; van der Putten, Wim H

2003-04-17

One of the most important areas in ecology is to elucidate the factors that drive succession in ecosystems and thus influence the diversity of species in natural vegetation. Significant mechanisms in this process are known to be resource limitation and the effects of aboveground vertebrate herbivores. More recently, symbiotic and pathogenic soil microbes have been shown to exert a profound effect on the composition of vegetation and changes therein. However, the influence of invertebrate soil fauna on succession has so far received little attention. Here we report that invertebrate soil fauna might enhance both secondary succession and local plant species diversity. Soil fauna from a series of secondary grassland succession stages selectively suppress early successional dominant plant species, thereby enhancing the relative abundance of subordinate species and also that of species from later succession stages. Soil fauna from the mid-succession stage had the strongest effect. Our results clearly show that soil fauna strongly affects the composition of natural vegetation and we suggest that this knowledge might improve the restoration and conservation of plant species diversity.

Ecological observations on an East African bat community

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Shea, Thomas J.; Vaughan, Terry A.

1980-01-01

The structure and ecology of bat faunas is a subject of interest to mammalogists (Findley, 1976; Wilson, 1973). Syntopic African bat communities, however, have received little study in comparison with neotropical faunas (cf. Fleming et al., 1972; LaVal and Fitch, 1977; McNab, 1971). Verschuren (1957) presented natural history information and species accounts for a localized central African bat fauna. Foraging related characteristics of a Rhodesian community have also been analyzed (Fenton, 1975; Fenton et al., 1977), but not on a seasonal basis. Other reports on African bat faunas are restricted to regional summaries (cf. Koopman, 1975 or Rosevear, 1965) and do not consider ecological aspects of a single localized community. The purpose of our study was to follow species composition, reproduction, and foraging related characteristics of an East African bat fauna over a full annual cycle.

Soil Fauna Affects Dissolved Carbon and Nitrogen in Foliar Litter in Alpine Forest and Alpine Meadow

PubMed Central

Liao, Shu; Yang, Wanqin; Tan, Yu; Peng, Yan; Li, Jun; Tan, Bo; Wu, Fuzhong

2015-01-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) are generally considered important active biogeochemical pools of total carbon and nitrogen. Many studies have documented the contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition, but the effects of the soil fauna on labile substances (i.e., DOC and TDN) in litter during early decomposition are not completely clear. Therefore, a field litterbag experiment was carried out from 13th November 2013 to 23rd October 2014 in an alpine forest and an alpine meadow located on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Litterbags with different mesh sizes were used to provide access to or prohibit the access of the soil fauna, and the concentrations of DOC and TDN in the foliar litter were measured during the winter (the onset of freezing, deep freezing and thawing stage) and the growing season (early and late). After one year of field incubation, the concentration of DOC in the litter significantly decreased, whereas the TDN concentration in the litter increased. Similar dynamic patterns were detected under the effects of the soil fauna on both DOC and TDN in the litter between the alpine forest and the alpine meadow. The soil fauna showed greater positive effects on decreasing DOC concentration in the litter in the winter than in the growing season. In contrast, the dynamics of TND in the litter were related to seasonal changes in environmental factors, rather than the soil fauna. In addition, the soil fauna promoted a decrease in litter DOC/TDN ratio in both the alpine forest and the alpine meadow throughout the first year of decomposition, except for in the late growing season. These results suggest that the soil fauna can promote decreases in DOC and TDN concentrations in litter, contributing to early litter decomposition in these cold biomes. PMID:26406249

The fauna of the Batesville sandstone of northern Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Girty, George H.

1915-01-01

The beds in northern Arkansas that lie between the Boone limestone (commonly regarded as representing the Burlington and Keokuk epochs) and the Pennsylvanian have been divided into several formations, named, in ascending order, Moorefield shale, Batesville sandstone, Fayetteville shale, and Pitkin limestone. These formations presumably are equivalent to those that hold a corresponding position in the typical Mississippian section of Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois, but the faunas which they have furnished show noteworthy differences from the typical faunas. It has therefore seemed desirable to investigate these faunas, especially as the facies which they present is found also in the faunas of several of the Southern States, such as Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama. With this object in view, I published in 1911 a report on the fossils of the Moorefield shale. The fauna next to be considered in a systematic pursuance of such a plan as I have mentioned is that of the Batesville sandstone, but the fauna of the Batesville sandstone, as is well known, has already been described in a treatise by Prof. Stuart Weller. At first I considered the possibility of pretermitting the Batesville fauna and of substituting Prof. Weller's report for my own in a series of little monographs that are under contemplation. It soon became evident, however, that this would not be satisfactory because, whether by reason of having collections from a number of new localities or by reason of having more extensive collections from old ones, I found that the material at my command considerably increased the number of types known from the Batesville sandstone, among them being a few which were undescribed. In fact, while Prof. Weller's paper discusses only 30 species (aside from a few Bryozoan types not even generically distinguished) the present paper discusses 128 species. On this account it seemed to me essential to redescribe the fauna.

Spatial Distribution of Soil Fauna In Long Term No Tillage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbo, J. Z. F.; Vieira, S. R.; Siqueira, G. M.

2012-04-01

The soil is a complex system constituted by living beings, organic and mineral particles, whose components define their physical, chemical and biological properties. Soil fauna plays an important role in soil and may reflect and interfere in its functionality. These organisms' populations may be influenced by management practices, fertilization, liming and porosity, among others. Such changes may reduce the composition and distribution of soil fauna community. Thus, this study aimed to determine the spatial variability of soil fauna in consolidated no-tillage system. The experimental area is located at Instituto Agronômico in Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil). The sampling was conducted in a Rhodic Eutrudox, under no tillage system and 302 points distributed in a 3.2 hectare area in a regular grid of 10.00 m x 10.00 m were sampled. The soil fauna was sampled with "Pitfall Traps" method and traps remained in the area for seven days. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the main statistical moments (mean variance, coefficient of variation, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis). Geostatistical tools were used to determine the spatial variability of the attributes using the experimental semivariogram. For the biodiversity analysis, Shannon and Pielou indexes and richness were calculated for each sample. Geostatistics has proven to be a great tool for mapping the spatial variability of groups from the soil epigeal fauna. The family Formicidae proved to be the most abundant and dominant in the study area. The parameters of descriptive statistics showed that all attributes studied showed lognormal frequency distribution for groups from the epigeal soil fauna. The exponential model was the most suited for the obtained data, for both groups of epigeal soil fauna (Acari, Araneae, Coleoptera, Formicidae and Coleoptera larva), and the other biodiversity indexes. The sampling scheme (10.00 m x 10.00 m) was not sufficient to detect the spatial variability for all groups of soil epigeal fauna found in this study.

Soil Fauna Affects Dissolved Carbon and Nitrogen in Foliar Litter in Alpine Forest and Alpine Meadow.

PubMed

Liao, Shu; Yang, Wanqin; Tan, Yu; Peng, Yan; Li, Jun; Tan, Bo; Wu, Fuzhong

2015-01-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) are generally considered important active biogeochemical pools of total carbon and nitrogen. Many studies have documented the contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition, but the effects of the soil fauna on labile substances (i.e., DOC and TDN) in litter during early decomposition are not completely clear. Therefore, a field litterbag experiment was carried out from 13th November 2013 to 23rd October 2014 in an alpine forest and an alpine meadow located on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Litterbags with different mesh sizes were used to provide access to or prohibit the access of the soil fauna, and the concentrations of DOC and TDN in the foliar litter were measured during the winter (the onset of freezing, deep freezing and thawing stage) and the growing season (early and late). After one year of field incubation, the concentration of DOC in the litter significantly decreased, whereas the TDN concentration in the litter increased. Similar dynamic patterns were detected under the effects of the soil fauna on both DOC and TDN in the litter between the alpine forest and the alpine meadow. The soil fauna showed greater positive effects on decreasing DOC concentration in the litter in the winter than in the growing season. In contrast, the dynamics of TND in the litter were related to seasonal changes in environmental factors, rather than the soil fauna. In addition, the soil fauna promoted a decrease in litter DOC/TDN ratio in both the alpine forest and the alpine meadow throughout the first year of decomposition, except for in the late growing season. These results suggest that the soil fauna can promote decreases in DOC and TDN concentrations in litter, contributing to early litter decomposition in these cold biomes.

First Pleistocene faunas from the Arabian Peninsula: An Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Herbert; Geraads, Denis; Vaslet, Denis; Memesh, Abdallah; Billiou, Daniel; Bocherens, Hervé; Dobigny, Gauthier; Eisenmann, Véra; Gayet, Mireille; France de Lapparent de Broin; Petter, Germaine; Halawani, Mohammed

1998-01-01

Three Pleistocene vertebrate localities in lacustrine deposits which accumulated in interdune depressions were discovered in the south-western part of the An Nafud sand sea (northern Saudi Arabia). Although the fossil vertebrate fauna is restricted in diversity, its composition and stage of evolution suggest an Early Pleistocene age in contrast with the recent Pleistocene or Holocene lake beds occurring in several other interdune depressions in central and southern An Nafud. The Nafud fauna has clear African affinities whereas faunas from the Levant, dating from the Middle Pleistocene onwards, contain typically European elements.

Latitudinal gradients in tertiary molluscan faunas of the Pacific coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Addicott, W.O.

1970-01-01

Tertiary molluscan faunas of the middle latitudes of the marginal eastern North Pacific are characterized by warm-water taxa whose descendants now live in more southerly latitudes. A series of profiles in which cumulative percentages of warm-water faunal elements are plotted against latitude show progressive northward decreases in the percentage of these elements in the faunas of Pacific coast Tertiary stages. Systematic changes in the relative position of these latitudinal gradients during the Middle and Late Tertiary are related to climatic change in the Pacific Basin. Widespread tropical marine climate in the middle latitudes of the eastern North Pacific during the Eocene is indicated by widespread faunal units characterized by high levels of taxonomic diversity. Succeeding Early Oligocene faunas are less diverse, suggesting cooler climatic conditions. Unusually low representations of warm-water genera characterize the molluscan faunas of the Acila shumardi Zone in central California (latitude 34??-37??N). The anomalously cool-water aspect of these faunas may record the occurrence of upwelling along a bold linear segment of the Pacific coast. During the Late Oligocene or the Early Miocene, they are replaced by faunas of unusually warm-water aspect resulting in positive anomalies in Miocene latitudinal faunal gradients in central California. The Miocene anomalies seem to result from the development of an irregular Neogene coastline with extensive, newly established shallow-water embayments. ?? 1970.

The Mohawkian Chronostratigraphic Problem: building a reliable timescale by combining biostratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, and tephrochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sell, B. K.; Sadler, P.; Leslie, S.; Mitchell, C.; Samson, S. D.

2011-12-01

The abundant exposures of Mohawkian (late Sandbian to early Katian) sedimentary rocks in eastern North America have been well-studied for insights into the Taconic orogeny and potential petroleum sources. Considerable information has been published toward establishing the sequence stratigraphic architecture, biozones for conodonts, graptolites and chitinozoans, chemostratigraphic correlations and a tephrochronologic framework. And yet, correlation remains difficult. Problems arise from complex sedimentary facies changes across the Laurentian margin and associated provincalism of the faunas. The difficulties are exacerbated by some imprecise usage of bentonite names, the short time spans of key stratigraphic sections, and a paucity of sections with muliple kinds of information. Also, linking so many taxon range end, ash-fall, and stable isotope excursion events into a coherent stratigraphic sequence is a daunting numerical problem. It falls into the notorious "NP-Complete" category because the number of possible solutions grows so fast as the number of events increases. "Simulated annealing" is one of the algorithms developed for such problems. We adopt it to solve the stratigraphic sequencing problem as a constrained optimization (CONOP). Nevertheless, to realize the full potential, more bentonite charactization and dating is needed in sections with detailed range charts for fossil species. CONOP works best with the individual taxon ranges, not the derived biozone boundaries. We examine the potential resolving power of CONOP in the context of a re-evaluation of bentonite correlations and newly acquired CA-TIMS U-Pb zircon dates from sections with rich biostratigraphic data. In particular we use 206Pb/238U zircon dates from two bentonites in the Womble Shale at the Katian Global Stratotype Section and Point (452.8 ± 0.2 and 453.5 ± 0.3 Ma, weighted mean with 2σ internal error) to compare various correlations with other dated bentonites in eastern North America. Preliminary dates for five long-range (>1000 km) bentonite correlations made on the basis of single-crystal apatite trace-element analyses (Mg, Cl, Mn, Fe, Ce, Y) help resolve previous conflicts among various biostratgraphic data, but raise new questions about the interpretation of stratigraphic sequences and chemostratigraphic data.

A temporary pond in the Early Cretaceous of southern England: palaeoclimatic implications of nonmarine "Purbeck-Wealden" ostracod faunas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, D. J.

2009-04-01

Excavation of the partial skeleton of an Iguanodon from the Upper Weald Clay (Barremian, Early Cretaceous) at Smokejacks Brickworks near Ockley, Surrey, UK included detailed sampling for micropalaeontological and palynological and studies (Nye et al., 2008). Rich and well-preserved non-marine assemblages of pollen and spores include early angiosperms as well as freshwater green algae. Taphonomic analyses show the ostracod assemblages to be autochthonous thanatocoenoses, indicative of local environment at the time of deposition. Using a palaeobiological approach, the ostracods and palynomorphs demonstrate temporary / ephemeral freshwater conditions at the time when the Iguanodon died and the carcase was buried. Ostracod "faunicycles" in "Purbeck-Wealden" deposits may represent salinity variations in non-marine water-bodies, influenced by the balance between precipitation and evaporation, and/or the relative abundance of permanent and temporary waterbodies in the landscape; many assemblages resulted from post-mortem mixing, perhaps during flood events (Horne, 2002). Faunal alternations may therefore reflect shifts of the boundary between warm temperate and paratropical climate in the Early Cretaceous of NW Europe. The previously rejected suggestion that such assemblage variations record Milankovitch cyclicity deserves to be reconsidered, as does the possibility that they reflect changes on sub-Milankovitch timescales. Climate variability may have influenced the differential evolutionary success of sexual, mixed and parthenogenetic reproductive strategies in nonmarine ostracods. Latitudinally restricted distribution patterns and wind dispersal of resting eggs offer potential for inferring global climate patterns from ostracod palaeobiogeography, although dispersal by large animals (e.g., crocodiles, pterosaurs) is likely to have confused any aeolian transport patterns. References Horne, D. J. 2002. Ostracod biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of the Purbeck Limestone Group in southern England. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 68, 1-18, 2 pls. Nye, E., Feist-Burkhardt, S., Horne, D. J., Ross, A. J. & Whittaker, J. E. (2008) The palaeoenvironment associated with a partial Iguanodon skeleton from the Upper Weald Clay (Barremian, Early Cretaceous) at Smokejacks Brickworks (Ockley, Surrey, UK), based on palynomorphs and ostracods. Cretaceous Research, 29, 417-444.

Chronostratigraphy of the mammal-bearing Paleocene of South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, L. G.; Sempere, T.; Butler, R. F.

1997-01-01

Land mammal faunas of Paleocene age in the southern Andean basin of Bolivia and NW Argentina are calibrated by regional sequence stratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy. The local fauna from Tiupampa in Bolivia is ~59.0 Ma, and is thus early Late Paleocene in age. Taxa from the lower part of the Lumbrera Formation in NW Argentina (long regarded as Early Eocene) are between ~58.0-55.5 Ma, and thus Late Paleocene in age. A reassessment of the ages of local faunas from the Río Chico Formation in the San Jorge basin, Patagonia, southern Argentina, shows that the local fauna from the Banco Negro Inferior is ~60.0 Ma, making this the most ancient Cenozoic mammal fauna in South America. Critical reevaluation of the Itaboraí fauna and associated geology in SE Brazil favors the interpretation that it accumulated during a sea-level lowstand between ~58.2-56.5 Ma. All known South American Paleocene land mammal faunas are thus between 60.0 and 55.5 Ma (i.e. Late Paleocene) and are here assigned to the Riochican Land Mammal Age, with four subages (from oldest to youngest: Peligrian, Tiupampian, Itaboraian, Riochican s.s.). Based on the fact that notable taxonomic reorganization of Riochican faunas begins ~58.2 Ma, an Early (Peligrian, Tiupampian; 60.0-58.2 Ma) and Late (Itaboraian, Riochican s.s.; ~58.2-55.5 Ma) subdivision for this land mammal age is formally recognized. An interchange event for continental taxa between North and South America is identified between 58.2 and 56.5 Ma, which correlates with a sea-level lowstand and was probably enhanced by a major tectonic event beginning ~59.5 Ma that uplifted the Andean margin.

Early Jurassic diversification of pycnodontiform fishes (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) after the end-Triassic extinction event: evidence from a new genus and species, Grimmenodon aureum

PubMed Central

Stumpf, Sebastian; Ansorge, Jörg; Pfaff, Cathrin; Kriwet, Jürgen

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A new genus and species of pycnodontiform fishes, Grimmenodon aureum, from marginal marine, marine-brackish lower Toarcian (Harpoceras exaratum ammonite subzone) clay deposits of Grimmen in northeastern Germany is described. The single specimen represents a diagnostic left prearticular dentition characterized by unique tooth arrangement and ornamentation patterns. Grimmenodon aureum, gen. et sp. nov., is the second unambiguously identified pycnodontiform species from the Early Jurassic, in addition to Eomesodon liassicus from the early Lower Jurassic of western Europe. We also report an indeterminate pycnodontiform tooth crown from the upper Pliensbachian (Pleuroceras apyrenum ammonite subzone) of the same site. The material expands the Early Jurassic range of pycnodontiforms significantly northwards and confirms their presence before and immediately following the onset of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) in the marginal marine ecosystems south of the Fennoscandian Shield. Moreover, the new records indicate that the Early Jurassic diversity of pycnodontiform fishes was greater than previously assumed and probably equaled that of the Late Triassic. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event did not affect pycnodontiform fishes significantly. Micro-computed tomography was used to study the internal anatomy of the prearticular of Grimmenodon aureum, gen. et sp. nov. Our results show that no replacement teeth were formed within the tooth-bearing bone but rather were added posteriorly to functional teeth. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A56BDE9C-40C4-4CFA-9C2E-F5FA35A66F2 Citation for this article: Stumpf, S., J. Ansorge, C. Pfaff, and J. Kriwet. 2017. Early Jurassic diversification of pycnodontiform fishes (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) after the end-Triassic extinction event: Evidence from a new genus and species, Grimmenodon aureum. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1344679. PMID:29170576

Investigating A Unique Open Ocean Geochemical Record Of the End Triassic Mass Extinction from Panthalassa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marroquín, S. M.; Gill, B. C.; Them, T. R., II; Trabucho-Alexandre, J. P.; Aberhan, M.; Owens, J. D.; Gröcke, D. R.; Caruthers, A. H.

2017-12-01

The end-Triassic mass extinction ( 201 Ma) was a time of intense disturbance for marine communities. This event is estimated to have produced as much as a loss of 80% of known marine species. The protracted interval of elevated extinction rates is also characterized by a major carbon cycle perturbation and potentially widespread oxygen deficiency within the oceans. While the causes of extinction and environmental feedbacks are still debated it is hypothesized to have been triggered by massive volcanism associated with the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province flood basalts. However, our understanding of the Latest Triassic-Earliest Jurassic interval is limited due to the lack of well-preserved stratigraphic successions outside of the Tethys Ocean (present day Europe), with most of the records from epicontinental and marginal marine settings. To expand our understanding of this critical interval, our study seeks to document biological and environmental changes elsewhere. Specifically, we document and reconstruct these changes in the equatorial Panthalassan Ocean. We will present new data from a sedimentary succession preserved in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska that spans the Late Triassic through Early Jurassic. The sedimentary succession represents a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic ramp that was deposited at tropical latitudes, adjacent to an island arc in the open Panthalassan Ocean. This succession affords a unique view of open marine conditions, and also holds the potential for excellent temporal control as it contains abundant ash layers throughout, as well as, key ammonite and bivalve fossil occurrences that provide biostratigraphic control. We will present an integrated geochemical and paleontological record from this site using several geochemical proxies (carbon, δ13Ccarb and % total organic carbon, sulfur, δ34S, as well as pyrite contents and iron speciation) along with ammonite and bivalve occurrence data to reconstruct the record of environmental and biological change within the open Panthalassan Ocean, and relate these data to existing marine records of the end-Triassic extinction.

Early Jurassic diversification of pycnodontiform fishes (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) after the end-Triassic extinction event: evidence from a new genus and species, Grimmenodon aureum.

PubMed

Stumpf, Sebastian; Ansorge, Jörg; Pfaff, Cathrin; Kriwet, Jürgen

2017-07-04

A new genus and species of pycnodontiform fishes, Grimmenodon aureum , from marginal marine, marine-brackish lower Toarcian ( Harpoceras exaratum ammonite subzone) clay deposits of Grimmen in northeastern Germany is described. The single specimen represents a diagnostic left prearticular dentition characterized by unique tooth arrangement and ornamentation patterns. Grimmenodon aureum , gen. et sp. nov., is the second unambiguously identified pycnodontiform species from the Early Jurassic, in addition to Eomesodon liassicus from the early Lower Jurassic of western Europe. We also report an indeterminate pycnodontiform tooth crown from the upper Pliensbachian ( Pleuroceras apyrenum ammonite subzone) of the same site. The material expands the Early Jurassic range of pycnodontiforms significantly northwards and confirms their presence before and immediately following the onset of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) in the marginal marine ecosystems south of the Fennoscandian Shield. Moreover, the new records indicate that the Early Jurassic diversity of pycnodontiform fishes was greater than previously assumed and probably equaled that of the Late Triassic. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event did not affect pycnodontiform fishes significantly. Micro-computed tomography was used to study the internal anatomy of the prearticular of Grimmenodon aureum , gen. et sp. nov. Our results show that no replacement teeth were formed within the tooth-bearing bone but rather were added posteriorly to functional teeth. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A56BDE9C-40C4-4CFA-9C2E-F5FA35A66F2 Citation for this article: Stumpf, S., J. Ansorge, C. Pfaff, and J. Kriwet. 2017. Early Jurassic diversification of pycnodontiform fishes (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) after the end-Triassic extinction event: Evidence from a new genus and species, Grimmenodon aureum . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1344679.

Awell-preserved conodont fauna from the Pennsylvanian Excello Shale of Iowa, U. S. A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merlynd K. Nestell,; Wardlaw, Bruce R.; John P. Pope,

2016-01-01

A superbly preserved discrete element conodont fauna has been recovered from carbonate concretions from the upper Desmoinesian (Pennsylvanian) Excello Shale at two localities in south-central Iowa. The multielement apparatuses for Gondolella wardlawi (new species), Idiognathodus acutus, Idioprioniodus conjunctus, and Neognathodus roundyi are reconstructed. Rare specimens of Idiognathodus tuberis (new species) also occur in the fauna.

Data on the scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) fauna of Greece, with description of two new species.

PubMed

Szita, Éva; Fetykó, Kinga Gabriela; Benedicty, Zsuzsanna Konczné; Kozár, Ferenc; Partsinevelos, Georgios; Milonas, Panagiotis; Kaydan, Mehmet Bora

2017-10-09

Surveys of the scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) fauna of Greece were carried out in 2013 and 2014. Altogether 93 scale insect species were collected, belonging to 11 families. Thirty-eight species (41%) proved to be new to the Greek fauna, including two species new to science (Anophococcus hellenicus Kaydan & Szita sp. n. (Acanthococcidae) and Iberococcus attikus Szita & Fetykó sp. n. (Pseudococcidae)), and two introduced invasive species (Phenacoccus graminicola Leonardi and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana), both Pseudococcidae). The rest of the species seem to be native to the Greek fauna. The total number of scale insect species recorded from Greece is increased to 253.

[Parasite fauna of the European river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis (L.) from Lake Onega].

PubMed

Evseeva, N V

2007-01-01

Data on the parasite fauna of the adult European river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis (L.) from Lake Onega are reported. Ten parasite species are found, including trematodes Diplostomum petromyzifluviatilis and D. spathaceum (metacercariae), cestode Proteocephalus longicollis, nematodes Cucullanus truttae and Raphidascaris acus, acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus salmonis, ectoparasitic infusoria Chilodonella hexastica, Trichodina tenuidens, and Trichodinella epizootica, and fungus Saprolegnia parasitica. Three species are found to be dominate, namely D. petromyzifluviatilis, Cucullanus truttae, and P. longicollis. Comparative analysis of the parasite faunas of the lampreys from other basins is carried out. Some similarity in the parasite faunas of lampreys and salmonids is discovered.

[Interrelationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors in China: research advance].

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Wei, Wei; Yang, Xing-zhong; Chen, Li-ding; Yang, Lei

2010-09-01

Soil fauna has close relations with various environmental factors in soil ecosystem. To explore the interrelationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors is of vital importance to deep understand the dynamics of soil ecosystem and to assess the functioning of the ecosystem. The environmental factors affecting soil fauna can be classified as soil properties and soil external environment. The former contains soil basic physical and chemical properties, soil moisture, and soil pollution. The latter includes vegetation, land use type, landform, and climate, etc. From these aspects, this paper summarized the published literatures in China on the interrelationships between soil fauna and soil environmental factors. It was considered that several problems were existed in related studies, e.g., fewer researches were made in integrating soil fauna's bio-indicator function, research methods were needed to be improved, and the studies on the multi-environmental factors and their large scale spatial-temporal variability were in deficiency. Corresponding suggestions were proposed, i.e., more work should be done according to the practical needs, advanced experiences from abroad should be referenced, and comprehensive studies on multi-environmental factors and long-term monitoring should be conducted on large scale areas.

Early Miocene reef- and mudflat-associated gastropods from Makran (SE-Iran).

PubMed

Harzhauser, Mathias; Reuter, Markus; Mohtat, Tayebeh; Piller, Werner E

2017-01-01

A new gastropod fauna of Burdigalian (early Miocene) age is described from the Iranian part of Makran. The fauna comprises 19 species and represents three distinct assemblages from turbid water coral reef, shallow subtidal soft-bottom and mangrove-fringed mudflat environments in the northern Indian Ocean. Especially the reef-associated assemblage comprises largely new species. This is explained by the rare occurrence of reefs along the northern margin of the Miocene Indian Ocean and the low number of scientific studies dealing with the region. In terms of paleobiogeography, the fauna corresponds well to coeval faunas from the Pakistani Balochistan and Sindh provinces and the Indian Kathiawar, Kutch and Kerala provinces. During the early Miocene, these constituted a discrete biogeographic unit, the Western Indian Province, which documents the near complete biogeographic isolation from the Proto-Mediterranean Sea. Some mudflat taxa might represent examples of vicariance following the Tethys closure. The fauna also displays little connection with coeval faunas from Indonesia, documenting a strong provincialism within the Indo-West Pacific Region during early Miocene times. Neritopsis gedrosiana sp. nov., Calliostoma irerense sp. nov., Calliostoma mohtatae sp. nov. and Trivellona makranica sp. nov. are described as new species.

Brachiopod faunas after the end Ordovician mass extinction from South China: Testing ecological change through a major taxonomic crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bing; Harper, David A. T.; Rong, Jiayu; Zhan, Renbin

2017-05-01

Classification of extinction events and their severity is generally based on taxonomic counts. The ecological impacts of such events have been categorized and prioritized but rarely tested with empirical data. The ecology of the end Ordovician extinction and subsequent biotic recovery is tracked through abundant and diverse brachiopod faunas in South China. The spatial and temporal ranges of some 6500 identified specimens, from 10 collections derived from six localities were investigated by network and cluster analyses, nonmetric multidimensional scaling and a species abundance model. Depth zonations and structure of brachiopod assemblages along an onshore-offshore gradient in the late Katian were similar to those in the latest Ordovician-earliest Silurian (post-extinction fauna). Within this ecological framework, deeper-water faunas are partly replaced by new taxa; siliciclastic substrates continued to be dominated by the more 'Ordovician' orthides and strophomenides, shallow-water carbonate environments hosted atrypides, athyridides and pentamerides, with the more typical Ordovician brachiopod fauna continuing to dominate until the late Rhuddanian. The end Ordovician extinctions tested the resilience of the brachiopod fauna without damage to its overall ecological structure; that commenced later at the end of the Rhuddanian.

[Influence of different types of surface on the diversity of soil fauna in Beijing Olympic Park].

PubMed

Song, Ying-shi; Li, Xiao-wen; Li, Feng; Li, Hai-mei

2015-04-01

Soil fauna are impacted by urbanization. In order to explore the stress of different surface covers on diversity and community structure of soil fauna, we conducted this experiment in Beijing Olympic Park. In autumn of 2013, we used Baermann and Tullgren methods to study the diversity of soil fauna in the depth of 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm under four different land covers i.e. bared field (BF), totally impervious surface (TIS), partly impervious surface (PIS) and grassland (GL). The results showed that the total number of soil fauna in 100 cm3 was in order of GL (210) > PIS (193) > TIS (183) > BF (90), and the number of nematodes accounted for 72.0%-92.8% of the total number. On the vertical level, except for the TIS, the other three types of surface soil fauna had the surface gathered phenomenon. The Shannon diversity index and the Pielou evenness index of BF were lower, but the Simpson dominance index was higher than in the other land covers. The Shannon index and Margalef richness indes of GL were higher than those of the other land covers. The Shannon indexes of TIS and PIS were between the BF and GL. Except for the TIS and GL, the similarity indexes were between 0.4-0.5, indicating moderate non-similar characteristics. The diversity of soil fauna was significantly correlated with temperature, pH and available potassium.

[Distribution pattern of meso-micro soil fauna in Eucalyptus grandis plantation].

PubMed

Huang, Yumei; Zhang, Jian; Yang, Wanqin

2006-12-01

In this paper, meso-micro soil fauna were extracted and collected by Baermann's and Tullgren' s method, and their distribution pattern in the Eucalyptus grandis plantation of Hongya County, Sichuan Province was studied. A total of 13 550 specimens were collected, belonging to 6 phyla, 13 classes, and 26 orders. Acarina, Nematoda, Collembola were the dominant groups, and Enchytraeidae was the frequent one. The group and individual numbers of meso-micro soil fauna varied with seasons, being the maximum in autumn or winter, fewer in summer, and the minimum in spring. The density of meso-micro soil fauna in soil profile decreased rapidly with increasing soil depth, but a converse distribution was observed from time to time in 5 - 10 cm and 10 - 15 cm soil layers. The meso-micro soil fauna collected by Baermann's and Tullgren's method had a density of 3. 333 x 10(3) - 2. 533 x 10(5) ind x m(-2) and 1.670 x 10(2) - 2.393 x 10(5) ind x m(-2), respectively, and the decreasing rate of the density with the increase of soil depth was higher for those collected by Tullgren's method. The density-group index of meso-micro soil fauna in the E. grandis plantation was the lowest in spring, but the highest in autumn or summer. There were no significant differences in the density of meso-micro soil fauna and in the density-group index between E. grandis plantation and Quercus acutissima secondary forest.

When and how did the terrestrial mid-Permian mass extinction occur? Evidence from the tetrapod record of the Karoo Basin, South Africa

PubMed Central

Day, Michael O.; Ramezani, Jahandar; Bowring, Samuel A.; Sadler, Peter M.; Erwin, Douglas H.; Abdala, Fernando; Rubidge, Bruce S.

2015-01-01

A mid-Permian (Guadalupian epoch) extinction event at approximately 260 Ma has been mooted for two decades. This is based primarily on invertebrate biostratigraphy of Guadalupian–Lopingian marine carbonate platforms in southern China, which are temporally constrained by correlation to the associated Emeishan Large Igneous Province (LIP). Despite attempts to identify a similar biodiversity crisis in the terrestrial realm, the low resolution of mid-Permian tetrapod biostratigraphy and a lack of robust geochronological constraints have until now hampered both the correlation and quantification of terrestrial extinctions. Here we present an extensive compilation of tetrapod-stratigraphic data analysed by the constrained optimization (CONOP) algorithm that reveals a significant extinction event among tetrapods within the lower Beaufort Group of the Karoo Basin, South Africa, in the latest Capitanian. Our fossil dataset reveals a 74–80% loss of generic richness between the upper Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone (AZ) and the mid-Pristerognathus AZ that is temporally constrained by a U–Pb zircon date (CA-TIMS method) of 260.259 ± 0.081 Ma from a tuff near the top of the Tapinocephalus AZ. This strengthens the biochronology of the Permian Beaufort Group and supports the existence of a mid-Permian mass extinction event on land near the end of the Guadalupian. Our results permit a temporal association between the extinction of dinocephalian therapsids and the LIP volcanism at Emeishan, as well as the marine end-Guadalupian extinctions. PMID:26156768

Chronostratigraphic framework for the IODP Expedition 318 cores from the Wilkes Land Margin: Constraints for paleoceanographic reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tauxe, L.; Stickley, C. E.; Sugisaki, S.; Bijl, P. K.; Bohaty, S. M.; Brinkhuis, H.; Escutia, C.; Flores, J. A.; Houben, A. J. P.; Iwai, M.; Jiménez-Espejo, F.; McKay, R.; Passchier, S.; Pross, J.; Riesselman, C. R.; Röhl, U.; Sangiorgi, F.; Welsh, K.; Klaus, A.; Fehr, A.; Bendle, J. A. P.; Dunbar, R.; Gonzàlez, J.; Hayden, T.; Katsuki, K.; Olney, M. P.; Pekar, S. F.; Shrivastava, P. K.; van de Flierdt, T.; Williams, T.; Yamane, M.

2012-06-01

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 318 to the Wilkes Land margin of Antarctica recovered a sedimentary succession ranging in age from lower Eocene to the Holocene. Excellent stratigraphic control is key to understanding the timing of paleoceanographic events through critical climate intervals. Drill sites recovered the lower and middle Eocene, nearly the entire Oligocene, the Miocene from about 17 Ma, the entire Pliocene and much of the Pleistocene. The paleomagnetic properties are generally suitable for magnetostratigraphic interpretation, with well-behaved demagnetization diagrams, uniform distribution of declinations, and a clear separation into two inclination modes. Although the sequences were discontinuously recovered with many gaps due to coring, and there are hiatuses from sedimentary and tectonic processes, the magnetostratigraphic patterns are in general readily interpretable. Our interpretations are integrated with the diatom, radiolarian, calcareous nannofossils and dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) biostratigraphy. The magnetostratigraphy significantly improves the resolution of the chronostratigraphy, particularly in intervals with poor biostratigraphic control. However, Southern Ocean records with reliable magnetostratigraphies are notably scarce, and the data reported here provide an opportunity for improved calibration of the biostratigraphic records. In particular, we provide a rare magnetostratigraphic calibration for dinocyst biostratigraphy in the Paleogene and a substantially improved diatom calibration for the Pliocene. This paper presents the stratigraphic framework for future paleoceanographic proxy records which are being developed for the Wilkes Land margin cores. It further provides tight constraints on the duration of regional hiatuses inferred from seismic surveys of the region.

Terrestrial Palynology of Paleocene and Eocene Sediments Above the Chicxulub Impact Crater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, V.; Warny, S.; Bralower, T. J.; Jones, H.; Lowery, C. M.; Smit, J.; Vajda, V.; Vellekoop, J.; 364 Scientists, E.

2017-12-01

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 364, with support from the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, cored through Paleocene and Eocene sediments and into the impact structure of the Chicxulub impact crater. Three palynological studies of the post-impact section are currently underway. The two other studies are investigating the dinoflagellate palynology and terrestrial palynology of the K/Pg boundary section, while this study focuses on the early Eocene terrestrial palynology of the IODP 364 core, which has yielded a diverse and well preserved pollen assemblage. A few samples from the Early Paleocene have also been examined but organic microfossil preservation is quite poor. Samples from this core are the oldest palynological record from the Yucatan peninsula. Sample preparation and detailed abundance counts of sixty samples throughout the post-impact section are in progress, with a particular focus on the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). Terrestrial palynomorph assemblages will be used to reconstruct paleoclimatological conditions throughout this time period. Floral response to hyperthermal events in the IODP 364 core will be compared with records from other Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean sections. In addition to the biological and paleoclimatological implications of this research, age control from foraminiferal and nannofossil biostratigraphy, paleomagnetism, and radiometric dating will provide a chronological framework for the terrestrial pollen biostratigraphy, with applications to hydrocarbon exploration in the Wilcox Formation and age equivalent sections in the Gulf of Mexico.

Quaternary radiolarian biostratigraphy in the subarctic northeastern Pacific (IODP Expedition 341 Site U1417) and synchroneity of bioevents across the North Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuzaki, Kenji M.; Suzuki, Noritoshi

2018-01-01

Expedition 341 of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) retrieved sediment cores spanning the time interval between the Pleistocene and Miocene from the southern Gulf of Alaska. Onboard Pleistocene radiolarian biostratigraphy is hereby refined by increasing the sampling resolution. The 178 core samples from the upper 190 m CCSF-B (Composite Core Depth Scale F-B) of Site U1417 contained faunal elements similar to the northwestern Pacific; for example, the three biozones in the northwestern Pacific (i.e., Eucyrtidium matuyamai, Stylatractus universus and Botryostrobus aquilonaris) were also recognized in the Gulf of Alaska, spanning 1.80-1.13 Ma, 1.13-0.45 Ma, and the last 0.45 Myr, respectively. Based on the age model that we used in this study and the shipboard paleomagnetic reversal events, the first occurrences (FOs) of Amphimelissa setosa and Schizodiscus japonicus in the northeastern Pacific were preliminarily determined to be 1.48 and 1.30 Ma, respectively. The last occurrence (LO) of Eucyrtidium matuyamai and the FO of Lychnocanoma sakaii, both well-established bioevents in the northwestern Pacific, were dated at 0.80 and 1.13 Ma, respectively. The LO of E. matuyamai is a synchronous event at 1.05 ± 0.1 Ma in the North Pacific, while the FOs of A. setosa and S. japonicus at 1.48 and 1.30 Ma, respectively, are significantly older than what has been found elsewhere.

Chronostratigraphic framework for the IODP Expedition 318 cores from the Wilkes Land Margin: Constraints for paleoceanographic reconstruction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tauxe, L.; Stickley, C.E.; Sugisaki, S.; Bijl, P.K.; Bohaty, S.M.; Brinkhuis, H.; Escutia, C.; Flores, J.A.; Houben, A.J.P.; Iwai, M.; Jiménez-Espejo, F.; McKay, R.; Passchier, S.; Pross, J.; Riesselman, Christina; Röhl, U.; Sangiorgi, F.; Welsh, K.; Klaus, A.; Fehr, A.; Bendle, J.A.P.; Dunbar, R.; Gonzàlez, J.; Hayden, T.; Katsuki, K.; Olney, M.P.; Pekar, S.F.; Shrivastava, P.K.; van de Flierdt, T.; Williams, T.; Yamane, M.

2012-01-01

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 318 to the Wilkes Land margin of Antarctica recovered a sedimentary succession ranging in age from lower Eocene to the Holocene. Excellent stratigraphic control is key to understanding the timing of paleoceanographic events through critical climate intervals. Drill sites recovered the lower and middle Eocene, nearly the entire Oligocene, the Miocene from about 17 Ma, the entire Pliocene and much of the Pleistocene. The paleomagnetic properties are generally suitable for magnetostratigraphic interpretation, with well-behaved demagnetization diagrams, uniform distribution of declinations, and a clear separation into two inclination modes. Although the sequences were discontinuously recovered with many gaps due to coring, and there are hiatuses from sedimentary and tectonic processes, the magnetostratigraphic patterns are in general readily interpretable. Our interpretations are integrated with the diatom, radiolarian, calcareous nannofossils and dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) biostratigraphy. The magnetostratigraphy significantly improves the resolution of the chronostratigraphy, particularly in intervals with poor biostratigraphic control. However, Southern Ocean records with reliable magnetostratigraphies are notably scarce, and the data reported here provide an opportunity for improved calibration of the biostratigraphic records. In particular, we provide a rare magnetostratigraphic calibration for dinocyst biostratigraphy in the Paleogene and a substantially improved diatom calibration for the Pliocene. This paper presents the stratigraphic framework for future paleoceanographic proxy records which are being developed for the Wilkes Land margin cores. It further provides tight constraints on the duration of regional hiatuses inferred from seismic surveys of the region.

Progress in faunal correlation of Late Cenozoic fluvial sequences 2000 4: the report of the IGCP 449 biostratigraphy subgroup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreve, D. C.; Keen, D. H.; Limondin-Lozouet, N.; Auguste, P.; Santisteban, Juan I.; Ubilla, M.; Matoshko, A.; Bridgland, D. R.; Westaway, R.

2007-11-01

Vertebrate and invertebrate faunal biostratigraphy is a well-tested method for establishing relative chronologies for fluviatile sequences that has proved useful in many parts of the world. The robust bones and teeth of large mammals are commonly found in fluviatile deposits, whereas small vertebrates can be readily recovered through systematic sieving of calcareous sediments, as can molluscs, the other major faunal group that has been used for biostratigraphical analysis of fluvial sequences. Because of their rapid and quantifiable rates of evolution, extinction, body mass change and dispersal during the Late Cenozoic, mammals are especially useful for ordering the fragmentary terrestrial sequence of interglacials and glacials, and proposing correlation with the global marine climatostratigraphic record. Other groups (e.g. reptiles and amphibians, ostracods) are as yet only in the initial stages of development as a dating tool, whereas some (e.g. fish, birds) still require substantial development in order to fully explore their utility. As part of IGCP 449, vertebrate and molluscan assemblages have made important contributions to datasets from a number of areas, notably northern France, central Germany, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. Further south, mammalian assemblages have proved useful in separating discrete periods of climatic change in Iberia and Syria. At greater distances from the core area of fluvial biostratigraphical archives, significant contributions have come from South America (Uruguay River), South Africa (Vaal) and Australia (Riverine Plain and Lake Eyre drainage basin).

Biostratigraphy and biochronology of the Monte Hermoso Formation (early Pliocene) at its type locality, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomassini, Rodrigo L.; Montalvo, Claudia I.; Deschamps, Cecilia M.; Manera, Teresa

2013-12-01

The Monte Hermoso Formation, cropping out at its type locality of Farola Monte Hermoso (Buenos Aires Province), is a classical fossiliferous unit of the South American Neogene, highlighted by the abundance and diversity of its vertebrate remains. However, its biostratigraphy and age have been largely debated, and numerous discrepancies and controversies have been stated. In this regard, the result of the analysis of new materials recovered from the different levels of this formation, following a strict control of stratigraphic provenance, is here reported. As well, the provenance of specimens of previous collections has been evaluated. The studied assemblage consists of Osteichthyes, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. These latter are the most numerous and belong to the Didelphimorphia, Polydolopimorphia, Rodentia, Notoungulata, Litopterna and Xenarthra. The recorded taxa suggest no important faunistic variations among the different levels of the Monte Hermoso Formation that would imply significant chronological differences, and hence, justify the recognition of two biostratigraphic units. The analysis of the first and last records as well as the taxa considered as exclusive, does not support the validity of the biozones of Trigodon gaudryi and Neocavia depressidens previously proposed. On this basis, a new scheme for the Monte Hermoso Formation at its type locality is proposed, including a new single biostratigraphic unit. This unit is the Eumysops laeviplicatus Range Zone, which represents the biostratigraphic base for the Montehermosan Stage/Age of the early Pliocene.

The Purisima Formation and related rocks (upper Miocene - Pliocene), greater San Francisco Bay area, central California; review of literature and USGS collection now housed at the Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, C.L.

1998-01-01

Sedimentary rocks more than 1.6 kilometers thick are attributed to the upper Miocene to upper Pliocene Purisima Formation in the greater San Francisco Bay area. These rocks occur as scattered, discontinuous outcrops from Point Reyes National Seashore in the north to south of Santa Cruz. Lithologic divisions of the Formation appear to be of local extent and are of limited use in correlating over this broad area. The Purisima Formation occurs in several fault-bounded terranes which demonstrate different stratigraphic histories and may be found to represent more than a single depositional basin. The precise age and stratigraphic relationship of these scattered outcrops are unresolved and until they are put into a stratigraphic and paleogeographic context the tectonic significance of the Purisima Foramtion can only be surmised. This paper will attempt to resolve some of these problems. Mollusks and echinoderms are recorded from the literature and more than 70 USGS collections that have not previously been reported. With the exception of one locality, the faunas suggest deposition in normal marine conditions at water depths of less than 50 m and with water temperatures the same or slightly cooler than exist along the present coast of central California. The single exception is a fauna from outcrops between Seal Cove and Pillar Point, where both mollusks and foraminifers suggest water depths greater than 100 m. Three molluscan faunas, the La Honda, the Pillar Point, and the Santa Cruz, are recognized based on USGS collections and published literature for the Purisima Formation. These biostratigraphically distinct faunas aid in the correlation of the scattered Purisima Formation outcrops. The lowermost La Honda fauna suggests shallow-water depths and an age of late Miocene to early Pliocene. This age is at odds with a younger age determination from an ash bed in the lower Purisima Formation along the central San Mateo County coast. The Pillar Point fauna contains only a single age diagnostic taxon, Lituyapecten purisimaensis (Arnold), which is reported as Pliocene in age, but it only occurs in the Purisima Formation, so its age here is an example of circular reasoning. However, based on tentative lithologic correlations this fauna may represent the same period of time as the upper part of the La Honda fauna. This fauna differs from either the La Honda or Santa Cruz faunas in that it represent significantly deeper water. The uppermost Santa Cruz fauna also suggests shallow-water depths and a possible age range of early to late Pliocene. The bivalve molluscan taxon Lyonsia, and gastropod taxon Rictaxis sp., cf. R. punctocaelatus (Carpenter) are reported here for the first time from the Purisima Formation.

[Effects of rare earth elements on soil fauna community structure and their ecotoxicity to Holotrichia parallela].

PubMed

Li, Guiting; Jiang, Junqi; Chen, Jie; Zou, Yunding; Zhang, Xincai

2006-01-01

By the method of OECD filter paper contact, this paper studied the effects of applied rare earth elements on soil fauna community structure and their ecological toxicity to Holotrichia parallela in bean field. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the treatments and the control in soil fauna species, quantity of main species, and diversity index. Urgent and chronic toxic test showed that the differences between the treatments and the control were not significant. It was suggested that within the range of test dosages, rare earth elements had little ecological toxicity to Holotrichia parallela, and did not change the soil fauna community structure.

Biological Assessment of Newfoundland Rivers Based on the Depauperate Macroinvertebrate Fauna With Emphasis on the Mayfly, Stonefly and Caddisfly Fauna: a Cautionary Tale.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbo, M. H.; Cote, D.; Kendall, V.

2005-05-01

The fauna of insular Newfoundland compared to the mainland is depauperate, e.g., 35 spp of mayflies versus about 160 spp in Maine. The question is can this depauperate fauna provide good biomonitoring information? A comparative study using present /absent data from 85 sites in eastern Newfoundland was analyzed with particular reference to the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera fauna. The results indicated these data did differentiate regions sampling type and land use when run through a simple Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The PCA 1 and 2 components varied from no to a strong correlation with both Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera richness and taxa richness of the major feeding groups. However, applying previously published biotic indices of species that occur in Newfoundland did not provide satisfactory results. It appears these indices may reflect oxygen gradients rather than pollutant concentrations and in our cold well oxygenated streams yield unsatisfactory discrimination among natural and perturb streams.

New tropical carcharhinids (chondrichthyes, carcharhiniformes) from the late Eocene early Oligocene of Balochistan, Pakistan: Paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adnet, S.; Antoine, P.-O.; Hassan Baqri, S. R.; Crochet, J.-Y.; Marivaux, L.; Welcomme, J.-L.; Métais, G.

2007-04-01

New selachians (sharks and rays) have been collected from several late Eocene and early Oligocene marine localities in the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan). Two new species of Requiem sharks (close to the Recent "Bull shark") are described : Carcharhinus balochensis and Carcharhinus perseus. The rest of the fauna is notable for the strong representation of Carcharhiniformes. These selachian faunas represent a unique tropical association for the Oligocene period and one of the first modern tropical selachian faunas, with modern taxa such as the two new species of "Bull sharks", Negaprion sp. and one of the first occurrences of Sphyrna sp. Moreover, these faunas permit paleoenvironmental interpretation of adjacent land masses. The relatively modern aspect of these faunas, compared with other contemporaneous and younger selachian associations from Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, suggests biogeographic isolation of selachian communities living in eastern and western parts of the Tethys before its final closure during the early-middle Miocene.

A chronostratigraphic assessment of the Moenave Formation, USA using C-isotope chemostratigraphy and detrital zircon geochronology: Implications for the terrestrial end Triassic extinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez, Celina A.; Knobbe, Todd K.; Crowley, James L.; Kirkland, James I.; Milner, Andrew R. C.

2017-10-01

The Late Triassic is a period of abrupt climate change associated with a disruption to the global carbon cycle usually ascribed to the emplacement of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP). Geochronologic, paleontologic, and geochemical studies have shown that the CAMP was likely the major factor for the end-Triassic extinction (ETE), however, difficulties correlating and dating terrestrial strata has left the nature of the terrestrial extinction in question. The lacustrine Whitmore Point Member (WPM) of the Moenave Formation is ideal for investigating these details because it is reported to be Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. However, currently there are conflicting age constraints between biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy. In this study we attempt to elucidate the ETE by incorporating C-isotope chemostratigraphy and detrital zircon geochronology. Detrital zircon geochronology suggests the upper part of the Dinosaur Canyon Member (DCM) is younger (201.33 ± 0.07/0.12/0.25 Ma) than the ETE (201.564 Ma) suggesting the ETE is in the middle to lower DCM, in agreement with track biostratigraphy (first occurrence of Eubrontes, Anomoepus, and Batrachopus). Meanwhile a distinct negative carbon isotope (NCIE) excursion (-5.5‰) occurs at the base of the WPM at Potter Canyon, AZ with a more subtle NCIE at the base of the WPM at Black Canyon, UT (-2.0‰) that may correlate to the initial NCIE at the ETE. However, the WPM NCIE is correlated to the preservation of organic C (relative %C) suggesting it may be either related to local lake productivity and biases in organic matter preservation or may be a negative CIE in the Jurassic Hettangian stage. With the addition of the detrital zircon data, we suggest the M2r reversal at the base of the WPM is a reversal in the Hettangian (the H24r, H25r, or H26r) and the ETE is within the DCM. Additional C-isotope analysis of the DCM is necessary to determine if the initial NCIE that is the hallmark of the ETE occurs in terrestrial strata in western Pangea. However, our WPM C-isotope record is the most complete C-isotope record from terrestrial strata of western Pangea to date and in addition to detrital zircon geochronology, magnetostratigraphy, and biostratigraphy, will be used to provide a framework for future chronologic and paleoclimatic studies.

Identification of the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in coastal strata in the Otway Basin, Victoria, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frieling, Joost; Huurdeman, Emiel P.; Rem, Charlotte C. M.; Donders, Timme H.; Pross, Jörg; Bohaty, Steven M.; Holdgate, Guy R.; Gallagher, Stephen J.; McGowran, Brian; Bijl, Peter K.

2018-02-01

Detailed, stratigraphically well-constrained environmental reconstructions are available for Paleocene and Eocene strata at a range of sites in the southwest Pacific Ocean (New Zealand and East Tasman Plateau; ETP) and Integrated Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1356 in the south of the Australo-Antarctic Gulf (AAG). These reconstructions have revealed a large discrepancy between temperature proxy data and climate models in this region, suggesting a crucial error in model, proxy data or both. To resolve the origin of this discrepancy, detailed reconstructions are needed from both sides of the Tasmanian Gateway. Paleocene-Eocene sedimentary archives from the west of the Tasmanian Gateway have unfortunately remained scarce (only IODP Site U1356), and no well-dated successions are available for the northern sector of the AAG. Here we present new stratigraphic data for upper Paleocene and lower Eocene strata from the Otway Basin, southeast Australia, on the (north)west side of the Tasmanian Gateway. We analyzed sediments recovered from exploration drilling (Latrobe-1 drill core) and outcrop sampling (Point Margaret) and performed high-resolution carbon isotope geochemistry of bulk organic matter and dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) and pollen biostratigraphy on sediments from the regional lithostratigraphic units, including the Pebble Point Formation, Pember Mudstone and Dilwyn Formation. Pollen and dinocyst assemblages are assigned to previously established Australian pollen and dinocyst zonations and tied to available zonations for the SW Pacific. Based on our dinocyst stratigraphy and previously published planktic foraminifer biostratigraphy, the Pebble Point Formation at Point Margaret is dated to the latest Paleocene. The globally synchronous negative carbon isotope excursion that marks the Paleocene-Eocene boundary is identified within the top part of the Pember Mudstone in the Latrobe-1 borehole and at Point Margaret. However, the high abundances of the dinocyst Apectodinium prior to this negative carbon isotope excursion prohibit a direct correlation of this regional bio-event with the quasi-global Apectodinium acme at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; 56 Ma). Therefore, the first occurrence of the pollen species Spinizonocolpites prominatus and the dinocyst species Florentinia reichartii are here designated as regional markers for the PETM. In the Latrobe-1 drill core, dinocyst biostratigraphy further indicates that the early Eocene ( ˜ 56-51 Ma) sediments are truncated by a ˜ 10 Myr long hiatus overlain by middle Eocene ( ˜ 40 Ma) strata. These sedimentary archives from southeast Australia may prove key in resolving the model-data discrepancy in this region, and the new stratigraphic data presented here allow for detailed comparisons between paleoclimate records on both sides of the Tasmanian Gateway.

Russian deep-sea investigations of Antarctic fauna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malyutina, Marina

2004-07-01

A review of the Russian deep-sea investigation of Antarctic fauna beginning from the first scientific collection of Soviet whaling fleet expeditions 1946-1952 is presented. The paper deals with the following expeditions, their main tasks and results. These expeditions include three cruises of research vessel (R.V.) Ob in the Indian sector of the Antarctic and in the Southern Pacific (1955-1958); 11 cruises of the R.V. Akademik Kurchatov in the southern Atlantic (November-December 1971); 16 cruises of the R.V. Dmitriy Mendeleev in the Australia-New Zealand area and adjacent water of the Antarctic (December 1975-March 1976); 43 cruises of the R.V. Akademik Kurchatov in the southern Atlantic (October 1985-February 1986); and 43 cruises of the R.V. Dmitriy Mendeleev in the Atlantic sector of the South Ocean (January-May 1989). A list of the main publications on the benthic taxa collected during these expeditions with data of their distribution is presented. The results of Russian explorations of the Antarctic fauna are presented as theoretical conclusions in the following topics: (1) Vertical zonation in the distribution of the Antarctic deep-sea fauna; (2) Biogeographic division of the abyssal and hadal zones; (3) Origin of the Antarctic deep-sea fauna; (4) Distributional pathways of the Antarctic abyssal fauna through the World Ocean.

Terrestrial vertebrate fauna surveys for the preparation of environmental impact assessments; how can we do it better? A Western Australian example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, Graham G.

2007-01-15

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in 2002 released Position Statement, No. 3, Terrestrial Biological Surveys as an Element of Biodiversity Protection outlining how terrestrial fauna survey data are to be used and interpreted in the preparation of environmental impact assessments (EIA). In 2004, the EPA released its Guidance for the Assessment of Environmental Factors, Terrestrial Fauna Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia, No. 56. This paper briefly assesses the adequacy of recent terrestrial fauna surveys undertaken to support publicly released EIAs and indicates that the EPA is not always adhering to its own position and guidancemore » statements. This paper argues that the current fauna survey guidelines are in need of improvement. The approach and requirements of some other Australian states are briefly assessed to identify similarities and where improvements can be made to the Western Australian (WA) guidelines. This paper concludes with suggestions on how the process and the guidelines in WA can be revised to more adequately assess the impact of developments on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity and ecosystem function. These suggestions may have relevance for other areas where fauna surveys are undertaken to support EIAs.« less

No adverse effect of genetically modified antifungal wheat on decomposition dynamics and the soil fauna community--a field study.

PubMed

Duc, Caroline; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Lindfeld, Andreas

2011-01-01

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) plants has raised several environmental concerns. One of these concerns regards non-target soil fauna organisms, which play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter and hence are largely exposed to GM plant residues. Soil fauna may be directly affected by transgene products or indirectly by pleiotropic effects such as a modified plant metabolism. Thus, ecosystem services and functioning might be affected negatively. In a litterbag experiment in the field we analysed the decomposition process and the soil fauna community involved. Therefore, we used four experimental GM wheat varieties, two with a race-specific antifungal resistance against powdery mildew (Pm3b) and two with an unspecific antifungal resistance based on the expression of chitinase and glucanase. We compared them with two non-GM isolines and six conventional cereal varieties. To elucidate the mechanisms that cause differences in plant decomposition, structural plant components (i.e. C∶N ratio, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose) were examined and soil properties, temperature and precipitation were monitored. The most frequent taxa extracted from decaying plant material were mites (Cryptostigmata, Gamasina and Uropodina), springtails (Isotomidae), annelids (Enchytraeidae) and Diptera (Cecidomyiidae larvae). Despite a single significant transgenic/month interaction for Cecidomyiidae larvae, which is probably random, we detected no impact of the GM wheat on the soil fauna community. However, soil fauna differences among conventional cereal varieties were more pronounced than between GM and non-GM wheat. While leaf residue decomposition in GM and non-GM wheat was similar, differences among conventional cereals were evident. Furthermore, sampling date and location were found to greatly influence soil fauna community and decomposition processes. The results give no indication of ecologically relevant adverse effects of antifungal GM wheat on the composition and the activity of the soil fauna community.

Oligocene-miocene mammalian fossils from Hongyazi Basin and its bearing on tectonics of Danghe Nanshan in northern Tibetan plateau.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Wang, Xiaoming; Xie, Guangpu; Yin, An

2013-01-01

A shortage of Cenozoic vertebrate fossils in the Tibetan Plateau has been an obstacle in our understanding of biological evolution in response to changes in tectonism, topography, and environment. This is especially true for Paleogene records, so far known by only two sites along the northern rim of the Plateau. We report a Hongyazi Basin in northern Tibetan Plateau that produces at least three mammalian faunas that span Oligocene through late Miocene. Located at the foothills of the Danghe Nanshan and presently connected to the northern margin of the Suganhu Basin through the Greater Haltang River, the intermountain basin is controlled by the tectonics of the Danghe Nanshan to the north and Chahan'ebotu Mountain to the south, making the basin sediments well suited for inferring the evolutionary history of these two mountain ranges. At the bottom of the local section, the Oligocene Haltang Fauna is best compared to the early Oligocene Desmatolagus-Karakoromys decessus assemblage in the Dingdanggou Fauna in Tabenbuluk Basin. The Middle Miocene Ebotu Fauna from the middle Hongyazi section shares many taxa with the late Middle Miocene Tunggur mammal assemblage in Inner Mongolia, such as Heterosminthus orientalis, Megacricetodon sinensis, Democricetodon lindsayi, and Alloptox gobiensis. Toward the top of the section, the Hongyazi Fauna includes late Miocene elements typical of Hipparion faunas of North China. All three faunas are of typical North China-Central Asian characteristics, suggesting a lack of geographic barriers for faunal differentiation through the late Miocene. Sedimentary packages producing these faunas are arrayed from north to south in progressively younger strata, consistent with a compressive regime to accommodate shortening between Danghe Nanshan and Chahan'ebotu Mountain by thrust faults and folds. With additional constraints from vertebrate fossils along the northern flanks of the Danghe Nanshan, an eastward propagation of the Danghe Nanshan is postulated.

Oligocene-Miocene Mammalian Fossils from Hongyazi Basin and Its Bearing on Tectonics of Danghe Nanshan in Northern Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Li, Qiang; Wang, Xiaoming; Xie, Guangpu; Yin, An

2013-01-01

A shortage of Cenozoic vertebrate fossils in the Tibetan Plateau has been an obstacle in our understanding of biological evolution in response to changes in tectonism, topography, and environment. This is especially true for Paleogene records, so far known by only two sites along the northern rim of the Plateau. We report a Hongyazi Basin in northern Tibetan Plateau that produces at least three mammalian faunas that span Oligocene through late Miocene. Located at the foothills of the Danghe Nanshan and presently connected to the northern margin of the Suganhu Basin through the Greater Haltang River, the intermountain basin is controlled by the tectonics of the Danghe Nanshan to the north and Chahan’ebotu Mountain to the south, making the basin sediments well suited for inferring the evolutionary history of these two mountain ranges. At the bottom of the local section, the Oligocene Haltang Fauna is best compared to the early Oligocene Desmatolagus-Karakoromys decessus assemblage in the Dingdanggou Fauna in Tabenbuluk Basin. The Middle Miocene Ebotu Fauna from the middle Hongyazi section shares many taxa with the late Middle Miocene Tunggur mammal assemblage in Inner Mongolia, such as Heterosminthus orientalis, Megacricetodon sinensis, Democricetodon lindsayi, and Alloptox gobiensis. Toward the top of the section, the Hongyazi Fauna includes late Miocene elements typical of Hipparion faunas of North China. All three faunas are of typical North China-Central Asian characteristics, suggesting a lack of geographic barriers for faunal differentiation through the late Miocene. Sedimentary packages producing these faunas are arrayed from north to south in progressively younger strata, consistent with a compressive regime to accommodate shortening between Danghe Nanshan and Chahan’ebotu Mountain by thrust faults and folds. With additional constraints from vertebrate fossils along the northern flanks of the Danghe Nanshan, an eastward propagation of the Danghe Nanshan is postulated. PMID:24376585

Cenozoic Methane-Seep Faunas of the Caribbean Region.

PubMed

Kiel, Steffen; Hansen, Bent T

2015-01-01

We report new examples of Cenozoic cold-seep communities from Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Venezuela, and attempt to improve the stratigraphic dating of Cenozoic Caribbean seep communities using strontium isotope stratigraphy. Two seep faunas are distinguished in Barbados: the late Eocene mudstone-hosted 'Joes River fauna' consists mainly of large lucinid bivalves and tall abyssochrysoid gastropods, and the early Miocene carbonate-hosted 'Bath Cliffs fauna' containing the vesicomyid Pleurophopsis, the mytilid Bathymodiolus and small gastropods. Two new Oligocene seep communities from the Sinú River basin in Colombia consist of lucinid bivalves including Elongatolucina, thyasirid and solemyid bivalves, and Pleurophopsis. A new early Miocene seep community from Cuba includes Pleurophopsis and the large lucinid Meganodontia. Strontium isotope stratigraphy suggests an Eocene age for the Cuban Elmira asphalt mine seep community, making it the oldest in the Caribbean region. A new basal Pliocene seep fauna from the Dominican Republic is characterized by the large lucinid Anodontia (Pegophysema). In Trinidad we distinguish two types of seep faunas: the mudstone-hosted Godineau River fauna consisting mainly of lucinid bivalves, and the limestone-hosted Freeman's Bay fauna consisting chiefly of Pleurophopsis, Bathymodiolus, and small gastropods; they are all dated as late Miocene. Four new seep communities of Oligocene to Miocene age are reported from Venezuela. They consist mainly of large globular lucinid bivalves including Meganodontia, and moderately sized vesicomyid bivalves. After the late Miocene many large and typical 'Cenozoic' lucinid genera disappeared from the Caribbean seeps and are today known only from the central Indo-Pacific Ocean. We speculate that the increasingly oligotrophic conditions in the Caribbean Sea after the closure of the Isthmus of Panama in the Pliocene may have been unfavorable for such large lucinids because they are only facultative chemosymbiotic and need to derive a significant proportion of their nutrition from suspended organic matter.

[Soil meso- and micro-fauna community structures in different urban forest types in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Jin, Shi Ke; Wang, Juan Juan; Zhu, Sha; Zhang, Qi; Li, Xiang; Zheng, Wen Jing; You, Wen Hui

2016-07-01

Soil meso- and micro-fauna of four urban forest types in Shanghai were investigated in four months which include April 2014, July 2014, October 2014 and January 2015. A total of 2190 soil fauna individuals which belong to 6 phyla, 15 classes and 22 groups were collected. The dominant groups were Nematoda and Arcari, accounting for 56.0% and 21.8% of the total in terms of individual numbers respectively. The common groups were Enchytraeidae, Rotatoria, Collembola and Hymenoptera and they accounted for 18.7% of the total in terms of individual numbers. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) among soil meso- and micro-fauna density in the four urban forest types and the largest density was found in Metasequoia glyptostroboides forest, the smallest in Cinnamomum camphora forest. The largest groupe number was found in near-nature forest, the smallest was found in M. glyptostroboides forest. There was obvious seasonal dynamics in each urban forest type and green space which had larger density in autumn and larger groupe number in summer and autumn. In soil profiles, the degree of surface accumulation of soil meso- and micro-fauna in C. camphora forest was higher than in other forests and the vertical distribution of soil meso- and micro-fauna in near-nature forest was relatively homogeneous in four layers. Density-group index was ranked as: near-nature forest (6.953)> C. camphora forest (6.351)> Platanus forest (6.313)>M. glyptostroboides forest (5.910). The community diversity of soil fauna in each vegetation type could be displayed preferably by this index. It could be inferred through redundancy analysis (RDA) that the soil bulk density, organic matter and total nitrogen were the main environmental factors influencing soil meso- and micro-fauna community structure in urban forest. The positive correlations occurred between the individual number of Arcari, Enchytraeidae and soil organic matter and total nitrogen, as well as between the individual number of Diptera larvae, Rotatoria and soil water content.

No Adverse Effect of Genetically Modified Antifungal Wheat on Decomposition Dynamics and the Soil Fauna Community – A Field Study

PubMed Central

Duc, Caroline; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Lindfeld, Andreas

2011-01-01

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) plants has raised several environmental concerns. One of these concerns regards non-target soil fauna organisms, which play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter and hence are largely exposed to GM plant residues. Soil fauna may be directly affected by transgene products or indirectly by pleiotropic effects such as a modified plant metabolism. Thus, ecosystem services and functioning might be affected negatively. In a litterbag experiment in the field we analysed the decomposition process and the soil fauna community involved. Therefore, we used four experimental GM wheat varieties, two with a race-specific antifungal resistance against powdery mildew (Pm3b) and two with an unspecific antifungal resistance based on the expression of chitinase and glucanase. We compared them with two non-GM isolines and six conventional cereal varieties. To elucidate the mechanisms that cause differences in plant decomposition, structural plant components (i.e. C∶N ratio, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose) were examined and soil properties, temperature and precipitation were monitored. The most frequent taxa extracted from decaying plant material were mites (Cryptostigmata, Gamasina and Uropodina), springtails (Isotomidae), annelids (Enchytraeidae) and Diptera (Cecidomyiidae larvae). Despite a single significant transgenic/month interaction for Cecidomyiidae larvae, which is probably random, we detected no impact of the GM wheat on the soil fauna community. However, soil fauna differences among conventional cereal varieties were more pronounced than between GM and non-GM wheat. While leaf residue decomposition in GM and non-GM wheat was similar, differences among conventional cereals were evident. Furthermore, sampling date and location were found to greatly influence soil fauna community and decomposition processes. The results give no indication of ecologically relevant adverse effects of antifungal GM wheat on the composition and the activity of the soil fauna community. PMID:22043279

Investigations of a novel fauna from hydrothermal vents along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR) (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, H.; Schander, C.; Halanych, K. M.; Levin, L. A.; Sweetman, A.; Tverberg, J.; Hoem, S.; Steen, I.; Thorseth, I. H.; Pedersen, R.

2010-12-01

The Arctic deep ocean hosts a variety of habitats ranging from fairly uniform sedimentary abyssal plains to highly variable hard bottoms on mid ocean ridges, including biodiversity hotspots like seamounts and hydrothermal vents. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are usually associated with a highly specialized fauna, and since their discovery in 1977 more than 400 species of animals have been described. This fauna includes various animal groups of which the most conspicuous and well known are annelids, mollusks and crustaceans. The newly discovered deep sea hydrothermal vents on the Mohns-Knipovich ridge north of Iceland harbour unique biodiversity. The Jan Mayen field consists of two main areas with high-temperature white smoker venting and wide areas with low-temperature seepage, located at 5-700 m, while the deeper Loki Castle vent field at 2400 m depth consists of a large area with high temperature black smokers surrounded by a sedimentary area with more diffuse low-temperature venting and barite chimneys. The Jan Mayen sites show low abundance of specialized hydrothermal vent fauna. Single groups have a few specialized representatives but groups otherwise common in hydrothermal vent areas are absent. Slightly more than 200 macrofaunal species have been identified from this vent area, comprising mainly an assortment of bathyal species known from the surrounding area. Analysis of stable isotope data also indicates that the majority of the species present are feeding on phytodetritus and/or phytoplankton. However, the deeper Loki Castle vent field contains a much more diverse vent endemic fauna with high abundances of specialized polychaetes, gastropods and amphipods. These specializations also include symbioses with a range of chemosynthetic microorganisms. Our data show that the fauna composition is a result of high degree of local specialization with some similarities to the fauna of cold seeps along the Norwegian margin and wood-falls in the abyssal Norwegian Sea. Few species are common to both the deep and the shallow vents, but some gastropod species show a structured population difference between the sites. Our data indicate that there has been a migration of vent fauna into the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean rather than from the known vent sites further south in the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery and sampling of these new arctic vent fields provide unique data to further understand the migration of vent organisms and interactions between different deep sea chemosynthetic environments. Based on the high degree of local adaptation and specialization of fauna from the studied sites we propose the AMOR to be a new zoogeographical province for vent fauna.

C-isotope stratigraphy and paleoenvironmental changes across OAE2 (mid-Cretaceous) from shallow-water platform carbonates of southern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elrick, Maya; Molina-Garza, Roberto; Duncan, Robert; Snow, Laura

2009-01-01

The stratigraphic and geochemical record of the mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian) Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) has been studied in numerous Tethyan and proto-Atlantic hemi-pelagic/pelagic successions, but little data comes from nearshore carbonate successions from the proto-Pacific region. Here we present the results of a combined stratigraphic and δ13C study of C-T platform carbonates from southern Mexico, which were deposited within the proto-Pacific. Two scales of sedimentary cyclicity are recognized. High-frequency peritidal and subtidal cycles (0.4-8 m) display little evidence of cycle-capping subaerial exposure and are not correlative between sections; these relationships suggest that the amplitudes of high-frequency sea-level changes were minimal during the peak mid-Cretaceous greenhouse. Longer-term transgressive-regressive sequences (18-40 + m) are correlated between sections, and using δ13C trends, can be correlated with sequences developed in northern Europe and India. The Mexican successions were sampled at a high resolution (~ 10 ky) for stable isotopes (inorganic, organic carbon and oxygen), total organic carbon, insoluble residues, and trace metals. The δ13C carb curve matches global trends (including 6 distinct isotopic stages) permitting identification of OAE2 despite the lack of characteristic anoxic facies. Using the δ13C carb trends, we tie the previously identified ammonite, planktonic foram, and nannofossil biostratigraphy from England and the Western Interior seaway of Colorado into the Mexican sections. The initiation of OAE2, defined by an abrupt positive 3-4‰ δ13C shift, coincides with a long-term sea-level rise, though the sedimentary expression of the deepening is no greater than that observed for any of the other sea-level events across the studied interval. OAE2 termination (transition from gradually decreasing to background δ13C values) is not associated with a particular sea-level trend. Stratigraphic changes in insoluble residues (proxy for continental sediment discharge) across OAE2 are not correlative between sections and do not show consistent systematic relationships with δ13C or sea-level variations, therefore do not support the hypothesis that OAE2 was associated with increased continental-derived nutrient influx. Two peaks in trace metal concentrations coincide with the abrupt increase in δ13C ratios (onset of OAE2) and during the transition from elevated-to-decreasing δ13C values (near the C-T stage boundary). These trends are similar to those recorded in coeval deposits of the Western Interior seaway, and are consistent with the hypothesis that OAE2 development was related to the release of reduced metals during the short-lived (< 1 My) Caribbean oceanic plateau basalt eruption. In this scenario, oxidation of the metals depleted the existing low dissolved-O 2 concentrations and thermally-buoyant plumes of seawater enriched in biolimiting elements mixed with surface waters, stimulated primary productivity, and further reduced O 2 concentrations leading to widespread anoxia and a large positive δ13C shift.

Recent progress in Precambrian paleobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schopf, J. W.

1986-01-01

Ongoing studies at UCLA include the following: (1) investigations in Archean and Proterozoic sequences of various locations; (2) laboratory and field studies of modern microbial biocoenoses (analogues of Precambrian microbial communities) especially those at Laguna Mormona, Baja California, Mexico; (3) development of new laboratory techniques for the separation and concentration of minute cellularly preserved fossils for isotopic and organic geochemical analyses; and (4) assembly of a computerized database for assessment of the timing and nature of major events occurring during Precambrian biotic evolution, and of the potential applicability of ancient microbiotas to problems of global biostratigraphy and biogeography.

Equivalent radiolarian ages from ophiolitic terranes of Cyprus and Oman

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blome, Charles D.; Irwin, William P.

1985-01-01

Radiolarian biostratigraphy shows that umberiferous strata overlying the Troodos ophiolite in Cyprus are Turonian in age and are thus essentially contemporaneous with similar strata that overlie the Samail ophiolite in Oman. However, this radiolarian age is markedly older than Campanian isotopic ages measured on the underlying rocks of the Troodos ophiolite. The revised age for the umbers indicates that the Troodos lavas were formed no later than Turonian time. The presence of overlying autochthonous Maastrichtian chalks restricts the emplacement of the Troodos ophiolite to the Late Cretaceous (Santonian to early Maastrichtian).

Time to stop mucking around? Impacts of underwater photography on cryptobenthic fauna found in soft sediment habitats.

PubMed

De Brauwer, Maarten; Saunders, Benjamin J; Ambo-Rappe, Rohani; Jompa, Jamaluddin; McIlwain, Jennifer L; Harvey, Euan S

2018-07-15

Scuba diving tourism is a sustainable source of income for many coastal communities, but can have negative environmental impacts if not managed effectively. Diving on soft sediment habitats, typically referred to as 'muck diving', is a growing multi-million dollar industry with a strong focus on photographing cryptobenthic fauna. We assessed how the environmental impacts of scuba divers are affected by the activity they are engaged in while diving and the habitat they dive in. To do this, we observed 66 divers on coral reefs and soft sediment habitats in Indonesia and the Philippines. We found diver activity, specifically interacting with and photographing fauna, causes greater environmental disturbances than effects caused by certification level, gender, dive experience or age. Divers touched the substrate more often while diving on soft sediment habitats than on coral reefs, but this did not result in greater environmental damage on soft sediment sites. Divers had a higher impact on the substrate and touch animals more frequently when observing or photographing cryptobenthic fauna. When using dSLR-cameras, divers spent up to five times longer interacting with fauna. With the unknown, long-term impacts on cryptobenthic fauna or soft sediment habitats, and the increasing popularity of underwater photography, we argue for the introduction of a muck diving code of conduct. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition and similarity of global anomodont-bearing tetrapod faunas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fröbisch, Jörg

2009-08-01

Anomodont synapsids represent the dominant herbivores of Permian and Triassic terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems. Their taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity in combination with their cosmopolitan distribution makes them an ideal study object for macroevolutionary patterns across the most devastating extinction event in earth history. This study provides a thorough review of anomodont-bearing tetrapod faunas to form the basis for a faunal similarity analysis and future studies of anomodont diversity. The stratigraphic correlation and composition of all known anomodont assemblages is revisited, including a discussion of the validity of the globally distributed anomodont species. The similarity analysis of anomodont faunas is performed on the basis of presence-absence data of anomodont taxa, using explorative methods such as cluster analysis (UPGMA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). The recovered faunal groupings indicate a common biostratigraphic age and furthermore reflect biogeographic patterns. Even though endemism and faunal provinciality was a constant element in anomodont faunas of the Permian and Triassic, the available evidence indicates that the end-Permian extinction resulted in a distinct uniformity that was unique to Early Triassic anomodont faunas. This is in particular characterized by the global distribution and overwhelming abundance of the disaster taxon Lystrosaurus. In contrast, cosmopolitan anomodonts also existed in the Late Permian (e.g., Diictodon) and Middle Triassic (e.g., Shansiodon), but those taxa coexisted with endemic faunal elements rather than dominated the fauna as Lystrosaurus did.

Effect of progressive inoculation of fauna-free sheep with holotrich protozoa and total-fauna on rumen fermentation, microbial diversity and methane emissions

PubMed Central

Belanche, Alejandro; de la Fuente, Gabriel; Newbold, Charles J.

2014-01-01

Rumen methanogenesis represents an energy waste for the ruminant and an important source of greenhouse gas; thus, integrated studies are needed to fully understand this process. Eight fauna-free sheep were used to investigate the effect of successive inoculation with holotrich protozoa then with total fauna on rumen methanogenesis. Holotrichs inoculation neither altered rumen fermentation rate nor diet digestibility, but increased concentrations of acetate (+15%), butyrate (+57%), anaerobic fungi (+0.82 log), methanogens (+0.41 log) and methanogenesis (+54%). Further inoculation with total fauna increased rumen concentrations of protozoa (+1.0 log), bacteria (+0.29 log), anaerobic fungi (+0.78 log), VFA (+8%), ammonia and fibre digestibility (+17%) without affecting levels of methanogens or methanogenesis. Rumen methanogens population was fairly stable in terms of structure and diversity, while the bacterial community was highly affected by the treatments. Inoculation with holotrich protozoa increased bacterial diversity. Further inoculation with total fauna lowered bacterial diversity but increased concentrations of certain propionate and lactate-producing bacteria, suggesting that alternative H2 sinks could be relevant. This experiment suggests that holotrich protozoa have a greater impact on rumen methanogenesis than entodiniomorphids. Thus, further research is warranted to understand the effect of holotrich protozoa on methane formation and evaluate their elimination from the rumen as a potential methane mitigation strategy. PMID:25764558

Effect of progressive inoculation of fauna-free sheep with holotrich protozoa and total-fauna on rumen fermentation, microbial diversity and methane emissions.

PubMed

Belanche, Alejandro; de la Fuente, Gabriel; Newbold, Charles J

2015-03-01

Rumen methanogenesis represents an energy waste for the ruminant and an important source of greenhouse gas; thus, integrated studies are needed to fully understand this process. Eight fauna-free sheep were used to investigate the effect of successive inoculation with holotrich protozoa then with total fauna on rumen methanogenesis. Holotrichs inoculation neither altered rumen fermentation rate nor diet digestibility, but increased concentrations of acetate (+15%), butyrate (+57%), anaerobic fungi (+0.82 log), methanogens (+0.41 log) and methanogenesis (+54%). Further inoculation with total fauna increased rumen concentrations of protozoa (+1.0 log), bacteria (+0.29 log), anaerobic fungi (+0.78 log), VFA (+8%), ammonia and fibre digestibility (+17%) without affecting levels of methanogens or methanogenesis. Rumen methanogens population was fairly stable in terms of structure and diversity, while the bacterial community was highly affected by the treatments. Inoculation with holotrich protozoa increased bacterial diversity. Further inoculation with total fauna lowered bacterial diversity but increased concentrations of certain propionate and lactate-producing bacteria, suggesting that alternative H2 sinks could be relevant. This experiment suggests that holotrich protozoa have a greater impact on rumen methanogenesis than entodiniomorphids. Thus, further research is warranted to understand the effect of holotrich protozoa on methane formation and evaluate their elimination from the rumen as a potential methane mitigation strategy. © Federation of European Microbiological Society 2014.

Fauna Europaea – Orthopteroid orders

PubMed Central

Bohn, Horst; Haas, Fabian; Willemse, Fer

2016-01-01

Abstract Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all extant European terrestrial and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at the level of countries and major islands (west of the Urals and excluding the Caucasus region), and some additional information. The Fauna Europaea project comprises about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. Fauna Europaea represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many users in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. The “Orthopteroid orders“ is one of the 58 Fauna Europaea major taxonomic groups. It contains series of mostly well-known insect orders: Embiodea (webspinners), Dermaptera (earwigs), Phasmatodea (walking sticks), Orthoptera s.s. (grasshoppers, crickets, bush-crickets) and Dictyoptera with the suborders Mantodea (mantids), Blattaria (cockroaches) and Isoptera (termites). For the Orthopteroid orders, data from 35 families containing 1,371 species are included in this paper. PMID:27660531

Soil fauna, soil properties and geo-ecosystem functioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cammeraat, L. H.

2012-04-01

The impact of soil fauna on soil processes is of utmost importance, as the activity of soil fauna directly affects soil quality. This is expressed by the direct effects of soil fauna on soil physical and soil chemical properties that not only have great importance to food production and ecosystems services, but also on weathering and hydrological and geomorphological processes. Soil animals can be perceived as ecosystem engineers that directly affect the flow of water, sediments and nutrients through terrestrial ecosystems. The biodiversity of animals living in the soil is huge and shows a huge range in size, functions and effects. Most work has been focused on only a few species such as earthworms and termites, but in general the knowledge on the effect of soil biota on soil ecosystem functioning is limited as it is for their impact on processes in the soil and on the soil surface. In this presentation we would like to review some of the impacts of soil fauna on soil properties that have implications for geo-ecosystem functioning and soil formation processes.

Durangites, Protacanthodiscus (Ammonitina) et formes voisines du Tithonien supérieur — Berriasien dans la Téthys méditerranéenne (SE France, Espagne, Algérie et Tunisie)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enay, Raymond; Boughdiri, Mabrouk; Le Hégarat, Gérard

1998-09-01

The relationships between Durangites and Protacanthoduscus are revised using also calpionellids ages. The earliest Durangites in the calpionellids A2 and A3 ( pars) subzones are both microconchs and macroconchs. In the A3 subzone, microconchs are differentiated only at species level, while macroconchs change into Protacanthodiscus type which is in part the macroconch of Durangites. Durangites and Protacanthodiscus are Mediterranean Tethyan taxa from which originated the Tethyan afflux during A2 subzone (France, Tunisia) and, at the same time (according to the ammonites), the Durangites of Mexico where the genus was first described and considered for a long time as endemic. Another line of Durangites develops Dalmasiceras-like forms.

Essai de corrélations séquentielles au Barrémien-Aptien dans un système plateforme-bassin-plateforme le long d'un transect Danube-Gabrovo (Bulgarie du Centre-Nord)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, Marin; Peybernès, Bernard; Nikolov, Todor; Ciszak, Richard; Stoykova, Krystalina; Minkovska, Vera

1997-12-01

Along a Danube-Gabrovo cross-section, from Central Fore Balkan to Moesian Platform, the Barremian-Aptian deposits are distributed within three distinct paleogeographic domains: a central terrigenous: basin (Pleven-Polski Trămbeš) and, laterally (N: Danube, S: Gabrovo) two carbonate-dominated platforms where "Urgonian" fades can be well-developed. This pattern is induced by synsedimentary extensional tectonics already active from the end of Jurassic times. The subdivision of the various series into eight 3 d order depositional sequences and the recent discovery of ammonites allow us to propose new and more reliable correlations between the traditional lithologic formations characterizing those three domains.

Impact Theory of Mass Extinctions and the Invertebrate Fossil Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Walter; Kauffman, Erle G.; Surlyk, Finn; Alvarez, Luis W.; Asaro, Frank; Michel, Helen V.

1984-03-01

There is much evidence that the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary was marked by a massive meteorite impact. Theoretical consideration of the consequences of such an impact predicts sharp extinctions in many groups of animals precisely at the boundary. Paleontological data clearly show gradual declines in diversity over the last 1 to 10 million years in various invertebrate groups. Reexamination of data from careful studies of the best sections shows that, in addition to undergoing the decline, four groups (ammonites, cheilostomate bryozoans, brachiopods, and bivalves) were affected by sudden truncations precisely at the iridium anomaly that marks the boundary. The paleontological record thus bears witness to terminal-Cretaceous extinctions on two time scales: a slow decline unrelated to the impact and a sharp truncation synchronous with and probably caused by the impact.

Contribution of Soil Fauna to Foliar Litter-Mass Loss in Winter in an Ecotone between Dry Valley and Montane Forest in the Upper Reaches of the Minjiang River.

PubMed

Peng, Yan; Yang, Wanqin; Li, Jun; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Chuan; Yue, Kai; Wu, Fuzhong

2015-01-01

Litter decomposition during winter can provide essential nutrients for plant growth in the subsequent growing season, which plays important role in preventing the expansion of dry areas and maintaining the stability of ecotone ecosystems. However, limited information is currently available on the contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition during winter in such ecosystems. Therefore, a field experiment that included litterbags with two different mesh sizes (0.04 mm and 3 mm) was conducted to investigate the contribution of soil fauna to the loss of foliar litter mass in winter from November 2013 to April 2014 along the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Two litter types of the dominant species were selected in each ecosystem: cypress (Cupressus chengiana) and oak (Quercus baronii) in ecotone; cypress (Cupressus chengiana) and clovershrub (Campylotropis macrocarpa) in dry valley; and fir (Abies faxoniana) and birch (Betula albosinensis) in montane forest. Over one winter incubation, foliar litter lost 6.0%-16.1%, 11.4%-26.0%, and 6.4%-8.5% of initial mass in the ecotone, dry valley and montane forest, respectively. Soil fauna showed obvious contributions to the loss of foliar litter mass in all of the ecosystems. The highest contribution (48.5%-56.8%) was observed in the ecotone, and the lowest contribution (0.4%-25.8%) was observed in the montane forest. Compared with other winter periods, thawing period exhibited higher soil fauna contributions to litter mass loss in ecotone and dry valley, but both thawing period and freezing period displayed higher soil fauna contributions in montane forest. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the contribution of soil fauna was significantly correlated with temperature and soil moisture during the winter-long incubation. These results suggest that temperature might be the primary control factor in foliar litter decomposition, but more active soil fauna in the ecotone could contribute more in litter decomposition and its related ecological processes in this region.

Contribution of Soil Fauna to Foliar Litter-Mass Loss in Winter in an Ecotone between Dry Valley and Montane Forest in the Upper Reaches of the Minjiang River

PubMed Central

Peng, Yan; Yang, Wanqin; Li, Jun; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Chuan; Yue, Kai; Wu, Fuzhong

2015-01-01

Litter decomposition during winter can provide essential nutrients for plant growth in the subsequent growing season, which plays important role in preventing the expansion of dry areas and maintaining the stability of ecotone ecosystems. However, limited information is currently available on the contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition during winter in such ecosystems. Therefore, a field experiment that included litterbags with two different mesh sizes (0.04 mm and 3 mm) was conducted to investigate the contribution of soil fauna to the loss of foliar litter mass in winter from November 2013 to April 2014 along the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Two litter types of the dominant species were selected in each ecosystem: cypress (Cupressus chengiana) and oak (Quercus baronii) in ecotone; cypress (Cupressus chengiana) and clovershrub (Campylotropis macrocarpa) in dry valley; and fir (Abies faxoniana) and birch (Betula albosinensis) in montane forest. Over one winter incubation, foliar litter lost 6.0%-16.1%, 11.4%-26.0%, and 6.4%-8.5% of initial mass in the ecotone, dry valley and montane forest, respectively. Soil fauna showed obvious contributions to the loss of foliar litter mass in all of the ecosystems. The highest contribution (48.5%-56.8%) was observed in the ecotone, and the lowest contribution (0.4%-25.8%) was observed in the montane forest. Compared with other winter periods, thawing period exhibited higher soil fauna contributions to litter mass loss in ecotone and dry valley, but both thawing period and freezing period displayed higher soil fauna contributions in montane forest. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the contribution of soil fauna was significantly correlated with temperature and soil moisture during the winter-long incubation. These results suggest that temperature might be the primary control factor in foliar litter decomposition, but more active soil fauna in the ecotone could contribute more in litter decomposition and its related ecological processes in this region. PMID:25901894

[Community traits of soil fauna in forestlands converted from cultivated lands in limestone red soil region of Ruichang, Jiangxi Province of China].

PubMed

Li, Tao; Liu, Yuan-Qiug; Guo, Sheng-Mao; Ke, Guo-Qing; Zhang, Zhao; Xiao, Xu-Bao; Liu, Wu

2012-04-01

This paper studied the variations of the community composition and individuals' number of soil fauna in limestone red soil region of Ruichang, Jiangxi Province after six years of converting cultivated lands into forestlands. Three converted forestlands, including the lands of mixed multiple-species forest, bamboo-broadleaved forest, and tree-seedling integration, were selected as test objects, with cultivated lands as the comparison. A total of 34 orders, 17 classes, and 6 phyla of soil fauna were observed in the converted forestlands. The dominant group was Nematoda, accounting for 86.7% of the total, whereas Acarina, Enchytraeidae, and Collembola were the common groups. In the cultivated lands, soil fauna had 21 orders, 10 classes, and 5 phyla. The dominant group was also Nematoda, accounting 86.7% of the total, and Acarina and Enchytraeidae were the common groups. In the converted forestlands, the group number of rare species was greater than that in the cultivated lands (30 vs. 18), and, except in winter, the group number and average density were significantly higher than those in the cultivated lands (P < 0.05). The vertical distribution of soil fauna in the soil profiles showed an obvious surface accumulation, which was more apparent in converted forestlands than in cultivated lands, and the individuals' number had significant differences between the surface (0-5 cm) layer and the 5-10 cm and 10-15 cm layers (P < 0.01) for both the converted forestlands and the cultivated lands. The group number of soil fauna in the converted forestlands had a seasonal variation ranked in the order of summer > autumn > spring > winter, and there was a significant difference between summer-autumn and spring-winter. The average density of the soil fauna also had a seasonal variation but ranked as autumn > summer > spring > winter, and the differences among the seasons were significant (P < 0.05). The biodiversity index of soil fauna was significantly higher in converted forestlands than in cultivated lands, and was the highest in mixed multiple-species forestland and the least in tree-seedling integration land.

Sequence stratigraphy applied to the hydrocarbon productive basins of Western Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Courteney, S.

Oil exploration began in Indonesia in 1870, and the first commercial discovery was made in 1885 in the North Sumatra basin. Since then, over 3000 exploratory wells have been drilled in western Indonesia, with about 750 discoveries reported. By the end of 1992, over 300 fields in eleven geological basins were producing in western Indonesia, and 100 more fields were either shut in or had been abandoned. However, despite the fact that western Indonesia is a mature hydrocarbon province, all published work of a regional nature, and indeed most internal company reports, use lithostratigraphy and, to a lesser extent, biostratigraphy.more » Lithostratigraphy is based, often unwittingly, on pre-1960s work, when only relatively shallow wells and limited seismic data were available. Additional difficulties arise from companies using alternative names for a rock unit and the same formation name for different rock units. Biostratigraphy is handicapped by the lack of age diagnostic fossils in the early Miocene and older sediments in most of Sumatra and Natuna. In Java and Kalimantan, where the older section tends to be more marine and age diagnostic fossils are present, significant errors in age determination occur due to reworking of sediments. As a consequence, the [open quotes]hydrocarbon system[close quotes] in western Indonesia is inadequately understood, and exploration efforts are often poorly applied. This paper proposes a correlative framework using sequence stratigraphy for the hydrocarbon productive basins of western Indonesia, which should contribute to a better understanding of the hydrocarbon system and significantly reduce exploration risk in western Indonesia.« less

Paleoecology, Biostratigraphy, and Response of Calcareous Nannoplankton Communities to Climate Fluctuations during the Late Oligocene in the Tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aljahdali, M. H.; Wise, S. W.

2015-12-01

The earliest Oligocene is considered the time that the Cenozoic icehouse world was initiated when the Antarctic continental ice sheet first reached sea level. Subsequently during the Oligocene, climate then fluctuated between glacial (Oi) and warming events as recorded by stable isotopes. Relatively little is known about the paleoecological response of calcareous nannoplankton at low latitudes during these climate deteriorations. Here we investigate the biotic response along with the stable-isotope (δ18O and δ13C) record and multivariate analyses from four ODP and IODP sites cored in three oceans along the tropical belt through strata 24-30 Ma in age. Within this time frame, two major climatic shifts occurred, the Oi-2b glacial event and the Late Oligocene Warming Event (LOWE). During the Oi-events (26.5-30 Ma) temperate-water taxa associated with eutrophic taxa dominated the overall assemblage, suggesting that relatively cooler water rich in nutrients invaded the tropical region. In contrast, during the LOWE (24-26.5 Ma), a major turnover between temperate-water taxa and warm-water taxa occurred when the surface waters became warm and oligotrophic in nature. Additionally, several increases in both abundance and size were recorded through the upper Oligocene including increased abundance in Sphenolithus predistentus, a major biostratigraphic marker in the upper Oligocene, and increased size in S. moriformis. Moreover, a new additional major biostratigraphic event in the upper Oligocene was recorded; Crassidiscus backmanii shows a very short range at low latitudes. These paleoecological responses can be utilized to construct a detailed global late Oligocene biostratigraphy throughout the tropics.

Dating the Barremian-Aptian shallow platform deposits at the eastern part of the Kopet Dagh sedimentary basin, NE Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chenarani, Atefeh; Hosseini, Seyedabolfazl; Vahidi Nia, Mohammad

2016-04-01

The Kopet Dagh sedimentary basin covers the northeastern part of Iran, most parts of Turkmenistan and north of Afghanistan which contains several giant gas fields. The extension of this basin in the Iranian part is around 55km2(Afshar Harb, 1994). The Kopet Dagh basin is marked by having very thick sedimentary rocks and lack of volcanic activity. During the Lower Cretaceous, the Tirgan Formation was deposited in a shallow platform setting and lithologically includes in thick-bedded orbitolinid limestones. This study focuses on the biostratigraphy and age determination of these shallow-water deposits using benthic foraminifera and calcareous green algae. In the studied outcrop, the Tirgan Formation has a thickness of 180 m and includes in limestone beds with some marly intervals. It is overlain by the Sarcheshmeh Formation and rests on the Shurijeh Formation. Both contacts are believed to be transitional and lack of discontinuity. A total of 56 thin-sections were used in this study. This study led to determine 28 genera and 14 species of benthic foraminifera along with 13 genera and 5 species of calcareous green algae. Based on the obtained biostratigraphy data, a late Barremian-early Aptian age is suggested for these deposits. We also defined the precise boundary between the Barremian and Aptian which is reported for the first time from this area. Keywords: Barremian-Aptian, Shallow platform, Kopet Dagh, Iran. Reference: Afshar Harb, A., 1994. Geology of Iran: Geology of the Kopet Dagh. Geological survey of Iran, Report No. 11, 275 pp.

Biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the Cambrian-Ordovician great American carbonate bank

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, John F.; Repetski, John E.; Loch, James D.; Leslie, Stephen A.

2012-01-01

The carbonate strata of the great American carbonate bank (GACB) have been subdivided and correlated with ever-increasing precision and accuracy during the past half century through use of the dominant organisms that evolved on the Laurentian platform through the Cambrian and the Ordovician. Trilobites and conodonts remain the primary groups used for this purpose, although brachiopods, both calcareous and phosphatic, and graptolites are very important in certain facies and intervals. A series of charts show the chronostratigraphic units (series and stages) currently in use for deposits of the GACB and the biostratigraphic units (zones, subzones, and biomeres) whose boundaries delineate them. Older and, in some cases obsolete, stages and faunal units are included in the figures to allow users to relate information from previous publications and/or industry databases to modern units. This chapter also provides a brief discussion on the use of biostratigraphy in the recognition and interregional correlation of supersequence boundaries within the Sauk and Tippecanoe megasequences, and the varied perspectives on the nature of biostratigraphic units and their defining taxa during the past half century. Also included are a concise update on the biomere concept, and an explanation of the biostratigraphic consequences of a profound change in the dynamics of extinction and replacement that occurred on the GACB in the Early Ordovician when the factors responsible for platformwide biomere-type extinctions faded and ultimately disappeared. A final section addresses recent and pending refinements in the genus and species taxonomy of biostratigraphically significant fossil groups, the potential they hold for greatly improved correlation, and the obstacles to be overcome for that potential to be realized.

Paleocene to Middle Miocene planktic foraminifera of the southwestern Salisbury Embayment, Virginia and Maryland: biostratigraphy, allostratigraphy, and sequence stratigraphy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poag, C.W.; Commeau, J.A.

1995-01-01

The Paleocene to Middle Miocene sedimentary fill of the southwestern Salisbury Embayment contains a fragmental depositional record, interrupted by numerous local diastems and regional unconformities. Using planktic foraminiferal biostratigraphy, 15 unconformity-bounded depositional units have been identified, assigned to six formations and seven alloformations previously recognized in the embayment. The units correlate with second- and third-order sequences of the Exxon sequence stratigraphy model, and include transgressive and highstand systems tracts. Alloformation, formation, and sequence boundaries are marked by abrupt, scoured, burrowed, erosional surfaces, which display lag deposits, biostratigraphic gaps, and intense reworking of microfossils above and below the boundaries.Paleocene deposits represent the upper parts of upper Pleocene Biochronozones P4 and P5, and rest uncomformably  on Cretaceous sedimentary beds of various ages (Maastrichtian to Albian). Lower Eocene deposits represent parts of Biochronozones P6 and P9. Middle Eocene strata represent mainly parts of Biochronozones P11, P12, and P14. Upper Eocene sediments include parts of Biochronozones P15, P16, and P17. Oligocene deposits encompass parts of Biochronozones. N4b to N7 undifferentiated, P21a, and, perhaps, N4a. Lower Miocene deposits encompass parts of Biochronozones N4b to N7 undifferentiated. Middle Miocene strata represent mainly parts of Biochronorones N8, N9, and N10.Nine plates of scanning electron micrographs illustrate the principal planktic foraminifera used to establish the biostratigraphic framework. Two new informal formine of Praeterenuitella praegemma Li, 1987, are introduced.

[Fauna of haemoparasites of batrachians (Amphibia, Anura) in Kyrgyzstan].

PubMed

Malysheva, M N

2009-01-01

Fauna of haemoparasites of batrachians is studied in Kyrgyzstan for the first time. Descriptions of 12 haemoparasites species are given. Eight species have been found in Central Asia for the first time.

Oligocene primates from China reveal divergence between African and Asian primate evolution.

PubMed

Ni, Xijun; Li, Qiang; Li, Lüzhou; Beard, K Christopher

2016-05-06

Profound environmental and faunal changes are associated with climatic deterioration during the Eocene-Oligocene transition (EOT) roughly 34 million years ago. Reconstructing how Asian primates responded to the EOT has been hindered by a sparse record of Oligocene primates on that continent. Here, we report the discovery of a diverse primate fauna from the early Oligocene of southern China. In marked contrast to Afro-Arabian Oligocene primate faunas, this Asian fauna is dominated by strepsirhines. There appears to be a strong break between Paleogene and Neogene Asian anthropoid assemblages. Asian and Afro-Arabian primate faunas responded differently to EOT climatic deterioration, indicating that the EOT functioned as a critical evolutionary filter constraining the subsequent course of primate evolution across the Old World. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[Dynamics of the parasite fauna of various forms of chars, salvelinus alpinus L., of the Lake Azabach'e basin].

PubMed

Butorina, T E

1975-01-01

The paper deals with age changes in the parasite fauna of different intraspecific forms of chars. It is shown that this year brood and yearlings of predatory, benthofagous, stream and anadromous chars up to 10 cm in length have a similar parasite fauna. During the second year of life the chars come to different feeding; correspondingly changes their parasite fauna which differs considerably in the above forms of chars. Two groups of parasites are distinguished the infection with which increases and decreases with the age of fishes. Observations were carried out on the life cycles, developmental and maturation periods of some parasites of chars. Biological peculiarities of some mixosporidia are studied. A shift in the developmental periods of helminths is noted as compared to those from the European part of the USSR.

Faunistic Composition, Ecological Properties and Zoogeographical Composition of the Family Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey

PubMed Central

Kabalak, Mahmut; Sert, Osman

2011-01-01

The focus of this study was to understand the faunistic composition, ecological properties and zoogeographical composition of Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Central Anatolian region. 72 species belonging to seven subfamilies and 25 genera were identified. The major part of the Elateridae fauna of the Central Anatolian region is formed by the subfamilies Elaterinae and Cardiophorinae. The genus Cardiophorus was the most species-rich genus. The species composition of the Elateridae fauna of the Central Anatolian region is partially consistent with known Elateridae fauna of Turkey. The Central Anatolian region shares most species with the European part of the Western Palaearctic as does the Elateridae fauna of Turkey. Detailed localities of nine species are given for the first time for Turkey, with emphasis on the Central Anatolian region. PMID:21864150

Shallow marine ostracode turnover in response to environmental change during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum in northwest Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morsi, Abdel-Mohsen M.; Speijer, Robert P.; Stassen, Peter; Steurbaut, Etienne

2011-02-01

Two outcrop sections spanning the Paleocene-early Eocene boundary in the Sidi Nasseur-Wadi Mezaz area in northwest Tunisia provided rich ostracode assemblages, yielding 26 species of which three are newly described: Reymenticosta bassiounii, Reymenticosta nasseurensis and Buntonia? tunisiensis. The recorded ostracode fauna and associated foraminifera reflect deposition in a coastal to inner neritic environment. Many of the recorded taxa have a wide geographic distribution throughout the Middle East and North Africa. A correspondence is also observed with West African faunas, especially in the early Eocene fauna. These taxa seem to have originated in West Africa during the Paleocene and migrated northwards during the late Paleocene to early Eocene. Sea-level change and decrease in oxygenation associated with the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) caused the local disappearance of the South Tethyan Paleocene fauna represented by Paracosta kefensis (morphotype-A), Paracosta aff. paleomokattamensis, Paracypris sp. B Esker, Loxoconcha saharaensis, Buntonia sp. 3 Donze et al., Protobuntonia nakkadii, and probably Reymenticosta bassiounii and R. nasseurensis. Simultaneously, a new but poorly diverse Afro-Tethyan fauna, mainly represented by Alocopocythere attitogonensis and Buntonia? tunisiensis, settled in the studied part of the basin. After the PETM, diversity increased again as various taxa (e.g. Bairdia aegyptiaca, Reticulina lamellata and Aegyptiana duwiensis) (re)appeared. Although detailed records across the P/E boundary are still sparse, it appears that the PETM exerted significant influence on the paleobiogeography and composition of Tethyan ostracode faunas.

Variation in soil macro-fauna diversity in seven humus orders of a Parrotio-Carpinetum forest association on Chromic Cambisols of Shast-klateh area in Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izadi, M.; Habashi, H.; Waez-Mousavi, S. M.

2017-03-01

Soil biodiversity includes organisms which spend a part or all of their life cycle on or in the soil. Among soil-dwelling animals, macro-fauna as an important group of animals have important effects on the dynamics of soil organic matter and litter decomposition process. The humus forms interact with the climatic conditions, flora, as well as soil fauna, and microbial activity. In new humus form classifications, soil organisms play an important role in separation of humus horizons from one another. The subject of this study was to determine the diversity of macro fauna for different humus forms. We determined humus forms using morphological classification, and then 69 random samples were taken from plots of 100 cm2 in area, and soil macro-fauna species were collected by hand sorting method. Two classes of humus forms, including Mull (with three humus orders, namely Dysmull, Oligomull, and Mesomull,) and Amphi (with four humus orders, namely Leptoamphi, Eumacroamphi, Eumesoamphi, and Pachyamphi) were identified. A number of 13 macro-fauna orders were identified using identification key. Among the humus orders, Shannon diversity, Simpson evenness and Margalef richness indices were the highest in Pachyamphi order. Arthropod diversity in Pachyamphi humus order was higher than those of Mull. These results showed that diversity of soil macrofauna increase by increasing the thickness of the organic horizons (OL, OF, OH), especially OH horizon.

Fauna-associated changes in chemical and biochemical properties of soil.

PubMed

Tripathi, G; Sharma, B M

2006-12-01

To study the impacts of abundance of woodlice, termites, and mites on some functional aspects of soil in order to elucidate the specific role of soil fauna in improving soil fertility in desert. Fauna-rich sites were selected as experimental sites and adjacent areas were taken as control. Soil samples were collected from both sites. Soil respiration was measured at both sites. The soil samples were sent to laboratory, their chemical and biochemical properties were analyzed. Woodlice showed 25% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter as compared to control site. Whereas termites and mites showed 58% and 16% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter. In contrast, available nitrogen (nitrate and ammonical both) and phosphorus exhibited 2-fold and 1.2-fold increase, respectively. Soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity at the sites rich in woodlice, termites and mites produced 2.5-, 3.5- and 2-fold increases, respectively as compared to their control values. Fauna-associated increase in these biological parameters clearly reflected fauna-induced microbial activity in soil. Maximum decrease in organic carbon and increase in nitrate-nitrogen and ammonical-nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity were produced by termites and minimum by mites reflecting termite as an efficient soil improver in desert environment. The soil fauna-associated changes in chemical (organic carbon, nitrate-nitrogen, ammonical-nitrogen, phosphorus) and biochemical (soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity) properties of soil improve soil health and help in conservation of desert pedoecosystem.

Genus age, provincial area and the taxonomic structure of marine faunas.

PubMed

Harnik, Paul G; Jablonski, David; Krug, Andrew Z; Valentine, James W

2010-11-22

Species are unevenly distributed among genera within clades and regions, with most genera species-poor and few species-rich. At regional scales, this structure to taxonomic diversity is generated via speciation, extinction and geographical range dynamics. Here, we use a global database of extant marine bivalves to characterize the taxonomic structure of climate zones and provinces. Our analyses reveal a general, Zipf-Mandelbrot form to the distribution of species among genera, with faunas from similar climate zones exhibiting similar taxonomic structure. Provinces that contain older taxa and/or encompass larger areas are expected to be more species-rich. Although both median genus age and provincial area correlate with measures of taxonomic structure, these relationships are interdependent, nonlinear and driven primarily by contrasts between tropical and extra-tropical faunas. Provincial area and taxonomic structure are largely decoupled within climate zones. Counter to the expectation that genus age and species richness should positively covary, diverse and highly structured provincial faunas are dominated by young genera. The marked differences between tropical and temperate faunas suggest strong spatial variation in evolutionary rates and invasion frequencies. Such variation contradicts biogeographic models that scale taxonomic diversity to geographical area.

Genus age, provincial area and the taxonomic structure of marine faunas

PubMed Central

Harnik, Paul G.; Jablonski, David; Krug, Andrew Z.; Valentine, James W.

2010-01-01

Species are unevenly distributed among genera within clades and regions, with most genera species-poor and few species-rich. At regional scales, this structure to taxonomic diversity is generated via speciation, extinction and geographical range dynamics. Here, we use a global database of extant marine bivalves to characterize the taxonomic structure of climate zones and provinces. Our analyses reveal a general, Zipf–Mandelbrot form to the distribution of species among genera, with faunas from similar climate zones exhibiting similar taxonomic structure. Provinces that contain older taxa and/or encompass larger areas are expected to be more species-rich. Although both median genus age and provincial area correlate with measures of taxonomic structure, these relationships are interdependent, nonlinear and driven primarily by contrasts between tropical and extra-tropical faunas. Provincial area and taxonomic structure are largely decoupled within climate zones. Counter to the expectation that genus age and species richness should positively covary, diverse and highly structured provincial faunas are dominated by young genera. The marked differences between tropical and temperate faunas suggest strong spatial variation in evolutionary rates and invasion frequencies. Such variation contradicts biogeographic models that scale taxonomic diversity to geographical area. PMID:20534619

Late Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate fauna, North Slope, Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clemens, W.A.; Allison, C.W.

1985-01-01

Closely related terrestrial vertebrates in Cretaceous mid-latitude (30/sup 0/ to 50/sup 0/) faunas of North America and Asia as well as scattered occurrences of footprints and skin impressions suggested that in the Late Mesozoic the Alaskan North Slope supported a diverse fauna. In 1961 abundant skeletal elements of Cretaceous, Alaskan dinosaurs (hadrosaurids) were discovered by the late R.L. Liscomb. This material is being described by K.L. Davies. Additional fossils collected by E.M. Brouwers and her associates include skeletal elements of hadrosaurid and carnosaurian (.tyrannosaurid) dinosaurs and other vertebrates. The fossil locality on the North Slope is not at about 70/supmore » 0/N. In the Late Cretaceous the members of this fauna were subject to the daylight regime and environment at a paleolatitude closer to 80/sup 0/N. Current hypotheses attributing extinctions of dinosaurs and some other terrestrial vertebrates to impact of an extraterrestrial object cite periods of darkness, decreased temperature (possibly followed by extreme warming) and acid rain as the direct causes of their demise. Unless members of this North Slope fauna undertook long-distance migrations, their high latitude occurrence indicates groups of dinosaurs and other terrestrial vertebrates regularly tolerated months of darkness.« less

Plate tectonics, seaways and climate in the historical biogeography of mammals.

PubMed

Cox, C B

2000-01-01

The marsupial and placental mammals originated at a time when the pattern of geographical barriers (oceans, shallow seas and mountains) was very different from that of today, and climates were warmer. The sequence of changes in these barriers, and their effects on the dispersal of the mammal families and on the faunas of mammals in the different continents, are reviewed. The mammal fauna of South America changed greatly in the Pliocene/Pleistocene, when the newly-complete Panama Isthmus allowed the North American fauna to enter the continent and replace most of the former South American mammal families. Marsupial, but not placental, mammals reached Australia via Antarctica before Australia became isolated, while rats and bats are the only placentals that dispersed naturally from Asia to Australia in the late Cenozoic. Little is known of the early history of the mammal fauna of India. A few mammal families reached Madagascar from Africa in the early Cenozoic over a chain of islands. Africa was isolated for much of the early Cenozoic, though some groups did succeed in entering from Europe. Before the climate cooled in the mid-Cenozoic, the mammal faunas of the Northern Hemisphere were much richer than those of today.

Drivers of Pontocaspian Biodiversity Rise and Demise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wesselingh, Frank; Flecker, Rachel; Wilke, Thomas; Leroy, Suzanne; Krijgsman, Wout; Stoica, Marius

2015-04-01

In the past two million years, the region of the Black Sea Basin, Caspian Basin and adjacent Anatolia and the Balkans were the stage of the evolution of a unique brackish water fauna, the so-called Pontocaspian fauna. The fauna is the result of assembly of genera with a Paratethyan origin and Anatolian origins during the Early Pleistocene. The rapid diversification of the Pontocaspian fauna is the result of the very dynamic nature of the lakes (the Caspian Sea is technically a lake) and seas in the region in the past two million years. In most times the various lake basins were isolated (like today), but in other episodes connections existed. Regional and global climate as well as the regional tectonic regimes were main drivers of lake basin evolution. Over the past 80 years a major biodiversity crisis is hitting the Pontocaspian faunas due to environmental degradation, pollution and invasive species. In the new EU-ETN PRIDE (Drivers of Pontocaspian Biodiversity Rise and Demise)we will be documenting the geological context of past diversifications and turnover events. We present examples of rapid turnover (biodiversity crises) in the Quaternary, assess driving forces and draw implications for the nature of the current human-mediated biodiversity crisis in the region.

[Diversity of soil fauna in corn fields in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China under effects of conservation tillage].

PubMed

Zhu, Qiang-Gen; Zhu, An-Ning; Zhang, Jia-Bao; Zhang, Huan-Chao; Huang, Ping; Zhang, Cong-Zhi

2009-10-01

An investigation was made on the abundance and diversity of soil fauna in the corn fields under conventional and conservation tillage in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. The abundance and diversity of soil fauna were higher at corn maturing (September) than at its jointing stage (July), and higher at jointing stage under conservation tillage than under conventional tillage. Soil fauna mainly distributed in surface soil layer (0-10 cm), but still had a larger number in 10-20 cm layer under conservation tillage. The individuals of acari, diptera, diplura, and microdrile oligochaetes, especially those of acari, were higher under conservation tillage than under conventional tillage. At maturing stage, an obvious effect of straw-returning under conservation tillage was observed, i. e., the more the straw returned, the higher the abundance of soil fauna, among which, the individuals of collembola, acari, coleopteran, and psocoptera, especially those of collembolan, increased significantly. The abundance of collembola at both jointing and maturing stages was significantly positively correlated with the quantity of straw returned, suggesting that collembola played an important role in straw decomposition and nutrient cycling.

Searching the soil: forensic importance of edaphic fauna after the removal of a corpse.

PubMed

Saloña, Marta I; Moraza, M Lourdes; Carles-Tolrá, Miguel; Iraola, Victor; Bahillo, Pablo; Yélamos, Tomás; Outerelo, Raimundo; Alcaraz, Rafael

2010-11-01

Arthropods at different stages of development collected from human remains in an advanced stage of decomposition (following autopsy) and from the soil at the scene are reported. The corpse was found in a mixed deciduous forest of Biscay (northern Spain). Soil fauna was extracted by sieving the soil where the corpse lay and placing the remains in Berlese-Tullgren funnels. Necrophagous fauna on the human remains was dominated by the fly Piophilidae: Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826), mites Ascidae: Proctolaelaps epuraeae (Hirschmann, 1963), Laelapidae: Hypoaspis (Gaeolaelaps) aculeifer (Canestrini, 1884), and the beetle Cleridae: Necrobia rufipes (de Geer, 1775). We confirm the importance of edaphic fauna, especially if the deceased is discovered in natural environs. Related fauna may remain for days after corpse removal and reveal information related to the circumstances of death. The species Nitidulidae: Omosita depressa (Linnaeus, 1758), Acaridae: Sancassania berlesei (Michael, 1903), Ascidae: Zerconopsis remiger (Kramer, 1876) and P. epuraeae, Urodinychidae: Uroobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904), and Macrochelidae: Glyptholaspis americana (Berlese, 1888) were recorded for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula. 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Published 2010. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A.

[Early responses of soil fauna in three typical forests of south subtropical China to simulated N deposition addition].

PubMed

Xu, Guolian; Mo, Jiangming; Zhou, Guoyi

2005-07-01

In this paper, simulated N deposition addition (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg x hm(-2) x yr(-1)) by spreading water or NH4NO3 was conducted to study the early responses of soil fauna in three typical native forests (monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, pine forest, and broadleaf-pine mixed forest) of subtropical China. The results showed that in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, N deposition addition had an obviously negative effect on the three indexes for soil fauna, but in pine forest, the positive effect was significant (P < 0. 05), and the soil fauna community could reach the level in mixed forest, even that in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest at sometime. The responses in mixed forest were not obvious. In monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, the negative effects were significant (P < 0.05) under medium N deposition, but not under low N deposition. In pine forest, the positive effect was significant (P < 0.05) under high N deposition, especially for the number of soil fauna groups. The results obtained might imply the N saturation-response mechanisms of forest ecosystems in subtropical China, and the conclusions from this study were also consisted with some related researches.

Faunistic Composition, Ecological Properties, and Zoogeographical Composition of the Elateridae (Coleoptera) Family in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

PubMed Central

Kabalak, Mahmut; Sert, Osman

2013-01-01

The main aim of this study was to understand the faunistic composition, ecological properties, and zoogeographical composition of the family Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. As a result, 44 species belonging to 5 subfamilies and 19 genera were identified. After adding species reported in the literature to the analysis, the fauna in the research area consists of 6 subfamilies, 23 genera and 72 species. Most of the Elateridae fauna of the Western Black Sea region were classified in the subfamilies Elaterinae and Dendrometrinae. The genus Athous was the most species-rich genus. The species composition of the Elateridae fauna of the Western Black Sea region partially overlaps with the known Elateridae fauna of Turkey. The Western Black Sea region shares the most species with the European part of the Western Palaearctic region, including many of those in the Elateridae family, compared to other regions. Comparisons of the three geographical regions of Turkey show that fauna composition, ecological properties, and zoogeographical compositions of the Middle and Western Black Sea regions are more similar to each other than to those of the Central Anatolian region. PMID:24787627

Patterns of host specificity among the helminth parasite fauna of freshwater siluriforms: testing the biogeographical core parasite fauna hypothesis.

PubMed

Rosas-Valdez, Rogelio; de León, Gerardo Pérez-Ponce

2011-04-01

Host specificity plays an essential role in shaping the evolutionary history of host-parasite associations. In this study, an index of host specificity recently proposed was used to test, quantitatively, the hypothesis that some groups of parasites are characteristics of some host fish families along their distribution range. A database with all published records on the helminth parasites of freshwater siluriforms of Mexico was used. The host specificity index was used considering its advantage to measure the taxonomic heterogeneity of the host assemblages and its appropriateness for unequal sampling data. The helminth parasite fauna of freshwater siluriforms in Mexico seems to be specific for different host taxonomic categories. However, a relatively high number of species (47% of the total helminth fauna) is specific to their respective host family. This result provides further corroboration for the biogeographic hypothesis of the core helminth fauna proposed previously. The statistical values for host specificity obtained herein seem to be independent of host range. However, the accurate taxonomic identification of the parasites is fundamental for the evaluation of host specificity and the accurate evolutionary interpretation of this phenomenon.

A new genus and new species of Cicadettini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettinae) from Pakistan.

PubMed

Sanborn, Allen F; Ahmed, Zubair

2017-03-02

Pakistan contains parts of the Indomalayan and Palaearctic ecozones. As a result, there is a diversity of habitats that has led to diversity in the cicada fauna. We reviewed the Pakistani cicada fauna (Ahmed and Sanborn 2010) but new records and new species continue to be found (Ahmed et al. 2010; 2012; 2013; 2014). This work continues to expand the knowledge of the Pakistani cicada fauna with the description of a new genus and new species of cicada provided to the second author from his contacts.

Baculite 3D Modeling: a New Method for Computing Buoyancy, Stability, and Orientation with Implications for Ectocochleate Cephalopod Hydrostatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterman, D. J.; Barton, C. C.

2017-12-01

Ectocochleate (external) cephalopod shells are comprised of a body chamber which houses the organism's soft parts and the phragmocone which consists of a series of progressively larger chambers (camerae) divided by septa. The phragmocone is used as a passive gas float for buoyancy regulation. The soft body and the mineralized shell are denser than water and are negatively buoyant while the phragmocone is positively buoyant due to some fraction of gas in its chambers. This provides a neutrally buoyant condition when the total mass of the organism is equal to the mass of the displaced water. The static orientation of the organism occurs when the centers of buoyancy and mass are vertically aligned and stability is determined by their degree of separation. Three-dimensional modeling of a specimen of Baculites compressus (which has a straight conical shell) was performed using Autodesk Meshmixer, Netfabb ®, Blender 2.78, and MeshLab. The initial 3D mesh shapefile was created by Autodesk ReCap 360™ photogrammetry software. The specimen requirements for the models include: an external shell (ideally complete, otherwise approximated), a septum showing lower order frilling, and a suture pattern to reconstruct the higher order septal frilling (for complex septa). Volumes and centers of mass/buoyancy were calculated with MeshLab in order to determine neutrality, stability, and orientation. Our method can be used to investigate the influence of morphological features on these hydrostatic properties of ectocochleate cephalopods and also the paleoecological implications of different morphotypes. Baculites compressus, is found to assume relatively stable vertical orientations when the shell is positively or neutrally buoyant. By arbitrarily flooding all chambers, the ammonite becomes negatively buoyant, and the centers of buoyancy and mass virtually coincide. This reduces stability but allows the living ammonite to assume a larger range of orientations, including horizontal, possibly by the active use of its hyponome (funnel used for jet propulsion). The geometry of the shell and amount of cameral gas, relative to the soft body and cameral liquid, have the greatest influence on the hydrostatic properties of ectocochleate cephalopods due to their large differences in density relative to that of seawater.

The Slugs of Britain and Ireland: Undetected and Undescribed Species Increase a Well-Studied, Economically Important Fauna by More Than 20%

PubMed Central

Rowson, Ben; Anderson, Roy; Turner, James A.; Symondson, William O. C.

2014-01-01

The slugs of Britain and Ireland form a well-studied fauna of economic importance. They include many widespread European species that are introduced elsewhere (at least half of the 36 currently recorded British species are established in North America, for example). To test the contention that the British and Irish fauna consists of 36 species, and to verify the identity of each, a species delimitation study was conducted based on a geographically wide survey. Comparisons between mitochondrial DNA (COI, 16S), nuclear DNA (ITS-1) and morphology were investigated with reference to interspecific hybridisation. Species delimitation of the fauna produced a primary species hypothesis of 47 putative species. This was refined to a secondary species hypothesis of 44 species by integration with morphological and other data. Thirty six of these correspond to the known fauna (two species in Arion subgenus Carinarion were scarcely distinct and Arion (Mesarion) subfuscus consisted of two near-cryptic species). However, by the same criteria a further eight previously undetected species (22% of the fauna) are established in Britain and/or Ireland. Although overlooked, none are strictly morphologically cryptic, and some appear previously undescribed. Most of the additional species are probably accidentally introduced, and several are already widespread in Britain and Ireland (and thus perhaps elsewhere). At least three may be plant pests. Some evidence was found for interspecific hybridisation among the large Arion species (although not involving A. flagellus) and more unexpectedly in species pairs in Deroceras (Agriolimacidae) and Limacus (Limacidae). In the latter groups, introgression appears to have occurred in one direction only, with recently-invading lineages becoming common at the expense of long-established or native ones. The results show how even a well-studied, macroscopic fauna can be vulnerable to cryptic and undetected invasions and changes. PMID:24740519

Soil fauna: key to new carbon models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filser, Juliane; Faber, Jack H.; Tiunov, Alexei V.; Brussaard, Lijbert; Frouz, Jan; De Deyn, Gerlinde; Uvarov, Alexei V.; Berg, Matty P.; Lavelle, Patrick; Loreau, Michel; Wall, Diana H.; Querner, Pascal; Eijsackers, Herman; José Jiménez, Juan

2016-11-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is key to maintaining soil fertility, mitigating climate change, combatting land degradation, and conserving above- and below-ground biodiversity and associated soil processes and ecosystem services. In order to derive management options for maintaining these essential services provided by soils, policy makers depend on robust, predictive models identifying key drivers of SOM dynamics. Existing SOM models and suggested guidelines for future SOM modelling are defined mostly in terms of plant residue quality and input and microbial decomposition, overlooking the significant regulation provided by soil fauna. The fauna controls almost any aspect of organic matter turnover, foremost by regulating the activity and functional composition of soil microorganisms and their physical-chemical connectivity with soil organic matter. We demonstrate a very strong impact of soil animals on carbon turnover, increasing or decreasing it by several dozen percent, sometimes even turning C sinks into C sources or vice versa. This is demonstrated not only for earthworms and other larger invertebrates but also for smaller fauna such as Collembola. We suggest that inclusion of soil animal activities (plant residue consumption and bioturbation altering the formation, depth, hydraulic properties and physical heterogeneity of soils) can fundamentally affect the predictive outcome of SOM models. Understanding direct and indirect impacts of soil fauna on nutrient availability, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions and plant growth is key to the understanding of SOM dynamics in the context of global carbon cycling models. We argue that explicit consideration of soil fauna is essential to make realistic modelling predictions on SOM dynamics and to detect expected non-linear responses of SOM dynamics to global change. We present a decision framework, to be further developed through the activities of KEYSOM, a European COST Action, for when mechanistic SOM models include soil fauna. The research activities of KEYSOM, such as field experiments and literature reviews, together with dialogue between empiricists and modellers, will inform how this is to be done.

Carbon redistribution during interrill erosion in subtropical forests: Effects of leaf litter diversity and soil fauna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goebes, Philipp; Seitz, Steffen; Kühn, Peter; Scholten, Thomas

2016-04-01

Soil erosion is crucial for degradation of carbon (C) from their pools in the soil. If C of the eroded sediment and runoff are not only related to soil pools but also resulting additively from decomposition of litter cover, the system gets more complex. The role of these amounts for C cycling in a forest environment is not yet known properly and thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of leaf litter diversity, litter cover and soil fauna on C redistribution during interrill erosion. We established 96 runoff plots that were deployed with seven domestic leaf litter species resulting in none species (bare ground), 1-species, 2-species and 4-species mixtures. Every second runoff plot was equipped with a fauna extinction feature to investigate the role of soil meso- and macrofauna. Erosion processes were initiated using a rainfall simulator at two time steps (summer 2012 and autumn 2012) to investigate the role of leaf litter decomposition on C redistribution. C fluxes during 20 min rainfall simulation were 99.13 ± 94.98 g/m². C fluxes and C contents both were affected by soil fauna. C fluxes were higher with presence of soil fauna due to loosening and slackening of the soil surface rather than due to faster decomposition of leaves. In contrast, C contents were higher in the absence of soil fauna possibly resulting from a missing dilution effect in the top soil layer. Leaf litter diversity did not affect C fluxes, but indirectly affected C contents as it increased the soil fauna effect with higher leaf litter diversity due to superior food supply. Initial C contents in the soil mainly determined those of the eroded sediment. For future research, it will be essential to introduce a long-term decomposition experiment to get further insights into the processes of C redistribution.

Early Eocene deep-sea benthic foraminiferal faunas: Recovery from the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum extinction in a greenhouse world.

PubMed

Arreguín-Rodríguez, Gabriela J; Thomas, Ellen; D'haenens, Simon; Speijer, Robert P; Alegret, Laia

2018-01-01

The early Eocene greenhouse world was marked by multiple transient hyperthermal events. The most extreme was the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma), linked to the extinction of the globally recognised deep-sea benthic foraminiferal Velasco fauna, which led to the development of early Eocene assemblages. This turnover has been studied at high resolution, but faunal development into the later early Eocene is poorly documented. There is no widely accepted early Eocene equivalent of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Velasco fauna, mainly due to the use of different taxonomic concepts. We compiled Ypresian benthic foraminiferal data from 17 middle bathyal-lower abyssal ocean drilling sites in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, in order to characterise early Eocene deep-sea faunas by comparing assemblages across space, paleodepth and time. Nuttallides truempyi, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Bulimina trinitatensis, the Bulimina simplex group, the Anomalinoides spissiformis group, pleurostomellids, uniserial lagenids, stilostomellids and lenticulinids were ubiquitous during the early Eocene (lower-middle Ypresian). Aragonia aragonensis, the Globocassidulina subglobosa group, the Cibicidoides eocaenus group and polymorphinids became ubiquitous during the middle Ypresian. The most abundant early Ypresian taxa were tolerant to stressed or disturbed environments, either by opportunistic behavior (Quadrimorphina profunda, Tappanina selmensis, Siphogenerinoides brevispinosa) and/or the ability to calcify in carbonate-corrosive waters (N. truempyi). Nuttallides truempyi, T. selmensis and other buliminids (Bolivinoides cf. decoratus group, Bulimina virginiana) were markedly abundant during the middle Ypresian. Contrary to the long-lived, highly diverse and equitable Velasco fauna, common and abundant taxa reflect highly perturbed assemblages through the earliest Ypresian, with lower diversity and equitability following the PETM extinction. In contrast, the middle Ypresian assemblages may indicate a recovering fauna, though to some extent persistently disturbed by the lower-amplitude Eocene hyperthermals (e.g., Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 and 3). We propose the name 'Walvis Ridge fauna' for future reference to these Ypresian deep-sea benthic foraminiferal assemblages.

Evaluating the Applicability of Phi Coefficient in Indicating Habitat Preferences of Forest Soil Fauna Based on a Single Field Study in Subtropical China.

PubMed

Cui, Yang; Wang, Silong; Yan, Shaokui

2016-01-01

Phi coefficient directly depends on the frequencies of occurrence of organisms and has been widely used in vegetation ecology to analyse the associations of organisms with site groups, providing a characterization of ecological preference, but its application in soil ecology remains rare. Based on a single field experiment, this study assessed the applicability of phi coefficient in indicating the habitat preferences of soil fauna, through comparing phi coefficient-induced results with those of ordination methods in charactering soil fauna-habitat(factors) relationships. Eight different habitats of soil fauna were implemented by reciprocal transfer of defaunated soil cores between two types of subtropical forests. Canonical correlation analysis (CCorA) showed that ecological patterns of fauna-habitat relationships and inter-fauna taxa relationships expressed, respectively, by phi coefficients and predicted abundances calculated from partial redundancy analysis (RDA), were extremely similar, and a highly significant relationship between the two datasets was observed (Pillai's trace statistic = 1.998, P = 0.007). In addition, highly positive correlations between phi coefficients and predicted abundances for Acari, Collembola, Nematode and Hemiptera were observed using linear regression analysis. Quantitative relationships between habitat preferences and soil chemical variables were also obtained by linear regression, which were analogous to the results displayed in a partial RDA biplot. Our results suggest that phi coefficient could be applicable on a local scale in evaluating habitat preferences of soil fauna at coarse taxonomic levels, and that the phi coefficient-induced information, such as ecological preferences and the associated quantitative relationships with habitat factors, will be largely complementary to the results of ordination methods. The application of phi coefficient in soil ecology may extend our knowledge about habitat preferences and distribution-abundance relationships, which will benefit the understanding of biodistributions and variations in community compositions in the soil. Similar studies in other places and scales apart from our local site will be need for further evaluation of phi coefficient.

Evaluating the Applicability of Phi Coefficient in Indicating Habitat Preferences of Forest Soil Fauna Based on a Single Field Study in Subtropical China

PubMed Central

Cui, Yang; Wang, Silong; Yan, Shaokui

2016-01-01

Phi coefficient directly depends on the frequencies of occurrence of organisms and has been widely used in vegetation ecology to analyse the associations of organisms with site groups, providing a characterization of ecological preference, but its application in soil ecology remains rare. Based on a single field experiment, this study assessed the applicability of phi coefficient in indicating the habitat preferences of soil fauna, through comparing phi coefficient-induced results with those of ordination methods in charactering soil fauna-habitat(factors) relationships. Eight different habitats of soil fauna were implemented by reciprocal transfer of defaunated soil cores between two types of subtropical forests. Canonical correlation analysis (CCorA) showed that ecological patterns of fauna-habitat relationships and inter-fauna taxa relationships expressed, respectively, by phi coefficients and predicted abundances calculated from partial redundancy analysis (RDA), were extremely similar, and a highly significant relationship between the two datasets was observed (Pillai's trace statistic = 1.998, P = 0.007). In addition, highly positive correlations between phi coefficients and predicted abundances for Acari, Collembola, Nematode and Hemiptera were observed using linear regression analysis. Quantitative relationships between habitat preferences and soil chemical variables were also obtained by linear regression, which were analogous to the results displayed in a partial RDA biplot. Our results suggest that phi coefficient could be applicable on a local scale in evaluating habitat preferences of soil fauna at coarse taxonomic levels, and that the phi coefficient-induced information, such as ecological preferences and the associated quantitative relationships with habitat factors, will be largely complementary to the results of ordination methods. The application of phi coefficient in soil ecology may extend our knowledge about habitat preferences and distribution-abundance relationships, which will benefit the understanding of biodistributions and variations in community compositions in the soil. Similar studies in other places and scales apart from our local site will be need for further evaluation of phi coefficient. PMID:26930593

Biodiversity of Spongosorites coralliophaga (Stephens, 1915) on coral rubble at two contrasting cold-water coral reef settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazanidis, Georgios; Henry, Lea-Anne; Roberts, J. Murray; Witte, Ursula F. M.

2016-03-01

Cold-water coral reefs (CWRs) in the northeast Atlantic harbor diverse sponge communities. Knowledge of deep-sea sponge ecology is limited and this leaves us with a fragmented understanding of the ecological roles that sponges play in CWR ecosystems. We present the first study of faunal biodiversity associated with the massive demosponge Spongosorites coralliophaga (Stephens, 1915) that typically colonizes coral debris fields of CWRs. Our study focused on the sessile fauna inhabiting sponges mixed with coral rubble at two contrasting settings in the northeast Atlantic: the shallow inshore (120-190 m water depth) Mingulay Reef Complex (MRC) and the deep offshore (500-1200 m) Logachev Mound (LM) coral province. MRC is dominated by the scleractinian Lophelia pertusa, while LM is dominated by L. pertusa and Madrepora oculata. Nine sponge-coral rubble associations were collected from MRC and four from LM. Measurements of abundance, species richness, diversity, evenness, dry biomass, and composition of sessile fauna on sponge and coral rubble microhabitats were undertaken. Differences in community composition between the two regions were mainly a response to changes in fauna with depth. Fauna composition was also different between sponge and coral rubble within each region. Infauna constituted a minor component of the sponge-associated fauna in MRC but had a higher contribution in LM. Sponge and coral rubble sessile fauna in both regions was mainly composed of cnidarians and molluscs, similarly to some previous studies. Sponges' outer surfaces at MRC were colonized by a species-rich community with high abundance and biomass suggesting that S. coralliophaga at MRC acts as a settlement surface for various organisms but such a role is not the case at LM. This difference in the role of S. coralliophaga as a biological structure is probably related to differences in fauna composition with depth, bottom current speed, and the quantity/quality of food supplied to the benthos.

Cascading effects of climate extremes on vertebrate fauna through changes to low-latitude tree flowering and fruiting phenology.

PubMed

Butt, Nathalie; Seabrook, Leonie; Maron, Martine; Law, Bradley S; Dawson, Terence P; Syktus, Jozef; McAlpine, Clive A

2015-09-01

Forest vertebrate fauna provide critical services, such as pollination and seed dispersal, which underpin functional and resilient ecosystems. In turn, many of these fauna are dependent on the flowering phenology of the plant species of such ecosystems. The impact of changes in climate, including climate extremes, on the interaction between these fauna and flora has not been identified or elucidated, yet influences on flowering phenology are already evident. These changes are well documented in the mid to high latitudes. However, there is emerging evidence that the flowering phenology, nectar/pollen production, and fruit production of long-lived trees in tropical and subtropical forests are also being impacted by changes in the frequency and severity of climate extremes. Here, we examine the implications of these changes for vertebrate fauna dependent on these resources. We review the literature to establish evidence for links between climate extremes and flowering phenology, elucidating the nature of relationships between different vertebrate taxa and flowering regimes. We combine this information with climate change projections to postulate about the likely impacts on nectar, pollen and fruit resource availability and the consequences for dependent vertebrate fauna. The most recent climate projections show that the frequency and intensity of climate extremes will increase during the 21st century. These changes are likely to significantly alter mass flowering and fruiting events in the tropics and subtropics, which are frequently cued by climate extremes, such as intensive rainfall events or rapid temperature shifts. We find that in these systems the abundance and duration of resource availability for vertebrate fauna is likely to fluctuate, and the time intervals between episodes of high resource availability to increase. The combined impact of these changes has the potential to result in cascading effects on ecosystems through changes in pollinator and seed dispersal ecology, and demands a focused research effort. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

77 FR 15019 - Revision of Regulations Implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-14

... Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); Updates Following... Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) by incorporating...

Book review: Advances in reintroduction biology of Australian and New Zealand fauna

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muths, Erin L.

2016-01-01

Review info: Advances in Reintroduction Biology of Australian and New Zealand Fauna. Doug P. Armstrong, Matthew W. Hayward, Dorian Moro, and Philip J. Seddon, editors. 2015. ISBN 978-1486303014. 320 pp.

Ampullariid gastropods from the Palaeogene Hudi Chert Formation (Republic of the Sudan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harzhauser, Mathias; Neubauer, Thomas A.; Bussert, Robert; Eisawi, Ali A. M.

2017-05-01

The age of the Hudi Chert fauna is highly controversial and crucial for the reconstruction of the geological history of the Nile valley. Herein, six species of Ampullariidae (Gastropoda) are described from the Hudi Chert Formation in the Republic of the Sudan, documenting that alleged relations of the Hudi Chert fauna with Oligocene faunas from Egypt turned out to be based on misidentifications. Although an Oligocene age cannot be excluded, we propose an Eocene age for the Hudi Chert fauna based on the known stratigraphic range of the newly established genus Sudanistes. A Neogene age is clearly excluded based on the presence of the exclusively Palaeogene genus Pseudoceratodus. The Hudi Chert ampullariids lived in an extensive freshwater system of swamps and ponds, whereas riverine conditions and deep lake setting are unlikely depositional environments. Pila busserti Harzhauser & Neubauer is described as a new species and Sudanistes Harzhauser & Neubauer is introduced as a new genus.

Modern benthic ostracodes from Lutzow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica: paleoceanographic, paleobiogeographic, and evolutionary significance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yasuhara, Moriaki; Kato, Masako; Ikeya, Noriyuki; Seto, Koji

2007-01-01

Seventy-three ostracode species from 38 genera were recovered from the 55 surface sediment samples in Lützow-Holm Bay, northeastern Antarctica. We investigated bathymetric and geographic distributions of modern benthic ostracode species in the bay and compared this fauna with published modern and fossil ostracode data of Antarctic and southern South American regions. The results show: (1) Four biotopes and three sub-biotopes are recognized based on Q-mode cluster analysis, which suggest distributions of modern ostracodes are mainly controlled by water-mass structure, ice scouring, and light availability. (2) Comparison between the Lützow-Holm Bay fauna and other ostracode faunas from Antarctica and southern South America shows high endemism and homogeneity of Antarctic ostracode fauna, suggesting in situ evolution of most extant Antarctic species. (3) Most species are endemic to the Antarctica, a few species also inhabit South American waters.

The vertebrate fauna of Ichauway, Baker County, GA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, L.L.; Steen, D.A.; Stober, J.M.; Freeman, Mary C.; Golladay, S.W.; Conner, L.M.; Cochrane, J.

2006-01-01

Less than 4% of the once extensive Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) ecosystem remains today. Although longleaf pine habitats are recognized for their high species diversity, few published accounts document the vertebrate faunas of remaining tracts. Here we report on the vertebrate species richness of lchauway, an 11,300-ha property in Baker County, GA. The property includes ca. 7300 ha of longleaf pine with native ground cover, along with more than 30 seasonal wetlands and ca. 45 km of riparian habitat associated with Ichawaynochaway Creek, Big Cypress Creek, and the Flint River. The fauna includes 61 species of fish, 31 amphibians, 53 reptiles, 191 birds, and 41 mammals. Despite the relative isolation of the property from other natural ecosystems, the vertebrate fauna of lchauway is remarkably diverse and may offer an example of reference conditions to guide restoration of longleaf pine forests, associated seasonal wetlands, and riparian areas elsewhere in the southeastern U S.

[Dynamics of parasite fauna of different forms of salmon Salvelinus alpinus L. from the basin of the Lake Azabach'e].

PubMed

Butorina, T E

1975-01-01

The paper deals with age changes in the parasite fauna of different intraspecific forms of chars. It is shown that this year brood and yearlings of predatory, benthofagous, stream and anadromous chars up to 10 cm in length have a similar parasite fauna. During the second year of life the chars come to different feeding; correspondingly changes their parasite fauna which differs considerably in the above forms of chars. Two groups of parasites are distinguished the infection with which increases and decreases with the age of fishes. Observations were carried out on the life cycles, developmental and maturation periods of some parasites of chars. Biological peculiarities of some mixosporidia are studied. A shift in the developmental periods of helminths is noted as compared to those from the European part of the USSR.

Miocene actinommid Radiolaria from the equatorial Pacific

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blueford, J.R.

1982-01-01

Actinommids (spumellarian Radiolaria) are a group of microfossils in which taxonomy and phylogeny hitherto have been based on features of morphology that change with the growth of individuals. To make Miocene actinommids from the equatorial Pacific useful in biostratigraphy, paleocenography, and paleoecology, ontogenetically invariant morphological features can be analyzed by methods of numerical taxonomy to group the specimens into genera, which are further subdivided into species by visual comparison. According to these criteria, 31 species, 18 of which are new, are recognized in the Late Miocene section of DSDP Sites 77 and 289, and an informal revision of actinommid higher taxa is tentatively proposed.

Spatial biostratigraphy of NW Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafique, Naseer Ahmed

2001-07-01

Mesozoic to Cenozoic biostratigraphy of NW Pakistan has been conducted in order to document the temporal and spatial relationship between different marine strata with the help of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). These relationships were then used to help distinguish different tectonostratigraphic units in the Waziristan and the Kurram areas located at the northwestern margin of the Indo-Pakistani craton. Extensive biostratigraphic work in the Waziristan and Kurram areas enabled to distinguish five tectonostratigraphic units and two significant unconformities in the study area. Different foraminiferal zones from Early Jurassic to Middle Eocenewere developed, although due to random samples these zones are not continuous in the sedimentary record. However continuous biozonation from the Late Paleocene P4 to the Early Eocene P9 (Bolli, 1985) biozone was observed. It is observed that the Santonian stage is generally missing in the sedimentary sequence, and it is only found in the olistoliths. This implies that during the Campanian stage there was instability in the shelf due to ophiolite obduction, which caused the displacement of the Santonian strata. The absence of Early Paleocene (Zone P1--P3) microfauna is suggested by rapid subsidence of the NW Indian shelf beginning in the early Paleocene. Moreover, index fossils for the Palpha, P1a, b, c, d, P2 and P3 biozones are absent in the melange of the Thal area suggesting regional uplift during the Paleocene. The presence of Planorotalites pseudomenardii P4 zone microfauna above the unconformable Upper Cretaceous Kahi melange strata suggest the India-Asia collision age between 58 Ma--56 Ma. Foraminiferal biostratigraphy of upper Cretaceous olistoliths was conducted from the Mughal Kot gorge, Baluchistan, Pakistan in order to reveal the depositional history of Late Santonian aged (Dicarinella asymmetrica zone) olistoliths and associated upper Cretaceous to early Tertiary Indo-Pakistani shelf strata. These olistoliths are embedded in uppermost Campanian strata of the Mughal Kot Formation. Similar olistostromes are found at approximately the same stratigraphic level across a broad region of NW Pakistan. These olistostromes are similar in age to radiometrically constrained deformation in the Zhob and Waziristan ophiolites 50 and 90 km to the west and northwest respectively and may record incipient underthrusting of the NW Indo Pakistani craton beneath oceanic crust now in Waziristan and northern Baluchistan. This Campanian event precedes stratigraphically constrained Paleocene and Early Eocene deformation in Parachinar, Orakzai and the Attock-Cherat Ranges, which is interpreted as the collision of NW Indo-Pakistan with Asia and the Kabul Block. A turbiditic depositional environment of the Mughal Kot Formation was developed due to the regional collapse of the NW Indo-Pakistani shelf margin during the Late Campanian (G. calcarata zone ˜80--74 Ma), possibly as a result of ophiolite obduction as the Indo-Pakistani plate moved beneath Tethyan oceanic crust.

Microbially-induced Fe and Mn oxides in condensed pelagic sediments (Middle-Upper Jurassic, Western Sicily)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Préat, A.; Mamet, B.; Di Stefano, P.; Martire, L.; Kolo, K.

2011-06-01

This article presents a petrographic comparison of the Rosso Ammonitico facies of Western Sicily and the original Rosso Ammonitico Veronese of Northern Italy based on a total of 27 sections. The Rosso Ammonitico has been the subject of numerous controversies that range from bathyal to shallow-water platform sedimentation. Therefore it seemed interesting to verify if the term Rosso Ammonitico has the same geologic connotation from region to region. The Middle-Upper Jurassic Rosso Ammonitico of Western Sicily is a condensed succession formed during a period of extensional synsedimentary tectonics related to the spreading of the Ionian Ocean. Slope-to-basin or pelagic carbonate deposits characterize the sedimentation which consists of reddish mudstones and wackestones. The abundant fauna is composed of radiolarians, protoglobigerinids, Saccocoma, Bositra associated with ammonites. A few ferruginous hardgrounds, Fe-Mn oxide crusts and Mn-coated condensation horizons are also present. The red matrices contain abundant Fe-Mn encrusted, microbored and bioeroded bioclasts. Sporadic Fe-Mn oncolites composed of amorphous Mn-minerals and goethite are also conspicuous. The matrix, as well as the shells and the fillings of the complex associated veinlets, are frequently altered into calcite microsparite. Submicronic iron bacterial and fungal filaments associated with mineralized extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are observed in the matrix. They record dysaerobic microenvironments at or near the sediment-water interfaces. Early mineralized discontinuities enhanced by subsequent pressure dissolution are reported in the succession. Mn-(Ni) bacterial filaments are exceptionally observed in the cortex of the Fe-Mn oncolites. As a consequence of an early lithification, the Mn filaments are poorly preserved. The pigmentation of the rock is due to the dispersion of submicronic oxyhydroxides (now goethite and amorphous iron) formed by bacterial mediation during early diagenesis in microaerophilitic environments. As in the case of the original 'Rosso Ammonitico Veronese', Fe and Mn bacteria/fungi were able to produce bioconstructions which have no bathymetric significance. The limiting factor must have been the oxygen content which was low in these very quiet and relatively deep environments. Thus the Rosso Ammonitico of northern and southern Italy have a number of points in common, but some obvious dissimilarities are observed that explain some of the various sedimentological interpretations. Among them, the chemical composition is of particular importance, more Fe is present in Veneto (Northern Italy) while Mn is associated with the Sicilian Rosso Ammonitico. The Sicilian localities were more proximal to oceanic magmatic sources which were related to the activity of the oceanic crust.

Zoogeography of the shorefish fauna of Clipperton Atoll

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, D. R.; Allen, G. R.

1996-06-01

One hundred and fifteen species of fishes (14 oceanic, plus 101 shore and nearshore species) are known from Clipperton Island, a small, remote coral atoll in the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP). This fish fauna includes only ˜ 14% of the region's shallow-water species, and also is depauperate relative to the fish faunas of other isolated tropical islands. The island's isolation, small size, reduced habitat diversity, and oceanic environment contribute to this paucity of species. Fifty-two species at Clipperton can be identified as TEP; these include 37 widespread species, six species shared only with the Revillagigedo Islands [the nearest (950 km) offshore shoals], and eight endemic to Clipperton. Endemics species apparently have a mix of west and east Pacific origins. Sixty-three species are transpacific; they include three new records (of Naso surgeonfishes) that maybe vagrants recruited > 4,000 km from Oceania. Clipperton is situated at the juncture between the TEP and Oceania. Its fish fauna contains about equal numbers of TEP and transpacific species. This faunal structure reflects the relative influence of surface currents from Oceania and the TEP. Although most of Clipperton's transpacific shorefishes are widespread in eastern Oceania, the Clipperton fauna has specific affinities to the fauna of the Line Islands, which are located within the main eastbound current from Oceania. Clipperton may therefore be a major stepping stone for dispersal between Oceania and the remainder of the TEP. About 50% of the non-oceanic, tropical transpacific fishes occur there, and at least 75 % of those species apparently have resident populations at the island.

The Southern Ocean Benthic Fauna and Climate Change: A Historical Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Andrew; Crame, J. Alistair

1992-11-01

Environmental change is the norm and it is likely that, particularly on the geological timescale, the temperature regime experienced by marine organisms has never been stable. These temperature changes vary in timescale from daily, through seasonal variations, to long-term environmental change over tens of millions of years. Whereas physiological work can give information on how individual organisms may react phenotypically to short-term change, the way benthic communities react to long-term change can only be studied from the fossil record. The present benthic marine fauna of the Southern Ocean is rich and diverse, consisting of a mixture of taxa with differing evolutionary histories and biogeographical affinities, suggesting that at no time in the Cenozoic did continental ice sheets extend sufficiently to eradicate all shallow-water faunas around Antarctica at the same time. Nevertheless, certain features do suggest the operation of vicariant processes, and climatic cycles affecting distributional ranges and ice-sheet extension may both have enhanced speciation processes. The overall cooling of southern high-latitude seas since the mid-Eocene has been neither smooth nor steady. Intermittent periods of global warming and the influence of Milankovitch cyclicity is likely to have led to regular pulses of migration in and out of Antarctica. The resultant diversity pump may explain in part the high species richness of some marine taxa in the Southern Ocean. It is difficult to suggest how the existing fauna will react to present global warming. Although it is certain the fauna will change, as all faunas have done throughout evolutionary time, we cannot predict with confidence how it will do so.

Interpreting the paleozoogeography and sea level history of thermally anomalous marine terrace faunas: a case study from the the Last Interglacial Complex of San Clemente Island, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel R.; Groves, Lindsey T.; Schumann, R. Randall

2014-01-01

Marine invertebrate faunas with mixtures of extralimital southern and extralimital northern faunal elements, called thermally anomalous faunas, have been recognized for more than a century in the Quaternary marine terrace record of the Pacific Coast of North America. Although many mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, no single explanation seems to be applicable to all localities where thermally anomalous faunas have been observed. Here, we describe one such thermally anomalous fossil fauna that was studied on the second emergent marine terrace at Eel Point on San Clemente Island. The Eel Point terrace complex is a composite feature, consisting of a narrow upper bench (terrace 2a) and a broader lower bench (terrace 2b). Terrace 2b, previously dated from ~128 ka to ~114 ka, was thought to date solely to marine isotope stage (MIS) 5.5, representing the peak of the last interglacial period. Nevertheless, the fauna contains an extralimital northern species and several northward-ranging species, as well as an extralimital southern species and several southward-ranging species. Similar faunas with thermally anomalous elements have also been reported from San Nicolas Island, Point Loma (San Diego County), and Cayucos (San Luis Obispo County), California. U-series dating of corals at those localities shows that the thermally anomalous faunas may be the result of mixing of fossils from both the ~100-ka (cool-water) and the ~120-ka (warm-water) sea level high stands. Submergence, erosion, and fossil mixing of the ~120-ka terraces by the ~100-ka high-sea stand may have been possible due to glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) effects on North America, which could have resulted in a higher-than-present local sea level stand at ~100 ka. The terrace elevation spacing on San Clemente Island is very similar to that on San Nicolas Island, and we hypothesize that a similar mixing took place on San Clemente Island. Existing fossil records from older terraces elsewhere in California also show thermally anomalous elements, indicating that the scenario presented here for the last interglacial complex may have applicability to much of the marine Quaternary record for the Pacific Coast.

Additions and deletions to the known cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of Bolivia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An additional 137 species and two tribes are added to the known cerambycid fauna of Bolivia while 12 species are deleted. Comments and statistics regarding the growth of knowledge on the Bolivian Cerambycid fauna and species endemicity are included....

An annotated checklist of the Greek Stonefly Fauna (Insecta: Plecoptera).

PubMed

Karaouzas, Ioannis; Andriopoulou, Argyro; Kouvarda, Theodora; Murányi, Dávid

2016-05-17

An overview of the Greek stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna is presented as an annotated index of all available published records. These records have resulted in an updated species list reflecting current taxonomy and species distributions of the Greek peninsula and islands. Currently, a total of 71 species and seven subspecies belonging to seven families and 19 genera are reported from Greece. There is high species endemicity of the Leuctridae and Nemouridae, particularly on the Greek islands. The endemics known from Greece comprise thirty species representing 42% of the Greek stonefly fauna. The remaining taxa are typical Balkan and Mediterranean species.

Finding of two new radiolarian associations calibrated with ammonoids in the Vaca Muerta Formation (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous), Neuquén Basin, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vennari, Verónica V.; Pujana, Ignacio

2017-04-01

An association of ammonoids and radiolarians retrieved from a sedimentary section of the Vaca Muerta Formation at Vega de Escalone, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, was analized under a strict stratigraphic control. Nine ammonoid assemblage biozones were identified, indicating an age span from Early Tithonian to Late Berriasian/earlymost Valanginian for the Vaca Muerta Formation at the studied section. In connection to the ammonoid record, two radiolarian faunas were identified and named J3A1 and J3B1. Fauna J3A1, corresponding to the Virgatosphinctes andesensis Biozone, is dominated by nasellarian genera and represents the first Lower Tithonian radiolarian fauna described from the Neuquén Basin. Fauna J3B1, linked to the interval assigned to the Substeueroceras koeneni Biozone (Late Tithonian-Early Berriasian), yields abundant representatives of the Pantanellid Family. The presence of Complexapora kozuri (Kiessling and Zeiss) and Loopus primitivus (Matsuoka and Yao), two important radiolarian primary markers of the Late Jurassic in North America, supports a Late Tithonian age for at least part of the S. koeneni Biozone in the studied area. Nor certain Berriasian radiolarian faunas nor elements of the Vallupinae Family were identified so far at the Vega de Escalone section.

Ecological Structure of Recent and Last Glacial Mammalian Faunas in Northern Eurasia: The Case of Altai-Sayan Refugium

PubMed Central

Pavelková Řičánková, Věra; Robovský, Jan; Riegert, Jan

2014-01-01

Pleistocene mammalian communities display unique features which differ from present-day faunas. The paleocommunities were characterized by the extraordinarily large body size of herbivores and predators and by their unique structure consisting of species now inhabiting geographically and ecologically distinct natural zones. These features were probably the result of the unique environmental conditions of ice age ecosystems. To analyze the ecological structure of Last Glacial and Recent mammal communities we classified the species into biome and trophic-size categories, using Principal Component analysis. We found a marked similarity in ecological structure between Recent eastern Altai-Sayan mammalian assemblages and comparable Pleistocene faunas. The composition of Last Glacial and Recent eastern Altai-Sayan assemblages were characterized by the occurrence of large herbivore and predator species associated with steppe, desert and alpine biomes. These three modern biomes harbor most of the surviving Pleistocene mammals. None of the analyzed Palearctic Last Glacial faunas showed affinity to the temperate forest, taiga, or tundra biome. The Eastern part of the Altai-Sayan region could be considered a refugium of the Last Glacial-like mammalian assemblages. Glacial fauna seems to persist up to present in those areas where the forest belt does not separate alpine vegetation from the steppes and deserts. PMID:24454791

A quantitative analysis of naiad mollusks from the Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin dredge material site on the Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Havlik, M.E.; Marking, L.L.

1980-01-01

The Prairie du Chien dredge material site contains about 100,000 cubic meters of material dredged from the East Channel of the Mississippi Riverin1976. Previous studies in that area suggested a rich molluscan fauna, but most studies were only qualitative or simply observations. Our study of this material was designed to determine the density and diversity of molluscan fauna, to assess changes in the fauna, to identify endemic species previously unreported, and to evaluate the status of the endangered Lampsilis higginsi. Ten cubic meters of dredge material were sieved to recover shells. Molluscan fauna at the site contained38 species of naiades and up to 1,737 identifiable valves per cubic meter. The endangered L. higginsi ranked18th In occurrence, accounted for only 0.52% of the identifiable shells, and averaged about three valves per cubic meter. From a total of 813 kg of naiades and gastropods, 6,339 naiad valves were identified. Five naiad species were collected at the site for the first time, and Eploblasma triquetra had not been reported previously in the Prairie du Chien area. Although the molluscan fauna has changed, the East Channel at Prairie du Chien is obviously suitable for L. higginsi.

Some trans-Iapetus conodont faunal connections in the Tremadocian

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lofgren, A.; Repetski, J.E.; Ethington, Raymond L.

1998-01-01

Paleobiogeographical barriers within the Iapetus Ocean effectively restricted conodont faunas in Baltica from contact with those in Laurentia during Tremadocian time. Only species of Cordylodus, Paltodus, Drepanodus, Paroistodus and Iapetognathus have been reported to occur on both sides of the Iapetus Ocean. Continued studies of faunas from deeper platform and slope settings of North America (Laurentia) and generally deeper water faunas of Scandinavia (Baltica) reveal that these faunas share a few more species. One of these taxa was first described as Oneotodus variabilis Lindstrom, 1955, from upper Tremadocian beds of south-central Sweden. It now has been recovered from Nevada and Pennsylvania as well. Its apparatus appears to be seximembrate, with only minor geographic variation of elements between Baltica and Laurentia. Comparison with species of the Laurentian genus Variabiloconus Landing, Barnes and Stevens, 1986, has convinced us that 'O.' variabilis should be transferred to Variabiloconus. A closely related taxon, Variabiloconus transiapeticus n. sp., is reported from south-central Sweden, Nevada and Colorado, strengthening the connection between conodont faunas in the two paleocontinents in the Tremadocian. Moreover, a few specimens of the North American zonal index species Rossodus manitouensis Repetski and Ethington, 1983, have been found in samples from the Paltodus deltifer Zone in Scandinavia, confirming previous correlations and demonstrating that even the strictest paleobiogeographical delimitations can sometimes be overcome.

Effects of of habitats and pesticides on aerobic capacity and survival of soil fauna.

PubMed

Tripathi, G; Sharma, B M

2005-06-01

Faunal health is largely dependent on their soil environment and available litter quality. So the effects of different soil habitats and pesticides on citrate synthase (CS) activity of soil fauna and its population were studied. The soil animals were collected from different pedoecosystems for habitat study. Whereas Vigna radiata based system was selected for pesticidal observations. The field was divided into five equal plots for control and treatment of gamma-BHC, quinalphos, carbaryl and cypermethrin. Soil fauna was collected by quadrat method and extracted by Tullgren funnel. Individuals of a species having similar sizes were collected for the estimation of CS activity. They were homogenized and fractions were obtained by differential centrifugation. The activity of CS was assayed spectrophotometrically. Citrate synthase (CS) activity of beetle (Rasphytus fregi), woodlouse (Porcellio laevis) and centipede (Scolopendra morsitans) varied significantly with respect to changes in different soil habitats. Though the CS activity of R. fregi, P. laevis, and S. morsitans differed among themselves but the highest activity of CS in these animals was in V. radiata and lowest in A. nilotica based pedoecosystem. The aerobic capacity of centipede was maximum followed by woodlouse and beetle. The treatment of gamma-BHC, quinalphos, carbaryl and cypermethrin significantly reduced the CS activity of these animals. Gamma-BHC showed maximum reduction in CS activity indicating highly toxic effect of organochlorine on aerobic metabolism of soil fauna. However, minimum reduction was observed in response to carbaryl (in beetle) or cypermethrin (in woodlouse/centipede) leading to impairment of aerobic capacity. The differences in pesticide effects might be assigned to the differences in chemical nature of pesticides and their interactions with below-ground fauna. Treatment of gamma-BHC and quinalphos reduced the population of Acari, Coleoptera, Collembola, other arthropods as well as total soil fauna. Acari was least affected by gamma-BHC and maximally affected (72%) in response to quinalphos. The effect of gamma-BHC was fairly similar on Coleoptera, Collembola, other arthropod and total soil fauna suggesting almost similar sensitivity to this pesticide. Likewise, quinalphos was similarly effective on Collemobola and other soil arthropods. Application of carbaryl decreased Acari and Coleoptera population but increased Collembola, other arthropods and total faunal populations. However, application of cypermethrin significantly reduced the population of Acari, Coleoptera, Collembola and total soil fauna and increased the population of other soil arthropods. In both the cases, acarine population was least affected. The observations show the habitat-specific variation in aerobic capacity of soil fauna. However, pesticide-dependent loss in population might be due to impairment of aerobic capacity of soil inhabiting animals in desert.

Oceanic front in the Greenhorn Sea (Late Middle through Late Cenomanian)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, C. G.; Hay, W. W.; Eicher, D. L.

1994-12-01

An abrupt lithofacies change between calcareous shale and noncalcareous shale occurs in strata deposited in the mid-Cretaceous Greenhorn Seaway in the southeastern corner of Montana. The facies were correlated lithostratigraphically using bentonites and calcarenites. The lithocorrelations were then refined using ammonites, foraminifera, and calcareous nannofossils. Twenty-five time slices were defined within the upper middle and lower upper Cenomanian strata. Biofacies analysis indicate that lithofacies changes record the boundary or oceanic front between two water masses with distinctly different paleoceanographic conditions. One water mass entered the seaway from the Arctic and the other from the Gulf of Mexico/Tethys. The microfauna and microflora permit interpretation of the environmental conditions in each water mass. At times when the front was near vertical, the two water masses were of the same density but of different temperatures and salinities.

Miocene unconformities in the Central Apennines: geodynamic significance and sedimentary basin evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cipollari, Paola; Cosentino, Domenico

1995-12-01

This paper shows the results obtained from an integrated study (geology, biostratigraphy and geochemistry) carried out on the Miocene edimentary deposits in Central Italy in order to define the timing of the sedimentary basin evolution. This paper deals also with the causes of the unconformities recorded in these basins. In the Miocene deposits of the Latina Valley and the Ernici-Simbruini Mts. several unconformities which distinguish different stratigraphic sequences have been recognized (D 0, D 1, D 2 D 3 and D 4). For each unconformity a general description together with a geodynamical significance is provided. In particular, D 0 unconformity appears to be related to a regional tectonic event (Adria-Europe collision). As a consequence, the Adria lithosphere folded and the area underwent a regional erosive event. D 1, D 2 and D 3 unconformities have had a more local tectonic control since they represent the stratigraphic record of the migration of the Apennines thrust belt/foredeep system. D 1 and D 2 unconformities are related to the late Tortonian foredeep stage, whereas D 3 is linked to the early Messinian piggy-back stage. Moreover, the D 4 unconformity, which took place during the Messinian piggy-back stage, is strictly linked to the sea-level drop of the Messinian salinity crisis. In this paper the genesis and evolution of a late Tortonian foreland basin is also stressed (Latina Valley foredeep basin). Finally, taking into account sequence boundaries, nannofossil biostratigraphy and geochemistry isotopic data, a comparison with the curve of the 3rd order of the relative coastal onlap (Haq et al., 1988) has been attempted in order to distinguish the unconformities controlled either by tectonic or eustatic processes.

Fossil diatoms and neogene paleolimnology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Platt, Bradbury J.

1988-01-01

Diatoms have played an important role in the development of Neogene continental biostratigraphy and paleolimnology since the mid-19th Century. The history of progress in Quaternary diatom biostratigraphy has developed as a result of improved coring techniques that enable sampling sediments beneath existing lakes coupled with improved chronological control (including radiometric dating and varve enumeration), improved statistical treatment of fossil diatom assemblages (from qualitative description to influx calculations of diatom numbers or volumes), and improved ecological information about analogous living diatom associations. The last factor, diatom ecology, is the most critical in many ways, but progresses slowly. Fortunately, statistical comparison of modern diatom assemblages and insightful studies of the nutrient requirements of some common freshwater species are enabling diatom paleolimnologists to make more detailed interpretations of the Quaternary record than had been possible earlier, and progress in the field of diatom biology and ecology will continue to refine paleolimnological studies. The greater age and geologic setting of Tertiary diatomaceous deposits has prompted their study in the contexts of geologic history, biochronology and evolution. The distribution of diatoms of marine affinities in continental deposits has given geologists insights about tectonism and sea-level change, and the distribution of distinctive (extinct?) diatoms has found utilization both in making stratigraphic correlations between outcrops of diatomaceous deposits and in various types of biochronological studies that involve dating deposits in different areas. A continental diatom biochronologic scheme will rely upon evolution, such as the appearance of new genera within a family, in combination with regional environmental changes that are responsible for the wide distribution of distinctive diatom species. The increased use of the scanning electron microscope for the detailed descriptions of fossil diatoms will provide the basis for making more accurate correlations and identifications, and the micromorphological detail for speculations about evolutionary relationships. ?? 1988.

Upper Cretaceous and Lower Jurassic strata in shallow cores on the Chukchi Shelf, Arctic Alaska: Chapter C in Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska, vol. 15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houseknecht, David W.; Craddock, William H.; Lease, Richard O.

2016-02-12

Shallow cores collected in the 1980s on the Chukchi Shelf of western Arctic Alaska sampled pre-Cenozoic strata whose presence, age, and character are poorly known across the region. Five cores from the Herald Arch foreland contain Cenomanian to Coniacian strata, as documented by biostratigraphy, geochronology, and thermochronology. Shallow seismic reflection data collected during the 1970s and 1980s show that these Upper Cretaceous strata are truncated near the seafloor by subtle angular unconformities, including the Paleogene mid-Brookian unconformity in one core and the Pliocene-Pleistocene unconformity in four cores. Sedimentary structures and lithofacies suggest that Upper Cretaceous strata were deposited in a low accommodation setting that ranged from low-lying coastal plain (nonmarine) to muddy, shallow-marine environments near shore. These observations, together with sparse evidence from the adjacent western North Slope, suggest that Upper Cretaceous strata likely were deposited across all of Arctic Alaska.A sixth core from the Herald Arch contains lower Toarcian marine strata, indicated by biostratigraphy, truncated by a Neogene or younger unconformity. These Lower Jurassic strata evidently were deposited south of the arch, buried structurally to high levels of thermal maturity during the Early Cretaceous, and uplifted on the Herald thrust-fault system during the mid to Late Cretaceous. These interpretations are based on regional stratigraphy and apatite fission-track data reported in a complementary report and are corroborated by the presence of recycled palynomorphs of Early Jurassic age and high thermal maturity found in Upper Cretaceous strata in two of the foreland cores. This dataset provides evidence that uplift and exhumation of the Herald thrust belt provided sediment to the foreland during the Late Cretaceous.

Fossils from Quaternary fluvial archives: Sources of biostratigraphical, biogeographical and palaeoclimatic evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Tom S.; Bridgland, David R.; Limondin-Lozouet, Nicole; Schreve, Danielle C.

2017-06-01

Fluvial sedimentary archives have the potential to preserve a wide variety of palaeontological evidence, ranging from robust bones and teeth found in coarse gravel aggradations to delicate insect remains and plant macrofossils from fine-grained deposits. Over the last decade, advances in Quaternary biostratigraphy based on vertebrate and invertebrate fossils (primarily mammals and molluscs) have been made in many parts of the world, resulting in improved relative chronologies for fluviatile sequences. Complementary fossil groups, such as insects, ostracods and plant macrofossils, are also increasingly used in multi-proxy palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, allowing direct comparison of the climates and environments that prevailed at different times across widely separated regions. This paper reviews these topics on a regional basis, with an emphasis on the latest published information, and represents an update to the 2007 review compiled by the FLAG-inspired IGCP 449 biostratigraphy subgroup. Disparities in the level of detail available for different regions can largely be attributed to varying potential for preservation of fossil material, which is especially poor in areas of non-calcareous bedrock, but to some extent also reflect research priorities in different parts of the world. Recognition of the value of biostratigraphical and palaeoclimatic frameworks, which have been refined over many decades in the 'core regions' for such research (particularly for the late Middle and Late Pleistocene of NW Europe), has focussed attention on the need to accumulate similar palaeontological datasets in areas lacking such long research histories. Although the emerging datasets from these understudied regions currently allow only tentative conclusions to be drawn, they represent an important stage in the development of independent biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental schemes, which can then be compared and contrasted.

30 CFR 756.17 - Approval of the Hopi Tribe's abandoned mine land reclamation plan amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of the Hopi Reservation; Part XIII—Flora and fauna; Appendices 1 through 12—Addition of cover pages... Recreational Conditions of the Hopi Reservation; and Section XIV—Flora and Fauna. [61 FR 17839, Apr. 23, 1996...

30 CFR 756.17 - Approval of the Hopi Tribe's abandoned mine land reclamation plan amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of the Hopi Reservation; Part XIII—Flora and fauna; Appendices 1 through 12—Addition of cover pages... Recreational Conditions of the Hopi Reservation; and Section XIV—Flora and Fauna. [61 FR 17839, Apr. 23, 1996...

30 CFR 756.17 - Approval of the Hopi Tribe's abandoned mine land reclamation plan amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of the Hopi Reservation; Part XIII—Flora and fauna; Appendices 1 through 12—Addition of cover pages... Recreational Conditions of the Hopi Reservation; and Section XIV—Flora and Fauna. [61 FR 17839, Apr. 23, 1996...

THE MID-LATITUDE BIODIVERSITY RIDGE IN TERRESTRIAL CAVE FAUNA

EPA Science Inventory

The world's obligate cave-dwelling fauna holds considerable promise for biogeographic analysis because it represents a large number of independent evolutionary experiments in isolation in caves and adaptation to subterranean life. We focus on seven north temperate regions of at l...

Litter quality mediated nitrogen effect on plant litter decomposition regardless of soil fauna presence.

PubMed

Zhang, Weidong; Chao, Lin; Yang, Qingpeng; Wang, Qingkui; Fang, Yunting; Wang, Silong

2016-10-01

Nitrogen addition has been shown to affect plant litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. The way that nitrogen deposition impacts the relationship between plant litter decomposition and altered soil nitrogen availability is unclear, however. This study examined 18 co-occurring litter types in a subtropical forest in China in terms of their decomposition (1 yr of exposure in the field) with nitrogen addition treatment (0, 0.4, 1.6, and 4.0 mol·N·m -2 ·yr -1 ) and soil fauna exclusion (litter bags with 0.1 and 2 cm mesh size). Results showed that the plant litter decomposition rate is significantly reduced because of nitrogen addition; the strength of the nitrogen addition effect is closely related to the nitrogen addition levels. Plant litters with diverse quality responded to nitrogen addition differently. When soil fauna was present, the nitrogen addition effect on medium-quality or high-quality plant litter decomposition rate was -26% ± 5% and -29% ± 4%, respectively; these values are significantly higher than that of low-quality plant litter decomposition. The pattern is similar when soil fauna is absent. In general, the plant litter decomposition rate is decreased by soil fauna exclusion; an average inhibition of -17% ± 1.5% was exhibited across nitrogen addition treatment and litter quality groups. However, this effect is weakly related to nitrogen addition treatment and plant litter quality. We conclude that the variations in plant litter quality, nitrogen deposition, and soil fauna are important factors of decomposition and nutrient cycling in a subtropical forest ecosystem. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Conodont and k-bentonite stratigraphy across the Blackriveran/Trentonian (Ordovician) boundary, north-central New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leslie, S.A.; Bergstroem, S.M.

1993-03-01

Integrated conodont and K-bentonite stratigraphy at City Brook and Watertown, New York reveals a pattern that is correlatable to coeval strata in the Midcontinent. The portion of the City Brook section examined consists of upper Lowville Limestone (upper Blackriveran) unconformably overlain by King Falls Limestone (lower Trentonian). The Lowville conodont fauna is a typical Blackriveran assemblage dominated by neurodontiform (hyaline) species of Curtognathus and Erismodus in association with Belodina compressa, Drepanoistodus suberectus, Panderodus and Plectodina aculeatus. The King Falls conodont fauna is dominated by Phragmodus undatus in association with Dapsilodus cf. D. mutatus, Oistodus cf. O. venustus, Panderodus, Periodon cf.more » P. grandis and Scandodus. Blackriveran faunal elements are also present in low abundance throughout the King Falls. The King Falls fauna is present and dominant in a packstone at the top of the upper Lowville below the unconformity. This occurrence supports the idea that these faunas are to some degree facies controlled. Four K-bentonite beds are present, 3 in the Lowville and 1 in the King Falls. A 6-cm thick K-bentonite in the King Falls has the approximate stratigraphic position of the Hounsfield K-bentonite. The Watertown section examined consists of upper Lowville Limestone overlain conformably or para conformable by the Watertown Limestone. The conodont fauna in both the Lowville and Watertown is identical to the Lowville fauna from City Brook, but lacks any Trentonian faunal elements. There is a 6-cm thick K-bentonite in the Lowville in virtually the same stratigraphic position as the lowest K-bentonite in the City Brook section. The stratigraphic positions and conodont faunal patterns observed in the City Brook and Watertown sections are similar to those in coeval sections in the Midcontinent.« less

New records of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from Wyoming, U.S.A.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Faunal distributions are dynamic, and the fauna associated with a particular area may change due to accidental or intentional introductions of new species, extinctions, and natural geographic range expansions or contractions of species. Thus, periodic field surveys and collections of fauna are nece...

On some Vetigastropoda (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Philippines with descriptions of three new species.

PubMed

Helwerda, Renate Ariane; Wesselingh, Frank Pieter; Williams, Suzanne T

2014-01-21

We studied representatives of seven vetigastropod families in an extremely well-preserved Plio-Pleistocene mollusc fauna found in relatively deep water sediments (c. 200-300 m paleodepth) from the north-western Philippines. The fauna is systematically described and its paleoenvironmental and paleobiogeographical character is explored. Twenty-six species of gastropods were studied, three of which are described as new: Halystina conoidea n. sp., Calliotropis arenosa n. sp. and Ethminolia wareni n. sp. Four new combinations are proposed: Pseudotalopia taiwanensis (Chen, 2006), Solariella segersi (Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006), Zetela tabakotanii (Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006) and Ilanga konos (Vilvens, 2009). Fourteen species are known living. Most extant species nowadays occur around the Philippines. Two of the species also occur in Neogene deposits from western Pacific islands. The new fauna offers insights into the character of relatively deep water Indo-West Pacific mollusc faunas prior to the onset of the late Quaternary ice ages.

Paramytha ossicola sp. nov. (Polychaeta, Ampharetidae) from mammal bones: Reproductive biology and population structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queirós, José Pedro; Ravara, Ascensão; Eilertsen, Mari H.; Kongsrud, Jon A.; Hilário, Ana

2017-03-01

Sunken whale carcasses, known as "whale falls", deliver large, but relatively ephemeral pulses of organic material to the seafloor and serve as habitat for unique assemblages of deep-sea fauna that include generalist-scavenging species, chemosynthetic fauna and bone-specialist species. Despite the great deal of interest that fauna associated with whale falls have attracted, very little is known about this fauna in the deep Atlantic Ocean. Here we describe a new species of Ampharetidae that was found in an experiment using cow carcasses in the Setúbal Canyon (NE Atlantic), as a surrogate of a whale fall. Further, we analyse the size and structure of the population at two different times and use histological analyses to investigate the reproductive biology of this new species. We propose that Paramytha ossicola sp. nov. is a bone-specialist adapted for life in ephemeral habitats. Reproductive traits include rapid maturation, continuous and non-synchronous gametogenesis. Recruitment seems to be controlled by habitat availability and biological interactions that result in post-settlement mortality.

The nematode community in the Atlantic rainforest lizard Enyalius perditus Jackson, from south-eastern Brazil.

PubMed

Barreto-Lima, A F; Toledo, G M; Anjos, L A

2012-12-01

Studies focusing on communities of helminths from Brazilian lizards are increasing, but there are many blanks in the knowledge of parasitic fauna of wild fauna. This lack of knowledge hampers understanding of ecological and parasitological aspects of involved species. Moreover, the majority of research has focused on parasitic fauna of lizards from families Tropiduridae and Scincidae. Only a few studies have looked at lizards from the family Leiosauridae, including some species of Enyalius. This study presents data on the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of Enyalius perditus and their relationships with ecological aspects of hosts in a disturbed Atlantic rainforest area in the state of Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil. Two nematode species, Oswaldocruzia burseyi [(Molineidae) and Strongyluris oscari (Heterakidae) were found. Nematode species showed an aggregated distribution in this host population, with O. burseyi being more aggregated than S. oscari. The present study extends the range of occurrence of O. burseyi to the Brazilian continental area.

The Effect of Host-Plant Phylogenetic Isolation on Species Richness, Composition and Specialization of Insect Herbivores: A Comparison between Native and Exotic Hosts

PubMed Central

Grandez-Rios, Julio Miguel; Lima Bergamini, Leonardo; Santos de Araújo, Walter; Villalobos, Fabricio; Almeida-Neto, Mário

2015-01-01

Understanding the drivers of plant-insect interactions is still a key issue in terrestrial ecology. Here, we used 30 well-defined plant-herbivore assemblages to assess the effects of host plant phylogenetic isolation and origin (native vs. exotic) on the species richness, composition and specialization of the insect herbivore fauna on co-occurring plant species. We also tested for differences in such effects between assemblages composed exclusively of exophagous and endophagous herbivores. We found a consistent negative effect of the phylogenetic isolation of host plants on the richness, similarity and specialization of their insect herbivore faunas. Notably, except for Jaccard dissimilarity, the effect of phylogenetic isolation on the insect herbivore faunas did not vary between native and exotic plants. Our findings show that the phylogenetic isolation of host plants is a key factor that influences the richness, composition and specialization of their local herbivore faunas, regardless of the host plant origin. PMID:26379159

A retrospective view of the quality of the fauna component of the Olympic Dam Project Environmental Impact Statement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Read, J.L.

1994-06-01

The merits of the fauna section of the Olympic Dam Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are discussed. The values of different survey methods and monitoring organisms used in this document are evaluated following 10 years of fauna monitoring and research subsequent to the preparation of the EIS. The pilot fauna reconnaissance was found to be of little value, although the associated literature review formed an integral part of the EIS. Over 95% of all amphibian, reptile and bird species recorded at Olympic Dam were confirmed or predicted to occur in the EIS. Mammal predictions were less accurate because of themore » sparse populations and irruptive nature of several arid-zone species. Prediction and monitoring of rare species were demonstrably difficult. The Olympic Dam Project EIS was found in general to be an accurate and useful document. However, it is suggested that more emphasis be placed on establishing monitoring programmes for future EISs, particularly for invertebrates. 35 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.« less

The "Abyssal Society". François-Alphonse Forel and the Case of Deep Fauna in Late 19th Century.

PubMed

Campanella, Sara

2016-01-01

Ichthyological investigations and technological advancements, such as the laying of submarine telegraph cables, promoted new dredging methods in the second half of the 19th century. In contrast to the idea of a lifeless deep ocean (Edward Forbes' azoic hypothesis), the discovery of deep water fauna and the challenge of defining its systematics opened up new theoretical perspectives. In this frame, which was already marked by the impact of Darwin's theory, naturalistic surveys in freshwater environments in western Switzerland intertwined with those of oceanographic expeditions. The study of the fauna in the depths of subalpine lakes by the Swiss savant François-Alphonse Forel was one of the most striking examples of this turning point, because the relatively recently evolution of its freshwater fauna allowed him to investigate: (a) the role of isolation, (b) the progressive differentiation of species from a common ancestor, and (c) the constitution of a species-specific category in form transition, from a genealogical viewpoint to an ecological one.

The Cretaceous (Cenomanian) continental record of the Laje do Coringa flagstone (Alcântara Formation), northeastern South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, Manuel Alfredo; Lindoso, Rafael Matos; Mendes, Ighor Dienes; Carvalho, Ismar de Souza

2014-08-01

The fossil taxa of the Cenomanian continental flora and fauna of São Luís Basin are observed primarily in the bone bed of the Laje do Coringa, Alcântara Formation. Many of the disarticulated fish and tetrapod skeletal and dental elements are remarkably similar to the chronocorrelate fauna of Northern Africa. In this study, we present a summary of the continental flora and fauna of the Laje do Coringa bone-bed. The record emphasizes the existence of a trans-oceanic typical fauna, at least until the early Cenomanian, which may be interpreted as minor evolutionary changes after a major vicariant event or as a result of a land bridge across the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, thereby allowing interchanges between South America and Africa. The paleoenvironmental conditions in the northern Maranhão State coast during that time were inferred as forested humid areas surrounded by an arid to semi-arid landscape.

Patterns in benthic populations in the Milford Haven waterway following the 'Sea Empress' oil spill with special reference to amphipods.

PubMed

Nikitik, Christopher C S; Robinson, Andrew W

2003-09-01

The macrobenthic fauna of the Milford Haven Waterway was studied in detail following the 'Sea Empress' oil spill in 1996. Contamination patterns indicated heaviest contamination of sediments by oil to have occurred in the lower reaches of the waterway, although water borne hydrocarbons are likely to have penetrated throughout the Haven. Generally, the communities showed little impact of contamination by oil, although some changes were evident at the population level. A decline in the amphipod fauna was observed throughout the Haven, with the genera Ampelisca and Harpinia and the family Isaeidae particularly affected. This was accompanied by increases in both the diversity and abundance of polychaete populations as opportunist species took advantage of the decline of the amphipod fauna. However, within five years of the spill the amphipod fauna has shown clear signs of recovery. The use of the polychaete/amphipod ratio as an indicator of oil pollution is discussed.

[Composition and Density of Soil Fauna in the Region with Enhanced Radioactivity Level (Komi Republic, Vodnyi)].

PubMed

Kolesnikova, A A; Kudrin, A A; Konakova, T N; Taskaeva, A A

2015-01-01

Studies on the influence of high levels of radiation on soil fauna were carried out in 2012 in the territory formed as a result of the activity of the enterprise for extraction and production of radium from reservoir water and waste of uranium ore from 1931 to 1956. At present the local radioactive pollution in this area is caused by the presence of heavy natural radionuclides 226Ra, 238U and products of their disintegration in soils. The oppression of soil invertebrate.fauna in pine forests and meadows with high levels of radionuclides and heavy metals is revealed. Also shown is the decrease in the number and density of different taxonomic groups of invertebrates, reduction of the diversity and spectrum of trophic groups and vital forms in the area with a high content of radionuclides in soil. Our results are in agreement with the results obtained by the similar studies showing negative influence of high-level ionizing radiation on soil fauna.

Spatio-temporal variability of faunal and floral assemblages in Mediterranean temporary wetlands.

PubMed

Rouissi, Maya; Boix, Dani; Muller, Serge D; Gascón, Stéphanie; Ruhí, Albert; Sala, Jordi; Bouattour, Ali; Ben Haj Jilani, Imtinen; Ghrabi-Gammar, Zeineb; Ben Saad-Limam, Samia; Daoud-Bouattour, Amina

2014-12-01

Six temporary wetlands in the region of Sejenane (Mogods, NW Tunisia) were studied in order to characterize the aquatic flora and fauna and to quantify their spatio-temporal variability. Samplings of aquatic fauna, phytosociological relevés, and measurements of the physicochemical parameters of water were taken during four different field visits carried out during the four seasons of the year (November 2009-July 2010). Despite the strong anthropic pressures on them, these temporary wetlands are home to rich and diversified biodiversity, including rare and endangered species. Spatial and temporal variations affect fauna and flora differently, as temporal variability influences the fauna rather more than the plants, which are relatively more dependent on spatial factors. These results demonstrate the interest of small water bodies for maintaining biodiversity at the regional level, and thus underscore the conservation issues of Mediterranean temporary wetlands that are declining on an ongoing basis currently. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

A system for protecting the environment from ionising radiation: selecting reference fauna and flora, and the possible dose models and environmental geometries that could be applied to them.

PubMed

Pentreath, R J; Woodhead, D S

2001-09-28

In order to demonstrate, explicitly, that the environment can be protected with respect to controlled sources of ionising radiation, it is essential to have a systematic framework within which dosimetry models for fauna and flora can be used. And because of the practical limitations on what could reasonably be modelled and the amount of information that could reasonably be obtained, it is also necessary to limit the application of such models to a 'set' of fauna and flora within a reference' context. This paper, therefore, outlines the factors that will need to be considered to select such 'reference' fauna and flora, and describes some of the factors and constraints necessary to develop the associated dosimetry models. It also describes some of the most basic environmental geometrics within which the dose models could be set in order to make comparisons amongst different radiation sources.

Benthic foraminiferal response to the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama and coincident paleoceanographic changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDougall, K.

1996-01-01

Late Cenozoic benthic foraminiferal faunas from the Caribbean Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 502 (3052 m) and East Pacific DSDP Site 503 (3572 m) were analyzed to interpret bottom-water masses and paleoceanographic changes occurring as the Isthmus of Panama emerged. Major changes during the past 7 Myr occur at 6.7-6.2, 3.4, 2.0, and 1.1 Ma in the Caribbean and 6.7-6.4, 4.0-3.2, 2.1, 1.4, and 0.7 Ma in the Pacific. Prior to 6.7 Ma, benthic foraminiferal faunas at both sites indicate the presence of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). After 6.7 Ma benthic foraminiferal faunas indicate a shift to warmer water masses: North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) in the Caribbean and Pacific Deep Water (PDW) in the Pacific. Flow of NADW may have continued across the rising sill between the Caribbean and Pacific until 5.6 Ma when the Pacific benthic foraminiferal faunas suggest a decrease in bottom-water temperatures. After 5.6 Ma deep-water to intermediate-water flow across the sill appears to have stopped as the bottom-water masses on either side of the sill diverge. The second change recorded by benthic foraminiferal faunas occurs at 3.4 Ma in the Caribbean and 4.0-3.2 Ma in the Pacific. At this time the Caribbean is flooded with cold AABW, which is either gradually warmed or is replaced by Glacial Bottom Water (GBW) at 2.0 Ma and by NADW at 1.1 Ma. These changes are related to global climatic events and to the depth of the sill between the Caribbean and Atlantic rather than the rising Isthmus of Panama. Benthic foraminiferal faunas at East Pacific Site 503 indicate a gradual change from cold PDW to warmer PDW between 4.0 and 3.2 Ma. The PDW is replaced by the warmer, poorly oxygenated PIW at 2.1 Ma. Although the PDW affects the faunas during colder intervals between 1.4 and 0.7 Ma, the PIW remains the principal bottom- water mass in the Guatemala Basin of the East Pacific.

Palaeoecology and sedimentology of the dysaerobic Bedford fauna (late Devonian), Ohio and Kentucky (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pashin, J.C.; Ettensohn, F.R.

1992-01-01

Oxygen-deficient biofacies models rely on lithologic and paleontologic attributes to identify distinctive biofacies interpreted to reflect levels of oxygenation in anaerobic, dysaerobic, and aerobic parts of a stratified water column. This study of the Bedford fauna from the Bedford Shale of Ohio and Kentucky and from adjacent black-shale units reports faunal distributions different from those predicted by the accepted models. This study suggests that, although oxygenation was an important factor that determined the taxonomic makeup of the fauna, bacterially mediated nutrient recycling and substrate characteristics were more important than oxygenation in determining faunal distribution in the dysaerobic zone. ?? 1992.

New radiocarbon dates for Columbian mammoth and Mexican horse from southern Alberta and the Lateglacial regional fauna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hills, Leonard V.; Harington, C. Richard

2003-06-01

New radiocarbon dates on Columbian mammoth ( Mammuthus columbi) and Mexican horse ( Equus conversidens) specimens from southern Alberta are 10,930±100 BP and 10,870±45 years BP, respectively—older than originally thought. These specimens are reviewed in the light of 10 other sites in southern Alberta that have yielded large mammal remains radiocarbon dated to about 11,000 BP. Thus, the regional fauna includes at least 11 mammalian species. This fauna was not restricted to the foothills, but extended well onto the plains and may prove useful in correlating foothills terraces with those of the plains.

The native bee fauna of the Palouse Prairie (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While the range and general composition of North American bee fauna have been mostly described based on random collections, bee communities associated with specific habitats are largely uncharacterized. This report describes the community of native bees currently found in remnant fragments of the P...

Impact of oil-based drill mud disposal on benthic foraminiferal assemblages on the continental margin off Angola

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorissen, F. J.; Bicchi, E.; Duchemin, G.; Durrieu, J.; Galgani, F.; Cazes, L.; Gaultier, M.; Camps, R.

2009-12-01

In order to assess the possible environmental impact of oily cuttings discharged during oil exploration activities, we studied the benthic foraminiferal faunas in a five-station, 4-km-long sampling transect around a cuttings disposal site at about 670 m depth offshore Angola (W Africa), where drilling activities started 1.5 years before sampling. Living (Rose Bengal stained) and dead foraminiferal faunas were sampled in March 2006. The faunal patterns mirror the spatial distribution of hydrocarbons, which are dispersed into a southeastern direction. Four different areas can be distinguished on the basis of the investigated faunal parameters (density, diversity and species composition of the living fauna, and comparison with subrecent dead faunas). The fauna at station S31, 300 m SE of the oil cuttings disposal site, appears to be clearly impacted: the faunal density and diversity are maximal, but evenness is minimal. Taxa sensitive to organic enrichment, such as Uvigerina peregrina, Cancris auriculus and Cribrostomoides subglobosus, have largely disappeared, whereas the low-oxygen-resistant taxon Chilostomella oolina and opportunistic buliminids and bolivinids attain relatively high densities. At station S32, 500 m SE of the disposal site, environmental impact is still perceptible. The faunal density is slightly increased, and U. peregrina, apparently the most sensitive species, is still almost absent. The faunas found at 1 and 1.8 km SE of the disposal site are apparently no longer impacted by the drill mud disposal. Faunal density and diversity are low, and the faunal composition is typical for a mesotrophic to eutrophic upper slope environment. Finally, Station S35, 2 km NW of the disposal site, contains an intermediate fauna, where both the low-oxygen-resistant C. oolina and the more sensitive taxa ( U. peregrina, C. auriculus and C. subglobosus) are present. All taxa live close to the sediment-water interface here, indicating a reduced oxygen penetration into the sediment. Since the hydrocarbon concentration is low at this station, it appears that the faunal characteristics are the consequence of a slightly different environmental setting, and not due to a contamination with drill cuttings. Our data underline the large potential of benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of anthropogenic enrichment in open marine settings, such as caused by the disposal of oily drill cuttings. The foraminiferal faunas react essentially by a density increase of a number of tolerant and/or opportunistic taxa, and a progressive disappearance of more sensitive taxa in the most impacted area. Rather surprisingly, large-sized taxa appear to be more sensitive than small-sized foraminiferal taxa.

Terrestrial biodiversity analyses in Dalmatia (Croatia): a complementary approach using diversity and rarity.

PubMed

Jelaska, Sven D; Nikolić, Toni; Serić Jelaska, Lucija; Kusan, Vladimir; Peternel, Hrvoje; Guzvica, Goran; Major, Zoran

2010-03-01

Here we present the methodology used for terrestrial biodiversity analysis and site selection in Phase B of the UNDP/GEF COAST project. The analysis was focused on the problem of biodiversity evaluation in four Croatian counties stretching from sea level to the highest mountain in Croatia. Data on habitats, vascular flora, and fauna (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, ground beetles, and underground invertebrates) were collected and analyzed for each of the four counties. Emphasis was given to the richness of endangered species and the rarity of endemic species. Based on the spatial analyses of habitat, fauna, and flora data, four to six areas were selected from each county and ranked according to their biodiversity importance. Overlap between areas important for richness and those important for rarity was highest for data on flora (65.5%) and lowest for data on fauna (16.7%). When different data sets were compared, the lowest overlap was between flora and fauna (17.1%) and largest between fauna and habitats (23.9%). Simultaneous overlap among all three data sets was found in just 6.5% of the overall selected areas. These results suggest that less specific data, with respect to taxa threat status, could better serve as surrogate data in estimating overall biodiversity. In summary, this analysis has demonstrated that Dalmatia is a region with a high overall biodiversity that is important in a broader European context.

Terrestrial Biodiversity Analyses in Dalmatia (Croatia): A Complementary Approach Using Diversity and Rarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelaska, Sven D.; Nikolić, Toni; Šerić Jelaska, Lucija; Kušan, Vladimir; Peternel, Hrvoje; Gužvica, Goran; Major, Zoran

2010-03-01

Here we present the methodology used for terrestrial biodiversity analysis and site selection in Phase B of the UNDP/GEF COAST project. The analysis was focused on the problem of biodiversity evaluation in four Croatian counties stretching from sea level to the highest mountain in Croatia. Data on habitats, vascular flora, and fauna (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, ground beetles, and underground invertebrates) were collected and analyzed for each of the four counties. Emphasis was given to the richness of endangered species and the rarity of endemic species. Based on the spatial analyses of habitat, fauna, and flora data, four to six areas were selected from each county and ranked according to their biodiversity importance. Overlap between areas important for richness and those important for rarity was highest for data on flora (65.5%) and lowest for data on fauna (16.7%). When different data sets were compared, the lowest overlap was between flora and fauna (17.1%) and largest between fauna and habitats (23.9%). Simultaneous overlap among all three data sets was found in just 6.5% of the overall selected areas. These results suggest that less specific data, with respect to taxa threat status, could better serve as surrogate data in estimating overall biodiversity. In summary, this analysis has demonstrated that Dalmatia is a region with a high overall biodiversity that is important in a broader European context.

Quaternary vertebrate faunas from Sumba, Indonesia: implications for Wallacean biogeography and evolution

PubMed Central

Crees, Jennifer J.; Hansford, James; Jeffree, Timothy E.; Crumpton, Nick; Kurniawan, Iwan; Setiyabudi, Erick; Paranggarimu, Umbu; Dosseto, Anthony; van den Bergh, Gerrit D.

2017-01-01

Historical patterns of diversity, biogeography and faunal turnover remain poorly understood for Wallacea, the biologically and geologically complex island region between the Asian and Australian continental shelves. A distinctive Quaternary vertebrate fauna containing the small-bodied hominin Homo floresiensis, pygmy Stegodon proboscideans, varanids and giant murids has been described from Flores, but Quaternary faunas are poorly known from most other Lesser Sunda Islands. We report the discovery of extensive new fossil vertebrate collections from Pleistocene and Holocene deposits on Sumba, a large Wallacean island situated less than 50 km south of Flores. A fossil assemblage recovered from a Pleistocene deposit at Lewapaku in the interior highlands of Sumba, which may be close to 1 million years old, contains a series of skeletal elements of a very small Stegodon referable to S. sumbaensis, a tooth attributable to Varanus komodoensis, and fragmentary remains of unidentified giant murids. Holocene cave deposits at Mahaniwa dated to approximately 2000–3500 BP yielded extensive material of two new genera of endemic large-bodied murids, as well as fossils of an extinct frugivorous varanid. This new baseline for reconstructing Wallacean faunal histories reveals that Sumba's Quaternary vertebrate fauna, although phylogenetically distinctive, was comparable in diversity and composition to the Quaternary fauna of Flores, suggesting that similar assemblages may have characterized Quaternary terrestrial ecosystems on many or all of the larger Lesser Sunda Islands. PMID:28855367

A camerate-rich late carboniferous (Moscovian) crinoid fauna from volcanic conglomerate, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lane, N.G.; Waters, J.A.; Maples, C.G.; Marcus, S.A.; Liao, Z.-T.

1996-01-01

A low-diversity camerate-rich crinoid fauna from the Qijiagou Formation, Taoshigo Valley near Turpan, Xinjiang-Uygar Autonomous Region, China was collected during field work in May, 1993. The crinoid fauna is dominated by species of Platycrinites. Other camerate crinoids include a species in the Paragaricocrinidae, Actinocrinites, a hexacrinitid, and an acrocrinoid. The only other non-North American occurrence of this latter family is Springeracrocrinus from the Moscovian of Russia. In addition to the camerates, there are several advanced cladid inadunates more typical of Upper Carboniferous crinoid faunas, including an erisocrinoid (possibly Sinocrinus), Graphiocrinus, ?Cromyocrinus, and an agassizocrinoid (Petschoracrinus) represented by partly fused infrabasal cones. A single radial plate with angustary facet may represent a cyathocrinoid, There also is a catillocrinoid, assigned here to Paracatillocrinus. The fauna, which resembles Moscovian crinoids described from Russia, is preserved in graded volcanic conglomeratic debris flows that overlie a carbonate mound and contain clasts up to 3 m in dimension. The crinoids are fragmentary, with many calyces seemingly torn into two or three pieces and dumped in with the pyroclastic debris. Camerates are represented by large thecal scraps consisting of numerous plates, or by large individual plates or circlets. Other fossils include rare solitary rugose corals, tabular bryozoans, Neospirifer, and other fragmentary brachiopods. We suspect that the crinoids may have been swept off of a nearby carbonate mound and deposited as debris-flow bedload.

The Impact of Water Table Drawdown and Drying on Subterranean Aquatic Fauna in In-Vitro Experiments

PubMed Central

Stumpp, Christine; Hose, Grant C.

2013-01-01

The abstraction of groundwater is a global phenomenon that directly threatens groundwater ecosystems. Despite the global significance of this issue, the impact of groundwater abstraction and the lowering of groundwater tables on biota is poorly known. The aim of this study is to determine the impacts of groundwater drawdown in unconfined aquifers on the distribution of fauna close to the water table, and the tolerance of groundwater fauna to sediment drying once water levels have declined. A series of column experiments were conducted to investigate the depth distribution of different stygofauna (Syncarida and Copepoda) under saturated conditions and after fast and slow water table declines. Further, the survival of stygofauna under conditions of reduced sediment water content was tested. The distribution and response of stygofauna to water drawdown was taxon specific, but with the common response of some fauna being stranded by water level decline. So too, the survival of stygofauna under different levels of sediment saturation was variable. Syncarida were better able to tolerate drying conditions than the Copepoda, but mortality of all groups increased with decreasing sediment water content. The results of this work provide new understanding of the response of fauna to water table drawdown. Such improved understanding is necessary for sustainable use of groundwater, and allows for targeted strategies to better manage groundwater abstraction and maintain groundwater biodiversity. PMID:24278111

Insular mammalian fauna dynamics and paleogeography: A lesson from the Western Mediterranean islands

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract Since the time of Darwin (1859) and Wallace (1869), islands have been regarded by scientists as a prime target for scrutinizing the forces that may influence evolution and diversification and important elements in biogeographic studies. This research aims to scrutinize whether and to what extent the composition and structure of past mammal insular faunas and their changes through time may provide sound clues for inferring the paleogeographical evolution of a region. As a case study, I critically analyzed the dynamics shown by the Plio–Pleistocene mammalian fauna of 3 Western Mediterranean insular districts, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Sicily, each characterized by its own peculiar paleobiogeographical evolutionary history. The revision of faunas and the critical analysis of the dispersal ability of the ancestors of island settlers have allowed hypothesizing on the time and mode of island colonization. The results obtained confirm that the early isolation of the Balearic Islands from the mainland led to the establishment of an endemic fauna since the pre‐Messinian Miocene (?Astaracian European Land Mammal Age, MN7/8), and that Sardinia has definitely been isolated since the Pliocene, although dispersal events led to some faunal turnovers during the Pleistocene. In addition, the results suggest for Sicily a complex, still imperfectly disentangled history of alternate phases of complete separation and sporadic, more or less difficult connections with southern Italy. PMID:28688123

Results of Radiocarbon Dating of Holocene Deposits from the Sea of Azov

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matishov, G. G.; Kovaleva, G. V.; Arslanov, Kh. A.; Dyuzhova, K. V.; Polshin, V. V.; Zolotareva, A. E.

2018-04-01

New data on the absolute age of Quaternary bottom deposits from the Sea of Azov based on the results of radiocarbon analysis (14C) are presented. Overall, 67 radiocarbon dating of bottom deposits of New and Ancient Azov Ages were obtained. The thickness of sediments of the New Azov Age and their distribution over different areas of the Sea of Azov was determined during the study; the results obtained were compared with the reference data available. An integrated approach to the study of deposits, based on the combination of the biostratigraphy methods and the results of absolute age dating, was applied.

Upper Paleocene and lowermost Eocene angiosperm pollen biostratigraphy of the eastern Gulf Coast and Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frederiksen, N.O.

1998-01-01

Strata comprising most of the upper Paleocene in eastern North America are divided into two new pollen zones, the Carya and Platycarya platycaryoides Interval Zones. Pollen data have proven to be important for correlations between Alabama-western Georgia and eastern Mississippi and between the eastern Gulf Coast and Virginia. Migration of tropical plant taxa from the Caribbean to the Gulf Coast began at least 4 m.y. before the end of the Paleocene. The Terminal Paleocene Extinction Event, accompanied by a distinct pulse of plant immigration from Europe, began several hundred thousand years before the end of the Paleocene.

New results of microfaunal and geochemical investigations in the Permian-Triassic boundary interval from the Jadar Block (NW Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudar, Milan N.; Kolar-Jurkovšek, Tea; Nestell, Galina P.; Jovanović, Divna; Jurkovšek, Bogdan; Williams, Jeremy; Brookfield, Michael; Stebbins, Alan

2018-04-01

Detail results of microfaunal, sedimentological and geochemical investigations are documented from a newly discovered section of the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) interval in the area of the town of Valjevo (northwestern Serbia). The presence of various and abundant microfossils (conodonts, foraminifers, and ostracodes) found in the Upper Permian "Bituminous limestone" Formation enabled a determination of the Changhsingian Hindeodus praeparvus conodont Zone. This paper is the first report of latest Permian strata from the region, as well as from all of Serbia, where the PTB interval sediments have been part of a complex/integrated study by means of biostratigraphy and geochemistry.

21 CFR 25.21 - Extraordinary circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... environment; and (b) Actions that adversely affect a species or the critical habitat of a species determined under the Endangered Species Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to be endangered or threatened or wild flora or fauna that are entitled to special...

21 CFR 25.21 - Extraordinary circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... environment; and (b) Actions that adversely affect a species or the critical habitat of a species determined under the Endangered Species Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to be endangered or threatened or wild flora or fauna that are entitled to special...

50 CFR 23.1 - What are the purposes of these regulations and CITES?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...), implement CITES through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ... ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Introduction § 23.1 What are the purposes of these... Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, the Convention, the Treaty, or...

50 CFR 23.1 - What are the purposes of these regulations and CITES?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...), implement CITES through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ... ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Introduction § 23.1 What are the purposes of these... Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, the Convention, the Treaty, or...

21 CFR 25.21 - Extraordinary circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... environment; and (b) Actions that adversely affect a species or the critical habitat of a species determined under the Endangered Species Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to be endangered or threatened or wild flora or fauna that are entitled to special...

21 CFR 25.21 - Extraordinary circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... environment; and (b) Actions that adversely affect a species or the critical habitat of a species determined under the Endangered Species Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to be endangered or threatened or wild flora or fauna that are entitled to special...

50 CFR 23.1 - What are the purposes of these regulations and CITES?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...), implement CITES through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ... ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Introduction § 23.1 What are the purposes of these... Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, the Convention, the Treaty, or...

21 CFR 25.21 - Extraordinary circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... environment; and (b) Actions that adversely affect a species or the critical habitat of a species determined under the Endangered Species Act or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to be endangered or threatened or wild flora or fauna that are entitled to special...

50 CFR 23.1 - What are the purposes of these regulations and CITES?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...), implement CITES through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ... ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Introduction § 23.1 What are the purposes of these... Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, the Convention, the Treaty, or...

50 CFR 23.1 - What are the purposes of these regulations and CITES?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...), implement CITES through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ... ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) Introduction § 23.1 What are the purposes of these... Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, the Convention, the Treaty, or...

Estuarine Biotope Mosaics and Habitat Management Goals: An Application in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Many types of anthropogenic stress to estuaries lead to destruction and conversion of habitats, thus altering habitat landscapes and changing the “arena” in which the life history interactions of native fauna take place. This can lead to decreased populations of valued fauna, an...

Estuarine Biotope Mosaics and Habitat Management Goals: An Application in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Many types of anthropogenic stress to estuaries lead to destruction and conversion of habitats, thus altering habitat landscapes and changing the “arena” in which the life history interactions of native fauna take place. This can lead to decreased populations of valued fauna, a...

Effect of soil heating by 239Pu on field fauna

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krivolutskii, D. A.; Fedorova, M. N.

1973-12-01

This paper presents continued studies on the effect of radioactive heating of the medium on soil fauna. Plutonium-239 was selected for study because of its high radiotoxicity and because the effects of heating of a medium by alpha radiation on the animal population had not been previously observed.

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States. Echinodermata: Holothuroidea.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawson, David L.

This report is part of a subseries entitled "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States" which is designed for use by biology students, biologists, biological oceanographers and informed laymen. Contents of this report include: (1) Introduction; (2) Morphology; (3) Systematic Characters; (4) Examination Procedures; (5)…

40 CFR 125.11 - Criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... project is not indigenous to the immediate geographical area, there will be minimal adverse effects on the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, and the total commercial value of the introduced species is at least equal to that of the displaced or affected indigenous flora and fauna; (4) The Director determines...

40 CFR 125.11 - Criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... project is not indigenous to the immediate geographical area, there will be minimal adverse effects on the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, and the total commercial value of the introduced species is at least equal to that of the displaced or affected indigenous flora and fauna; (4) The Director determines...

40 CFR 125.11 - Criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... project is not indigenous to the immediate geographical area, there will be minimal adverse effects on the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, and the total commercial value of the introduced species is at least equal to that of the displaced or affected indigenous flora and fauna; (4) The Director determines...

40 CFR 125.11 - Criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... project is not indigenous to the immediate geographical area, there will be minimal adverse effects on the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, and the total commercial value of the introduced species is at least equal to that of the displaced or affected indigenous flora and fauna; (4) The Director determines...

40 CFR 125.11 - Criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... project is not indigenous to the immediate geographical area, there will be minimal adverse effects on the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, and the total commercial value of the introduced species is at least equal to that of the displaced or affected indigenous flora and fauna; (4) The Director determines...

Using Scientific Inquiry to Teach Students about Water Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puche, Helena; Holt, Jame

2012-01-01

This semi-guided inquiry activity explores the macroinvertebrate fauna in water sources affected by different levels of pollution. Students develop their ability to identify macroinvertebrates, compare aquatic fauna from different sources of water samples, evaluate water quality using an index, document and analyze data, raise questions and…

PARASITIC AND SYMBIONIC FAUNA IN OYSTERS (CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA) COLLECTED FROM THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER AND ESTUARY, FLORIDA

EPA Science Inventory

Studies of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, collected from ten sites in the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary, Florida, revealed a varied parasite and symbiotic fauna that have never been reported from this area. Organisms observed included ovacystis virus infecting gametes...

An Experimental Ecological Study of a Garden Compost Heap.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curds, Tracy

1985-01-01

A quantitative study of the fauna of a garden compost heap shows it to be similar to that of organisms found in soil and leaf litter. Materials, methods, and results are discussed and extensive tables of fauna lists, wet/dry masses, and statistical analyses are presented. (Author/DH)

Reply to comments on: "Tethyan calpionellids in the Neuquén Basin (Argentine Andes), their significance in defining the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and pathways for Tethyan-Eastern Pacific connections" by Kietzmann & Iglesia Llanos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Martínez, Rafael; Aguirre-Urreta, Beatriz; Lescano, Marina; Concheyro, Andrea; Vennari, Verónica; Ramos, Victor A.

2018-07-01

The comments by Kietzmann & Iglesia Llanos (Comment on "Tethyan calpionellids in the Neuquén Basin (Argentine Andes), their significance in defining the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and pathways for Tethyan-Eastern Pacific connections" by R. López-Martínez, B. Aguirre-Urreta, M. Lescano, A. Concheyro, V. Vennari and V. Ramos) on our paper published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences 78 (2017): 116-125, provide a worthy opportunity to further clarify our observations and interpretations regarding the importance of precise biostratigraphic studies in the definition of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in the Argentine Andes. These include the calpionellids as primary markers, the classic and widespread nannofossils bioevents as secondary markers, together with a detailed ammonite zonation.

The crustaceans and pycnogonids of the Mariana Islands

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paulay, Gustav; Kropp, Roy K.; Ng, Peter K.

2003-09-01

The crustacean and pycnogonid fauna of the Mariana Islands is reviewed, and 829 crustacean and 15 pycnogonid species are documented from the archipelago based on literature records and new collections, including 272 new records. Voucher specimens are listed for 605 and photographic records for 356 species. The bulk of the fauna is marine, including 12 terrestrial and 11 freshwater decapods with marine larvae. Five cladocerans comprise the known freshwater fauna, and 25 peracarids and one copepod are currently documented on land. Coverage reflects a taxonomically uneven effort, and is strongly biased toward macrocrustaceans, with decapods accounting for 80%, and crabsmore » for 50% of the recorded crustacean diversity.« less

Paleoecological implications of Alaskan terrestrial vertebrate fauna in latest Cretaceous time at high paleolatitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemens, William A.; Gayle Nelms, L.

1993-06-01

The latest Cretaceous cool temperate environment of the Alaskan North Slope included dinosaurs (some species represented by both juveniles and adults) and mammals, all probably endothermic, and freshwater fish among its terrestrial vertebrate fauna. No traces have been found of amphibians or nondinosaurian reptiles, ectothermic vertebrates that are abundantly represented in approximately contemporaneous faunas of North American middle paleolatitudes. A geologically brief period of intense cold and darkness has been hypothesized as the primary cause of terminal Cretaceous extinctions. However, the extinction of the lineages of Alaskan dinosaurs and mammals, in contrast to the survival of most lineages of amphibians and nondinosaurian reptiles into the Tertiary, contradicts this hypothesis.

An annotated catalogue of the mayfly fauna of Turkey (Insecta, Ephemeroptera)

PubMed Central

Salur, Ali; Darilmaz, Mustafa Cemal; Bauernfeind, Ernst

2016-01-01

Abstract The mayfly fauna of Turkey was reviewed including all hitherto known distribution records together with references and a few new records. Additionally, comments on taxonomy, identification and nomenclature are provided. Two species are new for the Turkish fauna: Ephemera romantzovi Kluge, 1988 and Thraulus thraker Jacob, 1988. A list of taxa including their recorded distribution in Turkey (according to provinces) is provided in the annotated catalogue. The type locality is also given for each species originally described from Turkey. According to the literature and the new records, 157 mayfly taxa representing 33 genera and 14 families were described from Turkey. Among them, 24 species are considered endemic to Anatolia. PMID:27853408

Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) at Four Sites in Saskatchewan, Canada, 2006-2007.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We examined the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of adult double-crested cormorants from breeding colonies on four very different lakes spanning a major ecotone from prairie to boreal forest in Saskatchewan, Canada. Our objectives were to document regional parasite fauna, and identify potential diff...

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States. Sipuncula.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Edward B.

This report is part of a subseries entitled "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States" which is designed for use by biology students, biologists, biological oceanographers and informed laymen. Contents of this report include: (1) Introduction; (2) Key to Sipuncula (Peanut Worms); (3) Annotated Systematic List of Species;…

A hierarchical classification of freshwater mussel diversity in North America

Treesearch

Wendell R. Haag

2010-01-01

Aim North America harbours the most diverse freshwater mussel fauna on Earth. This fauna has high endemism at the continental scale and within individual river systems. Previous faunal classifications for North America were based on intuitive, subjective assessments of species distributions, primarily the occurrence of endemic species, and do not portray continent-wide...

The cave fauna of California

Treesearch

William R. Elliott; James R. Reddell; D. Craig Rudolph; G.O. Graening; Thomas S. Briggs; Darrell Ubick; Rolf L. Aalbu; Jean Krejca; Steven J. Taylor

2017-01-01

Hidden biodiversity is revealed in this study of California's subterranean fauna, which contains distinctive elements that differentiate it from other North American regions. Since 1975, the rate of discovery of new species has accelerated with funded projects in most of the important cave areas of the state, including our own studies. Here we compile all...

PARASITIC AND SYMBIOTIC FAUNA IN OYSTERS (CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA) AND MUD CRABS (PANOPEUS SPP.) FROM THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY, FLORIDA, USA.

EPA Science Inventory

Volety, Aswani K., S. Greg Tolley and James T. Winstead. 2002. Parasitic and Symbiotic Fauna in Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Mud Crabs (Panopeus spp.) from the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida, USA (Abstract). Presented at the 4th International Conference on Molluscan Shell...

The deep scattering layer micronektonic fish faunas of the Atlantic mesopelagic ecoregions with comparison of the corresponding decapod shrimp faunas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judkins, David C.; Haedrich, Richard L.

2018-06-01

Three hundred and twenty-nine species of micronektonic fishes were identified in 1040 midwater trawl collections taken between 1963 and 1974 from the North and South Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The target of most tows was the deep scattering layer, and consequently the dominant species in the material were those that were concentrated in the layer. The results only generally confirm the 11 Atlantic mesopelagic ecoregions previously recognized. The geometric mean of the proportion of joint occurrences (GMPJO) of species with tows within each ecoregion was used to characterize the faunas of the ecoregions. The ecoregion affinities of fishes were compared to those of decapod shrimp in the same collections. The fish and shrimp faunas of ecoregions could be distinguished by GMPJO values, but the ranges of species favoring each ecoregion varied widely in extent and did not conform well to ecoregion boundaries or features of circulation. This suggests that co-occurring species respond differently to the physical properties and resulting biological factors defining mesopelagic ecoregions.

Parasite assemblages of Australian species of Pseudomys (Rodentia: Muridae: Murinae).

PubMed

Weaver, H J; Smales, L R

2012-02-01

The parasite fauna of many Australian rodents is poorly known. The ectoparasite and helminth faunas of Pseudomys delicatulus, Pseudomys desertor, Pseudomys gracilicaudatus, and Pseudomys hermannsburgensis were determined and compared. In total, 12 species of arthropods, 2 cestodes, and 13 nematodes were found. Species richness of parasites was highest in P. hermannsburgensis and lowest in P. desertor. Despite the sampling effort, the number of parasite species discovered did not reach an asymptote for any of the host species, indicating that the full parasite fauna was not examined. Helminth species richness was highest in the insectivorous P. hermannsburgensis and lower in the obligate herbivores. The structure of parasite component communities was influenced by the social structure of the host species, not surprisingly, with the most highly social species having the highest richness of parasites. Habitat preferences also provided contrast between the helminth component communities, with heligmonellid nematodes occurring in damp woodlands and dominating the parasite fauna of P. gracilicaudatus. Oxyurid nematodes dominated the component communities of the 3 other species, all of which inhabit drier habitats.

The identification of Oligo-Miocene mammalian palaeocommunities from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, Australia and an appraisal of palaeoecological techniques

PubMed Central

Black, Karen H.; Archer, Michael; Hand, Suzanne J.

2017-01-01

Fourteen of the best sampled Oligo-Miocene local faunas from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, north-western Queensland, Australia are analysed using classification and ordination techniques to identify potential mammalian palaeocommunities and palaeocommunity types. Abundance data for these faunas are used, for the first time, in conjunction with presence/absence data. An early Miocene Faunal Zone B and two middle Miocene Faunal Zone C palaeocommunities are recognised, as well as one palaeocommunity type. Change in palaeocommunity structure, between the early Miocene and middle Miocene, may be the result of significant climate change during the Miocene Carbon Isotope Excursion. The complexes of local faunas identified will allow researchers to use novel palaeocommunities in future analyses of Riversleigh’s fossil faunas. The utility of some palaeoecological multivariate indices and techniques is examined. The Dice index is found to outperform other binary similarity/distance coefficients, while the UPGMA algorithm is more useful than neighbour joining. Evidence is equivocal for the usefulness of presence/absence data compared to abundance. PMID:28674663

Changes in Seagrass Species Composition in Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Estuaries: Effects on Associated Seagrass Fauna

PubMed Central

Ray, Brandon R.; Johnson, Matthew W.; Cammarata, Kirk; Smee, Delbert L.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to measure the communities associated with different seagrass species to predict how shifts in seagrass species composition may affect associated fauna. In the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, coverage of the historically dominant shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) is decreasing, while coverage of manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) and turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is increasing. We conducted a survey of fishes, crabs, and shrimp in monospecific beds of shoal, manatee, and turtle grass habitats of South Texas, USA to assess how changes in sea grass species composition would affect associated fauna. We measured seagrass parameters including shoot density, above ground biomass, epiphyte type, and epiphyte abundance to investigate relationships between faunal abundance and these seagrass parameters. We observed significant differences in communities among three seagrass species, even though these organisms are highly motile and could easily travel among the different seagrasses. Results showed species specific relationships among several different characteristics of the seagrass community and individual species abundance. More work is needed to discern the drivers of the complex relationships between individual seagrass species and their associated fauna. PMID:25229897

[Contributions of soil fauna to litter decomposition in alpine/subalpine forests].

PubMed

Liu, Rui-Long; Li, Wei-Min; Yang, Wan-Qin; Tan, Bo; Wang, Wen-Jun; Xu, Zhen-Feng; Wu, Fu-Zhong

2013-12-01

A field experiment was conducted using the litterbag method to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to litter mass loss of Salix paraplesia, Sabina saltuaria, Betula albosinensis and Abies faxoniana during different key periods of the decomposition process of the first year (from November 2011 to October 2012). The results showed that the mass loss rate showed S. paraplesia > B. albosinensis > A. faxoniana > S. saltuaria, and the rate in the growing season was greater than in the freeze-thaw season. The contribution rate of soil fauna to the mass decomposition displayed as S. saltuaria (26.7%) > A. faxoniana (18.8%) > B. albosinensis (15.7%) > S. paraplesia (13.2%), which was higher in the freeze-thaw season than in the growing season for litter of B. albo-sinensis and A. faxoniana while vice versa for litter of B. albosinensis and A. faxoniana. The contribution of soil fauna was mainly related to organic C, P and N/P in the freeze-thaw season, while N, C/N, lignin and lignin/cellulose in the growing season.

Rodents and climate: A new model for estimating past temperatures [rapid communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legendre, Serge; Montuire, Sophie; Maridet, Olivier; Escarguel, Gilles

2005-06-01

Based on the high correlation between species richness in sigmodontine rodents and temperatures, we propose a new model in order to quantify past climates. Because of the close phylogenetic relationship and the tooth morphological similarity between extant New World cricetids (Sigmodontinae) and fossil European cricetids (Cricetinae s.l.), extant New World sigmodontines are taken as analogues for Old World fossil cricetines. Sigmodontine species richness has been compiled for 282 extant local faunas from North, Central and South America, with corresponding climatic data (temperatures and precipitations). There is almost no correlation between areas covered by local faunas (ranging from 1 km 2 up to 46,000 km 2) and numbers of sigmodontine species in localities ( R2 = 0.027). Number of sigmodontine species in local faunas and mean annual daily temperatures are highly correlated ( R2 = 0.88). The relationships of species richness and precipitation is low ( R2 = 0.19 for mean annual precipitation). The method is exemplified for Old World cricetines using well documented Miocene rodent faunas located in the Lyon area (France MN4-5 to MN10).

Beyond the bed: effects of metal contamination on recruitment to bedded sediments and overlying substrata.

PubMed

Hill, Nicole A; Simpson, Stuart L; Johnston, Emma L

2013-02-01

Metal-contaminated sediments pose a recognised threat to sediment-dwelling fauna. Re-mobilisation of contaminated sediments however, may impact more broadly on benthic ecosystems, including on diverse assemblages living on hard substrata patches immediately above sediments. We used manipulative field experiments to simultaneously test for the effects of metal contamination on recruitment to marine sediments and overlying hard substrata. Recruitment to sediments was strongly and negatively affected by metal contamination. However, while assemblage-level effects on hard-substratum fauna and flora were observed, most functional groups were unaffected or slightly enhanced by exposure to contaminated sediments. Diversity of hard-substratum fauna was also enhanced by metal contamination at one site. Metal-contaminated sediments appear to pose less of a hazard to hard-substratum than sediment-dwelling assemblages, perhaps due to a lower direct contaminant exposure or to indirect effects mediated by contaminant impacts on sediment fauna. Our results indicate that current sediment quality guidelines are protective of hard-substrata organisms. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annotated Checklist of Tingidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Turkey with new records for the faunas of Europe and Turkish Thrace.

PubMed

Dursun, Ahmet; Fent, Meral

2017-11-14

In this study, all the so far manuscripts on Tingidae fauna in Turkey has been revised and adults samples from the family Tingidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) were collected from different localities in Anatolia and Thrace of Turkey and an annotated checklist of Tingidae occurring is presented. As a results of this study, of Tingidae fauna from Turkey stated that it consists of 78 species has revealed that the number of species is 88 species and 1 subspecies. Nine species and subspecies, Catoplatus horvathi (Puton, 1878), Copium clavicorne clavicorne (Linnaeus, 1758), Derephysia foliacea foliacea (Fallén, 1807), Dictyla nassata (Puton, 1874), Dictyla rotundata (Herrich-Schaeffer, 1835), Dictyonota strichnocera Fieber, 1844, Lasiacantha capucina capucina (Germar, 1837) Stephanitis oschanini Vasiliev, 1935 and Tingis geniculata (Fieber, 1844) are new records for the fauna of Turkish Thrace (European part of Turkey) and of those, S. oschanini is recorded for the first time from Europe. The specimen Dictyonata astragali Štusák & Önder, 1982 type locality in Turkey has been mentioned second locality from Merzifon (Amasya).

Late Ordovician palaeogeography and the positions of the Kazakh terranes through analysis of their brachiopod faunas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Leonid E.; Cocks, Robin M.

2017-09-01

Detailed biogeographical and biofacies analyses of the Late Ordovician brachiopod faunas with 160 genera, grouped into 94 faunas from individual lithotectonic units within the Kazakh Orogen strongly support an archipelago model for that time in that area. The Kazakh island arcs and microcontinents within several separate clusters were located in the tropics on both sides of the Equator. Key units, from which the Late Ordovician faunas are now well known, include the Boshchekul, Chingiz-Tarbagatai, and Chu-Ili terranes. The development of brachiopod biogeography within the nearly ten million year time span of the Late Ordovician from about 458 to 443 Ma (Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian), is supported by much new data, including our revised identifications from the Kazakh Orogen and elsewhere. The Kazakh archipelago was west of the Australasian segment of the Gondwana Supercontinent, and relatively near the Tarim, South China and North China continents, apart from the Atashu-Zhamshi Microcontinent, which probably occupied a relatively isolated position on the south-western margin of the archipelago. Distinct faunal signatures indicate that the Kazakh terranes were far away from Baltica and Siberia throughout the Ordovician. Although some earlier terranes had joined each other before the Middle Ordovician, the amalgamation of Kazakh terranes into the single continent of Kazakhstania by the end of the Ordovician is very unlikely. The Late Ordovician brachiopods from the other continents are also compared with the Kazakh faunas and global provincialisation statistically determined.

Assessing Potential Conservation and Restoration Areas of Freshwater Fish Fauna in the Indian River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, Jay P.; Manish, Kumar; Mehta, Rajender; Pandit, Maharaj K.

2016-05-01

Conservation efforts globally are skewed toward terrestrial ecosystems. To date, conservation of aquatic ecosystems, in particular fish fauna, is largely neglected. We provide a country-wide assessment of Indian river ecosystems in order to identify and prioritize areas for protection and restoration of freshwater fish fauna. Using various biodiversity and anthropogenic attributes, coupled with tools of ecological modeling, we delineated areas for fish fauna conservation and restoration in the 20 major river basins of India. To do this, we used prioritization analyses and reserve selection algorithms to derive conservation value index (CVI) and vulnerability index (VI) of the river basins. CVI was estimated using endemicity, rarity, conservation value, and taxonomic singularity, while VI was estimated using a disturbance index derived from percent geographic area of the basin under human settlements, human population density, predominant land use, and total number of exotic fish species in each basin. The two indices, CVI and VI, were converted into geo-referenced maps, and each map was super-imposed onto species richness and forest cover maps, respectively. After superimposition, areas with high CVI and low VI shade intensities were delineated for conservation, while areas with high CVI and high VI shade intensities were demarcated for restoration. In view of the importance of freshwater fish for human livelihoods and consumption, and ecosystems of India's rivers, we call for urgent attention to the conservation of their fish fauna along with restoration of their degraded habitats.

Relation between the Electromagnetic Processes in the Near-Earth Space and Dynamics of the Biological Resources in Russian Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarova, L. N.; Shirochkov, A. V.

It is a well-established fact that the electromagnetic processes of different kind occurring in the near- Earth space produce significant effects in the Earth's atmosphere at all altitudes including the ground surface. There are some indications that these processes could influence at least indirectly the human health conditions. In this study we explore relation between perturbations in the solar wind (dynamics of its density, velocity, intensity of the interplanetary magnetic field) and long- term changes in population of some species of Arctic fauna (lemmings, polar foxes, deers, wolves, elks etc.) It was found out that the best statistical coupling between various Space Weather parameters and the changes in populations of the Arctic fauna species appears when the solar wind dynamic pressure magnitude is taken as one of these parameters. It was shown that the secular variations of the solar UV radiation expressed as the Total Solar Irradiance appears to be a space parameter, showing the best correlation with the changes in population of the Arctic fauna species. Such high correlation coefficients as 0.8 are obtained. It is premature now to discuss exact physical mechanisms, which could explain the obtained relations. A possible mutual dependence of some climatic factors and fauna population in Arctic on the Space Weather parameters is discussed in this connection. Conclusion is made that the electromagnetic fields of space origin is an important factor determining dynamics of population of the Arctic fauna species.

Assessing Potential Conservation and Restoration Areas of Freshwater Fish Fauna in the Indian River Basins.

PubMed

Bhatt, Jay P; Manish, Kumar; Mehta, Rajender; Pandit, Maharaj K

2016-05-01

Conservation efforts globally are skewed toward terrestrial ecosystems. To date, conservation of aquatic ecosystems, in particular fish fauna, is largely neglected. We provide a country-wide assessment of Indian river ecosystems in order to identify and prioritize areas for protection and restoration of freshwater fish fauna. Using various biodiversity and anthropogenic attributes, coupled with tools of ecological modeling, we delineated areas for fish fauna conservation and restoration in the 20 major river basins of India. To do this, we used prioritization analyses and reserve selection algorithms to derive conservation value index (CVI) and vulnerability index (VI) of the river basins. CVI was estimated using endemicity, rarity, conservation value, and taxonomic singularity, while VI was estimated using a disturbance index derived from percent geographic area of the basin under human settlements, human population density, predominant land use, and total number of exotic fish species in each basin. The two indices, CVI and VI, were converted into geo-referenced maps, and each map was super-imposed onto species richness and forest cover maps, respectively. After superimposition, areas with high CVI and low VI shade intensities were delineated for conservation, while areas with high CVI and high VI shade intensities were demarcated for restoration. In view of the importance of freshwater fish for human livelihoods and consumption, and ecosystems of India's rivers, we call for urgent attention to the conservation of their fish fauna along with restoration of their degraded habitats.

Benthic foraminiferal responses to operational drill cutting discharge in the SW Barents Sea - a case study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aagaard-Sørensen, Steffen; Junttila, Juho; Dijkstra, Noortje

2016-04-01

Petroleum related exploration activities started in the Barents Sea 1980, reaching 97 exploration wells drilled per January 2013. The biggest operational discharge from drilling operations in the Barents Sea is the release of drill cuttings (crushed seabed and/or bedrock) and water based drilling muds including the commonly used weighing material barite (BaSO4). Barium (Ba), a constituent of barite, does not degrade and can be used to evaluate dispersion and accumulation of drill waste. The environmental impact associated with exploration drilling within the Goliat Field, SW Barents Sea in 2006 was evaluated via a multiproxy investigation of local sediments. The sediments were retrieved in November 2014 at ~350 meters water depth and coring sites were selected at distances of 5, 30, 60, 125 and 250 meters from the drill hole in the eastward downstream direction. The dispersion pattern of drill waste was estimated via measurements of sediment parameters including grain size distribution and water content in addition to heavy metal and total organic carbon contents. The environmental impact was evaluated via micro faunal analysis based on benthic foraminiferal (marine shell bearing protists) fauna composition and concentration changes. Observing the sediment parameters, most notably Ba levels, reveals that dispersion of drill waste was limited to <125 meters from the drill site with drill waste thicknesses decreasing downstream. The abruptness and quantity of drill waste sedimentation initially smothered the foraminiferal fauna at ≤ 30 meters from the drill site, while at a distance of 60 meters, the fauna seemingly survived and bioturbation persisted. Analysis of the live (Nov 2014) foraminiferal fauna reveals a natural species composition at all distances from the drill site within the top sediments (0-5 cm core depth). Furthermore, the fossil foraminiferal fauna composition found within post-impacted top sediment sections, particularly in the cores situated at 30 and 60 meters from the drill site, suggests that reestablishment of the foraminiferal fauna likely commenced shortly after cessation of drilling activity.

Early Eocene deep-sea benthic foraminiferal faunas: Recovery from the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum extinction in a greenhouse world

PubMed Central

Thomas, Ellen; D’haenens, Simon; Speijer, Robert P.; Alegret, Laia

2018-01-01

The early Eocene greenhouse world was marked by multiple transient hyperthermal events. The most extreme was the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ~56 Ma), linked to the extinction of the globally recognised deep-sea benthic foraminiferal Velasco fauna, which led to the development of early Eocene assemblages. This turnover has been studied at high resolution, but faunal development into the later early Eocene is poorly documented. There is no widely accepted early Eocene equivalent of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Velasco fauna, mainly due to the use of different taxonomic concepts. We compiled Ypresian benthic foraminiferal data from 17 middle bathyal-lower abyssal ocean drilling sites in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, in order to characterise early Eocene deep-sea faunas by comparing assemblages across space, paleodepth and time. Nuttallides truempyi, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Bulimina trinitatensis, the Bulimina simplex group, the Anomalinoides spissiformis group, pleurostomellids, uniserial lagenids, stilostomellids and lenticulinids were ubiquitous during the early Eocene (lower-middle Ypresian). Aragonia aragonensis, the Globocassidulina subglobosa group, the Cibicidoides eocaenus group and polymorphinids became ubiquitous during the middle Ypresian. The most abundant early Ypresian taxa were tolerant to stressed or disturbed environments, either by opportunistic behavior (Quadrimorphina profunda, Tappanina selmensis, Siphogenerinoides brevispinosa) and/or the ability to calcify in carbonate-corrosive waters (N. truempyi). Nuttallides truempyi, T. selmensis and other buliminids (Bolivinoides cf. decoratus group, Bulimina virginiana) were markedly abundant during the middle Ypresian. Contrary to the long-lived, highly diverse and equitable Velasco fauna, common and abundant taxa reflect highly perturbed assemblages through the earliest Ypresian, with lower diversity and equitability following the PETM extinction. In contrast, the middle Ypresian assemblages may indicate a recovering fauna, though to some extent persistently disturbed by the lower-amplitude Eocene hyperthermals (e.g., Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 and 3). We propose the name ‘Walvis Ridge fauna’ for future reference to these Ypresian deep-sea benthic foraminiferal assemblages. PMID:29474429

Sargassum-associated mobile fauna communities in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Sargasso Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, L.; Schell, J. M.; Goodwin, D.; Biggs, D.; Siuda, A. N.

2016-02-01

Sargassum natans and S. fluitans are entirely pelagic, offering a pseudo-benthic structural habitat for an associated community of mobile fauna. In turn, the mobile fauna community supports foraging seabirds, fish, and turtles. Recent satellite observations suggest Sargassum in the Sargasso Sea is seeded annually from the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, the Caribbean is in the midst of a Sargassum inundation that appears disconnected in origin from the Sargasso Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Sargassum and fauna were collected via dip net during spring and summer 2015 from the Gulf of Mexico, Sargasso Sea and Eastern Caribbean to study the impacts that region, aggregation pattern (isolated clump, windrow, mat), and Sargassum variety morphology have on mobile fauna community composition. Sargassum from all three regions shared five common (frequency >10%) species: flatworm spp., Portunus sayi, Litiopa melanostoma, Leander tenuicornis, and Latreutes fucorum). The Gulf presented the most unique species (9 unique / 16 total) followed by the Sargasso Sea (5 unique / 12 total) and the Caribbean (1 unique / 6 total). The majority of species unique to the Gulf of Mexico were juvenile fish while those in the Caribbean and Sargasso Sea were benthic-like species residing on the Sargassum itself. Differences in the morphological forms of Sargassum had a marked effect on fauna diversity and abundance. In all three regions, fewer individuals and species were found on the broad-leafed, less compact S. natans VIII than on the denser S. natans I and S. fluitans III. This study identifies the differences in macrofauna abundance and diversity between varieties of Sargassum and highlights the potential for dramatic community changes that could result from largescale Sargassum blooms and species shifts. Any shift in these keystone communities could result in negative cascading effects on seabirds, economically important fish populations, and juvenile turtles which use the seaweed as a nursery habitat.

Cenozoic Methane-Seep Faunas of the Caribbean Region

PubMed Central

Kiel, Steffen; Hansen, Bent T.

2015-01-01

We report new examples of Cenozoic cold-seep communities from Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Venezuela, and attempt to improve the stratigraphic dating of Cenozoic Caribbean seep communities using strontium isotope stratigraphy. Two seep faunas are distinguished in Barbados: the late Eocene mudstone-hosted ‘Joes River fauna’ consists mainly of large lucinid bivalves and tall abyssochrysoid gastropods, and the early Miocene carbonate-hosted ‘Bath Cliffs fauna’ containing the vesicomyid Pleurophopsis, the mytilid Bathymodiolus and small gastropods. Two new Oligocene seep communities from the Sinú River basin in Colombia consist of lucinid bivalves including Elongatolucina, thyasirid and solemyid bivalves, and Pleurophopsis. A new early Miocene seep community from Cuba includes Pleurophopsis and the large lucinid Meganodontia. Strontium isotope stratigraphy suggests an Eocene age for the Cuban Elmira asphalt mine seep community, making it the oldest in the Caribbean region. A new basal Pliocene seep fauna from the Dominican Republic is characterized by the large lucinid Anodontia (Pegophysema). In Trinidad we distinguish two types of seep faunas: the mudstone-hosted Godineau River fauna consisting mainly of lucinid bivalves, and the limestone-hosted Freeman’s Bay fauna consisting chiefly of Pleurophopsis, Bathymodiolus, and small gastropods; they are all dated as late Miocene. Four new seep communities of Oligocene to Miocene age are reported from Venezuela. They consist mainly of large globular lucinid bivalves including Meganodontia, and moderately sized vesicomyid bivalves. After the late Miocene many large and typical ‘Cenozoic’ lucinid genera disappeared from the Caribbean seeps and are today known only from the central Indo-Pacific Ocean. We speculate that the increasingly oligotrophic conditions in the Caribbean Sea after the closure of the Isthmus of Panama in the Pliocene may have been unfavorable for such large lucinids because they are only facultative chemosymbiotic and need to derive a significant proportion of their nutrition from suspended organic matter. PMID:26468887

Scale-specific correlations between habitat heterogeneity and soil fauna diversity along a landscape structure gradient.

PubMed

Vanbergen, Adam J; Watt, Allan D; Mitchell, Ruth; Truscott, Anne-Marie; Palmer, Stephen C F; Ivits, Eva; Eggleton, Paul; Jones, T Hefin; Sousa, José Paulo

2007-09-01

Habitat heterogeneity contributes to the maintenance of diversity, but the extent that landscape-scale rather than local-scale heterogeneity influences the diversity of soil invertebrates-species with small range sizes-is less clear. Using a Scottish habitat heterogeneity gradient we correlated Collembola and lumbricid worm species richness and abundance with different elements (forest cover, habitat richness and patchiness) and qualities (plant species richness, soil variables) of habitat heterogeneity, at landscape (1 km(2)) and local (up to 200 m(2)) scales. Soil fauna assemblages showed considerable turnover in species composition along this habitat heterogeneity gradient. Soil fauna species richness and turnover was greatest in landscapes that were a mosaic of habitats. Soil fauna diversity was hump-shaped along a gradient of forest cover, peaking where there was a mixture of forest and open habitats in the landscape. Landscape-scale habitat richness was positively correlated with lumbricid diversity, while Collembola and lumbricid abundances were negatively and positively related to landscape spatial patchiness. Furthermore, soil fauna diversity was positively correlated with plant diversity, which in turn peaked in the sites that were a mosaic of forest and open habitat patches. There was less evidence that local-scale habitat variables (habitat richness, tree cover, plant species richness, litter cover, soil pH, depth of organic horizon) affected soil fauna diversity: Collembola diversity was independent of all these measures, while lumbricid diversity positively and negatively correlated with vascular plant species richness and tree canopy density. Landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity affects soil diversity regardless of taxon, while the influence of habitat heterogeneity at local scales is dependent on taxon identity, and hence ecological traits, e.g. body size. Landscape-scale habitat heterogeneity by providing different niches and refuges, together with passive dispersal and population patch dynamics, positively contributes to soil faunal diversity.

Correlation of shallow marine, deep marine, and coastal terrestrial records of central California: asynchronous responses to paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic change during the past 19,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGann, M.

2016-12-01

Benthic and planktic foraminiferal census data combined with pollen data acquired from the continental margin off central California (core S3-15G, 3491 m depth from the western levy of the Monterey Fan; 36°23.53'N, 123°20.52'W) provide a unique opportunity to document concurrent paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes in the region during the late Quaternary. Radiocarbon dates and the ratio of the planktic foraminiferal species Neogloboquardrina pachyderma (Ehrenberg) to Neogloboquardrina incompta (Cifelli) provide a good age-depth model for the last 19,000 years. Q-mode cluster analysis of the benthic foraminifera grouped the fauna into two clusters reflecting faunal adaptation to changing climatic conditions during the Pleistocene and Holocene, whereas the R-mode cluster analysis identified glacial (Uvigerina senticosa and Globobulimina auriculata) and interglacial (Melonis pompilioides and Gyroidina planulata) faunas. A slight increase in oxygen concentration in the deep sea across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition is suggested by a reduction in abundance of G. auriculata and increased frequency of M. pompilioides. Q-mode cluster analysis of the planktic foraminifera indicates a change in the surface water from a glacial subpolar fauna in the Pleistocene to a transitional fauna in the Holocene. The pollen flora separated into three clusters by Q-mode cluster analysis, two of Pleistocene age (glacial and transitional) and one in the Holocene (interglacial), reflecting adaptation of the flora in the California Coast Ranges of central California to the warmer climate in the Holocene. Decoupling is evident between the benthic foraminiferal, planktic foraminiferal, and terrestrial floral responses to changing oceanographic and climatic conditions. The floral response leads the surface-dwelling planktic fauna by several millennia, and is followed by the deep-dwelling benthic fauna a millennium later.

Partitioning the contributions of mega-, macro- and meiofauna to benthic metabolism on the upper continental slope of New Zealand: Potential links with environmental factors and trawling intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leduc, Daniel; Pilditch, Conrad A.; Nodder, Scott D.

2016-02-01

Understanding and predicting change in deep-sea benthic ecosystem function remains a major challenge. Here, we conducted analyses combining data on the abundance and biomass of benthic fauna and sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) on New Zealand's continental margin to estimate and compare the contributions of meio-, macro-, and megafauna to total benthic metabolism and identify potential links with environmental factors and trawling intensity. We focussed on two regions in close proximity-the high surface primary productivity Chatham Rise and low surface productivity Challenger Plateau. Mean megafauna biomass was twenty times greater on Chatham Rise than Challenger Plateau, likely reflecting differences in food supply between the two regions; this contrast in megafaunal biomass was mainly due to differences in mean body weight rather than abundance. Meio- and macrofauna made similar contributions to SCOC and together accounted for 12% of benthic metabolism on average. In contrast, the estimated contribution of megafauna never exceeded 1.5%. Significant positive correlations between faunal respiration and food availability indicate a link between food supply and benthic community function. Our analyses also show that fauna made a greater contribution to SCOC in conditions of high food availability, and that microorganisms (i.e., the proportion of SCOC not accounted for by the fauna) tended to be more dominant at sites with low food availability. These findings provide support for the concept that large organisms are more strongly affected by a reduction in food resources than small organisms, which in turn underlies one of the most widely described patterns in the deep-sea benthos, i.e., the reduction in organism body size with depth. Because metabolism in deep-sea sediments is typically dominated by microorganisms and small fauna, the absence of a relationship between bottom trawling intensity and the respiration of benthic fauna in the present study may be explained by benthic communities shifting towards smaller body size following physical disturbance. Future studies of deep-sea benthic ecosystem function will need to quantify the indirect influence of fauna on microbial metabolism through activities such as feeding and bioturbation in order to better understand the total contribution of benthic fauna to benthic processes.

New insights into the abyssal sponge fauna of the Kurile-Kamchatka plain and Trench region (Northwest Pacific)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downey, Rachel V.; Janussen, Dorte

2015-01-01

The under-explored abyssal depths of the Kurile-Kamchatka region have been re-examined during the KuramBio (Kurile-Kamchatka Biodiversity Study) expedition. Combining new KuramBio data with previous expedition data in this region has enhanced our understanding abyssal sponge fauna, in particular, the patchiness, rarity, and exceptional richness of the Cladorhizidae family. In total, 14 sponge species, from 7 genera, in 5 families, within two classes (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida) were collected. Of the 14 species, 29% (4 spp.) have been found previously in this region, 36% (5 spp.) were new to the regional abyssal fauna, and 21% (3 spp.) were new to science. The number of abyssal species in this region has now been increased by 26% (8 spp.) and genera by nearly 15% (2 genera). Rarity is a prominent feature of this abyssal fauna, with more than half of species only found at one station, and 83% (19 spp.) of species found previously in this region were not re-found during KuramBio. Cladorhizid sponges dominate demosponge species and genera richness in the abyssal Kurile-Kamchatka region; accounting for 87% (20 spp.) of all demosponge species, and accounting for over 60% (5 genera) of all demosponge genera. Sponge richness in this region is potentially aided by the productivity of the ocean waters, the geological age of the Pacific Ocean, low population densities, and the varied topographic features (ridges, trenches, and seamounts) found in this region. Unusually, the dominance of demosponges in the Kurile-Kamchatka sponge faunal composition is not replicated in other well-sampled abyssal regions, which tend to be richer in deep-sea hexactinellid fauna. Broad depth, latitudinal and longitudinal ranges in Kurile-Kamchatka abyssal fauna are a key characteristic of this faunal assemblage. Strong abyssal faunal connectivity is found between the Kurile-Kamchatka region and North Pacific abyssal fauna, with weaker faunal connections found with the adjacent semi-enclosed seas of Japan and Okhotsk. The importance of the dominant sub-Polar Gyre currents, the vast area of abyssal plain and similar levels of productivity, are likely to be driving the strong faunal connectivity in the North Pacific. The importance of utilising several forms of sampling equipment has been illustrated in this study, with half of all specimens caught with non-AGT (Agassiz trawl) equipment.

Elevated CO2 and O3t concentrations differentially affect selected groups of the fauna in temperate forest soils

Treesearch

Gladys I. Loranger; Kurt S. Pregitzer; John S. King

2004-01-01

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may change soil fauna abundance. How increase of tropospheric ozone (O3t) concentration will modify these responses is still unknown. We have assessed independent and interactive effects of elevated [CO2] and [O3t] on selected groups of soil...

Biodiversity on the brink: an assessment of conservation strategies for North American freshwater mussels

Treesearch

Wendell R. Haag; James D. Williams

2014-01-01

The North America freshwater mussel fauna has suffered an inordinately high recent extinction rate, and the small size and isolation of many remaining populations portends a continued diminishment of this fauna. Causes of extinction and imperilment are varied but revolve around massive habitat loss, deterioration, and fragmentation. The National Strategy for the...

Overview of the Cestode fauna of European shrews of the genus Sorex with an exploration of historical processes in post-glacial Europe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The cestode fauna in shrews of the genus Sorex from the European region consists of seventeen species. Twelve cestode species have broad Palearctic distributions, three belong to the Western-Asian–European faunistic complex, and only two are endemic to the European zone. Postglacial expansion into ...

New records for the horse fly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Jordan with remarks on ecology and zoogeography.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The horse fly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Jordan is the richest in the Levant, with 24 known species. During the 20-year project “the ecology and zoogeography of the Lepidoptera of the Near East,” USDA, Agricultural Research Service scientists in Gainesville, FL and Israeli scientists regularly c...

Vascular flora and macroscopic fauna on the Fernow Experimental Forest

Treesearch

Darlene M. Madarish; Jane L. Rodrigue; Mary Beth Adams

2002-01-01

This report is the first comprehensive inventory of the vascular flora and macroscopic fauna known to occur within the Fernow Experimental Forest in north-central West Virignia. The compendium is based on information obtained from previous surveys, current research, and the personal observations of USDA Forest Service personnel and independent scientists. More than 750...

The Upper Santa Ynez River as Habitat for a Diverse Riparian Flora and Fauna

Treesearch

M. Violet Gray; James M. Greaves; Thomas E. Olson

1989-01-01

The upper Santa Ynez River, Santa Barbara County, provides habitats for a relatively large population of least Bell's vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus), as well as diverse riparian flora and fauna. Of particular interest is the richness of the species within particular guilds. Four species of vireos: least Bell's, warbling (Vireo...

Arthropod fauna of the United Arab Emirates: Order Hymenoptera, family Figitidae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

No thorough documentation of the figitid fauna has ever been undertaken for the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. To this end, presented here is a list of species documented from the fieldwork of Antonius van Harten and colleagues, as well as a key and diagnoses for all genera of Figitidae in the Uni...

New records for the horse fly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Saudi Arabia with remarks on ecology and zoogeography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Until recently, 25 Tabanidae species were described from Saudi Arabia. During the 20-year project “the ecology and zoogeography of the Lepidoptera of the Near East,” USDA-CMAVE and Israeli scientists regularly collected horse flies, which resulted in 4 additional records for the local fauna. The new...

Vertebrate fauna of the San Joaquin Experimental Range, California: a checklist

Treesearch

Thomas F. Newman; Don A. Duncan

1973-01-01

This report updates an earlier checklist, published in 1955, of vertebrate fauna found on the San Joaquin Experimental Range, in Madera County, California. Nineteen new species have been recorded since 1955. This report records the occurrences of seven fish, eight amphibians, 19 reptiles, 38 mammals, and 149 buds. References to research on individual species are...

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States. Copepoda: Lernaeopodidae and Sphyriidae.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Ju-Shey

This report is part of a sub-series to aid biology students, biologists, biological oceanographers, and informed laymen in the identification and study of marine flora and fauna of the Northeastern United States. Contents of this report include: (1) Introduction; (2) Glossary; (3) Key to the marine lernaeopodoid copepods of the Northeastern United…

Fauna Europaea: Neuropterida (Raphidioptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera)

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Abstract Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names of all living European land and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at country level (up to the Urals, excluding the Caucasus region), and some additional information. The Fauna Europaea project covers about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. This represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many users in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. For Neuropterida, data from three Insect orders (Raphidioptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera), comprising 15 families and 397 species, are included. PMID:25941450

Habitat structural effect on squamata fauna of the restinga ecosystem in northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Dias, Eduardo J R; Rocha, Carlos F D

2014-03-01

In this work, we surveyed data on richness and composition of squamatan reptiles and habitat structural effect in nine areas of restinga ecosystem in the State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. The "restinga" ecosystems are coastal sand dune habitats on the coast of Brazil. Our main hypothesis is that the Squamata fauna composition along these restinga areas would be modulated by habitat structural. After 90 days of field sampling we recorded approximately 5% of reptile species known in Brazil. The composition of Squamata assemblages varied mainly based on the presence or absence of lizards of the genera Ameivula and Tropidurus. Our data showed that habitat structure consistently affected the composition of local Squamata fauna, especially lizards.

African Homo erectus: old radiometric ages and young Oldowan assemblages in the Middle Awash Valley, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Clark, J D; de Heinzelin, J; Schick, K D; Hart, W K; White, T D; WoldeGabriel, G; Walter, R C; Suwa, G; Asfaw, B; Vrba, E

1994-06-24

Fossils and artifacts recovered from the middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar depression sample the Middle Pleistocene transition from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens. Ar/Ar ages, biostratigraphy, and tephrachronology from this area indicate that the Pleistocene Bodo hominid cranium and newer specimens are approximately 0.6 million years old. Only Oldowan chopper and flake assemblages are present in the lower stratigraphic units, but Acheulean bifacial artifacts are consistently prevalent and widespread in directly overlying deposits. This technological transition is related to a shift in sedimentary regime, supporting the hypothesis that Middle Pleistocene Oldowan assemblages represent a behavioral facies of the Acheulean industrial complex.

Off-platform Silurian sequences in the Ambler River quadrangle: A section in Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Anita G.

1988-01-01

Lithofacies changes in coeval upper Paleozoic rocks have been used to unravel the tectonic history of northern Alaska (for example, Mayfield and others, 1983). Conodont biostratigraphy and detailed petrologic studies are now revealing facies differences in lower Paleozoic rocks that can also be used to constrain their tectono-sedimentary framework (Dumoulin and Harris, 1987). A basic element of basin analysis is the discrimination of shallow-water shelf and platform sequences from deeper water slope and basinal deposits. This report documents several new localities of deeper water, off-platform Silurian deposits in the Ambler River quadrangle and briefly outlines some of their paleogeographic implications.

High-precision 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and the advent of North America’s Late Cretaceous terrestrial fauna

PubMed Central

Cifelli, Richard L.; Kirkland, James I.; Weil, Anne; Deino, Alan L.; Kowallis, Bart J.

1997-01-01

A densely sampled, diverse new fauna from the uppermost Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, indicates that the basic pattern of faunal composition for the Late Cretaceous of North America was already established by the Albian-Cenomanian boundary. Multiple, concordant 40Ar/39Ar determinations from a volcanic ash associated with the fauna have an average age of 98.39 ± 0.07 million years. The fauna of the Cedar Mountain Formation records the first global appearance of hadrosaurid dinosaurs, advanced lizard (e.g., Helodermatidae), and mammal (e.g., Marsupialia) groups, and the first North American appearance of other taxa such as tyrannosaurids, pachycephalosaurs, and snakes. Although the origin of many groups is unclear, combined biostratigraphic and phylogenetic evidence suggests an Old World, specifically Asian, origin for some of the taxa, an hypothesis that is consistent with existing evidence from tectonics and marine invertebrates. Large-bodied herbivores are mainly represented by low-level browsers, ornithopod dinosaurs, whose radiations have been hypothesized to be related to the initial diversification of angiosperm plants. Diversity at the largest body sizes (>106 g) is low, in contrast to both preceding and succeeding faunas; sauropods, which underwent demise in the Northern hemisphere coincident with the radiation of angiosperms, apparently went temporarily unreplaced by other megaherbivores. Morphologic and taxonomic diversity among small, omnivorous mammals, multituberculates, is also low. A later apparent increase in diversity occurred during the Campanian, coincident with the appearance of major fruit types among angiosperms, suggesting the possibility of adaptive response to new resources. PMID:9326579

Benthic foraminifera at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary around the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alegret, Laia; Molina, Eustoquio; Thomas, Ellen

2001-10-01

Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary sections in northeastern Mexico contain marly formations separated by a controversial clastic unit. Benthic foraminifera in seven sections indicate middle and lower bathyal depths of deposition for the marls, with the exception of the upper bathyal northernmost section. Mixed neritic-bathyal faunas were present in the clastic unit, indicating redeposition in the deep basin by mass-wasting processes resulting from the K-T bolide impact in the Gulf of Mexico. Benthic foraminifera in the Mexican sections, and at other deep-sea locations, were not subject to major extinction at the time of impact, but there were temporary changes in assemblage composition. Benthic faunas indicate well- oxygenated bottom waters and mesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and increased food supply during the latest Maastrichtian. The food supply decreased drastically just after the K-T boundary, possibly because of the collapse of surface productivity. Cretaceous and early Paleogene benthic foraminifera, however, did not exhibit the benthic-pelagic coupling of present-day faunas, as documented by the lack of significant extinction at the K-T collapse of surface productivity. Much of the food supplied to the benthic faunas along this continental margin might have been refractory material transported from land or shallow coastal regions. The decrease in food supply at the K-T boundary might be associated with the processes of mass wasting, which removed surface, food-rich sediment. Benthic faunas show a staggered pattern of faunal recovery in the lowermost Paleogene, consistent with a staged recovery of the vertical organic flux but also with a gradual buildup of organic matter in the sediment.

Current knowledge of sand fly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) of northwestern Yemen and how it relates to leishmaniasis transmission.

PubMed

El Sawaf, Bahira M; Kassem, Hala A; Mogalli, Nabil M; El Hossary, Shabaan S; Ramadan, Nadia F

2016-10-01

This report presents the results of the first entomological survey of the sand fly fauna in northwestern Yemen. Sand flies were collected using sticky paper traps and CDC light traps from Hajjah governorate, a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus due to Leishmania tropica. Six Phlebotomus species: P. alexandri, P. arabicus. P. bergeroti, P. orientalis, P. papatasi, P. sergenti and ten Sergentomyia species: S. africana, S. antennata, S. christophersi, S. dolichopa, S. dreyfussi, S. fallax, S. multidens, S. taizi, S. tiberiadis, S. yusafi were identified. P. alexandri was the most predominant Phlebotomus species and P. papatasi was a scarce species. S. fallax was the principal Sergentomyia species and S. dolichopa was the least species encountered. The diversity of the sand fly fauna within and among three altitudinal ranges using Simpson index and Jaccard's diversity coefficient respectively were measured. High species diversity was found in all altitude ranges. There seemed to be more association between sand fly fauna in higher altitudes with fauna from moderate altitudes. Sand fly seasonal activity showed a mono-modal trend in the lowland and a confluent bimodal trend in the highlands. Leishmania DNA could not be detected from 150 Phlebotomus females using PCR-RFLP. A possible zoonotic cutaneous transmission cycle due to Leishmania tropica in northwestern Yemen would involve P. arabicus as the sand fly vector and the rock hyrax as the reservoir host. The vector competence for P. alexandri as a vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Hajjah governorate is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do soil organisms affect aboveground litter decomposition in the semiarid Patagonian steppe, Argentina?

PubMed

Araujo, Patricia I; Yahdjian, Laura; Austin, Amy T

2012-01-01

Surface litter decomposition in arid and semiarid ecosystems is often faster than predicted by climatic parameters such as annual precipitation or evapotranspiration, or based on standard indices of litter quality such as lignin or nitrogen concentrations. Abiotic photodegradation has been demonstrated to be an important factor controlling aboveground litter decomposition in aridland ecosystems, but soil fauna, particularly macrofauna such as termites and ants, have also been identified as key players affecting litter mass loss in warm deserts. Our objective was to quantify the importance of soil organisms on surface litter decomposition in the Patagonian steppe in the absence of photodegradative effects, to establish the relative importance of soil organisms on rates of mass loss and nitrogen release. We estimated the relative contribution of soil fauna and microbes to litter decomposition of a dominant grass using litterboxes with variable mesh sizes that excluded groups of soil fauna based on size class (10, 2, and 0.01 mm), which were placed beneath shrub canopies. We also employed chemical repellents (naphthalene and fungicide). The exclusion of macro- and mesofauna had no effect on litter mass loss over 3 years (P = 0.36), as litter decomposition was similar in all soil fauna exclusions and naphthalene-treated litter. In contrast, reduction of fungal activity significantly inhibited litter decomposition (P < 0.001). Although soil fauna have been mentioned as a key control of litter decomposition in warm deserts, biogeographic legacies and temperature limitation may constrain the importance of these organisms in temperate aridlands, particularly in the southern hemisphere.

Potential 21st century changes to the mammal fauna of Denmark - implications of climate change, land-use, and invasive species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fløjgaard, Camilla; Morueta-Holme, Naia; Skov, Flemming; Madsen, Aksel Bo; Svenning, Jens-Christian

2009-11-01

The moderate temperature increase of 0.74 °C in the 20th century has caused latitudinal and altitudinal range shifts in many species including mammals. Therefore, given the more dramatic temperature increase predicted for the 21st century, we can therefore expect even stronger range shifts as well. However, European mammals are already faced with other anthropogenic pressures, notably habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, and invasive species, and will have to face the combined challenge posed by climate change in a landscape highly influenced by human activities. As an example of the possible consequences of land use, invasive species, and climate change for the regional-scale mammal species composition, we here focus on the potential 21st century changes to the mammal fauna of Denmark. Supported by species distribution modelling, we present a discussion of the possible changes to the Danish mammal fauna: Which species are likely to become locally extinct? Which new species are most likely to immigrate? And, what is the potential threat from invasive species? We find that future climate change is likely to cause a general enrichment of the Danish mammal fauna by the potential immigration of seventeen new species. Only the northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina) is at risk of extinction from climate change predicted. The European native mammals are not anticipated to contribute to the invasive-species problem as they coexist with most Danish species in other parts of Europe. However, non-European invasive species are also likely to enter the Danish fauna and may negatively impact the native species.

Geochronology of the mammal-bearing late Cenozoic on the northern Altiplano, Bolivia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, L. G.; Swisher, C. C.; Lavenu, A.; Hoffstetter, R.; Curtis, G. H.

1992-01-01

Samples of seven tuff or ignimbrite units associated with known land mammal faunas of late Miocene and Pliocene age were collected from 17 localities on the northern Altiplano of western Bolivia. Mineral separates dated by the classic 40K- 40Ar technique (35 dates) and by single crystal laser fusion (SCLF) 40Ar/ 39Ar analysis (84 dates) indicate the following preferred ages based on SCLF 40Ar/ 39Ar dates on sanidine for six of these units: Ulloma Tuff, 10.35±0.06 Ma; Callapa Tuff, 9.03±0.07 Ma; Toba 76, 5.348±0.003 Ma; Ayo Ayo Tuff, 2.896±0.006 Ma; Perez Ignimbrite, 2.815±0.005 Ma; and Chijini Tuff, 2.650±0.012 Ma. Land mammal faunas of early Huayquerian age are bracketed below by the Callapa Tuff (9.0 Ma) and above the base of the Cerke Formation (7.6 Ma); faunas of Montehermosan age are bracketed below by the Toba 76 and Cota Cota Tuffs ( ca. 5.4 Ma), and above by the Ayo Ayo and Chijini Tuffs ( ca. 2.8 Ma) of the Umala and La Paz Formations, respectively; and faunas of Ensenadan and Lujanian age occur in rocks younger than 1.6 Ma. Hiatuses identified by the absence of late Huayquerian and Chapadmalalan-Uquian faunas correlate with unconformities which are interpreted as deformation phases: the first with Q3 (8.0-5.5 Ma) and the second with Q4 (2.8-1.6 Ma) of the Quechua Orogeny.

Taxonomic distinctness and richness of helminth parasite assemblages of freshwater fishes in Mexican hydrological basins.

PubMed

Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín; Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo

2013-01-01

In this paper, we analyse the distributional patterns of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes with respect to the main hydrological basins of Mexico. We use the taxonomic distinctness and the variation in taxonomic distinctness to explore patterns of parasite diversity and how these patterns change between zoogeographical regions. We address questions about the factors that determine the variation of observed diversity of helminths between basins. We also investigate patterns of richness, taxonomic distinctness and distance decay of similarity amongst basins. Our analyses suggest that the evolution of the fauna of helminth parasites in Mexico is mostly dominated by independent host colonization events and that intra--host speciation could be a minor factor explaining the origin of this diversity. This paper points out a clear separation between the helminth faunas of northern--nearctic and southern--neotropical components in Mexican continental waters, suggesting the availability of two distinct taxonomic pools of parasites in Mexican drainage basins. Data identifies Mexican drainage basins as unities inhabited by freshwater fishes, hosting a mixture of neotropical and nearctic species, in addition, data confirms neotropical and neartic basins/helminth faunas. The neotropical basins of Mexico are host to a richest and more diversified helminth fauna, including more families, genera and species, compared to the less rich and less diverse helminth fauna in the nearctic basins. The present analysis confirms distance--decay as one of the important factors contributing to the patterns of diversity observed. The hypothesis that helminth diversity could be explained by the ichthyological diversity of the basin received no support from present analysis.

Taxonomic Distinctness and Richness of Helminth Parasite Assemblages of Freshwater Fishes in Mexican Hydrological Basins

PubMed Central

Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín; Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo

2013-01-01

In this paper, we analyse the distributional patterns of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes with respect to the main hydrological basins of Mexico. We use the taxonomic distinctness and the variation in taxonomic distinctness to explore patterns of parasite diversity and how these patterns change between zoogeographical regions. We address questions about the factors that determine the variation of observed diversity of helminths between basins. We also investigate patterns of richness, taxonomic distinctness and distance decay of similarity amongst basins. Our analyses suggest that the evolution of the fauna of helminth parasites in Mexico is mostly dominated by independent host colonization events and that intra - host speciation could be a minor factor explaining the origin of this diversity. This paper points out a clear separation between the helminth faunas of northern - nearctic and southern - neotropical components in Mexican continental waters, suggesting the availability of two distinct taxonomic pools of parasites in Mexican drainage basins. Data identifies Mexican drainage basins as unities inhabited by freshwater fishes, hosting a mixture of neotropical and nearctic species, in addition, data confirms neotropical and neartic basins/helminth faunas. The neotropical basins of Mexico are host to a richest and more diversified helminth fauna, including more families, genera and species, compared to the less rich and less diverse helminth fauna in the nearctic basins. The present analysis confirms distance - decay as one of the important factors contributing to the patterns of diversity observed. The hypothesis that helminth diversity could be explained by the ichthyological diversity of the basin received no support from present analysis. PMID:24086342

Quaternary fossil fish from the Kibish Formation, Omo Valley, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Trapani, Josh

2008-09-01

The late Quaternary Kibish Formation of the Omo Valley, southwestern Ethiopia, preserves environments reflecting a history of fluctuations in the level of nearby Lake Turkana over the past 200,000 years. The Kibish Formation has yielded a diverse mammalian fauna (as well as birds and crocodiles), stone tools, and the oldest anatomically modern Homo sapiens. Fish, the most common vertebrate fossils in this unit, are reported in this study. Catfish (especially clariids and Synodontis) and Nile perch (Lates niloticus) predominate, but the gymnarchid Gymnarchus, a cyprinid (Barbus), tigerfish (Hydrocynus), pufferfish (Tetraodon), and other catfish are also present. In total, nine teleost genera are found in the Kibish Formation, representing a subset of the 37 genera that constitute the modern Omo-Turkana ichthyofauna. Several taxa present in the modern fauna, including Polypterus and members of the family Cichlidae, are not found in the Kibish deposits. Most specimens are preserved as disarticulated or broken skeletal elements, but some preservation of articulated elements (e.g., sets of vertebrae, crania with lower jaws or cleithra) also occurs. Many of the catfish and Nile perch specimens are larger than the largest reported from the modern river or lake. Faunas of Kibish Members I and III closely resemble one another; the fauna from Member IV contains only the three most common taxa (Clarias, Synodontis, Lates), though this may result from insufficient sampling. Barbed bone points have been collected from the upper part of the formation, indicating a long association between the human inhabitants and the fish fauna of the Omo Valley.

Soil macrofauna and litter nutrients in three tropical tree plantations on a disturbed site in Puerto Rico.

Treesearch

Matthew W. Warren; Xiaoming Zou

2002-01-01

Tree plantations are increasingly common in tropical landscapes due to their multiple uses. Plantations vary in structure and composition, and these variations may alter soil fauna communities. Recent studies have demonstrated the important role of soil fauna in the regulation of plant litter decomposition in the tropics. However, little is known about how plantation...

Hawaii Energy Resource Overviews. Volume 3. Hawaiian ecosystem and its environmental determinants with particular emphasis on promising areas for geothermal development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Siegel, S.M.

A brief geobiological history of the Hawaiian Islands is presented. Climatology, physiography, and environmental degradation are discussed. Soil types and associations, land use patterns and ratings, and vegetation ecology are covered. The fauna discussed include: ancient and recent vertebrate life, land mollusca, marine fauma, and insect fauna. (MHR)

Observations on the fauna that visit African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata Beauv.) forests in Puerto Rico

Treesearch

Oscar J. Abelleira Martinez

2008-01-01

Diurnal field observations in secondary forests dominated by the introduced African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) in Puerto Rico show a faunal assemblage that consists mostly of native species (81.1 percent). The most abundant species were common birds and reptiles, yet some uncommon fauna appear to be visiting or residing in these forests. The observations...

Marine dispersal determines the genetic population structure of migratory stream fauna of Puerto Rico: evidence for island-scale population recovery processes

Treesearch

Benjamin D. Cook; Sofie Bernays; Catherine M. Pringle; Jane M. Hughes

2009-01-01

Various components of island stream faunas, including caridean shrimps, fish, and gastropods, undertake obligate amphidromous migration, whereby larvae are released in upstream freshwater reaches, drift downstream to estuaries or marine waters, then migrate upstream as postlarvae to freshwater adult habitats. Longitudinal migration from estuaries to headwaters is well...

Filters and templates: stonefly (Plecoptera) richness in Ouachita Mountains streams, U.S.A

Treesearch

Andrew L. Sheldon; Melvin L. Warren

2009-01-01

1. We collected adult stoneflies periodically over a 1-year period at 38 sites in twoheadwater catchments in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, U.S.A. The 43 speciescollected were a subset of the Ozark-Ouachita fauna and the much larger fauna of theeastern U.S.A. We estimated 78–91% species coverage in...

A new fauna from the Colorado group of southern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeside, John B.

1925-01-01

This paper describes a small but interesting fauna collected in 1921 by W. T. Thorn, Jr., Gail F. Moulton, T. W. Stanton, and K. C. Heald in the Crow Indian Reservation in southern Montana. The locality is in sec. 36, T. 6 S., R. 32 E., Big Horn County, and is 2 miles east of the Soap Creek oil field.

Environmental variability, historical contingency, and the structure of regional fish and macroinvertebrate faunas in Ouachita Mountain stream systems

Treesearch

Lance R. Williams; Christopher M. Taylor; Melvin L. Warren; J. Alan Clingenpeel

2003-01-01

In 1990-1992, the United States Forest Service sampled six hydrologically variable streams paired in three different drainage basins in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas, U.S.A. Fishes, macroinvertebrates, and stream environmental variables were quantified for each stream. We used these data to examine the relationship between regional faunas (based on taxonomy and...

Mammal extinctions in the Vallesian (Upper Miocene)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agusti, J.; Moya-Sola, S.

The term Vallesian was created by Crusafont (1950) to designate the first European Mammalian palaeofaunas containing the equid Hipparion, the remainder of the faunas being composed of typical elements coming from the Middle Miocene such as Micromeryx, Euprox, Sansanosmilus, Pseudaelurus, and Listriodon. Thus, the Aragonian-Vallesian boundary does not show a strong change among European Miocene mammalian faunas (Agusti et al., 1984). On the other hand, the Lower Vallesian/Upper Vallesian transition corresponds to a major biotic crisis. This boudnary is characterized by the disappearence of most of the Aragonian artiodactyl forms such as Protragocerus, Miotragocerus, Listriodon, Hyotherium, Parachleusastochoerus, etc. Among the rodents, this crisis affects the family Eomyidae and most of the cricetid and glirid species. On the other hand, a number of eastern elements appear in the area at the same time. This is the case of the suid Schizochoerus and the murid Progonomys. Other eastern forms are Tragoportax, Graecoryx, Adcrocuta, Paramachairodus, Microstonyx, etc. Most of these are typical elements of the next Mammal stage, the Turolian. Thus, whereas the Lower Vallesian fauna has a typical Aragonian composition except for Hipparion. After the Middle Vallesian event, the Upper Vallesian faunas are already largely Turolian in character. The possible factors involved in this extinction event are discussed.

Fauna Europaea: Annelida - Terrestrial Oligochaeta (Enchytraeidae and Megadrili), Aphanoneura and Polychaeta

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Abstract Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all living European land and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at country level (up to the Urals, excluding the Caucasus region), and some additional information. The Fauna Europaea project covers about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. This represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many users in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. This paper provides updated information on the taxonomic composition and distribution of the Annelida - terrestrial Oligochaeta (Megadrili and Enchytraeidae), Aphanoneura and Polychaeta, recorded in Europe. Data on 18 families, 11 autochthonous and 7 allochthonous, represented in our continent by a total of 800 species, are reviewed, beginning from their distinctness, phylogenetic status, diversity and global distribution, and following with major recent developments in taxonomic and faunistic research in Europe. A rich list of relevant references is appended. The Fauna Europaea Annelida - terrestrial Oligochaeta data-set, as completed in 2004, will be updated accordingly. PMID:26379463

Evolutionary dynamics at high latitudes: speciation and extinction in polar marine faunas

PubMed Central

Clarke, Andrew; Crame, J. Alistair

2010-01-01

Ecologists have long been fascinated by the flora and fauna of extreme environments. Physiological studies have revealed the extent to which lifestyle is constrained by low temperature but there is as yet no consensus on why the diversity of polar assemblages is so much lower than many tropical assemblages. The evolution of marine faunas at high latitudes has been influenced strongly by oceanic cooling during the Cenozoic and the associated onset of continental glaciations. Glaciation eradicated many shallow-water habitats, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, and the cooling has led to widespread extinction in some groups. While environmental conditions at glacial maxima would have been very different from those existing today, fossil evidence indicates that some lineages extend back well into the Cenozoic. Oscillations of the ice-sheet on Milankovitch frequencies will have periodically eradicated and exposed continental shelf habitat, and a full understanding of evolutionary dynamics at high latitude requires better knowledge of the links between the faunas of the shelf, slope and deep-sea. Molecular techniques to produce phylogenies, coupled with further palaeontological work to root these phylogenies in time, will be essential to further progress. PMID:20980314

Mosquito (Diptera: culicidae) fauna of qom province, iran.

PubMed

Saghafipour, A; Abai, Mr; Farzinnia, B; Nafar, R; Ladonni, H; Azari-Hamidian, S

2012-01-01

There is very little information about the mosquito fauna of Qom Province, central Iran. By now only three species; Anopheles claviger, An. multicolor, and An. superpictus have been reported in the province. To study mosquito fauna and providing a primary checklist, an investigation was carried out on a collection of mosquitoes in this province. TO STUDY THE MOSQUITO (DIPTERA: Culicidae) fauna, larval collections were carried out from different habitats on 19 occasions using the standard dipping technique during spring and summer 2008 and 2009. In total, 371 mosquito larvae were collected and morphologically identified including 14 species representing four genera: Anopheles claviger, An. marteri, An. turkhudi, An. superpictus, Culex arbieeni, Cx. hortensis, Cx. mimeticus, Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens, Cx. territans, Cx. theileri, Culiseta longiareolata, Cs. subochrea, and Ochlerotatus caspius s.l. All species except for An. claviger and An. superpictus were collected for the first time in the province. All larvae were found in natural habitats. The association occasions and percentages of the mosquito larvae in Qom Province were discussed. There are some potential or proven vectors of different human and domesticated animal pathogens in Qom Province. The ecology of these species and the unstudied areas of Qom Province need to be investigated extensively.

Further contributions to the Coleoptera fauna of New Brunswick with an addition to the fauna of Nova Scotia, Canada

PubMed Central

Webster, Reginald P.; Webster, Vincent L.; Alderson, Chantelle A.; Hughes, Cory C.; Sweeney, Jon D.

2016-01-01

Abstract This paper treats 134 new records of Coleoptera for the province of New Brunswick, Canada from the following 41 families: Gyrinidae, Carabidae, Dytiscidae, Histeridae, Leiodidae, Scarabaeidae, Scirtidae, Buprestidae, Elmidae, Limnichidae, Heteroceridae, Ptilodactylidae, Eucnemidae, Throscidae, Elateridae, Lampyridae, Cantharidae, Dermestidae, Bostrichidae, Ptinidae, Cleridae, Melyridae, Monotomidae, Cryptophagidae, Silvanidae, Laemophloeidae, Nitidulidae, Endomychidae, Coccinellidae, Corylophidae, Latridiidae, Tetratomidae, Melandryidae, Mordellidae, Tenebrionidae, Mycteridae, Pyrochroidae, Aderidae, Scraptiidae, Megalopodidae, and Chrysomelidae. Among these, the following four species are newly recorded from Canada: Dirrhagofarsus ernae Otto, Muona & McClarin (Eucnemidae), Athous equestris (LeConte) (Elateridae), Ernobius opicus Fall (Ptinidae), and Stelidota coenosa Erichson (Nitidulidae). The Family Limnichidae is newly reported for New Brunswick, and one species is added to the fauna of Nova Scotia. Stephostethus productus Rosenhauer (Latridiidae), Tetratoma (Abstrulia) variegata Casey (Tetratomidae), and Chauliognathus marginatus (Fabricius) (Cantharidae) are removed from the faunal list of New Brunswick, and additional records of Lacconotus punctatus LeConte (Mycteridae) are presented and discussed. Lindgren funnel traps provided specimens for 104 (78%) of the species and were the sole source of specimens for 89 (66%) of the species reported here, suggesting they are a very useful tool for sampling Coleoptera fauna in the forests of New Brunswick. PMID:27110171

Response of soil fauna to simulated nitrogen deposition: a nursery experiment in subtropical China.

PubMed

Xu, Guo-Liang; Mo, Jiang-Ming; Fu, Sheng-Lei; Gundersen, Per; Zhou, Guo-Yi; Xue, Jing-Hua

2007-01-01

We studied the responses of soil fauna to a simulated nitrogen deposition in nursery experimental plots in Subtropical China. Dissolved NH4NO3 was applied to the soil by spraying twice per month for 16 months, starting in January 2003 with treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 30 gN/(m2 x a). Soil fauna was sampled after 6, 9, 13 and 16 months of treatment in three soil depths (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm). Soil available N increased in correspondence with the increasing N treatment, whereas soil pH decreased. Bacterial and fungal densities were elevated by the N treatment. Soil fauna increased in the lower nitrogen treatments but decreased in the higher N treatments, which might indicate that there was a threshold around 10 gN/(m2 x a) for the stimulating effects of N addition. The N effects were dependent on the soil depth and sampling time. The data also suggested that the effects of the different N treatments were related to the level of N saturation, especially the concentration of NO3- in the soil.

Provincialization of terrestrial faunas following the end-Permian mass extinction.

PubMed

Sidor, Christian A; Vilhena, Daril A; Angielczyk, Kenneth D; Huttenlocker, Adam K; Nesbitt, Sterling J; Peecook, Brandon R; Steyer, J Sébastien; Smith, Roger M H; Tsuji, Linda A

2013-05-14

In addition to their devastating effects on global biodiversity, mass extinctions have had a long-term influence on the history of life by eliminating dominant lineages that suppressed ecological change. Here, we test whether the end-Permian mass extinction (252.3 Ma) affected the distribution of tetrapod faunas within the southern hemisphere and apply quantitative methods to analyze four components of biogeographic structure: connectedness, clustering, range size, and endemism. For all four components, we detected increased provincialism between our Permian and Triassic datasets. In southern Pangea, a more homogeneous and broadly distributed fauna in the Late Permian (Wuchiapingian, ∼257 Ma) was replaced by a provincial and biogeographically fragmented fauna by Middle Triassic times (Anisian, ∼242 Ma). Importantly in the Triassic, lower latitude basins in Tanzania and Zambia included dinosaur predecessors and other archosaurs unknown elsewhere. The recognition of heterogeneous tetrapod communities in the Triassic implies that the end-Permian mass extinction afforded ecologically marginalized lineages the ecospace to diversify, and that biotic controls (i.e., evolutionary incumbency) were fundamentally reset. Archosaurs, which began diversifying in the Early Triassic, were likely beneficiaries of this ecological release and remained dominant for much of the later Mesozoic.

Provincialization of terrestrial faunas following the end-Permian mass extinction

PubMed Central

Sidor, Christian A.; Vilhena, Daril A.; Angielczyk, Kenneth D.; Huttenlocker, Adam K.; Nesbitt, Sterling J.; Peecook, Brandon R.; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Smith, Roger M. H.; Tsuji, Linda A.

2013-01-01

In addition to their devastating effects on global biodiversity, mass extinctions have had a long-term influence on the history of life by eliminating dominant lineages that suppressed ecological change. Here, we test whether the end-Permian mass extinction (252.3 Ma) affected the distribution of tetrapod faunas within the southern hemisphere and apply quantitative methods to analyze four components of biogeographic structure: connectedness, clustering, range size, and endemism. For all four components, we detected increased provincialism between our Permian and Triassic datasets. In southern Pangea, a more homogeneous and broadly distributed fauna in the Late Permian (Wuchiapingian, ∼257 Ma) was replaced by a provincial and biogeographically fragmented fauna by Middle Triassic times (Anisian, ∼242 Ma). Importantly in the Triassic, lower latitude basins in Tanzania and Zambia included dinosaur predecessors and other archosaurs unknown elsewhere. The recognition of heterogeneous tetrapod communities in the Triassic implies that the end-Permian mass extinction afforded ecologically marginalized lineages the ecospace to diversify, and that biotic controls (i.e., evolutionary incumbency) were fundamentally reset. Archosaurs, which began diversifying in the Early Triassic, were likely beneficiaries of this ecological release and remained dominant for much of the later Mesozoic. PMID:23630295

A biogeographic network reveals evolutionary links between deep-sea hydrothermal vent and methane seep faunas

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents and methane seeps are inhabited by members of the same higher taxa but share few species, thus scientists have long sought habitats or regions of intermediate character that would facilitate connectivity among these habitats. Here, a network analysis of 79 vent, seep, and whale-fall communities with 121 genus-level taxa identified sedimented vents as a main intermediate link between the two types of ecosystems. Sedimented vents share hot, metal-rich fluids with mid-ocean ridge-type vents and soft sediment with seeps. Such sites are common along the active continental margins of the Pacific Ocean, facilitating connectivity among vent/seep faunas in this region. By contrast, sedimented vents are rare in the Atlantic Ocean, offering an explanation for the greater distinction between its vent and seep faunas compared with those of the Pacific Ocean. The distribution of subduction zones and associated back-arc basins, where sedimented vents are common, likely plays a major role in the evolutionary and biogeographic connectivity of vent and seep faunas. The hypothesis that decaying whale carcasses are dispersal stepping stones linking these environments is not supported. PMID:27974524

Early Permian conodont fauna and stratigraphy of the Garden Valley Formation, Eureka County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardlaw, Bruce R.; Gallegos, Dora M.; Chernykh, Valery V.; Snyder, Walter S.

2015-01-01

The lower Part of the Garden Valley Formation yields two distinct conodont faunas. One of late Asselian age dominated by Mesogondolella and Streptognathodus and one of Artinskian age dominated by Sweetognathus with Mesogondolella. The Asselian fauna contains the same species as those found in the type area of the Asselian in the southern Urals including Mesogondolella dentiseparata, described for the first time outside of the Urals. Apparatuses for Sweetognathus whitei, Diplognathodus stevensi, and Idioprioniodus sp. are described. The Garden Valley Formation represents a marine pro-delta basin and platform, and marine and shore fan delta complex deposition. The fan-delta complex was most likely deposited from late Artinskian to lateWordian. The Garden Valley Formation records tremendous swings in depositional setting from shallow-water to basin to shore.

Early Permian conodont fauna and stratigraphy of the Garden Valley Formation, Eureka County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardlaw, Bruce R.; Gallegos, Dora M.; Chernykh, Valery V.; Snyder, Walter S.

2015-01-01

The lower part of the Garden Valley Formation yields two distinct conodont faunas. One of late Asselian age dominated by Mesogondolella and Streptognathodus and one of Artinskian age dominated by Sweetognathus with Mesogondolella. The Asselian fauna contains the same species as those found in the type area of the Asselian in the southern Urals including Mesogondolella dentiseparata, described for the first time outside of the Urals. Apparatuses for Sweetognathus whitei, Diplognathodus stevensi, and Idioprioniodus sp. are described. The Garden Valley Formation represents a marine pro-delta basin and platform, and marine and shore fan delta complex deposition. The fan-delta complex was most likely deposited from late Artinskian to late Wordian. The Garden Valley Formation records tremendous swings in depositional setting from shallow-water to basin to shore.

Fauna of Cladocera and Copepoda from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (China).

PubMed

Chertoprud, Elena S; Sinev, Artem Y; Dimante-Deimantovica, Inta

2017-05-03

This study evaluates the species composition of Cladocera and Copepoda in the five lakes of the Bogda-Shan Mountain range and in the floodplain of the Tarim and Konchedarya rivers located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (Xinjiang). We collected seven species of Cladocera and six species of Copepoda. Seven species were identified as new for Xinjiang fauna, and two species (Cyclops cf. herberti Einsle, 1996, and Eucyclops roseus Ishida, 1997) were first records for China. Herein, we characterize the distribution ranges for the detected species and provide taxonomic remarks. The total species list for water bodies in Xinjiang compiled from original data and available literature includes 56 species of Cladocera and 33 species of Copepoda. We also discuss the biogeographical structure of Cladocera and Copepoda faunas in Xinjiang.

Breakup of pangaea and isolation of relict mammals in australia, South america, and madagascar.

PubMed

Fooden, J

1972-02-25

The composition of aboriginal land mammal faunas in Australia and New Guinea (prototherians and metatherians), South America (metatherians and eutherians) and Madagascar (eutherians only) is reconsidered in light of continental drift reconstructions of Mesozoic-Tertiary world paleogeography It is proposed that these three faunas represent successively detached samples of the evolving world mammal fauna as it existed when each of these land masses became faunally isolated from the rest of the world as a result of the progressive fragmentation of Pangaea. Isolation of aboriginal prototherians and metatherians in Australia and New Guinea may date from the Upper JurassicLower Cretaceous; isolation of aboriginal metatherians and eutherians in South America may date from the Middle Cretaceous-Upper Cretaceous; isolation of aboriginal eutherians in Madagascar may date from the Paleocene-Eocene.

Fire and explosion hazards to flora and fauna from explosives.

PubMed

Merrifield, R

2000-06-30

Deliberate or accidental initiation of explosives can produce a range of potentially damaging fire and explosion effects. Quantification of the consequences of such effects upon the surroundings, particularly on people and structures, has always been of paramount importance. Information on the effects on flora and fauna, however, is limited, with probably the weakest area lying with fragmentation of buildings and their effects on different small mammals. Information has been used here to gain an appreciation of the likely magnitude of the potential fire and explosion effects on flora and fauna. This is based on a number of broad assumptions and a variety of data sources including World War II bomb damage, experiments performed with animals 30-40 years ago, and more recent field trials on building break-up under explosive loading.

Benthic foraminiferal fauna as a tool to indicate the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event in homogeneous Ammonitico Rosso series of Bakonycsernye (Transdanubian Hungary)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zsiborás, Gábor; Görög, Ágnes

2017-04-01

In the last decades, since the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ˜182 Ma) recognized, several studies was dealing with the effect of it on the foraminiferal faunas from black shales and marls of the epicontinental region. Only a few work was made from the Tethyan oceanic basin region (Monaco et al., 1994; Nini et al., 1995; Pettinelli et al., 1997) characterized by occurrence of black shales between the "Lower Posidonia Shale" and the Ammonitico Rosso. However, the black shale is absent in some Tehyan sections substituted by red or grey marls. Only Reolid et al. (2015) focused on foraminifera from this kind of successions, from the Betic Cordillera, where the T-OAE was not detected. From the section of Tű zkövesárok of Bakonycsernye, Transdanubian Central Range, Hungary, Monostori in Galácz et al. (2008) based on the Bairdidae dominated ostracod fauna indicated suboxic environment at the Pliensbachian/Toarcian boundary. Thus the aim of our study was to give paleoecological interpretation of the foraminiferal fauna of this 2 m thick Ammonitico Rosso sequence. Foraminifers were extracted from six red nodular, slightly argillaceous limestone (Tű zkövesárok Limestone) samples from the Pliensbachian part (Emaciatum Zone) and one sample from the Toarcian part (Tenuicostatum Zone) which begins with a hardground and following by red marl (Kisgerecse Marl). The washing residues of the lower four samples contains foraminifers, sponge spicules, radiolarians and echinodermata parts (crinoids and holothurians). The upper two Pliensbachian samples include more foraminifers, however, other groups are absent. The Toarcian sample contains crinoids and less foraminifers (30%). Overall 68 taxa were identified, 54 on species, 14 on generic level. The most of the specimens have calcitic tests, in the Pliensbachian, agglutinated forms are 7-24% of the fauna, however, they are absent in the Toarcian. Upwards to the Pliensbachian/Toarcian boundary, the diversity of the fauna rapidly increased. Above the boundary, the number of species decreased to the 40% of the Pliensbachian maximum diversity. Sorting the specimens by morphological features is a tool for the paleoecological evaluation. In the Pliensbachian assemblages, the biconvex groups (Lenticulina) are dominant, however, elongated (Nodosaria and Eoguttulina) and flattened (Planularia) groups are dominant in the Toarcian. This morphological changing indicates the decreasing of seawater oxygen level and current energy in the lowermost Toarcian. It does not show anoxia but can be suboxia caused by abrupt deepening. The previous results of the ostracod studies indicated the same events. The Pliensbachian/Toarcian boundary section of Tű zkövesárok include a similar foraminiferal fauna to other Tethyan successions Spoleto and Umbria-Marche Apennines (Central Italy), Ionian Basin (Greece); and epicontinental sequences e. g., Lusitanian Basin (Portugal) which all have black shale layers in the Early Toarcian. In contrast, the Betic section with very similar lithology to Bakonycsernye provided a totally different fauna with dominance of agglutinated forms and without significant diversity changes at the boundary. The studied boundary section is the first Ammonitico Rosso sequence which foraminiferal fauna indicated the environmental changes caused by the T-OAE in the deep basin of the Tethyan Realm. The Research was supported by the Hantken Foundation.

Scleractinian corals from the upper Berriasian of central Europe and comparison with contemporaneous coral assemblages.

PubMed

Baron-Szabo, Rosemarie Christine

2018-02-22

Scleractinian coral faunas from the upper Berriasian part of the Oehrli Formation of western Austria (Vorarlberg) and eastern Switzerland (Canton of Appenzell) are taxonomically described for the first time. Furthermore, scleractinian corals of the upper Berriasian part of the Oehrli Formation of the Swiss Cantons of Nidwalden and Uri are revised based on the study of type material. Lectotypes are designated for the species Dimorphocoeniopsis alpina (Koby, 1896) and Pleurophyllia tobleri (Koby, 1896). Sixty-one species belonging to 43 genera and 18 families were identified, making the coral fauna of the upper Oehrli Formation by far the most diverse among the Berriasian assemblages: Actinastrea pseudominima (Koby), A. sp., Adelocoenia bulgarica (Toula)(new combination), A. hexaphyllia (d'Orbigny)(new combination), A. radisensis (d'Orbigny)(new combination), Allocoeniopsis luciensis (d'Orbigny), Amphiaulastrea sp., Astraeofungia cf. decipiens (Michelin), Cladophyllia conybearei Milne Edwards Haime, Columnocoenia ksiazkiewiczi Morycowa, Comoseris jireceki Toula, Complexastrea seriata Turnšek, C. lobata Geyer, Cycloria mariscali (Felix)(new combination), Dermosmilia capitata (Koby), D. simplex Koby, Dimorphastrea excavata d'Orbigny, D. explanata De Fromentel, Dimorphocoeniopsis alpina (Koby), Ellipsocoenia lorioli (Koby), Enallhelia compressa (Münster), E. rathieri d'Orbigny, Epistreptophyllum cf. densum Roniewicz, Fungiastraea moeschi (Koby), Heliocoenia corallina Koby, H. humberti Étallon, H. minima Sikharulidze, Heterocoenia cf. inflexa (Eichwald), Latiphyllia neocomiensis De Fromentel, Latiastrea mucronata Sikharulidze, Latomeandra sp., Meandrastrea rudis (De Fromentel)(new combination), M. cf. lamberti (Bataller), Meandrophyllia corrugata (Michelin), Microsolena major (Ferry), M. cf. subexcavata Eguchi, Mitrodendron cf. modicum Eliášová, Mixastraea polyseptata Morycowa, Montlivaltia arcuata Beauvais, M. kaufmanni Koby, M. truncata (Defrance, 1817), Myriophyllia cf. propria Sikharulidze, Paraclausastrea vorarlbergensis Baron-Szabo, Peplosmilia stutzi (Koby), Placocoenia heimi (Koby)(new combination), Placophyllia dianthus (Goldfuss), Plesiomontlivaltia paucisepta (Koby)(new combination), Pleurophyllia schmidti (Koby)(new combination), P. tobleri (Koby), Polyphylloseris icaunensis (d'Orbigny, 1850), Rhipidogyra cf. minima Koby, Stylangia cf. laddi Wells, Stylina pleionantha Meneghini, S. decipiens Étallon, S. cf. sparsa Trautschold, Stylosmilia alpina Koby, S. yabei Eguchi, Thecosmilia dichotoma (Koby), Th. sp., Trigerastraea gourdani (De Fromentel), and Vallimeandra cf. explanata (De Fromentel). Furthermore, five additional Berriasian coral faunas are reviewed and compared with the coral fauna of the upper Oehrli Formation. These five assemblages are from southern Ukraine (2 assemblages, consisting of five and 12 species, respectively), northern Tunisia (13 species), southern Spain (23 species), and central Tibet (11 species). Except for the faunas from central Tibet and northern Tunisia, the Berriasian coral assemblages are distinctly dominated by colonial species (70-95%); they represent largely isolated populations of mostly endemic species; and consist largely of genera that had already appeared in the Upper Jurassic (80-100%). On the species-level, however, with the exception of the coral assemblage of Spain, the Beriasian coral faunas are dominated by or completely consist of taxa that have their first occurrence in the Berriasian (54-100%). The Berriasian fauna of the upper Oehrli Formation described in this work contains nearly three times more species than found in the contemporaneous fauna of southern Spain which up to now was the largest known Berriasian fauna. Two of the upper Berriasian taxa described in the current work (Cycloria and Placocoenia) may be the first representatives of lineages that still occur today (Mussidae and Montastraeidae, respectively) as suggested by a recent study of the cox1 Intron in modern corals.

Brown rot in inner heartwood: why large logs support characteristics saproxylic beetle assemblages of conservation concern

Treesearch

Marie Yee; Simon J. Grove; Alastair M.M. Richardson; Caroline L. Mohammed

2006-01-01

It is not clear why large diameter logs generally host saproxylic beetle assemblages that are different from those of small diameter logs. In a study in Tasmanian wet eucalypt forest, two size-classes of Eucalyptus obliqua logs (>100cm and 30-60cm diameter) were destructively sampled to assess their beetle fauna and the associations of this fauna...

Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora. 1987 annual report. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-04-15

Five tables present all reported 1987 data on international trade, involving the United States, in wildlife and plant species listed on the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Data on species, quantities, countries involved, purpose of trade, and description of products or specimens are provided.

The ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna of the cedar glades and xeric limestone prairies of the Central Basin of Tennessee

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ants may be the most thoroughly documented group of insects inhabiting the cedar glades of the Central Basin of Tennessee with two studies conducted in the late 1930s reporting ants found in cedar glades of the region. To compare the ant fauna of modern cedar glades with the lists produced in earlie...

Sociocultural Variables That Impact High School Students' Perceptions of Native Fauna: A Study on the Species Component of the Biodiversity Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermudez, Gonzalo M.; Battistón, Luisina V.; García Capocasa, María C.; De Longhi, Ana L.

2017-01-01

This study investigates the influence of school sector (private versus state schools) and student gender on knowledge of native fauna. Our main objectives were (a) to describe the knowledge of high school students from the province of Cordoba, Argentina with respect to native animal species, (b) to determine if any exotic species (introduced or…

Spatio-temporal patterns of the decline of fresh water mussels in the Little South Fork Cumberland River,USA

Treesearch

Melvin L. Warren; Wendell R. Haag

2005-01-01

The Little South Fork Cumberland River, Kentucky and Tennessee, USA, was a globally important conservation refugium for freshwater mussels (Mollusca:Unionidae) because it supported an intact example (26 species) of the unique Cumberland River mussel fauna including imperiled species. We used previous surveys and our 1997–1998 survey to reconstruct the historical fauna...

Soil fauna responses to natural disturbances, invasive species, and global climate change: Current state of the science and a call to action

Treesearch

David R. Coyle; Uma J. Nagendra; Melanie K. Taylor; J. Holly Campbell; Chelsea E. Cunard; Aaron H. Joslin; Abha Mundepi; Carly A. Phillips; Mac A. Callaham

2017-01-01

Environmental disturbances seem to be increasing in frequency and impact, yet we have little understanding of the belowground impacts of these events. Soil fauna, while widely acknowledged to be important drivers of biogeochemical function, soil structure and sustainability, and trophic interactions, are understudied compared to other belowground organisms such as...

[Impact of heavy snow storm and freezing rain disasters on soil fauna in Chinese fir plantation in southern China].

PubMed

Yan, Shao-kui; Zhang, Wei-dong; Liu, Yan-xin; Fu, Sheng-lei; Li, Yuan-liang; Wang, Si-long

2009-01-01

In January 2008, southern China suffered an unusual heavy snowstorm and freezing rain over a large area for almost a month long. This catastrophic event was the worst one in past 50 years, which brought the area a serious impact on the infrastructure, ecology, and environment. To understand the long-term impact of this catastrophic event on the forest ecosystems in this area, a field investigation was conducted on the soil fauna in a pure Chinese fir plantation and a mixed Chinese fir plantation-alder plantation in Huitong County of Hunan Province on March 23, 2008, the date 40 days after the heavy snowstorm and freezing rain. With the abundance and community composition as the main parameters and the monitoring data from the two plantations on March 23, 2007 as the reference, the flexibility and resistance of soil fauna to the disturbances of the catastrophic event was preliminarily evaluated. The results showed that there was a significant deviation of soil fauna communities in the two plantations from the reference. An outbreak increase in microfauna nematode abundance was found from 12216.9 ind x m(-2) to 118343.9 ind x m(-2) in pure Chinese fir plantation and from 25435.9 ind x m(-2) to 84573.0 ind x m(-2) in mixed Chinese fir plantation-alder plantation, while a 27.0% and 85.6% decrease of macrofauna abundance was found in the two plantations, respectively, compared with the reference. Mesofauna abundance also had a significant decrease in litter layer but not in soil. The abundance recovery displayed a trend from quick rate for microfauna to slow rate for macrofauna, which indicated that the soil fauna functional groups, in terms of body size, could be used as a vulnerable indicator in evaluating disturbance event and post-disturbance recovery. By using community ordinations, no shift in soil fauna community composition was detected 40 days after the catastrophic event, suggesting that the community composition of soil invertebrate had a high resistance to catastrophic snowstorm and freezing rain disturbances.

The distribution and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna in Pondicherry mangroves, India

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Species distribution, abundance and diversity of mangrove benthic macroinvertebrate fauna and the relationships to environmental conditions are important parts of understanding the structure and function of mangrove ecosystems. In this study seasonal variation in the distribution of macrobenthos and related environmental parameters were explored at four mangrove stations along the Pondicherry coast of India, from September 2008 to July 2010. Multivariate statistical analyses, including cluster analysis, principal component analysis and non-multidimensional scales plot were employed to help define trophic status, water quality and benthic characteristic at the four monitoring stations. Results Among the 528 samples collected over 168 ha of mangrove forest 76 species of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna were identified. Macrofauna were mainly composed of deposit feeders, dominated numerically by molluscs and crustaceans. Statistical analyses yielded the following descriptors of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna species distribution: densities between 140–1113 ind. m-2, dominance 0.17-0.50, diversity 1.80-2.83 bits ind-1, richness 0.47-0.74 and evenness 0.45-0.72, equitability 0.38-0.77, berger parker 0.31-0.77 and fisher alpha 2.46-5.70. Increases of species diversity and abundance were recorded during the post monsoon season at station 1 and the lowest diversity was recorded at station 2 during the monsoon season. The pollution indicator organisms Cassidula nucleus, Melampus ceylonicus, Sphaerassiminea minuta were found only at the two most polluted regions, i.e. stations 3 and 4. Benthic macroinvertebrate fauna abundances were inversely related to salinity at the four stations, Based on Bray-Curtis similarity through hierarchical clustering implemented in PAST, it was possible to define three distinct benthic assemblages at the stations. Conclusions From a different multivariate statistical analysis of the different environmental parameters regarding species diversity and abundance of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna, it was found that benthic communities are highly affected by all the environmental parameters governing the distribution and diversity variation of the macrofaunal community in Pondicherry mangroves. Salinity, dissolved oxygen levels, organic matter content, sulphide concentration were the most significant parameters. PMID:23937801

Assessing Fish and Motile Fauna around Offshore Windfarms Using Stereo Baited Video

PubMed Central

Griffin, Ross A.; Robinson, Gary J.; West, Ashley; Gloyne-Phillips, Ian T.; Unsworth, Richard K. F.

2016-01-01

There remains limited knowledge of how offshore windfarm developments influence fish assemblages, particularly at a local scale around the turbine structures. Considering the existing levels of anthropogenic pressures on coastal fish populations it is becoming increasingly important for developers and environmental regulators to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing fish assemblages. Improving our ability to assess such fish populations in close proximity to structures will assist in increasing this knowledge. In the present study we provide the first trial use of Baited Remote Underwater Stereo-Video systems (stereo BRUVs) for the quantification of motile fauna in close proximity to offshore wind turbines. The study was conducted in the Irish Sea and finds the technique to be a viable means of assessing the motile fauna of such environments. The present study found a mixture of species including bottom dwellers, motile crustaceans and large predatory fish. The majority of taxa observed were found to be immature individuals with few adult individuals recorded. The most abundant species were the angular crab (Goneplax rhomboides) and the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). Of note in this study was the generally low abundance and diversity of taxa recorded across all samples, we hypothesise that this reflects the generally poor state of the local fauna of the Irish Sea. The faunal assemblages sampled in close proximity to turbines were observed to alter with increasing distance from the structure, species more characteristic of hard bottom environments were in abundance at the turbines (e.g. Homarus gammarus, Cancer pagarus, Scyliorhinus spp.) and those further away more characteristic of soft bottoms (e.g. Norwegian Lobster). This study highlights the need for the environmental impacts of offshore renewables on motile fauna to be assessed using targeted and appropriate tools. Stereo BRUVs provide one of those tools, but like the majority of methods for sampling marine biota, they have limitations. We conclude our paper by providing a discussion of the benefits and limitations of using this BRUV technique for assessing fauna within areas close to offshore windfarms. PMID:26934587

Rapid assessment of insect fauna based on local knowledge: comparing ecological and ethnobiological methods.

PubMed

Lima, Daniele Cristina de Oliveira; Ramos, Marcelo Alves; da Silva, Henrique Costa Hermenegildo; Alves, Angelo Giuseppe Chaves

2016-03-01

The rapid assessment of biodiversity making use of surveys of local knowledge has been successful for different biological taxa. However, there are no reports on the testing of such tools for sampling insect fauna. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of different ethnobiological techniques for rapid sampling of insect fauna. Field research for the conventional survey of insect fauna was conducted on a private farm (9 ° 43'38.95 "S, 37 ° 45'11.97" W) , where there was intensive cultivation of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench)). The survey of local entomological knowledge was conducted among all the producers of okra living in the rural villages Pereira, Santa Luzia, and Nassau de Souza, within the Jacaré Curituba irrigated settlement scheme. The combined use of the techniques "free list" and projective interviews was analyzed, using two types of visual stimuli: stock photos and an entomological box. During the conventional survey of insect fauna, the species Bemisia tabaci biotype B, Aphis gossypii, Phenacoccus sp., Icerya purchasi and Lagria villosa were the primary pests found in the okra crop. Regarding the survey of insect pests, the results were convergent  in both techniques (conventional sampling and free list). Comparing the interview with visual stimuli (pictures) and specimen witnesses (entomological box) revealed that the latter was more effective. Techniques based on the recording and analysis of local knowledge about insects are effective for quick sampling of pest insects, but ineffective in sampling predator insects. The utilization of collected insects, infested branches, or photos of the symptoms of damage caused by pests in projective interviews is recommended.

The Tule Springs local fauna: Rancholabrean vertebrates from the Las Vegas Formation, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, Eric; Springer, Kathleen; Sagebiel, James C.

2017-01-01

A middle to late Pleistocene sedimentary sequence in the upper Las Vegas Wash, north of Las Vegas, Nevada, has yielded the largest open-site Rancholabrean vertebrate fossil assemblage in the southern Great Basin and Mojave Deserts. Recent paleontologic field studies have led to the discovery of hundreds of fossil localities and specimens, greatly extending the geographic and temporal footprint of original investigations in the early 1960s. The significance of the deposits and their entombed fossils led to the preservation of 22,650 acres of the upper Las Vegas Wash as Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. These discoveries also warrant designation of the assemblage as a local fauna, named for the site of the original paleontologic studies at Tule Springs.The large mammal component of the Tule Springs local fauna is dominated by remains of Mammuthus columbi as well as Camelops hesternus, along with less common remains of Equus (including E. scotti) and Bison. Large carnivorans including Canis dirus, Smilodon fatalis, and Panthera atrox are also recorded. Micromammals, amphibians, lizards, snakes, birds, invertebrates, plant macrofossils, and pollen also occur in the deposits and provide important and complementary paleoenvironmental information. The fauna occurs within the Las Vegas Formation, an extensive and stratigraphically complex sequence of groundwater discharge deposits that represent a mosaic of desert wetland environments. Radiometric and luminescence dating indicates the sequence spans the last ∼570 ka, and records hydrologic changes in a dynamic and temporally congruent response to northern hemispheric abrupt climatic oscillations. The vertebrate fauna occurs in multiple stratigraphic horizons in this sequence, with ages of the fossils spanning from ∼100 to ∼12.5 ka.

Ancient origin of the modern deep-sea fauna.

PubMed

Thuy, Ben; Gale, Andy S; Kroh, Andreas; Kucera, Michal; Numberger-Thuy, Lea D; Reich, Mike; Stöhr, Sabine

2012-01-01

The origin and possible antiquity of the spectacularly diverse modern deep-sea fauna has been debated since the beginning of deep-sea research in the mid-nineteenth century. Recent hypotheses, based on biogeographic patterns and molecular clock estimates, support a latest Mesozoic or early Cenozoic date for the origin of key groups of the present deep-sea fauna (echinoids, octopods). This relatively young age is consistent with hypotheses that argue for extensive extinction during Jurassic and Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) and the mid-Cenozoic cooling of deep-water masses, implying repeated re-colonization by immigration of taxa from shallow-water habitats. Here we report on a well-preserved echinoderm assemblage from deep-sea (1000-1500 m paleodepth) sediments of the NE-Atlantic of Early Cretaceous age (114 Ma). The assemblage is strikingly similar to that of extant bathyal echinoderm communities in composition, including families and genera found exclusively in modern deep-sea habitats. A number of taxa found in the assemblage have no fossil record at shelf depths postdating the assemblage, which precludes the possibility of deep-sea recolonization from shallow habitats following episodic extinction at least for those groups. Our discovery provides the first key fossil evidence that a significant part of the modern deep-sea fauna is considerably older than previously assumed. As a consequence, most major paleoceanographic events had far less impact on the diversity of deep-sea faunas than has been implied. It also suggests that deep-sea biota are more resilient to extinction events than shallow-water forms, and that the unusual deep-sea environment, indeed, provides evolutionary stability which is very rarely punctuated on macroevolutionary time scales.

The ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the Strandzha Mountain and adjacent coastal territories (Bulgaria and Turkey)

PubMed Central

Guéorguiev, Borislav

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The knowledge of the ground-beetle fauna of Strandzha is currently incomplete, and is largely based on data from the Bulgarian part of the region and on records resulting from casual collecting. This study represents a critical revision of the available literature, museum collections and a three years field study of the carabid beetles of the Bulgarian and Turkish parts of Strandzha Mountain and the adjacent Black Sea Coast territories. New information A total of 328 species and subspecies of Carabidae, belonging to 327 species from the region of Strandzha Mountain and adjacent seacoast area, have been listed. Of these, 77 taxa represent new records for the Bulgarian part of the region, and 110 taxa new records for Turkish part of the studied region. Two taxa, one subgenus (Haptotapinus Reitter, 1886) and one species (Pterostichus crassiusculus), are new to the fauna of Bulgaria. Based on a misidentification, the species Apotomus testaceus is excluded from the list of the Bulgarian fauna. Seven species (Carabus violaceus azurescens, Apotomus rufus, Platynus proximus, Molops alpestris kalofericus, M. dilatatus angulicollis, Pterostichus merklii, and Calathus metallicus) are treated as doubtful for the regional fauna, and one (Apotomus rufus) also for the Bulgarian fauna. Altogether, 43 taxa collected in the Turkish part of the region are new for European Turkey. New taxa for Turkey are the genera Myas and Oxypselaphus, the subgenus Feronidius, and nine species and subspecies (Carabus granulatus granulatus, Dyschirius tristis, Bembidion normannum apfelbecki, B. subcostatum vau, Acupalpus exiguus, Myas chalybaeus, Oxypselaphus obscurus, Pterostichus leonisi, Pt. melas). In addition, there are a further seven species that are here confirmed for Turkey. PMID:27099564

Sub-fossil beetle assemblages associated with the "mammoth fauna" in the Late Pleistocene localities of the Ural Mountains and West Siberia.

PubMed

Zinovyev, Evgeniy

2011-01-01

The distribution of beetles at the end of the Middle Pleninglacial (=terminal Quaternary) was examined based on sub-fossil material from the Ural Mountains and Western Siberia, Russia. All relevant localities of fossil insects have similar radiocarbon dates, ranging between 33,000 and 22,000 C14 years ago. Being situated across the vast territory from the southern Ural Mountains in the South to the middle Yamal Peninsula in the North, they allow latitudinal changes in beetle assemblages of that time to be traced. These beetles lived simultaneously with mammals of the so-called "mammoth fauna" with mammoth, bison, and wooly rhinoceros, the often co-occurring mega-mammalian bones at some of the sites being evidence of this. The beetle assemblages found between 59° and 57°N appear to be the most interesting. Their bulk is referred to as a "mixed" type, one which includes a characteristic combination of arcto-boreal, boreal, steppe and polyzonal species showing no analogues among recent insect complexes. These peculiar faunas seem to have represented a particular zonal type, which disappeared since the end of the Last Glaciation to arrive here with the extinction of the mammoth biota. In contrast, on the sites lying north of 60°N, the beetle communities were similar to modern sub-arctic and arctic faunas, yet with the participation of some sub-boreal steppe components, such as Poecilus ravus Lutshnik and Carabus sibiricus Fischer-Waldheim. This information, when compared with our knowledge of synchronous insect faunas from other regions of northern Eurasia, suggests that the former distribution of beetles in this region could be accounted for both by palaeo-environmental conditions and the impact of grazing by large ruminant mammals across the so-called "mammoth savannas".

Calcareous forest seepages acting as biodiversity hotspots and refugia for woodland snail faunas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horsák, Michal; Tajovská, Eva; Horsáková, Veronika

2017-07-01

Land-snail species richness has repeatedly been found to increase with the increasing site calcium content and humidity. These two factors, reported as the main drivers of land-snail assemblage diversity, are also among the main habitat characteristics of calcareous seepages. Here we explore local species richness and compositional variation of forest spring-fed patches (i.e. seepages), to test the hypothesis that these habitats might act as biodiversity hotspots and refugia of regional snail faunas. In contrast to treeless spring fens, only little is known about land snail faunas inhabiting forest seepages. Studying 25 isolated calcareous forest seepages, evenly distributed across the White Carpathians Protected Landscape Area (SE Czech Republic), we found that these sites, albeit spatially very limited, can harbour up to 66% of the shelled land-snail species known to occur in this well-explored protected area (in total 83 species). By comparing land snail assemblages of the studied seepages with those occurring in the woodland surroundings of each site as well as those previously sampled in 28 preserved forest sites within the study area, we found the seepages to be among the most species rich sites. Although the numbers of species did not statistically differ among these three systems, we found highly significant differences in species composition. Seepage faunas were composed of many species significantly associated with spring sites, in contrast to the assemblages of both surrounding and preserved forest sites. Our results highly support the hypothesis that calcareous forest seepages might serve as refugia and biodiversity hotspots of regional land snail faunas. Protection of these unique habitats challenges both conservation plans and forest management guidelines as they might act as sources for the recolonization and restoration of forest snail assemblages particularly in areas impoverished by harvesting and clearcutting.

Entrapment Bias of Arthropods in Miocene Amber Revealed by Trapping Experiments in a Tropical Forest in Chiapas, Mexico

PubMed Central

Solórzano Kraemer, Mónica M.; Kraemer, Atahualpa S.; Stebner, Frauke; Bickel, Daniel J.; Rust, Jes

2015-01-01

All entomological traps have a capturing bias, and amber, viewed as a trap, is no exception. Thus the fauna trapped in amber does not represent the total existing fauna of the former amber forest, rather the fauna living in and around the resin producing tree. In this paper we compare arthropods from a forest very similar to the reconstruction of the Miocene Mexican amber forest, and determine the bias of different trapping methods, including amber. We also show, using cluster analyses, measurements of the trapped arthropods, and guild distribution, that the amber trap is a complex entomological trap not comparable with a single artificial trap. At the order level, the most similar trap to amber is the sticky trap. However, in the case of Diptera, at the family level, the Malaise trap is also very similar to amber. Amber captured a higher diversity of arthropods than each of the artificial traps, based on our study of Mexican amber from the Middle Miocene, a time of climate optimum, where temperature and humidity were probably higher than in modern Central America. We conclude that the size bias is qualitatively independent of the kind of trap for non–extreme values. We suggest that frequent specimens in amber were not necessarily the most frequent arthropods in the former amber forest. Selected taxa with higher numbers of specimens appear in amber because of their ecology and behavior, usually closely related with a tree–inhabiting life. Finally, changes of diversity from the Middle Miocene to Recent time in Central and South America can be analyzed by comparing the rich amber faunas from Mexico and the Dominican Republic with the fauna trapped using sticky and Malaise traps in Central America. PMID:25785584

Edaphic fauna in a vegetation gradient in the Sete Cidades National Park.

PubMed

Nunes, L A P L; Araújo, A S F; Pessoa, M M C; Sousa, R S; Silva, J D C; Matos-Filho, C H A

2018-04-09

The vegetation physionomy and cover can show patterns of diversity and composition of the edaphic community, depending on the quantity and quality of litter in a specific habitat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the vegetation gradient formed by Graminoid Field (GRF), Cerrado Sensu Stricto (CSS), Cerradão (CRD) and Semideciduous Seasonal Forest (SSF) on density, diversity and composition of the edaphic fauna community in two seasons of the year, in the Sete Cidades National Park (Piauí state). For fauna sampling, a total of eight pitfall traps, distanced 10 m, were placed in each area in the central part of each system, where they remained for seven days. In the wet period, there was a tendency to increase the number of individuals as a function of the complexity of the vegetation formation, with the inverse occurring in the dry period. It was verified an environmental variation of the climatic factors temperature and humidity according to the vegetal formation, contributing to a heterogeneous distribution of the fauna. The GRF formation presented a significantly lower value of average richness only in the dry period. Regarding the variables of diversity and uniformity, they did not show drastic variations in relation to the vegetation gradient studied. The dominant groups in the vegetation gradient were Formicidae, Coleoptera, Aranae, Acari and Collembola, with reduction of the number of Coleoptera in the dry season. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed greater differences in the composition of the communities between the vegetation formations for the rainy season. At this time, the formations SSF and CRD were associated to a greater diversity of invertebrates than CSS and GRF, demonstrating the influence of the vegetation complexity on the soil fauna community.

Late Pliocene paleoeco­logic reconstructions based on ostracode assemblages from the Sagavanirktok and Gubik formations, Alaskan North Slope

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brouwers, Elisabeth M.

1994-01-01

Shallow-marine ostracode assemblages from upper Pliocene sediments of the upper part of the Sagavanirktok Formation and lower part of the Gubik Formation record the last warm period that occurred before the onset of significant cooling of the Arctic Ocean and the initiation of Northern Hemisphere continental glaciation. The informally named Colvillian and Bigbendian transgressions represent the oldest deposits of the Gubik Formation and are dated, based on various lines of evidence, between 2.48 and 3 Ma. Ostracode faunas from the lower part of the Gubik Formation indicate a cold-temperate to subfrigid marine climate with summer bottom temperatures 1-4 C warmer than today. Deposits of the upper part of the Sagavanirktok Formation at Manning Point and Barter Island are older than Colvillian sediments but are believed to be late Pliocene in age and contain an ostracode fauna that has many species in common with the lower part of the Gubik Formation. The Sagavanirktok ostracode faunas indicate a cold-temperature to subfrigid marine climate, similar to that inferred for the lower part of the Gubik Formation, with summer bottom temperatures 1-3 C warmer than today. The opening of Bering Strait at about 3 Ma altered Arctic Ocean assemblage composition as Pacific species migrated into the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. The admixture of evolutionarily distinct faunas from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans identifies Colvillian (and younger) faunas and provides a convenient reference horizon in the Alaskan fossil record. The marine climatic deterioration that followed the Bigbendian appears to have been abrupt and is documented by biotic turnover, with large numbers of species extinctions and first appearances of new species. The change in species composition can be attributed to the cooling of the Arctic Ocean during the late Pliocene.

The effects of press and pulse disturbance by long and short-term pollution on the fish community in the Sinos River, RS, Brazil.

PubMed

Schulz, U H; Costa, P F

2015-05-01

The fish fauna of the Sinos River has been subjected to severe pollution since the 1970´s. Continuous discharges of industrial and municipal sewage cause hypoxia and often even fish kills. The objectives of the present study are to assess long-term effects of pollution on the fish community over a time scale of approximately ten years and to investigate recuperation of the fish fauna after a massive fish kill in 2006. To assess the long-term impacts, seasonal sampling was conducted from September 2007 to March 2009 in four sites which were investigated in 1998/99 with the same methodology. The effects of the fish kill were investigated by comparing the present fauna in the affected river stretch with the fauna of an unaffected adjacent river stretch. The collective community properties richness and Shannon diversity changed during the ten year interval in a consistent pattern. Richness and Shannon diversity increased significantly in all sites, abundance values, however, did not. Analysis of species constancy and cluster analysis showed that the differences between the 1998/99 and 2007/09 studies were relatively small. The comparison of the reaches affected by the 2006 fish kills showed a rapid recovery within one year. Probably the Sinos fish fauna suffered the most severe impacts in the 70s of the last century, which could not be documented by this study. After an initial decline, the community displays relatively stable patterns with a tendency of recovery. After a severe fish kill, faunal recovery was rapid, probably favoured by the proximity of unpolluted source areas and physical habitat integrity of the Sinos River.

Age and geochemistry of the Charlestown Group, Ireland: Implications for the Grampian orogeny, its mineral potential and the Ordovician timescale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrington, Richard J.; Hollis, Steven P.; Cooper, Mark R.; Stobbs, Iain; Tapster, Simon; Rushton, Adrian; McConnell, Brian; Jeffries, Teresa

2018-03-01

Accurately reconstructing the growth of continental margins during episodes of ocean closure has important implications for understanding the formation, preservation and location of mineral deposits in ancient orogens. The Charlestown Group of county Mayo, Ireland, forms an important yet understudied link in the Caledonian-Appalachian orogenic belt located between the well documented sectors of western Ireland and Northern Ireland. We have reassessed its role in the Ordovician Grampian orogeny, based on new fieldwork, high-resolution airborne geophysics, graptolite biostratigraphy, U-Pb zircon dating, whole rock geochemistry, and an examination of historic drillcore from across the volcanic inlier. The Charlestown Group can be divided into three formations: Horan, Carracastle, and Tawnyinah. The Horan Formation comprises a mixed sequence of tholeiitic to calc-alkaline basalt, crystal tuff and sedimentary rocks (e.g. black shale, chert), forming within an evolving peri-Laurentian affinity island arc. The presence of graptolites Pseudisograptus of the manubriatus group and the discovery of Exigraptus uniformis and Skiagraptus gnomonicus favour a latest Dapingian (i.e. Yapeenian Ya 2/late Arenig) age for the Horan Formation (equivalent to c. 471.2-470.5 Ma according to the timescale of Sadler et al., 2009). Together with three new U-Pb zircon ages of 471.95-470.82 Ma from enclosing felsic tuffs and volcanic breccias, this fauna provides an important new constraint for calibrating the Middle Ordovician timescale. Overlying deposits of the Carracastle and Tawnyinah formations are dominated by LILE- and LREE-enriched calc-alkaline andesitic tuffs and flows, coarse volcanic breccias and quartz-feldspar porphyritic intrusive rocks, overlain by more silicic tuffs and volcanic breccias with rare occurrences of sedimentary rocks. The relatively young age for the Charlestown Group in the Grampian orogeny, coupled with high Th/Yb and zircon inheritance (c. 2.7 Ga) in intrusive rocks indicate that the arc was founded upon continental crust (either composite Laurentian margin or microcontinental block). Regional correlation is best fitted to an association with the post-subduction flip volcanic/intrusive rocks of the Irish Caledonides, specifically the late-stage development of the Tyrone Igneous Complex, intrusive rocks of Connemara (western Ireland) and the Slishwood Division (Co. Sligo). Examination of breccia textures and mineralization across the volcanic inlier questions the previous porphyry hypothesis for the genesis of the Charlestown Cu deposit, which are more consistent with a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit.

A multistratigraphic approach to pinpoint the Permian-Triassic boundary in continental deposits: The Zechstein-Lower Buntsandstein transition in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholze, Frank; Wang, Xu; Kirscher, Uwe; Kraft, Johannes; Schneider, Jörg W.; Götz, Annette E.; Joachimski, Michael M.; Bachtadse, Valerian

2017-05-01

The Central European Basin is very suitable for high-resolution multistratigraphy of Late Permian to Early Triassic continental deposits. Here the well exposed continuous transition of the lithostratigraphic Zechstein and Buntsandstein Groups of Central Germany was studied for isotope-chemostratigraphy (δ13Corg, δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb), major and trace element geochemistry, magnetostratigraphy, palynology, and conchostracan biostratigraphy. The analysed material was obtained from both classical key sections (abandoned Nelben clay pit, Caaschwitz quarries, Thale railway cut, abandoned Heinebach clay pit) and a recent drill core section (Caaschwitz 6/2012) spanning the Permian-Triassic boundary. The Zechstein-Buntsandstein transition of Central Germany consists of a complex sedimentary facies comprising sabkha, playa lake, aeolian, and fluvial deposits of predominantly red-coloured siliciclastics and intercalations of lacustrine oolitic limestones. The new data on δ13Corg range from - 28.7 to - 21.7 ‰ showing multiple excursions. Most prominent negative shifts correlate with intercalations of oolites and grey-coloured clayey siltstones, while higher δ13Corg values correspond to an onset of palaeosol overprint. The δ13Ccarb values range from - 9.7 to - 1.3 ‰ with largest variations recorded in dolomitic nodules from the Zechstein Group. In contrast to sedimentary facies shifts across the Zechstein-Buntsandstein boundary, major element values used as a proxy (CIA, CIA*, CIA-K) for weathering conditions indicate climatic stability. Trace element data used for a geochemical characterization of the Late Permian to Early Triassic transition in Central Germany indicate a decrease in Rb contents at the Zechstein-Buntsandstein boundary. New palynological data obtained from the Caaschwitz quarry section reveal occurrences of Late Permian palynomorphs in the Lower Fulda Formation, while Early Triassic elements were recorded in the upper part of the Upper Fulda Formation. The present study confirms an onset of a normal-polarized magnetozone in the Upper Fulda Formation of the Caaschwitz quarry section supporting an interregional correlation of this crucial stratigraphic interval with the normal magnetic polarity of the basal Early Triassic known from marine sections in other regions. Based on a synthesis of the multistratigraphic data, the Permian-Triassic boundary is proposed to be placed in the lower part of the Upper Fulda Formation, which is biostratigraphically confirmed by the first occurrence date of the Early Triassic Euestheria gutta-Palaeolimnadiopsis vilujensis conchostracan fauna. Rare records of conchostracans reported from the siliciclastic deposits of the lower to middle Zechstein Group may point to its potential for further biostratigraphic subdivision of the Late Permian continental deposits.

The River Orontes in Syria and Turkey: Downstream variation of fluvial archives in different crustal blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridgland, David R.; Westaway, Rob; Romieh, Mohammad Abou; Candy, Ian; Daoud, Mohamad; Demir, Tuncer; Galiatsatos, Nikolaos; Schreve, Danielle C.; Seyrek, Ali; Shaw, Andrew D.; White, Tom S.; Whittaker, John

2012-09-01

The geomorphology and Quaternary history of the River Orontes in western Syria and south-central Turkey have been studied using a combination of methods: field survey, differential GPS, satellite imagery, analysis of sediments to determine provenance, flow direction and fluvial environment, incorporation of evidence from fossils for both palaeoenvironments and biostratigraphy, uranium-series dating of calcrete cement, reconciliation of Palaeolithic archaeological contents, and uplift modelling based on terrace height distribution. The results underline the contrasting nature of different reaches of the Orontes, in part reflecting different crustal blocks, with different histories of landscape evolution. Upstream from Homs the Orontes has a system of calcreted terraces that form a staircase extending to ~200 m above the river. New U-series dating provides an age constraint within the lower part of the sequence that suggests underestimation of terrace ages in previous reviews. This upper valley is separated from another terraced reach, in the Middle Orontes, by a gorge cut through the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene Homs Basalt. The Middle Orontes terraces have long been recognized as a source of mammalian fossils and Palaeolithic artefacts, particularly from Latamneh, near the downstream end of the reach. This terraced section of the valley ends at a fault scarp, marking the edge of the subsiding Ghab Basin (a segment of the Dead Sea Fault Zone), which has been filled to a depth of ~ 1 km by dominantly lacustrine sediments of Pliocene-Quaternary age. Review of the fauna from Latamneh suggests that its age is 1.2-0.9 Ma, significantly older than previously supposed, and commensurate with less uplift in this reach than both the Upper and Lower Orontes. Two localities near the downstream end of the Ghab have provided molluscan and ostracod assemblages that record somewhat saline environments, perhaps caused by desiccation within the former lacustrine basin, although they include fluvial elements. The Ghab is separated from another subsiding and formerly lacustrine depocentre, the Amik Basin of Hatay Province, Turkey, by a second gorge, implicit of uplift, this time cut through Palaeogene limestone. The NE-SW oriented lowermost reach of the Orontes is again terraced, with a third and most dramatic gorge through the northern edge of the Ziyaret Dağı mountains, which are known to have experienced rapid uplift, probably again enhanced by movement on an active fault. Indeed, a conclusion of the research, in which these various reaches are compared, is that the crust in the Hatay region is significantly more dynamic than that further upstream, where uplift has been less rapid and less continuous.

Radiolarian indicators of El Nino and anti-El Nino events in Holocene sediments of Santa Barbara basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weinheimer, A.L.

Radiolarian distributions and physical oceanographic data from the Santa Barbara basin indicate the following. Strong anti-El Nino periods can be characterized by (1) intermediate radiolarian density, (2) high percentage of transition-central radiolarian fauna, and (3) low percentage and number of warm-water radiolarian fauna. This distribution pattern is attributed to strong wind-driven upwelling and reduced northward transport by the California Countercurrent during anti-El Nino periods. Strong El Nino periods are typically (1) high in radiolarian density, and (2) low in percentage but high in number of warm-water fauna. This distribution is attributed to reduced wind-driven upwelling, enhanced northward countercurrent transport, andmore » geostrophic doming of the cold-water masses in the shear zone between the California Current and California Countercurrent.« less

Permian tetrapods from the Sahara show climate-controlled endemism in Pangaea.

PubMed

Sidor, Christian A; O'Keefe, F Robin; Damiani, Ross; Steyer, J Sébastien; Smith, Roger M H; Larsson, Hans C E; Sereno, Paul C; Ide, Oumarou; Maga, Abdoulaye

2005-04-14

New fossils from the Upper Permian Moradi Formation of northern Niger provide an insight into the faunas that inhabited low-latitude, xeric environments near the end of the Palaeozoic era (approximately 251 million years ago). We describe here two new temnospondyl amphibians, the cochleosaurid Nigerpeton ricqlesi gen. et sp. nov. and the stem edopoid Saharastega moradiensis gen. et sp. nov., as relicts of Carboniferous lineages that diverged 40-90 million years earlier. Coupled with a scarcity of therapsids, the new finds suggest that faunas from the poorly sampled xeric belt that straddled the Equator during the Permian period differed markedly from well-sampled faunas that dominated tropical-to-temperate zones to the north and south. Our results show that long-standing theories of Late Permian faunal homogeneity are probably oversimplified as the result of uneven latitudinal sampling.

U-series dating of the Late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Wood Quarry (Steetley), Nottinghamshire, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pike, A. W. G.; Eggins, S.; Grün, R.; Hedges, R. E. M.; Jacobi, R. M.

2005-01-01

We present the U-series dating of bones from Wood Quarry (Steetley Quarry Cave) using the diffusion-adsorption model to account for uranium uptake. The results give a weighted mean date of 66.8 ± 3.0 kyr, placing this assemblage within or just before Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 4. The fauna is thought to correlate with the Banwell Bone Cave mammal assemblage-zone of the Early Devensian in Britain. Our results support the idea that this assemblage-zone immediately precedes the assemblage represented nearby at Pin Hole in Creswell Crags which is contemporary with the Mid-Devensian and correlates with MIS 3. Our dates, and dates for the Banwell Bone Cave mammal assemblage-zone from Stump Cross Cavern and evidence from other sites may indicate a longevity for this fauna.

Continental fossil vertebrates from the mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) Alcântara Formation, Brazil, and their relationship with contemporaneous faunas from North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candeiro, Carlos Roberto A.; Fanti, Federico; Therrien, François; Lamanna, Matthew C.

2011-05-01

The Albian-Cenomanian Alcântara Formation of northeastern Brazil preserves the most diverse continental vertebrate fauna of this age yet known from northern South America. The Alcântara vertebrate assemblage, consisting of elasmobranchs, actinopterygians, sarcopterygians, turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and non-avian dinosaurs, displays close similarities to contemporaneous faunas from North Africa. The co-occurrence of as many as eight freshwater or estuarine fish taxa ( Onchopristis, Bartschichthys, Lepidotes, Stephanodus, Mawsonia, Arganodus, Ceratodus africanus, and possibly Ceratodus humei) and up to seven terrestrial archosaur taxa ( Sigilmassasaurus, Rebbachisauridae, Baryonychinae, Spinosaurinae, Carcharodontosauridae, possibly Pholidosauridae, and doubtfully Bahariasaurus) suggests that a land route connecting northeastern Brazil and North Africa existed at least until the Albian. Interestingly, most components of this mid-Cretaceous northern South American/North African assemblage are not shared with coeval southern South American faunas, which are themselves characterized by a number of distinct freshwater and terrestrial vertebrate taxa (e.g., chelid turtles, megaraptoran and unenlagiine theropods). These results suggest that, although mid-Cretaceous faunal interchange was probably possible between northern South America and North Africa, paleogeographic, paleoclimatic, and/or paleoenvironmental barriers may have hindered continental vertebrate dispersal between northern and southern South America during this time.

A rhinocerotid-dominated megafauna at the MIS6-5 transition: The late Middle Pleistocene Coc Muoi assemblage, Lang Son province, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacon, Anne-Marie; Antoine, Pierre-Olivier; Huong, Nguyen Thi Mai; Westaway, Kira; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Duringer, Philippe; Zhao, Jian-xin; Ponche, Jean-Luc; Dung, Sam Canh; Nghia, Truong Huu; Minh, Tran Thi; Son, Pham Thanh; Boyon, Marc; Thuy, Nguyen Thi Kim; Blin, Amandine; Demeter, Fabrice

2018-04-01

Little is known about the ecosystems in the north of the Indochinese peninsula at the Middle-Late Pleistocene transition. In this paper, we analyzed the new fauna from Coc Muoi cave, Lang Son province, northeast Vietnam. In comparison with other well-documented faunas from the region, that of Coc Muoi is distinguished by the predominance of rhinoceroses among diverse large-bodied herbivores. The results of the OSL and pIR-IRSL dating of the cave sediments and U-series dating of flowstones indicate a potential age range of 148-117 ka for the fauna (MIS6-5). The analysis of age-at-death distributions of rhinoceroses, wild cattle, sambar deer, and wild pig, does not show any apparent selectivity of age classes. We also focused our study on rhinoceroses, tapirs, and wild cattle by analyzing the prevalence of hypoplastic defects on deciduous and permanent teeth, in an attempt to assess the health status of the taxa during their first years of growth. The health status of large-bodied herbivores (kouprey and rhinoceros) reveals the importance of stressors (biotic and abiotic) in the rainforest environment during a period of marked climatic transition (MIS6-5) in comparison with other MIS5-4 well-documented faunas from the region.

C, N and P fertilization in an Amazonian rainforest supports stoichiometric dissimilarity as a driver of litter diversity effects on decomposition

PubMed Central

Barantal, Sandra; Schimann, Heidy; Fromin, Nathalie; Hättenschwiler, Stephan

2014-01-01

Plant leaf litter generally decomposes faster as a group of different species than when individual species decompose alone, but underlying mechanisms of these diversity effects remain poorly understood. Because resource C : N : P stoichiometry (i.e. the ratios of these key elements) exhibits strong control on consumers, we supposed that stoichiometric dissimilarity of litter mixtures (i.e. the divergence in C : N : P ratios among species) improves resource complementarity to decomposers leading to faster mixture decomposition. We tested this hypothesis with: (i) a wide range of leaf litter mixtures of neotropical tree species varying in C : N : P dissimilarity, and (ii) a nutrient addition experiment (C, N and P) to create stoichiometric similarity. Litter mixtures decomposed in the field using two different types of litterbags allowing or preventing access to soil fauna. Litter mixture mass loss was higher than expected from species decomposing singly, especially in presence of soil fauna. With fauna, synergistic litter mixture effects increased with increasing stoichiometric dissimilarity of litter mixtures and this positive relationship disappeared with fertilizer addition. Our results indicate that litter stoichiometric dissimilarity drives mixture effects via the nutritional requirements of soil fauna. Incorporating ecological stoichiometry in biodiversity research allows refinement of the underlying mechanisms of how changing biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning. PMID:25320173

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Fauna of Qom Province, Iran

PubMed Central

Saghafipour, A; Abai, MR; Farzinnia, B; Nafar, R; Ladonni, H; Azari-Hamidian, S

2012-01-01

Background There is very little information about the mosquito fauna of Qom Province, central Iran. By now only three species; Anopheles claviger, An. multicolor, and An. superpictus have been reported in the province. To study mosquito fauna and providing a primary checklist, an investigation was carried out on a collection of mosquitoes in this province. Methods: To study the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna, larval collections were carried out from different habitats on 19 occasions using the standard dipping technique during spring and summer 2008 and 2009. Results: In total, 371 mosquito larvae were collected and morphologically identified including 14 species representing four genera: Anopheles claviger, An. marteri, An. turkhudi, An. superpictus, Culex arbieeni, Cx. hortensis, Cx. mimeticus, Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens, Cx. territans, Cx. theileri, Culiseta longiareolata, Cs. subochrea, and Ochlerotatus caspius s.l. All species except for An. claviger and An. superpictus were collected for the first time in the province. All larvae were found in natural habitats. The association occasions and percentages of the mosquito larvae in Qom Province were discussed. Conclusion: There are some potential or proven vectors of different human and domesticated animal pathogens in Qom Province. The ecology of these species and the unstudied areas of Qom Province need to be investigated extensively. PMID:23293779

Hunting and use of terrestrial fauna used by Caiçaras from the Atlantic Forest coast (Brazil)

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is considered one of the hotspots for conservation, comprising remnants of rain forest along the eastern Brazilian coast. Its native inhabitants in the Southeastern coast include the Caiçaras (descendants from Amerindians and European colonizers), with a deep knowledge on the natural resources used for their livelihood. Methods We studied the use of the terrestrial fauna in three Caiçara communities, through open-ended interviews with 116 native residents. Data were checked through systematic observations and collection of zoological material. Results The dependence on the terrestrial fauna by Caiçaras is especially for food and medicine. The main species used are Didelphis spp., Dasyprocta azarae, Dasypus novemcinctus, and small birds (several species of Turdidae). Contrasting with a high dependency on terrestrial fauna resources by native Amazonians, the Caiçaras do not show a constant dependency on these resources. Nevertheless, the occasional hunting of native animals represents a complimentary source of animal protein. Conclusion Indigenous or local knowledge on native resources is important in order to promote local development in a sustainable way, and can help to conserve biodiversity, particularly if the resource is sporadically used and not commercially exploited. PMID:19930595

Ecological aspects of the Phlebotominae fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Xakriabá Indigenous Reserve, Brazil

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Sand fly collections were performed to study ecological aspects of the Phlebotominae fauna of the Xakriabá Indigenous Reserve, an area with endemic cutaneous leishmaniasis, located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods The collections were performed in peridomicile areas and along trails previously selected for the study of wild and synanthropic Leishmania hosts. Differences in the distribution patterns of the sand fly species as well as in species richness and abundance between the different ecotopes were investigated during both rainy and dry seasons over the course of the study period. Results A total of 8,046 sand flies belonging to 11 genera and 28 species were collected. Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia intermedia were the most abundant species in peridomicile areas, whereas Martinsmyia minasensis and Lutzomyia cavernicola were the most abundant species among the different trail ecotopes. Conclusion The different composition of the sand fly fauna observed in the peridomicile areas and in the trails during the study, reinforces the importance of sampled different areas in a phlebotomine fauna survey. The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Ny. Intermedia most abundant in peridomicile can be important to Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis transmission in the Imbaúbas native village. PMID:24886717

[A comparative study on soil fauna in native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest and Chinese fir plantation forests in subtropics].

PubMed

Yan, Shaokui; Wang, Silong; Hu, Yalin; Gao, Hong; Zhang, Xiuyong

2004-10-01

In this study, we investigated the response of soil animal communities to the replacement of native secondary forest by Chinese fir plantation forest and successive rotation of Chinese fir in subtropics. Three adjacent forest stands, i.e., native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest stand (control) and Chinese fir plantation stands of first (20 yr) and second (20 yr) rotations were selected for the comparison of soil fauna. All animals were extracted from the floor litter and 0-15 cm soil layer of the stands in Summer, 2003 by using Tullgren method, wet funnel method and hand-sorting method. Compared to two Chinese fir plantation forests, the native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest had a higher abundance and a higher taxonomic diversity of animals in soil and litter, but there were no significant differences in the biomass and productivity of soil fauna between all study stands. The abundance or diversity did not differ significantly between the first rotation and second rotation stands, too. The results supported that vegetation cover might be one of the main forces driving the development of soil animal communities, and the effect of successive rotation of Chinese fir on the development of soil fauna was a slow-running process.

Patterns of Distribution of the Helminth Parasites of Freshwater Fishes of Mexico

PubMed Central

Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín; Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo

2013-01-01

In order to draw patterns in helminth parasite composition and species richness in Mexican freshwater fishes we analyse a presence-absence matrix representing every species of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes from 23 Mexican hydrological basins. We examine the distributional patterns of the helminth parasites with regard to the main hydrological basins of the country, and in doing so we identify areas of high diversity and point out the biotic similarities and differences among drainage basins. Our dataset allows us to evaluate the relationships among drainage basins in terms of helminth diversity. This paper shows that the helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico can characterise hydrological basins the same way as fish families do, and that the basins of south-eastern Mexico are home to a rich, predominantly Neotropical, helminth fauna whereas the basins of the Mexican Highland Plateau and the Nearctic area of Mexico harbour a less diverse Nearctic fauna, following the same pattern of distribution of their fish host families. The composition of the helminth fauna of each particular basin depends on the structure of the fish community rather than on the limnological characteristics and geographical position of the basin itself. This work shows distance decay of similarity and a clear linkage between host and parasite distributions. PMID:23359347

Taxonomic composition and endemism of the helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico.

PubMed

Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo; Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín

2013-01-01

We examine the taxonomic composition and endemism of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes of Mexico, with regard to the main hydrological basins of the country. A presence-absence matrix, including every species of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes from 23 Mexican hydrological basins was compiled and examined in this paper. The helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico consists of a large group of Central American Neotropical species (S = 119) and another set, less rich of Nearctic species (S = 48), which are distributed along with the families of its fish hosts; insufficient data preclude the assignation of three species. This fauna is composed predominantly by nematodes, trematodes, and monogeneans, which together contributed 86 % of the total species recorded; cestodes and acanthocephalans being the taxa with the least species recorded. Current data suggests a 22 % (37/170) endemism amongst helminths of freshwater fishes of Mexico. Data suggests that the isolation of bodies of water in the Mexican territory, mostly in the Neotropical areas of southeastern Mexico and in the central Altiplano Mexicano (Mexican Highland Plateau), with well delimited basins separated by orographic features, provided peculiar conditions that have been conducive to the diversification of a unique helminth fauna.

Patterns of distribution of the helminth parasites of freshwater fishes of Mexico.

PubMed

Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín; Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo

2013-01-01

In order to draw patterns in helminth parasite composition and species richness in Mexican freshwater fishes we analyse a presence-absence matrix representing every species of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes from 23 Mexican hydrological basins. We examine the distributional patterns of the helminth parasites with regard to the main hydrological basins of the country, and in doing so we identify areas of high diversity and point out the biotic similarities and differences among drainage basins. Our dataset allows us to evaluate the relationships among drainage basins in terms of helminth diversity. This paper shows that the helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico can characterise hydrological basins the same way as fish families do, and that the basins of south-eastern Mexico are home to a rich, predominantly Neotropical, helminth fauna whereas the basins of the Mexican Highland Plateau and the Nearctic area of Mexico harbour a less diverse Nearctic fauna, following the same pattern of distribution of their fish host families. The composition of the helminth fauna of each particular basin depends on the structure of the fish community rather than on the limnological characteristics and geographical position of the basin itself. This work shows distance decay of similarity and a clear linkage between host and parasite distributions.

The development of terrestrial mollusc faunas in the ?Rheinland region? (western Germany and Luxembourg) during the Lateglacial and Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyrick, R. A.

2001-10-01

A composite faunal history, covering the last ˜13,000 radiocarbon years, has been reconstructed from the few molluscan successions available from the 'Rheinland' region. The region, centred on the German Land of Rheinland-Pfalz (but including the Principality of Luxembourg) does not form a discrete biogeographical province but does represent an important link between the better known faunas of central Europe and those of north-west Europe. Open-ground assemblages dominated by Vallonia and Trichia, with few shade-demanding elements, occur throughout the Lateglacial and early Holocene. The Lateglacial is characterised by the presence of Vertigo genesii and Abida secale, depending on whether the depositional environment is wet or dry, respectively. Catholic elements became increasingly important at the start of the Holocene. The establishment of woodland, from approximately 9700 yr BP, is indicated by the expansion of shade-demanding taxa, most notably Carychium tridentatum. Deciduous forest optimum faunas developed by about 7500 yr BP and are characterised by Platyla polita, Perforatella incarnata and Sphyradium doliolum. The modern ranges of these species suggest that during the Holocene Platyla polita, Perforatella incarnata (and possibly Sphyradium doliolum also) colonised northwestern Europe from refugia further east. The reappearance of open-ground faunas from ˜5000 yr BP reflects widespread anthropogenic clearance.

Foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the Miocene Qom Formation, northwest of the Qom, Central Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daneshian, Jahanbakhsh; Ramezani Dana, Leila

2018-03-01

Near Dochah, in the type area of the Qom Formation, Central Iran, the Miocene is partly developed in pelagic facies. From the 894.1 meter thick, `a to e' members of this section, 152 samples were collected. Abundant planktonic foraminifera let us correlate the study section with the global planktonic foraminifera biozonations. High diversity of foraminifera in the study section allow us to adapt the study succession to global biozonations. Twenty-seven genera and thirty-four species are reported for the first time from the Dochah section. First reports of Praeorbulina sicana and Praeorbulina transitoria in the upper part of this section led to recognition of the Praeorbulina sicana lower occurrence subzone (M5a) biozone with a late Late Burdigalian age.

Deep-sea biostratigraphy of prograding platform margins (Neogene, Bahamas): key evidence linked to depositional rhythm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lidz, B.H.; McNeill, D.F.

1995-01-01

New foraminiferal evidence from two boreholes on the paleoshelf and slope of western Great Bahama Bank has wide-ranging implications for understanding formation and evolution of carbonate-platform margins. The new data, abundant well-preserved planktic foraminifera, were obtained by disaggregating samples from intercalated pelagic layers and selected parts of thick hemipelagic limestone. The new data define six units in one hole and seven in the other, bracket the biozones present and their ages, indicate different sedimentation rates, and show that within the limits of biostratigraphic resolution the biozones are correlative between the holes. Most importantly, the revised ages show that the paleoshelf borehole probably penetrated the late Miocene rather than middle Miocene. -from Authors

Gastropoda-Bivalvia Fauna And Neogene-Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Southwest of Dardanelles (Çanakkale-NWAnatolia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapan, Sevinç; Kabasakal, Sinem

2016-04-01

Gastropoda-Bivalvia Fauna And Neogene-Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Southwest of Dardanelles (Çanakkale-NWAnatolia) Sevinç KAPAN, Sinem KABASAKAL, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Engineering Faculty, Geological Engineering Department sevinckapan_yesilyurt@hotmail.com In this study, paleontology and stratigraphy of Neogene and Quaternary units around south of the Dardanelles have been examined using Gastropoda and Bivalvia fauna. In the investigation area, the base of the sediments that belongs to Neogene, consist of the volcanics which are formed with basalts, andesites and tuff. Neogene begins unconformity with basal conglomerate which are formed with basalt and tuff gravels. The measurable thickness of the Neogene sediments is approximately 200meters in total. First fossiliferius level which consist of Lymnocardium (Euxinicardium) nobile Sabba has showed similarities with the Pontian (Late Miocene) fauna of the Eastern Paratethys. The existence of Melanopsis and Psidium species indicate that the basin has been brackish water feeding by fresh water in the Early Pliocene. Theodoxus fluviatilis (Linne), Theodoxus (Calvertia) aff. imbricata Brusina, Theodoxus (Calvertia) licherdopoli scriptus (Stefanescu), Viviparus mammatus (Stefanescu), Valvata (Valavata) sulekiana Brusina, Valvata (Cincinna) crusitensis Fontannes, Hydrobia cf grandis Cobalcescu, Hydrobia ventrosa Monfort, Melanopsis (Melanopsis) cf. bergeroni Stefanescu, , Melanopsis (Melanopsis) sandbergeri rumana Tournouer, Melanopsis (Canthidomus) hybostoma anili Taner, Melanopsis (Canthidomus) hybostoma amaradica Fontannes, Melanopsis (Canthidomus) lanceolata Neumayr, Amphimelania fossariformis (Tournouer), Melanoides tuberculata monolithica (Bukowski), Radix (Radix) peregra (Müller), Planorbarius thiollierei (Michaud), Potamida (Potamida) craiovensis craiovensis (Tournouer), Potamida (Potamida) berbestiensis (Fontannes), Unio pristinus davilai Porumbaru, Unio subexquisitus Jatzko, Anadonta zmaji Brusina, Pisidium amnicum (Müller), species have been determined from the mudstone, claystone, carbonated sandstone lithologies. These fauna are characteristic for the Dasic basin in Late Pliocene (Romanian). Also, Avimactra karabugasica (Andrussow), Avimactra ososkovi (Andrussow), Avimactra subcaspia (Andrussow), Avimactra venjukovi (Andrussow). Dreissena (Dreissena) polymorpha (Pallas), Dreissena rostriformis Deshayes species have been determined from the upper level of the section composed of carbonated sandstone lithology. These fauna are characteristic for the Caspic basin in the Late Pliocene (Aktschaglian). In the Treenean and Monastrian times, the marine fauna (Gibbula (Adriaria) albida (Gmelin), Gibbula (Tunulus) umblicaris (Linneaus), Hydrobia (Hydrobia) acuta (Draparnaud), Alvania (Alvania) reticulata (Montagu), Turritella (Turritella) tricarinata (Brocchi), Pirenella conica (Blainville), Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (Da Costa), Thericium (Thericium) vulgatum (Brugiere), Radix (Radix) peregra (Müller) are belonging to the Gastropoda and Mytilaster lineatus (Gmelin in Linneaus), Ostrea edulis Linneaus, Ostrea lamellosa Linneaus, Paphia (Polititapes) senescens (Coc.), Timoclea ovata (Pennant), Corbula (Varicorbula) gibba (Olivi)) have been observed. In the Pontian, the Basin has been low salinity and semi-marine conditions. In the Lower Romanian, the Basin was developed as brackish water character feeding by fresh water. Late Lower Romanian=Lower Kujalnikien, Basin was became more brackish character by increasing salinity. During the Upper Kujalnikien=Upper Romanian, feeding by freshwater was increased. The youngest sequence of the basin is Treenean-Monastrian terraces sedimented by increasing sea level. These marine fauna indicate that there was a connection between Black Sea and Mediterranean in that time. Key words: Neogene, Gastropoda-Bivalvia, Romanian, Dasic, Caspic.

Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and its Effects on Continental Biotas: Evidence from Polecat Bench in Northwestern Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gingerich, P. D.

2012-12-01

Many important environmental events in the geological past were first recognized by their effects on the associated biota, and this is true for the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum or PETM global greenhouse warming event, which happened 55 million years before present. In the Southern Ocean, PETM carbon and oxygen isotope anomalies were found to coincide with a major terminal-Paleocene disappearance or extinction of benthic foraminiferans. On North America the PETM carbon isotope excursion (CIE) was found to coincide with mammalian dwarfing and a major initial-Eocene appearance or origination event of continental mammals. Linking the two records, marine and continental, resolved a long-standing disagreement over competing definitions of the Paleocene-Eocene epoch boundary, and more importantly indicated that the PETM greenhouse warming event was global. Dwarfing of herbivorous mammals can be interpreted as a response to elevated atmospheric CO2. The origin of modern orders of mammals including Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, and Primates ('APP' taxa) is more complicated and difficult to explain but the origin of these orders may also be a response, directly or indirectly, to PETM warming. We now know from Polecat Bench and elsewhere in North America that the biotic response to PETM greenhouse warming involved the appearance of at least two new mammalian faunas distinct from previously known Clarkforkian mammals of the upper or late Paleocene and previously known Wasatchian mammals of the lower or early Eocene. Three stages and ages of the former are known (Cf-1 to Cf-3) and seven stages and ages of the latter are known (Wa-1 to Wa-7), each occupying about a hundred meters of strata representing a half-million years or so of time. Between the standard Clarkforkian and Wasatchian faunal zones is an initial 'Wa-M' faunal zone of only five or so meters in thickness and something on the order of 20 thousand years of geological time. The Wa-M fauna includes the first appearance of its namesake herbivorous condylarth, Meniscotherium, but Wa-M seemingly lacks APP taxa. Overlying Wa-M is the better known 'Wa-0' fauna in a zone spanning 30 meters of strata and about 120 thousand years of geological time. This has dwarfed mammals and APP taxa, and is overlain in turn by strata with a standard Wa-1 early Eocene fauna. Documentation is still in progress, but it appears that the change from a Cf-3 to a Wa-M fauna lagged behind the onset of the CIE, the Wa-M fauna coincided with maximum excursion of the CIE, and the Wa-0 fauna lagged behind this maximum excursion and filled the recovery phase of the CIE. It is possible that other short-lived faunas will be found in addition to those already known because the events of interest are so short in duration that they may not be preserved in every stratigraphic section. Biotic effects (e.g., dwarfing and other adaptive change, biotic extinction, and biotic origination) are compelling reasons to study global warming, and the PETM provides an opportunity to study warming and sustainability in an event free from human influence.;