The Ionian and Alfeo-Etna fault zones: New segments of an evolving plate boundary in the central Mediterranean Sea?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polonia, A.; Torelli, L.; Artoni, A.; Carlini, M.; Faccenna, C.; Ferranti, L.; Gasperini, L.; Govers, R.; Klaeschen, D.; Monaco, C.; Neri, G.; Nijholt, N.; Orecchio, B.; Wortel, R.

2016-04-01

The Calabrian Arc is a narrow subduction-rollback system resulting from Africa/Eurasia plate convergence. While crustal shortening is taken up in the accretionary wedge, transtensive deformation accounts for margin segmentation along transverse lithospheric faults. One of these structures is the NNW-SSE transtensive fault system connecting the Alfeo seamount and the Etna volcano (Alfeo-Etna Fault, AEF). A second, NW-SE crustal discontinuity, the Ionian Fault (IF), separates two lobes of the CA subduction complex (Western and Eastern Lobes) and impinges on the Sicilian coasts south of the Messina Straits. Analysis of multichannel seismic reflection profiles shows that: 1) the IF and the AEF are transfer crustal tectonic features bounding a complex deformation zone, which produces the downthrown of the Western lobe along a set of transtensive fault strands; 2) during Pleistocene times, transtensive faulting reactivated structural boundaries inherited from the Mesozoic Tethyan domain which acted as thrust faults during the Messinian and Pliocene; and 3) the IF and the AEF, and locally the Malta escarpment, accommodate a recent tectonic event coeval and possibly linked to the Mt. Etna formation. Regional geodynamic models show that, whereas AEF and IF are neighboring fault systems, their individual roles are different. Faulting primarily resulting from the ESE retreat of the Ionian slab is expressed in the northwestern part of the IF. The AEF, on the other hand, is part of the overall dextral shear deformation, resulting from differences in Africa-Eurasia motion between the western and eastern sectors of the Tyrrhenian margin of northern Sicily, and accommodating diverging motions in the adjacent compartments, which results in rifting processes within the Western Lobe of the Calabrian Arc accretionary wedge. As such, it is primarily associated with Africa-Eurasia relative motion.

Introduction: Exotic annual Bromus in the western USA [Chapter 1

Treesearch

Matthew J. Germino; Jeanne C. Chambers; Cynthia S. Brown

2016-01-01

The spread and impacts of exotic species are unambiguous, global threats to many ecosystems. A prominent example is the suite of annual grasses in the Bromus genus (Bromus hereafter) that originate from Europe and Eurasia but have invaded or are invading large areas of the Western USA. This book brings a diverse, multidisciplinary group of authors together to...

Synchronous genetic turnovers across Western Eurasia in Late Pleistocene collared lemmings.

PubMed

Palkopoulou, Eleftheria; Baca, Mateusz; Abramson, Natalia I; Sablin, Mikhail; Socha, Paweł; Nadachowski, Adam; Prost, Stefan; Germonpré, Mietje; Kosintsev, Pavel; Smirnov, Nickolay G; Vartanyan, Sergey; Ponomarev, Dmitry; Nyström, Johanna; Nikolskiy, Pavel; Jass, Christopher N; Litvinov, Yuriy N; Kalthoff, Daniela C; Grigoriev, Semyon; Fadeeva, Tatyana; Douka, Aikaterini; Higham, Thomas F G; Ersmark, Erik; Pitulko, Vladimir; Pavlova, Elena; Stewart, John R; Węgleński, Piotr; Stankovic, Anna; Dalén, Love

2016-05-01

Recent palaeogenetic studies indicate a highly dynamic history in collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx spp.), with several demographical changes linked to climatic fluctuations that took place during the last glaciation. At the western range margin of D. torquatus, these changes were characterized by a series of local extinctions and recolonizations. However, it is unclear whether this pattern represents a local phenomenon, possibly driven by ecological edge effects, or a global phenomenon that took place across large geographical scales. To address this, we explored the palaeogenetic history of the collared lemming using a next-generation sequencing approach for pooled mitochondrial DNA amplicons. Sequences were obtained from over 300 fossil remains sampled across Eurasia and two sites in North America. We identified five mitochondrial lineages of D. torquatus that succeeded each other through time across Europe and western Russia, indicating a history of repeated population extinctions and recolonizations, most likely from eastern Russia, during the last 50 000 years. The observation of repeated extinctions across such a vast geographical range indicates large-scale changes in the steppe-tundra environment in western Eurasia during the last glaciation. All Holocene samples, from across the species' entire range, belonged to only one of the five mitochondrial lineages. Thus, extant D. torquatus populations only harbour a small fraction of the total genetic diversity that existed across different stages of the Late Pleistocene. In North American samples, haplotypes belonging to both D. groenlandicus and D. richardsoni were recovered from a Late Pleistocene site in south-western Canada. This suggests that D. groenlandicus had a more southern and D. richardsoni a more northern glacial distribution than previously thought. This study provides significant insights into the population dynamics of a small mammal at a large geographical scale and reveals a rather complex demographical history, which could have had bottom-up effects in the Late Pleistocene steppe-tundra ecosystem. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Right-lateral shear across Iran and kinematic change in the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, M. B.; Kheirkhah, M.; Emami, M.

2009-04-01

New offset determinations for right-lateral strike-slip faults in Iran redefine the kinematics of the Arabia-Eurasia collision. A series of right-lateral strike-slip faults is present across Iran between 48° and 57° E. Fault strikes vary between NW-SE and NNW-SSE. Individual faults west of ~53° E were active in the late Tertiary, but have limited evidence of activity. Faults east of ~53° E are seismically active and/or have geomorphic evidence for Holocene slip. None of the faults affects the GPS-derived regional velocity field, indicating active slip rates are ≤2 mm/yr. We estimate overall slip on these faults from offset geological and geomorphic markers, based on observations from satellite imagery, digital topography, geology maps and our own fieldwork observations, and combine these results with published estimates for fault slip in the east of the study area. Total offset of the Takab, Soltanieh, Indes, Bid Hand, Qom, Kashan, Deh Shir, Anar, Daviran, Kuh Banan and Dehu faults is at least 270 km and possibly higher. Other faults (e.g. Rafsanjan) have unknown amounts of right-lateral slip. Collectively, these faults are inferred to have accommodated part of the Arabia-Eurasia convergence by two mechanisms: (1) anti-clockwise, vertical axis rotations; (2) strain partitioning with coeval NE-SW crustal thickening in the Turkish-Iranian plateau to produce ~350 km of north-south plate convergence. The strike-slip faulting across Iran requires along-strike lengthening of the deformation zone. This was possible until the Pliocene, when the Afghan crust collided with the western margin of the Indian plate, thereby sealing off a free face at the eastern side of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. Continuing Arabia-Eurasia plate convergence had to be accommodated in new ways and new areas, leading to the present pattern of faulting from eastern Iran to western Turkey.

Young dispersal of xerophil Nitraria lineages in intercontinental disjunctions of the Old World

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ming-Li; Temirbayeva, Kamshat; Sanderson, Stewart C.; Chen, Xi

2015-01-01

Many cases of intercontinental disjunct distributions of seed plants have been investigated, however few have concerned the continents of Eurasia (mainly Central Asia), Africa, and Australia, especially the xerophytic lineages are lacking. Nitraria (Nitrariaceae) is just one of these xerophytic lineages. Previous Nitraria studies have hypothesized either Africa as the ancient center, with dispersals to Australia and Eurasia, or alternatively Central Asia, due to a concentration of endemism and diversity there. Our findings show eastern Central Asia, i.e. the eastern Tethys, to be the correct place of origin. Dispersal westward to Africa occurred during the late Oligocene to Pliocene, whereas dispersal to Australia from western Central Asia was young since Pliocene 2.61 Ma. Two related tetraploids are indicated to have diversified in eastern Central Asia at approximately 5.89 Ma, while the Australian tetraploid N. billardieri, is an independently derived, recent dispersal from western Central Asia. PMID:26343223

Biogeography and climatic change as a context to human dispersal out of Africa and within Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Made, Jan

2011-06-01

The dispersal of the genus Homo occurred against a background of continuous environmental change. Here, dispersals of large mammals through the Levantine Corridor and into Western Europe and Java are studied and compared to existing records of climatic change and dispersals of early humans and lithic industry. The first human dispersal (with Oldowan lithic industry) out of Africa, around or shortly before 1.8 Ma may have been triggered by biological evolution and increased social organisation, rather than environmental change. After that event, increasing aridity led to decreased faunal exchange between Africa and Eurasia and may have isolated the human populations of Africa and Africa. Southern (Java) and Eastern Asia (China) also seem to have been isolated. Human dispersal into Western Europe may have been limited by closed environments in Central Europe until about 1.2 Ma ago, when faunal dispersal into Europe suggests the cyclic spread of open environments to the west. Acheulean technology originated in Africa, some 1.6-1.5 Ma ago, but its dispersal into Eurasia may have been obstructed by an arid Southwest Asia, until broadly about 0.9 Ma ago, when faunal exchange suggests that the area became temporarily less dry. By 0.6-0.5 Ma ago it reached Europe.

The control of rabies in Eurasia: overview, history and background.

PubMed

Blancou, J

2008-01-01

After a short overview of the present and past epidemiological situation regarding animal and human rabies in Eurasia, the general characteristics of the disease are described in each vector. Three main rabies cycles are presently established in Eurasia: in dogs, wild carnivores and insectivorous bats. Because of the strong barrier that exists between species-adapted rabies viruses and various potential hosts, these cycles are quite independent. They are perceived in many countries in Eurasia not to have a significant impact on animal health or the rural economy in general; the loss of dogs (or cattle) is not a priority animal health issue at the national level. Wildlife rabies has almost been eliminated in Western Eurasia by oral vaccination campaigns. Bats do not represent a real threat for a well informed public. Rabies is thus essentially a public health issue. Human rabies of canine origin has continued unabated for centuries in Eastern Eurasia, despite the Pasteur treatment and subsequent improvements of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis and biological products. Dog rabies, which is the main source of human contamination, remains practically uncontrolled. The Ministries of Health of all infected countries of Eurasia should focus their attention on canine rabies first, as it incurs endless expenses for treating humans that have been exposed to dog bites. These Ministries should use the competence of Veterinary Services and all other national bodies involved in dog rabies control, and contribute all necessary resources to support them to control this reservoir. This goal seems achievable in less than five years in a country, provided that cost-shared and well-planed mass canine oral vaccination campaigns are organised and coordinated at the regional and international levels. The conditions for the success of such campaigns are presented.

Comparing susceptibility of eastern and western U.S. grasslands to competition and allelopathy from spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L. subsp. micranthos (Gugler) Hayek)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Centaurea maculosa is native to Eurasia and is invasive in the western portion of the US. Negative impacts of C. maculosa present in the eastern US have not been recorded. In this study, we examine the effects of C. maculosa on species diversity on an eastern grassy bald, compare the competitive a...

[Analysis of H63D mutation in hemochromatosis (HFE) gene in populations of central Eurasia].

PubMed

Khusainova, R I; Khusnutdinova, N N; Litvinov, S S; Khusnutdinova, E K

2013-02-01

An analysis of the frequency of H63D (c. 187C>G) mutations in the HFEgene in 19 populations from Central Eurasia demonstrated that the distribution of the mutation in the region of interest was not uniform and that there were the areas of H63D accumulation. The investigation of three polymorphic variants, c.340+4T>C (rs2071303, IVS2(+4)T>C), c.893-44T>C (rs1800708, IVS4(-44)T>C), and c.1007-47G>A (rs1572982, IVS5(-47)A>G), in the HFE gene in individuals homozygous for H63D mutations in the HFE gene revealed the linkage of H63D with three haplotypes, *CTA, *TG, and *TTA. These findings indicated the partial spread of the mutation in Central Eurasia from Western Europe, as well as the possible repeated appearance of the mutation on the territory on interest.

Seismicity of the Earth 1900‒2013 Mediterranean Sea and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herman, Matthew W.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Smoczyk, Gregory M.; Turner, Rebecca; Turner, Bethan; Jenkins, Jennifer; Davies, Sian; Parker, Amy; Sinclair, Allison; Benz, Harley M.; Furlong, Kevin P.; Villaseñor, Antonio

2015-09-08

The Mediterranean region is seismically active due to the convergence of the Africa Plate with the Eurasia plate. Present day Africa-Eurasia motion ranges from ~4 millimeters per year (mm/yr) in a northwest-southeast direction in the western Mediterranean to ~10 mm/yr (north-south) in the eastern Mediterranean. The Africa-Eurasia plate boundary is complex, and includes extensional and translational zones in addition to the dominant convergent regimes characterized by subduction and continental collision. This convergence began at approximately 50 million years ago and was associated with the closure of the Tethys Sea; the Mediterranean Sea is all that remains of the Tethys. The highest rates of seismicity in the Mediterranean region are found along the Hellenic subduction zone of southern Greece and the North Anatolian Fault Zone of northwestern Turkey, but significant rates of current seismicity and large historical earthquakes have occurred throughout the region spanning the Mediterranean Sea.

Ancient Migratory Events in the Middle East: New Clues from the Y-Chromosome Variation of Modern Iranians

PubMed Central

Grugni, Viola; Battaglia, Vincenza; Hooshiar Kashani, Baharak; Parolo, Silvia; Al-Zahery, Nadia; Achilli, Alessandro; Olivieri, Anna; Gandini, Francesca; Houshmand, Massoud; Sanati, Mohammad Hossein; Torroni, Antonio; Semino, Ornella

2012-01-01

Knowledge of high resolution Y-chromosome haplogroup diversification within Iran provides important geographic context regarding the spread and compartmentalization of male lineages in the Middle East and southwestern Asia. At present, the Iranian population is characterized by an extraordinary mix of different ethnic groups speaking a variety of Indo-Iranian, Semitic and Turkic languages. Despite these features, only few studies have investigated the multiethnic components of the Iranian gene pool. In this survey 938 Iranian male DNAs belonging to 15 ethnic groups from 14 Iranian provinces were analyzed for 84 Y-chromosome biallelic markers and 10 STRs. The results show an autochthonous but non-homogeneous ancient background mainly composed by J2a sub-clades with different external contributions. The phylogeography of the main haplogroups allowed identifying post-glacial and Neolithic expansions toward western Eurasia but also recent movements towards the Iranian region from western Eurasia (R1b-L23), Central Asia (Q-M25), Asia Minor (J2a-M92) and southern Mesopotamia (J1-Page08). In spite of the presence of important geographic barriers (Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges, and the Dasht-e Kavir and Dash-e Lut deserts) which may have limited gene flow, AMOVA analysis revealed that language, in addition to geography, has played an important role in shaping the nowadays Iranian gene pool. Overall, this study provides a portrait of the Y-chromosomal variation in Iran, useful for depicting a more comprehensive history of the peoples of this area as well as for reconstructing ancient migration routes. In addition, our results evidence the important role of the Iranian plateau as source and recipient of gene flow between culturally and genetically distinct populations. PMID:22815981

Crustal deformation evidences for viscous coupling and fragmented lithosphere at the Nubia-Iberia plate boundary (Western Mediterranean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palano, Mimmo; González, Pablo J.; Fernández, José

2016-04-01

A spatially dense crustal velocity field, based on up to 15 years of GNSS observations at more than 380 sites and extensively covering the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Africa, allow us to provide new insights into two main tectonic processes currently occurring in this area. We detected a slow large-scale clockwise rotation of the Iberian Peninsula with respect to a local pole located closely to the northwestern sector of the Pyrenean mountain range (Palano et al., 2015). Although this crustal deformation pattern could suggest a rigid rotating lithosphere block, this model would predict significant shortening along the Western (off-shore Lisbon) and North Iberian margin which cannot totally ruled out but currently is not clearly observed. Conversely, we favour the interpretation that this pattern reflects the quasi-continuous straining of the ductile lithosphere in some sectors of South and Western Iberia in response to viscous coupling of the NW Nubia and Iberian plate boundary in the Gulf of Cádiz. Furthermore, the western Mediterranean basin appears fragmented into independent crustal tectonic blocks, which delimited by inherited lithospheric shear structures and trapped within the Nubia-Eurasia collision, are currently accommodating most of the plate convergence rate. Among these blocks, an (oceanic-like western) Algerian one is currently transferring a significant fraction of the Nubia-Eurasia convergence rate into the Eastern Betics (SE Iberia) and likely causing the eastward motion of the Baleares Promontory. Most of the observed crustal ground deformation can be attributed to processes driven by spatially variable lithospheric plate forces imposed along the Nubia-Eurasia convergence boundary. Nevertheless, the observed deformation field infers a very low convergence rates as observed also at the eastern side of the western Mediterranean, along the Calabro Peloritan Arc, by space geodesy (e.g. Palano, 2015). References Palano M. (2015). On the present-day crustal stress, strain-rate fields and mantle anisotropy pattern of Italy. Geophysical Journal International, 200 (2), 969-985, doi:10.1093/gji/ggu451. Palano M., González P. J., Fernández J. (2015). The diffuse plate boundary of Nubia and Iberia in the Western Mediterranean: crustal deformation evidence for viscous coupling and fragmented lithosphere. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 430, 439-447, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.08.040.

Comment on "Relict Basin Closure and Crustal Shortening Budgets During Continental Collision: An Example From Caucasus Sediment Provenance" by Cowgill et al. (2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Stephen J.; Saintot, Aline; Mosar, Jon; Okay, Aral I.; Nikishin, Anatoly M.

2018-03-01

The southern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountains is the site of a former rift basin. In order to explain shortening deficits, plate deceleration, and the 5 Ma reorganization of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone Cowgill et al. (2016) proposed that this basin closed 5 Myrs ago. Within the western Greater Caucasus, at least, careful examination of sedimentological, provenance, and seismic data, however, supports an earlier 35 Ma basin closure age. Basin closure cannot therefore be the driving mechanism for the 5 Ma deceleration of the Arabian plate and reorganization of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone.

Right-lateral shear across Iran and kinematic change in the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Mark B.; Kheirkhah, Monireh; Emami, Mohammad H.; Jones, Stuart J.

2011-02-01

New offset determinations for right-lateral strike-slip faults in Iran revise the kinematics of the Arabia-Eurasia collision, by indicating along-strike lengthening of the collision zone before a change to the present kinematic regime at ˜5 Ma. A series of right-lateral strike-slip faults is present across the Turkish-Iranian plateau between 48°E and 57°E. Fault strikes vary between NW-SE and NNW-SSE. Several of the faults are seismically active and/or have geomorphic evidence for Holocene slip. None of the faults affects the GPS-derived regional velocity field, indicating active slip rates are ≤2 mm yr-1. We estimate total offsets for these faults from displaced geological and geomorphic markers, based on observations from satellite imagery, digital topography, geology maps and our own fieldwork observations, and combine these results with published estimates for fault displacement. Total right-lateral offset of the Dehu, Anar, Deh Shir, Kashan, Ab-Shirin-Shurab, Kousht Nousrat, Qom, Bid Hand, Indes, Soltanieh and Takab faults is ˜250 km. Other faults (North Zanjan, Saveh, Jorjafk, Rafsanjan, Kuh Banan and Behabad) have unknown or highly uncertain amounts of slip. Collectively, these faults are inferred to have accommodated part of the Arabia-Eurasia convergence. Three roles are possible, which are not mutually exclusive: (1) shortening via anticlockwise, vertical axis rotations; (2) northward movement of Iranian crust with respect to stable Afghanistan to the east; (3) combination with coeval NW-SE thrusts in the Turkish-Iranian plateau, to produce north-south plate convergence (`strain partitioning'). This strike-slip faulting across Iran requires along-strike lengthening of the collision zone. This was possible until the Pliocene (≤ 5 Ma), when the Afghan crust collided with the western margin of the Indian plate, thereby sealing off a free face at the eastern side of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. Continuing Arabia-Eurasia plate convergence had to be accommodated in new ways and new areas, leading to the present pattern of faulting from eastern Iran to western Turkey, and involving the westward transport (`escape') of Anatolia and the concentration of thrusting in the Zagros and Alborz mountains.

Ecology, genetics, and biological control of invasive annual grasses in the Great Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several annual grass species native to Eurasia, including cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), red brome (B. rubens), and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) have become invasive in the western USA. These invasive species degrade rangelands by compromising forage, outcompeting native flora, and exacerb...

40,000-Year-Old Individual from Asia Provides Insight into Early Population Structure in Eurasia.

PubMed

Yang, Melinda A; Gao, Xing; Theunert, Christoph; Tong, Haowen; Aximu-Petri, Ayinuer; Nickel, Birgit; Slatkin, Montgomery; Meyer, Matthias; Pääbo, Svante; Kelso, Janet; Fu, Qiaomei

2017-10-23

By at least 45,000 years before present, anatomically modern humans had spread across Eurasia [1-3], but it is not well known how diverse these early populations were and whether they contributed substantially to later people or represent early modern human expansions into Eurasia that left no surviving descendants today. Analyses of genome-wide data from several ancient individuals from Western Eurasia and Siberia have shown that some of these individuals have relationships to present-day Europeans [4, 5] while others did not contribute to present-day Eurasian populations [3, 6]. As contributions from Upper Paleolithic populations in Eastern Eurasia to present-day humans and their relationship to other early Eurasians is not clear, we generated genome-wide data from a 40,000-year-old individual from Tianyuan Cave, China, [1, 7] to study his relationship to ancient and present-day humans. We find that he is more related to present-day and ancient Asians than he is to Europeans, but he shares more alleles with a 35,000-year-old European individual than he shares with other ancient Europeans, indicating that the separation between early Europeans and early Asians was not a single population split. We also find that the Tianyuan individual shares more alleles with some Native American groups in South America than with Native Americans elsewhere, providing further support for population substructure in Asia [8] and suggesting that this persisted from 40,000 years ago until the colonization of the Americas. Our study of the Tianyuan individual highlights the complex migration and subdivision of early human populations in Eurasia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal variability of snow cover and snow water equivalent in the last three decades over Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yinsheng; Ma, Ning

2018-04-01

Changes in the extent and amount of snow cover in Eurasia are of great interest because of their vital impacts on the global climate system and regional water resource management. This study investigated the spatial and temporal variability of the snow cover extent (SCE) and snow water equivalent (SWE) of the continental Eurasia using the Northern Hemisphere Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grid (EASE-Grid) Weekly SCE data for 1972-2006 and the Global Monthly EASE-Grid SWE data for 1979-2004. The results indicated that, in general, the spatial extent of snow cover significantly decreased during spring and summer, but varied little during autumn and winter over Eurasia in the study period. The date at which snow cover began to disappear in spring has significantly advanced, whereas the timing of snow cover onset in autumn did not vary significantly during 1972-2006. The snow cover persistence period declined significantly in the western Tibetan Plateau as well as partial area of Central Asia and northwestern Russia, but varied little in other parts of Eurasia. "Snow-free breaks" (SFBs) with intermittent snow cover in the cold season were principally observed in the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia, causing a low sensitivity of snow cover persistence period to the timings of snow cover onset and disappearance over the areas with shallow snow. The averaged SFBs were 1-14 weeks during the study period and the maximum intermittence could even reach 25 weeks in certain years. At a seasonal scale, SWE usually peaked in February or March, but fell gradually since April across Eurasia. Both annual mean and annual maximum SWE decreased significantly during 1979-2004 in most parts of Eurasia except for eastern Siberia as well as northwestern and northeastern China. The possible cross-platform inconsistencies between two passive microwave radiometers may cause uncertainties in the detected trends of SWE here, suggesting an urgent need of producing a long-term, more homogeneous SWE product in future.

Skylore of the Indigenous Peoples of Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Roslyn M.

This chapter examines the skylore of the indigenous peoples of northern Eurasia, paying particular attention to the commonalities found among them as well as the differences. Special attention is placed on the motif of the Cosmic Hunt and its diverse manifestations across the study area as well as on the oral nature of the celestial beliefs of these groups. The stars of a variety of "Western" constellation figures are implicated in the narratives and in some cases are clearly utilized in social practice for celestial navigation. The role played by the underlying hunter-gatherer mode of subsistence in shaping their cultural conceptualizations, their skyscapes, and the overarching cosmology of these peoples is also addressed.

Plate tectonic evolution of the southern margin of Eurasia in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golonka, J.

2004-03-01

Thirteen time interval maps were constructed, which depict the Triassic to Neogene plate tectonic configuration, paleogeography and general lithofacies of the southern margin of Eurasia. The aim of this paper is to provide an outline of the geodynamic evolution and position of the major tectonic elements of the area within a global framework. The Hercynian Orogeny was completed by the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia, whereas the Tethys Ocean formed the embayment between the Eurasian and Gondwanian branches of Pangea. During Late Triassic-Early Jurassic times, several microplates were sutured to the Eurasian margin, closing the Paleotethys Ocean. A Jurassic-Cretaceous north-dipping subduction boundary was developed along this new continental margin south of the Pontides, Transcaucasus and Iranian plates. The subduction zone trench-pulling effect caused rifting, creating the back-arc basin of the Greater Caucasus-proto South Caspian Sea, which achieved its maximum width during the Late Cretaceous. In the western Tethys, separation of Eurasia from Gondwana resulted in the formation of the Ligurian-Penninic-Pieniny-Magura Ocean (Alpine Tethys) as an extension of Middle Atlantic system and a part of the Pangean breakup tectonic system. During Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous times, the Outer Carpathian rift developed. The opening of the western Black Sea occurred by rifting and drifting of the western-central Pontides away from the Moesian and Scythian platforms of Eurasia during the Early Cretaceous-Cenomanian. The latest Cretaceous-Paleogene was the time of the closure of the Ligurian-Pieniny Ocean. Adria-Alcapa terranes continued their northward movement during Eocene-Early Miocene times. Their oblique collision with the North European plate led to the development of the accretionary wedge of the Outer Carpathians and its foreland basin. The formation of the West Carpathian thrusts was completed by the Miocene. The thrust front was still propagating eastwards in the eastern Carpathians. During the Late Cretaceous, the Lesser Caucasus, Sanandaj-Sirjan and Makran plates were sutured to the Iranian-Afghanistan plates in the Caucasus-Caspian Sea area. A north-dipping subduction zone jumped during Paleogene to the Scythian-Turan Platform. The Shatski terrane moved northward, closing the Greater Caucasus Basin and opening the eastern Black Sea. The South Caspian underwent reorganization during Oligocene-Neogene times. The southwestern part of the South Caspian Basin was reopened, while the northwestern part was gradually reduced in size. The collision of India and the Lut plate with Eurasia caused the deformation of Central Asia and created a system of NW-SE wrench faults. The remnants of Jurassic-Cretaceous back-arc systems, oceanic and attenuated crust, as well as Tertiary oceanic and attenuated crust were locked between adjacent continental plates and orogenic systems.

Environmental controls on the increasing GPP of terrestrial vegetation across northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dass, P.; Rawlins, M. A.; Kimball, J. S.; Kim, Y.

2016-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems of northern Eurasia are demonstrating an increasing gross primary productivity (GPP), yet few studies have provided definitive attribution for the changes. While prior studies point to increasing temperatures as the principle environmental control, influences from moisture and other factors are less clear. We assess how changes in temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, and forest fires individually contribute to changes in GPP derived from satellite data across northern Eurasia using a light-use- efficiency-based model, for the period 1982-2010. We find that annual satellite-derived GPP is most sensitive to the temperature, precipitation and cloudiness of summer, which is the peak of the growing season and also the period of the year when the GPP trend is maximum. Considering the regional median, the summer temperature explains as much as 37.7 % of the variation in annual GPP, while precipitation and cloudiness explain 20.7 and 19.3 %. Warming over the period analysed, even without a sustained increase in precipitation, led to a significant positive impact on GPP for 61.7 % of the region. However, a significant negative impact on GPP was also found, for 2.4 % of the region, primarily the dryer grasslands in the south-west of the study area. For this region, precipitation positively correlates with GPP, as does cloudiness. This shows that the south-western part of northern Eurasia is relatively more vulnerable to drought than other areas. While our results further advance the notion that air temperature is the dominant environmental control for recent GPP increases across northern Eurasia, the role of precipitation and cloudiness can not be ignored.

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the twenty-first century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, Pavel; Shugart, Herman; Kicklighter, David; Henebry, Geoffrey; Tchebakova, Nadezhda; Maksyutov, Shamil; Monier, Erwan; Gutman, Garik; Gulev, Sergey; Qi, Jiaguo; Prishchepov, Alexander; Kukavskaya, Elena; Porfiriev, Boris; Shiklomanov, Alexander; Loboda, Tatiana; Shiklomanov, Nikolay; Nghiem, Son; Bergen, Kathleen; Albrechtová, Jana; Chen, Jiquan; Shahgedanova, Maria; Shvidenko, Anatoly; Speranskaya, Nina; Soja, Amber; de Beurs, Kirsten; Bulygina, Olga; McCarty, Jessica; Zhuang, Qianlai; Zolina, Olga

2017-12-01

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision-makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large-scale water withdrawals, land use, and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that integrated assessment models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts.

First detection of bat white-nose syndrome in western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Palmer, Jonathan M.; Lindner, Daniel L.; Ballmann, Anne; George, Kyle; Griffin, Kathryn M.; Knowles, Susan N.; Huckabee, John R.; Haman, Katherine H.; Anderson, Christopher D.; Becker, Penny A.; Buchanan, Joseph B.; Foster, Jeffrey T.; Blehert, David

2016-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging fungal disease of bats caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since it was first detected near Albany, NY, in 2006, the fungus has spread across eastern North America, killing unprecedented numbers of hibernating bats. The devastating impacts of WNS on Nearctic bat species are attributed to the likely introduction of P. destructans from Eurasia to naive host populations in eastern North America. Since 2006, the disease has spread in a gradual wavelike pattern consistent with introduction of the pathogen at a single location. Here, we describe the first detection of P. destructans in western North America in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) from near Seattle, WA, far from the previously recognized geographic distribution of the fungus. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the isolate of P. destructans from Washington grouped with other isolates of a presumed clonal lineage from the eastern United States. Thus, the occurrence of P. destructans in Washington does not likely represent a novel introduction of the fungus from Eurasia, and the lack of intensive surveillance in the western United States makes it difficult to interpret whether the occurrence of P. destructans in the Pacific Northwest is disjunct from that in eastern North America. Although there is uncertainty surrounding the impacts of WNS in the Pacific Northwest, the presence of the pathogen in western North America could have major consequences for bat conservation.

A new GPS velocity field in the south-western Balkans: insights for continental dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agostino, N.; Avallone, A.; Duni, L.; Ganas, A.; Georgiev, I.; Jouanne, F.; Koci, R.; Kuka, N.; Metois, M.

2017-12-01

The Balkans peninsula is an area of active distributed deformation located at the southern boundary of the Eurasian plate. Relatively low strain rates and logistical reasons have so far limited the characterization and definition of the active tectonics and crustal kinematics. The increasing number of GNSS stations belonging to national networks deployed for scientific and cadastral purposes, now provides the opportunity to improve the knowledge of the crustal kinematics in this area and to define a cross-national velocity field that illuminates the active tectonic deformation. In this work we homogeneously processed the data from the south western Balkans and neighbouring regions using available rinex files from scientific and cadastral networks (ALBPOS, EUREF, HemusNET, ITALPOS, KOPOS, MAKPOS, METRICA, NETGEO, RING, TGREF). In order to analyze and interpret station velocities relative to the Eurasia plate and to reduce the common mode signal, we updated the Eurasian terrestrial reference frame described in Métois et al. 2015. Starting from this dataset we present a new GPS velocity field covering the south western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Using this new velocity field, we derive the strain rate tensor to analyze the regional style of the deformation. Our results (1) improve the picture of the general southward flow of the crust characterizing the south western Balkans behind the contractional belt at the boundary with Adriatic and (2) provide new key elements for the understanding of continental dynamics in this part of the Eurasian plate boundary.

In the heartland of Eurasia: the multilocus genetic landscape of Central Asian populations

PubMed Central

Martínez-Cruz, Begoña; Vitalis, Renaud; Ségurel, Laure; Austerlitz, Frédéric; Georges, Myriam; Théry, Sylvain; Quintana-Murci, Lluis; Hegay, Tatyana; Aldashev, Almaz; Nasyrova, Firuza; Heyer, Evelyne

2011-01-01

Located in the Eurasian heartland, Central Asia has played a major role in both the early spread of modern humans out of Africa and the more recent settlements of differentiated populations across Eurasia. A detailed knowledge of the peopling in this vast region would therefore greatly improve our understanding of range expansions, colonizations and recurrent migrations, including the impact of the historical expansion of eastern nomadic groups that occurred in Central Asia. However, despite its presumable importance, little is known about the level and the distribution of genetic variation in this region. We genotyped 26 Indo-Iranian- and Turkic-speaking populations, belonging to six different ethnic groups, at 27 autosomal microsatellite loci. The analysis of genetic variation reveals that Central Asian diversity is mainly shaped by linguistic affiliation, with Turkic-speaking populations forming a cluster more closely related to East-Asian populations and Indo-Iranian speakers forming a cluster closer to Western Eurasians. The scattered position of Uzbeks across Turkic- and Indo-Iranian-speaking populations may reflect their origins from the union of different tribes. We propose that the complex genetic landscape of Central Asian populations results from the movements of eastern, Turkic-speaking groups during historical times, into a long-lasting group of settled populations, which may be represented nowadays by Tajiks and Turkmen. Contrary to what is generally thought, our results suggest that the recurrent expansions of eastern nomadic groups did not result in the complete replacement of local populations, but rather into partial admixture. PMID:20823912

Multiplex genotyping system for efficient inference of matrilineal genetic ancestry with continental resolution

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In recent years, phylogeographic studies have produced detailed knowledge on the worldwide distribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, linking specific clades of the mtDNA phylogeny with certain geographic areas. However, a multiplex genotyping system for the detection of the mtDNA haplogroups of major continental distribution that would be desirable for efficient DNA-based bio-geographic ancestry testing in various applications is still missing. Results Three multiplex genotyping assays, based on single-base primer extension technology, were developed targeting a total of 36 coding-region mtDNA variants that together differentiate 43 matrilineal haplo-/paragroups. These include the major diagnostic haplogroups for Africa, Western Eurasia, Eastern Eurasia and Native America. The assays show high sensitivity with respect to the amount of template DNA: successful amplification could still be obtained when using as little as 4 pg of genomic DNA and the technology is suitable for medium-throughput analyses. Conclusions We introduce an efficient and sensitive multiplex genotyping system for bio-geographic ancestry inference from mtDNA that provides resolution on the continental level. The method can be applied in forensics, to aid tracing unknown suspects, as well as in population studies, genealogy and personal ancestry testing. For more complete inferences of overall bio-geographic ancestry from DNA, the mtDNA system provided here can be combined with multiplex systems for suitable autosomal and, in the case of males, Y-chromosomal ancestry-sensitive DNA markers. PMID:21429198

[New data on the phylogeography and genetic diversity of the brown bear Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 of northeastern Eurasia (mtDNA control region polymorphism analysis)].

PubMed

Salomashkina, V V; Kholodova, M V; Tiuten'kov, O Iu; Moskvitina, N S; Erokhin, N G

2014-01-01

An analysis of polymorphism of the fragment of the control region of mitochondrial DNA of 53 tissue samples of the brown bear Ursus arctos from several regions of the eastern part of Russia was carried out. It was found that most of the described haplotypes belong to cluster 3a, the most common in Eurasia, and do not form regionally specific haplogroups. However, among the bears from Western and Eastern Siberia, as well as the island of Kunashir, three haplotypes were identified, which are close to the haplogroup typical of Eastern Hokkaido bears. The assumption was made of the existence in Siberia and the Far East of one or more Pleistocene refugia.

Geophysical Model Research and Results

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

Pasyanos, M; Walter, W; Tkalcic, H

2004-07-07

Geophysical models constitute an important component of calibration for nuclear explosion monitoring. We will focus on four major topics: (1) a priori geophysical models, (2) surface wave models, (3) receiver function derived profiles, and (4) stochastic geophysical models. The first, a priori models, can be used to predict a host of geophysical measurements, such as body wave travel times, and can be derived from direct regional studies or even by geophysical analogy. Use of these models is particularly important in aseismic regions or regions without seismic stations, where data of direct measurements might not exist. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)more » has developed the Western Eurasia and North Africa (WENA) model which has been evaluated using a number of data sets, including travel times, surface waves, receiver functions, and waveform analysis (Pasyanos et al., 2004). We have joined this model with our Yellow Sea - Korean Peninsula (YSKP) model and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) East Asia model to construct a model for all of Eurasia and North Africa. Secondly, we continue to improve upon our surface wave model by adding more paths. This has allowed us to expand the region to all of Eurasia and into Africa, increase the resolution of our model, and extend results to even shorter periods (7 sec). High-resolution models exist for the Middle East and the YSKP region. The surface wave results can be inverted either alone, or in conjunction with other data, to derive models of the crust and upper mantle structure. We are also using receiver functions, in joint inversions with the surface waves, to produce profiles directly under seismic stations throughout the region. In a collaborative project with Ammon, et al., they have been focusing on stations throughout western Eurasia and North Africa, while we have been focusing on LLNL deployments in the Middle East, including Kuwait, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. Finally, we have been exploring methodologies such as Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) to generate data-driven stochastic models. We have applied this technique to the YSKP region using surface wave dispersion data, body wave travel time data, and receiver functions.« less

Induction and release of secondary dormancy under field conditions in Bromus tectorum

Treesearch

Phil S. Allen; S. E. Meyer; K. Foote

2010-01-01

Bromus tectorum L. is a facultative winter annual grass originally from Eurasia. During the past century, this species has become highly invasive in the western United States, where it has displaced millions of hectares of native vegetation. Seeds of B. tectorum lose primary dormancy through dry after-ripening, and nearly all seeds are capable of germinating in...

A novel plant-fungal mutualism associated with fire

Treesearch

Melissa Baynes; George Newcombe; Linley Dixon; Lisa Castlebury; Kerry O' Donnell

2012-01-01

Bromus tectorum, or cheatgrass, is native to Eurasia and widely invasive in western North America. By late spring, this annual plant has dispersed its seed and died; its aboveground biomass then becomes fine fuel that burns as frequently as once every 3-5 y in its invaded range. Cheatgrass has proven to be better adapted to fire there than many competing plants, but...

Inference of adult female dispersal from the distribution of gypsy moth egg masses in a Japanese city

Treesearch

A.M. Liebhold; Marek Turcani; Naoto Kamata

2008-01-01

The native range of the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) spans the temperate forests of Eurasia. Across this region, a clinal female flight polymorphism exists; gypsy moth females in eastern Asia are mostly capable of directed flight, those in western and southern Europe are largely incapable of flight and populations distributed across the centre of...

Needle reactions in resistance to Cronartium ribicola: Hypersensitivity response or not?

Treesearch

Katarina Sweeney; Jeffrey Stone; Kathy Cook; Richard A. Sniezko; Angelia Kegley; Anna W. Schoettle

2012-01-01

White pine blister rust (WPBR) is caused by the fungal pathogen Cronartium ribicola. The pathogen is native to Eurasia and was introduced to North America early in the 20th century and is still spreading destructively throughout the range of native western white pines (Douglas ex D. Don) (McDonald and Hoff 2001). All of the North American five-needle (white) pines are...

Changes in the Intensity and Frequency of Atmospheric Blocking and Associated Heat Waves During Northern Summer Over Eurasia in the CMIP5 Model Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Kyu-Myong; Lau, K. M.; Wu, H. T.; Kim, Maeng-Ki; Cho, Chunho

2012-01-01

The Russia heat wave and wild fires of the summer of 2010 was the most extreme weather event in the history of the country. Studies show that the root cause of the 2010 Russia heat wave/wild fires was an atmospheric blocking event which started to develop at the end of June and peaked around late July and early August. Atmospheric blocking in the summer of 2010 was anomalous in terms of the size, duration, and the location, which shifted to the east from the normal location. This and other similar continental scale severe summertime heat waves and blocking events in recent years have raised the question of whether such events are occurring more frequently and with higher intensity in a warmer climate induced by greenhouse gases. We studied the spatial and temporal distributions of the occurrence and intensity of atmospheric blocking and associated heat waves for northern summer over Eurasia based on CMIPS model simulations. To examine the global warming induced change of atmospheric blocking and heat waves, experiments for a high emissions scenario (RCP8.S) and a medium mitigation scenario (RCP4.S) are compared to the 20th century simulations (historical). Most models simulate the mean distributions of blockings reasonably well, including major blocking centers over Eurasia, northern Pacific, and northern Atlantic. However, the models tend to underestimate the number of blockings compared to MERRA and NCEPIDOE reanalysis, especially in western Siberia. Models also reproduced associated heat waves in terms of the shifting in the probability distribution function of near surface temperature. Seven out of eight models used in this study show that the frequency of atmospheric blocking over the Europe will likely decrease in a warmer climate, but slightly increase over the western Siberia. This spatial pattern resembles the blocking in the summer of 2010, indicating the possibility of more frequent occurrences of heat waves in western Siberia. In this talk, we will also discuss the potential effect of atmosphere-land feedback, particularly how the wetter spring affects the frequency and intensity of atmospheric blocking and heat wave during summer.

The modern human colonization of western Eurasia: when and where?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2015-06-01

Dating the timing of the replacement of local Neandertal populations by modern humans in western Eurasia at the dawn of the Upper Palaeolithic remains challenging due to the scarcity of the palaeontological evidence and to the complexity of the archaeological record. Furthermore, key specimens have been discovered in the course of excavations that unfortunately did not meet today's archaeological standards. The importance of site-formation processes in the considered time period makes it sometimes difficult to precisely assign fragmentary remains a posteriori to distinct techno-complexes. The improvements in dating methods have however allowed for the clarification of many chronological issues in the past decade. Archaeological and palaeontological evidence strongly suggest that the initial modern colonization of eastern Europe and central Asia should be related to the spread of techno-complexes assigned to the Initial Upper Palaeolithic. This first expansion may have started as early as 48 ka cal BP. The earliest phases of the Aurignacian complex (Protoaurignacian and Early Aurignacian) seem to represent another modern wave of migrations, starting in the Levant area. The expansion of this techno-complex throughout Europe completed the modern colonization of the continent. The interpretation of a third group of industries referred to as "transitional assemblages" in western and central Europe is much debated. At least in part, these assemblages might have been produced by Neandertal groups that may have survived until c. 41 ka cal BP, according to the directly dated Neandertal specimens of Saint-Césaire (France) and Spy (Belgium).

Exhumation of the Deylaman fault trend and its effects on the deformation style of the western Alborz belt in Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakimi Asiabar, Saeid; Bagheriyan, Siyamak

2018-03-01

The Alborz range in northern Iran stretches along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs northeast and merges into the Pamir mountains in Afghanistan. Alborz mountain belt is a doubly vergent orogen formed along the northern edge of the Iranian plateau in response to the closure of the Neo-Tethys ocean and continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia. The south Caspian depression—the Alborz basin of Mesozoic age (with W-E trend) in northern Iran—inverted in response to the Arabia-Eurasia collision. Pre-existing extensional faults of the south Caspian-Alborz system preferentially reactivated as contractional faults because of tectonic inversion. These contractional structures tend to run parallel to the trends of pre-existing extensional faults and acquire W and WNW-ESE orientations across the previous accommodation zones that were imposed by the reactivation of adjacent extensional faults with different directions. The NNE to N dipping faults show evidences of reactivation. The Deylaman fault is one of the important faults of western Alborz in Iran and is an example of inversion tectonic style of deformation in the western Alborz mountain range. The Deylaman fault, with an E-W trend, contains three discontinuous fault segments in the area under investigation. These fault segments have evidence of oblique right-lateral reverse motion and links eastward to the dextral Kandavan thrust. The importance of this fault is due to its effect on sedimentation of several rock units from the Jurassic to Neogene in western Alborz; the rock facies on each side of this fault are very different and illustrate different parts of tectonic history.

Historical biogeography among species of Varestrongylus lungworms (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae) in ungulates: episodic expansion and host colonization linking Eurasia and North America.

PubMed

Verocai, Guilherme G; Kutz, Susan J; Hoberg, Eric P

2018-05-03

Varestrongylus lungworms (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae) include 10 nominal species that parasitize wild and domesticated artiodactyles. Eight species are endemic to the western Palearctic and Eurasia, whereas two are limited in distribution to the Nearctic. Complex host associations, primarily among Cervidae and Bovidae (Caprinae), and biogeography were explored based on direct comparisons of parasite and host phylogenies to reveal the historical development of this fauna. Diversification among Varestrongylus species has an intricate history extending over the Pliocene and Quaternary involving episodic processes for geographic and host colonization: (1) Varestrongylus has origins in Eurasia with independent expansion events into bordering ecozones; (2) cervids are ancestral hosts; (3) the caprine-associated V. pneumonicus is basal and a result of an independent host colonization event; (4) secondary diversification, linked to sequential and independent host colonization events, occurred within cervids (V. sagittatus + V. tuvae; V. alpenae; and V. capreoli, V. alces + V. eleguneniensis); (5) at least two additional host colonization events into caprines occurred, followed or not by diversification (V. qinghaiensis + V. longispiculatus; V. capricola, respectively); (6) two independent events of geographic expansion into North America from Eurasia with cervids in the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene are postulated (V. alpenae, V. eleguneniensis). Comparisons based on phylogenetic hypotheses derived from comparative morphology and molecular inference for these nematodes are consistent with the postulated history for coevolutionary and biogeographic history. Episodes of geographic and host colonization, often in relation to rapid shifts in climate and habitat perturbation, have dominated the history of diversification of Varestrongylus.

Impacts of four northern-hemisphere teleconnection patterns on atmospheric circulations over Eurasia and the Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Tao; Yu, Jin-yi; Paek, Houk

2017-08-01

The impacts of four teleconnection patterns on atmospheric circulation components over Eurasia and the Pacific region, from low to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere (NH), were investigated comprehensively in this study. The patterns, as identified by the Climate Prediction Center (USA), were the East Atlantic (EA), East Atlantic/Western Russia (EAWR), Polar/Eurasia (POLEUR), and Scandinavian (SCAND) teleconnections. Results indicate that the EA pattern is closely related to the intensity of the subtropical high over different sectors of the NH in all seasons, especially boreal winter. The wave train associated with this pattern serves as an atmospheric bridge that transfers Atlantic influence into the low-latitude region of the Pacific. In addition, the amplitudes of the EAWR, SCAND, and POLEUR patterns were found to have considerable control on the "Vangengeim-Girs" circulation that forms over the Atlantic-Eurasian region in winter or spring. The EA and EAWR mainly affect the westerlies in winter and spring and the POLEUR and SCAND, respectively, in summer and winter. Strong westerlies confine the extension of the North Polar vortex, which generally results in a small weak vortex and a shallow East Asian trough located in a position further east than normal. Furthermore, the North Polar vortex presents significant connections with the patterns during winter and summer. Analyses in this work suggest that the teleconnection patterns in summer could be driven, at least partly, by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, which to some degree might transmit the influence of the Atlantic Ocean to Eurasia and the Pacific region.

Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2010 Himalaya and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turner, Bethan; Jenkins, Jennifer; Turner, Rebecca; Parker, Amy; Sinclair, Alison; Davies, Sian; Hayes, Gavin P.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Dart, Rirchard L.; Tarr, Arthur C.; Furlong, Kevin P.; Benz, Harley M.

2013-01-01

Seismicity in the Himalaya region predominantly results from the collision of the India and Eurasia continental plates, which are converging at a relative rate of 40–50 mm/yr. Northward underthrusting of India beneath Eurasia generates numerous earthquakes and consequently makes this area one of the most seismically hazardous regions on Earth. The surface expression of the plate boundary is marked by the foothills of the north-south trending Sulaiman Range in the west, the Indo-Burmese Arc in the east, and the east-west trending Himalaya Front in the north of India. Along the western margin of the India plate, relative motions between India and Eurasia are accommodated by strike-slip, reverse, and oblique-slip faulting resulting in the complex Sulaiman Range fold and thrust belt, and the major translational Chaman Fault in Afghanistan. Beneath the Pamir‒Hindu Kush Mountains of northern Afghanistan, earthquakes occur to depths as great as 200 km as a result of remnant lithospheric subduction. Further north again, the Tian Shan is a seismically active intra-continental mountain belt defined by a series of east-west trending thrust faults thought to be related to the broad footprint of the India-Eurasia collision. Tectonics in northern India are dominated by motion along the Main Frontal Thrust and associated thrust faults of the India-Eurasia plate boundary, which have resulted in a series of large and devastating earthquakes in (and prior to) the 20th century. The Tibetan Plateau to the north of the main plate boundary is a broad region of uplift associated with the India-Eurasia collision, and is cut by a series of generally east-west trending strike-slip faults. These include the Kunlun, Haiyuan, and the Altyn Tagh faults, all of which are left-lateral structures, and the Kara-Koram right-lateral fault. Throughout the plateau, thrust faults accommodate the north-south compressional component of crustal shortening associated with the ongoing collision of India and Eurasia, while strike-slip and normal faults accommodate east-west extension. To the east, The Longmen Shan thrust belt marks the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau separating the complex tectonics of the plateau region from the relatively undeformed Sichuan Basin. Further south, the left-lateral Xiangshuihe-Xiaojiiang, right-lateral Red River and right-lateral Sagaing strike-slip fault systems accommodate deformation along the eastern margin of the India plate. Deep earthquakes have also occurred in the Indo-Burmese Arc region, thought to be an expression of eastward-directed subduction of the India plate, though whether subduction is ongoing is still debated.

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative: Facing the Challenges of Global Change in the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, P. Y.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Qi, J.

2015-12-01

During the past 10 years, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With more than 1480 peer-reviewed journal publications and 40 books to its credit, NEESPI's activities resulted in significant scientific outreach. This created a new research realm through self-organization of NEESPI scientists in a broad research network, accumulation of knowledge while developing new tools (observations, models, and collaborative networks) and producing new, exciting results that can be applied to directly support decision-making for societal needs. This realm was summed up at the Synthesis NEESPI Workshop in Prague, Czech Republic (April 9-12, 2015) where it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: " What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?". To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions, especially, under conditions when societal decision-making impacts and feeds back on the environment. This made the NEESPI studies closer to the ICSU research initiative "Future Earth". Accordingly, the NEESPI Research Team decided to reorganize in the nearest future NEESPI into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and began development of its Programmatic White Paper (in preparation at the time of this abstract submission). The NEFI research foci emerged in discussions within the NEESPI community during the past 12 months. Presentation will provide justification of these foci and approach examples addressing them. The societal challenges, particularly the socio-economic challenges are the top priority in most of them. .

Population genomic analyses reveal a history of range expansion and trait evolution across the native and invaded range of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis)

PubMed Central

BARKER, BRITTANY S.; ANDONIAN, KRIKOR; SWOPE, SARAH M.; LUSTER, DOUGLAS G.; DLUGOSCH, KATRINA M.

2017-01-01

Identifying sources of genetic variation and reconstructing invasion routes for non-native introduced species is central to understanding the circumstances under which they may evolve increased invasiveness. In this study, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms to study the colonization history of Centaurea solstitialis in its native range in Eurasia and invasions into the Americas. We leveraged this information to pinpoint key evolutionary shifts in plant size, a focal trait associated with invasiveness in this species. Our analyses revealed clear population genomic structure of potential source populations in Eurasia, including deep differentiation of a lineage found in the southern Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas and divergence among populations in Asia, eastern Europe, and western Europe. We found strongest support for an evolutionary scenario in which western European populations were derived from an ancient admixture event between populations from eastern Europe and Asia, and subsequently served as the main genetic ‘bridgehead’ for introductions to the Americas. Introductions to California appear to be from a single source region, and multiple, independent introductions of divergent genotypes likely occurred into the Pacific Northwest. Plant size has evolved significantly at three points during range expansion, including a large size increase in the lineage responsible for the aggressive invasion of California’s interior. These results reveal a long history of colonization, admixture, and trait evolution in C. solstitialis, and suggest routes for improving evidence-based management decisions for one of the most ecologically and economically damaging invasive species in the western United States. PMID:28029713

Mantle flow and deforming continents, insights from the Tethys realm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolivet, Laurent; Faccenna, Claudio; Becker, Thorsten; Tesauro, Magdala

2017-04-01

Continent deformation is partly a consequence of plate motion along plate boundaries. Whether underlying asthenospheric flow can also deform continents through basal shear or push on topographic irregularities of the base of the lithosphere is an open question. Eurasia has been extending at different scales since 50 Ma, from the Mediterranean back-arc domains to extension of Asia between the India-Asia collision zone and the Pacific subduction zones. While compression at plate margins, in subduction or collision zones can propagate far within continents, the mechanism explaining extension distributed over thousands of kilometres is unclear. We use trajectories of continental plates and continental fragments since 50 Ma in different kinematic frames and compare them with various proxies of asthenospheric flow such as seismic anisotropy at various depths. These trajectories partly fit sub-lithospheric seismic anisotropy with two main circulations, one carrying Africa and Eurasia away from the large low velocity anomaly (LLSVP) underlying South and West Africa and one carrying the Pacific plate away from the LLSVP underlying the southern Pacific. Under eastern Eurasia the flow converges with the Pacific flow and distributed extension affects eastern Asia all the way to Western Pacific back-arc basins. We speculate that the flow carrying India northward and Eurasia eastward has invaded the Pacific domain and caused this widely distributed extension that interferes with the strike-slip faults issued from the Himalaya-Tibet collision zone. This model is in line with earlier propositions based on geochemical proxies. We discuss this model and compare it to other widely distributed extensional deformation episodes such as the Early Cretaceous extension of Africa and lastly propose a scheme of large-scale continental deformation in relation to underlying mantle convection at different scales.

Mantle flow and deforming continents, the Tethys realm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolivet, L.; Faccenna, C.; Becker, T. W.

2016-12-01

Continent deformation is partly a consequence of plate motion along plate boundaries. Whether underlying asthenospheric flow can also deform continents through basal shear or push on topographic irregularities of the base of the lithosphere is an open question. Eurasia has been extending at different scales since 50 Ma, from the Mediterranean back-arc domains to extension of Asia between the India-Asia collision zone and the Pacific subduction zones. While compression at plate margins, in subduction or collision zones can propagate far within continents, the mechanism explaining extension distributed over thousands of kilometres is unclear. We use trajectories of continental plates and continental fragments since 50 Myrs in different kinematic frames and compare them with various proxies of asthenospheric flow such as seismic anisotropy at various depths. These trajectories partly fit sub-lithospheric seismic anisotropy with two main circulations, one carrying Africa and Eurasia away from the large low velocity anomaly (LLSVP) underlying South and West Africa and one carrying the Pacific plate away from the LLSVP underlying the southern Pacific. Under eastern Eurasia the flow converges with the Pacific flow and distributed extension affects eastern Asia all the way to Western Pacific back-arc basins. We speculate that the flow carrying India northward and Eurasia eastward has invaded the Pacific domain and caused this widely distributed extension that interferes with the strike-slip faults issued from the Himalaya-Tibet collision zone. This model is in line with earlier propositions based on geochemical proxies. We discuss this model and compare it to other widely distributed extensional deformation episodes such as the Early Cretaceous extension of Africa and finally propose a scheme of large-scale continental deformation in relation to underlying mantle convection at different scales.

Taxonomy, phylogenetics and biogeography of Chesneya (Fabaceae), evidenced from data of three sequences, ITS, trnS-trnG, and rbcL

Treesearch

Ming-Li Zhang; Zhi-Bin Wen; Xiao-Li Hao; Vyacheslav V. Byalt; Alexander P. Sukhorukov; Stewart C. Sanderson

2015-01-01

Plants of Central Asia have played a significant role in the origin of floras of Eurasia and the Northern Hemisphere. Chesneya, a small leguminous genus occurring in Central Asia, western Asia, and Tibet, is used to establish phylogenetic relationships and discuss the evolutionary and biogeographical history based on sequence data of ITS and trnS-trnG and rbcL.We...

Jurassic to Miocene magmatism and metamorphism in the Mogok metamorphic belt and the India-Eurasia collision in Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barley, M. E.; Pickard, A. L.; Zaw, Khin; Rak, P.; Doyle, M. G.

2003-06-01

Situated south of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis at the western margin of the Shan-Thai terrane the high-grade Mogok metamorphic belt (MMB) in Myanmar occupies a key position in the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia. The first sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb in zircon geochronology for the MMB shows that strongly deformed granitic orthogneisses near Mandalay contain Jurassic (˜170 Ma) zircons that have partly recrystallized during ˜43 Ma high-grade metamorphism. A hornblende syenite from Mandalay Hill also contains Jurassic zircons with evidence of Eocene metamorphic recrystallization rimmed by thin zones of 30.9 ± 0.7 Ma magmatic zircon. The relative abundance of Jurassic zircons in these rocks is consistent with suggestions that southern Eurasia had an Andean-type margin at that time. Mid-Cretaceous to earliest Eocene (120 to 50 Ma) I-type granitoids in the MMB, Myeik Archipelago, and Western Myanmar confirm that prior to the collision of India, an up to 200 km wide magmatic belt extended along the Eurasian margin from Pakistan to Sumatra. Metamorphic overgrowths to zircons in the orthogneiss near Mandalay date a period of Eocene (˜43 Ma) high-grade metamorphism possibly during crustal thickening related to the initial collision between India and Eurasia (at 65 to 55 Ma). This was followed by emplacement of syntectonic hornblende syenites and leucogranites between 35 and 23 Ma. Similar syntectonic syenites and leucogranites intruded the Ailao Shan-Red River shear belt in southern China and Vietnam during the Eocene-Oligocene to Miocene, and the Wang Chao and Three Pagodas faults in northern Thailand (that most likely link with the MMB) were also active at this time. The complex history of Eocene to early Miocene metamorphism, deformation, and magmatism in the MMB provides evidence that it may have played a key role in the network of deformation zones that accommodated strain during the northwards movement of India and resulting extrusion or rotation of Indochina.

Atmospheric Teleconnection over Eurasia Induced by Aerosol Radiative Forcing during Boreal Spring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Maeng-Ki; Lau, William K. M.; Chin, Mian; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Sud, Y. C.; Walker, Greg K.

2006-01-01

The direct effects of aerosols on global and regional climate during boreal spring are investigated based on numerical simulations with the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office finite-volume general circulation model (fvGCM) with Microphyics of Clouds with the Relaxed Arakawa Schubert Scheme (McRAS), using aerosol forcing functions derived from the Goddard Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). The authors find that anomalous atmospheric heat sources induced by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) excite a planetary-scale teleconnection pattern in sea level pressure, temperature, and geopotential height spanning North Africa through Eurasia to the North Pacific. Surface cooling due to direct effects of aerosols is found in the vicinity and downstream of the aerosol source regions, that is, South Asia, East Asia, and northern and western Africa. Significant atmospheric heating is found in regions with large loading of dust (over northern Africa and the Middle East) and black carbon (over Southeast Asia). Paradoxically, the most pronounced feature in aerosol-induced surface temperature is an east west dipole anomaly with strong cooling over the Caspian Sea and warming over central and northeastern Asia, where aerosol concentrations are low. Analyses of circulation anomalies show that the dipole anomaly is a part of an atmospheric teleconnection pattern driven by atmospheric heating anomalies induced by absorbing aerosols in the source regions, but the influence was conveyed globally through barotropic energy dispersion and sustained by feedback processes associated with the regional circulations. The surface temperature signature associated with the aerosol-induced teleconnection bears striking resemblance to the spatial pattern of observed long-term trend in surface temperature over Eurasia. Additionally, the boreal spring wave train pattern is similar to that reported by Fukutomi et al. associated with the boreal summer precipitation seesaw between eastern and western Siberia. The results of this study raise the possibility that global aerosol forcing during boreal spring may play an important role in spawning atmospheric teleconnections that affect regional and global climates.

Thrice out of Africa: ancient and recent expansions of the honey bee, Apis mellifera.

PubMed

Whitfield, Charles W; Behura, Susanta K; Berlocher, Stewart H; Clark, Andrew G; Johnston, J Spencer; Sheppard, Walter S; Smith, Deborah R; Suarez, Andrew V; Weaver, Daniel; Tsutsui, Neil D

2006-10-27

We characterized Apis mellifera in both native and introduced ranges using 1136 single-nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped in 341 individuals. Our results indicate that A. mellifera originated in Africa and expanded into Eurasia at least twice, resulting in populations in eastern and western Europe that are geographically close but genetically distant. A third expansion in the New World has involved the near-replacement of previously introduced "European" honey bees by descendants of more recently introduced A. m. scutellata ("African" or "killer" bees). Our analyses of spatial transects and temporal series in the New World revealed differential replacement of alleles derived from eastern versus western Europe, with admixture evident in all individuals.

Initiation and evolution of the Arabia-Eurasia collision in the Caucasus region constrained by detrital zircon geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tye, A. R.; Niemi, N. A.

2016-12-01

The Greater Caucasus (GC) mountain range is composed of thrust sheets of Paleozoic (Pz) - Mesozoic (Mz) flysch. Crystalline basement is exposed in the western part of the range, but not in the eastern. Detrital zircon ages from Eocene - recent foreland strata to the south of the western GC in Georgia suggest sediment sourcing from GC basement or Pz strata since Eocene time, requiring significant exhumation prior to or coincident with the onset of Arabia-Eurasia collision 30 Ma. We sampled foreland basin sedimentary rocks and modern river sands whose catchment areas together span the potential source rocks exposed in the western Greater Caucasus (GC) in Georgia. We find that GC basement rocks and lower Pz strata contain a diagnostic 450 Ma zircon population that is absent from the upper Pz and Mz sedimentary strata that are exposed throughout most of the range. These 450 Ma zircons are from an unknown source with an age distinct from the Hercynian ( 300 Ma) and Pan-African ( 600 Ma) orogens. Despite their absence in late Pz and Mz strata, the 450 Ma zircons are prevalent in Eocene - recent foreland basin deposits, whose ages were determined biostratigraphically [1]. Paleocurrent directions also indicate a GC source for Eocene strata [2], necessitating early Cenozoic exposure of GC basement or Pz strata. Exposing GC basement or Pz strata during Eocene time requires erosional removal of >3500 m of Mesozoic and late Paleozoic strata [1]. The detrital zircon age observations suggest that erosional removal of these strata took place prior to the initiation of the Arabia-Eurasia collision at 30 Ma and well before the ongoing episode of rapid GC exhumation and erosion from 5 Ma - present. Foreland basin detrital zircon ages also reveal a lack of input from Late Cretaceous to Paleogene volcanism of the Adjara-Trialet zone. This finding is consistent with the existence of a Paleogene ocean basin between the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus wide enough to prevent transport of sand sized sediments from one side to the other. References[1] Gamkrelidze, P. D., & I. R. Kakhazdze (1959), K-38-VII, Min. Geol. Min. Prot. USSR. [2] Vincent, S. J., et al. (2007). Terra Nova, 19(2), 160-166. [3] Avdeev, B., & Niemi, N. A. (2011). Tectonics, 30(2), TC2009[4] Nalivkin, D. V. (1976). Geologic Map of the Caucasus, 1:500000.

Vegetation masking effect on future warming and snow albedo feedback in a boreal forest region of northern Eurasia according to MIROC-ESM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Manabu; Takata, Kumiko; Kawamiya, Michio; Watanabe, Shingo

2017-09-01

The Earth system model, Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate-Earth system model (MIROC-ESM), in which the leaf area index (LAI) is calculated interactively with an ecological land model, simulated future changes in the snow water equivalent under the scenario of global warming. Using MIROC-ESM, the effects of the snow albedo feedback (SAF) in a boreal forest region of northern Eurasia were examined under the possible climate future scenario RCP8.5. The simulated surface air temperature (SAT) in spring greatly increases across Siberia and the boreal forest region, whereas the snow cover decreases remarkably only in western Eurasia. The large increase in SAT across Siberia is attributed to strong SAF, which is caused by both the reduced snow-covered fraction and the reduced surface albedo of the snow-covered portion due to the vegetation masking effect in those grid cells. A comparison of the future changes with and without interactive LAI changes shows that in Siberia, the vegetation masking effect increases the spring SAF by about two or three times and enhances the spring warming by approximately 1.5 times. This implies that increases in vegetation biomass in the future are a potential contributing factor to warming trends and that further research on the vegetation masking effect is needed for reliable future projection.

Effect of parasites on resistance to oxygen starvation in the ruff (sic) (Gymnocephalus cernuus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pronin, N.M.; Selgeby, J.; Pronina, S.V.; Darland, T.

1997-01-01

Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) occur widely in Eurasia. This species was accidentally introduced into Lake Superior and rapidly occupied the western part of the lake. Ruffe had a strong impact on populations of commercially important fish species and on commercial fishing. Our studies show that ruffe from Lake Superior are strongly infested by parasites specific to North America. These parasites cause severe pathology in ruffe because this host is less adapted to them.

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) across Eurasia

PubMed Central

Hunt, Harriet V; Campana, Michael G; Lawes, Matthew C; Park, Yong-Jin; Bower, Mim A; Howe, Christopher J; Jones, Martin K

2011-01-01

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is one of the world's oldest cultivated cereals, with several lines of recent evidence indicating that it was grown in northern China from at least 10 000 cal bp. Additionally, a cluster of archaeobotanical records of P. miliaceum dated to at least 7000 cal bp exists in eastern Europe. These two centres of early records could either represent independent domestications or cross-continental movement of this cereal that would predate that of any other crop by some 2 millennia. Here, we analysed genetic diversity among 98 landrace accessions from across Eurasia using 16 microsatellite loci, to explore phylogeographic structure in the Old World range of this historically important crop. The major genetic split in the data divided the accessions into an eastern and a western grouping with an approximate boundary in northwestern China. A substantial number of accessions belonging to the ‘western’ genetic group were also found in northeastern China. Further resolution subdivided the western and eastern genepools into 2 and 4 clusters respectively, each showing clear geographic patterning. The genetic data are consistent with both the single and multiple domestication centre hypotheses and add specific detail to what these hypotheses would entail regarding the spread of broomcorn millet. Discrepancies exist between the predictions from the genetic data and the current archaeobotanical record, highlighting priorities for investigation into early farming in Central Asia. PMID:22004244

Chapter 9. Review of technical knowledge: Boreal owls

Treesearch

Gregory D. Hayward

1994-01-01

The boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), known as Tengmalm's owl in Eurasia, occurs throughout the holarctic in boreal climatic zones. This medium-size owl (100-170 g) occupies boreal and subalpine forests in an almost continuous circumboreal distribution that extends from Scandinavia eastward across the northern forests of Siberia and from Alaska...

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): Presentation and Justification of the NEFI Science Plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, P. Y.; Gutman, G.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Qi, J.; Shugart, H. H., Jr.

2016-12-01

Since 2004, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With more than 1500 peer-reviewed journal publications and 40 books to its credit, NEESPI's activities resulted in significant scientific outreach. This created a new research realm through self-organization of NEESPI scientists in a broad research network, accumulation of knowledge while developing new tools (observations, models, and collaborative networks) and producing new, exciting results that can be applied to directly support decision-making for societal needs. At the Synthesis NEESPI Workshop in Prague, Czechia (April 9-12, 2015) it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: "What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?". To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions. The NEESPI Research Team has reorganized itself into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and began development of the NEFI Programmatic White Paper released at http://neespi.org in June 2016. Presentation will provide justification of the new NEFI research foci and approach examples addressing them. The societal challenges, particularly the socio-economic challenges are the top priority in most of them. Throughout the NEESP Initiative duration, support for it studies has been provided by different national and international Agencies of the United States (in particular, the NASA Land Cover and Land Use Change Program), Russian Federation (in particular, the Ministry of Education and Science, e.g., mega-grant 14.B25.31.0026), European Union, Japan, and China. We anticipate a similar kind of support for NEFI.

First Detection of Bat White-Nose Syndrome in Western North America.

PubMed

Lorch, Jeffrey M; Palmer, Jonathan M; Lindner, Daniel L; Ballmann, Anne E; George, Kyle G; Griffin, Kathryn; Knowles, Susan; Huckabee, John R; Haman, Katherine H; Anderson, Christopher D; Becker, Penny A; Buchanan, Joseph B; Foster, Jeffrey T; Blehert, David S

2016-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging fungal disease of bats caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since it was first detected near Albany, NY, in 2006, the fungus has spread across eastern North America, killing unprecedented numbers of hibernating bats. The devastating impacts of WNS on Nearctic bat species are attributed to the likely introduction of P. destructans from Eurasia to naive host populations in eastern North America. Since 2006, the disease has spread in a gradual wavelike pattern consistent with introduction of the pathogen at a single location. Here, we describe the first detection of P. destructans in western North America in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) from near Seattle, WA, far from the previously recognized geographic distribution of the fungus. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the isolate of P. destructans from Washington grouped with other isolates of a presumed clonal lineage from the eastern United States. Thus, the occurrence of P. destructans in Washington does not likely represent a novel introduction of the fungus from Eurasia, and the lack of intensive surveillance in the western United States makes it difficult to interpret whether the occurrence of P. destructans in the Pacific Northwest is disjunct from that in eastern North America. Although there is uncertainty surrounding the impacts of WNS in the Pacific Northwest, the presence of the pathogen in western North America could have major consequences for bat conservation. IMPORTANCE White-nose syndrome (WNS) represents one of the most consequential wildlife diseases of modern times. Since it was first documented in New York in 2006, the disease has killed millions of bats and threatens several formerly abundant species with extirpation or extinction. The spread of WNS in eastern North America has been relatively gradual, inducing optimism that disease mitigation strategies could be established in time to conserve bats susceptible to WNS in western North America. The recent detection of the fungus that causes WNS in the Pacific Northwest, far from its previous known distribution, increases the urgency for understanding the long-term impacts of this disease and for developing strategies to conserve imperiled bat species.

First Detection of Bat White-Nose Syndrome in Western North America

PubMed Central

Palmer, Jonathan M.; Lindner, Daniel L.; Ballmann, Anne E.; George, Kyle G.; Griffin, Kathryn; Knowles, Susan; Huckabee, John R.; Haman, Katherine H.; Anderson, Christopher D.; Becker, Penny A.; Buchanan, Joseph B.; Foster, Jeffrey T.; Blehert, David S.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging fungal disease of bats caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since it was first detected near Albany, NY, in 2006, the fungus has spread across eastern North America, killing unprecedented numbers of hibernating bats. The devastating impacts of WNS on Nearctic bat species are attributed to the likely introduction of P. destructans from Eurasia to naive host populations in eastern North America. Since 2006, the disease has spread in a gradual wavelike pattern consistent with introduction of the pathogen at a single location. Here, we describe the first detection of P. destructans in western North America in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) from near Seattle, WA, far from the previously recognized geographic distribution of the fungus. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the isolate of P. destructans from Washington grouped with other isolates of a presumed clonal lineage from the eastern United States. Thus, the occurrence of P. destructans in Washington does not likely represent a novel introduction of the fungus from Eurasia, and the lack of intensive surveillance in the western United States makes it difficult to interpret whether the occurrence of P. destructans in the Pacific Northwest is disjunct from that in eastern North America. Although there is uncertainty surrounding the impacts of WNS in the Pacific Northwest, the presence of the pathogen in western North America could have major consequences for bat conservation. IMPORTANCE White-nose syndrome (WNS) represents one of the most consequential wildlife diseases of modern times. Since it was first documented in New York in 2006, the disease has killed millions of bats and threatens several formerly abundant species with extirpation or extinction. The spread of WNS in eastern North America has been relatively gradual, inducing optimism that disease mitigation strategies could be established in time to conserve bats susceptible to WNS in western North America. The recent detection of the fungus that causes WNS in the Pacific Northwest, far from its previous known distribution, increases the urgency for understanding the long-term impacts of this disease and for developing strategies to conserve imperiled bat species. PMID:27504499

The Great Game redux: Energy security and the emergence of tripolarity in Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozdamar, Ibrahim Ozgur

Securing energy resources has become a key aspect of foreign policy-making since the 1970s. States have used military and economic foreign policy tools to secure the supply of energy to their domestic markets. With the fall of the USSR in 1991, political and economic competition for penetration into energy-rich regions spread through Eurasia. Inspired from the nineteenth century term to describe Russian-British rivalry in the region, the current rivalry among great powers and their allies is called the "New Great Game". This project analyzes three political conflicts that are shaped by such rivalry that can threaten global energy security. Empirical results from the expected utility model (Bueno de Mesquita 1985) suggest the rivalry among the Western (i.e. EU, US) and Eastern (i.e. Russia, China) powers about the Iranian nuclear program, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia conflicts is likely to continue and shows some Cold War characteristics. I have also found out the expected outcomes of these conflicts and foreign policy tools and obvious and unseen strategic moves available to actors. The major conclusion of the study is that the EU and US should pursue a coordinated foreign policy and balance the Russian and Chinese influence in the region to secure access to energy resources. Most effective foreign policy tools to achieve such aim appear to be the use of economic relations as leverage against Russia and China and support economic and democratic developments of the newly established republics in Eurasia.

Teacher Resource Book for Population Pressure in Indonesia, Problems of Industrialization in Eurasia, Power Blocs in Eurasia. Man on the Earth Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunn, Angus

This teacher's resource book is a guide to three intermediate texts about Eurasia entitled Population Pressure in Indonesia, Problems of Industrialization in Eurasia, and Power Blocs in Eurasia. The texts are part of the series, Man on the Earth, which probes broad-based issues confronting mankind. The resource book distinguishes 18 major concepts…

Influence of climate cycles on grapevine domestication and ancient migrations in Eurasia.

PubMed

Mariani, Luigi; Cola, Gabriele; Maghradze, David; Failla, Osvaldo; Zavatti, Franco

2018-09-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the Holocenic climate cycles that may have influenced the domestication of grapevine in the Subcaucasian area and its subsequent spread in Eurasia. The analysis covered the longitudinal belt ranging from the Iberian Peninsula to Japan, seen as the preferential pathway for the Holocenic spread of grapevine and many other crops in Eurasia. Spectral analysis was considered as the criterion of investigation and the Holocenic cycles were analyzed considering different geochemical and biological proxies, of which seven are directly referred to vine. In this context the relation of the abovementioned proxies with spectral peaks of possible causal factors like Solar activity (SA), North Atlantic oceanic factors (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation - AMO and North Atlantic Oscillation - NAO), and subtropical oceanic factors (El Nino Southern Oscillation - ENSO) was also analyzed. In order to acquire a sufficiently wide number of proxies sensitive to the causal factors, we referred to a latitudinal belt wider than the one colonized by vine, also acquiring proxy from the Scandinavian area, notoriously susceptible to North Atlantic forcings. The analysis of the proxy spectral peaks, considering 20 classes with a 50-years step in the 0-1000 years range, showed that the 50% of the classes have a higher frequency of peaks at East than West, the 20% a higher frequency at West than East and the 10% an equal frequency, showing the efficiency of the propagation of Western signals towards the center of Eurasia. The search of the causal factors spectral peaks in the proxy series showed that AMO, NAO and SA acted with a certain regularity on the entire belt investigated both latitudinally and longitudinally, while spectral peaks linked to ENSO underwent a considerable attenuation moving northward. Finally, the specific analysis on viticultural proxies showed common peaks with causal factors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative morphometric analysis for the tectonic characterisation of northern Tunisia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camafort, Miquel; Pérez-Peña, José Vicente; Booth-Rea, Guillermo; Ranero, César R.; Gràcia, Eulàlia; Azañón, José Miguel; Melki, Fetheddine; Ouadday, Mohamed

2016-04-01

Northern Tunisia is characterized by low deformation rates and low to moderate seismicity. Although instrumental seismicity reaches maximum magnitudes of Mw 5.5, some historical earthquakes have occurred with catastrophic consequences in this region. Aiming to improve our knowledge of active tectonics in Tunisia, we carried out both a quantitative morphometric analysis and field study in the north-western region. We applied different morphometric tools, like river profiles, knickpoint analysis, hypsometric curves and integrals and drainage pattern anomalies in order to differentiate between zones with high or low recent tectonic activity. This analysis helps identifying uplift and subsidence zones, which we relate to fault activity. Several active faults in a sparse distribution were identified. A selected sector was studied with a field campaign to test the results obtained with the quantitative analysis. During the fieldwork we identified geological evidence of recent activity and a considerable seismogenic potential along El Alia-Teboursouk (ETF) and Dkhila (DF) faults. The ETF fault could be responsible of one of the most devastating historical earthquakes in northern Tunisia that destroyed Utique in 412 A.D. Geological evidence include fluvial terraces folded by faults, striated and cracked pebbles, clastic dikes, sand volcanoes, coseismic cracks, etc. Although not reflected in the instrumental seismicity, our results support an important seismic hazard, evidenced by the several active tectonic structures identified and the two seismogenic faults described. After obtaining the current active tectonic framework of Tunisia we discuss our results within the western Mediterranean trying to contribute to the understanding of the western Mediterranean tectonic context. With our results, we suggest that the main reason explaining the sparse and scarce seismicity of the area in contrast with the adjacent parts of the Nubia-Eurasia boundary is due to its extended continental platform and its lack of proto-oceanic crust northward.

Updated chronology for the Miocene hominoid radiation in Western Eurasia

PubMed Central

Casanovas-Vilar, Isaac; Alba, David M.; Garcés, Miguel; Robles, Josep M.; Moyà-Solà, Salvador

2011-01-01

Extant apes (Primates: Hominoidea) are the relics of a group that was much more diverse in the past. They originated in Africa around the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, but by the beginning of the Middle Miocene they expanded their range into Eurasia, where they experienced a far-reaching evolutionary radiation. A Eurasian origin of the great ape and human clade (Hominidae) has been favored by several authors, but the assessment of this hypothesis has been hampered by the lack of accurate datings for many Western Eurasian hominoids. Here we provide an updated chronology that incorporates recently discovered Iberian taxa and further reevaluates the age of many previously known sites on the basis of local biostratigraphic scales and magnetostratigraphic data. Our results show that identifiable Eurasian kenyapithecins (Griphopithecus and Kenyapithecus) are much younger than previously thought (ca. 14 Ma instead of 16 Ma), which casts serious doubts on the attribution of the hominoid tooth from Engelswies (16.3–16.5 Ma) to cf. Griphopithecus. This evidence is further consistent with an alternative scenario, according to which the Eurasian pongines and African hominines might have independently evolved in their respective continents from similar kenyapithecin ancestors, resulting from an early Middle Miocene intercontinental range extension followed by vicariance. This hypothesis, which would imply an independent origin of orthogrady in pongines and hominines, deserves further testing by accurately inferring the phylogenetic position of European dryopithecins, which might be stem pongines rather than stem hominines. PMID:21436034

Bayesian analyses of Yemeni mitochondrial genomes suggest multiple migration events with Africa and Western Eurasia.

PubMed

Vyas, Deven N; Kitchen, Andrew; Miró-Herrans, Aida T; Pearson, Laurel N; Al-Meeri, Ali; Mulligan, Connie J

2016-03-01

Anatomically, modern humans are thought to have migrated out of Africa ∼60,000 years ago in the first successful global dispersal. This initial migration may have passed through Yemen, a region that has experienced multiple migrations events with Africa and Eurasia throughout human history. We use Bayesian phylogenetics to determine how ancient and recent migrations have shaped Yemeni mitogenomic variation. We sequenced 113 mitogenomes from multiple Yemeni regions with a focus on haplogroups M, N, and L3(xM,N) as these groups have the oldest evolutionary history outside of Africa. We performed Bayesian evolutionary analyses to generate time-measured phylogenies calibrated by Neanderthal and Denisovan mitogenomes in order to determine the age of Yemeni-specific clades. As defined by Yemeni monophyly, Yemeni in situ evolution is limited to the Holocene or latest Pleistocene (ages of clades in subhaplogroups L3b1a1a, L3h2, L3x1, M1a1f, M1a5, N1a1a3, and N1a3 range from 2 to 14 kya) and is often situated within broader Horn of Africa/southern Arabia in situ evolution (L3h2, L3x1, M1a1f, M1a5, and N1a1a3 ages range from 7 to 29 kya). Five subhaplogroups show no monophyly and are candidates for Holocene migration into Yemen (L0a2a2a, L3d1a1a, L3i2, M1a1b, and N1b1a). Yemeni mitogenomes are largely the product of Holocene migration, and subsequent in situ evolution, from Africa and western Eurasia. However, we hypothesize that recent population movements may obscure the genetic signature of more ancient migrations. Additional research, e.g., analyses of Yemeni nuclear genetic data, is needed to better reconstruct the complex population and migration histories associated with Out of Africa. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Changing Seasonality of Tundra Vegetation and Associated Climatic Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, U. S.; Walker, D. A.; Raynolds, M. K.; Bieniek, P.; Epstein, H. E.; Comiso, J. C.; Pinzon, J.; Tucker, C. J.; Steele, M.; Ermold, W. S.; Zhang, J.

2014-12-01

This study documents changes in the seasonality of tundra vegetation productivity and its associated climate variables using long-term data sets. An overall increase of Pan-Arctic tundra greenness potential corresponds to increased land surface temperatures and declining sea ice concentrations. While sea ice has continued to decline, summer land surface temperature and vegetation productivity increases have stalled during the last decade in parts of the Arctic. To understand the processes behind these features we investigate additional climate parameters. This study employs remotely sensed weekly 25-km sea ice concentration, weekly surface temperature, and bi-weekly NDVI from 1982 to 2013. Maximum NDVI (MaxNDVI, Maximum Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), Time Integrated NDVI (TI-NDVI), Summer Warmth Index (SWI, sum of degree months above freezing during May-August), ocean heat content (PIOMAS, model incorporating ocean data assimilation), and snow water equivalent (GlobSnow, assimilated snow data set) are explored. We analyzed the data for the full period (1982-2013) and for two sub-periods (1982-1998 and 1999-2013), which were chosen based on the declining Pan-Arctic SWI since 1998. MaxNDVI has increased from 1982-2013 over most of the Arctic but has declined from 1999 to 2013 over western Eurasia, northern Canada, and southwest Alaska. TI-NDVI has trends that are similar to those for MaxNDVI for the full period but displays widespread declines over the 1999-2013 period. Therefore, as the MaxNDVI has continued to increase overall for the Arctic, TI-NDVI has been declining since 1999. SWI has large relative increases over the 1982-2013 period in eastern Canada and Greenland and strong declines in western Eurasia and southern Canadian tundra. Weekly Pan-Arctic tundra land surface temperatures warmed throughout the summer during the 1982-1998 period but display midsummer declines from 1999-2013. Weekly snow water equivalent over Arctic tundra has declined over most seasons but shows slight increases in spring in North America and during fall over Eurasia. Later spring or earlier fall snow cover can both lead to reductions in TI-NDVI. The time-varying spatial patterns of NDVI trends can be largely explained using either snow cover or land surface temperature trends.

Regional Seismic Travel-Time Prediction, Uncertainty, and Location Improvement in Western Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanagan, M. P.; Myers, S. C.

2004-12-01

We investigate our ability to improve regional travel-time prediction and seismic event location using an a priori, three-dimensional velocity model of Western Eurasia and North Africa: WENA1.0 [Pasyanos et al., 2004]. Our objective is to improve the accuracy of seismic location estimates and calculate representative location uncertainty estimates. As we focus on the geographic region of Western Eurasia, the Middle East, and North Africa, we develop, test, and validate 3D model-based travel-time prediction models for 30 stations in the study region. Three principal results are presented. First, the 3D WENA1.0 velocity model improves travel-time prediction over the iasp91 model, as measured by variance reduction, for regional Pg, Pn, and P phases recorded at the 30 stations. Second, a distance-dependent uncertainty model is developed and tested for the WENA1.0 model. Third, an end-to-end validation test based on 500 event relocations demonstrates improved location performance over the 1-dimensional iasp91 model. Validation of the 3D model is based on a comparison of approximately 11,000 Pg, Pn, and P travel-time predictions and empirical observations from ground truth (GT) events. Ray coverage for the validation dataset is chosen to provide representative, regional-distance sampling across Eurasia and North Africa. The WENA1.0 model markedly improves travel-time predictions for most stations with an average variance reduction of 25% for all ray paths. We find that improvement is station dependent, with some stations benefiting greatly from WENA1.0 predictions (52% at APA, 33% at BKR, and 32% at NIL), some stations showing moderate improvement (12% at KEV, 14% at BOM, and 12% at TAM), some benefiting only slightly (6% at MOX, and 4% at SVE), and some are degraded (-6% at MLR and -18% at QUE). We further test WENA1.0 by comparing location accuracy with results obtained using the iasp91 model. Again, relocation of these events is dependent on ray paths that evenly sample WENA1.0 and therefore provide an unbiased assessment of location performance. A statistically significant sample is achieved by generating 500 location realizations based on 5 events with location accuracy between 1 km and 5 km. Each realization is a randomly selected event with location determined by randomly selecting 5 stations from the available network. In 340 cases (68% of the instances), locations are improved, and average mislocation is reduced from 31 km to 26 km. Preliminary test of uncertainty estimates suggest that our uncertainty model produces location uncertainty ellipses that are representative of location accuracy. These results highlight the importance of accurate GT datasets in assessing regional travel-time models and demonstrate that an a priori 3D model can markedly improve our ability to locate small magnitude events in a regional monitoring context. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48, Contribution UCRL-CONF-206386.

Chapter 14. Review of technical knowledge: Great gray owls

Treesearch

James R. Duncan; Patricia H. Hayward

1994-01-01

The great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) is the longest, but not heaviest, of the northern forest owls. Distributed holarctically across the boreal forests of North America and Eurasia, the great gray owl extends its range southward into the contiguous states by inhabiting forests other than the boreal type. The subalpine and montane forests of the...

Late Pleistocene dust dynamics and pedogenesis in Southern Eurasia - Detailed insights from the loess profile Toshan (NE Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlaminck, Stefan; Kehl, Martin; Rolf, Christian; Franz, Sven Oliver; Lauer, Tobias; Lehndorff, Eva; Frechen, Manfred; Khormali, Farhad

2018-01-01

In southern Eurasia recurrent phases of aridization, dust source extension and enhanced Aeolian sedimentation alternated with moister intervals, promoting reduced deflation areas and dust accumulation in the context of late Pleistocene climate changes. Weathering and soil forming intensity in this greater region are, hence, mainly governed by fluctuations in the balance between dust supply and moisture availability. Among the hitherto known sections, the Toshan loess-soil sequence (LPS) represents a key site due to the quality of the record and the multitude of available data giving detailed insights into the timing and magnitude of dust accumulation and soil formation of the region. To elucidate these dynamics for much of the past 130.000 years bulk mineralogical and geochemical data are presented supplemented by a high resolution magnetic susceptibility record and by the results of a detailed micromorphological study of loess at Toshan. The last interglacial Luvisol/Phaeozem-like (∼MIS 5e) and the early glacial interstadial steppic palaeosols (∼MIS 5 c and a) are characterized by gradually increasing grain-size and decreasing degrees in decomposition of micaceous and mafic minerals. Pronounced feldspar weathering is detected in the last interglacial and modern soils only, which formed under reduced or absent dust deposition on penultimate and last glacial loess, respectively (postsedimentary). The overall pedosedimentary conditions correspond to large scale trends of increasing drought, dust accumulation and wind strength in southern Eurasia in relation to decreasing moisture availability towards the early Pleniglacial (∼MIS 4), causing soil formation under ongoing dust deposition (synsedimentary). Similar intervals of synsedimentary soil formation are recorded during the interglacial/interstadial-stadial transitions of the early glacial and during pleniglacial (∼MIS 4 to 2) interstadials. The latter are marked by gradual increases in magnetic susceptibility, colour and decreasing texture. Conversely, silicate weathering could not be detected, suggesting that grain-size fluctuations are a primary feature. Thus, windy and arid pleniglacial conditions in southern Eurasia were interrupted by intermittent phases of synsedimentary soil formation, in response to short-lived and relatively moist interstadials. Although the interrelation of these incipient soils, throughout southern Eurasia is afflicted with considerable restrictions, the oscillatory pattern of the Toshan LPS bears great similarity with millennial-scale oscillations recorded in limnic archives of western Asia.

Interference of lithospheric folding in western Central Asia by simultaneous Indian and Arabian plate indentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smit, J. H. W.; Cloetingh, S. A. P. L.; Burov, E.; Tesauro, M.; Sokoutis, D.; Kaban, M.

2013-08-01

Large-scale intraplate deformation of the crust and the lithosphere in Central Asia as a result of the indentation of India has been extensively documented. In contrast, the impact of continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia on lithosphere tectonics in front of the main suture zone, has received much less attention. The resulting Neogene shortening and uplift of the external Zagros, Alborz, Kopeh Dagh and Caucasus Mountain belts in Iran and surrounding areas is characterised by a simultaneous onset of major topography growth at ca. 5 Ma. At the same time, subsidence accelerated in the adjacent Caspian, Turan and Amu Darya basins. We present evidence for interference of lithospheric folding patterns induced by the Arabian and Indian collision with Eurasia. Wavelengths and spatial patterns are inferred from satellite-derived topography and gravity models. The observed interference of the patterns of folding appears to be primarily the result of spatial orientation of the two indenters, differences in their convergence velocities and the thermo-mechanical structure of the lithosphere west and east of the Kugitang-Tunka Line.

What Caused the Winter Drought in Western Nepal during Recent Years?

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

Wang, S-Y; Yoon, Jin-Ho; Gillies, R.

Western Nepal has experienced consecutive and worsened winter drought conditions since 2000 culminating in a severe drought episode during 2008-2009. In this study, the meteorological conditons and a historical pespective of the winter droughts in western Nepal were analyzed using respectively instumental records and a paleoclimatic drought index. Althought decadal-scale drought conditions were found to be recurrent in the paleoclimate record, the severity of the recent decadal drought (since 2000) clearly stands out in the 700 years of record and, this is suggestive of potential anthropogenic influences in the recent decades. Meteorological diagnosis using atmospheric reanalysis in the recent decadesmore » revealed that (1) winter drought in western Nepal is linked to the Arctic Oscillation and its decadal variability, which initiates a tropospheric short-wave train across the Europe, Eurasia and South Asia, and that (2) the persistent warming of the Indian Ocean likely contributes to the suppression of rainfall through enhanced local Hadley circultion. It is therefore conceivable that the recent spells of decadal drought in Nepal drought are symptomatic of both natural variability and anthropogenic influences.« less

Rapidly expanding range of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, Jeffrey S.; Dusek, Robert J.; Spackman, Erica

2015-01-01

The movement of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) virus across Eurasia and into North America and the virus’ propensity to reassort with co-circulating low pathogenicity viruses raise concerns among poultry producers, wildlife biologists, aviculturists, and public health personnel worldwide. Surveillance, modeling, and experimental research will provide the knowledge required for intelligent policy and management decisions.

Rapidly Expanding Range of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses.

PubMed

Hall, Jeffrey S; Dusek, Robert J; Spackman, Erica

2015-07-01

The movement of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) virus across Eurasia and into North America and the virus' propensity to reassort with co-circulating low pathogenicity viruses raise concerns among poultry producers, wildlife biologists, aviculturists, and public health personnel worldwide. Surveillance, modeling, and experimental research will provide the knowledge required for intelligent policy and management decisions.

Ultraviolet resources over Northern Eurasia.

PubMed

Chubarova, Natalia; Zhdanova, Yekaterina

2013-10-05

We propose a new climatology of UV resources over Northern Eurasia, which includes the assessments of both detrimental (erythema) and positive (vitamin D synthesis) effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health. The UV resources are defined by using several classes and subclasses - UV deficiency, UV optimum, and UV excess - for 6 different skin types. To better quantifying the vitamin D irradiance threshold we accounted for an open body fraction S as a function of effective air temperature. The spatial and temporal distribution of UV resources was estimated by radiative transfer (RT) modeling (8 stream DISORT RT code) with 1×1° grid and monthly resolution. For this purpose special datasets of main input geophysical parameters (total ozone content, aerosol characteristics, surface UV albedo, UV cloud modification factor) have been created over the territory of Northern Eurasia. The new approaches were used to retrieve aerosol parameters and cloud modification factor in the UV spectral region. As a result, the UV resources were obtained for clear-sky and mean cloudy conditions for different skin types. We show that the distribution of UV deficiency, UV optimum and UV excess is regulated by various geophysical parameters (mainly, total ozone, cloudiness and open body fraction) and can significantly deviate from latitudinal dependence. We also show that the UV optimum conditions can be simultaneously observed for people with different skin types (for example, for 4-5 skin types at the same time in spring over Western Europe). These UV optimum conditions for different skin types occupy a much larger territory over Europe than that over Asia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plume-stagnant slab-lithosphere interactions: Origin of the late Cenozoic intra-plate basalts on the East Eurasia margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Jun-Ichi; Sakuyama, Tetsuya; Miyazaki, Takashi; Vaglarov, Bogdan S.; Fukao, Yoshio; Stern, Robert J.

2018-02-01

Intra-plate basalts of 35-0 Ma in East Eurasia formed in a broad backarc region above the stagnant Pacific Plate slab in the mantle transition zone. These basalts show regional-scale variations in Nd-Hf isotopes. The basalts with the most radiogenic Nd-Hf center on the Shandong Peninsula with intermediate Nd-Hf at Hainan and Datong. The least radiogenic basalts occur in the perimeters underlain by the thick continental lithosphere. Shandong basalts possess isotopic signatures of the young igneous oceanic crust of the subducted Pacific Plate. Hainan and Datong basalts have isotopic signatures of recycled subduction materials with billions of years of storage in the mantle. The perimeter basalts have isotopic signatures similar to pyroxenite xenoliths from the subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath East Eurasia. Hainan basalts exhibit the highest mantle potential temperature (Tp), while the Shandong basalts have the lowest Tp. We infer that a deep high-Tp plume interacted with the subducted Pacific Plate slab in the mantle transition zone to form a local low-Tp plume by entraining colder igneous oceanic lithosphere. We infer that the subducted Izanagi Plate slab, once a part of the Pacific Plate mosaic, broke off from the Pacific Plate slab at 35 Ma to sink into the lower mantle. The sinking Izanagi slab triggered the plume that interacted with the stagnant Pacific slab and caused subcontinental lithospheric melting. This coincided with formation of the western Pacific backarc marginal basins due to Pacific Plate slab rollback and stagnation.

Genomic signature of successful colonization of Eurasia by the allopolyploid shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris).

PubMed

Cornille, A; Salcedo, A; Kryvokhyzha, D; Glémin, S; Holm, K; Wright, S I; Lascoux, M

2016-01-01

Polyploidization is a dominant feature of flowering plant evolution. However, detailed genomic analyses of the interpopulation diversification of polyploids following genome duplication are still in their infancy, mainly because of methodological limits, both in terms of sequencing and computational analyses. The shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is one of the most common weed species in the world. It is highly self-fertilizing, and recent genomic data indicate that it is an allopolyploid, resulting from hybridization between the ancestors of the diploid species Capsella grandiflora and Capsella orientalis. Here, we investigated the genomic diversity of C. bursa-pastoris, its population structure and demographic history, following allopolyploidization in Eurasia. To that end, we genotyped 261 C. bursa-pastoris accessions spread across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, using genotyping-by-sequencing, leading to a total of 4274 SNPs after quality control. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed three distinct genetic clusters in Eurasia: one cluster grouping samples from Western Europe and Southeastern Siberia, the second one centred on Eastern Asia and the third one in the Middle East. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) supported the hypothesis that C. bursa-pastoris underwent a typical colonization history involving low gene flow among colonizing populations, likely starting from the Middle East towards Europe and followed by successive human-mediated expansions into Eastern Asia. Altogether, these findings bring new insights into the recent multistage colonization history of the allotetraploid C. bursa-pastoris and highlight ABC and genotyping-by-sequencing data as promising but still challenging tools to infer demographic histories of selfing allopolyploids. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Daily black carbon emissions from fires in northern Eurasia for 2002-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Wei Min; Petkov, Alexander; Nordgren, Bryce L.; Corley, Rachel E.; Silverstein, Robin P.; Urbanski, Shawn P.; Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Balkanski, Yves; Kinder, Bradley L.

2016-12-01

Black carbon (BC) emitted from fires in northern Eurasia is transported and deposited on ice and snow in the Arctic and can accelerate its melting during certain times of the year. Thus, we developed a high spatial resolution (500 m × 500 m) dataset to examine daily BC emissions from fires in this region for 2002-2015. Black carbon emissions were estimated based on MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) land cover maps and detected burned areas, the Forest Inventory Survey of the Russian Federation, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier-1 Global Biomass Carbon Map for the year 2000, and vegetation specific BC emission factors. Annual BC emissions from northern Eurasian fires varied greatly, ranging from 0.39 Tg in 2010 to 1.82 Tg in 2015, with an average of 0.71 ± 0.37 Tg from 2002 to 2015. During the 14-year period, BC emissions from forest fires accounted for about two-thirds of the emissions, followed by grassland fires (18 %). Russia dominated the BC emissions from forest fires (92 %) and central and western Asia was the major region for BC emissions from grassland fires (54 %). Overall, Russia contributed 80 % of the total BC emissions from fires in northern Eurasia. Black carbon emissions were the highest in the years 2003, 2008, and 2012. Approximately 58 % of the BC emissions from fires occurred in spring, 31 % in summer, and 10 % in fall. The high emissions in spring also coincide with the most intense period of ice and snow melting in the Arctic.

Meeting report: First International Conference on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Weber, Friedemann; Hewson, Roger; Weidmann, Manfred; Koksal, Iftihar; Korukluoglu, Gulay; Mirazimi, Ali

2015-08-01

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most widespread tick-borne disease of humans, occurring from western China to the Balkans in Eurasia and south throughout the length of Africa. Its incidence has increased over the past decade, particularly in Turkey and Iran, and the disease has also emerged in India. Research has been hindered by limited laboratory capacity in many regions where the disease is prevalent, indicating the need for collaboration between investigators in endemic countries and those with greater scientific resources. In an effort to increase such collaboration, the First International Conference on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, from February 13 to 14, 2015. This meeting followed the conclusion of an EU-supported Collaborative Project under the Health Cooperation Work Programme of the 7th Framework Programme (Grant agreement No. 260427). It is expected to be the first in a series of meetings that will bring together researchers from around the world to exchange knowledge and experience on various aspects of CCHF. This report summarizes major presentations by the invited speakers at the First International Conference on CCHF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How is Biomass Burning Affected by Grazing and Drought in Central and Western Asia?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, W. M.; Nordgren, B.; Petkov, A.; Corley, R.; Urbanski, S. P.; Balkanski, Y.; Ciais, P.; Mouillot, F.

2016-12-01

Biomass burning is a recurring natural process in many ecosystems and most of the fires are caused by human activity. The trace gases, aerosol particles, and black carbon emitted from biomass fires can affect air quality, climate, and public health. In addition, black carbon emitted from wildfires in high latitudes transports and is deposited in the Arctic, accelerating the ice and snow melt. As the climate becomes warmer and drier, more wildfires will occur in high-latitude ecosystems, a region highly sensitive to global warming. We mapped the area burned daily in Northern Eurasia at a 500m x 500m resolution from 2002 to 2015 in different ecosystems over different geographic regions. The mapping was based on the MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) products from NASA Terra and Aqua satellites. From the Northern Eurasia dataset, we report the driving forces for the inter-annual variability of fire activity in Central and Western Asia during a period of 14 years from 2002 to 2015. Grassland dominated the region (>95%). Our results showed the area burned in this region has decreased about 65% from 1.4 x 105 km2 in 2002 to 0.5 x 105 km2 in 2015 during this period. The decrease is correlated with (1) the decrease of MODIS Drought Severity Index (DSI), and (2) the increase of the number of goats, sheep and cattle. The DSI decreased substantially from +1.0 in 2002 to -0.4 in 2011. The numbers of grazers in this region have decreased drastically in the mid-1990s because of economic collapse of the Soviet Union. However, the number of grazers have recovered and have increased steadily since 2000. Grazing by domestic animals on grassland reduces fuel loadings and thus emissions from biomass burning. The interactions of drought-economy-grazing-extent of biomass burning-emissions of black carbon and atmospheric pollutants in Central and Western Asia in the past 14 years will be summarized.

Geographic population structure in an outcrossing plant invasion after centuries of cultivation and recent founding events.

PubMed

Gaskin, John F; Schwarzländer, Mark; Gibson, Robert D; Simpson, Heather; Marshall, Diane L; Gerber, Esther; Hinz, Hariet

2018-04-01

Population structure and genetic diversity of invasions are the result of evolutionary processes such as natural selection, drift and founding events. Some invasions are also molded by specific human activities such as selection for cultivars and intentional introduction of desired phenotypes, which can lead to low genetic diversity in the resulting invasion. We investigated the population structure, diversity and origins of a species with both accidental and intentional introduction histories, as well as long-term selection as a cultivar. Dyer's woad ( Isatis tinctoria ; Brassicaceae) has been used as a dye source for at least eight centuries in Eurasia, was introduced to eastern USA in the 1600s, and is now considered invasive in the western USA. Our analyses of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) from 645 plants from the USA and Eurasia did not find significantly lower gene diversity ( H j ) in the invaded compared to the native range. This suggests that even though the species was under cultivation for many centuries, human selection of plants may not have had a strong influence on diversity in the invasion. We did find significantly lower genetic differentiation ( F st ) in the invasive range but our results still suggested that there are two distinct invasions in the western USA. Our data suggest that these invasions most likely originated from Switzerland, Ukraine and Germany, which correlates with initial biological control agent survey findings. Genetic information on population structure, diversity and origins assists in efforts to control invasive species, and continued combination of ecological and molecular analyses will help bring us closer to sustainable management of plant invasions.

Overview of past, ongoing and future efforts of the integrated modeling of global change for Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, Erwan; Kicklighter, David; Sokolov, Andrei; Zhuang, Qianlai; Melillo, Jerry; Reilly, John

2016-04-01

Northern Eurasia is both a major player in the global carbon budget (it includes roughly 70% of the Earth's boreal forest and more than two-thirds of the Earth's permafrost) and a region that has experienced dramatic climate change (increase in temperature, growing season length, floods and droughts) over the past century. Northern Eurasia has also undergone significant land-use change, both driven by human activity (including deforestation, expansion of agricultural lands and urbanization) and natural disturbances (such as wildfires and insect outbreaks). These large environmental and socioeconomic impacts have major implications for the carbon cycle in the region. Northern Eurasia is made up of a diverse set of ecosystems that range from tundra to forests, with significant areas of croplands and pastures as well as deserts, with major urban areas. As such, it represents a complex system with substantial challenges for the modeling community. In this presentation, we provide an overview of past, ongoing and possible future efforts of the integrated modeling of global change for Northern Eurasia. We review the variety of existing modeling approaches to investigate specific components of Earth system dynamics in the region. While there are a limited number of studies that try to integrate various aspects of the Earth system (through scale, teleconnections or processes), we point out that there are few systematic analyses of the various feedbacks within the Earth system (between components, regions or scale). As a result, there is a lack of knowledge of the relative importance of such feedbacks, and it is unclear how policy relevant current studies are that fail to account for these feedbacks. We review the role of Earth system models, and their advantages/limitations compared to detailed single component models. We further introduce the human activity system (global trade, economic models, demographic model and so on), the need for coupled human/earth system models and Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), a suite of models that couple human activity models to Earth System Models. Finally, we conclude the presentation with examples of emerging issues that require a representation of the coupled human/earth system models.

The Eurasia-North Pacific Oscillation in atmospheric mass variations independent of both IHO and AO and its possible impacts on winter climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; Guan, Zhaoyong; Li, Minggang

2018-06-01

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, we have investigated the features of migrations of atmospheric mass (AM) between land and ocean in Eurasia-North Pacific domain in boreal winter after having both signals of Inter-hemispheric Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation removed from the physical quantities. It is found that there is a Eurasia-North Pacific Oscillation (ENPO) in surface air pressure anomalies. This ENPO pattern characterizes with two oppositely signed anomalous surface pressure centers over Eurasia and North Pacific respectively, indicating strong connections between Siberian high and Aleutian low during period 1979-2012. The maintenance of this ENPO teleconnection is significantly associated with three factors including the anomalous AM flows and zonal circulation cell over Eurasia-North Pacific domain, the Rossby wave energy propagations, and the thermal forcing contrasts near the surface between Eurasia and North Pacific during boreal winter. The variations of both wintertime rainfall and temperature over Eurasia may be strongly affected by ENPO. When the ENPO index is positive (negative), there occurs the AM accumulation (depletion) over Eurasia with simultaneous depletion (accumulation) over mid-latitude North-Pacific. Correspondingly, this anomalous surface pressure pattern along with the related circulation anomalies at different isobaric levels possibly results in winter precipitation decreases (increases) over Siberian Plain and East China, whereas increases (decreases) over southeastern Europe, Xinjiang of China, and the west coast of Sea of Okhotsk. On the other hand, surface air temperature decreases (increases) over large areas of Eurasia. These results are helpful for our better understanding the mechanisms behind circulation and winter climate variations over Eurasia-North Pacific region.

Did the Basement-Involved Main Caucasus Thrust Form during the Cenozoic Arabia-Eurasia Collision?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasey, D. A.; Cowgill, E.; Niemi, N. A.; Godoladze, T.; Javakhishvili, Z.; Skhirtladze, I.; Boichenko, G.

2017-12-01

The Greater Caucasus Mountains lie between the Black and Caspian Seas at the northern margin of the active Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. The north-dipping Main Caucasus Thrust (MCT) is commonly assumed to be a first-order structure within the range that places Paleozoic crystalline basement to the north over metasedimentary cover of inferred Mesozoic age to the south. Although most workers assume this juxtaposition occurred during Cenozoic growth of the range, the timing of ductile (quartz-plastic) shearing along the MCT remains to be established. Here, we present data to discriminate between two competing models of quartz-plastic deformation along the proposed MCT location at the basement-cover contact. In the first model, quartz-plastic deformation occurred during the Cenozoic Arabia-Eurasia collision, whereas in the second, this deformation took place during an older orogenic event, such as the Paleozoic Variscan orogeny. To test these models, we are combining field observations, microstructural investigations, and thermochronologic analyses on two 10 km-long traverses in the Republic of Georgia, separated by 200 km along strike, across the MCT. Our fieldwork and microstructural analyses along the basement-cover contact document north-dipping zones of high strain that are 100 m thick and show quartz-plastic deformation, top-to-the-south shear sense, and greenschist-facies metamorphism. Zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) analyses along the eastern traverse near Stepantsminda yielded latest Miocene ( 7-8 Ma) ages in both the MCT shear zone and 150 m structurally above the MCT. In contrast, along the western traverse near Nakra, a sample 300 m structurally below the MCT yielded an early Oligocene ( 31 Ma) ZHe age. These data require Cenozoic exhumation from temperatures >180° and are compatible with recent ductile shear along the MCT. However, results from biotite and muscovite 40Ar/39Ar analyses in progress are needed to confirm this hypothesis. The MCT appears to have exhumed rocks from crustal depths of at least 6 km since the Oligocene and may be a key first-order structure in the Arabia-Eurasia collision.

Regional variations in provenance and abundance of ice-rafted clasts in Arctic Ocean sediments: Implications for the configuration of late Quaternary oceanic and atmospheric circulation in the Arctic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, R.L.; Grantz, A.

2001-01-01

The composition and distribution of ice-rafted glacial erratics in late Quaternary sediments define the major current systems of the Arctic Ocean and identify two distinct continental sources for the erratics. In the southern Amerasia basin up to 70% of the erratics are dolostones and limestones (the Amerasia suite) that originated in the carbonate-rich Paleozoic terranes of the Canadian Arctic Islands. These clasts reached the Arctic Ocean in glaciers and were ice-rafted to the core sites in the clockwise Beaufort Gyre. The concentration of erratics decreases northward by 98% along the trend of the gyre from southeastern Canada basin to Makarov basin. The concentration of erratics then triples across the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge and siltstone, sandstone and siliceous clasts become dominant in cores from the ridge and the Eurasia basin (the Eurasia suite). The bedrock source for the siltstone and sandstone clasts is uncertain, but bedrock distribution and the distribution of glaciation in northern Eurasia suggest the Taymyr Peninsula-Kara Sea regions. The pattern of clast distribution in the Arctic Ocean sediments and the sharp northward decrease in concentration of clasts of Canadian Arctic Island provenance in the Amerasia basin support the conclusion that the modem circulation pattern of the Arctic Ocean, with the Beaufort Gyre dominant in the Amerasia basin and the Transpolar drift dominant in the Eurasia basin, has controlled both sea-ice and glacial iceberg drift in the Arctic Ocean during interglacial intervals since at least the late Pleistocene. The abruptness of the change in both clast composition and concentration on the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge also suggests that the boundary between the Beaufort Gyre and the Transpolar Drift has been relatively stable during interglacials since that time. Because the Beaufort Gyre is wind-driven our data, in conjunction with the westerly directed orientation of sand dunes that formed during the last glacial maximum on the North Slope of Alaska, suggests that atmospheric circulation in the western Arctic during late Quaternary was similar to that of the present. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative: Facing the Challenges of Global Change in the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, Pavel; Gutman, Garik; Gulev, Sergey; Maksyutov, Shamil; Qi, Jiaguo

2016-04-01

During the past 12 years, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With more than 1500 peer-reviewed journal publications and 40 books to its credit, NEESPI's activities resulted in significant scientific outreach. This created a new research realm through self-organization of NEESPI scientists in a broad research network, accumulation of knowledge while developing new tools (observations, models, and collaborative networks) and producing new, exciting results that can be applied to directly support decision-making for societal needs. This realm was summed up at the Synthesis NEESPI Workshop in Prague, Czech Republic (April 9-12, 2015) where it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: " What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?". To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions, especially, under conditions when societal decision-making impacts and feeds back on the environment. This made the NEESPI studies closer to the ICSU research initiative "Future Earth". Accordingly, the NEESPI Research Team decided to reorganize in the nearest future NEESPI into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and began development of its Programmatic White Paper (in preparation at the time of this abstract submission). The NEFI research foci emerged in discussions within the NEESPI community during the past 20 months. Presentation will provide justification of these foci and approach examples addressing them. The societal challenges, particularly the socio-economic challenges are the top priority in most of them. Throughout the NEESP Initiative duration, support for it studies has been provided by different national and international Agencies of the United States (in particular, the NASA Land Cover and Land Use Change Program), the Russian Federation (in particular, the Ministry of Education and Science, e.g., mega-grant 14.B25.31.0026), European Union, Japan, and China. After the NEFI White Paper release, we anticipate a similar kind of support for this new Initiative.

Snow cover and temperature relationships in North America and Eurasia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, J.; Owe, M.; Rango, A.

1983-01-01

In this study the snow cover extent during the autumn months in both North America and Eurasia has been related to the ensuing winter temperature as measured at several locations near the center of each continent. The relationship between autumn snow cover and the ensuing winter temperatures was found to be much better for Eurasia than for North America. For Eurasia the average snow cover extent during the autumn explained as much as 52 percent of the variance in the winter (December-February) temperatures compared to only 12 percent for North America. However, when the average winter snow cover was correlated with the average winter temperature it was found that the relationship was better for North America than for Eurasia. As much as 46 percent of the variance in the winter temperature was explained by the winter snow cover in North America compared to only 12 percent in Eurasia.

Linear and nonlinear winter atmospheric responses to extreme phases of low frequency Pacific sea surface temperature variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Dandan; Wu, Qigang; Hu, Aixue; Yao, Yonghong; Liu, Shizuo; Schroeder, Steven R.; Yang, Fucheng

2018-02-01

This study examines Northern Hemisphere winter (DJFM) atmospheric responses to opposite strong phases of interdecadal (low frequency, LF) Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) forcing, which resembles El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on a longer time scale, in observations and GFDL and CAM4 model simulations. Over the Pacific-North America (PNA) sector, linear observed responses of 500-hPa height (Z500) anomalies resemble the PNA teleconnection pattern, but show a PNA-like nonlinear response because of a westward Z500 shift in the negative (LF-) relative to the positive LF (LF+) phase. Significant extratropical linear responses include a North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-like Z500 anomaly, a dipole-like Z500 anomaly over northern Eurasia associated with warming over mid-high latitude Eurasia, and a Southern Annular anomaly pattern associated with warming in southern land areas. Significant nonlinear Z500 responses also include a NAO-like anomaly pattern. Models forced by LF+ and LF- SST anomalies reproduce many aspects of observed linear and nonlinear responses over the Pacific-North America sector, and linear responses over southern land, but not in the North Atlantic-European sector and Eurasia. Both models simulate PNA-like linear responses in the North Pacific-North America region similar to observed, but show larger PNA-like LF+ responses, resulting in a PNA nonlinear response. The nonlinear PNA responses result from both nonlinear western tropical Pacific rainfall changes and extratropical transient eddy feedbacks. With LF tropical Pacific forcing only (LFTP+ and LFTP-, climatological SST elsewhere), CAM4 simulates a significant NAO response to LFTP-, including a linear negative and nonlinear positive NAO response.

Resource use associated with type 2 diabetes in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Eurasia and Turkey: results from the International Diabetes Management Practice Study (IDMPS).

PubMed

Gagliardino, Juan J; Atanasov, Petar K; Chan, Juliana C N; Mbanya, Jean C; Shestakova, Marina V; Leguet-Dinville, Prisca; Annemans, Lieven

2017-01-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications form a global healthcare burden but the exact impact in some geographical regions is still not well documented. We describe the healthcare resource usage (HRU) associated with T2D in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Eurasia and Turkey. In the fifth wave of the International Diabetes Management Practices Study (IDMPS; 2011-2012), we collected self-reported and physician-reported cross-sectional data from 8156 patients from 18 countries across 5 regions, including different types of HRU in the previous 3-6 months. Negative binomial regression was used to identify parameters associated with HRU, using incidence rate ratios (IRRs) to express associations. Patients in Africa (n=2220), the Middle East (n=2065), Eurasia (n=1843), South Asia (n=1195) and Turkey (n=842) experienced an annual hospitalization rate (mean±SD) of 0.6±1.9, 0.3±1.2, 1.7±4.1, 0.4±1.5 and 1.3±2.7, respectively. The annual number of diabetes-related inpatient days (mean±SD) was 4.7±22.7, 1.1±6.1, 16.0±30.0, 1.5±6.8 and 10.8±34.3, respectively. Despite some inter-regional heterogeneity, macrovascular complications (IRRs varying between 1.4 and 8.9), microvascular complications (IRRs varying between 3.4 and 4.3) and, to a large extent, inadequate glycemic control (IRRs varying between 1.89 and 10.1), were independent parameters associated with hospitalization in these respective regions. In non-Western countries, macrovascular/microvascular complications and inadequate glycemic control were common and important parameters associated with increased HRU.

Recent intensified impact of December Arctic Oscillation on subsequent January temperature in Eurasia and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shengping; Wang, Huijun; Gao, Yongqi; Li, Fei

2018-03-01

This study reveals an intensified influence of December Arctic Oscillation (AO) on the subsequent January surface air temperature (SAT) over Eurasia and North Africa in recent decades. The connection is statistically insignificant during 1957/58-1979/80 (P1), which becomes statistically significant during 1989/90-2011/12 (P2). The possible causes are further investigated. Associated with positive December AO during P2, significant anomalous anticyclone emerges over the central North Atlantic, which is accompanied with significant westerly and easterly anomalies along 45°-65°N and 20°-40°N, respectively. This favors the significant influence of December AO on the subsequent January SAT and atmospheric circulation over Eurasia and North Africa via triggering the North Atlantic tripole sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly that persists into the subsequent January. By contrast, the December AO-related anomalous anticyclone during P1 is weak and is characterized by two separate centers located in the eastern and western North Atlantic. Correspondingly, the westerly and easterly anomalies over the North Atlantic Ocean are weak and the-related tripole SST anomaly is not well formed, unfavorable for the persistent impact of the December AO into the subsequent January. Further analyses indicate that the different anomalous anticyclone associated with the December AO over the North Atlantic may be induced by the strengthened synoptic-scale eddy feedbacks over the North Atlantic, which may be related to the interdecadal intensification of the storm track activity. Additionally, the planetary stationary wave related to the December AO propagates from surface into upper stratosphere at mid-latitudes during P2, which further propagates downward to the troposphere and causes anomalous atmospheric circulation in the subsequent January.

Shear velocity structure of central Eurasia from inversion of surface wave velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villaseñor, A.; Ritzwoller, M. H.; Levshin, A. L.; Barmin, M. P.; Engdahl, E. R.; Spakman, W.; Trampert, J.

2001-04-01

We present a shear velocity model of the crust and upper mantle beneath central Eurasia by simultaneous inversion of broadband group and phase velocity maps of fundamental-mode Love and Rayleigh waves. The model is parameterized in terms of velocity depth profiles on a discrete 2°×2° grid. The model is isotropic for the crust and for the upper mantle below 220 km but, to fit simultaneously long period Love and Rayleigh waves, the model is transversely isotropic in the uppermost mantle, from the Moho discontinuity to 220 km depth. We have used newly available a priori models for the crust and sedimentary cover as starting models for the inversion. Therefore, the crustal part of the estimated model shows good correlation with known surface features such as sedimentary basins and mountain ranges. The velocity anomalies in the upper mantle are related to differences between tectonic and stable regions. Old, stable regions such as the East European, Siberian, and Indian cratons are characterized by high upper-mantle shear velocities. Other large high velocity anomalies occur beneath the Persian Gulf and the Tarim block. Slow shear velocity anomalies are related to regions of current extension (Red Sea and Andaman ridges) and are also found beneath the Tibetan and Turkish-Iranian Plateaus, structures originated by continent-continent collision. A large low velocity anomaly beneath western Mongolia corresponds to the location of a hypothesized mantle plume. A clear low velocity zone in vSH between Moho and 220 km exists across most of Eurasia, but is absent for vSV. The character and magnitude of anisotropy in the model is on average similar to PREM, with the most prominent anisotropic region occurring beneath the Tibetan Plateau.

Ancestry and demography and descendants of Iron Age nomads of the Eurasian Steppe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unterländer, Martina; Palstra, Friso; Lazaridis, Iosif; Pilipenko, Aleksandr; Hofmanová, Zuzana; Groß, Melanie; Sell, Christian; Blöcher, Jens; Kirsanow, Karola; Rohland, Nadin; Rieger, Benjamin; Kaiser, Elke; Schier, Wolfram; Pozdniakov, Dimitri; Khokhlov, Aleksandr; Georges, Myriam; Wilde, Sandra; Powell, Adam; Heyer, Evelyne; Currat, Mathias; Reich, David; Samashev, Zainolla; Parzinger, Hermann; Molodin, Vyacheslav I.; Burger, Joachim

2017-03-01

During the 1st millennium before the Common Era (BCE), nomadic tribes associated with the Iron Age Scythian culture spread over the Eurasian Steppe, covering a territory of more than 3,500 km in breadth. To understand the demographic processes behind the spread of the Scythian culture, we analysed genomic data from eight individuals and a mitochondrial dataset of 96 individuals originating in eastern and western parts of the Eurasian Steppe. Genomic inference reveals that Scythians in the east and the west of the steppe zone can best be described as a mixture of Yamnaya-related ancestry and an East Asian component. Demographic modelling suggests independent origins for eastern and western groups with ongoing gene-flow between them, plausibly explaining the striking uniformity of their material culture. We also find evidence that significant gene-flow from east to west Eurasia must have occurred early during the Iron Age.

Genomic and archaeological evidence suggest a dual origin of domestic dogs.

PubMed

Frantz, Laurent A F; Mullin, Victoria E; Pionnier-Capitan, Maud; Lebrasseur, Ophélie; Ollivier, Morgane; Perri, Angela; Linderholm, Anna; Mattiangeli, Valeria; Teasdale, Matthew D; Dimopoulos, Evangelos A; Tresset, Anne; Duffraisse, Marilyne; McCormick, Finbar; Bartosiewicz, László; Gál, Erika; Nyerges, Éva A; Sablin, Mikhail V; Bréhard, Stéphanie; Mashkour, Marjan; Bălăşescu, Adrian; Gillet, Benjamin; Hughes, Sandrine; Chassaing, Olivier; Hitte, Christophe; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Dobney, Keith; Hänni, Catherine; Bradley, Daniel G; Larson, Greger

2016-06-03

The geographic and temporal origins of dogs remain controversial. We generated genetic sequences from 59 ancient dogs and a complete (28x) genome of a late Neolithic dog (dated to ~4800 calendar years before the present) from Ireland. Our analyses revealed a deep split separating modern East Asian and Western Eurasian dogs. Surprisingly, the date of this divergence (~14,000 to 6400 years ago) occurs commensurate with, or several millennia after, the first appearance of dogs in Europe and East Asia. Additional analyses of ancient and modern mitochondrial DNA revealed a sharp discontinuity in haplotype frequencies in Europe. Combined, these results suggest that dogs may have been domesticated independently in Eastern and Western Eurasia from distinct wolf populations. East Eurasian dogs were then possibly transported to Europe with people, where they partially replaced European Paleolithic dogs. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Predictability and prediction of the total number of winter extremely cold days over China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xiao; Wang, Bin

2018-03-01

The current dynamical climate models have limited skills in predicting winter temperature in China. The present study uses physics-based empirical models (PEMs) to explore the sources and limits of the seasonal predictability in the total number of extremely cold days (NECD) over China. A combined cluster-rotated EOF analysis reveals two sub-regions of homogeneous variability among hundreds of stations, namely the Northeast China (NE) and Main China (MC). This reduces the large-number of predictands to only two indices, the NCED-NE and NCED-MC, which facilitates detection of the common sources of predictability for all stations. The circulation anomalies associated with the NECD-NE exhibit a zonally symmetric Arctic Oscillation-like pattern, whereas those associated with the NECD-MC feature a North-South dipolar pattern over Asia. The predictability of the NECD originates from SST and snow cover anomalies in the preceding September and October. However, the two regions have different SST predictors: The NE predictor is in the western Eurasian Arctic while the MC predictor is over the tropical-North Pacific. The October snow cover predictors also differ: The NE predictor primarily resides in the central Eurasia while the MC predictor is over the western and eastern Eurasia. The PEM prediction results suggest that about 60% (55%) of the total variance of winter NECD over the NE (Main) China are likely predictable 1 month in advance. The NECD at each station can also be predicted by using the four predictors that were detected for the two indices. The cross-validated temporal correlation skills exceed 0.70 at most stations. The physical mechanisms by which the autumn Arctic sea ice, snow cover, and tropical-North Pacific SST anomalies affect winter NECD over the NE and Main China are discussed.

Revised age of late Neanderthal occupation and the end of the Middle Paleolithic in the northern Caucasus

PubMed Central

Pinhasi, Ron; Higham, Thomas F. G.; Golovanova, Liubov V.; Doronichev, Vladimir B.

2011-01-01

Advances in direct radiocarbon dating of Neanderthal and anatomically modern human (AMH) fossils and the development of archaeostratigraphic chronologies now allow refined regional models for Neanderthal–AMH coexistence. In addition, they allow us to explore the issue of late Neanderthal survival in regions of Western Eurasia located within early routes of AMH expansion such as the Caucasus. Here we report the direct radiocarbon (14C) dating of a late Neanderthal specimen from a Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP) layer in Mezmaiskaya Cave, northern Caucasus. Additionally, we provide a more accurate chronology for the timing of Neanderthal extinction in the region through a robust series of 16 ultrafiltered bone collagen radiocarbon dates from LMP layers and using Bayesian modeling to produce a boundary probability distribution function corresponding to the end of the LMP at Mezmaiskaya. The direct date of the fossil (39,700 ± 1,100 14C BP) is in good agreement with the probability distribution function, indicating at a high level of probability that Neanderthals did not survive at Mezmaiskaya Cave after 39 ka cal BP ("calendrical" age in kiloannum before present, based on IntCal09 calibration curve). This challenges previous claims for late Neanderthal survival in the northern Caucasus. We see striking and largely synchronous chronometric similarities between the Bayesian age modeling for the end of the LMP at Mezmaiskaya and chronometric data from Ortvale Klde for the end of the LMP in the southern Caucasus. Our results confirm the lack of reliably dated Neanderthal fossils younger than ∼40 ka cal BP in any other region of Western Eurasia, including the Caucasus. PMID:21555570

Clarifying the interplate main tectonic elements of Western Anatolia, Turkey by using GNSS velocities and Bouguer gravity anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çırmık, Ayça; Pamukçu, Oya

2017-10-01

In this study, the GNSS and gravity data were processed and compared together for examining the continental structures of the Western Anatolia region which has very complicated tectonism. The GNSS data of three national projects were processed and GNSS velocities were found as approximately 25 mm per year towards southwest with respect to the Eurasia fixed frame. In order to investigate the interplate motions of the region, the Anatolian and Aegean block solutions were calculated and the differences in directions and amplitudes of velocities were observed particularly in the Anatolian block solution. Due to the Anatolian block solutions, the study area was grouped into three regions and compared with the tectonic structures as the first time for Western Anatolia by this study. Additionally, W-E and N-S relative GNSS solutions were obtained for observing the possible tectonic borders of the study area. Besides, 2nd order horizontal derivative and low-pass filter methods were applied to Bouguer gravity anomalies and the results of the gravity applications and the changes on crustal-mantle interface were compared with the GNSS horizontal velocities.

Middle to late Cenozoic basin evolution in the western Alborz Mountains: Implications for the onset of collisional deformation in northern Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, Bernard; Horton, Brian K.; Axen, Gary J.; Hassanzadeh, Jamshid; McIntosh, William C.

2007-12-01

Oligocene-Miocene strata preserved in synclinal outcrop belts of the western Alborz Mountains record the onset of Arabia-Eurasia collision-related deformation in northern Iran. Two stratigraphic intervals, informally named the Gand Ab and Narijan units, represent a former basin system that existed in the Alborz. The Gand Ab unit is composed of marine lagoonal mudstones, fluvial and alluvial-fan clastic rocks, fossiliferous Rupelian to Burdigalian marine carbonates, and basalt flows yielding 40Ar/39Ar ages of 32.7 ± 0.3 and 32.9 ± 0.2 Ma. The Gand Ab unit is correlated with the Oligocene-lower Miocene Qom Formation of central Iran and is considered a product of thermal subsidence following Eocene extension. The Narijan unit unconformably overlies the Gand Ab unit and is composed of fluvial-lacustrine and alluvial fan sediments exhibiting contractional growth strata. We correlate the Narijan unit with the middle to upper Miocene Upper Red Formation of central Iran on the basis of lithofacies similarities, stratigraphic position, and an 8.74 ± 0.15 Ma microdiorite dike (40Ar/39Ar) that intruded the basal strata. Deformation timing is constrained by crosscutting relationships and independent thermochronological data. The Parachan thrust system along the eastern edge of the ancestral Taleghan-Alamut basin is cut by dikes dated at 8.74 ± 0.15 Ma to 6.68 ± 0.07 Ma (40Ar/39Ar). Subhorizontal gravels that unconformably overlie tightly folded and faulted Narijan strata are capped by 2.86 ± 0.83 Ma (40Ar/39Ar) andesitic lava flows. These relationships suggest that Alborz deformation had migrated southward into the Taleghan-Alamut basin by late Miocene time and shifted to its present location along the active range front by late Pliocene time. Data presented here demonstrate that shortening in the western Alborz Mountains had started by late middle Miocene time. This estimate is consistent with recent thermochronological results that place the onset of rapid exhumation in the western Alborz at ˜12 Ma. Moreover, nearly synchronous Miocene contraction in the Alborz, Zagros Mountains, Turkish-Iranian plateau, and Anatolia suggests that the Arabia-Eurasia collision affected a large region simultaneously, without a systematic outward progression of mountain building away from the collision zone.

Modeling global change impacts on Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kicklighter, D. W.; Monier, E.; Sokolov, A. P.; Zhuang, Q.; Melillo, J. M.; Reilly, J. M.

2016-12-01

Northern Eurasia is a major player in the global carbon budget and includes roughly 70% of the Earth's boreal forest and more than two-thirds of the Earth's permafrost. The region has experienced dramatic climate change (increase in temperature, growing season length, floods and droughts), natural disturbances (wildfires and insect outbreaks), and land-use change (timber harvest, urbanization, expansion and abandonment of agricultural lands) over the past century. These large environmental and socioeconomic impacts have major implications for the carbon cycle in the region. Northern Eurasia is made up of a diverse set of ecosystems that range from deserts to forests, with significant areas of croplands, pastures, and urban areas. As such, it represents a complex system with substantial challenges for the modeling community. We provide an overview of past, ongoing and possible future efforts of the integrated modeling of global change for Northern Eurasia. First, we review the variety of existing modeling approaches to investigate specific components of Earth system dynamics in the region. While there are a limited number of studies that try to integrate various aspects of the Earth system through scale, teleconnections or processes, there are few systematic analyses of the various feedbacks among components within the Earth system. As a result, there is a lack of knowledge of the relative importance of such feedbacks, and it is unclear how relevant current studies, which do not account for these feedbacks, may be for policymaking. Next, we review the role of Earth system models, and their advantages/limitations compared to detailed single component models. We further introduce human activity models (e.g., global trade, economic models, demographic models), and the need for Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), a suite of models that couple human activity models to Earth System Models. Finally, we examine emerging issues that require a representation of the coupled human/earth system models to address.

From the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative to the Northern Eurasia Future Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streletskiy, D. A.; Groisman, P. Y.; Shugart, H. H., Jr.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Qi, J.

2017-12-01

Since 2004, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With 40 books and more than 1500 peer-reviewed journal publications to its credit, NEESPI's output can now be used to directly support decision-making for societal needs. Specifically, it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: "What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?" To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions. The NEESPI Research Team has reorganized itself into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and developed a new Science Plan released in June 2016. The Plan underwent a 6-month-long public review and was finalized at the end of 2016. Its description was thereafter split between two review papers: Groisman et al. (2017) and Monier et al. (2017). The first paper describes the Plan rationale and a new set of topical questions. The second paper describes a major modeling approach that will be employed in addressing the "what to do" questions of the NEFI Research (cf., presentation by Monier et al. at this Session). In the current presentation, we outline the new NEFI research foci and present latest NEFI findings including international projects in the Eurasian Arctic, boreal zone, and the Dry Land Belt of Northern Eurasia (cf., also presentations at sister-Session GC027). References:Groisman, P.Y. et al. 2017: Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): Facing the Challenges and Pathways of Global Change in the 21st Century. Progress Earth and Planet Sci in review.Monier, E., et al: 2017: A Review of and Perspectives on Global Change Modeling for Northern Eurasia. Enviro. Res Lett in press.

Genetic traces of east-to-west human expansion waves in Eurasia.

PubMed

Chaix, Raphaëlle; Austerlitz, Frédéric; Hegay, Tatyana; Quintana-Murci, Lluís; Heyer, Evelyne

2008-07-01

In this study, we describe the landscape of human demographic expansions in Eurasia using a large continental Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA dataset. Variation at these two uniparentally-inherited genetic systems retraces expansions that occurred in the past 60 ky, and shows a clear decrease of expansion ages from east to west Eurasia. To investigate the demographic events at the origin of this westward decrease of expansion ages, the estimated divergence ages between Eurasian populations are compared with the estimated expansion ages within each population. Both markers suggest that the demographic expansion diffused from east to west in Eurasia in a demic way, i.e., through migrations of individuals (and not just through diffusion of new technologies), highlighting the prominent role of eastern regions within Eurasia during Palaeolithic times. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Nubia-Arabia-Eurasia plate motions and the dynamics of Mediterranean and Middle East tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reilinger, Robert; McClusky, Simon

2011-09-01

We use geodetic and plate tectonic observations to constrain the tectonic evolution of the Nubia-Arabia-Eurasia plate system. Two phases of slowing of Nubia-Eurasia convergence, each of which resulted in an ˜50 per cent decrease in the rate of convergence, coincided with the initiation of Nubia-Arabia continental rifting along the Red Sea and Somalia-Arabia rifting along the Gulf of Aden at 24 ± 4 Ma, and the initiation of oceanic rifting along the full extent of the Gulf of Aden at 11 ± 2 Ma. In addition, both the northern and southern Red Sea (Nubia-Arabia plate boundary) underwent changes in the configuration of extension at 11 ± 2 Ma, including the transfer of extension from the Suez Rift to the Gulf of Aqaba/Dead Sea fault system in the north, and from the central Red Sea Basin (Bab al Mandab) to the Afar volcanic zone in the south. While Nubia-Eurasia convergence slowed, the rate of Arabia-Eurasia convergence remained constant within the resolution of our observations, and is indistinguishable from the present-day global positioning system rate. The timing of the initial slowing of Nubia-Eurasia convergence (24 ± 4 Ma) corresponds to the initiation of extensional tectonics in the Mediterranean Basin, and the second phase of slowing to changes in the character of Mediterranean extension reported at ˜11 Ma. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that changes in Nubia-Eurasia convergence, and associated Nubia-Arabia divergence, are the fundamental cause of both Mediterranean and Middle East post-Late Oligocene tectonics. We speculate about the implications of these kinematic relationships for the dynamics of Nubia-Arabia-Eurasia plate interactions, and favour the interpretation that slowing of Nubia-Eurasia convergence, and the resulting tectonic changes in the Mediterranean Basin and Middle East, resulted from a decrease in slab pull from the Arabia-subducted lithosphere across the Nubia-Arabia, evolving plate boundary.

Interference in the tundra predator guild studied using local ecological knowledge.

PubMed

Ehrich, Dorothee; Strømeng, Marita A; Killengreen, Siw T

2016-04-01

The decline or recolonization of apex predators such as wolves and lynx, often driven by management decisions, and the expansion of smaller generalist predators such as red foxes, can have important ecosystem impacts. The mesopredator release hypothesis proposes that apex predators control medium-sized predator populations through competition and/or intraguild predation. The decline of apex predators thus leads to an increase in mesopredators, possibly with a negative impact on prey populations. Information about the abundance of mammalian tundra predators, wolf (Canis lupus), wolverine (Gulo gulo), lynx (Lynx lynx), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) was collected from local active outdoors people during semi-structured interviews in 14 low arctic or sub-arctic settlements in western Eurasia. The perceived abundance of red fox decreased with higher wolf abundance and in more arctic areas, but the negative effect of wolves decreased in more arctic and therefore less productive ecosystems. The perceived abundance of arctic fox increased towards the arctic and in areas with colder winters. Although there was a negative correlation between the two fox species, red fox was not included in the model for perceived arctic fox abundance, which received most support. Our results support the mesopredator release hypothesis regarding the expansion of red foxes in subarctic areas and indicate that top-down control by apex predators is weaker in less productive and more arctic ecosystems. We showed that local ecological knowledge is a valuable source of information about large-scale processes, which are difficult to study through direct biological investigations.

Comparison and assessment of coarse resolution land cover maps for Northern Eurasia

Treesearch

Dirk Pflugmacher; Olga N. Krankina; Warren B. Cohen; Mark A. Friedl; Damien Sulla-Menashe; Robert E. Kennedy; Peder Nelson; Tatiana V. Loboda; Tobias Kuemmerle; Egor Dyukarev; Vladimir Elsadov; Viacheslav I. Kharuk

2011-01-01

Information on land cover at global and continental scales is critical for addressing a range of ecological, socioeconomic and policy questions. Global land cover maps have evolved rapidly in the last decade, but efforts to evaluate map uncertainties have been limited, especially in remote areas like Northern Eurasia. Northern Eurasia comprises a particularly diverse...

Re-dating Zhoukoudian Upper Cave, northern China and its regional significance.

PubMed

Li, Feng; Bae, Christopher J; Ramsey, Christopher B; Chen, Fuyou; Gao, Xing

2018-05-31

Due to the presence of multiple partial modern human skeletons thought to have been interred along with a diversity of evidence of symbolic behavior, Zhoukoudian Upper Cave (ZKD UC; formally "Choukoutien") from northern China has long been a critical site for understanding Late Quaternary human evolution and particularly the role eastern Asia played. Unfortunately, uncertainty regarding ZKD UC's chronology has long hindered determination of its importance in the debate over modern human origins. This situation has been particularly problematic because dates from the primary archaeological layers of ZKD UC have ranged from the Late Pleistocene to the Early Holocene (∼34-10 ka), with clearly different implications depending on which age is used. Here, we present a new set of accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating results from ZKD UC. Based on this new set of dates and further re-evaluations of the previous dating analyses, archaeological materials, published excavation reports and stratigraphy, we conclude that the ZKD UC archaeological layers minimally date to 35.1-33.5 ka. Given the similarities between the human fossils and archaeology between ZKD UC and western Eurasia, it is likely that the ZKD UC human foragers were part of dispersal events across northern Eurasia toward Siberia and eventually reaching into northern China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First adequately-known quadrupedal sirenian from Eurasia (Eocene, Bay of Biscay, Huesca, northeastern Spain).

PubMed

Díaz-Berenguer, Ester; Badiola, Ainara; Moreno-Azanza, Miguel; Canudo, José Ignacio

2018-03-23

Sirenians are the only extant herbivorous mammals fully adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. They originated in Africa during the Paleocene from an undetermined clade of afrotherian mammals, and by the end of the Eocene they were widely distributed across the tropical latitudes. Here we introduce Sobrarbesiren cardieli gen. et sp. nov. It is the first adequately-known quadrupedal sirenian from Eurasia and the oldest record of this clade from western Europe. Fossils have been recovered from the middle Lutetian (SBZ15) site of Castejón de Sobrarbe-41 (Huesca, Spain), and comprise many cranial and postcranial remains, including pelvic girdle and hind limb bones, from at least six sirenian individuals of different ontogenetic stages. Sobrarbesiren shows a suite of characters previously considered synapomorphies of different clades of derived sirenians, such as the presence of the processus retroversus of the squamosal and the pterygoid fossa, combined with ancestral characters such as the presence of an alisphenoid canal, a permanent P5, at least two sacral vertebrae, a primitive pelvis and functional femora and fibulae. Sobrarbesiren is recovered as the sister taxon of Dugongidae and represents a transitional stage of adaptation to aquatic life between the amphibious quadrupedal prorastomids and the aquatic quadrupedal protosirenids.

Paleomagnetic constraints on the timing and distribution of Cenozoic rotations in Central and Eastern Anatolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürer, Derya; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Özkaptan, Murat; Creton, Iverna; Koymans, Mathijs R.; Cascella, Antonio; Langereis, Cornelis G.

2018-03-01

To quantitatively reconstruct the kinematic evolution of Central and Eastern Anatolia within the framework of Neotethyan subduction accommodating Africa-Eurasia convergence, we paleomagnetically assess the timing and amount of vertical axis rotations across the Ulukışla and Sivas regions. We show paleomagnetic results from ˜ 30 localities identifying a coherent rotation of a SE Anatolian rotating block comprised of the southern Kırşehir Block, the Ulukışla Basin, the Central and Eastern Taurides, and the southern part of the Sivas Basin. Using our new and published results, we compute an apparent polar wander path (APWP) for this block since the Late Cretaceous, showing that it experienced a ˜ 30-35° counterclockwise vertical axis rotation since the Oligocene time relative to Eurasia. Sediments in the northern Sivas region show clockwise rotations. We use the rotation patterns together with known fault zones to argue that the counterclockwise-rotating domain of south-central Anatolia was bounded by the Savcılı Thrust Zone and Deliler-Tecer Fault Zone in the north and by the African-Arabian trench in the south, the western boundary of which is poorly constrained and requires future study. Our new paleomagnetic constraints provide a key ingredient for future kinematic restorations of the Anatolian tectonic collage.

Paleogene volcanism in Central Afghanistan: Possible far-field effect of the India-Eurasia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motuza, Gediminas; Šliaupa, Saulius

2017-10-01

A volcanic-sedimentary succession of Paleogene age is exposed in isolated patches at the southern margin of the Tajik block in the Ghor province of Central Afghanistan. The volcanic rocks range from basalts and andesites to dacites, including adakites. They are intercalated with sedimentary rocks deposited in shallow marine environments, dated biostratigraphically as Paleocene-Eocene. This age corresponds to the age of the Asyābēd andesites located in the western Ghor province estimated by the 40Ar/39Ar method as 54 Ma. The magmatism post-dates the Cimmerian collision between the Tajik block (including the Band-e-Bayan block) and the Farah Rod block located to the south. While the investigated volcanic rocks apparently bear geochemical signatures typical to an active continental margin environment, it is presumed that the magmatism was related to rifting processes most likely initiated by far-field tectonics caused by the terminal collision of the Indian plate with Eurasia (Najman et al., 2017). This event led to the dextral movement of the Farah Rod block, particularly along Hari Rod (Herat) fault system, resulting in the development of a transtensional regime in the proximal southern margin of the Tajik block and giving rise to a rift basin where marine sediments were interbedded with pillow lavas intruded by sheeted dyke series.

Mineral facilities of Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Almanzar, Francisco; Baker, Michael S.; Elias, Nurudeen; Guzman, Eric

2010-01-01

This map displays over 1,700 records of mineral facilities within the countries of Europe and western Eurasia. Each record represents one commodity and one facility type at a single geographic location. Facility types include mines, oil and gas fields, and plants, such as refineries, smelters, and mills. Common commodities of interest include aluminum, cement, coal, copper, gold, iron and steel, lead, nickel, petroleum, salt, silver, and zinc. Records include attributes, such as commodity, country, location, company name, facility type and capacity (if applicable), and latitude and longitude geographical coordinates (in both degrees-minutes-seconds and decimal degrees). The data shown on this map and in table 1 were compiled from multiple sources, including (1) the most recently available data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Yearbook (Europe and Central Eurasia volume), (2) mineral statistics and information from the USGS Minerals Information Web site (http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/europe.html), and (3) data collected by the USGS minerals information country specialists from sources, such as statistical publications of individual countries, annual reports and press releases of operating companies, and trade journals. Data reflect the most recently published table of industry structure for each country at the time of this publication. Additional information is available from the country specialists listed in table 2.

Cenozoic clockwise rotation of the Chuan Dian Fragment, southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from a new paleomagnetic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Liang; Yang, Zhenyu; Tong, Yabo; Wang, Heng; An, Chunzhi; Zhang, Haifeng

2017-12-01

Late Eocene-early Oligocene red beds of the Ninglang Formation were sampled from 23 sites in the Yongsheng area, which comprises the northwestern part of the Chuan Dian Fragment (CDF) of the South China Block. The higher temperature components (HTC) were isolated by stepwise thermal demagnetization between ∼300-680 °C and they passed the fold test. However, all the HTCs are of normal polarity, which appears to conflict with the frequent occurrence of reversed polarities during the late Eocene-early Oligocene, and therefore the possibility of remagnetization needs to be considered. Widespread secondary hematite was detected in the red beds that further indicates the remagnetization of samples. From the magmatic-metallogenic events in the sampling area, we propose an early Oligocene (∼35 Ma) remagnetization event that was most likely related to porphyritic intrusions induced by fluid activity. Comparison of the pole calculated from the remagnetized remanent directions with the ∼35 Ma paleomagnetic pole for Eurasia indicated that the degree of clockwise rotation in the Yongsheng area is 17.0 ± 4.1° relative to stable Eurasia. The rotation value is consistent at the 95% confidence level with results obtained from Paleogene and Cretaceous strata in other areas of the CDF. Paleomagnetic data indicate that a consistent clockwise rotation of 20.6 ± 6.3° occurred in different areas in the CDF: at Yongsheng, Zhupeng, Bailu, Dayao, Chuxiong west and Jianchuan. Careful analysis of the paleomagnetic data and the geometrical characteristics of the Ailao Shan-Red River shear zone indicates that the rotation process was separated into two discrete intervals: Approximately 11° of quasi-rigid clockwise rotation occurred between ∼35 and 12.7 Ma compared to stable Eurasia, which may have been accompanied by strike-slip movement of the Ziyun-Luodian fault, caused by west-to-east compression induced by the northeastern indention of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. Subsequently, a clockwise rotation of about 10° of the CDF with respect to stable Eurasia is inferred from the paleomagnetic results since 12.7 Ma, which is consistent with the change in the geometry of the Ailao Shan-Red River shear zone around the western Chuxiong Basin. The later CW rotation was related to shearing movement of the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault.

Large Historical Earthquakes and Tsunami Hazards in the Western Mediterranean: Source Characteristics and Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbi, Assia; Meghraoui, Mustapha; Belabbes, Samir; Maouche, Said

2010-05-01

The western Mediterranean region was the site of numerous large earthquakes in the past. Most of these earthquakes are located at the East-West trending Africa-Eurasia plate boundary and along the coastline of North Africa. The most recent recorded tsunamigenic earthquake occurred in 2003 at Zemmouri-Boumerdes (Mw 6.8) and generated ~ 2-m-high tsunami wave. The destructive wave affected the Balearic Islands and Almeria in southern Spain and Carloforte in southern Sardinia (Italy). The earthquake provided a unique opportunity to gather instrumental records of seismic waves and tide gauges in the western Mediterranean. A database that includes a historical catalogue of main events, seismic sources and related fault parameters was prepared in order to assess the tsunami hazard of this region. In addition to the analysis of the 2003 records, we study the 1790 Oran and 1856 Jijel historical tsunamigenic earthquakes (Io = IX and X, respectively) that provide detailed observations on the heights and extension of past tsunamis and damage in coastal zones. We performed the modelling of wave propagation using NAMI-DANCE code and tested different fault sources from synthetic tide gauges. We observe that the characteristics of seismic sources control the size and directivity of tsunami wave propagation on both northern and southern coasts of the western Mediterranean.

Historical biogeography resolves the origins of endemic Arabian toad lineages (Anura: Bufonidae): Evidence for ancient vicariance and dispersal events with the Horn of Africa and South Asia.

PubMed

Portik, Daniel M; Papenfuss, Theodore J

2015-08-06

The Arabian Peninsula is home to a unique fauna that has assembled and evolved throughout the course of major geophysical events, including the separation of the Arabian Plate from Africa and subsequent collision with Eurasia. Opportunities for faunal exchanges with particular continents occurred in temporally distinct periods, and the presence of African, Western Eurasian, and South Asian derived taxa on the Arabian Peninsula signifies the complexity of these historical biogeographic events. The six true toad species (family Bufonidae) endemic to Arabian Peninsula present a considerable taxonomic and biogeographic challenge because they are part of a global bufonid radiation, including several genera surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, and difficult to discriminate morphologically. As they could be derived from African, Western Eurasian, or South Asian toad groups, elucidating their evolutionary relationships has important implications for historical biogeography. Here, we analyze a global molecular data set of 243 bufonid lineages, with an emphasis on new sampling from the Horn of Africa, Western Eurasia, South Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula, to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of the Arabian species. We produce a robust time-calibrated phylogeny to infer the biogeographic history of this group on and around the Arabian Peninsula. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate two of the endemic Arabian toad species, "Bufo" tihamicus and "Bufo" arabicus, evolved independently within the African genus Amietophrynus. We confirm the Arabian species Duttaphrynus dhufarensis is of South Asian origin, but do not find evidence for the Asian genus Duttaphrynus being present in the Horn of Africa, discrediting a previously proposed Asian bufonid dispersal event to Africa. We also do not find evidence of the African genus Amietophrynus occurring in South Asia, suggesting that unlike many other vertebrate taxa, toads have not used the Arabian Peninsula as a stepping-stone for trans-continental dispersal. Our divergence dating estimates strongly suggest the formation of the Red Sea drove simultaneous divergences between two of the Arabian species (A. tihamicus comb. nov. and A. arabicus comb. nov.) and their xclosest mainland African relatives in the Early Miocene. We estimate the divergence of D. dhufarensis with its closest South Asian relatives occurred in the mid to Late Miocene, suggesting the temporary or permanent land connections between the Arabian plate and Eurasia facilitated dispersal of this lineage to the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian bufonid assemblage, despite being comparatively depauperate with respect to surrounding continents, exemplifies the faunal pattern of the Arabian Peninsula, namely being a complex admixture of African, Western Eurasian, and South Asian elements. The historical biogeographic patterns exhibited by Arabian toads and their allies are concordant with studies of other vertebrate taxa, building support for the role of major geological events in driving simultaneous vicariance and dispersal events around the Arabian Peninsula. Although many taxa or groups exhibiting disjunct Afro-Arabian distributions appear to have dispersed more recently from the Horn of Africa via a southern land bridge or overwater dispersal, both Amietophrynus tihamicus and A. arabicus likely represent true African relicts resulting from vicariance associated with the Red Sea formation, a pattern that so far is rare among the vertebrate species investigated.

Taxonomy of Greater White-fronted Geese (Aves: Anatidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banks, Richard C.

2011-01-01

Five subspecies of the Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons (Scopoli, 1769), have been named, all on the basis of wintering birds, and up to six subspecies have been recognized. There has been confusion over the application of some names, particularly in North America, because of lack of knowledge of the breeding ranges and type localities, and incorrect taxonomic decisions. There is one clinally varying subspecies in Eurasia, one that breeds in Greenland, and three in North America, one newly named herein.

Hydrological dynamics and fire history of the last 1300 years in western Siberia reconstructed from a high-resolution, ombrotrophic peat archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamentowicz, Mariusz; Słowiński, Michał; Marcisz, Katarzyna; Zielińska, Małgorzata; Kaliszan, Karolina; Lapshina, Elena; Gilbert, Daniel; Buttler, Alexandre; Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł, Barbara; Jassey, Vincent E. J.; Laggoun-Defarge, Fatima; Kołaczek, Piotr

2015-11-01

Siberian peatlands provide records of past changes in the continental climate of Eurasia. We analyzed a core from Mukhrino mire in western Siberia to reconstruct environmental change in this region over the last 1300 years. The pollen analysis revealed little variation of local pine-birch forests. A testate amoebae transfer function was used to generate a quantitative water-table reconstruction; pollen, plant macrofossils, and charcoal were analyzed to reconstruct changes in vegetation and fire activity. The study revealed that Mukhrino mire was wet until the Little Ice Age (LIA), when drought was recorded. Dry conditions during the LIA are consistent with other studies from central and eastern Europe, and with the pattern of carbon accumulation across the Northern Hemisphere. A significant increase in fire activity between ca. AD 1975 and 1990 may be associated with the development of the nearby city of Khanty-Mansiysk, as well as with the prevailing positive Arctic Oscillation.

Assemblages of organic-walled phytoplankton, pollen, and spores from the Solenovian Horizon (lower Oligocene) of Western Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaporozhets, N. I.; Akhmetiev, M. A.

2015-05-01

The analysis of organic-walled phytoplankton, pollen, and spores in sections of the Solenovian Horizon (second half of the lower Oligocene) in the Western Carpathians, Crimea-Caucasus region, and Scythian and Turan plates revealed that facies of a more desalinated basin (lower, Polbian Subhorizon) are characterized by a more impoverished assemblage of dinocysts, prasinophytes, and acritarchs numbering up to 20-30 taxa. Depending on facies properties, they are dominated by representatives of Batiacasphaera accompanied by thin-walled Hystrichokolpoma morphotypes or cysts of the Adnatosphaeridium-Glaphyrocysta Group, which allows facies to be defined as bed-ranked units within the single lower Oligocene Wetzeliella gochtii dinocyst zone. The organic-walled phytoplankton assemblage from the upper (Ikiburulian) subhorizon implies the frequently alternating salinity regime for this inner basin. The palynological assemblages of the Solenovian Horizon are characterized by a high share of Pinus pollen accompanied by pollen of Fagaceae (particularly in southern areas), Juglandaceae, and diverse thermophilic plants including evergreen taxa. The Solenovian climate was subtropical in western and southern areas and moderately warm seasonal with hot summers in others. The dominant arid climate was interrupted by brief humid episodes.

Direct observations of reactive atmospheric gases at ZOTTO station in the middle of Siberia as a base for large-scale modeling of atmospheric chemistry over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skorokhod, Andrey; Belikov, Igor; Shtabkin, Yury; Moiseenko, Konstantin; Pankratova, Natalia; Vasileva, Anastasia; Rakitin, Vadim; Heimann, Martin

2015-04-01

Direct observations of atmospheric air composition are very important for a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric chemistry over Northern Eurasia and its variability and trends driven by abrupt climatic and ecosystem changes and anthropogenic pressure. Atmospheric air composition (including greenhouse gases and aerosols), its trends and variability is still insufficiently known for most of the nearly uninhabited areas of Northern Eurasia. This limits the accuracy of both global and regional models, which simulate climatological and ecosystem changes in this highly important region. From that point of view, the Zotino Tall Tower Observatory (ZOTTO) in the middle of Siberia (near 60N, 90E), launched in 2006 and governed by a scientific international consortium plays an important role providing unique information about concentrations of greenhouse and reactive trace gases, as well as aerosols. Simulations of surface concentrations of O3, NOx and CO performed by global chemical-transport model GEOS-Chem using up-to-date anthropogenic and biogenic emissions databases show very good agreement with values observed at ZOTTO in 2007-2012. Observed concentration of ozone has a pronounced seasonal variation with a clear peak in spring (40-45 ppbv in average and up to 80 ppbv in extreme cases) and minimum in winter. Average ozone level is about 20 ppbv that corresponds to the background conditions. Enhanced concentration in March-July is due to increased stratospheric-tropospheric exchange. In autumn and winter distribution of ozone is close to uniform. NOx concentration does not exceed 1 ppb that is typical for background areas but may vary by order and some more in few hours. Higher surface NOx(=NO+NO2) concentrations during day time generally correspond to higher ozone when NO/NO2 ratio indicates on clean or slightly polluted conditions. CO surface concentration has a vivid seasonal course and varies from about 100 ppb in summer till 150 ppb in winter. But during polluted cases which are quite regular CO may increase till 400 ppb and more. Most uncertainties are due to the wild fires, which are often in different regions of Siberia. Numerical assessment of climatically important natural and anthropogenic emission sources influencing observed CO and O3 concentrations and their seasonal variability was made using GEOS-Chem model. According to the results, during the cold period CO concentrations in the surface layer is largely driven atmospheric transport from anthropogenic sources in Western Europe (up to 20 ppb), south of European Russia (up to 35 ppb) and south-western Siberia (up to 28 ppb). During the warm season they are usually affected by air transport from eastern Siberia, where the main contribution to the CO emissions are biogenic VOC oxidation (up to 15 ppb) and wildfires (up to 12 ppb). Transport of pollutants from south-western Siberia can add about 2,5 ppb to the ozone summer level in Central Siberia. In wintertime this factor leads to a reduced surface ozone level by 2 ppb. The contribution of large remote emission sources (Europe) is estimated within 1 ppb. Generally the simulation results indicate a significant role of long-range air transport in addition to regional natural and anthropogenic sources of air pollution which determine the total balance of surface CO. These processes need to be considered in quantitative analyses of the factors that determine the long-term photochemical system evolution in the lower troposphere over the continental regions of Northern Eurasia. This work was supported by the Russian Scientific Fund under grant 14-47-00049.

QuickBird satellite imagery as a tool for restoration and rehabilitation of Lake Sevan, Armenia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stapanian, Martin A.

2011-01-01

Lake Sevan in Armenia is the largest freshwater lake in the Transcaucasus region and is one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in Eurasia (Babayan et al., 2006). Armenia is a small (29,743 km2), land- locked country that is comparatively poor in natural resources and nearly surrounded by borders that are blockaded by its neighbors (Babayan et al., 2006; Rhoades, 2008 and references therein; CIA, 2010). Despite these obstacles, ecological research and environmental restoration efforts continue. For the most part, ecological research in Lake Sevan during the twentieth century was restricted to Soviet-era journals, or was otherwise unavailable to western scientists. 

Resource use associated with type 2 diabetes in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Eurasia and Turkey: results from the International Diabetes Management Practice Study (IDMPS)

PubMed Central

Gagliardino, Juan J; Atanasov, Petar K; Chan, Juliana C N; Mbanya, Jean C; Shestakova, Marina V; Leguet-Dinville, Prisca; Annemans, Lieven

2017-01-01

Objective Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications form a global healthcare burden but the exact impact in some geographical regions is still not well documented. We describe the healthcare resource usage (HRU) associated with T2D in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Eurasia and Turkey. Research design and methods In the fifth wave of the International Diabetes Management Practices Study (IDMPS; 2011–2012), we collected self-reported and physician-reported cross-sectional data from 8156 patients from 18 countries across 5 regions, including different types of HRU in the previous 3–6 months. Negative binomial regression was used to identify parameters associated with HRU, using incidence rate ratios (IRRs) to express associations. Results Patients in Africa (n=2220), the Middle East (n=2065), Eurasia (n=1843), South Asia (n=1195) and Turkey (n=842) experienced an annual hospitalization rate (mean±SD) of 0.6±1.9, 0.3±1.2, 1.7±4.1, 0.4±1.5 and 1.3±2.7, respectively. The annual number of diabetes-related inpatient days (mean±SD) was 4.7±22.7, 1.1±6.1, 16.0±30.0, 1.5±6.8 and 10.8±34.3, respectively. Despite some inter-regional heterogeneity, macrovascular complications (IRRs varying between 1.4 and 8.9), microvascular complications (IRRs varying between 3.4 and 4.3) and, to a large extent, inadequate glycemic control (IRRs varying between 1.89 and 10.1), were independent parameters associated with hospitalization in these respective regions. Conclusions In non-Western countries, macrovascular/microvascular complications and inadequate glycemic control were common and important parameters associated with increased HRU. PMID:28123754

Initial Closure of the Neo-Tethys and Kinematics of the Arabian Crustal Shortening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirouz, M.; Avouac, J. P.; Hassanzadeh, J.; Kirschvink, J. L.; Bahroudi, A.

2017-12-01

Exposed transition from passive margin to foreland basin sedimentation in the High Zagros provides chronological constraints on the initial stage of Arabia-Eurasia collision and closure of the Neo-Tethys. Magnetostratigraphy and strontium isotope stratigraphy along two sections near the Zagros suture display that the top of the passive margin Asmari formation has an age of 28 - 29 Ma and is overlain by foreland deposits with a major hiatus. The base of the foreland deposits has an age of ca. 26 Ma in the western Zagros and 21.5 Ma in the eastern Zagros. We detect the onset of forebulge formation within the Asmari Formation around 25 Ma. Combined with available age constraints across the Zagros, our results show that the unconformity is diachronous and records the southwestward migration of the flexural bulge within the Arabian plate at an average rate of 24±2 mm/yr since the collision. We conclude that closure of the Neo-Tethys formed the Zagros collisional wedge at 27±2 Ma. Hence, the Arabia-Eurasia collision could not be the main driver of global cooling which started near the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (ca. 33.7 Ma). We estimate 650 km of forebulge migration since the onset of the collision which consists of 350 km of shortening across the orogen, and 300 km of widening of the wedge and increasing flexural rigidity of Arabia. The average rate of shortening across the Zagros is estimated to be ca. 13 mm/yr over the last 27 Myr; a value comparable to the modern rate. Palinspastic restoration of structural cross-sections and crustal volume conservation accounts for only ca. 200 km of shortening across the Zagros and metamorphic Sanandaj-Sirjan belt implying that at least 150 km of the Arabian crust was underthrust beneath Eurasia without contributing to crustal thickening, possibly due to eclogitization.

Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of Northeast China and Surrounding Areas Reproduced by Slab Subduction Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, T.; Moresi, L. N.; Zhao, D.; Sandiford, D.

2017-12-01

Northeast China lies at the continental margin of the western Pacific subduction zone where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Eurasia Plate along the Kuril-Japan trench during the Cenozoic, after the consumption of the Izanagi Plate. The Izanagi Plate and the Izanagi-Pacific mid-ocean ridge recycled to the mantle beneath Eurasia before the early Cenozoic. Plate reconstructions suggest that (1) age of the incoming Pacific Plate at the trench increases with time; (2) convergence rate between the Pacific and Eurasia Plates increased rapidly from the late Eocene to the early Miocene. Northeast China and surrounding areas suffered widespread extension and magmatism during the Cenozoic, culminating in the opening of the Japan Sea and the rifting of the Baikal Rift Zone. The Japan Sea opened during the early Miocene and kept spreading until the late Miocene, since when compression tectonics gradually prevailed. The Baikal Rift Zone underwent slow extension in the Cenozoic but its extension rate has increased rapidly since the late Miocene. We investigate the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Northeast China and surrounding areas with geodynamic models. Our study suggests that the rapid aging of the incoming Pacific Plate at the subduction zone leads to the increase of plate convergence and trench motion rates, and explains the observed sequence of regional tectonic events. Our geodynamic model, which reproduces the Cenozoic regional tectonic events, predicts slab morphology and stress state consistent with seismic observations, including over 1000 km of slab stagnant in the transition zone, and the along-dip principal compressional stress direction. Our model requires a value of the 660 km phase transition Clapeyron slope of -2.5 MPa/K to reproduce the stagnant slab and tectonic events in the study region. This suggests that the Pacific slab is hydrated in the transition zone, explaining geochemical characteristics of some regional Cenozoic igneous rocks which were suggested to originate from a hydrous mantle transition zone.

Trans-Pacific Transport of Saharan Dust to Western North America: A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kendry, Ian G. M.; Strawbridge, Kevin B.; O'Neill, Norman; Macdonald, Anne Marie; Liu, Peter S. K.; Leaitch, W. Richard; Anlauf, Kurt G.; Jaegle, Lyatt; Fairlie, T. Duncan; Westphal, Douglas L.

2007-01-01

The first documented case of long range transport of Saharan dust over a pathway spanning Asia and the Pacific to Western North America is described. Crustal material generated by North African dust storms during the period 28 February - 3 March 2005 reached western Canada on 13-14 March 2005 and was observed by lidar and sunphotometer in the Vancouver region and by high altitude aerosol instrumentation at Whistler Peak. Global chemical models (GEOS-CHEM and NRL NAAPS) confirm the transport pathway and suggest source attribution was simplified in this case by the distinct, and somewhat unusual, lack of dust activity over Eurasia (Gobi and Takla Makan deserts) at this time. Over western North America, the dust layer, although subsiding close to the boundary layer, did not appear to contribute to boundary layer particulate matter concentrations. Furthermore, sunphotometer observations (and associated inversion products) suggest that the dust layer had only subtle optical impact (Aerosol Optical Thickness (Tau(sub a500)) and Angstrom exponent (Alpha(sub 440-870) were 0.1 and 1.2 respectively) and was dominated by fine particulate matter (modes in aerodynamic diameter at 0.3 and 2.5microns). High Altitude observations at Whistler BC, confirm the crustal origin of the layer (rich in Ca(++) ions) and the bi-modal size distribution. Although a weak event compared to the Asian Trans-Pacific dust events of 1998 and 2001, this novel case highlights the possibility that Saharan sources may contribute episodically to the aerosol burden in western North America.

Ancient DNA Reveals Prehistoric Gene-Flow from Siberia in the Complex Human Population History of North East Europe

PubMed Central

Der Sarkissian, Clio; Balanovsky, Oleg; Brandt, Guido; Khartanovich, Valery; Buzhilova, Alexandra; Koshel, Sergey; Zaporozhchenko, Valery; Gronenborn, Detlef; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Kolpakov, Eugen; Shumkin, Vladimir; Alt, Kurt W.; Balanovska, Elena; Cooper, Alan; Haak, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

North East Europe harbors a high diversity of cultures and languages, suggesting a complex genetic history. Archaeological, anthropological, and genetic research has revealed a series of influences from Western and Eastern Eurasia in the past. While genetic data from modern-day populations is commonly used to make inferences about their origins and past migrations, ancient DNA provides a powerful test of such hypotheses by giving a snapshot of the past genetic diversity. In order to better understand the dynamics that have shaped the gene pool of North East Europeans, we generated and analyzed 34 mitochondrial genotypes from the skeletal remains of three archaeological sites in northwest Russia. These sites were dated to the Mesolithic and the Early Metal Age (7,500 and 3,500 uncalibrated years Before Present). We applied a suite of population genetic analyses (principal component analysis, genetic distance mapping, haplotype sharing analyses) and compared past demographic models through coalescent simulations using Bayesian Serial SimCoal and Approximate Bayesian Computation. Comparisons of genetic data from ancient and modern-day populations revealed significant changes in the mitochondrial makeup of North East Europeans through time. Mesolithic foragers showed high frequencies and diversity of haplogroups U (U2e, U4, U5a), a pattern observed previously in European hunter-gatherers from Iberia to Scandinavia. In contrast, the presence of mitochondrial DNA haplogroups C, D, and Z in Early Metal Age individuals suggested discontinuity with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and genetic influx from central/eastern Siberia. We identified remarkable genetic dissimilarities between prehistoric and modern-day North East Europeans/Saami, which suggests an important role of post-Mesolithic migrations from Western Europe and subsequent population replacement/extinctions. This work demonstrates how ancient DNA can improve our understanding of human population movements across Eurasia. It contributes to the description of the spatio-temporal distribution of mitochondrial diversity and will be of significance for future reconstructions of the history of Europeans. PMID:23459685

Origin, divergence, and phylogeny of asexual Epichloë endophyte in Elymus species from western China.

PubMed

Song, Hui; Nan, Zhibiao

2015-01-01

Asexual Epichloë species are likely derived directly from sexual Epichloë species that then lost their capacity for sexual reproduction or lost sexual reproduction because of interspecific hybridization between distinct lineages of sexual Epichloë and/or asexual Epichloë species. In this study we isolated asexual Epichloë endophytes from Elymus species in western China and sequenced intron-rich regions in the genes encoding β-tubulin (tubB) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tefA). Our results showed that there are no gene copies of tubB and tefA in any of the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that sequences in this study formed a single clade with asexual Epichloë bromicola from Hordeum brevisubulatum, which implies asexual Epichloë endophytes that are symbionts in a western Chinese Elymus species likely share a common ancestor with asexual E. bromicola from European H. brevisubulatum. In addition, our results revealed that asexual E. bromicola isolates that are symbionts in a western Chinese Elymus species and sexual Epichloë species that are symbionts in a North American Elymus species have a different origin. Further analysis found that Epichloë species likely originated in Eurasia. In addition, the results support the hypothesis that migratory birds or humans might have aided the dispersal of these fungal endophytes to other continents.

Origin, Divergence, and Phylogeny of Asexual Epichloë Endophyte in Elymus Species from Western China

PubMed Central

Song, Hui; Nan, Zhibiao

2015-01-01

Asexual Epichloë species are likely derived directly from sexual Epichloë species that then lost their capacity for sexual reproduction or lost sexual reproduction because of interspecific hybridization between distinct lineages of sexual Epichloë and/or asexual Epichloë species. In this study we isolated asexual Epichloë endophytes from Elymus species in western China and sequenced intron-rich regions in the genes encoding β-tubulin (tubB) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tefA). Our results showed that there are no gene copies of tubB and tefA in any of the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that sequences in this study formed a single clade with asexual Epichloë bromicola from Hordeum brevisubulatum, which implies asexual Epichloë endophytes that are symbionts in a western Chinese Elymus species likely share a common ancestor with asexual E. bromicola from European H. brevisubulatum. In addition, our results revealed that asexual E. bromicola isolates that are symbionts in a western Chinese Elymus species and sexual Epichloë species that are symbionts in a North American Elymus species have a different origin. Further analysis found that Epichloë species likely originated in Eurasia. In addition, the results support the hypothesis that migratory birds or humans might have aided the dispersal of these fungal endophytes to other continents. PMID:25970178

Future changes in peak river flows across northern Eurasia as inferred from an ensemble of regional climate projections under the IPCC RCP8.5 scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkolnik, Igor; Pavlova, Tatiana; Efimov, Sergey; Zhuravlev, Sergey

2018-01-01

Climate change simulation based on 30-member ensemble of Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory RCM (resolution 25 km) for northern Eurasia is used to drive hydrological model CaMa-Flood. Using this modeling framework, we evaluate the uncertainties in the future projection of the peak river discharge and flood hazard by 2050-2059 relative to 1990-1999 under IPCC RCP8.5 scenario. Large ensemble size, along with reasonably high modeling resolution, allows one to efficiently sample natural climate variability and increase our ability to predict future changes in the hydrological extremes. It has been shown that the annual maximum river discharge can almost double by the mid-XXI century in the outlets of major Siberian rivers. In the western regions, there is a weak signal in the river discharge and flood hazard, hardly discernible above climate variability. Annual maximum flood area is projected to increase across Siberia mostly by 2-5% relative to the baseline period. A contribution of natural climate variability at different temporal scales to the uncertainty of ensemble prediction is discussed. The analysis shows that there expected considerable changes in the extreme river discharge probability at locations of the key hydropower facilities. This suggests that the extensive impact studies are required to develop recommendations for maintaining regional energy security.

Holocene warming in western continental Eurasia driven by glacial retreat and greenhouse forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Jonathan L.; Lachniet, Matthew S.; Chervyatsova, Olga; Asmerom, Yemane; Polyak, Victor J.

2017-06-01

The global temperature evolution during the Holocene is poorly known. Whereas proxy data suggest that warm conditions prevailed in the Early to mid-Holocene with subsequent cooling, model reconstructions show long-term warming associated with ice-sheet retreat and rising greenhouse gas concentrations. One reason for this contradiction could be the under-representation of indicators for winter climate in current global proxy reconstructions. Here we present records of carbon and oxygen isotopes from two U-Th-dated stalagmites from Kinderlinskaya Cave in the southern Ural Mountains that document warming during the winter season from 11,700 years ago to the present. Our data are in line with the global Holocene temperature evolution reconstructed from transient model simulations. We interpret Eurasian winter warming during the Holocene as a response to the retreat of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets until about 7,000 years ago, and to rising atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and winter insolation thereafter. We attribute negative δ18O anomalies 11,000 and 8,200 years ago to enhanced meltwater forcing of North Atlantic Ocean circulation, and a rapid decline of δ13C during the Early Holocene with stabilization after about 10,000 years ago to afforestation at our study site. We conclude that winter climate dynamics dominated Holocene temperature evolution in the continental interior of Eurasia, in contrast to regions more proximal to the ocean.

From the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) towards the Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, Pavel; Gutman, Garik; Gulev, Sergey; Maksyutov, Shamil

2015-04-01

Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI, http://neespi.org) was launched in 2004. With its multidisciplinary focus, the internationally funded NEESPI (more than 170 individual international projects during the past decade) has challenged participants to research climate-ecosystem interactions, societal impacts from extreme events in Northern Eurasia, and the feedbacks of these interactions and impacts to the global Earth system. NEESPI was endorsed by major ESSP Programs and Projects and the cornerstone support for the NEESPI studies was provided by the NASA Land Cover and Land Use Change Program and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Now it is the time to synthesis the main achievements of the NEESPI researchers and to re-assess its Science Questions and Objectives of the regional research within the new Future Earth Program paradigm with the focus on interdisciplinary solution-oriented approach that will allow effective policy-making in environment management and control. At the sequence of Workshops (the last of them will be in Prague one week prior to this Assembly) we formulated a major Science Question of the new Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): "What will the changes in the regional ecosystems dynamics and interactions mean for the societal well-being, activities, health, and strategic planning in Northern Eurasia?" The major NEFI challenge will be the services aimed on providing in Northern Eurasia a sustainable societal development in changing climate, ecosystems, and societies. At this presentation we shall brief the audience about the main results of the NEESPI researchers, and lay down the plans for the future NEFI studies. At the side event of the Meeting, we shall initiate preparation of the book which will synthesize major NEESPI achievements.

Size-dependent validation of MODIS MCD64A1 burned area over six vegetation types in boreal Eurasia: Large underestimation in croplands.

PubMed

Zhu, Chunmao; Kobayashi, Hideki; Kanaya, Yugo; Saito, Masahiko

2017-07-05

Pollutants emitted from wildfires in boreal Eurasia can be transported to the Arctic, and their subsequent deposition could accelerate global warming. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MCD64A1 burned area product is the basis of fire emission products. However, uncertainties due to the "moderate resolution" (500 m) characteristic of the MODIS sensor could be introduced. Here, we present a size-dependent validation of MCD64A1 with reference to higher resolution (better than 30 m) satellite products (Landsat 7 ETM+, RapidEye, WorldView-2, and GeoEye-1) for six ecotypes over 12 regions of boreal Eurasia. We considered the 2012 boreal Eurasia burning season when severe wildfires occurred and when Arctic sea ice extent was historically low. Among the six ecotypes, we found MCD64A1 burned areas comprised only 13% of the reference products in croplands because of inadequate detection of small fires (<100 ha). Our results indicate that over all ecotypes, the actual burned area in boreal Eurasia (15,256 km 2 ) could have been ~16% greater than suggested by MCD64A1 (13,187 km 2 ) when applying the correction factors proposed in this study. This implies the effects of wildfire emissions in boreal Eurasia on Arctic warming could be greater than currently estimated.

Impact of the Winter North Pacific Oscillation on the Surface Air Temperature over Eurasia and North America: Sensitivity to the Index Definition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shangfeng; Song, Linye

2018-06-01

This study analyzes the impact of the winter North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) on the surface air temperature (SAT) variations over Eurasia and North America based on six different NPO indices. Results show that the influences of the winter NPO on the SAT over Eurasia and North America are sensitive to the definition of the NPO index. The impact of the winter NPO on the SAT variations over Eurasia (North America) is significant (insignificant) when the anticyclonic anomaly associated with the NPO index over the North Pacific midlatitudes shifts westward and pronounced northerly wind anomalies appear around Lake Baikal. By contrast, the impact of the winter NPO on the SAT variations over Eurasia (North America) is insignificant (significant) when the anticyclonic anomaly over the North Pacific related to the NPO index shifts eastward and the associated northerly wind anomalies to its eastern flank extend to North America. The present study suggests that the NPO definition should be taken into account when analyzing the impact of the winter NPO on Eurasian and North American SAT variations.

A test of the influence of continental axes of orientation on patterns of human gene flow

PubMed Central

Ramachandran, Sohini; Rosenberg, Noah A.

2012-01-01

The geographic distribution of genetic variation reflects trends in past population migrations, and can be used to make inferences about these migrations. It has been proposed that the east-west orientation of the Eurasian landmass facilitated the rapid spread of ancient technological innovations across Eurasia, while the north-south orientation of the Americas led to a slower diffusion of technology there. If the diffusion of technology was accompanied by gene flow, then this hypothesis predicts that genetic differentiation in the Americas along lines of longitude will be greater than that in Eurasia along lines of latitude. We use 678 microsatellite loci from 68 indigenous populations in Eurasia and the Americas to investigate the spatial axes that underlie population-genetic variation. We find that genetic differentiation increases more rapidly along lines of longitude in the Americas than along lines of latitude in Eurasia. Distance along lines of latitude explains a sizeable portion of genetic distance in Eurasia, whereas distance along lines of longitude does not explain a large proportion of Eurasian genetic variation. Genetic differentiation in the Americas occurs along both latitudinal and longitudinal axes and has a greater magnitude than corresponding differentiation in Eurasia, even when adjusting for the lower level of genetic variation in the American populations. These results support the view that continental orientation has influenced migration patterns and has played an important role in determining both the structure of human genetic variation and the distribution and spread of cultural traits. (240 words) PMID:21913175

Negotiating Knowledges Abroad: Non-Western Students and the Global Mobility of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Oorschot, Irene

2014-01-01

Taking the Institute for Housing Studies in Rotterdam as a case study, this paper aims to theorise the ways non-Western, international students construct and negotiate knowledges in Western institutions of higher education. It describes the types of knowledges these students identify as characteristic of their learning abroad, distinguishing…

Is there a divide between local medicinal knowledge and Western medicine? a case study among native Amazonians in Bolivia.

PubMed

Calvet-Mir, Laura; Reyes-García, Victoria; Tanner, Susan

2008-08-18

Interest in ethnomedicine has grown in the last decades, with much research focusing on how local medicinal knowledge can contribute to Western medicine. Researchers have emphasized the divide between practices used by local medical practitioners and Western doctors. However, researchers have also suggested that merging concepts and practices from local medicinal knowledge and Western science have the potential to improve public health and support medical independence of local people. In this article we study the relations between local and Western medicinal knowledge within a native Amazonian population, the Tsimane'. We used the following methods: 1) participant observation and semi-structured interviews to gather background information, 2) free-listing and pile-sorting to assess whether Tsimane' integrate local medicinal knowledge and Western medicine at the conceptual level, 3) surveys to assess to what extent Tsimane' combine local medicinal knowledge with Western medicine in actual treatments, and 4) a participatory workshop to assess the willingness of Tsimane' and Western medical specialists to cooperate with each other. We found that when asked about medical treatments, Tsimane' do not include Western treatments in their lists, however on their daily practices, Tsimane' do use Western treatments in combination with ethnomedical treatments. We also found that Tsimane' healers and Western doctors express willingness to cooperate with each other and to promote synergy between local and Western medical systems. Our findings contrast with previous research emphasizing the divide between local medical practitioners and Western doctors and suggests that cooperation between both health systems might be possible.

Is there a divide between local medicinal knowledge and Western medicine? a case study among native Amazonians in Bolivia

PubMed Central

Calvet-Mir, Laura; Reyes-García, Victoria; Tanner, Susan

2008-01-01

Background Interest in ethnomedicine has grown in the last decades, with much research focusing on how local medicinal knowledge can contribute to Western medicine. Researchers have emphasized the divide between practices used by local medical practitioners and Western doctors. However, researchers have also suggested that merging concepts and practices from local medicinal knowledge and Western science have the potential to improve public health and support medical independence of local people. In this article we study the relations between local and Western medicinal knowledge within a native Amazonian population, the Tsimane'. Methods We used the following methods: 1) participant observation and semi-structured interviews to gather background information, 2) free-listing and pile-sorting to assess whether Tsimane' integrate local medicinal knowledge and Western medicine at the conceptual level, 3) surveys to assess to what extent Tsimane' combine local medicinal knowledge with Western medicine in actual treatments, and 4) a participatory workshop to assess the willingness of Tsimane' and Western medical specialists to cooperate with each other. Results We found that when asked about medical treatments, Tsimane' do not include Western treatments in their lists, however on their daily practices, Tsimane' do use Western treatments in combination with ethnomedical treatments. We also found that Tsimane' healers and Western doctors express willingness to cooperate with each other and to promote synergy between local and Western medical systems. Conclusion Our findings contrast with previous research emphasizing the divide between local medical practitioners and Western doctors and suggests that cooperation between both health systems might be possible. PMID:18710524

Deep structure of the Alborz Mountains by joint inversion of P receiver functions and dispersion curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastgoo, Mehdi; Rahimi, Habib; Motaghi, Khalil; Shabanian, Esmaeil; Romanelli, Fabio; Panza, Giuliano F.

2018-04-01

The Alborz Mountains represent a tectonically and seismically active convergent boundary in the Arabia - Eurasia collision zone, in western Asia. The orogenic belt has undergone a long-lasted tectono-magmatic history since the Cretaceous. The relationship between shallow and deep structures in this complex tectonic domain is not straightforward. We present a 2D velocity model constructed by the assemblage of 1D shear wave velocity (Vs) models from 26 seismic stations, mainly distributed along the southern flank of the Alborz Mountains. The shear wave velocity structure has been estimated beneath each station using joint inversion of P-waves receiver functions and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves. A substantiation of the Vs inversion results sits on the modeling of Bouguer gravity anomaly data. Our velocity and density models show low velocity/density anomalies in uppermost mantle of western and central Alborz at a depth range of ∼50-100 km. In deeper parts of the uppermost mantle (depth range of 100-150 km), a high velocity/density anomaly is located beneath most of the Mountain range. The spatial pattern of these low and high velocity/density structures in the upper mantle is interpreted as the result of post collisional delamination of lower part of the western and central Alborz lithosphere.

From rifting to orogeny; using sediments to unlock the secrets of the Greater Caucasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Stephen; Guo, Li; Lavrishchev, Vladimir; Maynard, James; Harland, Melise

2017-04-01

The western Greater Caucasus formed by the tectonic inversion of the western strand of the Greater Caucasus Basin, a Mesozoic rift that opened at the southern margin of Laurasia. Facies analysis has identified fault-bounded regions of basinal, turbiditic and hemipelagic sediments. These are flanked by areas of marginal, shallow marine sediments to the north and south. Subsidence analysis derived from lithology, thickness and palaeowater depth data indicates that the main phase of rifting occurred during the Aalenian to Bajocian synchronous with that in the eastern Alborz and, possibly, the South Caspian Basin. Secondary episodes of subsidence during the late Tithonian to Berriasian and Hauterivian to early Aptian are tentatively linked to initial rifting within the western, and possibly eastern, Black Sea, and during the late Campanian to Danian to the opening of the eastern Black Sea. Initial uplift, subaerial exposure and sediment derivation from the western Greater Caucasus occurred at the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Oligocene and younger sediments on the southern margin of the former basin were derived from the inverting basin and uplifted parts of its northern margin, indicating that the western Greater Caucasus Basin had closed by this time. The previous rift flanks were converted to flexural basins that accumulated thick, typically hemipelagic and turbiditic sediments in the early, underfilled, stage of their development. A predominance of pollen representing a montane forest environment (dominated by Pinacean pollen) within these sediments suggests that the uplifting Caucasian hinterland had a paleoaltitude of around 2 km from Early Oligocene time. The closure of the western Greater Caucasus Basin and significant uplift of the range at c. 34 Ma is earlier than stated in many studies and needs to be incorporated into geodynamic models for the Arabia-Eurasia region.

Eurasian Winter Storm Activity at the End of the Century: A CMIP5 Multi-model Ensemble Projection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Soumik; Zhang, Xiangdong; Wang, Zhaomin

2018-01-01

Extratropical cyclone activity over Eurasia has exhibited a weakening trend in the recent decade. Extratropical cyclones bring precipitation and hence supply fresh water for winter crops in the mid- and high-latitude regions of Eurasia. Any changes in extratropical cyclone activity over Eurasia in the future may have a critical impact on winter agriculture and the economies of affected communities. However, potential future changes in regional storm activity over Eurasia have not been studied in detail. Therefore, in this study, we investigate anticipated changes in extratropical storm activity by the end of the century through a detailed examination of the historical and future emission scenarios from six different models from CMIP5. A statistical analysis of different parameters of storm activity using a storm identification and tracking algorithm reveals a decrease in the number of storms over mid-latitude regions. However, intense storms with longer duration are projected over high latitude Eurasia. A further examination of the physical mechanism for these changes reveals that a decrease in the meridional temperature gradient and a weakening of the vertical wind shear over the mid-latitudes are responsible for these changes in storm activity.

EDITORIAL: Ongoing climatic change in Northern Eurasia: justification for expedient research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, Pavel; Soja, Amber J.

2009-12-01

A brief overview of the ongoing climatic and environmental changes in Northern Eurasia serves as an editorial introduction to this, the second, special Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) focus issue of Environmental Research Letters. Climatic changes in Northern Eurasia over the last hundred years are reflected in numerous atmospheric and terrestrial variables. Many of these are noticeably significant above the confidence level for 'weather' or other (fire regime, ecosystem change) noise and thus should be further investigated in order to adapt to their impacts. In this focus issue, we introduce assorted studies of different aspects of contemporary change in Northern Eurasia. Most of these have been presented at one of the NEESPI workshops (for more information see neespi.org) and/or American Geophysical Union and European Geosciences Union NEESPI open sessions during the past year. These studies are diverse, representing the diversity of climates and ecosystems across Northern Eurasia. Some of these are focused on smaller spatial scales and/or address only specific aspects of the global change implications across the subcontinent. But the feeling (and observational evidence) that these changes have already been quite rapid and can have global implications inspires us to bring this suite of papers to the readers' attention. See the PDF for the full text of the editorial. Focus on Climatic and Environmental Change in Northern Eurasia Contents Preface Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative Pavel Groisman and Amber J Soja Editorial Siberia integrated regional study: Multidisciplinary investigations of interrelation between Siberia environment dynamics and global climate change E P Gordov and E A Vaganov Studies of the energy and water cycles in Northern Eurasia Comparison and evaluation of gridded radiation products across northern Eurasia T J Troy and E F Wood Reanalysis data underestimate significant changes in growing season weather in Kazakhstan C K Wright, K M de Beurs, Z K Akhmadieva, P Y Groisman and G M Henebry Climate change in Inner Mongolia from 1955 to 2005—trends at regional, biome and local scales N Lu, B Wilske, J Ni, R John and J Chen Application of the Snowmelt Runoff model in the Kuban river basin using MODIS satellite images M V Georgievsky Record Russian river discharge in 2007 and the limits of analysis A I Shiklomanov and R B Lammers Paleoclimatic reconstructions for the south of Valdai Hills (European Russia) as paleo-analogs of possible regional vegetation changes under global warming E Novenko, A Olchev, O Desherevskaya and I Zuganova Diagnosis of the record discharge of Arctic-draining Eurasian rivers in 2007 Michael A Rawlins, Mark C Serreze, Ronny Schroeder, Xiangdong Zhang and Kyle C McDonald Studies of the cryosphere in Northern Eurasia Groundwater storage changes in arctic permafrost watersheds from GRACE and in situ measurements Reginald R Muskett and Vladimir E Romanovsky Changes in snow cover over Northern Eurasia in the last few decades O N Bulygina, V N Razuvaev and N N Korshunova Modeling sub-sea permafrost in the East Siberian Arctic Shelf: the Dmitry Laptev Strait D Nicolsky and N Shakhova Snow cover basal ice layer changes over Northern Eurasia since 1966 Olga N Bulygina, Pavel Ya Groisman, Vyacheslav N Razuvaev and Vladimir F Radionov Snow cover and permafrost evolution in Siberia as simulated by the MGO regional climate model in the 20th and 21st centuries I M Shkolnik, E D Nadyozhina, T V Pavlova, E K Molkentin and A A Semioshina Studies of the biosphere in Northern Eurasia The influence of regional surface soil moisture anomalies on forest fires in Siberia observed from satellites A Bartsch, H Balzter and C George Change and persistence in land surface phenologies of the Don and Dnieper river basins V Kovalskyy and G M Henebry Effects of climatic changes on carbon dioxide and water vapor fluxes in boreal forest ecosystems of European part of Russia A Olchev, E Novenko, O Desherevskaya, K Krasnorutskaya and J Kurbatova The effects of climate, permafrost and fire on vegetation change in Siberia in a changing climate N M Tchebakova, E Parfenova and A J Soja An image-based inventory of the spatial structure of West Siberian wetlands A Peregon, S Maksyutov and Y Yamagata Modeling of the carbon dioxide fluxes in European Russia peat bogs J Kurbatova, C Li, F Tatarinov, A Varlagin, N Shalukhina and A Olchev Feedbacks of windthrow for Norway spruce and Scots pine stands under changing climate O Panferov, C Doering, E Rauch, A Sogachev and B Ahrends Reconstruction and prediction of climate and vegetation change in the Holocene in the Altai-Sayan mountains, Central Asia N M Tchebakova, T A Blyakharchuk and E I Parfenova Simulating the effects of soil organic nitrogen and grazing on arctic tundra vegetation dynamics on the Yamal Peninsula, Russia Qin Yu, Howard Epstein and Donald Walker Possible decline of the carbon sink in the Mongolian Plateau during the 21st century Y Lu, Q Zhuang, G Zhou, A Sirin, J Melillo and D Kicklighter The frequency of forest fires in Scots pine stands of Tuva, Russia G A Ivanova, V A Ivanov, E A Kukavskaya and A J Soja Lateral extension in Sphagnum mires along the southern margin of the boreal region, Western Siberia A Peregon, M Uchida and Y Yamagata Evaluating the sensitivity of Eurasian forest biomass to climate change using a dynamic vegetation model J K Shuman and H H Shugart Studies of socioeconomic processes in Northern Eurasia Comparing patterns of ecosystem service consumption and perceptions of range management between ethnic herders in Inner Mongolia and Mongolia L Zhen, B Ochirbat, Y Lv, Y J Wei, X L Liu, J Q Chen, Z J Yao and F Li Land cover/land use change in semi-arid Inner Mongolia: 1992-2004 Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Nan Lu and Burkhard Wilske Spatial and temporal patterns of greenness on the Yamal Peninsula, Russia: interactions of ecological and social factors affecting the Arctic normalized difference vegetation index D A Walker, M O Leibman, H E Epstein, B C Forbes, U S Bhatt, M K Raynolds, J C Comiso, A A Gubarkov, A V Khomutov, G J Jia, E Kaarlejarvi, J O Kaplan, T Kumpula, P Kuss, G Matyshak, N G Moskalenko, P Orekhov, V E Romanovsky, N G Ukraientseva and Q Yu Methods of surface monitoring from space A bio-optical algorithm for the remote estimation of the chlorophyll-a concentration in case 2 waters Anatoly A Gitelson, Daniela Gurlin, Wesley J Moses and Tadd Barrow Estimation of chlorophyll-a concentration in case II waters using MODIS and MERIS data—successes and challenges W J Moses, A A Gitelson, S Berdnikov and V Povazhnyy Dual scale trend analysis for evaluating climatic and anthropogenic effects on the vegetated land surface in Russia and Kazakhstan K M de Beurs, C K Wright and G M Henebry Satellite microwave remote sensing of North Eurasian inundation dynamics: development of coarse-resolution products and comparison with high-resolution synthetic aperture radar data R Schroeder, M A Rawlins, K C McDonald, E Podest, R Zimmermann and M Kueppers

Simulations of Eurasian winter temperature trends in coupled and uncoupled CFSv2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collow, Thomas W.; Wang, Wanqiu; Kumar, Arun

2018-01-01

Conflicting results have been presented regarding the link between Arctic sea-ice loss and midlatitude cooling, particularly over Eurasia. This study analyzes uncoupled (atmosphere-only) and coupled (ocean-atmosphere) simulations by the Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2), to examine this linkage during the Northern Hemisphere winter, focusing on the simulation of the observed surface cooling trend over Eurasia during the last three decades. The uncoupled simulations are Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) runs forced with mean seasonal cycles of sea surface temperature (SST) and sea ice, using combinations of SST and sea ice from different time periods to assess the role that each plays individually, and to assess the role of atmospheric internal variability. Coupled runs are used to further investigate the role of internal variability via the analysis of initialized predictions and the evolution of the forecast with lead time. The AMIP simulations show a mean warming response over Eurasia due to SST changes, but little response to changes in sea ice. Individual runs simulate cooler periods over Eurasia, and this is shown to be concurrent with a stronger Siberian high and warming over Greenland. No substantial differences in the variability of Eurasian surface temperatures are found between the different model configurations. In the coupled runs, the region of significant warming over Eurasia is small at short leads, but increases at longer leads. It is concluded that, although the models have some capability in highlighting the temperature variability over Eurasia, the observed cooling may still be a consequence of internal variability.

Size-dependent validation of MODIS MCD64A1 burned area over six vegetation types in boreal Eurasia: Large underestimation in croplands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, C.; Kobayashi, H.; Kanaya, Y.; Saito, M.

2017-12-01

Pollutants emitted from wildfires in boreal Eurasia can be transported to the Arctic, and their subsequent deposition could accelerate global warming. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MCD64A1 burned area product is used widely for global mapping of burned areas in conjunction with products such as the Global Fire Emission Database version 4, which can estimate pollutant emissions. However, uncertainties due to the "moderate resolution" (500 m) characteristic of the MODIS sensor could be introduced. Here, we present a size-dependent validation of MCD64A1 with reference to higher resolution (better than 30 m) satellite products (Landsat 7 ETM+, RapidEye, WorldView-2, and GeoEye-1) for six ecotypes over 12 regions of boreal Eurasia. We considered the 2012 boreal Eurasia burning season when severe wildfires occurred and when Arctic sea ice extent was historically low. Among the six ecotypes, we found MCD64A1 burned areas comprised only 13% of the reference products in croplands because of inadequate detection of small fires (<100 ha). Our results indicate that over all ecotypes, the actual burned area in boreal Eurasia (15,256 km2) could have been 16% greater than suggested by MCD64A1 (13,187 km2). We suggest applying correction factors of 0.5-8.2 when using emission rates based on MCD64A1 burned areas in chemistry and climate models of the studied regions. This implies the effects of wildfire emissions in boreal Eurasia on Arctic warming could be greater than currently estimated.

Global Snow-Cover Evolution from Twenty Years of Satellite Passive Microwave Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mognard, N.M.; Kouraev, A.V.; Josberger, E.G.

2003-01-01

Starting in 1979 with the SMMR (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer) instrument onboard the satellite NIMBUS-7 and continuing since 1987 with the SSMI (Special Sensor Microwave Imager) instrument on board the DMSP (Defence Meteorological Satellite Program) series, more then twenty years of satellite passive microwave data are now available. This dataset has been processed to analyse the evolution of the global snow cover. This work is part of the AICSEX project from the 5th Framework Programme of the European Community. The spatio-temporal evolution of the satellite-derived yearly snow maximum extent and the timing of the spring snow melt were estimated and analysed over the Northern Hemisphere. Significant differences between the evolution of the yearly maximum snow extent in Eurasia and in North America were found. A positive correlation between the maximum yearly snow cover extent and the ENSO index was obtained. High interannual spatio-temporal variability characterises the timing of snow melt in the spring. Twenty-year trends in the timing of spring snow melt have been computed and compared with spring air temperature trends for the same period and the same area. In most parts of Eurasia and in the central and western parts of North America the tendency has been for earlier snow melt. In northeastern Canada, a large area of positive trends, where snow melt timing starts later than in the early 1980s, corresponds to a region of positive trends of spring air temperature observed over the same period.

Rapid diversification of Tragopogon and ecological associates in Eurasia.

PubMed

Bell, C D; Mavrodiev, E V; Soltis, P S; Calaminus, A K; Albach, D C; Cellinese, N; Garcia-Jacas, N; Soltis, D E

2012-12-01

Tragopogon comprises approximately 150 described species distributed throughout Eurasia from Ireland and the UK to India and China with a few species in North Africa. Most of the species diversity is found in Eastern Europe to Western Asia. Previous phylogenetic analyses identified several major clades, generally corresponding to recognized taxonomic sections, although relationships both among these clades and among species within clades remain largely unresolved. These patterns are consistent with rapid diversification following the origin of Tragopogon, and this study addresses the timing and rate of diversification in Tragopogon. Using BEAST to simultaneously estimate a phylogeny and divergence times, we estimate the age of a major split and subsequent rapid divergence within Tragopogon to be ~2.6 Ma (and 1.7-5.4 Ma using various clock estimates). Based on the age estimates obtained with BEAST (HPD 1.7-5.4 Ma) for the origin of crown group Tragopogon and 200 estimated species (to accommodate a large number of cryptic species), the diversification rate of Tragopogon is approximately 0.84-2.71 species/Myr for the crown group, assuming low levels of extinction. This estimate is comparable in rate to a rapid Eurasian radiation in Dianthus (0.66-3.89 species/Myr), which occurs in the same or similar habitats. Using available data, we show that subclades of various plant taxa that occur in the same semi-arid habitats of Eurasia also represent rapid radiations occurring during roughly the same window of time (1.7-5.4 Ma), suggesting similar causal events. However, not all species-rich plant genera from the same habitats diverged at the same time, or at the same tempo. Radiations of several other clades in this same habitat (e.g. Campanula, Knautia, Scabiosa) occurred at earlier dates (45-4.28 Ma). Existing phylogenetic data and diversification estimates therefore indicate that, although some elements of these semi-arid communities radiated during the Plio-Pleistocene period, other clades sharing the same habitat appear to have diversified earlier. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

The relationship between the opening of South China Sea and the formation of the Tibetan Plateau (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, X.

2010-12-01

The South China Sea is one of the largest marginal seas in western Pacific and underwent a complex history. Xu et al.(2004) suggested that the evolution of the South China Sea can be divided into two first order phases: Paleogene (—Early Miocene) rifting and Neogene post- rifting. An oceanic crust was formed during 32-17 Ma. Whether or not the opening of South China Sea were related to Indo-Eurasia collision and the formation of the Tibetan Plateau is one of challenging problem in Earth sciences. With an exception of the southwestern China, the Chinese continent has become an united continent in the Triassic by the Indosinian orogeny. However, the Qinghai-Tibet area in SW China was still an oceanic region, that is, the Neo-Tethys. During the period of 145-100 Ma, the Lhasa terrane collided with the Qiangtang terrane and added to the south margin of the Eurasian continent. On the other hand, the Indian plate subducted underneath the Eurasian continent since Jurassic- Cretaceous. Subsequently, collision between the two continents, India and Eurasia, were completed during 65-40 Ma, and went into a post-collisional stage, characterized by intra-continental movements, including intra-continental subduction, overthrust, strike-slip and so on. The Tibetan Plateau, the highest plateau in the world had been formed by multi-stage uplifts. Several huge strike-slip shear zone such as the Red River Fault and the Altyn were formed during that period. The >1000-km-long Oligocene—Miocene left-lateral Red River shear zone (RRSZ) and the Pliocene—active right-lateral Red River fault (RRF), stretching from SE Tibet to the South China Sea, has been cited as a lithospheric scale strike-slip fault. The age of RRSZ was recently determined no earlier than 31.9-24.2Ma and no later than 21.7 Ma (Searle et al., 2010). Many geologists believe that there possibly be close relationship between the opening of the South China Sea and Indo-Eurasia collision and the formation of the Tibetan Plateau via the evolution of the Red River shear zone.

Mediterranean extension and the Africa-Eurasia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolivet, Laurent; Faccenna, Claudio

2000-12-01

A number of tectonic events occurred contemporaneously in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East 30-25 Myr ago. These events are contemporaneous to or immediately followed a strong reduction of the northward absolute motion of Africa. Geological observations in the Neogene extensional basins of the Mediterranean region reveal that extension started synchronously from west to east 30-25 Myr ago. In the western Mediterranean it started in the Gulf of Lion, Valencia trough, and Alboran Sea as well as between the Maures massif and Corsica between 33 and 27 Ma ago. It then propagated eastward and southward to form to Liguro-Provençal basin and the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the eastern Mediterranean, extension started in the Aegean Sea before the deposition of marine sediments onto the collapsed Hellenides in the Aquitanian and before the cooling of high-temperature metamorphic core complexes between 20 and 25 Ma. Foundering of the inner zones of the Carpathians and extension in the Panonnian basin also started in the late Oligocene-early Miocene. The body of the Afro-Arabian plate first collided with Eurasia in the eastern Mediterranean region progressively from the Eocene to the Oligocene. Extensional tectonics was first recorded in the Gulf of Aden, Afar triple junction, and Red Sea region also in the Oligocene. A general magmatic surge occurred above all African hot spots, especially the Afar one. We explore the possibility that these drastic changes in the stress regime of the Mediterranean region and Middle East and the contemporaneous volcanic event were triggerred by the Africa/Arabia-Eurasia collision, which slowed down the motion of Africa. The present-day Mediterranean Sea was then locked between two collision zones, and the velocity of retreat of the African slab increased and became larger than the velocity of convergence leading to backarc extension. East of the Caucasus and northern Zagros collision zone the Afro-Arabian plate was still pulled by the slab pull force in the Zagros subduction zone, which created extensional stresses in the northeast corner of the Afro-Arabian plate. The Arabian plate was formed by propagation of a crack from the Carlsberg ridge westward toward the weak part of the African lithosphere above the Afar plume.

Insights into the phylogeny of Northern Hemisphere Armillaria: Neighbor-net and Bayesian analyses of translation elongation factor 1-α gene sequences.

PubMed

Klopfenstein, Ned B; Stewart, Jane E; Ota, Yuko; Hanna, John W; Richardson, Bryce A; Ross-Davis, Amy L; Elías-Román, Rubén D; Korhonen, Kari; Keča, Nenad; Iturritxa, Eugenia; Alvarado-Rosales, Dionicio; Solheim, Halvor; Brazee, Nicholas J; Łakomy, Piotr; Cleary, Michelle R; Hasegawa, Eri; Kikuchi, Taisei; Garza-Ocañas, Fortunato; Tsopelas, Panaghiotis; Rigling, Daniel; Prospero, Simone; Tsykun, Tetyana; Bérubé, Jean A; Stefani, Franck O P; Jafarpour, Saeideh; Antonín, Vladimír; Tomšovský, Michal; McDonald, Geral I; Woodward, Stephen; Kim, Mee-Sook

2017-01-01

Armillaria possesses several intriguing characteristics that have inspired wide interest in understanding phylogenetic relationships within and among species of this genus. Nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence-based analyses of Armillaria provide only limited information for phylogenetic studies among widely divergent taxa. More recent studies have shown that translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) sequences are highly informative for phylogenetic analysis of Armillaria species within diverse global regions. This study used Neighbor-net and coalescence-based Bayesian analyses to examine phylogenetic relationships of newly determined and existing tef1 sequences derived from diverse Armillaria species from across the Northern Hemisphere, with Southern Hemisphere Armillaria species included for reference. Based on the Bayesian analysis of tef1 sequences, Armillaria species from the Northern Hemisphere are generally contained within the following four superclades, which are named according to the specific epithet of the most frequently cited species within the superclade: (i) Socialis/Tabescens (exannulate) superclade including Eurasian A. ectypa, North American A. socialis (A. tabescens), and Eurasian A. socialis (A. tabescens) clades; (ii) Mellea superclade including undescribed annulate North American Armillaria sp. (Mexico) and four separate clades of A. mellea (Europe and Iran, eastern Asia, and two groups from North America); (iii) Gallica superclade including Armillaria Nag E (Japan), multiple clades of A. gallica (Asia and Europe), A. calvescens (eastern North America), A. cepistipes (North America), A. altimontana (western USA), A. nabsnona (North America and Japan), and at least two A. gallica clades (North America); and (iv) Solidipes/Ostoyae superclade including two A. solidipes/ostoyae clades (North America), A. gemina (eastern USA), A. solidipes/ostoyae (Eurasia), A. cepistipes (Europe and Japan), A. sinapina (North America and Japan), and A. borealis (Eurasia) clade 2. Of note is that A. borealis (Eurasia) clade 1 appears basal to the Solidipes/Ostoyae and Gallica superclades. The Neighbor-net analysis showed similar phylogenetic relationships. This study further demonstrates the utility of tef1 for global phylogenetic studies of Armillaria species and provides critical insights into multiple taxonomic issues that warrant further study.

Outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Libya and Saudi Arabia During 2013 Due to an Exotic O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 Lineage Virus.

PubMed

Knowles, N J; Bachanek-Bankowska, K; Wadsworth, J; Mioulet, V; Valdazo-González, B; Eldaghayes, I M; Dayhum, A S; Kammon, A M; Sharif, M A; Waight, S; Shamia, A M; Tenzin, S; Wernery, U; Grazioli, S; Brocchi, E; Subramaniam, S; Pattnaik, B; King, D P

2016-10-01

Foot-and-mouth disease viruses are often restricted to specific geographical regions and spread to new areas may lead to significant epidemics. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences of the VP1 genome region of recent outbreak viruses from Libya and Saudi Arabia has revealed a lineage, O-Ind-2001, normally found in the Indian subcontinent. This paper describes the characterization of field viruses collected from these cases and provides information about a new real-time RT-PCR assay that can be used to detect viruses from this lineage and discriminate them from other endemic FMD viruses that are co-circulating in North Africa and western Eurasia. © 2014 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The success of failed Homo sapiens dispersals out of Africa and into Asia.

PubMed

Rabett, Ryan J

2018-02-01

The evidence for an early dispersal of Homo sapiens from Africa into the Levant during Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS-5) 126-74 ka (thousand years ago) was characterized for many years as an 'abortive' expansion: a precursor to a sustained dispersal from which all extant human populations can be traced. Recent archaeological and genetic data from both western and eastern parts of Eurasia and from Australia are starting to challenge that interpretation. This Perspective reviews the current evidence for a scenario where the MIS-5 dispersal encompassed a much greater geographic distribution and temporal duration. The implications of this for tracking and understanding early human dispersal in Southeast Asia specifically are considered, and the validity of measuring dispersal success only through genetic continuity into the present is examined.

Seismicity and Seismic Hazard along the Western part of the Eurasia-Nubia plate boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezzeghoud, Mourad; Fontiela, João; Ferrão, Celia; Borges, José Fernando; Caldeira, Bento; Dib, Assia; Ousadou, Farida

2016-04-01

The seismic phenomenon is the most damaging natural hazard known in the Mediterranean area. The western part of the Eurasia-Nubia plate boundary extends from the Azores to the Mediterranean region. The oceanic part of the plate boundary is well delimited from the Azores Islands, along the Azores-Gibraltar fault to approximately 12°W (west of the Strait of Gibraltar). From 12°W to 3.5°E, including the Iberia-Nubia region and extending to the western part of Algeria, the boundary is more diffuse and forms a wider area of deformation. The boundary between the Iberia and Nubia plates is the most complex part of the margin. This region corresponds to the transition from an oceanic boundary to a continental boundary, where Iberia and Nubia collide. Although most earthquakes along this plate boundary are shallow and generally have magnitudes less than 5.5, there have been several high-magnitude events. Many devastating earthquakes, some of them tsunami-triggering, inflicted heavy loss and considerable economic damage to the region. From 1920 to present, three earthquakes with magnitudes of about 8.0 (Mw 8.2, 25 November 1941; Ms 8.0, 25 February 1969; and Mw 7.9, 26 May 1975) occurred in the oceanic region, and four earthquakes with magnitudes of about 7.0 (Mw 7.1, 8 May 1939, Santa Maria Island and Mw 7.1, January 1980, Terceira and Graciosa Islands, both in the Azores; Ms 7.1, 20 May 1931, Azores-Gibraltar fracture zone; and Mw 7.3, 10 October 1980, El Asnam, Algeria) occurred along the western part of the Eurasia-Nubia plate boundary. In general, large earthquakes (M ≥7) occur within the oceanic region, with the exception of the El Asnam (Algeria) earthquakes. Some of these events caused extensive damage. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake (˜Mw 9) on the Portugal Atlantic margin, about 200 km W-SW of Cape St. Vincent, was followed by a tsunami and fires that caused the near-total destruction of Lisbon and adjacent areas. Estimates of the death toll in Lisbon alone (~70,000) make it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history. Measured in lives lost, the 1926, 1980 and 1998 Azores earthquakes (Portugal), the 1954 and 1980 El Asnam earthquakes (North Algeria), the 1994 and 2004 Alhoceima earthquakes (North Morocco), and the 2003 Boumerdes earthquakes (North Algeria) were the worst earthquakes in the past 120 years in the study area. Hence, this region has experienced many large and damaging earthquakes. The city of Cairo (Egypt) was struck in October 1992 by an Mw 5.8 magnitude earthquake, which caused large damage. In 1935, the Syrte region in Libya experienced an M6.9 earthquake with severe damage. Generally, North Africa has experienced moderate earthquakes. However, the region remains vulnerable due to the shallow seismicity, the poor mechanical properties of its soil and local site conditions, and the consequent strength of the ground shaking. Knowing the behaviour of a seismogenic area, particularly the fault zone, will lead us to better assess the hazard and risk in and around large urban areas. In order to mitigate the destructive impact of the earthquakes, the regional seismic hazard in North Africa is assessed using different approaches (ex. deterministic and probabilistic) using historical and instrumental seismicity, earthquake sources, seismotectonic zonation, structural models and attenuation laws. As a result, reliable seismic hazard maps are produced in terms of maximum displacement and in terms of maximum intensity map. This research is funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) under the project ICT-UID/GEO/04683/2013. This study also was conducted within the scope of the MEDYNA FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IRSES project, WP-1: Present-day Kinematics and seismic hazards, funded by the Seventh Framework European Programme.

Carbon Budget and its Dynamics over Northern Eurasia Forest Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shvidenko, Anatoly; Schepaschenko, Dmitry; Kraxner, Florian; Maksyutov, Shamil

2016-04-01

The presentation contains an overview of recent findings and results of assessment of carbon cycling of forest ecosystems of Northern Eurasia. From a methodological point of view, there is a clear tendency in understanding a need of a Full and Verified Carbon Account (FCA), i.e. in reliable assessment of uncertainties for all modules and all stages of FCA. FCA is considered as a fuzzy (underspecified) system that supposes a system integration of major methods of carbon cycling study (land-ecosystem approach, LEA; process-based models; eddy covariance; and inverse modelling). Landscape-ecosystem approach 1) serves for accumulation of all relevant knowledge of landscape and ecosystems; 2) for strict systems designing the account, 3) contains all relevant spatially distributed empirical and semi-empirical data and models, and 4) is presented in form of an Integrated Land Information System (ILIS). The ILIS includes a hybrid land cover in a spatially and temporarily explicit way and corresponding attributive databases. The forest mask is provided by utilizing multi-sensor remote sensing data, geographically weighed regression and validation within GEO-wiki platform. By-pixel parametrization of forest cover is based on a special optimization algorithms using all available knowledge and information sources (data of forest inventory and different surveys, observations in situ, official statistics of forest management etc.). Major carbon fluxes within the LEA (NPP, HR, disturbances etc.) are estimated based on fusion of empirical data and aggregations with process-based elements by sets of regionally distributed models. Uncertainties within LEA are assessed for each module and at each step of the account. Within method results of LEA and corresponding uncertainties are harmonized and mutually constrained with independent outputs received by other methods based on the Bayesian approach. The above methodology have been applied to carbon account of Russian forests for 2000-2012. It has been shown that the Net Ecosystem Carbon Budget (NECB) of Russian forests for this period was in range of 0.5-0.7 Pg C yr-1 with a slight negative trend during the period due to acceleration of disturbance regimes and negative impacts of weather extremes (heat waves etc.). Uncertainties of the FCA for individual years were estimated at about 25% (CI 0.9). It has been shown that some models (e.g. majority of DGVMs) do not describe some processes on permafrost satisfactory while results of applications of ensembles of inverse models on average are closed to empirical assessments. A most important conclusion from this experience is that future improvements of knowledge of carbon cycling of Northern Eurasia forests requires development of an integrated observing system as a unified information background, as well as systems methodological improvements of all methods of cognition of carbon cycling.

Benefits of family planning: an assessment of women's knowledge in rural Western Kenya.

PubMed

Mutombo, Namuunda; Bakibinga, Pauline; Mukiira, Carol; Kamande, Eva

2014-03-18

The last two decades have seen an increase in literature reporting an increase in knowledge and use of contraceptives among individuals and couples in Kenya, as in the rest of Africa, but there is a dearth of information regarding knowledge about benefits of family planning (FP) in Kenya. To assess the factors associated with knowledge about the benefits of FP for women and children, among women in rural Western Kenya. Data are drawn from the Packard Western Kenya Project Baseline Survey, which collected data from rural women (aged 15-49 years). Ordinal regression was used on 923 women to determine levels of knowledge and associated factors regarding benefits of FP. Women in rural Western Kenya have low levels of knowledge about benefits of FP and are more knowledgeable about benefits for the mother rather than for the child. Only age, spousal communication and type of contraceptive method used are significant. Women's level of knowledge about benefits of FP is quite low and may be one of the reasons why fertility is still high in Western Kenya. Therefore, FP programmes need to focus on increasing women's knowledge about the benefits of FP in this region.

Cenozoic aridization in Central Eurasia shaped diversification of toad-headed agamas (Phrynocephalus; Agamidae, Reptilia).

PubMed

Solovyeva, Evgeniya N; Lebedev, Vladimir S; Dunayev, Evgeniy A; Nazarov, Roman A; Bannikova, Anna A; Che, Jing; Murphy, Robert W; Poyarkov, Nikolay A

2018-01-01

We hypothesize the phylogenetic relationships of the agamid genus Phrynocephalus to assess how past environmental changes shaped the evolutionary and biogeographic history of these lizards and especially the impact of paleogeography and climatic factors. Phrynocephalus is one of the most diverse and taxonomically confusing lizard genera. As a key element of Palearctic deserts, it serves as a promising model for studies of historical biogeography and formation of arid habitats in Eurasia. We used 51 samples representing 33 of 40 recognized species of Phrynocephalus covering all major areas of the genus. Molecular data included four mtDNA ( COI , ND2 , ND4 , Cytb ; 2,703 bp) and four nuDNA protein-coding genes ( RAG1 , BDNF , AKAP9 , NKTR ; 4,188 bp). AU-tests were implemented to test for significant differences between mtDNA- and nuDNA-based topologies. A time-calibrated phylogeny was estimated using a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock with nine fossil calibrations. We reconstructed the ancestral area of origin, biogeographic scenarios, body size, and the evolution of habitat preference. Phylogenetic analyses of nuDNA genes recovered a well-resolved and supported topology. Analyses detected significant discordance with the less-supported mtDNA genealogy. The position of Phrynocephalus mystaceus conflicted greatly between the two datasets. MtDNA introgression due to ancient hybridization best explained this result. Monophyletic Phrynocephalus contained three main clades: (I) oviparous species from south-western and Middle Asia; (II) viviparous species of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP); and (III) oviparous species of the Caspian Basin, Middle and Central Asia. Phrynocephalus originated in late Oligocene (26.9 Ma) and modern species diversified during the middle Miocene (14.8-13.5 Ma). The reconstruction of ancestral areas indicated that Phrynocephalus originated in Middle East-southern Middle Asia. Body size miniaturization likely occurred early in the history of Phrynocephalus . The common ancestor of Phrynocephalus probably preferred sandy substrates with the inclusion of clay or gravel. The time of Agaminae radiation and origin of Phrynocephalus in the late Oligocene significantly precedes the landbridge between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia in the Early Miocene. Diversification of Phrynocephalus coincides well with the mid-Miocene climatic transition when a rapid cooling of climate drove progressing aridification and the Paratethys salinity crisis. These factors likely triggered the spreading of desert habitats in Central Eurasia, which Phrynocephalus occupied. The origin of the viviparous Tibetan clade has been associated traditionally with uplifting of the QTP; however, further studies are needed to confirm this. Progressing late Miocene aridification, the decrease of the Paratethys Basin, orogenesis, and Plio-Pleistocene climate oscillations likely promoted further diversification within Phrynocephalus . We discuss Phrynocephalus taxonomy in scope of the new analyses.

Cenozoic aridization in Central Eurasia shaped diversification of toad-headed agamas (Phrynocephalus; Agamidae, Reptilia)

PubMed Central

Lebedev, Vladimir S.; Dunayev, Evgeniy A.; Nazarov, Roman A.; Bannikova, Anna A.; Che, Jing; Murphy, Robert W.

2018-01-01

We hypothesize the phylogenetic relationships of the agamid genus Phrynocephalus to assess how past environmental changes shaped the evolutionary and biogeographic history of these lizards and especially the impact of paleogeography and climatic factors. Phrynocephalus is one of the most diverse and taxonomically confusing lizard genera. As a key element of Palearctic deserts, it serves as a promising model for studies of historical biogeography and formation of arid habitats in Eurasia. We used 51 samples representing 33 of 40 recognized species of Phrynocephalus covering all major areas of the genus. Molecular data included four mtDNA (COI, ND2, ND4, Cytb; 2,703 bp) and four nuDNA protein-coding genes (RAG1, BDNF, AKAP9, NKTR; 4,188 bp). AU-tests were implemented to test for significant differences between mtDNA- and nuDNA-based topologies. A time-calibrated phylogeny was estimated using a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock with nine fossil calibrations. We reconstructed the ancestral area of origin, biogeographic scenarios, body size, and the evolution of habitat preference. Phylogenetic analyses of nuDNA genes recovered a well-resolved and supported topology. Analyses detected significant discordance with the less-supported mtDNA genealogy. The position of Phrynocephalus mystaceus conflicted greatly between the two datasets. MtDNA introgression due to ancient hybridization best explained this result. Monophyletic Phrynocephalus contained three main clades: (I) oviparous species from south-western and Middle Asia; (II) viviparous species of Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP); and (III) oviparous species of the Caspian Basin, Middle and Central Asia. Phrynocephalus originated in late Oligocene (26.9 Ma) and modern species diversified during the middle Miocene (14.8–13.5 Ma). The reconstruction of ancestral areas indicated that Phrynocephalus originated in Middle East–southern Middle Asia. Body size miniaturization likely occurred early in the history of Phrynocephalus. The common ancestor of Phrynocephalus probably preferred sandy substrates with the inclusion of clay or gravel. The time of Agaminae radiation and origin of Phrynocephalus in the late Oligocene significantly precedes the landbridge between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia in the Early Miocene. Diversification of Phrynocephalus coincides well with the mid-Miocene climatic transition when a rapid cooling of climate drove progressing aridification and the Paratethys salinity crisis. These factors likely triggered the spreading of desert habitats in Central Eurasia, which Phrynocephalus occupied. The origin of the viviparous Tibetan clade has been associated traditionally with uplifting of the QTP; however, further studies are needed to confirm this. Progressing late Miocene aridification, the decrease of the Paratethys Basin, orogenesis, and Plio–Pleistocene climate oscillations likely promoted further diversification within Phrynocephalus. We discuss Phrynocephalus taxonomy in scope of the new analyses. PMID:29576991

A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, the North Atlantic, Eurasia, and Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marsh, J. G.

1973-01-01

A computer program was developed for the calculation of a goid based upon a combination of satellite and surface gravity data. A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, the North Atlantic, Eurasia, and Australia was derived by using this program.

Reduced carbon uptake during the 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer from GOSAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerlet, S.; Basu, S.; Butz, A.; Krol, M.; Hahne, P.; Houweling, S.; Hasekamp, O. P.; Aben, I.

2013-05-01

Column-averaged dry air mole fractions of carbon dioxide (XCO2) measured by the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) reveal significant interannual variation (IAV) of CO2uptake during the Northern Hemisphere summer between 2009 and 2010. The XCO2drawdown in 2010 is shallower than in 2009 by 2.4 ppm and 3.0 ppm over North America and Eurasia, respectively. Reduced carbon uptake in the summer of 2010 is most likely due to the heat wave in Eurasia driving biospheric fluxes and fire emissions. A joint inversion of GOSAT and surface data estimates an integrated biospheric and fire emission anomaly in April-September of 0.89 ±0.20 PgC over Eurasia. In contrast, inversions of surface measurements alone fail to replicate the observed XCO2IAV and underestimate emission IAV over Eurasia. This shows the value of GOSAT XCO2in constraining the response of land-atmosphere exchange of CO2 to climate events.

Recent crustal deformation of İzmir, Western Anatolia and surrounding regions as deduced from repeated GPS measurements and strain field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aktuğ, Bahadır; Kılıçoğlu, Ali

2006-07-01

To investigate contemporary neotectonic deformation in İzmir, Western Anatolia and in its neighborhood, a relatively dense Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring network was established in 2001. Combination of three spatially dense GPS campaigns in 2001, 2003 and 2004 with temporally dense campaigns between 1992 and 2004 resulted in a combined velocity field representing active deformation rate in the region. We computed horizontal and vertical velocity fields with respect to Earth-centered, Earth-fixed ITRF2000, to Eurasia and to Anatolia as well. The rates of principal and shear strains along with rigid-body rotation rates were derived from velocity field. Results show east-west shortening between Karaburun Peninsula and northern part of İzmir Bay together with the extension of İzmir Bay in accordance with general extension regime of Western Anatolia and Eastern Agea. East-west shortening and north-south extension of Karaburun Peninsula are closely related to right-lateral faulting and a clockwise rotation. There exists a block in the middle of the peninsula with a differential motion at a rate of 3-5 ± 1 mm/year and 5-6 ± 1 mm/year to the east and south, respectively. As is in Western Anatolia, north-south extension is dominant in almost all parts of the region despite the fact that they exhibit significantly higher rates in the middle of the peninsula. Extensional rates along Tuzla Fault lying nearly perpendicular to İzmir Bay and in its west are maximum in the region with an extension rate of 300-500 ± 80-100 nanostrain/year and confirm its active state. Extensional rates in other parts of the region are at level of 50-150 nanostrain/year as expected in the other parts of Western Anatolia.

Tracking the multi-stage exhumation history of the western Chinese Tianshan by Apatite Fission Track (AFT) dating - Implications for the preservation of epithermal deposits in ancient orogenic belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yannan; Cai, Keda

2017-04-01

The western Chinese Tianshan, located in the southern domain of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), was originally constructed by multiple accretion-collision processes in the Paleozoic, and was superimposed by complex intracontinental tectonic evolution in the Mesozoic-Cenozoic. Understanding the timing and mechanism of the latter geological processes is critical to unravel the preservation conditions of the epithermal deposits in the western Chinese Tianshan. This work presents new apatite fission track (AFT) data for three mountain ranges of the western Chinese Tianshan to track their exhumation history. Our AFT data gave a wide range of ages from 76.8 ± 5.5 Ma to 182.3 ± 9.9 Ma, and the mean confined fission track lengths are between 9.8 ± 0.5 μm and 12.3 ± 0.2 μm. The new data, in combination with the thermal history modeling，enable us to attribute the exhumation history to three primary stages, including Early Permian (300-280 Ma), Late Triassic-Early Cretaceous (230-130 Ma), and Late Oligocene-Early Miocene (30-20 Ma). The first stage may be caused by the terrane accretion-collision in the late Paleozoic. The second stage was likely related to the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean during the Mesozoic. The last one is regarded as the result of the collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasia Plate in the Cenozoic. The extraordinary exhumation processes of these three major mountain ranges might have been responsible for sediment supply to the corresponding intra-mountain basins in the western Chinese Tianshan, and the particularly mountain-basin coupling evolution is ascribed to an essential condition for the preservation of epithermal deposits in ancient orogenic belt.

Magnetostratigraphy of the Fenghuoshan Group in the Hoh Xil Basin and its tectonic implications for India-Eurasia collision and Tibetan Plateau deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Chunsheng; Liu, Qingsong; Liang, Wentian; Roberts, Andrew P.; Sun, Jimin; Hu, Pengxiang; Zhao, Xiangyu; Su, Youliang; Jiang, Zhaoxia; Liu, Zhifeng; Duan, Zongqi; Yang, Huihui; Yuan, Sihua

2018-03-01

Early Cenozoic plate collision of India and Eurasia was a significant geological event, which resulted in Tibetan Plateau (TP) uplift and altered regional and global atmospheric circulations. However, the timing of initial collision is debated. It also remains unclear whether the TP was deformed either progressively northward, or synchronously as a whole. As the largest basin in the hinterland of the TP, evolution of the Hoh Xil Basin (HXB) and its structural relationship with development of the Tanggula Thrust System (TTS) have important implications for unraveling the formation mechanism and deformation history of the TP. In this study, we present results from a long sedimentary sequence from the HXB that dates the Fenghuoshan Group to ∼72-51 Ma based on magnetostratigraphy and radiometric ages of a volcanic tuff layer within the group. Three depositional phases reflect different stages of tectonic movement on the TTS, which was initialized at 71.9 Ma prior to the India-Eurasia collision. An abrupt sediment accumulation rate increase from 53.9 Ma is a likely response to tectonic deformation in the plateau hinterland, and indicates that initial India-Eurasia collision occurred at no later than that time. This remote HXB tectonosedimentary response implies that compressional deformation caused by India-Eurasia collision likely propagated to the central TP shortly after the collision, which supports the synchronous deformation model for TP.

Suborbital Holocene Climate Variability over Continental Western Eurasia Coupled with Poleward Heat Transport to the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, J. L.; Lachniet, M. S.; Asmerom, Y.; Polyak, V. J.

2016-12-01

The centennial-scale coupling between the Holocene paleoclimate of Eurasia and ocean-atmosphere dynamics in the North Atlantic sector remains weakly understood, due to a paucity of high-resolution data from the continental interior. To investigate these links, we detrended a composite record of stalagmite δ18O from Kinderlinskaya Cave (southern Urals Mountains), which exhibits long-term warming from 11.7 ka to present. The chronologies of two stalagmites were constrained by 29 U-Th dates obtained through MC-ICP-MS analysis. Stable-isotope analysis at 0.5-mm resolution along the growth axes resulted in an average sampling frequency of 12.5 years. Stalagmite δ18O reflects multidecadal changes in the δ18O of winter half-year precipitation, which is highly sensitive to AO/NAO-like shifts in the strength and position of mid-latitude westerlies. Spectral density and wavelet analysis of the detrended record revealed significant periodicities near 2.4 ka, 1.4 ka, and 1.0 ka, which are common in northern hemispheric paleoclimate records and possibly related to solar and oceanic forcing during the Holocene. Coherent hemispheric coupling of continental and oceanic paleoclimate at suborbital timescales is demonstrated by comparison of our record with reconstructions of sea-surface temperature (SST) and meridional flow strength in the North Atlantic sector. Specifically, SST at cores MD-23258 and LO09-14 in the Barents Sea and Reykjanes Ridge, respectively, exhibit opposite phasing during the Holocene, due to alternating strength between the eastern and western branches of the North Atlantic Current, a major component of AMOC. Estimating the SST gradient between these sites as a proxy for poleward heat transport to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, we find a strong covariance with detrended stalagmite δ18O. This relationship suggests that persistent strengthening (weakening) of wintertime westerlies, analogous to positive (negative) phases of the AO/NAO, was forced by enhanced (reduced) poleward heat transport along the Norwegian Current. Our record complements existing reconstructions of Holocene AO/NAO variability and provides a paleoanalog for the oceanographic response to rapid melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet under modern anthropogenic warming.

Structural Features of the Western Taiwan Foreland Basin in the Eastern Taiwan Strait since Late Miocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

WANG, J. H.; Liu, C. S.; Chang, J. H.; Yang, E. Y.

2017-12-01

The western Taiwan Foreland Basin lies on the eastern part of Taiwan Strait. The structures in this region are dominated by crustal stretch and a series of flexural normal faults have been developed since Late Miocene owing to the flexural of Eurasia Plate. Through deciphering multi-channel seismic data and drilling data, these flexural features are observed in the offshore Changhua coastal area. The flexure normal faults are important features to realize structural activity in the western Taiwan Foreland Basin. Yang et al. (2016) mention that the reactivated normal faults are found north of the Zhushuixi estuary. It should be a significant issue to decipher whether these faults are still active. In this study, we have analyzed all the available seismic reflections profiles in the central part of the Taiwan Strait, and have observed many pre-Pliocene normal faults that are mainly distributed in the middle of the Taiwan Strait to Changyun Rise, and we tentatively suggest that the formation of these faults may be associated with the formation of the foreland basal unconformity. Furthermore, we will map the distribution of these normal faults and examine whether the reactivated normal faults have extended to south of the Zhushuixi estuary. Finally, we discuss the relation between the reactivated normal faults in the Taiwan Strait and those faults onshore. Key words: Multichannel seismic reflection profile, Taiwan Strait, Foreland basin, normal fault.

Late to middle Pleistocene Arctic glacial history implied from a sedimentary record from the Northwind Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Dong, L.; Shi, X.; Zhu, A.

2017-12-01

Abstract: Sediment core ARC6-C21 collected from the Northwind Ridge, western Arctic Ocean, covers the late to middle Quaternary (Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 1-11), as estimated by correlation to earlier proposed Arctic Ocean stratigraphies and AMS14C dating of the youngest sediments. Detailed examination of the elemental composition of sediment along with grain size in core ARC6-C21 provides important new information about sedimentary environments and provenance. We use increased contents of coarse debris as an indicator of glacier collapse events at the margins of the western Arctic Ocean, and identify the provenance of these events from geochemical composition. Notably, peaks of MgO and CaO, including large dropstones, presumably track the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) discharge events to the Arctic Ocean. Major LIS inputs occurred during the stratigraphic intervals estimated as MIS 3, intra-MIS 5 and 7 events, MIS 8, and MIS 10. Inputs from the East Siberian Ice Sheet (ESIS) and/or Eurasia Ice Sheet (EIS)are inferred from peaks of SiO2, K2O and Na2O associated with coarse sediment. Major ESIS and/or EIS sedimentary events occurred in the intervals estimated as MIS 2, MIS 4, MIS 6, MIS 8 and MIS 10. Keywords: Sediment core, Pleistocene, western Arctic Ocean, geochemistry, grain size, sediment provenance, glaciations

Active tectonics of the Binalud Mountains, a key puzzle segment to describe Quaternary deformations at the northeastern boundary of the Arabia-Eurasia collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabanian, Esmaeil; Bellier, Olivier; Siame, Lionel L.; Abbassi, Mohammad R.; Leanni, Laetitia; Braucher, Régis; Farbod, Yassaman; Bourlès, Didier L.

2010-05-01

In northeast Iran, the Binalud Mountains accommodate part of active convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. This fault-bounded mountain range has been considered a key region to describe Quaternary deformations at the northeastern boundary of the Arabia-Eurasia collision. But, the lack of knowledge on active faulting hampered evaluating the geological reliability of tectonic models describing the kinematics of deformation in northeast Iran. Morphotectonic investigations along both sides of the Binalud Mountains allowed us to characterize the structural and active faulting patterns along the Neyshabur and Mashhad fault systems on the southwest and northeast sides of the mountain range, respectively. We applied combined approaches of morphotectonic analyses based on satellite imageries (SPOT5 and Landsat ETM+), STRM and site-scale digital topographic data, and field surveys complemented with in situ-produced 10Be exposure dating to determine the kinematics and rate of active faulting. Three regional episodes of alluvial surface abandonments were dated at 5.3±1.1 kyr (Q1), 94±5 kyr (Q3), and 200±14 kyr (S3). The geomorphic reconstruction of both vertical and right-lateral fault offsets postdating these surface abandonment episodes yielded Quaternary fault slip rates on both sides of the Binalud Mountains. On the Neyshabur Fault System, thanks to geomorphic reconstructions of cumulative offsets recorded by Q3 fan surfaces, slip rates of 2.7±0.8 mm/yr and 2.4±0.2 mm/yr are estimated for right-lateral and reverse components of active faulting, respectively. Those indicate a total slip rate of 3.6±1.2 mm/yr for the late Quaternary deformation on the southwest flank of the Binalud Mountains. Reconstructing the cumulative right-lateral offset recorded by S3 surfaces, a middle-late Quaternary slip rate of 1.6±0.1 mm/yr is determined for the Mashhad Fault System. Altogether, our geomorphic observations reveal that, on both sides of the Binalud Mountains, the relative motion between central Iran and Eurasia is partly taken-up by dextral-reverse oblique-slip faulting along the Neyshabur and Mashhad fault systems. This faulting mechanism implies a long-term rate of ~4 mm/yr for the range-parallel strike-slip faulting, and an uplift rate of ~2.4 mm/yr due to the range-normal shortening during late Quaternary. Our data provide the first geological constraints on the rate of active faulting on both sides of the Binalud Mountains, and allow us to examine the geological reliability of preexisting tectonic models proposed to describe the kinematics of active deformation at the northeastern boundary of the Arabia-Eurasia collision. Our results favor the northward translation of central Iran with respect to Eurasia through strike-slip faulting localized along distinct crustal scale fault systems rather than systematic block rotations around vertical axes.

Crustal Seismic Structure beneath Portugal (Western Iberia) and the role of Variscan Inheritance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veludo, Idalina; Afonso Dias, Nuno; Fonseca, Paulo; Matias, Luís; Carrilho, Fernando; Haberland, Christian; Villaseñor, Antonio

2017-04-01

Mainland Portugal comprises most of the Western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, in a geodynamic setting associated with the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary. The crustal structure in Portugal is the result of a complex assemblage history of continental collision and extension with most of the surface is covered by rocks dating to the Variscan orogeny, the coastal ranges dominated by Mesozoic structures and Mesocenozoic basins covering partially the mainland. The impact and extension of this complex tectonic in the structure of the Iberian Lithosphere is still a matter of discussion, especially in its western part beneath Portugal. The existing knowledge relating the observed surface geology and lithospheric structures is sparse and sometimes incoherent, the relation between shallow and deep structures and their lateral extension still widely undetermined. Some questions still pertinent are the role and influence of the several tectonic units and their contacts in the present tectonic regime and in the stress field observed today, and the relation between the anomalous seismicity and associated crustal deformation rates with the inherited structure from past orogenies. In this study we present the results of a local earthquake tomographic study, performed to image this complex crustal structure down to 20 km depth. The relocation of the onshore seismicity recorded in the period 2000-2014 with the new 3D model allows cleansing some of the alignments and their correlation with some of the main active structures in Portugal enabling for the first time to correlate a large number of tectonic features to the small magnitude seismicity pattern. The seismicity distribution also displays a complex pattern, mainly reflecting the interaction between inherited Variscan structures with more recent fault systems created during the rifting stages of the Atlantic and diapir magmatic intrusions. The complex history of the assemblage of the crust beneath Western Iberia is well-marked in the final models. The arcuate shape of the Ibero-Armorican Arc can be perceived over the general pattern of the Vp and Vp/Vs anomalies and the heterogeneity observed on the surface geology are clearly marked in the tomograms. Other significant features are the low Vp values associated with the Mesocenozoic rocks outcropping in the Lusitanian and Algarve basins, and the low Vp and high Vp/Vs values of the sedimentary cover of the Lower-Tagus and Sado Basin. Publication supported by FCT- project UID/GEO/50019/2013 - Instituto Dom Luiz.

Chapter 5: Wolverine

Treesearch

Vivian Banci

1994-01-01

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest-bodied terrestrial mustelid. Its distribution is circumpolar; it occupies the tundra, taiga, and forest zones of North America and Eurasia (Wilson 1982). North American wolverines are considered the same species as those in Eurasia. They are usually thought of as creatures of northern wilderness and remote...

Weaning practices among pastoralists: New evidence of infant feeding patterns from Bronze Age Eurasia.

PubMed

Ventresca Miller, Alicia; Hanks, Bryan K; Judd, Margaret; Epimakhov, Andrey; Razhev, Dmitry

2017-03-01

This paper investigates infant feeding practices through stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen from Kamennyi Ambar 5, a Middle Bronze Age cemetery located in central Eurasia. The results presented are unique for the time period and region, as few cemeteries have been excavated to reveal a demographic cross-section of the population. Studies of weaning among pastoral societies are infrequent and this research adds to our knowledge of the timing, potential supplementary foods, and cessation of breastfeeding practices. Samples were collected from 41 subadults (<15 years) and 27 adults (15+ years). Isotopic reference sets from adult humans as well as faunal remains were utilized as these form the primary and complementary foods fed to infants. Slight shifts in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values revealed that weaning was a multi-stage process (breastfeeding, weaning, and complete cessation of nursing) that began at 6 months of age, occurred over several years of early childhood, and was completed by 4 years of age. Our results indicate that weaning was a multi-stage process that was unique among late prehistoric pastoralist groups in Eurasia that were dependent on milk products as a supplementary food. Our discussion centers on supporting this hypothesis with modern information on central and east Eurasian herding societies including the age at which complementary foods are introduced, the types of complementary foods, and the timing of the cessation of breastfeeding. Integral to this work is the nature of pastoral economies and their dependence on animal products, the impact of complementary foods on nutrition and health, and how milk processing may have affected nutrition content and digestibility of foods. This research on Eurasian pastoralists provides insights into the complexities of weaning among prehistoric pastoral societies as well as the potential for different complementary foods to be incorporated into infant diets in the past. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Archaic lineages broaden our view on the history of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Fulgione, Andrea; Hancock, Angela M

2018-06-04

Contents I. II. III. IV. V. References SUMMARY: Natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana has contributed to discoveries in diverse areas of plant biology. While A. thaliana has typically been considered a weed associated primarily with human-mediated environments, including agricultural and urban sites and railways, it has recently been shown that it is also native in remote natural areas, including high altitude sites in Eurasia and Africa, from the Atlas mountains in Morocco to the afro-alpine regions in Eastern and South Africa to Yunnan in China, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. This finding suggests that while A. thaliana has been extensively studied in Europe and Western Asia there are still many open questions about its population history, genotype-phenotype relationships and mechanisms of adaptation. © 2018 European Union New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

'1-Antitrypsin polymorphism and systematics of eastern North American wolves

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L.D.; Federoff, N.E.

2002-01-01

We used data on the polymorphic status of '1-antitrypsin ('1AT) to study the relationship of Minnesota wolves to the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which was thought to have evolved in Eurasia, and to red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans), which putatively evolved in North America. Recent evidence had indicated that Minnesota wolves might be more closely related to red wolves and coyotes. Samples from wild-caught Minnesota wolves and from captive wolves, at least some of which originated in Alaska and western Canada, were similarly polymorphic for '1AT, whereas coyote and red wolf samples were all monomorphic. Our findings, in conjunction with earlier results, are consistent with the Minnesota wolf being a gray wolf of Eurasian origin or possibly a hybrid between the gray wolf of Eurasian origin and the proposed North American wolf.

A Draft Sequence of the Neandertal Genome

PubMed Central

Green, Richard E.; Li, Heng; Zhai, Weiwei; Fritz, Markus Hsi-Yang; Hansen, Nancy F.; Durand, Eric Y.; Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Jensen, Jeffrey D.; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Alkan, Can; Prüfer, Kay; Meyer, Matthias; Burbano, Hernán A.; Good, Jeffrey M.; Schultz, Rigo; Aximu-Petri, Ayinuer; Butthof, Anne; Höber, Barbara; Höffner, Barbara; Siegemund, Madlen; Weihmann, Antje; Nusbaum, Chad; Lander, Eric S.; Russ, Carsten; Novod, Nathaniel; Affourtit, Jason; Egholm, Michael; Verna, Christine; Rudan, Pavao; Brajkovic, Dejana; Kucan, Željko; Gušic, Ivan; Doronichev, Vladimir B.; Golovanova, Liubov V.; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; de la Rasilla, Marco; Fortea, Javier; Rosas, Antonio; Schmitz, Ralf W.; Johnson, Philip L. F.; Eichler, Evan E.; Falush, Daniel; Birney, Ewan; Mullikin, James C.; Slatkin, Montgomery; Nielsen, Rasmus; Kelso, Janet; Lachmann, Michael; Reich, David; Pääbo, Svante

2016-01-01

Neandertals, the closest evolutionary relatives of present-day humans, lived in large parts of Europe and western Asia before disappearing 30,000 years ago. We present a draft sequence of the Neandertal genome composed of more than 4 billion nucleotides from three individuals. Comparisons of the Neandertal genome to the genomes of five present-day humans from different parts of the world identify a number of genomic regions that may have been affected by positive selection in ancestral modern humans, including genes involved in metabolism and in cognitive and skeletal development. We show that Neandertals shared more genetic variants with present-day humans in Eurasia than with present-day humans in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting that gene flow from Neandertals into the ancestors of non-Africans occurred before the divergence of Eurasian groups from each other. PMID:20448178

Risk from drought and extreme heat in Russian wheat production and its relation to atmospheric blocking and teleconnection patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannakaki, Paraskevi; Calanca, Pierluigi

2017-04-01

Russia has become one of the leading wheat exporters worldwide. Major breakdowns in Russian wheat production induced by extreme weather events are therefore of high significance not only for the domestic but also for the global market. Wheat production in south-western Russia, the main growing area, suffers in particular from the adverse effects of drought and heat waves. For this reason knowledge of the occurrence of this type of extreme events and of the processes that lead to adverse conditions is of paramount importance for risk management. The negative impacts of heat waves and drought are particularly severe when anomalous conditions persist in time. As an example, a blocking event in summer 2010 resulted in one of the warmest and worst drought conditions in Russia's recent history. The latter caused a decline in Russian wheat production by more than 30%, which in turn prompted the Russian government to issue an export ban that lasted until summer 2011. In view of this, the question of course arises of how much of the negative variations in Russian wheat production levels can be explained by blocking events and other features of the large-scale atmospheric circulation. Specific questions are: how often are blocking events over Russia associated with extreme high temperatures and dry conditions? Which of the teleconnection patterns are correlated with drought and heat stress conditions in the area? Answering these questions can contribute to a develop strategies for agricultural risk management. In this contribution we present results of a study that aims at characterizing the occurrence of adverse weather conditions in south-western Russia in relation to atmospheric blocking and teleconnection patterns such as East Atlantic/Western Russia pattern, the Polar/Eurasia pattern, the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Scandinavia pattern. The analysis relies on weather data for 1980-2014 from 130 stations distributed across the wheat production area. The account for similarities in the occurrence of extreme heat, stations are clustered according to 90th percentile of daily maximum temperature. The results indicate that adverse conditions in the area are significantly correlated with the occurrence of blocking events and with the phase of some teleconnection patterns.

Cross-hemisphere migration of a 25 g songbird

PubMed Central

Bairlein, Franz; Norris, D. Ryan; Nagel, Rolf; Bulte, Marc; Voigt, Christian C.; Fox, James W.; Hussell, David J. T.; Schmaljohann, Heiko

2012-01-01

The northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small (approx. 25 g), insectivorous migrant with one of the largest ranges of any songbird in the world, breeding from the eastern Canadian Arctic across Greenland, Eurasia and into Alaska (AK). However, there is no evidence that breeding populations in the New World have established overwintering sites in the Western Hemisphere. Using light-level geolocators, we demonstrate that individuals from these New World regions overwinter in northern sub-Sahara Africa, with Alaskan birds travelling approximately 14 500 km each way and an eastern Canadian Arctic bird crossing a wide stretch of the North Atlantic (approx. 3500 km). These remarkable journeys, particularly for a bird of this size, last between one to three months depending on breeding location and season (autumn/spring) and result in mean overall migration speeds of up to 290 km d−1. Stable-hydrogen isotope analysis of winter-grown feathers sampled from breeding birds generally support the notion that Alaskan birds overwinter primarily in eastern Africa and eastern Canadian Arctic birds overwinter mainly in western Africa. Our results provide the first evidence of a migratory songbird capable of linking African ecosystems of the Old World with Arctic regions of the New World. PMID:22337504

Mountain uplift explains differences in Palaeogene patterns of mammalian evolution and extinction between North America and Europe

PubMed Central

Eronen, Jussi T.; Janis, Christine M.; Chamberlain, C. Page; Mulch, Andreas

2015-01-01

Patterns of late Palaeogene mammalian evolution appear to be very different between Eurasia and North America. Around the Eocene–Oligocene (EO) transition global temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere plummet: following this, European mammal faunas undergo a profound extinction event (the Grande Coupure), while in North America they appear to pass through this temperature event unscathed. Here, we investigate the role of surface uplift to environmental change and mammalian evolution through the Palaeogene (66–23 Ma). Palaeogene regional surface uplift in North America caused large-scale reorganization of precipitation patterns, particularly in the continental interior, in accord with our combined stable isotope and ecometric data. Changes in mammalian faunas reflect that these were dry and high-elevation palaeoenvironments. The scenario of Middle to Late Eocene (50–37 Ma) surface uplift, together with decreasing precipitation in higher-altitude regions of western North America, explains the enigma of the apparent lack of the large-scale mammal faunal change around the EO transition that characterized western Europe. We suggest that North American mammalian faunas were already pre-adapted to cooler and drier conditions preceding the EO boundary, resulting from the effects of a protracted history of surface uplift. PMID:26041349

Cross-hemisphere migration of a 25 g songbird.

PubMed

Bairlein, Franz; Norris, D Ryan; Nagel, Rolf; Bulte, Marc; Voigt, Christian C; Fox, James W; Hussell, David J T; Schmaljohann, Heiko

2012-08-23

The northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small (approx. 25 g), insectivorous migrant with one of the largest ranges of any songbird in the world, breeding from the eastern Canadian Arctic across Greenland, Eurasia and into Alaska (AK). However, there is no evidence that breeding populations in the New World have established overwintering sites in the Western Hemisphere. Using light-level geolocators, we demonstrate that individuals from these New World regions overwinter in northern sub-Sahara Africa, with Alaskan birds travelling approximately 14 500 km each way and an eastern Canadian Arctic bird crossing a wide stretch of the North Atlantic (approx. 3500 km). These remarkable journeys, particularly for a bird of this size, last between one to three months depending on breeding location and season (autumn/spring) and result in mean overall migration speeds of up to 290 km d(-1). Stable-hydrogen isotope analysis of winter-grown feathers sampled from breeding birds generally support the notion that Alaskan birds overwinter primarily in eastern Africa and eastern Canadian Arctic birds overwinter mainly in western Africa. Our results provide the first evidence of a migratory songbird capable of linking African ecosystems of the Old World with Arctic regions of the New World.

Active folding and thrusting in North Africa: A framework for a seismotectonic model of the Atlas Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meghraoui, Mustapha; Maouche, Said; Timoulali, Youssef; Bouhadad, Youcef; Bouaziz, Samir

2013-04-01

Large earthquakes in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa are often generated on thrust or reverse faults. For inland faults, surface ruptures and long-term active tectonics appear as a thrust escarpment and fold-related faulting visible in the field and using remote sensing images, or measured using space-borne geodesy (GPS or INSAR). For coastal faults, major uplifts of late Quaternary marine terraces and folding with steplike morphology are exposed indicating the incremental development of coastal active deformation. We have investigated the similarities and differences between different active fault-related folding along the Africa - Eurasia convergent plate boundary. These active structures are seismogenic and the striking case studies are the 1960 Agadir (Mw 5.9), the 1954 Orleansville (Mw 6.7), the 1980 El Asnam (Mw 7.3), the 1992 Gafsa (Mw 5.3), the 1999 Ain Temouchent (Mw 6.0), and the 2003 Zemmouri (Mw 6.8) earthquakes. From paleoseismic investigations the El Asnam active fold shows 0.6 to 1.0 mm/yr uplift rate. West of Algiers on the Sahel anticline, the levelling of uplifted successive coastal benches and notches document the incremental folding uplift with ~ 0.84 - 1.2 mm/yr uplift rate in the last 120-140 ka. The relatively fast folding growth during late Pleistocene and Holocene in the Atlas Mountains attests for the significance of earthquake activity and the importance of convergent movements between Africa and Eurasia in the Western Mediterranean. This work is prepared in the framework of the UNESCO (SIDA) - IGCP Project 601 "Seismotectonics and Seismic Hazards in Africa".

Characteristics of Eurasian snowmelt and its impacts on the land surface and surface climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Kunhui; Lau, Ngar-Cheung

2018-03-01

The local hydrological and climatic impacts of Eurasian snowmelt are studied using advanced land surface and atmospheric data. It is found that intense melting of snow is located at mid-high latitudes in April and May. Snowmelt plays an important role in determining the seasonal cycles of surface runoff and soil moisture (SM). Specifically, melting is accompanied by sharp responses in surface runoff and surface SM while the impacts are delayed for deeper-layer of soil. This is particularly significant in the western sector of Eurasia. On interannual timescales, the responses of various surface parameters to snowmelt in the same month are rather significant. However, the persistence of surface SM anomalies is weak due to the strong soil evaporation anomalies and surplus of surface energy for evaporation. Strong impacts on the sensible heat flux, planetary boundary layer height and precipitation in the next month following the melting of snow are identified in west Russia and Siberia. Downward propagation of surface SM anomalies is observed and a positive evaporation-convection feedback is identified in west Russia. However, the subsequent impacts on the local convective precipitation in late spring-summer and its contribution to the total precipitation are seemingly weak. The atmospheric water vapor convergence has strong control over the total precipitation anomalies. Overall, snowmelt-produced SM anomalies are not found to significantly impact the late spring-summer local climate anomalies in Northern Eurasia. Therefore, the delayed remote-responses of atmospheric circulation and climate to the melting of Eurasian snow may be only possible near the melting period.

Changes in snow cover over Northern Eurasia in the last few decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulygina, O. N.; Razuvaev, V. N.; Korshunova, N. N.

2009-10-01

Daily snow depth (SD) and snow cover extent around 820 stations are used to analyse variations in snow cover characteristics in Northern Eurasia, a region that encompasses the Russian Federation. These analyses employ nearly five times more stations than in the previous studies and temporally span forty years. A representative judgement on the changes of snow depth over most of Russia is presented here for the first time. The number of days with greater than 50% of the near-station territory covered with snow, and the number of days with the snow depth greater than 1.0 cm, are used to characterize the duration of snow cover (SCD) season. Linear trends of the number of days and snow depth are calculated for each station from 1966 to 2007. This investigation reveals regional features in the change of snow cover characteristics. A decrease in the duration of snow cover is demonstrated in the northern regions of European Russia and in the mountainous regions of southern Siberia. An increase in SCD is found in Yakutia and in the Far East. In the western half of the Russian Federation, the winter-averaged SD is shown to increase, with the maximum trends being observed in Northern West Siberia. In contrast, in the mountainous regions of southern Siberia, the maximum SD decreases as the SCD decreases. While both snow cover characteristics (SCD and SD) play an important role in the hydrological cycle, ecosystems dynamics and societal wellbeing are quite different roles and the differences in their systematic changes (up to differences in the signs of changes) deserve further attention.

Neotectonic Deformation in Central Eurasia: A Geodynamic Model Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tunini, Lavinia; Jiménez-Munt, Ivone; Fernandez, Manel; Vergés, Jaume; Bird, Peter

2017-11-01

Central Eurasia hosts wide orogenic belts of collision between India and Arabia with Eurasia, with diffuse or localized deformation occurring up to hundreds of kilometers from the primary plate boundaries. Although numerous studies have investigated the neotectonic deformation in central Eurasia, most of them have focused on limited segments of the orogenic systems. Here we explore the neotectonic deformation of all of central Eurasia, including both collision zones and the links between them. We use a thin-spherical sheet approach in which lithosphere strength is calculated from lithosphere structure and its thermal regime. We investigate the contributions of variations in lithospheric structure, rheology, boundary conditions, and fault friction coefficients on the predicted velocity and stress fields. Results (deformation pattern, surface velocities, tectonic stresses, and slip rates on faults) are constrained by independent observations of tectonic regime, GPS, and stress data. Our model predictions reproduce the counterclockwise rotation of Arabia and Iran, the westward escape of Anatolia, and the eastward extrusion of the northern Tibetan Plateau. To simulate the observed extensional faults in the Tibetan Plateau, a weaker lithosphere is required, provided by a change in the rheological parameters. The southward movement of the SE Tibetan Plateau can be explained by the combined effects of the Sumatra trench retreat, a thinner lithospheric mantle, and strik-slip faults in the region. This study offers a comprehensive model for regions with little or no data coverage, like the Arabia-India intercollision zone, where the surface velocity is northward showing no deflection related to Arabia and India indentations.

A proboscidean from the late Oligocene of Eritrea, a "missing link" between early Elephantiformes and Elephantimorpha, and biogeographic implications.

PubMed

Shoshani, Jeheskel; Walter, Robert C; Abraha, Michael; Berhe, Seife; Tassy, Pascal; Sanders, William J; Marchant, Gary H; Libsekal, Yosief; Ghirmai, Tesfalidet; Zinner, Dietmar

2006-11-14

We report on a late Oligocene proboscidean species from Eritrea, dated to 26.8 +/- 1.5 Mya. This "missing link" between early elephantiformes and Elephantimorpha is the oldest known nongomphothere proboscidean to probably display horizontal tooth displacement, typical of elephants [Elephantimorpha consists of Mammutida (mastodons) and Elephantida, and Elephantida includes gomphotheres, stegodons, and elephants]. Together with the newly discovered late Oligocene gomphotheres from Chilga, Ethiopia, the Eritrean taxon points to the importance of East Africa as a major area for the knowledge of the early evolution of Elephantimorpha before the faunal exchange between Eurasia and Africa.

Wildfires in northern Eurasia affect the budget of black carbon in the Arctic - a 12-year retrospective synopsis (2002-2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangeliou, N.; Balkanski, Y.; Hao, W. M.; Petkov, A.; Silverstein, R. P.; Corley, R.; Nordgren, B. L.; Urbanski, S. P.; Eckhardt, S.; Stohl, A.; Tunved, P.; Crepinsek, S.; Jefferson, A.; Sharma, S.; Nøjgaard, J. K.; Skov, H.

2016-06-01

In recent decades much attention has been given to the Arctic environment, where climate change is happening rapidly. Black carbon (BC) has been shown to be a major component of Arctic pollution that also affects the radiative balance. In the present study, we focused on how vegetation fires that occurred in northern Eurasia during the period of 2002-2013 influenced the budget of BC in the Arctic. For simulating the transport of fire emissions from northern Eurasia to the Arctic, we adopted BC fire emission estimates developed independently by GFED3 (Global Fire Emissions Database) and FEI-NE (Fire Emission Inventory - northern Eurasia). Both datasets were based on fire locations and burned areas detected by MODIS (Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instruments on NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Terra and Aqua satellites. Anthropogenic sources of BC were adopted from the MACCity (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate and megacity Zoom for the Environment) emission inventory.During the 12-year period, an average area of 250 000 km2 yr-1 was burned in northern Eurasia (FEI-NE) and the global emissions of BC ranged between 8.0 and 9.5 Tg yr-1 (FEI-NE+MACCity). For the BC emitted in the Northern Hemisphere (based on FEI-NE+MACCity), about 70 % originated from anthropogenic sources and the rest from biomass burning (BB). Using the FEI-NE+MACCity inventory, we found that 102 ± 29 kt yr-1 BC was deposited in the Arctic (defined here as the area north of 67° N) during the 12 years simulated, which was twice as much as when using the MACCity inventory (56 ± 8 kt yr-1). The annual mass of BC deposited in the Arctic from all sources (FEI-NE in northern Eurasia, MACCity elsewhere) is significantly higher by about 37 % in 2009 (78 vs. 57 kt yr-1) to 181 % in 2012 (153 vs. 54 kt yr-1), compared to the BC deposited using just the MACCity emission inventory. Deposition of BC in the Arctic from BB sources in the Northern Hemisphere thus represents 68 % of the BC deposited from all BC sources (the remaining being due to anthropogenic sources). Northern Eurasian vegetation fires (FEI-NE) contributed 85 % (79-91 %) to the BC deposited over the Arctic from all BB sources in the Northern Hemisphere.We estimate that about 46 % of the BC deposited over the Arctic from vegetation fires in northern Eurasia originated from Siberia, 6 % from Kazakhstan, 5 % from Europe, and about 1 % from Mongolia. The remaining 42 % originated from other areas in northern Eurasia. About 42 % of the BC released from northern Eurasian vegetation fires was deposited over the Arctic (annual average: 17 %) during spring and summer.

Ecology of influenza A and Newcastle disease viruses in wild birds and poultry in Eastern Siberia (2012-2014)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Russian Territory covering a large part of Northern Eurasia is of special interest for influenza virus ecology and evolution, for it is situated in the center of Eurasia and covers three major migration routes, combining bird populations from Asia, Africa, and Europe. During surveillance for av...

Why is Taeniatherum caput-medusae (medusahead) Invasive in North America and not in its Native Eurasia?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Taeniatherum caput-medusae (medusahead) is an exotic annual grass introduced to North America in 1887 that has since invaded an estimated four million ha of rangelands. Contrary, in its native ranges of Eurasia, T. caput-medusae is not considered to be invasive. Why is it that T. caput-medusae expre...

The Development and Implementation of a Global Network for Eurasia Educational Service Using Electronic Mail.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Algee, Alan

The purpose of this study was to choose an appropriate network provider for educational consultants and to develop and implement the network at Eurasia Educational Services (EES) using electronic mail (e-mail). The following eight steps were undertaken: literature review, scanning and selecting of provider criteria, decision-making, participant…

Daily fire occurrence in northern Eurasia from 2002 to 2009

Treesearch

W. M. Hao; H. M. Eissinger; A. Petkov; B. L. Nordgren; Shawn Urbanski

2010-01-01

Northern Eurasia, covering 20% of the global land mass and containing 70% of boreal forest, is extremely sensitive to climate changes. Warmer temperatures in this region have led to less snowfall, earlier spring, longer growing season, and reduced moisture for soil and vegetation in summer. Recently, severe drought and record high temperatures caused catastrophic fires...

"Feed from the Service": Corruption and Coercion in the State--University Relations in Central Eurasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osipian, Ararat L.

2007-01-01

Education in Central Eurasia has become one of the industries, most affected by corruption. Corruption in academia, including bribery, extortions, embezzlement, nepotism, fraud, cheating, and plagiarism, is reflected in the region's media and addressed in few scholarly works. This paper considers corruption in higher education as a product of…

"Feed from the Service": Corruption and Coercion in State-University Relations in Central Eurasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osipian, Ararat L.

2009-01-01

Education in Central Eurasia has become one of the services most affected by corruption. Corruption in academia, including bribery, extortion, embezzlement, nepotism, fraud, cheating, and plagiarism, is reflected in the region's media and addressed in a few scholarly works. This article considers corruption in higher education as a product of…

A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, Eurasia, and Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincent, S.; Strange, W. E.

1972-01-01

A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, the North Atlantic, Eurasia, and Australia computed from a combination of satellite-derived and surface 1 x 1 gravity data, is presented. Using a consistent set of parameters, this geoid is referenced to an absolute datum. The precision of this detailed geoid is + or - 2 meters in the continents but may be in the range of 5 to 7 meters in those areas where data was sparse. Comparisons of the detailed gravimetric geoid with results of Rice for the United States, Bomford and Fischer in Eurasia, and Mather in Australia are presented. Comparisons are also presented with geoid heights from satellite solutions for geocentric station coordinates in North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Australia.

Uninvited Guests: Traditional Insect Repellents in Estonia used Against the Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, Human Flea Pulex irritons and Bedbug Cimex lectularius

PubMed Central

Sõukand, Renata; Kalle, Raivo; Svanberg, Ingvar

2010-01-01

Extensive folklore records from pre-modern Estonia give us an excellent opportunity to study a variety of local plant knowledge and plant use among the peasantry in various parts of the country. One important biocultural domain where plant knowledge has been crucial was in the various methods of combating different ectoparasites that cohabited and coexisted with humans and their domestic animals. Some of these methods were widely known (world-wide, Eurasia, Europe, Baltic Rim), while others were more local. Here we discuss ways of reducing clothes moths Tineola bisselliella (Hummel) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), human fleas Pulex irritons L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and bedbugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) with the help of plants. Various taxa used as traditional repellents have been identified. The use of plants as repellents and their toxic principles are also discussed from a comparative perspective. PMID:21070174

Uninvited guests: traditional insect repellents in Estonia used against the clothes moth Tineola bisselliella, human flea Pulex irritons and bedbug Cimex lectularius.

PubMed

Sõukand, Renata; Kalle, Raivo; Svanberg, Ingvar

2010-01-01

Extensive folklore records from pre-modern Estonia give us an excellent opportunity to study a variety of local plant knowledge and plant use among the peasantry in various parts of the country. One important biocultural domain where plant knowledge has been crucial was in the various methods of combating different ectoparasites that cohabited and coexisted with humans and their domestic animals. Some of these methods were widely known (world-wide, Eurasia, Europe, Baltic Rim), while others were more local. Here we discuss ways of reducing clothes moths Tineola bisselliella (Hummel) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), human fleas Pulex irritons L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and bedbugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) with the help of plants. Various taxa used as traditional repellents have been identified. The use of plants as repellents and their toxic principles are also discussed from a comparative perspective.

Travelling Theory: Western Knowledge and Its Indian Object

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seth, Sanjay

2011-01-01

From the 1830s the colonial government in India became the agency for the promotion of "Western education", that is, education that sought to disseminate modern, Western, rational knowledge through modern institutions and pedagogic processes. This paper examines a historical episode in which certain key categories of modern Western…

Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene Climate Change Linked to Tectonic Eevolution of Neo-Tethyan Subduction Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagoutz, O. E.; Royden, L.; Macdonald, F. A.

2015-12-01

In this presentation we demonstrate that the two tectonic events in the late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary triggered the two distinct cooling events that followed the Cretaceous Thermal Maximum (CTM). During much of the Cretaceous time, the northern Neo Tethyan ocean was dominated by two east-west striking subduction system. Subduction underneath Eurasia formed a continental arc on the southern margin of Eurasia and intra oceanic subduction in the equatorial region of the Neo Tethys formed and intra oceanic arc. Beginning at ~85-90 Ma the western part of the TTSS collided southward with the Afro-Arabian continental margin, terminating subduction. This resulted in southward obduction of the peri-Arabian ophiolite belt, which extends for ~4000 km along strike and includes the Cypus, Semail and Zagros ophiolites. At the same time also the eastern part of the TTS collided northwards wit Eurasia. After this collisional event, only the central part of the subduction system remained active until it collided with the northern margin of the Indian continent at ~50-55 Ma. The collision of the arc with the Indian margin, over a length of ~3000 km, also resulted in the obduction of arc material and ophiolitic rocks. Remnants of these rocks are preserved today as the Kohistan-Ladakh arc and ophiolites of the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone of the Himalayas. Both of these collision events occurred in the equatorial region, near or within the ITCZ, where chemical weathering rates are high and are contemporaneous with the onset of the global cooling events that mark the end of the CTM and the EECO. The tectonic collision events resulted in a shut down of subduction zone magmatism, a major CO2 source and emplacement of highly weatherable basaltic rocks within the ITCZ (CO2 sink). In order to explore the effect of the events in the TTSS on atmospheric CO2, we model the potential contribution of subduction zone volcanism (source) and ophiolite obduction (sink) to the global atmospheric CO2 budget. Our results show that the global ocean bottom water temperature are highly correlated with CO2 variation modeled due to the arc-continent collisions along the TTSS. Our results show that global climate in the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene have likely been strongly changed due to the tectonic evolution of the Neo-Tethys.

Science, Metaphoric Meaning, and Indigenous Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Frank

2009-01-01

Western cultural approaches to teaching science have excluded Indigenous knowledges and culturally favored many non-Aboriginal science students. By asking the question "What connections exist between Western science and Indigenous knowledge?" elements of epistemological (how do we determine what is real?) and ontological (what is real?)…

Effects of rheology, composition and surface erosion during collision of India and Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tympel, Jens; Schröder, Sarah; Sobolev, Stephan

2013-04-01

The collision of northward moving Indian and relatively stationary Eurasian tectonic plate, ongoing since around 55Ma, has created the Himalayan orogen. Lying on the western syntaxis of Himalaya, the Pamir-Hindu Kush is well known for being the locus of enigmatic intermediate depth seismicity and large Gneiss domes. Although the Pamirs and Tibet are belonging to the same collision zone, the former one has been subjected to extreme Cenozoic shortening, with the strains by more than 2 times higher than in Tibet. As members of the TIen Shan - PAmir GEodynamic program (TIPAGE), our aim is to find lithospheric scale models and controlling factors consistent with all major geodynamic observations, e.g. timing of uplift events of the Tien Shan and the occurrence of anomalous high temperatures below the Pamirs. Furthermore the amount of northward Indian unterthrusting, as well the existence of southward dipping Tadjik-micro-plate below the Pamirs needed to be explained. Since lithosphere exhibits elastic, brittle and viscous properties, highly sophisticated numerical tools are necessary to explain these diverse effects. For this purpose we employ the Finite Element code SLIM3D/2D developed in our group in Potsdam, additionally equipped by routines modeling phase transformations in the crustal rocks and surface erosion and sedimentation routines. We run several N-S oriented 2D cross section models, studying the influence of rheological and compositional parameters, e.g. friction of the Indian/Eurasian plate interface, the Eurasian lithospheric strength south of Tadjik and the thickness of Tadjik strong lithosphere inclusion. Our models are starting at 60 Ma and incorporate part of Neo-Thetys, cratonic India and Greater India extension as well as Eurasia. Inside Eurasia we place a single heterogeneity, the Tadjik-micro-plate. Our model reproduce well present day lithospheric structure, high surface heat flow and surface topography as well as timing of deformation if the following key conditions are met: 1) The friction of the India-Eurasia interface must have been much lower then 0.1, (similar to San Andreas Fault System), but higher than 0.02 (similar to a weak subduction zone). The most appropriate values are lying between 0.04 and 0.06, similar to the Nazca - subduction in central Andes. 2) Mantle lithosphere delamination was triggered by eclogitization of Eurasian crust and enforced by rather thin initial lithosphere south of Tadjik (<120 km). 3) Strength of the Tadjik micro plate was much larger than strength of the rest of the Asian lithosphere but also weaker than the Tarim micro plate. Therefore in contrast to the lithosphere of Tarim, the lithosphere of Tajik has failed and underthrusted southward. 4) Surface erosion that is necessary to get a steep topography gradient at the Himalayan front. This can be accomplished by a high precipitation rate and an orographic barrier at around 5 km.

Dispersals of Hyoscyameae and Mandragoreae (Solanaceae) from the New World to Eurasia in the early Miocene and their biogeographic diversification within Eurasia.

PubMed

Tu, Tieyao; Volis, Sergei; Dillon, Michael O; Sun, Hang; Wen, Jun

2010-12-01

The cosmopolitan Solanaceae contains 21 tribes and has the greatest diversity in South America. Hyoscyameae and Mandragoreae are the only tribes of this family distributed exclusively in Eurasia with two centers of diversity: the Mediterranean-Turanian (MT) region and the Tibetan Plateau (TP). In this study, we examined the origins and biogeographical diversifications of the two tribes based on the phylogenetic framework and chronogram inferred from a combined data set of six plastid DNA regions (the atpB gene, the ndhF gene, the rps16-trnK intergenic spacer, the rbcL gene, the trnC-psbM region and the psbA-trnH intergenic spacer) with two fossil calibration points. Our data suggest that Hyoscyameae and Mandragoreae each forms a monophyletic group independently derived from different New World lineages in the early Miocene. Phylogenetic relationships within both tribes are generally well resolved. All genera of Hyoscyameae are found to be monophyletic and they diversified in middle to late Miocene. At nearly the same time, Mandragoreae split into two clades, corresponding to the MT region and the TP region, respectively. Both the phylogenetic relationships and the estimated ages of Hyoscyameae and Mandragoreae support two independent dispersal events of their ancestors from the New World into Eurasia. After their arrivals in Eurasia, the two tribes diversified primarily in the MT region and in the TP region via multiple biogeographic processes including vicariance, dispersal, recolonization or being preserved as relicts, from the mid Miocene to the late Quaternary. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Arctic sea ice loss and recent extreme cold winter in Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Masato; Watanabe, Masahiro; Ishii, Masayoshi; Kimoto, Masahide

2014-05-01

Extreme cold winter over the Eurasia has occurred more frequently in recent years. Observational evidence in recent studies shows that the wintertime cold anomalies over the Eurasia are associated with decline of Arctic sea ice in preceding autumn to winter season. However, the tropical and/or mid-latitude sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies have great influence on the mid- and high-latitude atmospheric variability, it is difficult to isolate completely the impacts of sea ice change from observational data. In this study, we examine possible linkage between the Arctic sea ice loss and the extreme cold winter over the Eurasia using a state-of-the-art MIROC4 (T106L56) atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) to assess the pure atmospheric responses to sea ice reduction. We perform two sets of experiments with different realistic sea ice boundary conditions calculated by composite of observed sea ice concentration; one is reduced sea ice extent case (referred to as LICE run) and another is enhanced case (HICE run). In both experiments, the model is integrated 6-month from September to February with 100-member ensemble under the climatological SST boundary condition. The difference in ensemble mean of each experiment (LICE minus HICE) shows cold anomalies over the Eurasia in winter and its spatial pattern is very similar to corresponding observation, though the magnitude is smaller than observation. This result indicates that a part of observed cold anomaly can be attributed to the Arctic sea ice loss. We would like to introduce more important results and mechanisms in detail in my presentation.

Probabilistic projections of 21st century climate change over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, E.; Sokolov, A. P.; Schlosser, C. A.; Scott, J. R.; Gao, X.

2013-12-01

We present probabilistic projections of 21st century climate change over Northern Eurasia using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Integrated Global System Model (IGSM), an integrated assessment model that couples an earth system model of intermediate complexity, with a two-dimensional zonal-mean atmosphere, to a human activity model. Regional climate change is obtained by two downscaling methods: a dynamical downscaling, where the IGSM is linked to a three dimensional atmospheric model; and a statistical downscaling, where a pattern scaling algorithm uses climate-change patterns from 17 climate models. This framework allows for key sources of uncertainty in future projections of regional climate change to be accounted for: emissions projections; climate system parameters (climate sensitivity, strength of aerosol forcing and ocean heat uptake rate); natural variability; and structural uncertainty. Results show that the choice of climate policy and the climate parameters are the largest drivers of uncertainty. We also nd that dierent initial conditions lead to dierences in patterns of change as large as when using different climate models. Finally, this analysis reveals the wide range of possible climate change over Northern Eurasia, emphasizing the need to consider all sources of uncertainty when modeling climate impacts over Northern Eurasia.

Probabilistic projections of 21st century climate change over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, Erwan; Sokolov, Andrei; Schlosser, Adam; Scott, Jeffery; Gao, Xiang

2013-12-01

We present probabilistic projections of 21st century climate change over Northern Eurasia using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Integrated Global System Model (IGSM), an integrated assessment model that couples an Earth system model of intermediate complexity with a two-dimensional zonal-mean atmosphere to a human activity model. Regional climate change is obtained by two downscaling methods: a dynamical downscaling, where the IGSM is linked to a three-dimensional atmospheric model, and a statistical downscaling, where a pattern scaling algorithm uses climate change patterns from 17 climate models. This framework allows for four major sources of uncertainty in future projections of regional climate change to be accounted for: emissions projections, climate system parameters (climate sensitivity, strength of aerosol forcing and ocean heat uptake rate), natural variability, and structural uncertainty. The results show that the choice of climate policy and the climate parameters are the largest drivers of uncertainty. We also find that different initial conditions lead to differences in patterns of change as large as when using different climate models. Finally, this analysis reveals the wide range of possible climate change over Northern Eurasia, emphasizing the need to consider these sources of uncertainty when modeling climate impacts over Northern Eurasia.

Gravity-Driven Deposits in an Active Margin (Ionian Sea) Over the Last 330,000 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köng, Eléonore; Zaragosi, Sébastien; Schneider, Jean-Luc; Garlan, Thierry; Bachèlery, Patrick; Sabine, Marjolaine; San Pedro, Laurine

2017-11-01

In the Ionian Sea, the subduction of the Nubia plate underneath the Eurasia plate leads to an important sediment remobilization on the Calabrian Arc and the Mediterranean Ridge. These events are often associated with earthquakes and tsunamis. In this study, we analyze gravity-driven deposits in order to establish their recurrence time on the Calabrian Arc and the western Mediterranean Ridge. Four gravity cores collected on ridges and slope basins of accretionary prisms record turbidites, megaturbidites, slumping and micro-faults over the last 330,000 years. These turbidites were dated by correlation with a hemipelagic core with a multi-proxy approach: radiometric dating, δ18O, b* colour curve, sapropels and tephrochronology. The origin of the gravity-driven deposits was studied with a sedimentary approach: grain-size, lithology, thin section, geochemistry of volcanic glass. The results suggest three periods of presence/absence of gravity-driven deposits: a first on the western lobe of the Calabrian Arc between 330,000 and 250,000 years, a second between 120,000 years and present day on the eastern lobe of the Calabrian Arc and over the last 60,000 years on the western lobe, and a third on the Mediterranean Ridge over the last 37,000 years. Return times for gravity-driven deposits are around 1,000 years during the most important record periods. The turbidite activity also highlights the presence of volcaniclastic turbidites that seems to be link to the Etna changing morphology over the last 320,000 years.

Retrodeforming the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone : Age of collision and magnitude of continental subduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McQuarrie, N.; van Hinsbergen, D. J. J.

2012-04-01

When did continents collide, and how is convergence partitioned after collision are first order questions that seem to defy consensus along the Alpine-Himalyan orogen. Estimates on the age of collision for Arabia and Eurasia range from late Cretaceous to Pliocene, based on a wide variety of presumed geologic responses. Both lower Miocene synorgenic strata with growth structures adjacent to the main Zagros fault and upper Oligocene to lower Miocene overlap strata over post-collisional thrusts are derived from Eurasia and require that collision was underway at least by ~25-24 Ma. However, upper plate deformation, exhumation and sedimentation are used to argue for an older, 35 Ma collision age. Africa-North America-Eurasia plate circuit rotations, combined with Red Sea rotations provides precise estimates of the relative positions between the northern Arabian margin and the southern Eurasia margin. Plate circuits indicate, from NW to SE along the collision zone 490-650 km of post-25 Ma Arabia-Eurasia convergence and 810-1070 km since 35 Ma. To assess the consequences of these collision ages for the amount of Arabian continental subduction, we compile all documented shortening within the orogen. The Zagros fold-thrust belt consists of thrusted upper crust that was offscraped from subducted Arabian continental lithosphere. Balanced cross-sections give 105-180 km of Zagros shortening (including estimates from the Zagros proper, 45-90 km, and the Zagros "crush" zone, 60-90 km). Shortening within Eurasia is estimated to be 53-75 km through the Kopet Dagh and Alborz Mountains, plus 38 km across Central Iran. These estimates suggest that the orogen has shortened 200 to 300 km since the early Miocene. Both a 25 and a 35 Ma collision estimate thus requires that a considerable portion of the Arabian plate subducted without recognized accretion of its upper crust. To balance plate circuits and documented shortening requires whole-sale subduction of ~500-800 km of continental crust since 35 Ma; for a 25 Ma collision this would be between 190-450 km. The ophiolitic fragments preserved along the suture zone allow us to test the magnitude of possible continental subduction. The Oman Ophiolite preserves the geometry and distance over which ophiolites obduced over the northern margin of Arabia in the late Cretaceous. The distance from the southwestern edge of the ophiolite to the northeastern edge of the continent is 180 km, suggesting that the Arabian continental margin plus overlying ophiolites may have extended ~200 km beyond the Main Zagros fault. Assuming that 200 km of Arabian continental margin and overlying ophiolites subducted entirely, except the few remnant ophiolite slivers remaining in the suture zone, would reconstruct ~ 400-500 km of post-collisional Arabia-Eurasia convergence, consistent with a ~25 Ma collision age. As much as 500-800 km of continental subduction required by an earlier (~35 Ma) collision age seems unlikely.

Presumed Symbolic Use of Diurnal Raptors by Neanderthals

PubMed Central

Morin, Eugène; Laroulandie, Véronique

2012-01-01

In Africa and western Eurasia, occurrences of burials and utilized ocher fragments during the late Middle and early Late Pleistocene are often considered evidence for the emergence of symbolically-mediated behavior. Perhaps less controversial for the study of human cognitive evolution are finds of marine shell beads and complex designs on organic and mineral artifacts in early modern human (EMH) assemblages conservatively dated to ≈100–60 kilo-years (ka) ago. Here we show that, in France, Neanderthals used skeletal parts of large diurnal raptors presumably for symbolic purposes at Combe-Grenal in a layer dated to marine isotope stage (MIS) 5b (≈90 ka) and at Les Fieux in stratigraphic units dated to the early/middle phase of MIS 3 (60–40 ka). The presence of similar objects in other Middle Paleolithic contexts in France and Italy suggest that raptors were used as means of symbolic expression by Neanderthals in these regions. PMID:22403717

Presumed symbolic use of diurnal raptors by Neanderthals.

PubMed

Morin, Eugène; Laroulandie, Véronique

2012-01-01

In Africa and western Eurasia, occurrences of burials and utilized ocher fragments during the late Middle and early Late Pleistocene are often considered evidence for the emergence of symbolically-mediated behavior. Perhaps less controversial for the study of human cognitive evolution are finds of marine shell beads and complex designs on organic and mineral artifacts in early modern human (EMH) assemblages conservatively dated to ≈ 100-60 kilo-years (ka) ago. Here we show that, in France, Neanderthals used skeletal parts of large diurnal raptors presumably for symbolic purposes at Combe-Grenal in a layer dated to marine isotope stage (MIS) 5b (≈ 90 ka) and at Les Fieux in stratigraphic units dated to the early/middle phase of MIS 3 (60-40 ka). The presence of similar objects in other Middle Paleolithic contexts in France and Italy suggest that raptors were used as means of symbolic expression by Neanderthals in these regions.

Mathematical accuracy of Aztec land surveys assessed from records in the Codex Vergara

PubMed Central

Williams, Barbara J.; Garza-Hume, C. E.; Olvera, Arturo

2011-01-01

Land surveying in ancient states is documented not only for Eurasia but also for the Americas, amply attested by two Acolhua–Aztec pictorial manuscripts from the Valley of Mexico. The Codex Vergara and the Códice de Santa María Asunción consist of hundreds of drawings of agricultural fields that uniquely record surface areas as well as perimeter measurements. A previous study of the Codex Vergara examines how Acolhua–Aztecs determined field area by reconstructing their calculation procedures. Here we evaluate the accuracy of their area values using modern mathematics. The findings verify the overall mathematical validity of the codex records. Three-quarters of the areas are within 5% of the maximum possible value, and 85% are within 10%, which compares well with reported errors by Western surveyors that postdate Aztec–Acolhua work by several centuries. PMID:21876138

Mathematical accuracy of Aztec land surveys assessed from records in the Codex Vergara.

PubMed

Jorge, María del Carmen; Williams, Barbara J; Garza-Hume, C E; Olvera, Arturo

2011-09-13

Land surveying in ancient states is documented not only for Eurasia but also for the Americas, amply attested by two Acolhua-Aztec pictorial manuscripts from the Valley of Mexico. The Codex Vergara and the Códice de Santa María Asunción consist of hundreds of drawings of agricultural fields that uniquely record surface areas as well as perimeter measurements. A previous study of the Codex Vergara examines how Acolhua-Aztecs determined field area by reconstructing their calculation procedures. Here we evaluate the accuracy of their area values using modern mathematics. The findings verify the overall mathematical validity of the codex records. Three-quarters of the areas are within 5% of the maximum possible value, and 85% are within 10%, which compares well with reported errors by Western surveyors that postdate Aztec-Acolhua work by several centuries.

Alpha1-antitrypsin polymorphism and systematics of eastern North American wolves

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L. David; Federoff, Nicholas E.

2002-01-01

We used data on the polymorphic status of α1-antitrypsin (α1AT) to study the relationship of Minnesota wolves to the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which was thought to have evolved in Eurasia, and to red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans), which putatively evolved in North America. Recent evidence had indicated that Minnesota wolves might be more closely related to red wolves and coyotes. Samples from wild-caught Minnesota wolves and from captive wolves, at least some of which originated in Alaska and western Canada, were similarly polymorphic for α1AT, whereas coyote and red wolf samples were all monomorphic. Our findings, in conjunction with earlier results, are consistent with the Minnesota wolf being a gray wolf of Eurasian origin or possibly a hybrid between the gray wolf of Eurasian origin and the proposed North American wolf.

Weekly cycles of formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere over Northern Eurasia: anthropogenic or natural?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitnov, S. I.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-11-01

Using data from the OMI (Aura) satellite instrument, the weekly cycles in the regional atmospheric contents of formaldehyde (CH2O) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over European Russia (ER) and Western Siberia (WS) are investigated. The weekly signals in the regional CH2O content are found to be in the opposite phase over ER and WS, but in phase with the weekly signals in the regional surface temperatures in the corresponding regions. Contrary with CH2O, the weekly signals in the regional NO2 content over ER and WS are in phase, manifesting themselves as the "weekend effects" with minima on Sunday and maxima on weekdays. The antiphase weekly signals in the regional CH2O contents over ER and WS can be associated with the dependence of biogenic isoprene emission on the regional surface temperature, influenced by the long Rossby-type waves.

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge with western science for optimal natural resource management

Treesearch

Serra J. Hoagland

2017-01-01

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has been recognized within indigenous communities for millennia; however, traditional ecological knowledge has received growing attention within the western science (WS) paradigm over the past twenty-five years. Federal agencies, national organizations, and university programs dedicated to natural resource management are beginning...

Archaeological support for the three-stage expansion of modern humans across northeastern Eurasia and into the Americas.

PubMed

Hamilton, Marcus J; Buchanan, Briggs

2010-08-30

Understanding the dynamics of the human range expansion across northeastern Eurasia during the late Pleistocene is central to establishing empirical temporal constraints on the colonization of the Americas. Opinions vary widely on how and when the Americas were colonized, with advocates supporting either a pre- or post- last glacial maximum (LGM) colonization, via either a land bridge across Beringia, a sea-faring Pacific Rim coastal route, a trans-Arctic route, or a trans-Atlantic oceanic route. Here we analyze a large sample of radiocarbon dates from the northeast Eurasian Upper Paleolithic to identify the origin of this expansion, and estimate the velocity of colonization wave as it moved across northern Eurasia and into the Americas. We use diffusion models to quantify these dynamics. Our results show the expansion originated in the Altai region of southern Siberia approximately 46kBP , and from there expanded across northern Eurasia at an average velocity of 0.16 km per year. However, the movement of the colonizing wave was not continuous but underwent three distinct phases: 1) an initial expansion from 47-32k calBP; 2) a hiatus from approximately 32-16k calBP, and 3) a second expansion after the LGM approximately 16k calBP. These results provide archaeological support for the recently proposed three-stage model of the colonization of the Americas. Our results falsify the hypothesis of a pre-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas and we discuss the importance of these empirical results in the light of alternative models. Our results demonstrate that the radiocarbon record of Upper Paleolithic northeastern Eurasia supports a post-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas falsifying the proposed pre-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas. We show that this expansion was not a simple process, but proceeded in three phases, consistent with genetic data, largely in response to the variable climatic conditions of late Pleistocene northeast Eurasia. Further, the constraints imposed by the spatiotemporal gradient in the empirical radiocarbon record across this entire region suggests that North America cannot have been colonized much before the existing Clovis radiocarbon record suggests.

The fate of medical knowledge and the neurosciences during the time of Genghis Khan and the Mongolian Empire.

PubMed

Safavi-Abbasi, Sam; Brasiliense, Leonardo B C; Workman, Ryan K; Talley, Melanie C; Feiz-Erfan, Iman; Theodore, Nicholas; Spetzler, Robert F; Preul, Mark C

2007-01-01

In 25 years, the Mongolian army of Genghis Khan conquered more of the known world than the Roman Empire accomplished in 400 years of conquest. The recent revised view is that Genghis Khan and his descendants brought about "pax Mongolica" by securing trade routes across Eurasia. After the initial shock of destruction by an unknown barbaric tribe, almost every country conquered by the Mongols was transformed by a rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and advances in civilization. Medicine, including techniques related to surgery and neurological surgery, became one of the many areas of life and culture that the Mongolian Empire influenced.

“I Got to Know Them in a New Way”: Rela(y/t)ing Rhizomes and Community-Based Knowledge (Brokers’) Transformation of Western and Indigenous Knowledge

PubMed Central

Fornssler, Barbara; McKenzie, Holly A.; Dell, Colleen Anne; Laliberte, Larry; Hopkins, Carol

2016-01-01

Drawing on three culturally specific research projects, this paper examines how community-based knowledge brokers’ engagement in brokering knowledge shaped the projects’ processes. Informed by Deleuze and Guattari’s (1987) conceptualization of the “rhizome,” we discuss how community knowledge brokers’ engagement in open research-creation practices embrace the relational foundation of Indigenous research paradigms in contrast to mainstream Western research practices that are engaged as linear, objective, and outcome-oriented activities. In turn, we offer propositions for building team environments where open research-creation practices can unfold, informing a periphery of shared space for Indigenous and Western paradigms. PMID:27867319

Thinking/acting locally/globally: Western science and environmental education in a global knowledge economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, Noel

2002-11-01

This paper critically appraises a number of approaches to 'thinking globally' in environmental education, with particular reference to popular assumptions about the universal applicability of Western science. Although the transnational character of many environmental issues demands that we 'think globally', I argue that the contribution of Western science to understanding and resolving environmental problems might be enhanced by seeing it as one among many local knowledge traditions. The production of a 'global knowledge economy' in/for environmental education can then be understood as creating transnational 'spaces' in which local knowledge traditions can be performed together, rather than as creating a 'common market' in which representations of local knowledge must be translated into (or exchanged for) the terms of a universal discourse.

Ancient genomes reveal a high diversity of Mycobacterium leprae in medieval Europe

PubMed Central

Bonazzi, Marion; Reiter, Ella; Urban, Christian; Taylor, G. Michael; Velemínský, Petr; Marcsik, Antónia; Pálfi, György; Boldsen, Jesper L.; Nebel, Almut; Mays, Simon; Benjak, Andrej

2018-01-01

Studying ancient DNA allows us to retrace the evolutionary history of human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, the main causative agent of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded and most stigmatizing diseases in human history. The disease was prevalent in Europe until the 16th century and is still endemic in many countries with over 200,000 new cases reported annually. Previous worldwide studies on modern and European medieval M. leprae genomes revealed that they cluster into several distinct branches of which two were present in medieval Northwestern Europe. In this study, we analyzed 10 new medieval M. leprae genomes including the so far oldest M. leprae genome from one of the earliest known cases of leprosy in the United Kingdom—a skeleton from the Great Chesterford cemetery with a calibrated age of 415–545 C.E. This dataset provides a genetic time transect of M. leprae diversity in Europe over the past 1500 years. We find M. leprae strains from four distinct branches to be present in the Early Medieval Period, and strains from three different branches were detected within a single cemetery from the High Medieval Period. Altogether these findings suggest a higher genetic diversity of M. leprae strains in medieval Europe at various time points than previously assumed. The resulting more complex picture of the past phylogeography of leprosy in Europe impacts current phylogeographical models of M. leprae dissemination. It suggests alternative models for the past spread of leprosy such as a wide spread prevalence of strains from different branches in Eurasia already in Antiquity or maybe even an origin in Western Eurasia. Furthermore, these results highlight how studying ancient M. leprae strains improves understanding the history of leprosy worldwide. PMID:29746563

Analysis of the IMS Location Accuracy in Northern Eurasia and North America Using Regional and Global Pn Travel-time Tables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

United States Calibration Working Group, Russian Federation/

- Joint Research Program of Seismic Calibration of the International Monitoring System (IMS) in Northern Eurasia and North America has been signed by the Nuclear Treaty Programs Office (NTPO), Department of Defense USA, and the Special Monitoring Service (SMS) of the Ministry of Defense, Russian Federation (RF). Under the Program historical data from nuclear and large chemical explosions of known location and shot time, together with appropriate geological and geophysical data, has been used to derive regional Pn/P travel-time tables for seismic event location within the lower 48 States of the USA and the European part of the RF. These travel-time tables are up to 5seconds faster in shields than the IASPEI91 tables, and up to 5seconds slower in the Western USA. Relocation experiments using the regional Pn travel-time curves and surrogate networks for the IMS network generally improved locations for regional seismic events. The distance between true and estimated location (mislocation) was decreased from an average of 18.8km for the IASPEI91 tables to 10.1km for the regional Pn travel-time tables. However, the regional travel-time table approach has limitations caused by travel-time variations inside major tectonic provinces and paths crossing several tectonic provinces with substantially different crustal and upper mantle velocity structure.The RF members of the Calibration Working Group (WG): Colonel Vyacheslav Gordon (chairman); Dr. Prof. Marat Mamsurov, and Dr. Nikolai Vasiliev. The US members of the WG: Dr. Anton Dainty (chairman), Dr. Douglas Baumgardt, Mr. John Murphy, Dr. Robert North, and Dr. Vladislav Ryaboy.

Statistical inference on genetic data reveals the complex demographic history of human populations in central Asia.

PubMed

Palstra, Friso P; Heyer, Evelyne; Austerlitz, Frédéric

2015-06-01

The demographic history of modern humans constitutes a combination of expansions, colonizations, contractions, and remigrations. The advent of large scale genetic data combined with statistically refined methods facilitates inference of this complex history. Here we study the demographic history of two genetically admixed ethnic groups in Central Asia, an area characterized by high levels of genetic diversity and a history of recurrent immigration. Using Approximate Bayesian Computation, we infer that the timing of admixture markedly differs between the two groups. Admixture in the traditionally agricultural Tajiks could be dated back to the onset of the Neolithic transition in the region, whereas admixture in Kyrgyz is more recent, and may have involved the westward movement of Turkic peoples. These results are confirmed by a coalescent method that fits an isolation-with-migration model to the genetic data, with both Central Asian groups having received gene flow from the extremities of Eurasia. Interestingly, our analyses also uncover signatures of gene flow from Eastern to Western Eurasia during Paleolithic times. In conclusion, the high genetic diversity currently observed in these two Central Asian peoples most likely reflects the effects of recurrent immigration that likely started before historical times. Conversely, conquests during historical times may have had a relatively limited genetic impact. These results emphasize the need for a better understanding of the genetic consequences of transmission of culture and technological innovations, as well as those of invasions and conquests. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The genetic legacy of the expansion of Turkic-speaking nomads across Eurasia.

PubMed

Yunusbayev, Bayazit; Metspalu, Mait; Metspalu, Ene; Valeev, Albert; Litvinov, Sergei; Valiev, Ruslan; Akhmetova, Vita; Balanovska, Elena; Balanovsky, Oleg; Turdikulova, Shahlo; Dalimova, Dilbar; Nymadawa, Pagbajabyn; Bahmanimehr, Ardeshir; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Tambets, Kristiina; Fedorova, Sardana; Barashkov, Nikolay; Khidiyatova, Irina; Mihailov, Evelin; Khusainova, Rita; Damba, Larisa; Derenko, Miroslava; Malyarchuk, Boris; Osipova, Ludmila; Voevoda, Mikhail; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Kivisild, Toomas; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Villems, Richard

2015-04-01

The Turkic peoples represent a diverse collection of ethnic groups defined by the Turkic languages. These groups have dispersed across a vast area, including Siberia, Northwest China, Central Asia, East Europe, the Caucasus, Anatolia, the Middle East, and Afghanistan. The origin and early dispersal history of the Turkic peoples is disputed, with candidates for their ancient homeland ranging from the Transcaspian steppe to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. Previous genetic studies have not identified a clear-cut unifying genetic signal for the Turkic peoples, which lends support for language replacement rather than demic diffusion as the model for the Turkic language's expansion. We addressed the genetic origin of 373 individuals from 22 Turkic-speaking populations, representing their current geographic range, by analyzing genome-wide high-density genotype data. In agreement with the elite dominance model of language expansion most of the Turkic peoples studied genetically resemble their geographic neighbors. However, western Turkic peoples sampled across West Eurasia shared an excess of long chromosomal tracts that are identical by descent (IBD) with populations from present-day South Siberia and Mongolia (SSM), an area where historians center a series of early Turkic and non-Turkic steppe polities. While SSM matching IBD tracts (> 1cM) are also observed in non-Turkic populations, Turkic peoples demonstrate a higher percentage of such tracts (p-values ≤ 0.01) compared to their non-Turkic neighbors. Finally, we used the ALDER method and inferred admixture dates (~9th-17th centuries) that overlap with the Turkic migrations of the 5th-16th centuries. Thus, our results indicate historical admixture among Turkic peoples, and the recent shared ancestry with modern populations in SSM supports one of the hypothesized homelands for their nomadic Turkic and related Mongolic ancestors.

Multispecies genetic structure and hybridization in the Betula genus across Eurasia.

PubMed

Tsuda, Yoshiaki; Semerikov, Vladimir; Sebastiani, Federico; Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe; Lascoux, Martin

2017-01-01

Boreal and cool temperate forests are the major land cover of northern Eurasia, and information about continental-scale genetic structure and past demographic history of forest species is important from an evolutionary perspective and has conservation implications. However, although many population genetic studies of forest tree species have been conducted in Europe or Eastern Asia, continental-scale genetic structure and past demographic history remain poorly known. Here, we focus on the birch genus Betula, which is commonly distributed in boreal and cool temperate forests, and examine 129 populations of two tetraploid and four diploid species collected from Iceland to Japan. All individuals were genotyped at seven to 18 nuclear simple sequence repeats (nSSRs). Pairwise FST' among the six species ranged from 0.285 to 0.903, and genetic differentiation among them was clear. structure analysis suggested that Betula pubescens is an allotetraploid and one of the parental species was Betula pendula. In both species pairs of B. pendula and B. plathyphylla, and B. pubescens and B. ermanii, genetic diversity was highest in central Siberia. A hybrid zone was detected around Lake Baikal for eastern and western species pairs regardless of ploidy level. Approximate Bayesian computation suggested that the divergence of B. pendula and B. platyphylla occurred around the beginning of the last ice age (36 300 years BP, 95% CI: 15 330-92 700) and hybridization between them was inferred to have occurred after the last glacial maximum (1614 years BP, 95% CI: 561-4710), with B. pendula providing a higher contribution to hybrids. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Carriers of mitochondrial DNA macrohaplogroup R colonized Eurasia and Australasia from a southeast Asia core area.

PubMed

Larruga, Jose M; Marrero, Patricia; Abu-Amero, Khaled K; Golubenko, Maria V; Cabrera, Vicente M

2017-05-23

The colonization of Eurasia and Australasia by African modern humans has been explained, nearly unanimously, as the result of a quick southern coastal dispersal route through the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, and the Indochinese Peninsula, to reach Australia around 50 kya. The phylogeny and phylogeography of the major mitochondrial DNA Eurasian haplogroups M and N have played the main role in giving molecular genetics support to that scenario. However, using the same molecular tools, a northern route across central Asia has been invoked as an alternative that is more conciliatory with the fossil record of East Asia. Here, we assess as the Eurasian macrohaplogroup R fits in the northern path. Haplogroup U, with a founder age around 50 kya, is one of the oldest clades of macrohaplogroup R in western Asia. The main branches of U expanded in successive waves across West, Central and South Asia before the Last Glacial Maximum. All these dispersions had rather overlapping ranges. Some of them, as those of U6 and U3, reached North Africa. At the other end of Asia, in Wallacea, another branch of macrohaplogroup R, haplogroup P, also independently expanded in the area around 52 kya, in this case as isolated bursts geographically well structured, with autochthonous branches in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. Coeval independently dispersals around 50 kya of the West Asia haplogroup U and the Wallacea haplogroup P, points to a halfway core area in southeast Asia as the most probable centre of expansion of macrohaplogroup R, what fits in the phylogeographic pattern of its ancestor, macrohaplogroup N, for which a northern route and a southeast Asian origin has been already proposed.

Atmospheric Teleconnection over Eurasia Induced by Aerosol Radiative Forcing During Boreal Spring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Maeng-Ki; Lau, K. M.; Chin, Mian; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Sud, Y. C.; Walker, Greg K.

2005-01-01

The direct effects of aerosols on global and regional climate during boreal spring are investigated based on simulations using the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) finite-volume general circulation model (fvGCM) with Microphyics of clouds in Relaxed Arakawa Schubert Scheme (McRAS). The aerosol loading are prescribed from three-dimensional monthly distribution of tropospheric aerosols viz., sulfate, black carbon, organic carbon, soil dust, and sea salt from output of the Goddard Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). The aerosol extinction coefficient, single scattering albedo, and asymmetric factor are computed as wavelength-dependent radiative forcing in the radiative transfer scheme of the fvGCM, and as a function of the aerosol loading and ambient relative humidity. We find that anomalous atmospheric heat sources induced by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) excites a planetary scale teleconnection pattern in sea level pressure, temperature and geopotential height spanning North Africa through Eurasia to the North Pacific. Surface cooling due to direct effects of aerosols is found in the vicinity and downstream of the aerosol source regions, i.e., South Asia, East Asia, and northern and western Africa. Additionally, atmospheric heating is found in regions with large loading of dust (over Northern Africa, and Middle East), and black carbon (over South-East Asia). Paradoxically, the most pronounced feature in aerosol-induced surface temperature is an east-west dipole anomaly with strong cooling over the Caspian Sea, and warming over central and northeastern Asia, where aerosol concentration are low. Analyses of circulation anomalies show that the dipole anomaly is a part of an atmospheric teleconnection driven by atmospheric heating anomalies induced by absorbing aerosols in the source regions, but the influence was conveyed globally through barotropic energy dispersion and sustained by feedback processes associated with the regional circulations.

Refining plate reconstructions of the North Atlantic and Ellesmerian domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shephard, Grace E.; Abdelmalak, Mansour M.; Buiter, Susanne; Piepjohn, Karsten; Jones, Morgan; Torsvik, Trond; Faleide, Jan Inge; Gaina, Carmen

2017-04-01

Located at the intersection of major tectonic plates, the North Atlantic and western Arctic domains have experienced both widespread and localized deformation since the Paleozoic. In conventional tectonic reconstructions, the plates of Greenland, Eurasia and North America are assumed to be rigid. However, prior to the onset of seafloor spreading, rifting lithosphere experiences significant thinning that is usually not accounted for. This leads to significant (in excess of 300 km in places) over- and under-laps between conjugate continent-ocean boundaries, an incomplete history of basin evolution, and loose correlations between climatic, volcanic, oceanographic and, geologic events. Furthermore, a handful of alternative regional reconstructions now exist, which predict different timings, rates and locations of relative motion and associated deformation. Assumptions of reference crustal thicknesses and the nature of lower crustal bodies, as well as the location of basin hinge lines have to-date not yet been incorporated into a consistent regional kinematic model. Notably, the alternative models predict varying episodes of compression or quiescence, not just orthogonal or oblique rifting. Here, we present new temporal and spatial-dependent results related to (1) the dominant rifting episodes across the North Atlantic (Carboniferous, Late Permian, Late Jurassic-Early Cenozoic and Late Cretaceous-Paleogene), and (2) restoration of compression and strike-slip motion between northern Greenland, Ellesmere Island (North America) and Spitsbergen (Eurasia) related to the Eurekan Orogeny. We achieve this by integrating a series of conjugate seismic profiles, calculated stretching factors, dated volcanic events, structural mapping and mass-balanced restorations into a global plate motion model via GPlates software. We also test alternative models of rift velocities (as kinematic boundary conditions) with 2-D lithosphere and mantle numerical models, and explore the importance of rheology and initial model setup.

Late Cenozoic extension and crustal doming in the India-Eurasia collision zone: New thermochronologic constraints from the NE Chinese Pamir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiede, Rasmus C.; Sobel, Edward R.; Chen, Jie; Schoenbohm, Lindsay M.; Stockli, Daniel F.; Sudo, Masafumi; Strecker, Manfred R.

2013-06-01

northward motion of the Pamir indenter with respect to Eurasia has resulted in coeval thrusting, strike-slip faulting, and normal faulting. The eastern Pamir is currently deformed by east-west oriented extension, accompanied by uplift and exhumation of the Kongur Shan (7719 m) and Muztagh Ata (7546 m) gneiss domes. Both domes are an integral part of the footwall of the Kongur Shan extensional fault system (KES), a 250 km long, north-south oriented graben. Why active normal faulting within the Pamir is primarily localized along the KES and not distributed more widely throughout the orogen has remained unclear. In addition, relatively little is known about how deformation has evolved throughout the Cenozoic, despite refined estimates on present-day crustal deformation rates and microseismicity, which indicate where crustal deformation is presently being accommodated. To better constrain the spatiotemporal evolution of faulting along the KES, we present 39 new apatite fission track, zircon U-Th-Sm/He, and 40Ar/39Ar cooling ages from a series of footwall transects along the KES graben shoulder. Combining these data with present-day topographic relief, 1-D thermokinematic and exhumational modeling documents successive stages, rather than synchronous deformation and gneiss dome exhumation. While the exhumation of the Kongur Shan commenced during the late Miocene, extensional processes in the Muztagh Ata massif began earlier and have slowed down since the late Miocene. We present a new model of synorogenic extension suggesting that thermal and density effects associated with a lithospheric tear fault along the eastern margin of the subducting Alai slab localize extensional upper plate deformation along the KES and decouple crustal motion between the central/western Pamir and eastern Pamir/Tarim basin.

The Genetic Legacy of the Expansion of Turkic-Speaking Nomads across Eurasia

PubMed Central

Metspalu, Ene; Valeev, Albert; Litvinov, Sergei; Valiev, Ruslan; Akhmetova, Vita; Balanovska, Elena; Balanovsky, Oleg; Turdikulova, Shahlo; Dalimova, Dilbar; Nymadawa, Pagbajabyn; Bahmanimehr, Ardeshir; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Tambets, Kristiina; Fedorova, Sardana; Barashkov, Nikolay; Khidiyatova, Irina; Mihailov, Evelin; Khusainova, Rita; Damba, Larisa; Derenko, Miroslava; Malyarchuk, Boris; Osipova, Ludmila; Voevoda, Mikhail; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Kivisild, Toomas; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Villems, Richard

2015-01-01

The Turkic peoples represent a diverse collection of ethnic groups defined by the Turkic languages. These groups have dispersed across a vast area, including Siberia, Northwest China, Central Asia, East Europe, the Caucasus, Anatolia, the Middle East, and Afghanistan. The origin and early dispersal history of the Turkic peoples is disputed, with candidates for their ancient homeland ranging from the Transcaspian steppe to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. Previous genetic studies have not identified a clear-cut unifying genetic signal for the Turkic peoples, which lends support for language replacement rather than demic diffusion as the model for the Turkic language’s expansion. We addressed the genetic origin of 373 individuals from 22 Turkic-speaking populations, representing their current geographic range, by analyzing genome-wide high-density genotype data. In agreement with the elite dominance model of language expansion most of the Turkic peoples studied genetically resemble their geographic neighbors. However, western Turkic peoples sampled across West Eurasia shared an excess of long chromosomal tracts that are identical by descent (IBD) with populations from present-day South Siberia and Mongolia (SSM), an area where historians center a series of early Turkic and non-Turkic steppe polities. While SSM matching IBD tracts (> 1cM) are also observed in non-Turkic populations, Turkic peoples demonstrate a higher percentage of such tracts (p-values ≤ 0.01) compared to their non-Turkic neighbors. Finally, we used the ALDER method and inferred admixture dates (~9th–17th centuries) that overlap with the Turkic migrations of the 5th–16th centuries. Thus, our results indicate historical admixture among Turkic peoples, and the recent shared ancestry with modern populations in SSM supports one of the hypothesized homelands for their nomadic Turkic and related Mongolic ancestors. PMID:25898006

Inland post-glacial dispersal in East Asia revealed by mitochondrial haplogroup M9a'b.

PubMed

Peng, Min-Sheng; Palanichamy, Malliya Gounder; Yao, Yong-Gang; Mitra, Bikash; Cheng, Yao-Ting; Zhao, Mian; Liu, Jia; Wang, Hua-Wei; Pan, Hui; Wang, Wen-Zhi; Zhang, A-Mei; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Dong; Zou, Yang; Yang, Yang; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar; Kong, Qing-Peng; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2011-01-10

Archaeological studies have revealed a series of cultural changes around the Last Glacial Maximum in East Asia; whether these changes left any signatures in the gene pool of East Asians remains poorly indicated. To achieve deeper insights into the demographic history of modern humans in East Asia around the Last Glacial Maximum, we extensively analyzed mitochondrial DNA haplogroup M9a'b, a specific haplogroup that was suggested to have some potential for tracing the migration around the Last Glacial Maximum in East Eurasia. A total of 837 M9a'b mitochondrial DNAs (583 from the literature, while the remaining 254 were newly collected in this study) pinpointed from over 28,000 subjects residing across East Eurasia were studied here. Fifty-nine representative samples were further selected for total mitochondrial DNA sequencing so we could better understand the phylogeny within M9a'b. Based on the updated phylogeny, an extensive phylogeographic analysis was carried out to reveal the differentiation of haplogroup M9a'b and to reconstruct the dispersal histories. Our results indicated that southern China and/or Southeast Asia likely served as the source of some post-Last Glacial Maximum dispersal(s). The detailed dissection of haplogroup M9a'b revealed the existence of an inland dispersal in mainland East Asia during the post-glacial period. It was this dispersal that expanded not only to western China but also to northeast India and the south Himalaya region. A similar phylogeographic distribution pattern was also observed for haplogroup F1c, thus substantiating our proposition. This inland post-glacial dispersal was in agreement with the spread of the Mesolithic culture originating in South China and northern Vietnam.

Ancient genomes reveal a high diversity of Mycobacterium leprae in medieval Europe.

PubMed

Schuenemann, Verena J; Avanzi, Charlotte; Krause-Kyora, Ben; Seitz, Alexander; Herbig, Alexander; Inskip, Sarah; Bonazzi, Marion; Reiter, Ella; Urban, Christian; Dangvard Pedersen, Dorthe; Taylor, G Michael; Singh, Pushpendra; Stewart, Graham R; Velemínský, Petr; Likovsky, Jakub; Marcsik, Antónia; Molnár, Erika; Pálfi, György; Mariotti, Valentina; Riga, Alessandro; Belcastro, M Giovanna; Boldsen, Jesper L; Nebel, Almut; Mays, Simon; Donoghue, Helen D; Zakrzewski, Sonia; Benjak, Andrej; Nieselt, Kay; Cole, Stewart T; Krause, Johannes

2018-05-01

Studying ancient DNA allows us to retrace the evolutionary history of human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, the main causative agent of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded and most stigmatizing diseases in human history. The disease was prevalent in Europe until the 16th century and is still endemic in many countries with over 200,000 new cases reported annually. Previous worldwide studies on modern and European medieval M. leprae genomes revealed that they cluster into several distinct branches of which two were present in medieval Northwestern Europe. In this study, we analyzed 10 new medieval M. leprae genomes including the so far oldest M. leprae genome from one of the earliest known cases of leprosy in the United Kingdom-a skeleton from the Great Chesterford cemetery with a calibrated age of 415-545 C.E. This dataset provides a genetic time transect of M. leprae diversity in Europe over the past 1500 years. We find M. leprae strains from four distinct branches to be present in the Early Medieval Period, and strains from three different branches were detected within a single cemetery from the High Medieval Period. Altogether these findings suggest a higher genetic diversity of M. leprae strains in medieval Europe at various time points than previously assumed. The resulting more complex picture of the past phylogeography of leprosy in Europe impacts current phylogeographical models of M. leprae dissemination. It suggests alternative models for the past spread of leprosy such as a wide spread prevalence of strains from different branches in Eurasia already in Antiquity or maybe even an origin in Western Eurasia. Furthermore, these results highlight how studying ancient M. leprae strains improves understanding the history of leprosy worldwide.

Global change modeling for Northern Eurasia: a review and strategies to move forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, E.; Kicklighter, D. W.; Sokolov, A. P.; Zhuang, Q.; Sokolik, I. N.; Lawford, R. G.; Kappas, M.; Paltsev, S.; Groisman, P. Y.

2017-12-01

Northern Eurasia is made up of a complex and diverse set of physical, ecological, climatic and human systems, which provide important ecosystem services including the storage of substantial stocks of carbon in its terrestrial ecosystems. At the same time, the region has experienced dramatic climate change, natural disturbances and changes in land management practices over the past century. For these reasons, Northern Eurasia is both a critical region to understand and a complex system with substantial challenges for the modeling community. This review is designed to highlight the state of past and ongoing efforts of the research community to understand and model these environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic changes. We further aim to provide perspectives on the future direction of global change modeling to improve our understanding of the role of Northern Eurasia in the coupled human-Earth system. Modeling efforts have shown that environmental and socioeconomic changes in Northern Eurasia can have major impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems services, environmental sustainability, and the carbon cycle of the region, and beyond. These impacts have the potential to feedback onto and alter the global Earth system. We find that past and ongoing studies have largely focused on specific components of Earth system dynamics and have not systematically examined their feedbacks to the global Earth system and to society. We identify the crucial role of Earth system models in advancing our understanding of feedbacks within the region and with the global system. We further argue for the need for integrated assessment models (IAMs), a suite of models that couple human activity models to Earth system models, which are key to address many emerging issues that require a representation of the coupled human-Earth system.

Ten Years of Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI): Results and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groisman, P. Y.; Gutman, G.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.

2014-12-01

During recent decades, Northern Eurasia was affected by unprecedented climate and environmental changes. Several droughts and heat waves alternated with hazardous extreme precipitation and flood events. Permafrost thaw, retreating Arctic sea ice, increasing areas of forest fire, and dramatic regional warming buffeted this region, tossing northern Eurasia from one extreme condition to the next. The region stores nearly half of the Earth's terrestrial carbon in permafrost, wetlands, and forested land, so ecosystem changes that release stored carbon could profoundly affect the world's climate. Furthermore, changes to climate and to hydrological and biogeochemical cycles are starting to affect daily life. For example, infrastructure is collapsing as permafrost thaws, severe winter storms increasingly bring businesses to a halt, and a growing water deficit is beginning to strain agricultural production and forestry. To pool resources and facilitate research, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI, http://neespi.org) was launched in 2004. With its multidisciplinary focus, the internationally funded NEESPI (more than165 individual international projects during the past decade) has challenged participants to research climate-ecosystem interactions, societal impacts from extreme events in Northern Eurasia, and the feedbacks of these interactions and impacts to the global Earth system. Among the numerous Institutional and private sponsors from the United States, European Union, Russia, China, and Japan, the cornerstone support for the NEESPI studies was provided by the NASA Land Cover and Land Use Change Program and the Russian Academy of Sciences. At this presentation we shall overview the environmental studies conducted by the NEESPI community, brief the audience about the main achievements of the NEESPI researchers, and lay down the plans for the future studies. At the side event of the Meeting, we are going to initiate preparation of the book which will synthesize major NEESPI achievements.

Comparative phylogeography and demographic history of the wood lemming (Myopus schisticolor): implications for late Quaternary history of the taiga species in Eurasia.

PubMed

Fedorov, V B; Goropashnaya, A V; Boeskorov, G G; Cook, J A

2008-01-01

The association between demographic history, genealogy and geographical distribution of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b haplotypes was studied in the wood lemming (Myopus schisticolor), a species that is closely associated with the boreal forest of the Eurasian taiga zone from Scandinavia to the Pacific coast. Except for a major phylogeographic discontinuity (0.9% nucleotide divergence) in southeastern Siberia, only shallow regional genetic structure was detected across northern Eurasia. Genetic signs of demographic expansions imply that successive range contractions and expansions on different spatial scales represented the primary historical events that shaped geographical patterns of genetic variation. Comparison of phylogeographic structure across a taxonomically diverse array of other species that are ecologically associated with the taiga forest revealed similar patterns and identified two general aspects. First, the major south-north phylogeographic discontinuity observed in five out of six species studied in southeastern Siberia and the Far East implies vicariant separation in two different refugial areas. The limited distribution range of the southeastern lineages provides no evidence of the importance of the putative southeastern refugial area for postglacial colonization of northern Eurasia by boreal forest species. Second, the lack of phylogeographic structure associated with significant reciprocal monophyly and genetic signatures of demographic expansion in all nine boreal forest animal species studied to date across most of northern Eurasia imply contraction of each species to a single refugial area during the late Pleistocene followed by range expansion on a continental scale. Similar phylogeographic patterns observed in this taxonomically diverse set of organisms with different life histories and dispersal potentials reflect the historical dynamics of their shared environment, the taiga forest in northern Eurasia.

A review of and perspectives on global change modeling for Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, Erwan; Kicklighter, David W.; Sokolov, Andrei P.; Zhuang, Qianlai; Sokolik, Irina N.; Lawford, Richard; Kappas, Martin; Paltsev, Sergey V.; Groisman, Pavel Ya

2017-08-01

Northern Eurasia is made up of a complex and diverse set of physical, ecological, climatic and human systems, which provide important ecosystem services including the storage of substantial stocks of carbon in its terrestrial ecosystems. At the same time, the region has experienced dramatic climate change, natural disturbances and changes in land management practices over the past century. For these reasons, Northern Eurasia is both a critical region to understand and a complex system with substantial challenges for the modeling community. This review is designed to highlight the state of past and ongoing efforts of the research community to understand and model these environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic changes. We further aim to provide perspectives on the future direction of global change modeling to improve our understanding of the role of Northern Eurasia in the coupled human-Earth system. Modeling efforts have shown that environmental and socioeconomic changes in Northern Eurasia can have major impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems services, environmental sustainability, and the carbon cycle of the region, and beyond. These impacts have the potential to feedback onto and alter the global Earth system. We find that past and ongoing studies have largely focused on specific components of Earth system dynamics and have not systematically examined their feedbacks to the global Earth system and to society. We identify the crucial role of Earth system models in advancing our understanding of feedbacks within the region and with the global system. We further argue for the need for integrated assessment models (IAMs), a suite of models that couple human activity models to Earth system models, which are key to address many emerging issues that require a representation of the coupled human-Earth system.

Projected changes of thermal growing season over Northern Eurasia in a 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Baiquan; Zhai, Panmao; Chen, Yang; Yu, Rong

2018-03-01

Projected changes of the thermal growing season (TGS) over Northern Eurasia at 1.5 °C and 2 °C global warming levels are investigated using 22 CMIP5 models under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. The multi-model mean projections indicate Northern Eurasia will experience extended and intensified TGSs in a warmer world. The prolongation of TGSs under 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming is attributed to both earlier onset and later termination, with the latter factor playing a dominating role. Interestingly, earlier onset is of greater importance under RCP4.5 than under RCP8.5 in prolonging TGS as the world warms by an additional 0.5 °C. Under both RCPs, growing degree day sum (GDD) above 5 °C is anticipated to increase by 0 °C-450 °C days and 0 °C-650 °C days over Northern Eurasia at 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming, respectively. However, effective GDD (EGDD) which accumulates optimum temperature for the growth of wheat, exhibits a decline in the south of Central Asia under warmer climates. Therefore, for wheat production over Northern Eurasia, adverse effects incurred by scorching temperatures and resultant inadequacy in water availability may counteract benefits from lengthening and warming TGS. In response to a future 1.5 °C and 2 °C warmer world, proper management and scientifically-tailored adaptation are imperative to optimize local-regional agricultural production.

Academic Language, Power and the Impact of Western Knowledge Production on Indigenous Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Karen

2008-01-01

This paper explores the prescriptive, distancing and separating qualities that exist in Western systems of knowledge production. It examines scientific language and how discrimination takes place in the university setting and explores the ways in which academic knowledge production affects the learning experiences, participation and completion…

Mantle Response to Collision, Slab Breakoff & Lithospheric Tearing in Anatolian Orogenic Belts, and Cenozoic Geodynamics of the Aegean-Eastern Mediterranean Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilek, Yildirim; Altunkaynak, Safak

2010-05-01

The geochemical and temporal evolution of the Cenozoic magmatism in the Aegean, Western Anatolian and peri-Arabian regions shows that plate tectonic events, mantle dynamics, and magmatism were closely linked in space and time. The mantle responded to collision-driven crustal thickening, slab breakoff, delamination, and lithospheric tearing swiftly, within geologically short time scales (few million years). This geodynamic continuum resulted in lateral mantle flow, whole-sale extension and accompanying magmatism that in turn caused the collapse of tectonically and magmatically weakened orogenic crust. Initial stages of post-collisional magmatism (~45 Ma) thermally weakened the orogenic crust in Tethyan continental collision zones, giving way into large-scale extension and lower crustal exhumation via core complex formation starting around 25-23 Ma. Slab breakoff was the most common driving force for the early stages of post-collisional magmatism in the Tethyan mountain belts in the eastern Mediterranean region. Magmatic rocks produced at this stage are represented by calc-alkaline-shoshonitic to transitional (in composition) igneous suites. Subsequent lithospheric delamination or partial convective removal of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle in collision-induced, overthickened orogenic lithosphere caused decompressional melting of the upwelling asthenosphere that in turn resulted in alkaline basaltic magmatism (<12 Ma). Attendant crustal extension and widespread thinning of the lithosphere facilitated rapid ascent of basaltic (OIB) magmas without much residence time in the crust and hence the eruption of relatively uncontaminated, asthenosphere-derived magmas at the surface (i.e. Kula lavas in SW Anatolia). Subduction of the Tethyan mantle lithosphere northward beneath Eurasia was nearly continuous since the latest Cretaceous, only temporarily punctuated by the collisional accretion of several ribbon continents (i.e. Pelagonia, Sakarya, Tauride-South Armenian) to the southern margin of Eurasia, and by related slab breakoff events. Exhumation of middle to lower crustal rocks and the formation of extensional metamorphic domes occurred in the backarc region of this progressively southward-migrated trench and the Tethyan (Afro-Arabian) slab throughout the Cenozoic. Thus, slab retreat played a major role in the Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Aegean and Western Anatolian regions. However, the subducting African lithospheric slab beneath the Aegean-Western Anatolian region is delimited to the east by a subduction-transform edge propagator (STEP) fault, which corresponds to the sharp cusp between the Hellenic and Cyprus trenches whose surface expression is marked by the Isparta Angle in the Western Taurides. This lithospheric tear in the downgoing African plate allowed the mantle to rise beneath SW Anatolia, inducing decompressional melting of shallow asthenosphere and producing linearly distributed alkaline magmatism younging in the direction of tear propagation (southward). The N-S-trending potassic and ultra-potassic volcanic fields stretching from the Kirka and Afyon-Suhut region (~17 Ma) in the north to the Isparta-Gölcük area (4.6 Ma-Recent) in the south are the result of this melting of the sub-slab (asthenospheric) mantle, which was metasomatized by recent subduction events in the region. Asthenospheric low velocities detected through Pn tomographic imaging in this region support the existence of shallow asthenosphere beneath the Isparta Angle at present. These observations suggest that currently there is no active subduction underneath much of Western Anatolia.

Evaluating the mid Miocene paleoclimate of Lower Carinthia (Austria) based on high resolution palynological studies from the Lavanttal Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grímsson, Friðgeir; Bouchal, Johannes Martin; Zetter, Reinhard; Grimm, Guido

2016-04-01

Köppen signatures (Denk et al. 2013, Grímsson et al. 2015) can be used to generalize the climatic niche occupied by potential modern analogues (PMA) of fossil plants (here: palynological) assemblages. The Köppen climate system distinguishes climate zones by certain abiotic parameters or combinations thereof and represents them in a three letter code referring to the general climate types (first letter), the seasonal distribution of precipitation (second letter) and the seasonal distribution or general level of warmth (third letter). Based on their Köppen signatures PMAs can be categorized as arctic-alpine, boreal, nemoral, meridio-nemoral, tropical-meridional, tropical, eurytropical, and/or semihumid meridional vegetation elements (see also Denk et al. 2013, Velitzelos et al. 2014, Grímsson et al. 2015). Based on the climatic preferences of their PMAs, the Fagales and Rosales lineages present at the Lavanttal site rule out tropical (A-)climates and climates with pronounced (summer) draught (B-, Cs-, Ds-climates). The same holds for boreal/subarctic climates with short but humid summers (Cfc, Dfc, Dfd, Dwc). The Fagales are represented by 23 lineages at the Lavanttal site including genera that are today composed (predominately or exclusively) of nemoral and meridio-nemoral elements. This points to climate conditions not unlike those found today in the lowlands and adjacent mountain regions of the (south-)eastern United States, the humid-meridional region of western Eurasia (e.g. northern Italy, Black Sea region, western Caucasus), central and southern China, or Honshu (Japan). These regions are characterised by subtropical conditions at lower elevations (Cfa-, Cwa-climates) and subsequent altitudinal successions: Cfa→Cfb/Dfa→Dfb in eastern United States, western Eurasia, central China and Japan, or Cwa→Cwb→Dwb in southern China. The climax vegetation in these areas are mixed mesophytic forests and various mixed evergreen/deciduous broad-leaved forests, characteristic for the humid and semi-humid, summer-rain areas of the meridional and nemoral zone. (Co-)Dominant genera in these forests are the various members of the northern hemispheric Fagales. Important indicator taxa include Fagus, one of the most common and widespread genera in temperate, mixed mesophytic forests of North America, China and Japan, and Quercus Group Ilex, a co-dominant group in the East Asian monsoon influenced, winter-dry or fully humid southern foothills of the Himalayas and montane regions of south-western and central China. Equally informative is Corylus, and the co-occurrence of Carya, Juglans, Pterocarya and Engelhardioideae, pinpointing towards forests as today found in south-western China and the warm subtropical parts of the southeastern United States. References: Denk T, Grimm GW, Grímsson F, Zetter R. 2013. Evidence from "Köppen signatures" of fossil plant assemblages for effective heat transport of Gulf Stream to subarctic North Atlantic during Miocene cooling. Biogeosciences 10: 7927-7942. Grímsson F, Grimm GW, Meller B, Bouchal JM, Zetter R. 2015. Combined LM and SEM study of the middle Miocene (Sarmatian) palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin, Austria: part IV. Magnoliophyta 2 - Fagales to Rosales. Grana: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2015.1096566 Velitzelos D, Bouchal JM, Denk T. 2014. Review of the Cenozoic floras and vegetation of Greece. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 204: 56-117.

Imaging active faulting in a region of distributed deformation from the joint clustering of focal mechanisms and hypocentres: Application to the Azores-western Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Custódio, Susana; Lima, Vânia; Vales, Dina; Cesca, Simone; Carrilho, Fernando

2016-04-01

The matching between linear trends of hypocentres and fault planes indicated by focal mechanisms (FMs) is frequently used to infer the location and geometry of active faults. This practice works well in regions of fast lithospheric deformation, where earthquake patterns are clear and major structures accommodate the bulk of deformation, but typically fails in regions of slow and distributed deformation. We present a new joint FM and hypocentre cluster algorithm that is able to detect systematically the consistency between hypocentre lineations and FMs, even in regions of distributed deformation. We apply the method to the Azores-western Mediterranean region, with particular emphasis on western Iberia. The analysis relies on a compilation of hypocentres and FMs taken from regional and global earthquake catalogues, academic theses and technical reports, complemented by new FMs for western Iberia. The joint clustering algorithm images both well-known and new seismo-tectonic features. The Azores triple junction is characterised by FMs with vertical pressure (P) axes, in good agreement with the divergent setting, and the Iberian domain is characterised by NW-SE oriented P axes, indicating a response of the lithosphere to the ongoing oblique convergence between Nubia and Eurasia. Several earthquakes remain unclustered in the western Mediterranean domain, which may indicate a response to local stresses. The major regions of consistent faulting that we identify are the mid-Atlantic ridge, the Terceira rift, the Trans-Alboran shear zone and the north coast of Algeria. In addition, other smaller earthquake clusters present a good match between epicentre lineations and FM fault planes. These clusters may signal single active faults or wide zones of distributed but consistent faulting. Mainland Portugal is dominated by strike-slip earthquakes with fault planes coincident with the predominant NNE-SSW and WNW-ESE oriented earthquake lineations. Clusters offshore SW Iberia are predominantly strike-slip or reverse, confirming previous suggestions of slip partitioning.

Intermittence for humans spreading 45,000 years ago: from Eurasia to the Americas.

PubMed

Flores, J C; Hopp, Renato

2013-10-01

From northeastern Eurasia to the Americas, a three-stage spread of modern humans is considered through large-scale intermittence (exploitation/relocation). Conceptually, this work supports intermittence as a real strategy for colonization of new habitats. For the first stage, northeastern Eurasia travel, we adapt our model to archaeological dates determining the diffusion coefficient (exploitation phase) as D = 299.44 km2/yr and the velocity parameter (relocation phase) as vo = 4.8944 km/yr. The relative phase weight (✧0.46) between both kinds of motions is consistent with a moderate biological population rate (r΄ ✧ 0.0046/yr). The second stage is related to population fragmentation. The last stage, reaching Alaska, corresponds essentially to relocation (vo ✧ 0.75 km/yr). Copyright © 2014 Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan 48201-1309.

The mitogenome of a 35,000-year-old Homo sapiens from Europe supports a Palaeolithic back-migration to Africa.

PubMed

Hervella, M; Svensson, E M; Alberdi, A; Günther, T; Izagirre, N; Munters, A R; Alonso, S; Ioana, M; Ridiche, F; Soficaru, A; Jakobsson, M; Netea, M G; de-la-Rua, C

2016-05-19

After the dispersal of modern humans (Homo sapiens) Out of Africa, hominins with a similar morphology to that of present-day humans initiated the gradual demographic expansion into Eurasia. The mitogenome (33-fold coverage) of the Peştera Muierii 1 individual (PM1) from Romania (35 ky cal BP) we present in this article corresponds fully to Homo sapiens, whilst exhibiting a mosaic of morphological features related to both modern humans and Neandertals. We have identified the PM1 mitogenome as a basal haplogroup U6*, not previously found in any ancient or present-day humans. The derived U6 haplotypes are predominantly found in present-day North-Western African populations. Concomitantly, those found in Europe have been attributed to recent gene-flow from North Africa. The presence of the basal haplogroup U6* in South East Europe (Romania) at 35 ky BP confirms a Eurasian origin of the U6 mitochondrial lineage. Consequently, we propose that the PM1 lineage is an offshoot to South East Europe that can be traced to the Early Upper Paleolithic back migration from Western Asia to North Africa, during which the U6 lineage diversified, until the emergence of the present-day U6 African lineages.

Mountain uplift explains differences in Palaeogene patterns of mammalian evolution and extinction between North America and Europe.

PubMed

Eronen, Jussi T; Janis, Christine M; Chamberlain, C Page; Mulch, Andreas

2015-06-22

Patterns of late Palaeogene mammalian evolution appear to be very different between Eurasia and North America. Around the Eocene-Oligocene (EO) transition global temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere plummet: following this, European mammal faunas undergo a profound extinction event (the Grande Coupure), while in North America they appear to pass through this temperature event unscathed. Here, we investigate the role of surface uplift to environmental change and mammalian evolution through the Palaeogene (66-23 Ma). Palaeogene regional surface uplift in North America caused large-scale reorganization of precipitation patterns, particularly in the continental interior, in accord with our combined stable isotope and ecometric data. Changes in mammalian faunas reflect that these were dry and high-elevation palaeoenvironments. The scenario of Middle to Late Eocene (50-37 Ma) surface uplift, together with decreasing precipitation in higher-altitude regions of western North America, explains the enigma of the apparent lack of the large-scale mammal faunal change around the EO transition that characterized western Europe. We suggest that North American mammalian faunas were already pre-adapted to cooler and drier conditions preceding the EO boundary, resulting from the effects of a protracted history of surface uplift. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements.

PubMed

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-27

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4(+), and NO3(-) were assessed for 2005-2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes.

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements

PubMed Central

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4+, and NO3− were assessed for 2005–2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes. PMID:26813440

Epidemiological history and phylogeography of West Nile virus lineage 2.

PubMed

Ciccozzi, Massimo; Peletto, Simone; Cella, Eleonora; Giovanetti, Marta; Lai, Alessia; Gabanelli, Elena; Acutis, Pier Luigi; Modesto, Paola; Rezza, Giovanni; Platonov, Alexander E; Lo Presti, Alessandra; Zehender, Gianguglielmo

2013-07-01

West Nile virus (WNV) was first isolated in Uganda. In Europe WNV was sporadically detected until 1996, since then the virus has been regularly isolated from birds and mosquitoes and caused several outbreaks in horses and humans. Phylogenetic analysis showed two main different WNV lineages. The lineage 1 is widespread and segregates into different subclades (1a-c). WNV-1a includes numerous strains from Africa, America, and Eurasia. The spatio-temporal history of WNV-1a in Europe was recently described, identifying two main routes of dispersion, one in Eastern and the second in Western Europe. The West Nile lineage 2 (WNV-2) is mainly present in sub-Saharan Africa but has been recently emerged in Eastern and Western European countries. In this study we reconstruct the phylogeny of WNV-2 on a spatio-temporal scale in order to estimate the time of origin and patterns of geographical dispersal of the different isolates, particularly in Europe. Phylogeography findings obtained from E and NS5 gene analyses suggest that there were at least two separate introductions of WNV-2 from the African continent dated back approximately to the year 1999 (Central Europe) and 2000 (Russia), respectively. The epidemiological implications and clinical consequences of lineage 1 and 2 cocirculation deserve further investigations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Regional Seismic Travel Time Model for North America

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

velocity at the Moho, the mantle velocity gradient, and the average crustal velocity. After tomography across Eurasia, rigorous tests find that Pn...velocity gradient, and the average crustal velocity. After tomography across Eurasia rigorous tests find that Pn travel time residuals are reduced...and S-wave velocity in the crustal layers and in the upper mantle. A good prior model is essential because the RSTT tomography inversion is invariably

A web-based knowledge management system integrating Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine for relational medical diagnosis.

PubMed

Herrera-Hernandez, Maria C; Lai-Yuen, Susana K; Piegl, Les A; Zhang, Xiao

2016-10-26

This article presents the design of a web-based knowledge management system as a training and research tool for the exploration of key relationships between Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, in order to facilitate relational medical diagnosis integrating these mainstream healing modalities. The main goal of this system is to facilitate decision-making processes, while developing skills and creating new medical knowledge. Traditional Chinese Medicine can be considered as an ancient relational knowledge-based approach, focusing on balancing interrelated human functions to reach a healthy state. Western Medicine focuses on specialties and body systems and has achieved advanced methods to evaluate the impact of a health disorder on the body functions. Identifying key relationships between Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine opens new approaches for health care practices and can increase the understanding of human medical conditions. Our knowledge management system was designed from initial datasets of symptoms, known diagnosis and treatments, collected from both medicines. The datasets were subjected to process-oriented analysis, hierarchical knowledge representation and relational database interconnection. Web technology was implemented to develop a user-friendly interface, for easy navigation, training and research. Our system was prototyped with a case study on chronic prostatitis. This trial presented the system's capability for users to learn the correlation approach, connecting knowledge in Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine by querying the database, mapping validated medical information, accessing complementary information from official sites, and creating new knowledge as part of the learning process. By addressing the challenging tasks of data acquisition and modeling, organization, storage and transfer, the proposed web-based knowledge management system is presented as a tool for users in medical training and research to explore, learn and update relational information for the practice of integrated medical diagnosis. This proposal in education has the potential to enable further creation of medical knowledge from both Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for improved care providing. The presented system positively improves the information visualization, learning process and knowledge sharing, for training and development of new skills for diagnosis and treatment, and a better understanding of medical diseases. © IMechE 2016.

Identifying Knowledge Sharing Barriers in the Collaboration of Traditional and Western Medicine Professionals in Chinese Hospitals: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Lihong; Nunes, Miguel Baptista

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a research project that aims at identifying knowledge sharing (KS) barriers between traditional and western medicine practitioners co-existing and complementing each other in Chinese healthcare organisations. The study focuses on the tacit aspects of patient knowledge, rather than the traditional technical information shared…

Wildfires in northern Eurasia affect the budget of black carbon in the Arctic - a 12-year retrospective synopsis (2002-2013)

Treesearch

N. Evangeliou; Y. Balkanski; WeiMin Hao; A. Petkov; R. P. Silverstein; R. Corley; B. L. Nordgren; Shawn Urbanski; S. Eckhardt; A. Stohl; P. Tunved; S. Crepinsek; A. Jefferson; S. Sharma; J. K. Nojgaard; H. Skov

2016-01-01

In recent decades much attention has been given to the Arctic environment, where climate change is happening rapidly. Black carbon (BC) has been shown to be a major component of Arctic pollution that also affects the radiative balance. In the present study, we focused on how vegetation fires that occurred in northern Eurasia during the period of 2002–2013 influenced...

Recent Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent trends and implications for the snow-albedo feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Déry, Stephen J.; Brown, Ross D.

2007-11-01

Monotonic trend analysis of Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent (SCE) over the period 1972-2006 with the Mann-Kendall test reveals significant declines in SCE during spring over North America and Eurasia, with lesser declines during winter and some increases in fall SCE. The weekly mean trend attains -1.28, -0.78, and -0.48 × 106 km2 (35 years)-1 over the Northern Hemisphere, North America, and Eurasia, respectively. The standardized SCE time series vary and trend coherently over Eurasia and North America, with evidence of a poleward amplification of decreasing SCE trends during spring. Multiple linear regression analyses reveal a significant dependence of the retreat of the spring continental SCE on latitude and elevation. The poleward amplification is consistent with an enhanced snow-albedo feedback over northern latitudes that acts to reinforce an initial anomaly in the cryospheric system.

Analysis of changes in tornadogenesis conditions over Northern Eurasia based on a simple index of atmospheric convective instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernokulsky, A. V.; Kurgansky, M. V.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-12-01

A simple index of convective instability (3D-index) is used for analysis of weather and climate processes that favor to the occurrence of severe convective events including tornadoes. The index is based on information on the surface air temperature and humidity. The prognostic ability of the index to reproduce severe convective events (thunderstorms, showers, tornadoes) is analyzed. It is shown that most tornadoes in North Eurasia are characterized by high values of the 3D-index; furthermore, the 3D-index is significantly correlated with the available convective potential energy. Reanalysis data (for recent decades) and global climate model simulations (for the 21st century) show an increase in the frequency of occurrence of favorable for tornado formation meteorological conditions in the regions of Northern Eurasia. The most significant increase is found on the Black Sea coast and in the south of the Far East.

Population genomics of Bronze Age Eurasia.

PubMed

Allentoft, Morten E; Sikora, Martin; Sjögren, Karl-Göran; Rasmussen, Simon; Rasmussen, Morten; Stenderup, Jesper; Damgaard, Peter B; Schroeder, Hannes; Ahlström, Torbjörn; Vinner, Lasse; Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Margaryan, Ashot; Higham, Tom; Chivall, David; Lynnerup, Niels; Harvig, Lise; Baron, Justyna; Della Casa, Philippe; Dąbrowski, Paweł; Duffy, Paul R; Ebel, Alexander V; Epimakhov, Andrey; Frei, Karin; Furmanek, Mirosław; Gralak, Tomasz; Gromov, Andrey; Gronkiewicz, Stanisław; Grupe, Gisela; Hajdu, Tamás; Jarysz, Radosław; Khartanovich, Valeri; Khokhlov, Alexandr; Kiss, Viktória; Kolář, Jan; Kriiska, Aivar; Lasak, Irena; Longhi, Cristina; McGlynn, George; Merkevicius, Algimantas; Merkyte, Inga; Metspalu, Mait; Mkrtchyan, Ruzan; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Paja, László; Pálfi, György; Pokutta, Dalia; Pospieszny, Łukasz; Price, T Douglas; Saag, Lehti; Sablin, Mikhail; Shishlina, Natalia; Smrčka, Václav; Soenov, Vasilii I; Szeverényi, Vajk; Tóth, Gusztáv; Trifanova, Synaru V; Varul, Liivi; Vicze, Magdolna; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Zhitenev, Vladislav; Orlando, Ludovic; Sicheritz-Pontén, Thomas; Brunak, Søren; Nielsen, Rasmus; Kristiansen, Kristian; Willerslev, Eske

2015-06-11

The Bronze Age of Eurasia (around 3000-1000 BC) was a period of major cultural changes. However, there is debate about whether these changes resulted from the circulation of ideas or from human migrations, potentially also facilitating the spread of languages and certain phenotypic traits. We investigated this by using new, improved methods to sequence low-coverage genomes from 101 ancient humans from across Eurasia. We show that the Bronze Age was a highly dynamic period involving large-scale population migrations and replacements, responsible for shaping major parts of present-day demographic structure in both Europe and Asia. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesized spread of Indo-European languages during the Early Bronze Age. We also demonstrate that light skin pigmentation in Europeans was already present at high frequency in the Bronze Age, but not lactose tolerance, indicating a more recent onset of positive selection on lactose tolerance than previously thought.

Integrating Western and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: The Basis for Effective Science Education in South Africa?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Grange, Lesley

2007-11-01

This article responds to a call for rethinking the science that we teach to school learners in South Africa. Much of the debate on the nature of science and science learning is reflected in a body of literature which analyses the tensions between disparate perspectives on science education. Post-colonialists, feminists, multiculturalists, sociologists of scientific knowledge and those who refer to themselves as indigenous researchers argue that science is not universal but locally and culturally produced. Universalists on the other hand, argue that modern Western science is superior to indigenous perspectives on the natural world because of the former's advanced predictive and explanatory powers. The fact that indigenous knowledge has been included in South Africa's recently developed National Curriculum Statements invites a fresh look at the kind of science that is taught to South African school learners. In this article the author argues for a (dis)position that moves the debate beyond the binary of Western science/indigenous knowledge. Ways in which Western science and indigenous knowledge might be integrated are explored.

Archaeological Support for the Three-Stage Expansion of Modern Humans across Northeastern Eurasia and into the Americas

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Marcus J.; Buchanan, Briggs

2010-01-01

Background Understanding the dynamics of the human range expansion across northeastern Eurasia during the late Pleistocene is central to establishing empirical temporal constraints on the colonization of the Americas [1]. Opinions vary widely on how and when the Americas were colonized, with advocates supporting either a pre-[2] or post-[1], [3], [4], [5], [6] last glacial maximum (LGM) colonization, via either a land bridge across Beringia [3], [4], [5], a sea-faring Pacific Rim coastal route [1], [3], a trans-Arctic route [4], or a trans-Atlantic oceanic route [5]. Here we analyze a large sample of radiocarbon dates from the northeast Eurasian Upper Paleolithic to identify the origin of this expansion, and estimate the velocity of colonization wave as it moved across northern Eurasia and into the Americas. Methodology/Principal Findings We use diffusion models [6], [7] to quantify these dynamics. Our results show the expansion originated in the Altai region of southern Siberia ∼46kBP , and from there expanded across northern Eurasia at an average velocity of 0.16 km per year. However, the movement of the colonizing wave was not continuous but underwent three distinct phases: 1) an initial expansion from 47-32k calBP; 2) a hiatus from ∼32-16k calBP, and 3) a second expansion after the LGM ∼16k calBP. These results provide archaeological support for the recently proposed three-stage model of the colonization of the Americas [8], [9]. Our results falsify the hypothesis of a pre-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas and we discuss the importance of these empirical results in the light of alternative models. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that the radiocarbon record of Upper Paleolithic northeastern Eurasia supports a post-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas falsifying the proposed pre-LGM terrestrial colonization of the Americas. We show that this expansion was not a simple process, but proceeded in three phases, consistent with genetic data, largely in response to the variable climatic conditions of late Pleistocene northeast Eurasia. Further, the constraints imposed by the spatiotemporal gradient in the empirical radiocarbon record across this entire region suggests that North America cannot have been colonized much before the existing Clovis radiocarbon record suggests. PMID:20814574

Ancient genomes link early farmers from Atapuerca in Spain to modern-day Basques.

PubMed

Günther, Torsten; Valdiosera, Cristina; Malmström, Helena; Ureña, Irene; Rodriguez-Varela, Ricardo; Sverrisdóttir, Óddny Osk; Daskalaki, Evangelia A; Skoglund, Pontus; Naidoo, Thijessen; Svensson, Emma M; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell, Eudald; Dunn, Michael; Storå, Jan; Iriarte, Eneko; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Carretero, José-Miguel; Götherström, Anders; Jakobsson, Mattias

2015-09-22

The consequences of the Neolithic transition in Europe--one of the most important cultural changes in human prehistory--is a subject of great interest. However, its effect on prehistoric and modern-day people in Iberia, the westernmost frontier of the European continent, remains unresolved. We present, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide sequence data from eight human remains, dated to between 5,500 and 3,500 years before present, excavated in the El Portalón cave at Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. We show that these individuals emerged from the same ancestral gene pool as early farmers in other parts of Europe, suggesting that migration was the dominant mode of transferring farming practices throughout western Eurasia. In contrast to central and northern early European farmers, the Chalcolithic El Portalón individuals additionally mixed with local southwestern hunter-gatherers. The proportion of hunter-gatherer-related admixture into early farmers also increased over the course of two millennia. The Chalcolithic El Portalón individuals showed greatest genetic affinity to modern-day Basques, who have long been considered linguistic and genetic isolates linked to the Mesolithic whereas all other European early farmers show greater genetic similarity to modern-day Sardinians. These genetic links suggest that Basques and their language may be linked with the spread of agriculture during the Neolithic. Furthermore, all modern-day Iberian groups except the Basques display distinct admixture with Caucasus/Central Asian and North African groups, possibly related to historical migration events. The El Portalón genomes uncover important pieces of the demographic history of Iberia and Europe and reveal how prehistoric groups relate to modern-day people.

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".

Developments of Finite-Frequency Seismic Theory and Applications to Regional Tomographic Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-31

banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels of teleseismic body waves to image the crust and mantle beneath eastern Eurasia. We have collected and processed...In this project, we use the “ banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels of teleseismic body waves to image the crust and mantle beneath eastern Eurasia...replaced body-wave ray paths with “ banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels calculated in 1D (Dahlen et al., 2000; Hung et al., 2000; Zhao et al., 2000

Red pandas (Mammalia, Carnivora: Parailurus) in the biomes of North Eurasia and North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matishov, G. G.; Kalmykov, N. P.

2011-05-01

The discovery of the Pliocene red panda ( Parailurus) in the West Transbaikal area, as well as Asian raccoons in North Eurasia and North America, indicates that forested areas with bamboo bushes were wide-spread in the Holarctic during the Neogene. During the Late Pliocene, due to a gradual cooling of the climate, altiplanation, and other factors, their habitat started disintegrating, and red pandas began dying out, surviving only in China.

Summary and Review of the Tectonic Structure of Eurasia. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-05

DTIC TAB Just tIcjat DIstrju1j D it i AVi Dis a2 INTRODUCTION An extensive search of the available geologic and geo- physical literature dealing...with the crust and upper mantle properties of the U.S.S.R. and Eurasia has been conducted. During the past 25 years a vast amount of deep seismic...boundaries for these provinces were drawn after considering geologic evolution. Seismic activity, heat flow, Moho properties , crustal properties

Quantifying Arabia-Eurasia convergence accommodated in the Greater Caucasus by paleomagnetic reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Boon, A.; van Hinsbergen, D. J. J.; Rezaeian, M.; Gürer, D.; Honarmand, M.; Pastor-Galán, D.; Krijgsman, W.; Langereis, C. G.

2018-01-01

Since the late Eocene, convergence and subsequent collision between Arabia and Eurasia was accommodated both in the overriding Eurasian plate forming the Greater Caucasus orogen and the Iranian plateau, and by subduction and accretion of the Neotethys and Arabian margin forming the East Anatolian plateau and the Zagros. To quantify how much Arabia-Eurasia convergence was accommodated in the Greater Caucasus region, we here provide new paleomagnetic results from 97 volcanic sites (∼500 samples) in the Talysh Mountains of NW Iran, that show ∼15° net clockwise rotation relative to Eurasia since the Eocene. We apply a first-order kinematic restoration of the northward convex orocline that formed to the south of the Greater Caucasus, integrating our new data with previously published constraints on rotations of the Eastern Pontides and Lesser Caucasus. This suggests that north of the Talysh ∼120 km of convergence must have been accommodated. North of the Eastern Pontides and Lesser Caucasus this is significantly more: 200-280 km. Our reconstruction independently confirms previous Caucasus convergence estimates. Moreover, we show for the first time a sharp contrast of convergence between the Lesser Caucasus and the Talysh. This implies that the ancient Paleozoic-Mesozoic transform plate boundary, preserved between the Iranian and East-Anatolian plateaus, was likely reactivated as a right-lateral transform fault since late Eocene time.

Dynamics of 2013 Sudden Stratospheric Warming event and its impact on cold weather over Eurasia: Role of planetary wave reflection

PubMed Central

Nath, Debashis; Chen, Wen; Zelin, Cai; Pogoreltsev, Alexander Ivanovich; Wei, Ke

2016-01-01

In the present study, we investigate the impact of stratospheric planetary wave reflection on tropospheric weather over Central Eurasia during the 2013 Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event. We analyze EP fluxes and Plumb wave activity fluxes to study the two and three dimensional aspects of wave propagation, respectively. The 2013 SSW event is excited by the combined influence of wavenumber 1 (WN1) and wavenumber 2 (WN2) planetary waves, which makes the event an unusual one and seems to have significant impact on tropospheric weather regime. We observe an extraordinary development of a ridge over the Siberian Tundra and the North Pacific during first development stage (last week of December 2012) and later from the North Atlantic in the second development stage (first week of January 2013), and these waves appear to be responsible for the excitation of the WN2 pattern during the SSW. The wave packets propagated upward and were then reflected back down to central Eurasia due to strong negative wind shear in the upper stratospheric polar jet, caused by the SSW event. Waves that propagated downward led to the formation of a deep trough over Eurasia and brought extreme cold weather over Kazakhstan, the Southern part of Russia and the Northwestern part of China during mid-January 2013. PMID:27051997

Dynamics of 2013 Sudden Stratospheric Warming event and its impact on cold weather over Eurasia: Role of planetary wave reflection.

PubMed

Nath, Debashis; Chen, Wen; Zelin, Cai; Pogoreltsev, Alexander Ivanovich; Wei, Ke

2016-04-07

In the present study, we investigate the impact of stratospheric planetary wave reflection on tropospheric weather over Central Eurasia during the 2013 Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event. We analyze EP fluxes and Plumb wave activity fluxes to study the two and three dimensional aspects of wave propagation, respectively. The 2013 SSW event is excited by the combined influence of wavenumber 1 (WN1) and wavenumber 2 (WN2) planetary waves, which makes the event an unusual one and seems to have significant impact on tropospheric weather regime. We observe an extraordinary development of a ridge over the Siberian Tundra and the North Pacific during first development stage (last week of December 2012) and later from the North Atlantic in the second development stage (first week of January 2013), and these waves appear to be responsible for the excitation of the WN2 pattern during the SSW. The wave packets propagated upward and were then reflected back down to central Eurasia due to strong negative wind shear in the upper stratospheric polar jet, caused by the SSW event. Waves that propagated downward led to the formation of a deep trough over Eurasia and brought extreme cold weather over Kazakhstan, the Southern part of Russia and the Northwestern part of China during mid-January 2013.

GPS determined eastward Sundaland motion with respect to Eurasia confirmed by earthquakes slip vectors at Sunda and Philippine trenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamot-Rooke, N.; Le Pichon, X.

1999-12-01

GPS measurements acquired over Southeast Asia in 1994 and 1996 in the framework of the GEODYSSEA program revealed that a large piece of continental lithosphere comprising the Indochina Peninsula, Sunda shelf and part of Indonesia behaves as a rigid `Sundaland' platelet. A direct adjustment of velocity vectors obtained in a Eurasian frame of reference shows that Sundaland block is rotating clockwise with respect to Eurasia around a pole of rotation located south of Australia. We present here an additional check of Sundaland motion that uses earthquakes slip vectors at Sunda and Philippine trenches. Seven sites of the GEODYSSEA network are close to the trenches and not separated from them by large active faults (two at Sumatra Trench, three at Java Trench and two at the Philippine Trench). The difference between the vector at the station and the adjacent subducting plate vector defines the relative subduction motion and should thus be aligned with the subduction earthquake slip vectors. We first derive a frame-free solution that minimizes the upper plate (or Sundaland) motion. When corrected for Australia-Eurasia and Philippines-Eurasia NUVEL1-A motion, the misfit between GPS and slip vectors azimuths is significant at 95% confidence, indicating that the upper plate does not belong to Eurasia. We then examine the range of solutions compatible with the slip vectors azimuths and conclude that the minimum velocity of Sundaland is a uniform 7-10 mm/a eastward velocity. However, introducing the additional constraint of the fit of the GEODYSSEA sites with the Australian IGS reference ones, or tie with the NTUS Singapore station, leads to a much narrower range of solutions. We conclude that Sundaland has an eastward velocity of about 10 mm/a on its southern boundary increasing to 16-18 mm/a on its northern boundary.

Influences on Understanding and Belief About the Origin of Species in Chinese and American Adolescents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Erin Irene

Although beliefs about origins and evolutionary knowledge have been considered independent, research has suggested that both are influenced by cognitive constraints of psychological essentialism and teleology. Most research supporting these claims has been conducted with children from Western cultures; little is known about the psychological processes underpinning beliefs and knowledge about the natural world outside Western contexts or during adolescence. Claims about the universality of beliefs, knowledge, and the possible relationship between should be made after examining samples that differ in theoretically relevant ways from a typical Western sample, such as a Chinese sample in which religious explanations are rare or an adolescent sample in which brain development promotes the coordination of conflicting information. To examine how belief and knowledge are related in Western- and non-Western samples, as well as the factors that predict both independently, 238 Chinese (M = 15.85 years old, SD = .85 years; 36.6% male) and 277 American adolescents (M = 15.80 years, SD = 1.34 years; 51.6% male) were recruited from their high schools to participate. Adolescents completed a survey measuring beliefs about the origin of living and non-living exemplars, evolutionary knowledge, and variables that were likely to influence belief and knowledge such as science preference, epistemology, psychological essentialism, teleological reasoning, and religious beliefs. American adolescents were more creationist than Chinese adolescents. Chinese adolescents displayed more sophisticated evolutionary knowledge than American adolescents although overall performance was low. Finally, there was no relationship between belief and knowledge for American adolescents yet there was a small, positive relationship for Chinese adolescents such that adolescents who believed in creation also tended to demonstrate more evolutionary knowledge. Additional analyses employed mediation techniques to explain why cultural differences in creation belief and evolutionary knowledge exist. Age was unrelated to belief and to knowledge. The discussion focuses on the aspects of cultural membership that contribute to belief and evolutionary knowledge. Additional discussion highlights the role of classroom curriculum, curriculum testing, and focusing on uncovering variables and techniques that promote evolutionary learning.

Indigenous Knowledge in Canadian Science Curricula: Cases from Western Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Mijung

2017-01-01

To enhance Aboriginal students' educational opportunities in sciences, culturally relevant science curriculum has been examined and practiced in Western Canadian science classrooms. This article shares some examples of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science curricula and discusses the improvement and challenges of culturally relevant science…

A Global 3D P-Velocity Model of the Earth’s Crust and Mantle for Improved Event Location

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

starting model, we use a simplified layer crustal model derived from the NNSA Unified model in Eurasia and Crust 2.0 model everywhere else, over a...geographic and radial dimensions. For our starting model, we use a simplified layer crustal model derived from the NNSA Unified model in Eurasia and...tessellation with 4° triangles to the transition zone and upper mantle, and a third tessellation with variable resolution to all crustal layers. The

Indigenous knowledge in Canadian science curricula: cases from Western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Mijung

2017-09-01

To enhance Aboriginal students' educational opportunities in sciences, culturally relevant science curriculum has been examined and practiced in Western Canadian science classrooms. This article shares some examples of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science curricula and discusses the improvement and challenges of culturally relevant science curricula in Canadian contexts.

The eastern Black Sea-Caucasus region during the Cretaceous: New evidence to constrain its tectonic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosson, Marc; Stephenson, Randell; Sheremet, Yevgeniya; Rolland, Yann; Adamia, Shota; Melkonian, Rafael; Kangarli, Talat; Yegorova, Tamara; Avagyan, Ara; Galoyan, Ghazar; Danelian, Taniel; Hässig, Marc; Meijers, Maud; Müller, Carla; Sahakyan, Lilit; Sadradze, Nino; Alania, Victor; Enukidze, Onice; Mosar, Jon

2016-01-01

We report new observations in the eastern Black Sea-Caucasus region that allow reconstructing the evolution of the Neotethys in the Cretaceous. At that time, the Neotethys oceanic plate was subducting northward below the continental Eurasia plate. Based on the analysis of the obducted ophiolites that crop out throughout Lesser Caucasus and East Anatolides, we show that a spreading center (AESA basin) existed within the Neotethys, between Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Later, the spreading center was carried into the subduction with the Neotethys plate. We argue that the subduction of the spreading center opened a slab window that allowed asthenospheric material to move upward, in effect thermally and mechanically weakening the otherwise strong Eurasia upper plate. The local weakness zone favored the opening of the Black Sea back-arc basins. Later, in the Late Cretaceous, the AESA basin obducted onto the Taurides-Anatolides-South Armenia Microplate (TASAM), which then collided with Eurasia along a single suture zone (AESA suture).

The effects of land cover and land use change on the contemporary carbon balance of the arctic and boreal terrestrial ecosystems of northern Eurasia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayes, Daniel J.; McGuire, A. David; Kicklighter, David W.; Burnside , Todd J.; Melillo, Jerry M.

2010-01-01

Recent changes in climate, disturbance regimes and land use and management systems in Northern Eurasia have the potential to disrupt the terrestrial sink of atmospheric CO2 in a way that accelerates global climate change. To determine the recent trends in the carbon balance of the arctic and boreal ecosystems of this region, we performed a retrospective analysis of terrestrial carbon dynamics across northern Eurasia over a recent 10-year period using a terrestrial biogeochemical process model. The results of the simulations suggest a shift in direction of the net flux from the terrestrial sink of earlier decades to a net source on the order of 45 Tg C year−1between 1997 and 2006. The simulation framework and subsequent analyses presented in this study attribute this shift to a large loss of carbon from boreal forest ecosystems, which experienced a trend of decreasing precipitation and a large area burned during this time period.

Earliest human occupations at Dmanisi (Georgian Caucasus) dated to 1.85–1.78 Ma

PubMed Central

Ferring, Reid; Oms, Oriol; Agustí, Jordi; Berna, Francesco; Nioradze, Medea; Shelia, Teona; Tappen, Martha; Vekua, Abesalom; Zhvania, David; Lordkipanidze, David

2011-01-01

The early Pleistocene colonization of temperate Eurasia by Homo erectus was not only a significant biogeographic event but also a major evolutionary threshold. Dmanisi's rich collection of hominin fossils, revealing a population that was small-brained with both primitive and derived skeletal traits, has been dated to the earliest Upper Matuyama chron (ca. 1.77 Ma). Here we present archaeological and geologic evidence that push back Dmanisi's first occupations to shortly after 1.85 Ma and document repeated use of the site over the last half of the Olduvai subchron, 1.85–1.78 Ma. These discoveries show that the southern Caucasus was occupied repeatedly before Dmanisi's hominin fossil assemblage accumulated, strengthening the probability that this was part of a core area for the colonization of Eurasia. The secure age for Dmanisi's first occupations reveals that Eurasia was probably occupied before Homo erectus appears in the East African fossil record. PMID:21646521

Minerals yearbook: Mineral industries of Europe and central Eurasia. Volume 3. 1992 international review

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

Not Available

1992-01-01

Volume III, Minerals Yearbook -- International Review contains the latest available mineral data on more than 175 foreign countries and discusses the importance of minerals to the economies of these nations. Since the 1989 International Review, the volume has been presented as six reports. The report presents the Mineral Industries of Europe and Central Eurasia. The report incorporates location maps, industry structure tables, and an outlook section previously incorporated in the authors' Minerals Perspectives Series quinquennial regional books, which are being discontinued. This section of the Minerals Yearbook reviews the minerals industries of 45 countries: the 12 nations of themore » European Community (EC); 6 of the 7 nations of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA); Malta; the 11 Eastern European economies in transition (Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia); and the countries of Central Eurasia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan).« less

The horse pinworm (Oxyuris equi) in archaeology during the Holocene: Review of past records and new data.

PubMed

Dufour, Benjamin; Hugot, Jean-Pierre; Lepetz, Sébastien; Le Bailly, Matthieu

2015-07-01

This paper focuses on the horse pinworm, Oxyuris equi, in archaeology during the Holocene period, and presents an overview of past published occurrences, early mentions in texts, and new data from our paleoparasitology research. This original compilation shows that the most ancient record of the horse pinworm dates to ca. 2500 years before present (ybp) in Central Asia and to ca. 2020 ybp in Western Europe. It also shows that the parasite is not detected on the American continent until contemporary periods. The role of European migrations from 1492 (Christopher Columbus) is discussed to explain the transfer of the horse pinworm from the Old World to the Americas. The absence of any record of this parasite before ca. 2500 ybp in Eurasia could be explained by parasite ecology, unfavorable sampling and scarcity of horse archeological remains. For the Americas, the absence of horse for long periods can be an additional explanation for the absence of the parasite. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth-temperature relation for young-of-the-year ruffe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edsall, Thomas A.; Selgeby, James H.; DeSorcie, Timothy J.; French, John R. P.

1993-01-01

The ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) was accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes basin from Eurasia and has established a breeding population in the St. Louis River, a major tributary to western Lake Superior. We captured young-of-the-year ruffe in the St. Louis River; acclimated groups of 90-91 fish to test temperatures of 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C; and fed them ad libitum for 42 days at those temperatures. Ruffe grew at all five temperatures, but the optimum temperature for growth was about 21°C. Because the optimum temperature for growth of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), sauger (Stizoste-dion canadense), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is about 22°C, ruffe will probably attempt to share their thermal habitat. A recent survey of the St. Louis River revealed that yellow perch and small forage fish declined sharply as ruffe abundance increased. A similar decline in yellow perch abundance in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie would seriously affect the fisheries in these lakes.

A fourth Denisovan individual

PubMed Central

Slon, Viviane; Viola, Bence; Renaud, Gabriel; Gansauge, Marie-Theres; Benazzi, Stefano; Sawyer, Susanna; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Shunkov, Michael V.; Derevianko, Anatoly P.; Kelso, Janet; Prüfer, Kay; Meyer, Matthias; Pääbo, Svante

2017-01-01

The presence of Neandertals in Europe and Western Eurasia before the arrival of anatomically modern humans is well supported by archaeological and paleontological data. In contrast, fossil evidence for Denisovans, a sister group of Neandertals recently identified on the basis of DNA sequences, is limited to three specimens, all of which originate from Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains (Siberia, Russia). We report the retrieval of DNA from a deciduous lower second molar (Denisova 2), discovered in a deep stratigraphic layer in Denisova Cave, and show that this tooth comes from a female Denisovan individual. On the basis of the number of “missing substitutions” in the mitochondrial DNA determined from the specimen, we find that Denisova 2 is substantially older than two of the other Denisovans, reinforcing the view that Denisovans were likely to have been present in the vicinity of Denisova Cave over an extended time period. We show that the level of nuclear DNA sequence diversity found among Denisovans is within the lower range of that of present-day human populations. PMID:28695206

Mantle Earthquakes in Thinned Proterozoic Lithosphere: Harrat Lunayyir, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchette, A. R.; Klemperer, S. L.; Mooney, W. D.; Zahran, H. M.

2017-12-01

Harrat Lunayyir is an active volcanic field located in the western Arabian Shield 100 km outside of the Red Sea rift margin. We use common conversion point (CCP) stacking of P-wave receiver functions (PRFs) to show that the Moho is at 38 km depth, close to the 40 km crustal thickness measured in the center of the craton, whereas the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) is at 60 km, far shallower than the 150 km furthest in the craton. We locate 67 high-frequency earthquakes with mL ≤ 2.5 at depths of 40-50 km below the surface, located clearly within the mantle lid. The occurrence of earthquakes within the lithospheric mantle requires a geothermal temperature profile that is below equilibrium. The lithosphere cannot have thinned to its present thickness earlier than 15 Ma, either during an extended period of rifting possibly beginning 24 Ma or, more likely, as part of the second stage of rifting following collision between Arabia and Eurasia.

Global pattern of trends in streamflow and water availability in a changing climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milly, P.C.D.; Dunne, K.A.; Vecchia, A.V.

2005-01-01

Water availability on the continents is important for human health, economic activity, ecosystem function and geophysical processes. Because the saturation vapour pressure of water in air is highly sensitive to temperature, perturbations in the global water cycle are expected to accompany climate warming. Regional patterns of warming-induced changes in surface hydroclimate are complex and less certain than those in temperature, however, with both regional increases and decreases expected in precipitation and runoff. Here we show that an ensemble of 12 climate models exhibits qualitative and statistically significant skill in simulating observed regional patterns of twentieth-century multidecadal changes in streamflow. These models project 10–40% increases in runoff in eastern equatorial Africa, the La Plata basin and high-latitude North America and Eurasia, and 10–30% decreases in runoff in southern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and mid-latitude western North America by the year 2050. Such changes in sustainable water availability would have considerable regional-scale consequences for economies as well as ecosystems.

Global pattern of trends in streamflow and water availability in a changing climate.

PubMed

Milly, P C D; Dunne, K A; Vecchia, A V

2005-11-17

Water availability on the continents is important for human health, economic activity, ecosystem function and geophysical processes. Because the saturation vapour pressure of water in air is highly sensitive to temperature, perturbations in the global water cycle are expected to accompany climate warming. Regional patterns of warming-induced changes in surface hydroclimate are complex and less certain than those in temperature, however, with both regional increases and decreases expected in precipitation and runoff. Here we show that an ensemble of 12 climate models exhibits qualitative and statistically significant skill in simulating observed regional patterns of twentieth-century multidecadal changes in streamflow. These models project 10-40% increases in runoff in eastern equatorial Africa, the La Plata basin and high-latitude North America and Eurasia, and 10-30% decreases in runoff in southern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and mid-latitude western North America by the year 2050. Such changes in sustainable water availability would have considerable regional-scale consequences for economies as well as ecosystems.

Immunization of knock-out α/β interferon receptor mice against high lethal dose of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus with a cell culture based vaccine.

PubMed

Canakoglu, Nurettin; Berber, Engin; Tonbak, Sukru; Ertek, Mustafa; Sozdutmaz, Ibrahim; Aktas, Munir; Kalkan, Ahmet; Ozdarendeli, Aykut

2015-03-01

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute tick-borne zoonotic disease. The disease has been reported in many countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and in Eurasia. During the past decade, new foci of CCHF have emerged in the Balkan Peninsula, southwest Russia, the Middle East, western China, India, Africa, and Turkey. CCHF virus produces severe hemorrhagic manifestations in humans with fatality rates up to 30%. Vaccine development efforts have been significantly hampered by a lack of animal models and therefore, no protective vaccine has been achieved. Lately, IFN α/β receptor deficient (IFNAR-/-) mice have been established as a novel small animal model of CCHF virus infection. In the present study, we found that IFNAR-/- mice highly susceptible to CCHF virus Turkey-Kelkit06 strain. Immunization with the cell culture based vaccine elicited a significant level of protection against high dose challenge (1,000 PPFU) with a homologous CCHF virus in IFNAR-/- mice.

Genome-wide data from two early Neolithic East Asian individuals dating to 7700 years ago

PubMed Central

Siska, Veronika; Jones, Eppie Ruth; Jeon, Sungwon; Bhak, Youngjune; Kim, Hak-Min; Cho, Yun Sung; Kim, Hyunho; Lee, Kyusang; Veselovskaya, Elizaveta; Balueva, Tatiana; Gallego-Llorente, Marcos; Hofreiter, Michael; Bradley, Daniel G.; Eriksson, Anders; Pinhasi, Ron; Bhak, Jong; Manica, Andrea

2017-01-01

Ancient genomes have revolutionized our understanding of Holocene prehistory and, particularly, the Neolithic transition in western Eurasia. In contrast, East Asia has so far received little attention, despite representing a core region at which the Neolithic transition took place independently ~3 millennia after its onset in the Near East. We report genome-wide data from two hunter-gatherers from Devil’s Gate, an early Neolithic cave site (dated to ~7.7 thousand years ago) located in East Asia, on the border between Russia and Korea. Both of these individuals are genetically most similar to geographically close modern populations from the Amur Basin, all speaking Tungusic languages, and, in particular, to the Ulchi. The similarity to nearby modern populations and the low levels of additional genetic material in the Ulchi imply a high level of genetic continuity in this region during the Holocene, a pattern that markedly contrasts with that reported for Europe. PMID:28164156

The Central Eurasia collision zone: insights from a neotectonic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tunini, Lavinia; Jiménez-Munt, Ivone; Fernandez, Manel; Vergés, Jaume

2017-04-01

In this study, we explore the neotectonic deformation in the whole Central Eurasia, including both the India-Eurasia and the Arabia-Eurasia collision zones, by using the thin-sheet approach in which the lithosphere strength is calculated from the lithosphere structure and thermal regime. We investigate the relative contributions of the lithospheric structure, rheology, boundary conditions, and friction coefficient on faults on the predicted velocity and stress fields. The resulting models have been evaluated by comparing the predictions with available data on seismic deformation, stress directions and GPS velocities. A first order approximation of the velocity and stress directions is obtained, reproducing the counter-clockwise rotation of Arabia and Iran, the westward escape of Anatolia, and the eastward extrusion of the northern Tibetan Plateau. To simulate the observed extensional faults within Tibet a weaker lithosphere is required, provided by a change in the rheological parameters or a reduction of the lithosphere thickness in NE-Tibet. The temperature increase generated by the lithospheric thinning below the Tibetan Plateau would also allow reconciling the model with the high heat flow and low mantle seismic velocities observed in the area. Besides the large scale, this study offers a coherent result in regions with little or no data coverage, as in the case of the Arabia-India inter-collision zone, over large areas of Pakistan and entire Afghanistan. The study is supported by MITE (CGL2014-59516-P) and WE-ME (PIE-CSIC-201330E111) projects.

Realizing the Potential of Management and Leadership: Toward a Synthesis of Western and Indigenous Perspectives in the Modernization of Non-Western Societies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapre, Padmakar M.

2000-01-01

Examines the tradition/Westernization debate against the background of India's exposure to Western ideas through its higher education system. Proposes a shift from a centralized, bureaucratic educational-administration model to a managerial- professional model that synthesizes Western and indigenous perspectives. Self-knowledge and responsiveness…

Genetic Differentiation of the Western Capercaillie Highlights the Importance of South-Eastern Europe for Understanding the Species Phylogeography

PubMed Central

Ballian, Dalibor; Kunovac, Saša; Zubić, Goran; Grubešić, Marijan; Zhelev, Petar; Paule, Ladislav; Grebenc, Tine; Kraigher, Hojka

2011-01-01

The Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) is a grouse species of open boreal or high altitude forests of Eurasia. It is endangered throughout most mountain range habitat areas in Europe. Two major genetically identifiable lineages of Western Capercaillie have been described to date: the southern lineage at the species' southernmost range of distribution in Europe, and the boreal lineage. We address the question of genetic differentiation of capercaillie populations from the Rhodope and Rila Mountains in Bulgaria, across the Dinaric Mountains to the Slovenian Alps. The two lineages' contact zone and resulting conservation strategies in this so-far understudied area of distribution have not been previously determined. The results of analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 319 samples from the studied populations show that Alpine populations were composed exclusively of boreal lineage; Dinaric populations of both, but predominantly (96%) of boreal lineage; and Rhodope-Rila populations predominantly (>90%) of southern lineage individuals. The Bulgarian mountains were identified as the core area of the southern lineage, and the Dinaric Mountains as the western contact zone between both lineages in the Balkans. Bulgarian populations appeared genetically distinct from Alpine and Dinaric populations and exhibited characteristics of a long-term stationary population, suggesting that they should be considered as a glacial relict and probably a distinct subspecies. Although all of the studied populations suffered a decline in the past, the significantly lower level of genetic diversity when compared with the neighbouring Alpine and Bulgarian populations suggests that the isolated Dinaric capercaillie is particularly vulnerable to continuing population decline. The results are discussed in the context of conservation of the species in the Balkans, its principal threats and legal protection status. Potential conservation strategies should consider the existence of the two lineages and their vulnerable Dinaric contact zone and support the specificities of the populations. PMID:21897847

Possible future changes in extreme events over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monier, Erwan; Sokolov, Andrei; Scott, Jeffery

2013-04-01

In this study, we investigate possible future climate change over Northern Eurasia and its impact on extreme events. Northern Eurasia is a major player in the global carbon budget because of boreal forests and peatlands. Circumpolar boreal forests alone contain more than five times the amount of carbon of temperate forests and almost double the amount of carbon of the world's tropical forests. Furthermore, severe permafrost degradation associated with climate change could result in peatlands releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane. Meanwhile, changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme events, such as extreme precipitation, heat waves or frost days are likely to have substantial impacts on Northern Eurasia ecosystems. For this reason, it is very important to quantify the possible climate change over Northern Eurasia under different emissions scenarios, while accounting for the uncertainty in the climate response and changes in extreme events. For several decades, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change has been investigating uncertainty in climate change using the MIT Integrated Global System Model (IGSM) framework, an integrated assessment model that couples an earth system model of intermediate complexity (with a 2D zonal-mean atmosphere) to a human activity model. In this study, regional change is investigated using the MIT IGSM-CAM framework that links the IGSM to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). New modules were developed and implemented in CAM to allow climate parameters to be changed to match those of the IGSM. The simulations presented in this paper were carried out for two emission scenarios, a "business as usual" scenario and a 660 ppm of CO2-equivalent stabilization, which are similar to, respectively, the Representative Concentration Pathways RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 scenarios. Values of climate sensitivity and net aerosol forcing used in the simulations within the IGSM-CAM framework provide a good approximation for the median, and the lower and upper bound of 90% probability distribution of 21st century climate change. Five member ensembles were carried out for each choice of parameters using different initial conditions. With these simulations, we investigate the role of emissions scenarios (climate policies), the global climate response (climate sensitivity) and natural variability (initial conditions) on the uncertainty in future climate changes over Northern Eurasia. A particular emphasis is made on future changes in extreme events, including frost days, extreme summer temperature and extreme summer and winter precipitation.

Teachers' Constructions of Democracy: Intersections of Western and Indigenous Knowledge in South Africa and Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubow, Patricia K.

2007-01-01

In this article, the author aims to explore the roles of knowledge in constructions of democracy. First, she discusses theoretical ways to differentiate among some of the existing perspectives on democracy and citizenship within democratic states. She also examines Western conceptions of democracy and democratic citizenship, which draw…

Impact of an Educational Intervention on Breast Cancer Knowledge in Western Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisuya, J.; Wachira, J.; Busakhala, N.; Naanyu, V.; Chite, A. F.; Omenge, O.; Otieno, G.; Keter, A.; Mwangi, A.; Inui, T.

2015-01-01

Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of educational sessions that accompanied breast cancer screening events in three communities in western Kenya between October and November 2013. Five hundred and thirty-two women were recruited to complete a test of breast cancer-relevant knowledge and randomly allocated to "pre-test" or…

Phylogenetic analysis informed by geological history supports multiple, sequential invasions of the Mediterranean Basin by the angiosperm family Araceae.

PubMed

Mansion, Guilhem; Rosenbaum, Gideon; Schoenenberger, Nicola; Bacchetta, Gianluigi; Rosselló, Josep A; Conti, Elena

2008-04-01

Despite the remarkable species richness of the Mediterranean flora and its well-known geological history, few studies have investigated its temporal and spatial origins. Most importantly, the relative contribution of geological processes and long-distance dispersal to the composition of contemporary Mediterranean biotas remains largely unknown. We used phylogenetic analyses of sequences from six chloroplast DNA markers, Bayesian dating methods, and ancestral area reconstructions, in combination with paleogeographic, paleoclimatic, and ecological evidence, to elucidate the time frame and biogeographic events associated with the diversification of Araceae in the Mediterranean Basin. We focused on the origin of four species, Ambrosina bassii, Biarum dispar, Helicodiceros muscivorus, Arum pictum, subendemic or endemic to Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic Archipelago. The results support two main invasions of the Mediterranean Basin by the Araceae, one from an area connecting North America and Eurasia in the Late Cretaceous and one from the Anatolian microplate in western Asia during the Late Eocene, thus confirming the proposed heterogeneous origins of the Mediterranean flora. The subendemic Ambrosina bassii and Biarum dispar likely diverged sympatrically from their widespread Mediterranean sister clades in the Early-Middle Eocene and Early-Middle Miocene, respectively. Combined evidence corroborates a relictual origin for the endemic Helicodiceros muscivorus and Arum pictum, the former apparently representing the first documented case of vicariance driven by the initial splitting of the Hercynian belt in the Early Oligocene. A recurrent theme emerging from our analyses is that land connections and interruptions, caused by repeated cycles of marine transgressions-regressions between the Tethys and Paratethys, favored geodispersalist expansion of biotic ranges from western Asia into the western Mediterranean Basin and subsequent allopatric speciation at different points in time from the Late Eocene to the Late Oligocene.

Geodetic Network Design and Optimization on the Active Tuzla Fault (Izmir, Turkey) for Disaster Management

PubMed Central

Halicioglu, Kerem; Ozener, Haluk

2008-01-01

Both seismological and geodynamic research emphasize that the Aegean Region, which comprises the Hellenic Arc, the Greek mainland and Western Turkey is the most seismically active region in Western Eurasia. The convergence of the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates forces a westward motion on the Anatolian plate relative to the Eurasian one. Western Anatolia is a valuable laboratory for Earth Science research because of its complex geological structure. Izmir is a large city in Turkey with a population of about 2.5 million that is at great risk from big earthquakes. Unfortunately, previous geodynamics studies performed in this region are insufficient or cover large areas instead of specific faults. The Tuzla Fault, which is aligned trending NE–SW between the town of Menderes and Cape Doganbey, is an important fault in terms of seismic activity and its proximity to the city of Izmir. This study aims to perform a large scale investigation focusing on the Tuzla Fault and its vicinity for better understanding of the region's tectonics. In order to investigate the crustal deformation along the Tuzla Fault and Izmir Bay, a geodetic network has been designed and optimizations were performed. This paper suggests a schedule for a crustal deformation monitoring study which includes research on the tectonics of the region, network design and optimization strategies, theory and practice of processing. The study is also open for extension in terms of monitoring different types of fault characteristics. A one-dimensional fault model with two parameters – standard strike-slip model of dislocation theory in an elastic half-space – is formulated in order to determine which sites are suitable for the campaign based geodetic GPS measurements. Geodetic results can be used as a background data for disaster management systems. PMID:27873783

Multi-parameter observations in the Ibero-Moghrebian region: the Western Mediterranean seismic network (WM) and ROA GPS geodynamic network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pazos, Antonio; Martín Davila, José; Buforn, Elisa; Gárate Pasquín, Jorge; Catalán Morollón, Manuel; Hanka, Winfried; Udías, Agustín.; Benzzeghoud, Mourad; Harnafi, Mimoun

2010-05-01

The plate boundary between Eurasia and Africa plates crosses the called "Ibero-Maghrebian" region from the San Vicente Cape (SW Portugal) to Tunisia including the South of Iberia, Alboran Sea, and northern Morocco and Algeria. In this area, the convergence, with a low rate, is accommodated over a wide and diffuse deformation zone, characterized by a significant and widespread moderate seismic activity [Buforn et al., 1995], and the occurrence of large earthquakes is separated by long time intervals. Since more than hundred years ago San Fernando Naval Observatory (ROA), in collaboration with other Institutes, has deployed different geophysical and geodetic equipment in the Southern Spain - North-western Africa area in order to study this broad deformation zone. Currently a Broad Band seismic net (Western Mediterranean, WM net) is deployed, in collaboration with other institutions, around the Gulf of Cádiz and the Alboran sea, with stations in the South of Iberia and in North Africa (at Spanish places and Morocco), together with the seismic stations a permanent geodetic GPS net is co-installed at the same sites. Also, other geophysical instruments have been installed: a Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) station at San Fernando Observatory Headquarter, a Geomagnetic Observatory in Cádiz bay area and some meteorological stations. These networks have been recently improved with the deployment of a new submarine and on-land geophysical observatory in the Alboran island (ALBO Observatory), where a permanent GPS, a meteorological station were installed on land and a permanent submarine observatory in 50 meters depth was also deploy in last October (with a broad band seismic sensor, a 3 C accelerometer and a DPG). This work shows the present status and the future plans of these networks and some results.

Geodetic Network Design and Optimization on the Active Tuzla Fault (Izmir, Turkey) for Disaster Management.

PubMed

Halicioglu, Kerem; Ozener, Haluk

2008-08-19

Both seismological and geodynamic research emphasize that the Aegean Region, which comprises the Hellenic Arc, the Greek mainland and Western Turkey is the most seismically active region in Western Eurasia. The convergence of the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates forces a westward motion on the Anatolian plate relative to the Eurasian one. Western Anatolia is a valuable laboratory for Earth Science research because of its complex geological structure. Izmir is a large city in Turkey with a population of about 2.5 million that is at great risk from big earthquakes. Unfortunately, previous geodynamics studies performed in this region are insufficient or cover large areas instead of specific faults. The Tuzla Fault, which is aligned trending NE-SW between the town of Menderes and Cape Doganbey, is an important fault in terms of seismic activity and its proximity to the city of Izmir. This study aims to perform a large scale investigation focusing on the Tuzla Fault and its vicinity for better understanding of the region's tectonics. In order to investigate the crustal deformation along the Tuzla Fault and Izmir Bay, a geodetic network has been designed and optimizations were performed. This paper suggests a schedule for a crustal deformation monitoring study which includes research on the tectonics of the region, network design and optimization strategies, theory and practice of processing. The study is also open for extension in terms of monitoring different types of fault characteristics. A one-dimensional fault model with two parameters - standard strike-slip model of dislocation theory in an elastic half-space - is formulated in order to determine which sites are suitable for the campaign based geodetic GPS measurements. Geodetic results can be used as a background data for disaster management systems.

Jurassic subduction initiation in the western and central Neo-Tethys and the origin of the Balkan ophiolites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Hinsbergen, D. J. J.; Maffione, M.

2017-12-01

Jurassic subduction initiation in the Neo-Tethys Ocean was the first, critical step of a long tectonic process that eventually led to the collision of the Adria-Africa and Eurasia plates and the formation of a 6000 km long Alpine orogenic belt spanning from the Balkan Peninsula to Iran. Investigating the process of subduction initiation in the Neo-Tethys during the Jurassic is crucial to (i) reconstruct the complex geological evolution of this orogen from its initial stages, and (ii) shed new lights over the enigmatic kinematics and driving mechanisms of subduction initiation. Records of the initial closure of the Neo-Tethys are today preserved in a fragmented belt of Middle Jurassic ophiolites (170-160 Ma) distributed above the Alpine orogen. In particular, the well-preserved and extensively studied ophiolites of the Balkan Peninsula offer a unique chance to study the mechanisms leading to the closure of the western domain of the Neo-Tethys. Here we provide the first quantitative constraints on the geometry of the Jurassic Neo-Tethyan subduction system using a net tectonic rotation analysis based on paleomagnetic and structural geological data from the sheeted dyke complexes of various ophiolites of Serbia (Maljen, Ibar) and Greece (Othris, Pindos, Vourinos, Guevgueli). Our results show that closure of the western Neo-Tethys was accommodated by two subduction zones, one intra-oceanic, formed at the N-S trending Neo-Tethyan ridge, the other initiated at the European passive margin and curving southward from a N-S to a NW-SE direction following the shape of the passive margin. We propose that these two subduction zones formed upon propagation of subduction(s) initiated in the central Neo-Tethys (modern Turkey) in the late Early Jurassic ( 185-180 Ma).

Western teachers of science or teachers of Western science: On the influence of Western modern science in a post-colonial context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, Lydia E. Carol-Ann

An expanding body of research explores the social, political, cultural and personal challenges presented by the Western emphasis of curricula around the world. The aim of my study is to advance this field of inquiry by gaining insight into perceptions of Western modern science presented by students, teachers and administrators in a given Caribbean setting. Through this study I asked how my research participants described the nature of scientific knowledge, how they related scientific knowledge to other culturally-valued knowledges and the meanings they attached to the geographic origins of science teachers. Situating this work firmly within the practice of Foucauldian critical discourse analysis, I have utilised a conceptual framework defined by the power/knowledge and complicity/resistance themes of post-colonial theory to support my interpretation of participant commentary in an overall quest that is concerned about the ways in which Western modern science might be exerting a colonising influence. Fourteen students, nine teachers (both expatriate and local) and three administrators participated in the study. I combined a semi-structured question and answer interview format with a card sort activity. I used a procedure based on my own adaptation of Stephenson's Q methodology, where the respondents placed 24 statements hierarchically along a continuum of increasing strength of agreement, presenting their rationalisations, personal stories and illustrations as they sorted. I used an inverse factor analysis, in combination with the interview transcripts, to assist me in the identification of three discourse positions described by my research participants: The truth value of scientific knowledge, The pragmatic use of science to promote progress, and The priority of cultural preservation. The interview transcripts were also analysed for emergent themes, providing an additional layer of data interpretation. The research findings raise concerns regarding the hegemonic potency of certain scientific assumptions and assertions of participants, leading me to emphasise the importance of developing teachers' knowledge of the historical, philosophical and social background of Western modern science as well as focusing on developing the conceptual and intellectual engagement of students with Western modern science without demanding the kind of belief commitment that would insist that students replace alternative modes of meaning making.

Evolution and distribution of the coregonids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Stanford H.

1957-01-01

Increased knowledge of the morphological and physiological plasticity of the coregonids has minimized the significance of conflicting morphological data that have retarded the development of an evolutionary theory. Of the four phyletic lines recognized through worldwide studies,Coregonus originated in the lake and stream area of northwest Eurasia, Stenodus andProsopium evolved in the rivers of Siberia and northwest America respectively, and Leucichthysbecame differentiated in the lake-studded area of northeast America. Isolation and range extension were facilitated by events of the Pleistocene epoch. Inter-continental exchange most likely took place in the Bering Strait region. Representatives of each group in its area of origin are highly variable. Range extensions of each group are characterized by lesser morphological variability and at the extremes only one or two relatively stable species remain.

More frequent showers and thunderstorms under a warming climate: evidence observed in Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, H.; Fetzer, E. J.; Wong, S.; Lambrigtsen, B.; Wang, T.; Chen, L. L.; Von, D.

2015-12-01

This study uses historical records of synoptic observations over northern Eurasia to examine changing frequency of precipitation associated with large synoptic events versus convective and thunderstorm activities. We found days associated with showers and precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms have been increasing in general during the study period of 1966-2000 while the total wet day frequency has been decreasing in all seasons. This study suggests increasing convective and severe weather-related precipitation events may be a significant contributor to higher intensity and more extreme precipitation under a warming climate.

Deep seismic sounding in northern Eurasia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benz, H.M.; Unger, J.D.; Leith, W.S.; Mooney, W.D.; Solodilov, L.; Egorkin, A.V.; Ryaboy, V.Z.

1992-01-01

For nearly 40 years, the former Soviet Union has carried out an extensive program of seismic studies of the Earth's crust and upper mantle, known as “Deep Seismic Sounding” or DSS [Piwinskii, 1979; Zverev and Kosminskaya, 1980; Egorkin and Pavlenkova, 1981; Egorkin and Chernyshov, 1983; Scheimer and Borg, 1985]. Beginning in 1939–1940 with a series of small-scale seismic experiments near Moscow, DSS profiling has broadened into a national multiinstitutional exploration effort that has completed almost 150,000 km of profiles covering all major geological provinces of northern Eurasia [Ryaboy, 1989].

Arctic and N Atlantic Crustal Thickness and Oceanic Lithosphere Distribution from Gravity Inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusznir, Nick; Alvey, Andy

2014-05-01

The ocean basins of the Arctic and N. Atlantic formed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic as a series of distinct ocean basins, both small and large, leading to a complex distribution of oceanic crust, thinned continental crust and rifted continental margins. The plate tectonic framework of this region was demonstrated by the pioneering work of Peter Ziegler in AAPG Memoir 43 " Evolution of the Arctic-North Atlantic and the Western Tethys" published in 1988. The spatial evolution of Arctic Ocean and N Atlantic ocean basin geometry and bathymetry are critical not only for hydrocarbon exploration but also for understanding regional palaeo-oceanography and ocean gateway connectivity, and its influence on global climate. Mapping crustal thickness and oceanic lithosphere distribution represents a substantial challenge for the Polar Regions. Using gravity anomaly inversion we have produced comprehensive maps of crustal thickness and oceanic lithosphere distribution for the Arctic and N Atlantic region, We determine Moho depth, crustal basement thickness, continental lithosphere thinning and ocean-continent transition location using a 3D spectral domain gravity inversion method, which incorporates a lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly correction (Chappell & Kusznir 2008). Gravity anomaly and bathymetry data used in the gravity inversion are from the NGA (U) Arctic Gravity Project and IBCAO respectively; sediment thickness is from a new regional compilation. The resulting maps of crustal thickness and continental lithosphere thinning factor are used to determine continent-ocean boundary location and the distribution of oceanic lithosphere. Crustal cross-sections using Moho depth from the gravity inversion allow continent-ocean transition structure to be determined and magmatic type (magma poor, "normal" or magma rich). Our gravity inversion predicts thin crust and high continental lithosphere thinning factors in the Eurasia, Canada, Makarov, Podvodnikov and Baffin Basins consistent with these basins being oceanic. Larger crustal thicknesses, in the range 20 - 30 km, are predicted for the Lomonosov, Alpha and Mendeleev Ridges. Crustal basement thicknesses of 10-15 km are predicted under the Laptev Sea which is interpreted as highly thinned continental crust formed at the eastward continuation of Eurasia Basin sea-floor spreading. Thin continental or oceanic crust of thickness 7 km or less is predicted under the North Chukchi Basin and has major implications for understanding the Mesozoic and Cenozoic plate tectonic history of the Siberian and Chukchi Amerasia Basin margins. Restoration of crustal thickness and continent-ocean boundary location from gravity inversion may be used to test and refine plate tectonic reconstructions. Using crustal thickness and continental lithosphere thinning factor maps with superimposed shaded-relief free-air gravity anomaly, we improve the determination of pre-breakup rifted margin conjugacy and sea-floor spreading trajectory within the Arctic and N Atlantic basins. By restoring crustal thickness & continental lithosphere thinning maps of the Eurasia Basin & NE Atlantic to their initial post-breakup configuration we show the geometry and segmentation of the rifted continental margins at their time of breakup, together with the location of highly-stretched failed breakup basins and rifted micro-continents. We interpret gravity inversion crustal thicknesses underneath Morris Jessop Rise & Yermak Plateau as continental crust which provided a barrier to the tectonic and palaeo-oceanic linkage between the Arctic & North Atlantic until the Oligocene. Before this time, we link the seafloor spreading within the Eurasia Basin to that in Baffin Bay.

Unimodal Latitudinal Pattern of Land-Snail Species Richness across Northern Eurasian Lowlands

PubMed Central

Horsák, Michal; Chytrý, Milan

2014-01-01

Large-scale patterns of species richness and their causes are still poorly understood for most terrestrial invertebrates, although invertebrates can add important insights into the mechanisms that generate regional and global biodiversity patterns. Here we explore the general plausibility of the climate-based “water-energy dynamics” hypothesis using the latitudinal pattern of land-snail species richness across extensive topographically homogeneous lowlands of northern Eurasia. We established a 1480-km long latitudinal transect across the Western Siberian Plain (Russia) from the Russia-Kazakhstan border (54.5°N) to the Arctic Ocean (67.5°N), crossing eight latitudinal vegetation zones: steppe, forest-steppe, subtaiga, southern, middle and northern taiga, forest-tundra, and tundra. We sampled snails in forests and open habitats each half-degree of latitude and used generalized linear models to relate snail species richness to climatic variables and soil calcium content measured in situ. Contrary to the classical prediction of latitudinal biodiversity decrease, we found a striking unimodal pattern of snail species richness peaking in the subtaiga and southern-taiga zones between 57 and 59°N. The main south-to-north interchange of the two principal diversity constraints, i.e. drought stress vs. cold stress, explained most of the variance in the latitudinal diversity pattern. Water balance, calculated as annual precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration, was a single variable that could explain 81.7% of the variance in species richness. Our data suggest that the “water-energy dynamics” hypothesis can apply not only at the global scale but also at subcontinental scales of higher latitudes, as water availability was found to be the primary limiting factor also in this extratropical region with summer-warm and dry climate. A narrow zone with a sharp south-to-north switch in the two main diversity constraints seems to constitute the dominant and general pattern of terrestrial diversity across a large part of northern Eurasia, resulting in a subcontinental diversity hotspot of various taxa in this zone. PMID:25090628

Molecular phylogenetics, diversification, and systematics of Tibicen Latreille 1825 and allied cicadas of the tribe Cryptotympanini, with three new genera and emphasis on species from the USA and Canada
(Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae).

PubMed

Hill, Kathy B R; Marshall, David C; Moulds, Maxwell S; Simon, Chris

2015-07-10

North America has a diverse cicada fauna with multiple genera from all three Cicadidae subfamilies, yet molecular phylogenetic analyses have been completed only for the well-studied periodical cicadas (Magicicada Davis). The genus Tibicen Latreille, a large group of charismatic species, is in need of such work because morphological patterns suggest multiple groups with complicated relationships to other genera in the tribe Cryptotympanini. In this paper we present a molecular phylogenetic analysis, based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, of 35 of the 38 extant USA species and subspecies of the genus Tibicen together with their North American tribal allies (Cornuplura Davis, Cacama Davis), selected Tibicen species from Eurasia, and representatives of other Eurasian and Pacific cryptotympanine genera. This tree shows that Tibicen contains several well-supported clades, one predominating in eastern and central North America and related to Cryptotympana Stål and Raiateana Boulard, another in western North America related to Cacama and Cornuplura, and at least two clades in Eurasia. We also present a morphological cladistic analysis of Tibicen and its close allies based on 27 characters. Character states identified in the cladistic analysis define three new genera, two for North American taxa (Hadoa gen. n. and Neotibicen gen. n.) including several Mexican species, and one for Asian species (Subsolanus gen. n.). Using relaxed molecular clocks and literature-derived mtDNA rate estimates, we estimate the timeframe of diversification of Tibicen clades and find that intergeneric divergence has occurred since the late Eocene, with most extant species within the former Tibicen originating after the mid-Miocene. We review patterns of ecology, behavior, and geography among Tibicen clades in light of the phylogenetic results and note that the study of these insects is still in its early stages. Some Mexican species formerly placed in Tibicen are here transferred to Diceroprocta, following refinement of the definition of that genus.

Molecular Genealogy of a Mongol Queen’s Family and Her Possible Kinship with Genghis Khan

PubMed Central

Lkhagvasuren, Gavaachimed; Shin, Heejin; Lee, Si Eun; Tumen, Dashtseveg; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Kim, Kyung-Yong; Kim, Kijeong; Park, Ae Ja; Lee, Ho Woon; Kim, Mi Jin; Choi, Jaesung; Choi, Jee-Hye; Min, Na Young

2016-01-01

Members of the Mongol imperial family (designated the Golden family) are buried in a secret necropolis; therefore, none of their burial grounds have been found. In 2004, we first discovered 5 graves belonging to the Golden family in Tavan Tolgoi, Eastern Mongolia. To define the genealogy of the 5 bodies and the kinship among them, SNP and/or STR profiles of mitochondria, autosomes, and Y chromosomes were analyzed. Four of the 5 bodies were determined to carry the mitochondrial DNA haplogroup D4, while the fifth carried haplogroup CZ, indicating that this individual had no kinship with the others. Meanwhile, Y-SNP and Y-STR profiles indicate that the males examined belonged to the R1b-M343 haplogroup. Thus, their East Asian D4 or CZ matrilineal and West Eurasian R1b-M343 patrilineal origins reveal genealogical admixture between Caucasoid and Mongoloid ethnic groups, despite a Mongoloid physical appearance. In addition, Y chromosomal and autosomal STR profiles revealed that the four D4-carrying bodies bore the relationship of either mother and three sons or four full siblings with almost the same probability. Moreover, the geographical distribution of R1b-M343-carrying modern-day individuals demonstrates that descendants of Tavan Tolgoi bodies today live mainly in Western Eurasia, with a high frequency in the territories of the past Mongol khanates. Here, we propose that Genghis Khan and his family carried Y-haplogroup R1b-M343, which is prevalent in West Eurasia, rather than the Y-haplogroup C3c-M48, which is prevalent in Asia and which is widely accepted to be present in the family members of Genghis Khan. Additionally, Tavan Tolgoi bodies may have been the product of marriages between the lineage of Genghis Khan’s Borjigin clan and the lineage of either the Ongud or Hongirad clans, indicating that these individuals were members of Genghis Khan’s immediate family or his close relatives. PMID:27627454

Molecular Genealogy of a Mongol Queen's Family and Her Possible Kinship with Genghis Khan.

PubMed

Lkhagvasuren, Gavaachimed; Shin, Heejin; Lee, Si Eun; Tumen, Dashtseveg; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Kim, Kyung-Yong; Kim, Kijeong; Park, Ae Ja; Lee, Ho Woon; Kim, Mi Jin; Choi, Jaesung; Choi, Jee-Hye; Min, Na Young; Lee, Kwang-Ho

2016-01-01

Members of the Mongol imperial family (designated the Golden family) are buried in a secret necropolis; therefore, none of their burial grounds have been found. In 2004, we first discovered 5 graves belonging to the Golden family in Tavan Tolgoi, Eastern Mongolia. To define the genealogy of the 5 bodies and the kinship among them, SNP and/or STR profiles of mitochondria, autosomes, and Y chromosomes were analyzed. Four of the 5 bodies were determined to carry the mitochondrial DNA haplogroup D4, while the fifth carried haplogroup CZ, indicating that this individual had no kinship with the others. Meanwhile, Y-SNP and Y-STR profiles indicate that the males examined belonged to the R1b-M343 haplogroup. Thus, their East Asian D4 or CZ matrilineal and West Eurasian R1b-M343 patrilineal origins reveal genealogical admixture between Caucasoid and Mongoloid ethnic groups, despite a Mongoloid physical appearance. In addition, Y chromosomal and autosomal STR profiles revealed that the four D4-carrying bodies bore the relationship of either mother and three sons or four full siblings with almost the same probability. Moreover, the geographical distribution of R1b-M343-carrying modern-day individuals demonstrates that descendants of Tavan Tolgoi bodies today live mainly in Western Eurasia, with a high frequency in the territories of the past Mongol khanates. Here, we propose that Genghis Khan and his family carried Y-haplogroup R1b-M343, which is prevalent in West Eurasia, rather than the Y-haplogroup C3c-M48, which is prevalent in Asia and which is widely accepted to be present in the family members of Genghis Khan. Additionally, Tavan Tolgoi bodies may have been the product of marriages between the lineage of Genghis Khan's Borjigin clan and the lineage of either the Ongud or Hongirad clans, indicating that these individuals were members of Genghis Khan's immediate family or his close relatives.

Stable isotope ecology of Miocene bovids from Northern Greece and the ape/monkey turnover in the Balkans.

PubMed

Merceron, Gildas; Kostopoulos, Dimitris S; Bonis, Louis de; Fourel, François; Koufos, George D; Lécuyer, Christophe; Martineau, François

2013-08-01

Eurasia was home to a great radiation of hominoid primates during the Miocene. All were extinct by the end of the Miocene in Western Eurasia. Here, we investigate the hypothesis of climate and vegetation changes at a local scale when the cercopithecoid Mesopithecus replaced the hominoid Ouranopithecus along the Axios River, Greece. Because they are herbivorous and were much more abundant than primates, bovids are preferred to primates to study climate change in the Balkans as a cause of hominoid extinction. By measuring carbon stable isotope ratios of bovid enamel, we conclude that Ouranopithecus and Mesopithecus both evolved in pure C3 environments. However, the large range of δ(13)C values of apatite carbonate from bovids combined with their molar microwear and mesowear patterns preclude the presence of dense forested landscapes in northern Greece. Instead, these bovids evolved in rather open landscapes with abundant grasses in the herbaceous layer. Coldest monthly estimated temperatures were below 10°C and warmest monthly temperatures rose close to or above 20°C for the two time intervals. Oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate from bulk samples did not show significant differences between sites but did show between-species variation within each site. Different factors influence oxygen isotope composition in this context, including water provenience, feeding ecology, body mass, and rate of amelogenesis. We discuss this latter factor in regard to the high intra-tooth variations in δ(18)Op reflecting important amplitudes of seasonal variations in temperature. These estimations fit with paleobotanical data and differ slightly from estimations based on climate models. This study found no significant change in climate before and after the extinction of Ouranopithecus along the Axios River. However, strong seasonal variations with relatively cold winters were indicated, conditions quite usual for extant monkeys but unusual for great apes distributed today in inter-tropical regions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amalgamation of East Eurasia Since Late Paleozoic: Constraints from the Apparent Polar Wander Paths of the Major China Blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, L.; Kravchinsky, V. A.; Potter, D. K.

2014-12-01

It has been a longstanding challenge in the last few decades to quantitatively reconstruct the paleogeographic evolution of East Eurasia because of its great tectonic complexities. As the core region, the major China cratons including North China Block, South China Block and Tarim Block hold the key clues for the understanding of the amalgamation history, tectonic activities and biological affinity among the component blocks and terranes in East Eurasia. Compared with the major Gondwana and Laurentia plates, however, the apparent polar wander paths of China are not well constrained due to the outdated paleomagnetic database and relatively loose pole selection process. With the recruitment of the new high-fidelity poles published in the last decade, the rejection of the low quality data and the strict implementation of Voo's grading scheme, we build an updated paleomagnetic database for the three blocks from which three types of apparent polar wander paths (APWP) are computed. Version 1 running mean paths are constructed during the pole selection and compared with those from the previous publications. Version 2 running mean and spline paths with different sliding time windows are computed from the thoroughly examined poles to find the optimal paths with the steady trend, reasonable speed for the polar drift and plate rotation. The spline paths are recommended for the plate reconstructions, however, considering the poor data coverage during certain periods. Our new China APWPs, together with the latest European reference path, the geological, geochronological and biological evidence from the studied Asian plates allow us to reevaluate the paleogeographic and tectonic history of East Eurasia.

Mercury from wildfires: Global emission inventories and sensitivity to 2000-2050 global change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Aditya; Wu, Shiliang; Huang, Yaoxian; Liao, Hong; Kaplan, Jed O.

2018-01-01

We estimate the global Hg wildfire emissions for the 2000s and the potential impacts from the 2000-2050 changes in climate, land use and land cover and Hg anthropogenic emissions by combining statistical analysis with global data on vegetation type and coverage as well as fire activities. Global Hg wildfire emissions are estimated to be 612 Mg year-1. Africa is the dominant source region (43.8% of global emissions), followed by Eurasia (31%) and South America (16.6%). We find significant perturbations to wildfire emissions of Hg in the context of global change, driven by the projected changes in climate, land use and land cover and Hg anthropogenic emissions. 2000-2050 climate change could increase Hg emissions by 14% globally and regionally by 18% for South America, 14% for Africa and 13% for Eurasia. Projected changes in land use by 2050 could decrease the global Hg emissions from wildfires by 13% mainly driven by a decline in African emissions due to significant agricultural land expansion. Future land cover changes could lead to significant increases in Hg emissions over some regions (+32% North America, +14% Africa, +13% Eurasia). Potential enrichment of terrestrial ecosystems in 2050 in response to changes in Hg anthropogenic emissions could increase Hg wildfire emissions globally (+28%) and regionally (+19% North America, +20% South America, +24% Africa, +41% Eurasia). Our results indicate that the future evolution of climate, land use and land cover and Hg anthropogenic emissions are all important factors affecting Hg wildfire emissions in the coming decades.

Reconciling the geological history of western Turkey with plate circuits and mantle tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaymakci, N.; van Hinsbergen, D. J.; Spakman, W.; Torsvik, T. H.

2010-12-01

We place the geological history since Cretaceous times in western Turkey in a context of convergence, subduction, collision and slab break-off. To this end, we compare the west Anatolian geological history with amounts of Africa-Europe convergence calculated from the Atlantic plate circuit, and the seismic tomography images of the west Anatolian mantle structure. Western Turkish geology reflects the convergence between the Sakarya continent (here treated as Eurasia) in the north and Africa in the south, with the Anatolide-Tauride Block (ATB) between two strands of the Neotethyan ocean. Convergence between the Sakarya and the ATB started at least ~95-90Myr ago, marked by ages of metamorphic soles of ophiolites that form the highest structural unit below Sakarya. These are underlain by high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic rocks of the Tavsanli and Afyon zones, and the Ören Unit, which in turn are underlain by the Menderes Massif derived from the ATB. Underthrusting of the ATB below Sakarya was since ~50Ma, associated with high-temperature metamorphism and widespread granitic magmatism. Thrusting in the Menderes Massif continued until 35 Ma, after which there is no record of accretion in western Turkey. Plate circuits show that since 90 Ma, ~1400 km of Africa-Europe convergence occurred, of which ~700 km since 50 Ma and ~450 km since 35Ma. Seismic tomography shows that the African slab under western Turkey is decoupled from the African Plate. This detached slab is a single, coherent body, representing the lithosphere consumed since 90 Ma. There was no subduction re-initiation after slab break-off. ATB collision with Europe therefore did not immediately lead to slab break-off but instead to delamination of subducting lithospheric mantle from accreting ATB crust, while staying attached to the African Plate. This led to asthenospheric inflow below the ATB crust, high-temperature metamorphism and felsic magmatism. Slab break-off in western Turkey probably occurred ~15 Myr ago, after which overriding plate compression and rotation accommodated ongoing Africa-Europe convergence. Slab break-off was accommodated along a vertical NE trending subduction transform edge propagator (STEP) fault zone, accelerating southwestward slab retreat of the Aegean slab. The SE Aegean slab edge may have existed already since early Miocene times or before, but started to rapidly roll back along the southeastern Aegean STEP in middle Miocene times, penetrating the Aegean region in the Pliocene.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia

PubMed Central

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-01-01

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC. PMID:24695428

Urban climate and energy demand interaction in Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasilova, E. V.; Ginzburg, A. S.; Demchenko, P. F.

2017-11-01

The regional and urban climate change in Northern Eurasia is one of the main challenges for sustainable development of human habitats situated in boreal and temperate areas. The half of primary energy is spent for space heating even under quite a mild European climate. Implementation of the district heating in urban areas is currently seen as one of the key conditions of sustainable development. The clear understanding of main problems of the urban climateenergy demand interaction is crucial for both small towns and megacities. The specific features of the urban energy systems in Finland, Russia and China under the changing climate conditions were studied. Regional manifestations of the climate change were examined. The climate projections were established for urban regions of the Northern Eurasia. It was shown that the climate warming is likely to continue intensively there. History and actual development trends were discussed for the urban district heating systems in Russia, China and Finland. Common challenges linked with the climate change have been identified for the considered areas. Adaptation possibilities were discussed taking into account climate-energy interactions.

Contribution of volcanic forcing to the initiation of the Black Death Epidemic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fell, Henry; Baldini, James; Dodds, Ben

2017-04-01

The 14th Century plague epidemic, commonly termed the Black Death, coincided with the tumultuous climatic shift from the relative stability of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) to the initiation of the Little Ice Age (LIA). Plague is predominantly a vector borne disease that is spread through the transmission of the Yersinia pestis bacteria. This bacterium may have originated in the rodent populations of the Tibetan Plateau and later spread rapidly westward though Eurasia after vector transmission to humans. Several studies have determined that Asian rodent and vector populations are highly sensitive to climatic perturbations. The Samalas eruption of 1257 was the largest injection of aerosols in the Common Era and therefore probably had a significant climatic effect. Through a range of proxy records across Eurasia we reconstruct the climate for the period immediately preceding the outbreak of plague. This study investigates the interaction between the Samalas eruption of 1257, the climatic response to the event and the potential effect on the initiation of the Black Death epidemic which shaped population and culture across Eurasia for centuries.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia.

PubMed

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-05-22

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC.

Spacetime Distributions of Wildfire Areas and Emissions of Carbon-Containing Gases and Aerosols in Northern Eurasia according to Satellite-Monitoring Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondur, V. G.; Gordo, K. A.; Kladov, V. L.

2017-12-01

Based on online wildfire satellite-monitoring data, distributions of burned-out areas, as well as emission volumes of carbon-containing gases (CO and CO2) and fine aerosols (PM2.5), for different regions and months in 2005-2016 (across the territory of Russia) and in 2010-2016 (northern Eurasia) are analyzed. Distinctive features of the seasonal behavior of wildfires and emission volumes of carbon-containing gases and fine aerosols for different regions of northern Eurasia are determined. It is shown that between 2005 and 2016 the annual area of territories burned out during wildfires in Russia decreased by almost a factor of 2.6 owing to early detection and suppression of fire sources. It is determined that in 2014-2016 the relative size of burned-out areas in Ukraine increased 6-9-fold and volumes of CO, CO2, and PM2.5 emissions by more than a factor of 6.5-7.5 times when compared to earlier years and these characteristics for other European countries.

Impact of changes in GRACE derived terrestrial water storage on vegetation growth in Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, G.; Velicogna, I.; Kimball, J. S.; Kim, Y.

2015-12-01

We use GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage (TWS) and ERA-interim air temperature, as proxy for available water and temperature constraints on vegetation productivity, inferred from MODIS satellite normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), in Northern Eurasia during 2002-2011. We investigate how changes in TWS affect the correlation between NDVI and temperature during the non-frozen season. We find that vegetation growth exhibits significant spatial and temporal variability associated with varying trend in TWS and temperature. The largest NDVI gains occur over boreal forests associated with warming and wetting. The largest NDVI losses occur over grasslands in the Southwestern Ob associated with regional drying and cooling, with dominant constraint from TWS. Over grasslands and temperate forests in the Southeast Ob and South Yenisei, wetting and cooling lead to a dominant temperature constraint due to the relaxation of TWS constraints. Overall, we find significant monthly correlation of NDVI with TWS and temperature over 35% and 50% of the domain, respectively. These results indicate that water availability (TWS) plays a major role in modulating Eurasia vegetation response to temperature changes.

Indigenous Knowledges and Western Knowledges in Environmental Education: Acknowledging the Tensions for the Benefits of a "Two-Worlds" Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapyrka, Julie; Dockstator, Mark

2012-01-01

Indigenous worldviews and Western worldviews stand in stark contrast to each other in many ways, including their perspectives regarding the Earth and her resources. Typically the differences between these two philosophies of life are highlighted and placed into an antagonistic relationship that seems irreconcilable. This paper upholds that within…

Engaging plant anatomy and local knowledge on the buriti palm ( Mauritia flexuosa L.f.: Arecaceae): the microscopic world meets the golden grass artisan's perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viana, Rebeca V. R.; Scatena, Vera L.; Eichemberg, Mayra T.; Sano, Paulo T.

2018-03-01

Considering that both Western Science and Local Knowledge Systems share a common ground—observations of the natural world—the dialogue between them should not only be possible, but fruitful. Local communities whose livelihoods depend on traditional uses of the local biodiversity not only develop knowledge about nature, making several uses of such knowledge, but, with that process, several inquiries about nature can be raised. Here we present our experience with the engagement of Western Science with golden grass artisan's knowledge about the buriti palm ( M. flexuosa). We applied 25 semi-directive interviews, combined with field diary and participative observation, in two quilombola communities from Jalapão region (Central-Brazil). One of the inquiries that emerged from the artisan's perspectives was about the differences between male and female buriti palms' fiber. We then engaged both local and scientific perspectives regarding this issue using plant anatomy as a dialogue instrument. Here we describe this experience and resort to Paulo Freire's ideas on dialogue to argue that, to integrate Western Science and Local Knowledge Systems in a collaborative and contextualized perspective, the research should be faced as a mutual learning practice.

"Being flexible and creative": a qualitative study on maternity care assistants' experiences with non-Western immigrant women.

PubMed

Boerleider, Agatha W; Francke, Anneke L; van de Reep, Merle; Manniën, Judith; Wiegers, Therese A; Devillé, Walter L J M

2014-01-01

Several studies conducted in developed countries have explored postnatal care professionals' experiences with non-western women. These studies reported different cultural practices, lack of knowledge of the maternity care system, communication difficulties, and the important role of the baby's grandmother as care-giver in the postnatal period. However, not much attention has been paid in existing literature to postnatal care professionals' approaches to these issues. Our main objective was to gain insight into how Dutch postnatal care providers--'maternity care assistants' (MCA)--address issues encountered when providing care for non-western women. A generic qualitative research approach was used. Two researchers interviewed fifteen MCAs individually, analysing the interview material separately and then comparing and discussing their results. Analytical codes were organised into main themes and subthemes. MCAs perceive caring for non-western women as interesting and challenging, but sometimes difficult too. To guarantee the health and safety of mother and baby, they have adopted flexible and creative approaches to address issues concerning traditional practices, socioeconomic status and communication. Furthermore, they employ several other strategies to establish relationships with non-western clients and their families, improve women's knowledge of the maternity care system and give health education. Provision of postnatal care to non-western clients may require special skills and measures. The quality of care for non-western clients might be improved by including these skills in education and retraining programmes for postnatal care providers on top of factual knowledge about traditional practices.

COSEE-AK Ocean Science Fairs: A Science Fair Model That Grounds Student Projects in Both Western Science and Traditional Native Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dublin, Robin; Sigman, Marilyn; Anderson, Andrea; Barnhardt, Ray; Topkok, Sean Asiqluq

2014-01-01

We have developed the traditional science fair format into an ocean science fair model that promoted the integration of Western science and Alaska Native traditional knowledge in student projects focused on the ocean, aquatic environments, and climate change. The typical science fair judging criteria for the validity and presentation of the…

Rethinking the dispersal of Homo sapiens out of Africa.

PubMed

Groucutt, Huw S; Petraglia, Michael D; Bailey, Geoff; Scerri, Eleanor M L; Parton, Ash; Clark-Balzan, Laine; Jennings, Richard P; Lewis, Laura; Blinkhorn, James; Drake, Nick A; Breeze, Paul S; Inglis, Robyn H; Devès, Maud H; Meredith-Williams, Matthew; Boivin, Nicole; Thomas, Mark G; Scally, Aylwyn

2015-01-01

Current fossil, genetic, and archeological data indicate that Homo sapiens originated in Africa in the late Middle Pleistocene. By the end of the Late Pleistocene, our species was distributed across every continent except Antarctica, setting the foundations for the subsequent demographic and cultural changes of the Holocene. The intervening processes remain intensely debated and a key theme in hominin evolutionary studies. We review archeological, fossil, environmental, and genetic data to evaluate the current state of knowledge on the dispersal of Homo sapiens out of Africa. The emerging picture of the dispersal process suggests dynamic behavioral variability, complex interactions between populations, and an intricate genetic and cultural legacy. This evolutionary and historical complexity challenges simple narratives and suggests that hybrid models and the testing of explicit hypotheses are required to understand the expansion of Homo sapiens into Eurasia. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, Craig R.; Fox, A.D.; Alisauskas, R.T.; Andreev, A.; Bromley, R.G.; Degtyarev, Andrei G.; Ebbinge, B.; Gurtovaya, E.N.; Kerbes, R.; Kondratyev, Alexander V.; Kostin, I.; Krechmar, A.V.; Litvin, K.E.; Miyabayashi, Y.; Moou, J.H.; Oates, R.M.; Orthmeyer, D.L.; Sabano, Yutaka; Simpson, S.G.; Solovieva, D.V.; Spindler, Michael A.; Syroechkovsky, Y.V.; Takekawa, John Y.; Walsh, A.

2005-01-01

Capsule: Greater White-fronted Geese show significant variation in body size from sampling locations throughout their circumpolar breeding range. Aims: To determine the degree of geographical variation in body size of Greater White-fronted Geese and identify factors contributing to any apparent patterns in variation. Methods: Structural measures of >3000 geese from 16 breeding areas throughout the Holarctic breeding range of the species were compared statistically. Results: Palearctic forms varied clinally, and increased in size from the smallest forms on the Kanin and Taimyr peninsulas in western Eurasia to the largest forms breeding in the Anadyr Lowlands of eastern Chukotka. Clinal variation was less apparent in the Nearctic, as both the smallest form in the Nearctic and the largest form overall (the Tule Goose) were from different breeding areas in Alaska. The Tule Goose was 25% larger than the smallest form. Birds from Greenland (A. a. flavirostris) were the second largest, although only slightly larger than geese from several North American populations. Body size was not correlated with breeding latitude but was positively correlated with temperature on the breeding grounds, breeding habitat, and migration distance. Body mass of Greater White-fronted Geese from all populations remained relatively constant during the period of wing moult. Morphological distinctness of eastern and western Palearctic forms concurs with earlier findings of complete range disjunction. Conclusions: Patterns of morphological variation in Greater White-fronted Geese across the Holarctic can be generally attributed to adaptation to variable breeding environments, migration requirements, and phylo-geographical histories. 

Subduction erosion off central Java: transition from accretion to erosion manifested by wide-angle seismic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittwer, A.; Flueh, E.; Rabbel, W.; Wagner, D.

2006-12-01

In this study, offshore wide-angle data acquired by ocean bottom instruments of a combined onshore- offshore investigation of the tectonic framework of central Java will be presented. The joint interdisciplinary project MERAMEX (Merapi Amphibious Experiment) was carried out in order to characterize the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath Eurasia. The interpretation of three wide-angle data profiles, modelled with forward raytracing, indicates that the subduction of the Roo Rise with its thickened oceanic crust strongly influences the subduction zone. The dip angle of the downgoing oceanic plate is 10° and its crustal thickness increases to the east from 8 km to 9 km between both dip profiles off central Java. Large scale forearc uplift is manifested in isolated forearc highs, reaching water depths of only 1000 m compared to 2000 m water depth off western Java, and results from oceanic basement relief subduction. A broad band of seamounts trends E-W at approximately 10°S. Its incipient subduction off central Java causes frontal erosion of the margin here and leads to mass wasting due to oversteepening of the upper trench wall. A suite of wide-angle profiles off southern Sumatra to central Java indicates a clear change in the tectonic environment between longitude 108°E and 109°E. The well-developed accretionary wedge off southern Sumatra and western Java changes into a small frontal prism with steep slope angles of the upper plate off central Java.

Phylogeography of Daphnia magna Straus (Crustacea: Cladocera) in Northern Eurasia: Evidence for a deep longitudinal split between mitochondrial lineages.

PubMed

Bekker, Eugeniya I; Karabanov, Dmitry P; Galimov, Yan R; Haag, Christoph R; Neretina, Tatiana V; Kotov, Alexey A

2018-01-01

Species with a large geographic distributions present a challenge for phylogeographic studies due to logistic difficulties of obtaining adequate sampling. For instance, in most species with a Holarctic distribution, the majority of studies has concentrated on the European or North American part of the distribution, with the Eastern Palearctic region being notably understudied. Here, we study the phylogeography of the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna Straus, 1820 (Crustacea: Cladocera), based on partial mitochondrial COI sequences and using specimens from populations spread longitudinally from westernmost Europe to easternmost Asia, with many samples from previously strongly understudied regions in Siberia and Eastern Asia. The results confirm the previously suspected deep split between Eastern and Western mitochondrial haplotype super-clades. We find a narrow contact zone between these two super-clades in the eastern part of Western Siberia, with proven co-occurrence in a single lake in the Novosibirsk region. However, at present there is no evidence suggesting that the two mitochondrial super-clades represent cryptic species. Rather, they may be explained by secondary contact after expansion from different refugia. Interestingly, Central Siberia has previously been found to be an important contact zone also in other cladoceran species, and may thus be a crucial area for understanding the Eurasian phylogeography of freshwater invertebrates. Together, our study provides an unprecedented complete, while still not global, picture of the phylogeography of this important model species.

Genomic Data from Extinct North American Camelops Revise Camel Evolutionary History.

PubMed

Heintzman, Peter D; Zazula, Grant D; Cahill, James A; Reyes, Alberto V; MacPhee, Ross D E; Shapiro, Beth

2015-09-01

Recent advances in paleogenomic technologies have enabled an increasingly detailed understanding of the evolutionary relationships of now-extinct mammalian taxa. However, a number of enigmatic Quaternary species have never been characterized with molecular data, often because available fossils are rare or are found in environments that are not optimal for DNA preservation. Here, we analyze paleogenomic data extracted from bones attributed to the late Pleistocene western camel, Camelops cf. hesternus, a species that was distributed across central and western North America until its extinction approximately 13,000 years ago. Despite a modal sequence length of only around 35 base pairs, we reconstructed high-coverage complete mitochondrial genomes and low-coverage partial nuclear genomes for each specimen. We find that Camelops is sister to African and Asian bactrian and dromedary camels, to the exclusion of South American camelids (llamas, guanacos, alpacas, and vicuñas). These results contradict previous morphology-based phylogenetic models for Camelops, which suggest instead a closer relationship between Camelops and the South American camelids. The molecular data imply a Late Miocene divergence of the Camelops clade from lineages that separately gave rise to the extant camels of Eurasia. Our results demonstrate the increasing capacity of modern paleogenomic methods to resolve evolutionary relationships among distantly related lineages. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cultural innovations and demographic change.

PubMed

Richerson, Peter J; Boyd, Robert; Bettinger, Robert L

2009-04-01

Demography plays a large role in cultural evolution through its effects on the effective rate of innovation. If we assume that useful inventions are rare, then small isolated societies will have low rates of invention. In small populations, complex technology will tend to be lost as a result of random loss or incomplete transmission (the Tasmanian effect). Large populations have more inventors and are more resistant to loss by chance. If human populations can grow freely, then a population-technology-population positive feedback should occur such that human societies reach a stable growth path on which the rate of growth of technology is limited by the rate of invention. This scenario fits the Holocene to a first approximation, but the late Pleistocene is a great puzzle. Large-brained hominins existed in Africa and west Eurasia for perhaps 150,000 years with, at best, slow rates of technical innovation. The most sophisticated societies of the last glacial period appear after 50,000 years ago and were apparently restricted to west and north-central Eurasia and North Africa. These patterns have no simple, commonly accepted explanation. We argue that increased high-frequency climate change around 70,000-50,000 years ago may have tipped the balance between humans and their competitor-predators, such as lions and wolves, in favor of humans. At the same time, technically sophisticated hunters would tend to overharvest their prey. Perhaps the ephemeral appearance of complex tools and symbolic artifacts in Africa after 100,000 years ago resulted from hunting inventions that allowed human populations to expand temporarily before prey overexploitation led to human population and technology collapse. Sustained human populations of moderate size using distinctively advanced Upper Paleolithic artifacts may have existed in west Eurasia because cold, continental northeastern Eurasia-Beringia acted as a protected reserve for prey populations.

Comparison of Snow Mass Estimates from a Prototype Passive Microwave Snow Algorithm, a Revised Algorithm and a Snow Depth Climatology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, J. L.; Chang, A. T. C.; Hall, D. K.

1997-01-01

While it is recognized that no single snow algorithm is capable of producing accurate global estimates of snow depth, for research purposes it is useful to test an algorithm's performance in different climatic areas in order to see how it responds to a variety of snow conditions. This study is one of the first to develop separate passive microwave snow algorithms for North America and Eurasia by including parameters that consider the effects of variations in forest cover and crystal size on microwave brightness temperature. A new algorithm (GSFC 1996) is compared to a prototype algorithm (Chang et al., 1987) and to a snow depth climatology (SDC), which for this study is considered to be a standard reference or baseline. It is shown that the GSFC 1996 algorithm compares much more favorably to the SDC than does the Chang et al. (1987) algorithm. For example, in North America in February there is a 15% difference between the GSFC 198-96 Algorithm and the SDC, but with the Chang et al. (1987) algorithm the difference is greater than 50%. In Eurasia, also in February, there is only a 1.3% difference between the GSFC 1996 algorithm and the SDC, whereas with the Chang et al. (1987) algorithm the difference is about 20%. As expected, differences tend to be less when the snow cover extent is greater, particularly for Eurasia. The GSFC 1996 algorithm performs better in North America in each month than dose the Chang et al. (1987) algorithm. This is also the case in Eurasia, except in April and May when the Chang et al.(1987) algorithms is in closer accord to the SDC than is GSFC 1996 algorithm.

Importance of soil thermal dynamics on land carbon sequestration in Northern Eurasia during the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kicklighter, David; Monier, Erwan; Sokolov, Andrei; Zhuang, Qianlai; Melillo, Jerry

2015-04-01

Recent modeling studies have suggested that carbon sinks in pan-arctic ecosystems may be weakening partially as a result of warming-induced increases in soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and the exposure of previously frozen SOM to decomposition. This weakening of carbon sinks is likely to continue in the future as vast amount of carbon in permafrost soils is vulnerable to thaw. Here, we examine the importance of considering soil thermal dynamics when determining the effects of climate change and land-use change on carbon dynamics in Northern Eurasia during the 21st century. This importance is assessed by comparing results for a "business as usual" scenario between a version of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model that does not consider soil thermal dynamics (TEM 4.4) and a version that does consider these dynamics (TEM 6.0). In this scenario, which is similar to the IPCC Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenario, the net area covered by food crops and pastures in Northern Eurasia is assumed to remain relatively constant over the 21st century, but the area covered by secondary forests is projected to double as a result of timber harvest and the abandonment of land associated with displacement of agricultural land. Enhanced decomposition from the newly exposed SOM from permafrost thaw also increases nitrogen availability for plant production so that the loss of carbon from the enhanced decomposition is partially compensated by enhanced uptake and storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide in vegetation. Our results indicate that consideration of soil thermal dynamics have a large influence on how simulated terrestrial carbon dynamics in Northern Eurasia respond to changes in climate, atmospheric chemistry (e.g., carbon dioxide fertilization, ozone pollution, nitrogen deposition) and disturbances.

Mitogenomic Meta-Analysis Identifies Two Phases of Migration in the History of Eastern Eurasian Sheep.

PubMed

Lv, Feng-Hua; Peng, Wei-Feng; Yang, Ji; Zhao, Yong-Xin; Li, Wen-Rong; Liu, Ming-Jun; Ma, Yue-Hui; Zhao, Qian-Jun; Yang, Guang-Li; Wang, Feng; Li, Jin-Quan; Liu, Yong-Gang; Shen, Zhi-Qiang; Zhao, Sheng-Guo; Hehua, Eer; Gorkhali, Neena A; Farhad Vahidi, S M; Muladno, Muhammad; Naqvi, Arifa N; Tabell, Jonna; Iso-Touru, Terhi; Bruford, Michael W; Kantanen, Juha; Han, Jian-Lin; Li, Meng-Hua

2015-10-01

Despite much attention, history of sheep (Ovis aries) evolution, including its dating, demographic trajectory and geographic spread, remains controversial. To address these questions, we generated 45 complete and 875 partial mitogenomic sequences, and performed a meta-analysis of these and published ovine mitochondrial DNA sequences (n = 3,229) across Eurasia. We inferred that O. orientalis and O. musimon share the most recent female ancestor with O. aries at approximately 0.790 Ma (95% CI: 0.637-0.934 Ma) during the Middle Pleistocene, substantially predating the domestication event (∼8-11 ka). By reconstructing historical variations in effective population size, we found evidence of a rapid population increase approximately 20-60 ka, immediately before the Last Glacial Maximum. Analyses of lineage expansions showed two sheep migratory waves at approximately 4.5-6.8 ka (lineages A and B: ∼6.4-6.8 ka; C: ∼4.5 ka) across eastern Eurasia, which could have been influenced by prehistoric West-East commercial trade and deliberate mating of domestic and wild sheep, respectively. A continent-scale examination of lineage diversity and approximate Bayesian computation analyses indicated that the Mongolian Plateau region was a secondary center of dispersal, acting as a "transportation hub" in eastern Eurasia: Sheep from the Middle Eastern domestication center were inferred to have migrated through the Caucasus and Central Asia, and arrived in North and Southwest China (lineages A, B, and C) and the Indian subcontinent (lineages B and C) through this region. Our results provide new insights into sheep domestication, particularly with respect to origins and migrations to and from eastern Eurasia. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

A Cartographic Tool for Managing African Swine Fever in Eurasia: Mapping Wild Boar Distribution Based on the Quality of Available Habitats.

PubMed

Bosch, J; Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; de la Torre, A

2017-12-01

The current African swine fever (ASF) epidemic in Eurasia represents a risk for the swine industry with devastating socio-economic and political consequences. Wild boar appears to be a key factor in maintaining the disease in endemic areas (mainly the Russian Federation) and spreading the disease across borders, including within the European Union. To help predict and interpret the dynamics of ASF infection, we developed a standardized distribution map based on global land cover vegetation (GLOBCOVER) that quantifies the quality of available habitats (QAH) for wild boar across Eurasia as an indirect index for quantifying numbers of wild boar. QAHs were estimated using a seven-level scale based on expert opinion and found to correlate closely with georeferenced presence of wild boar (n = 22 362): the highest wild boar densities (74.47%) were found in areas at the two highest QAH levels, while the lowest densities (5.66%) were found in areas at the lowest QAH levels. Mapping notifications from 2007 to 2016 onto the QAH map showed that in endemic areas, 60% of ASF notifications occurred in domestic pigs, mostly in agricultural landscapes (QAHs 1.75 and 1) containing low-biosecurity domestic pig farms. In the EU, in contrast, 95% of ASF notifications occurred in wild boar, within natural landscapes (QAH 2). These results suggest that the QAH map can be a useful epi-tool for defining risk scenarios and identifying potential travel corridors for ASF. This tool will help inform resource allocation decisions and improve prevention, control and surveillance of ASF and potentially of other diseases affecting swine and wild boar in Eurasia. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The Siberian High and Arctic Sea Ice: Long-term Climate Change and Impacts on Air Pollution during Wintertime in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, X.; Zhao, S.; Feng, T.; Tie, X.; Li, G.

2017-12-01

China has undergone severe air pollution during wintertime as national industrialization and urbanization have been increasingly developed in the past three decades. It has been suggested that high emission and adverse weather patterns contribute to wintertime air pollution. Recent studies propose that climate change and Arctic sea ice loss likely lead to extreme haze events in winter. Here we use two reanalysis and observational datasets to present the trends of Siberian High (SH) intensity over Eurasia, and Arctic temperature and sea ice. The results show the Arctic region of Asia is becoming warming accompanied by a rapid decline of sea ice while Eurasia is cooling and SH intensity is gradually enhancing. Wind patterns induced by these changes cause straight westerly prevailing over Eurasia at the year of weak SH while strengthened northerly winds at the year of strong SH. Therefore, we utilize regional dynamical and chemical WRF-Chem model to determine the impact of SH intensity difference on wintertime air pollution in China. As a result, enhancing northerly winds at the year of strong SH rapidly dilute and transport air pollution, causing a decline of 50 - 400 µg m-3 PM2.5 concentrations relative to that at the year of weak SH. We also assess the impact of emission reduction to half the current level on air pollution. The results show that emission reduction by 50% has an equivalent impact as the variability of SH intensity. This suggests that climate change over Eurasia has largely offset the negative impact of emission on air pollution and it is urgently needed to take measures to mitigate air pollution. In view of current high emission scenario in China, it will be a long way to effectively mitigate, or ultimately prevent wintertime air pollution.

Mitogenomic Meta-Analysis Identifies Two Phases of Migration in the History of Eastern Eurasian Sheep

PubMed Central

Lv, Feng-Hua; Peng, Wei-Feng; Yang, Ji; Zhao, Yong-Xin; Li, Wen-Rong; Liu, Ming-Jun; Ma, Yue-Hui; Zhao, Qian-Jun; Yang, Guang-Li; Wang, Feng; Li, Jin-Quan; Liu, Yong-Gang; Shen, Zhi-Qiang; Zhao, Sheng-Guo; Hehua, EEr; Gorkhali, Neena A.; Farhad Vahidi, S. M.; Muladno, Muhammad; Naqvi, Arifa N.; Tabell, Jonna; Iso-Touru, Terhi; Bruford, Michael W.; Kantanen, Juha; Han, Jian-Lin; Li, Meng-Hua

2015-01-01

Despite much attention, history of sheep (Ovis aries) evolution, including its dating, demographic trajectory and geographic spread, remains controversial. To address these questions, we generated 45 complete and 875 partial mitogenomic sequences, and performed a meta-analysis of these and published ovine mitochondrial DNA sequences (n = 3,229) across Eurasia. We inferred that O. orientalis and O. musimon share the most recent female ancestor with O. aries at approximately 0.790 Ma (95% CI: 0.637–0.934 Ma) during the Middle Pleistocene, substantially predating the domestication event (∼8–11 ka). By reconstructing historical variations in effective population size, we found evidence of a rapid population increase approximately 20–60 ka, immediately before the Last Glacial Maximum. Analyses of lineage expansions showed two sheep migratory waves at approximately 4.5–6.8 ka (lineages A and B: ∼6.4–6.8 ka; C: ∼4.5 ka) across eastern Eurasia, which could have been influenced by prehistoric West–East commercial trade and deliberate mating of domestic and wild sheep, respectively. A continent-scale examination of lineage diversity and approximate Bayesian computation analyses indicated that the Mongolian Plateau region was a secondary center of dispersal, acting as a “transportation hub” in eastern Eurasia: Sheep from the Middle Eastern domestication center were inferred to have migrated through the Caucasus and Central Asia, and arrived in North and Southwest China (lineages A, B, and C) and the Indian subcontinent (lineages B and C) through this region. Our results provide new insights into sheep domestication, particularly with respect to origins and migrations to and from eastern Eurasia. PMID:26085518

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory

2005-01-01

The presentation describes data management of NASA remote sensing data for Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). Many types of ground and integrative (e.g., satellite, GIs) data will be needed and many models must be applied, adapted or developed for properly understanding the functioning of Northern Eurasia cold and diverse regional system. Mechanisms for obtaining the requisite data sets and models and sharing them among the participating scientists are essential. The proposed project targets integration of remote sensing data from AVHRR, MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US- satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEPNCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

The contemporary North Pangea supercontinent and the geodynamic causes of its formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalenko, V. I.; Yarmolyuk, V. V.; Bogatikov, O. A.

2010-11-01

The supercontinental status of the contemporary aggregation of continents called North Pangea is substantiated. This supercontinent comprises all continents with the probable exception of Antarctica. In addition to the spatial contiguity of continents, the supercontinent is characterized by the prevalence of the continental crust that combines North America and Eurasia, Eurasia and Africa, and Eurasia and Australia. Over the course of the 300-250-Ma evolution from Wegener's Pangea to contemporary North Pangea, the aggregation of continents has not lost its supercontinental status, despite modification of the supercontinent shape and opening and closure of the newly formed Paleotethys, Tethys, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. Over the last 250-300 Ma, all movements of the lithospheric plates have most likely occurred within the Indo-Atlantic segment of the Earth, whereas the Pacific segment has remained oceanic. In short, the formation of the North Pangea supercontinent can be outlined in the following terms. The long and deep subduction of the lithospheric plates beneath Eurasia and North America gave rise to the stabilization of the continents and accumulation of huge bodies of the cold lithosphere commensurable in volume with the upper mantle at the deeper mantle levels. This brought about compensation ascent of hot mantle (mantle plumes) near the convergent plate boundaries and far from them. A special geodynamic setting develops beneath the supercontinent. Due to encircling subduction of the lithospheric plates and related squeezing of the hot mantle, an ascending flow, or plume (superplume) formed beneath the central part of the supercontinent. In our view, the African superplume broke up Wegener's Pangea in the Atlantic region, caused the opening of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, and migrated to the Arctic Region 53 Ma ago.

Kinematics of a former oceanic plate of the Neotethys revealed by deformation in the Ulukışla basin (Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürer, Derya; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Matenco, Liviu; Corfu, Fernando; Cascella, Antonio

2016-10-01

Kinematic reconstruction of modern ocean basins shows that since Pangea breakup a vast area in the Neotethyan realm was lost to subduction. Here we develop a first-order methodology to reconstruct the kinematic history of the lost plates of the Neotethys, using records of subducted plates accreted to (former) overriding plates, combined with the kinematic analysis of overriding plate extension and shortening. In Cretaceous-Paleogene times, most of Anatolia formed a separate tectonic plate—here termed "Anadolu Plate"—that floored part of the Neotethyan oceanic realm, separated from Eurasia and Africa by subduction zones. We study the sedimentary and structural history of the Ulukışla basin (Turkey); overlying relics of this plate to reconstruct the tectonic history of the oceanic plate and its surrounding trenches, relative to Africa and Eurasia. Our results show that Upper Cretaceous-Oligocene sediments were deposited on the newly dated suprasubduction zone ophiolites ( 92 Ma), which are underlain by mélanges, metamorphosed and nonmetamorphosed oceanic and continental rocks derived from the African Plate. The Ulukışla basin underwent latest Cretaceous-Paleocene N-S and E-W extension until 56 Ma. Following a short period of tectonic quiescence, Eo-Oligocene N-S contraction formed the folded structure of the Bolkar Mountains, as well as subordinate contractional structures within the basin. We conceptually explain the transition from extension, to quiescence, to shortening as slowdown of the Anadolu Plate relative to the northward advancing Africa-Anadolu trench resulting from collision of continental rocks accreted to Anadolu with Eurasia, until the gradual demise of the Anadolu-Eurasia subduction zone.

Crossing Borders and Blurring Boundaries: Early Childhood Practice in a Non-Western Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Trish; Macfarlane, Kym; Nobel, Karen; Stephenson, Amy

2006-01-01

This paper examines the educational and epistemological implications for early childhood practitioners who work in non-Western environments. Predominantly, early childhood knowledge is strongly driven by the metanarrative of child development, which can prove problematic for practitioners working in non-Western settings. Practitioners who draw…

Border Crossing Knowledge Systems: A PNG Teacher's Autoethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reta, Medi

2010-01-01

Narratives have always been integral to Indigenous knowledge transfer. In this autoethnography the author shares her border crossings between her Indigenous knowledge systems and the often dominant Western knowledge system. Pertinent to these experiences are the stark contrasts that exist between the two knowledge systems and their educational…

First record of the common sandpiper for the Hawaiian Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pratt, Thane K.

2016-01-01

With a breeding range spanning Eurasia and a winter range extending from Africa to Australasia, the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) is indeed the common and familiar sandpiper of the Old World. It is the Old World counterpart of the Spotted Sandpiper (A. macularius) of the Americas and its only congener. The Spotted Sandpiper is a vagrant to the Hawaiian Islands (David 1991, Pyle and Pyle 2009), but no Common Sandpiper had been reported until one spent the winter of 2010–2011 at Honuapo lagoon, Whittington Beach County Park, Hawaii Island. Previously, Pyle and Pyle (2009) summarized all records of Actitis for the islands and concluded that 21 of the 32 could be identified with certainty as Spotted Sandpipers. Among the remaining 11 records, the Common Sandpiper could not be ruled out. The Common Sandpiper is a possibility because it reaches Micronesia as a regular winter visitor (Baker 1951) and western Polynesia and Alaska as a vagrant (Kessel and Gibson 1978, Pratt et al. 1987, Gibson and Byrd 2007). There are no records elsewhere in North America (Howell et al. 2014).

Snakefly diversity in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera)

PubMed Central

la Fuente, Ricardo Pérez-de; Peñalver, Enrique; Delclòs, Xavier; Engel, Michael S.

2012-01-01

Abstract The Albian amber from Spain presently harbors the greatest number and diversity of amber adult fossil snakeflies (Raphidioptera). Within Baissopteridae, Baissoptera? cretaceoelectra sp. n., from the Peñacerrada I outcrop (Moraza, Burgos), is the first amber inclusion belonging to the family and described from western Eurasia, thus substantially expanding the paleogeographical range of the family formerly known from the Cretaceous of Brazil and eastern Asia. Within the family Mesoraphidiidae, Necroraphidia arcuata gen. et sp. n. and Amarantoraphidia ventolina gen. et sp. n. are described from the El Soplao outcrop (Rábago, Cantabria), whereas Styporaphidia? hispanica sp. n. and Alavaraphidia imperterrita gen. et sp. n. are describedfrom Peñacerrada I. In addition, three morphospecies are recognized from fragmentary remains. The following combinations are restored: Yanoraphidia gaoi Ren, 1995, stat. rest., Mesoraphidia durlstonensis Jepson, Coram and Jarzembowski, 2009, stat. rest., and Mesoraphidia heteroneura Ren, 1997, stat. rest. The singularity of this rich paleodiversity could be due to the paleogeographic isolation of the Iberian territory and also the prevalence of wildfires during the Cretaceous. PMID:22787417

Developing hydrological model for water quality in Iraq marshes zone using Landsat-TM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marghany, Maged; Hasab, Hashim Ali; Mansor, Shattri; Shariff, Abdul Rashid Bin Mohamed

2016-06-01

The Mesopotamia marshlands constitute the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and Western Eurasia. These wetlands are located at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in southern Iraq. However, there are series reductions in the wetland zones because of neighbor countries, i.e. Turkey, Syria built dams upstream of Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In addition, the first Gulf war of the 1980s had damaged majority of the marches resources. In fact,the marshes had been reduced in size to less than 7% since 1973 and had deteriorated in water quality parameters. The study integrates Hydrological Model of RMA-2 with Geographic Information System, and remote sensing techniques to map the water quality in the marshlands south of Iraq. This study shows that RMA-2 shows the two dimensional water flow pattern and water quality quantities in the marshlands. It can be said that the integration between Hydrological Model of RMA-2, Geographic Information System, and remote sensing techniques can be used to monitor water quality in the marshlands south of Iraq.

Y-chromosome distributions among populations in Northwest China identify significant contribution from Central Asian pastoralists and lesser influence of western Eurasians.

PubMed

Shou, Wei-Hua; Qiao, En-Fa; Wei, Chuan-Yu; Dong, Yong-Li; Tan, Si-Jie; Shi, Hong; Tang, Wen-Ru; Xiao, Chun-Jie

2010-05-01

Northwest China is closely adjacent to Central Asia, an intermediate region of the Eurasian continent. Moreover, the Silk Road through the northwest of China once had a vital role in the east-west intercommunications. Nevertheless, little has been known about the genetic makeup of populations in this region. We collected 503 male samples from 14 ethnic groups in the northwest of China, and surveyed 29 Y-chromosomal biallelic markers and 8 short tandem repeats (STRs) loci to reconstruct the paternal architecture. Our results illustrated obvious genetic difference among these ethnic groups, and in general their genetic background is more similar with Central Asians than with East Asians. The ancestors of present northwestern populations were the admixture of early East Asians peopling northwestward and later Central Asians immigrating eastward. This population mixture was dated to occur within the past 10 000 years. The J2-M172 lineages likely entered China during the eastward migration of Central Asians. The influence from West Eurasia through gene flows on the extant ethnic groups in Northwest China was relatively weak.

Multiple subduction imprints in the mantle below Italy detected in a single lava flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikogosian, Igor; Ersoy, Özlem; Whitehouse, Martin; Mason, Paul R. D.; de Hoog, Jan C. M.; Wortel, Rinus; van Bergen, Manfred J.

2016-09-01

Post-collisional magmatism reflects the regional subduction history prior to collision but the link between the two is complex and often poorly understood. The collision of continents along a convergent plate boundary commonly marks the onset of a variety of transitional geodynamic processes. Typical responses include delamination of subducting lithosphere, crustal thickening in the overriding plate, slab detachment and asthenospheric upwelling, or the complete termination of convergence. A prominent example is the Western-Central Mediterranean, where the ongoing slow convergence of Africa and Europe (Eurasia) has been accommodated by a variety of spreading and subduction systems that dispersed remnants of subducted lithosphere into the mantle, creating a compositionally wide spectrum of magmatism. Using lead isotope compositions of a set of melt inclusions in magmatic olivine crystals we detect exceptional heterogeneity in the mantle domain below Central Italy, which we attribute to the presence of continental material, introduced initially by Alpine and subsequently by Apennine subduction. We show that superimposed subduction imprints of a mantle source can be tapped during a melting episode millions of years later, and are recorded in a single lava flow.

Immunization of Knock-Out α/β Interferon Receptor Mice against High Lethal Dose of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus with a Cell Culture Based Vaccine

PubMed Central

Canakoglu, Nurettin; Berber, Engin; Tonbak, Sukru; Ertek, Mustafa; Sozdutmaz, Ibrahim; Aktas, Munir; Kalkan, Ahmet; Ozdarendeli, Aykut

2015-01-01

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an acute tick-borne zoonotic disease. The disease has been reported in many countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and in Eurasia. During the past decade, new foci of CCHF have emerged in the Balkan Peninsula, southwest Russia, the Middle East, western China, India, Africa, and Turkey. CCHF virus produces severe hemorrhagic manifestations in humans with fatality rates up to 30%. Vaccine development efforts have been significantly hampered by a lack of animal models and therefore, no protective vaccine has been achieved. Lately, IFN α/β receptor deficient (IFNAR−/−) mice have been established as a novel small animal model of CCHF virus infection. In the present study, we found that IFNAR−/− mice highly susceptible to CCHF virus Turkey-Kelkit06 strain. Immunization with the cell culture based vaccine elicited a significant level of protection against high dose challenge (1,000 PPFU) with a homologous CCHF virus in IFNAR−/− mice. PMID:25760444

Characterization of (241)Pu occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation in seabirds from northern Eurasia.

PubMed

Strumińska-Parulska, Dagmara I; Skwarzec, Bogdan

2015-05-01

The paper presents unique data of plutonium (241)Pu study in seabirds from northern Eurasia, permanently or temporally living at the southern Baltic Sea coast. Together, ten marine birds species were examined, as follows: three species that permanently reside at the southern Baltic, four species of wintering birds, and three species of migrating birds; 366 samples were analyzed. The obtained results indicated plutonium was non-uniformly distributed in organs and tissues of analyzed seabirds. The highest (241)Pu content was found in the digestion organs and feathers, the lowest in muscles. Also, the internal radiation doses from (241)Pu were evaluated.

[Prevalence of gene polymorphisms associated with immune-dependent diseases in the populations of North Eurasia].

PubMed

Cherednichenko, A A; Trifonova, E A; Vagaitseva, K V; Bocharova, A V; Varzari, A M; Radzhabov, M O; Stepanov, V A

2015-01-01

The data on distribution of genetic diversity in gene polymorphisms associated with autoimmune and allergic diseases and with regulation of immunoglobulin E and cytokines levels in 26 populations of the Northern Eurasia is presented. Substantial correlation between the values of average expected heterozygosity by 44 gene polymorphisms with climatic and geographical factors has not been revealed. Clustering of population groups in correspondence with their geographic locations is observed. The degree of gene differentiation among populations and the selective neutrality of gene polymorphisms have been assessed. The results of our work evidence the substantial genetic diversity and differentiation of human populations by studied genes.

Border Security Fencing and Wildlife: The End of the Transboundary Paradigm in Eurasia?

PubMed

Linnell, John D C; Trouwborst, Arie; Boitani, Luigi; Kaczensky, Petra; Huber, Djuro; Reljic, Slaven; Kusak, Josip; Majic, Aleksandra; Skrbinsek, Tomaz; Potocnik, Hubert; Hayward, Matt W; Milner-Gulland, E J; Buuveibaatar, Bayarbaatar; Olson, Kirk A; Badamjav, Lkhagvasuren; Bischof, Richard; Zuther, Steffen; Breitenmoser, Urs

2016-06-01

The ongoing refugee crisis in Europe has seen many countries rush to construct border security fencing to divert or control the flow of people. This follows a trend of border fence construction across Eurasia during the post-9/11 era. This development has gone largely unnoticed by conservation biologists during an era in which, ironically, transboundary cooperation has emerged as a conservation paradigm. These fences represent a major threat to wildlife because they can cause mortality, obstruct access to seasonally important resources, and reduce effective population size. We summarise the extent of the issue and propose concrete mitigation measures.

Border Security Fencing and Wildlife: The End of the Transboundary Paradigm in Eurasia?

PubMed Central

Linnell, John D. C.; Trouwborst, Arie; Boitani, Luigi; Kaczensky, Petra; Kusak, Josip; Skrbinsek, Tomaz; Buuveibaatar, Bayarbaatar; Bischof, Richard; Breitenmoser, Urs

2016-01-01

The ongoing refugee crisis in Europe has seen many countries rush to construct border security fencing to divert or control the flow of people. This follows a trend of border fence construction across Eurasia during the post-9/11 era. This development has gone largely unnoticed by conservation biologists during an era in which, ironically, transboundary cooperation has emerged as a conservation paradigm. These fences represent a major threat to wildlife because they can cause mortality, obstruct access to seasonally important resources, and reduce effective population size. We summarise the extent of the issue and propose concrete mitigation measures. PMID:27331878

A detailed gravimetric geoid from North America to Eurasia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincent, S. F.; Strange, W. E.; Marsh, J. G.

1972-01-01

A detailed gravimetric geoid of the United States, North Atlantic, and Eurasia, which was computed from a combination of satellite derived and surface gravity data, is presented. The precision of this detailed geoid is + or - 2 to + or - 3 m in the continents but may be in the range of 5 to 7 m in those areas where data is sparse. Comparisons of the detailed gravimetric geoid with results of Rapp, Fischer, and Rice for the United States, Bomford in Europe, and Heiskanen and Fischer in India are presented. Comparisons are also presented with geoid heights from satellite solutions for geocentric station coordinates in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Continental faunal exchange and the asymmetrical radiation of carnivores.

PubMed

Pires, Mathias M; Silvestro, Daniele; Quental, Tiago B

2015-10-22

Lineages arriving on islands may undergo explosive evolutionary radiations owing to the wealth of ecological opportunities. Although studies on insular taxa have improved our understanding of macroevolutionary phenomena, we know little about the macroevolutionary dynamics of continental exchanges. Here we study the evolution of eight Carnivora families that have migrated across the Northern Hemisphere to investigate if continental invasions also result in explosive diversification dynamics. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate speciation and extinction rates from a substantial dataset of fossil occurrences while accounting for the incompleteness of the fossil record. Our analyses revealed a strongly asymmetrical pattern in which North American lineages invading Eurasia underwent explosive radiations, whereas lineages invading North America maintained uniform diversification dynamics. These invasions into Eurasia were characterized by high rates of speciation and extinction. The radiation of the arriving lineages in Eurasia coincide with the decline of established lineages or phases of climate change, suggesting differences in the ecological settings between the continents may be responsible for the disparity in diversification dynamics. These results reveal long-term outcomes of biological invasions and show that the importance of explosive radiations in shaping diversity extends beyond insular systems and have significant impact at continental scales. © 2015 The Author(s).

Neandertal admixture in Eurasia confirmed by maximum-likelihood analysis of three genomes.

PubMed

Lohse, Konrad; Frantz, Laurent A F

2014-04-01

Although there has been much interest in estimating histories of divergence and admixture from genomic data, it has proved difficult to distinguish recent admixture from long-term structure in the ancestral population. Thus, recent genome-wide analyses based on summary statistics have sparked controversy about the possibility of interbreeding between Neandertals and modern humans in Eurasia. Here we derive the probability of full mutational configurations in nonrecombining sequence blocks under both admixture and ancestral structure scenarios. Dividing the genome into short blocks gives an efficient way to compute maximum-likelihood estimates of parameters. We apply this likelihood scheme to triplets of human and Neandertal genomes and compare the relative support for a model of admixture from Neandertals into Eurasian populations after their expansion out of Africa against a history of persistent structure in their common ancestral population in Africa. Our analysis allows us to conclusively reject a model of ancestral structure in Africa and instead reveals strong support for Neandertal admixture in Eurasia at a higher rate (3.4-7.3%) than suggested previously. Using analysis and simulations we show that our inference is more powerful than previous summary statistics and robust to realistic levels of recombination.

Chapter 48: Geology and petroleum potential of the Eurasia Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Thomas E.; Pitman, Janet K.

2011-01-01

The Eurasia Basin petroleum province comprises the younger, eastern half of the Arctic Ocean, including the Cenozoic Eurasia Basin and the outboard part of the continental margin of northern Europe. For the USGS petroleum assessment (CARA), it was divided into four assessment units (AUs): the Lena Prodelta AU, consisting of the deep-marine part of the Lena Delta; the Nansen Basin Margin AU, comprising the passive margin sequence of the Eurasian plate; and the Amundsen Basin and Nansen Basin AUs which encompass the abyssal plains north and south of the Gakkel Ridge spreading centre, respectively. The primary petroleum system thought to be present is sourced in c. 50–44 Ma (Early to Middle Eocene) condensed pelagic deposits that could be widespread in the province. Mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources include <1 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and about 1.4 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of nonassociated gas in Lena Prodelta AU, and <0.4 BBO and 3.4 TCF nonassociated gas in the Nansen Basin Margin AU. The Nansen Basin and Amundsen Basin AUs were not quantitatively assessed because they have less than 10% probability of containing at least one accumulation of 50 MMBOE (million barrels of oil equivalent).

Neandertal Admixture in Eurasia Confirmed by Maximum-Likelihood Analysis of Three Genomes

PubMed Central

Lohse, Konrad; Frantz, Laurent A. F.

2014-01-01

Although there has been much interest in estimating histories of divergence and admixture from genomic data, it has proved difficult to distinguish recent admixture from long-term structure in the ancestral population. Thus, recent genome-wide analyses based on summary statistics have sparked controversy about the possibility of interbreeding between Neandertals and modern humans in Eurasia. Here we derive the probability of full mutational configurations in nonrecombining sequence blocks under both admixture and ancestral structure scenarios. Dividing the genome into short blocks gives an efficient way to compute maximum-likelihood estimates of parameters. We apply this likelihood scheme to triplets of human and Neandertal genomes and compare the relative support for a model of admixture from Neandertals into Eurasian populations after their expansion out of Africa against a history of persistent structure in their common ancestral population in Africa. Our analysis allows us to conclusively reject a model of ancestral structure in Africa and instead reveals strong support for Neandertal admixture in Eurasia at a higher rate (3.4−7.3%) than suggested previously. Using analysis and simulations we show that our inference is more powerful than previous summary statistics and robust to realistic levels of recombination. PMID:24532731

Continental faunal exchange and the asymmetrical radiation of carnivores

PubMed Central

Pires, Mathias M.; Silvestro, Daniele; Quental, Tiago B.

2015-01-01

Lineages arriving on islands may undergo explosive evolutionary radiations owing to the wealth of ecological opportunities. Although studies on insular taxa have improved our understanding of macroevolutionary phenomena, we know little about the macroevolutionary dynamics of continental exchanges. Here we study the evolution of eight Carnivora families that have migrated across the Northern Hemisphere to investigate if continental invasions also result in explosive diversification dynamics. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate speciation and extinction rates from a substantial dataset of fossil occurrences while accounting for the incompleteness of the fossil record. Our analyses revealed a strongly asymmetrical pattern in which North American lineages invading Eurasia underwent explosive radiations, whereas lineages invading North America maintained uniform diversification dynamics. These invasions into Eurasia were characterized by high rates of speciation and extinction. The radiation of the arriving lineages in Eurasia coincide with the decline of established lineages or phases of climate change, suggesting differences in the ecological settings between the continents may be responsible for the disparity in diversification dynamics. These results reveal long-term outcomes of biological invasions and show that the importance of explosive radiations in shaping diversity extends beyond insular systems and have significant impact at continental scales. PMID:26490792

Oral cleanliness and gingival health among Special Olympics athletes in Europe and Eurasia.

PubMed

Marks, Luc; Fernandez, Carla; Kaschke, Imke; Perlman, Steven

2015-09-01

Special Olympics athletes, as well as the general population of people with intellectual disabilities, are expected to have poorer gingival health. The aim of the study is to explore the prevalence of gingival signs of inflammation and its relationship to oral cleanliness and age among Special Olympics athletes from Europe and Eurasia. A retrospective longitudinal study was performed with data collected through standardized oral from 15.941 athletes from annual Special Olympics events held in 49 countries, from Europe and Eurasia between 2007 and 2012. The data was analysed descriptively, with One-Way ANOVA test and Chi-Square test. The level of significance was predetermined at a p value < 0.05. A total of 7,754 athletes presented with gingival signs (48.64%). There were no significant differences (p= 0,095) in mean gingival signs between age groups, however the association between mouth cleaning and age, was statistically significant. The data suggests that there is a high prevalence of gingival signs among individuals with special needs; over 50% in more than 20 countries. Therefore, there is a serious need for education and preventive programs for the patients, their parents and caregivers.

Enhanced ice sheet growth in Eurasia owing to adjacent ice-dammed lakes.

PubMed

Krinner, G; Mangerud, J; Jakobsson, M; Crucifix, M; Ritz, C; Svendsen, J I

2004-01-29

Large proglacial lakes cool regional summer climate because of their large heat capacity, and have been shown to modify precipitation through mesoscale atmospheric feedbacks, as in the case of Lake Agassiz. Several large ice-dammed lakes, with a combined area twice that of the Caspian Sea, were formed in northern Eurasia about 90,000 years ago, during the last glacial period when an ice sheet centred over the Barents and Kara seas blocked the large northbound Russian rivers. Here we present high-resolution simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model that explicitly simulates the surface mass balance of the ice sheet. We show that the main influence of the Eurasian proglacial lakes was a significant reduction of ice sheet melting at the southern margin of the Barents-Kara ice sheet through strong regional summer cooling over large parts of Russia. In our simulations, the summer melt reduction clearly outweighs lake-induced decreases in moisture and hence snowfall, such as has been reported earlier for Lake Agassiz. We conclude that the summer cooling mechanism from proglacial lakes accelerated ice sheet growth and delayed ice sheet decay in Eurasia and probably also in North America.

Quantifying carbon budget and nitrous oxide emissions of terrestrial ecosystems in the Eurasian Arctic and the Dry Latitudinal Belt of Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Q.; Yu, T.; Qu, Y.; Kicklighter, D. W.; Melillo, J. M.; Sokolov, A. P.; Reilly, J. M.; Monier, E.

2017-12-01

The largest increase of surface air temperature and related climate extremes has occurred in Northern Eurasia in recent decades, and is projected to continue during the 21st century. The changing climate will affect the fate of the large reservoir of organic matter stored in the region. Given a large amount of carbon-based gases CO2 and CH4 is exchanged between the atmosphere and land ecosystems, we hypothesize that the emissions of another potent greenhouse gas N2O are not small. This study used a process-based biogeochemistry model to estimate soil N2O emissions in Northern Eurasia for the latter half of the 20th century and the 21st century. We find that, in the latter half of the 20th century, there was a slight decreasing trend for the regional N2O emissions from 1.4 Tg N yr-1 to 1.17 Tg N yr-1. Boreal forests are the largest source due to their large area and high flux density. Two contrasting climate scenarios with no-policy and policy for future greenhouse gas emissions and with different climate sensitivities (high, medium and low) of a global climate model are used to drive the biogeochemistry model for the 21st century. Simulations indicate that there will be an increasing trend of N2O emissions under the no-policy climate scenario. By 2100, the emissions are 1.28, 1.40 and 1.73 Tg N yr-1 under climate conditions projected considering low, intermediate, and high level of climate sensitivity, respectively. In contrast, under the policy climate scenarios, there will be a decreasing trend and the emissions are 0.89, 1.02, and 1.06 Tg N yr-1 by 2100, respectively. This study suggests that the large increase of air temperature will enhance regional N2O emissions. Future changes in precipitation and depleting organic nitrogen pools also play a role in affecting future emission strengths in Northern Eurasia. In this presentation, we will also present ensemble simulations of carbon budget for the Dry Latitudinal Belt of Northern Eurasia under various future climate conditions.

Traces and echoes of De Architectura by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in the work of Xu Guangqi in 17th century China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigola, Michela; Fang, Yibing

2016-03-01

This study aims to investigate the role played by Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), minister of the Ming Dynasty, in the development of European scientific and technical knowledge in China between the 16th and 17th centuries by analyzing a book of Western technology that he wrote, namely, Taixi Shuifa ( On Western Hydraulics). Several Western books related to machine knowledge are searched to trace the source of the illustrations in Taixi Shuifa. We found that Archimedes' screw and Ctesibius' machine, which are included in Vitruvius' De Architectura volumes, also appear in the work of Xu Guangqi.

“Being Flexible and Creative”: A Qualitative Study on Maternity Care Assistants' Experiences with Non-Western Immigrant Women

PubMed Central

Boerleider, Agatha W.; Francke, Anneke L.; van de Reep, Merle; Manniën, Judith; Wiegers, Therese A.; Devillé, Walter L. J. M.

2014-01-01

Background Several studies conducted in developed countries have explored postnatal care professionals' experiences with non-western women. These studies reported different cultural practices, lack of knowledge of the maternity care system, communication difficulties, and the important role of the baby's grandmother as care-giver in the postnatal period. However, not much attention has been paid in existing literature to postnatal care professionals' approaches to these issues. Our main objective was to gain insight into how Dutch postnatal care providers - ‘maternity care assistants’ (MCA) - address issues encountered when providing care for non-western women. Methods A generic qualitative research approach was used. Two researchers interviewed fifteen MCAs individually, analysing the interview material separately and then comparing and discussing their results. Analytical codes were organised into main themes and subthemes. Results MCAs perceive caring for non-western women as interesting and challenging, but sometimes difficult too. To guarantee the health and safety of mother and baby, they have adopted flexible and creative approaches to address issues concerning traditional practices, socioeconomic status and communication. Furthermore, they employ several other strategies to establish relationships with non-western clients and their families, improve women's knowledge of the maternity care system and give health education. Conclusion Provision of postnatal care to non-western clients may require special skills and measures. The quality of care for non-western clients might be improved by including these skills in education and retraining programmes for postnatal care providers on top of factual knowledge about traditional practices. PMID:24622576

When science became Western: historiographical reflections.

PubMed

Elshakry, Marwa

2010-03-01

While thinking about the notion of the "global" in the history of the history of science, this essay examines a related but equally basic concept: the idea of "Western science." Tracing its rise in the nineteenth century, it shows how it developed as much outside the Western world as within it. Ironically, while the idea itself was crucial for the disciplinary formation of the history of science, the global history behind this story has not been much attended to. Drawing on examples from nineteenth-century Egypt and China, the essay begins by looking at how international vectors of knowledge production (viz., missionaries and technocrats) created new global histories of science through the construction of novel genealogies and through a process of conceptual syncretism. Turning next to the work of early professional historians of science, it shows how Arabic and Chinese knowledge traditions were similarly reinterpreted in light of the modern sciences, now viewed as part of a diachronic and universalist teleology ending in "Western science." It concludes by arguing that examining the global emergence of the idea of Western science in this way highlights key questions pertaining to the relation of the history of science to knowledge traditions across the world and the continuing search for global histories of science.

The Role of Reconciling Values in Efforts to Build Community Resilience to Global Environmental Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainie, S. C.; Ferguson, D. B.; Martinez, A.

2017-12-01

Global environmental change has increasingly forced researchers and policy makers to reckon with the practical and philosophical need to integrate Indigenous knowledge with western science to support sustainable, resilient communities. Despite the recognition that integration of different ways of knowing offers a compelling approach for building long-term resilience, balancing the power dynamic that favors mainstream epistemologies over other ways of knowing remains elusive. Indigenous scholars themselves often speak of "walking in two worlds," acknowledging the distinction between Indigenous knowledge and western science and the difficulty of weaving together the two approaches. Central to the distinction between different ways of knowing are the core values that drive development and application of new knowledge. The DIKW pyramid describes the hierarchical relationships between wisdom, knowledge, information, and data. In these relationships, values drive how one turns data into information, then knowledge and wisdom. Thus, if building community resilience relies on integrating Indigenous science and Western science, a central point of focus must be on establishing which of the core values from these different knowledge systems can contribute and which may impede the goal of supporting community resilience. For example, does the absence of Western science data collection protocols (a core value of empirical science) eliminate the utility of community observations of environmental change from efforts to understand system change? Indigenous data sovereignty, an emerging framework, asserts Indigenous rights to information and promotes the role of community knowledge in creating metrics, outcomes, and ultimately actions toward resilient communities. Indigenous data sovereignty acknowledges that context and values shape data in addition to providing a lens for interpreting data. Can principles for the governance of Indigenous data, such as recognizing and supporting Indigenous ways of knowing begin to balance the power dynamic? Building on the authors' experiences, theories of resilience, and Indigenous data sovereignty frameworks this presentation will address the question: How can values from different knowledge systems be aligned to support long-term community resilience?

The use of fire and human distribution

PubMed Central

MacDonald, Katharine

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Humans today live in a wide range of environments from the iciest to the hottest, thanks to diverse cultural solutions that buffer temperature extremes. The prehistory of this relationship between human distribution, cultural solutions and temperature conditions may help us to understand the evolution of human biological adaptations to cold temperature. Fire has long been seen as an important factor in human evolution and range expansion, particularly into temperate latitudes. Nevertheless, the earliest evidence for hominin presence in Eurasia, and middle latitudes in northern Europe, substantially predates convincing evidence for fire use in these regions. This review outlines the current state of knowledge of the chronology of hominin dispersal into temperate latitudes, from the earliest occupants to our own species, and the archeological evidence for fire use. Given continuing disagreement about this chronology and limitations to the archeological evidence, new, complementary approaches are worthwhile and would benefit from information from studies of current human temperature regulation. PMID:28680931

The domestication and evolutionary ecology of apples.

PubMed

Cornille, Amandine; Giraud, Tatiana; Smulders, Marinus J M; Roldán-Ruiz, Isabel; Gladieux, Pierre

2014-02-01

The cultivated apple is a major fruit crop in temperate zones. Its wild relatives, distributed across temperate Eurasia and growing in diverse habitats, represent potentially useful sources of diversity for apple breeding. We review here the most recent findings on the genetics and ecology of apple domestication and its impact on wild apples. Genetic analyses have revealed a Central Asian origin for cultivated apple, together with an unexpectedly large secondary contribution from the European crabapple. Wild apple species display strong population structures and high levels of introgression from domesticated apple, and this may threaten their genetic integrity. Recent research has revealed a major role of hybridization in the domestication of the cultivated apple and has highlighted the value of apple as an ideal model for unraveling adaptive diversification processes in perennial fruit crops. We discuss the implications of this knowledge for apple breeding and for the conservation of wild apples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indigenous Knowledge and Education: Sites of Struggle, Strength, and Survivance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villegas, Malia, Ed.; Neugebauer, Sabina Rak, Ed.; Venegas, Kerry R., Ed.

2008-01-01

This book brings together essays that explore Indigenous ways of knowing and that consider how such knowledge can inform educational practices and institutions. Indigenous Knowledge is resiliently local in character and thus poses a distinct contrast to the international, more impersonal system of knowledge prevalent in Western educational…

Influence of forest structure on the abundance of snowshoe hares in western Wyoming

Treesearch

Nathan D. Berg; Eric M. Gese; John R. Squires; Lise M. Aubry

2012-01-01

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are a primary prey species for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in western North America. Lynx management plans require knowledge of potential prey distribution and abundance in the western United States. Whether even-aged regenerating forests or multi-storied forests contain more snowshoe hares is currently unknown. During 2006-...

Reconciling the geological history of western Turkey with plate circuits and mantle tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Kaymakci, Nuretdin; Spakman, Wim; Torsvik, Trond H.

2010-09-01

We place the geological history since Cretaceous times in western Turkey in a context of convergence, subduction, collision and slab break-off. To this end, we compare the west Anatolian geological history with amounts of Africa-Europe convergence calculated from the Atlantic plate circuit, and the seismic tomography images of the west Anatolian mantle structure. Western Turkish geology reflects the convergence between the Sakarya continent (here treated as Eurasia) in the north and Africa in the south, with the Anatolide-Tauride Block (ATB) between two strands of the Neotethyan ocean. Convergence between the Sakarya and the ATB started at least ~ 95-90 Myr ago, marked by ages of metamorphic soles of ophiolites that form the highest structural unit below Sakarya. These are underlain by high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic rocks of the Tavşanlı and Afyon zones, and the Ören Unit, which in turn are underlain by the Menderes Massif derived from the ATB. Underthrusting of the ATB below Sakarya was since ~ 50 Ma, associated with high-temperature metamorphism and widespread granitic magmatism. Thrusting in the Menderes Massif continued until 35 Ma, after which there is no record of accretion in western Turkey. Plate circuits show that since 90 Ma, ~ 1400 km of Africa-Europe convergence occurred, of which ~ 700 km since 50 Ma and ~ 450 km since 35 Ma. Seismic tomography shows that the African slab under western Turkey is decoupled from the African Plate. This detached slab is a single, coherent body, representing the lithosphere consumed since 90 Ma. There was no subduction re-initiation after slab break-off. ATB collision with Europe therefore did not immediately lead to slab break-off but instead to delamination of subducting lithospheric mantle from accreting ATB crust, while staying attached to the African Plate. This led to asthenospheric inflow below the ATB crust, high-temperature metamorphism and felsic magmatism. Slab break-off in western Turkey probably occurred ~ 15 Myr ago, after which overriding plate compression and rotation accommodated ongoing Africa-Europe convergence. Slab break-off was accommodated along a vertical NE trending subduction transform edge propagator (STEP) fault zone, accelerating southwestward slab retreat of the Aegean slab. The SE Aegean slab edge may have existed already since early Miocene times or before, but started to rapidly roll back along the southeastern Aegean STEP in middle Miocene times, penetrating the Aegean region in the Pliocene.

Insights into Modern Human Prehistory Using Ancient Genomes.

PubMed

Yang, Melinda A; Fu, Qiaomei

2018-03-01

The genetic relationship of past modern humans to today's populations and each other was largely unknown until recently, when advances in ancient DNA sequencing allowed for unprecedented analysis of the genomes of these early people. These ancient genomes reveal new insights into human prehistory not always observed studying present-day populations, including greater details on the genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow that characterized past human populations, particularly in early Eurasia, as well as increased insight on the relationship between archaic and modern humans. Here, we review genetic studies on ∼45000- to 7500-year-old individuals associated with mainly preagricultural cultures found in Eurasia, the Americas, and Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Earthquake Hazard Map of Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boyd, Oliver S.; Mueller, Charles S.; Rukstales, Kenneth S.

2007-01-01

Introduction Earthquakes represent a serious threat to the people and institutions of Afghanistan. As part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) effort to assess the resource potential and seismic hazards of Afghanistan, the Seismic Hazard Mapping group of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has prepared a series of probabilistic seismic hazard maps that help quantify the expected frequency and strength of ground shaking nationwide. To construct the maps, we do a complete hazard analysis for each of ~35,000 sites in the study area. We use a probabilistic methodology that accounts for all potential seismic sources and their rates of earthquake activity, and we incorporate modeling uncertainty by using logic trees for source and ground-motion parameters. See the Appendix for an explanation of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and discussion of seismic risk. Afghanistan occupies a southward-projecting, relatively stable promontory of the Eurasian tectonic plate (Ambraseys and Bilham, 2003; Wheeler and others, 2005). Active plate boundaries, however, surround Afghanistan on the west, south, and east. To the west, the Arabian plate moves northward relative to Eurasia at about 3 cm/yr. The active plate boundary trends northwestward through the Zagros region of southwestern Iran. Deformation is accommodated throughout the territory of Iran; major structures include several north-south-trending, right-lateral strike-slip fault systems in the east and, farther to the north, a series of east-west-trending reverse- and strike-slip faults. This deformation apparently does not cross the border into relatively stable western Afghanistan. In the east, the Indian plate moves northward relative to Eurasia at a rate of about 4 cm/yr. A broad, transpressional plate-boundary zone extends into eastern Afghanistan, trending southwestward from the Hindu Kush in northeast Afghanistan, through Kabul, and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Deformation here is expressed as a belt of major, north-northeast-trending, left-lateral strike-slip faults and abundant seismicity. The seismicity intensifies farther to the northeast and includes a prominent zone of deep earthquakes associated with northward subduction of the Indian plate beneath Eurasia that extends beneath the Hindu Kush and Pamirs Mountains. Production of the seismic hazard maps is challenging because the geological and seismological data required to produce a seismic hazard model are limited. The data that are available for this project include historical seismicity and poorly constrained slip rates on only a few of the many active faults in the country. Much of the hazard is derived from a new catalog of historical earthquakes: from 1964 to the present, with magnitude equal to or greater than about 4.5, and with depth between 0 and 250 kilometers. We also include four specific faults in the model: the Chaman fault with an assigned slip rate of 10 mm/yr, the Central Badakhshan fault with an assigned slip rate of 12 mm/yr, the Darvaz fault with an assigned slip rate of 7 mm/yr, and the Hari Rud fault with an assigned slip rate of 2 mm/yr. For these faults and for shallow seismicity less than 50 km deep, we incorporate published ground-motion estimates from tectonically active regions of western North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Ground-motion estimates for deeper seismicity are derived from data in subduction environments. We apply estimates derived for tectonic regions where subduction is the main tectonic process for intermediate-depth seismicity between 50- and 250-km depth. Within the framework of these limitations, we have developed a preliminary probabilistic seismic-hazard assessment of Afghanistan, the type of analysis that underpins the seismic components of modern building codes in the United States. The assessment includes maps of estimated peak ground-acceleration (PGA), 0.2-second spectral acceleration (SA), and 1.0-secon

Ancient Wisdom, Applied Knowledge for a Sustainable Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, K.; Philippe, R. Elde; Dardar, T. M. Elde

2017-12-01

Ancient wisdom informs traditional knowledges that guide Indigenous communities on how to interact with the world. These knowledges and the ancient wisdom have been the life-giving forces that have prevented the complete genocide of Indigenous peoples, and is also the wisdom that is rejuvenating ancient ways that will take the world into a future that embraces the seventh generation philosophy.. Western scientists and agency representatives are learning from the work and wisdom of Native Americans. This presentation will share the ways in which the representatives of two Tribes along the coast of Louisiana have been helping to educate and apply their work with Western scientists.

Extreme air pollution events in Hokkaido, Japan, traced back to early snowmelt and large-scale wildfires over East Eurasia: Case studies.

PubMed

Yasunari, Teppei J; Kim, Kyu-Myong; da Silva, Arlindo M; Hayasaki, Masamitsu; Akiyama, Masayuki; Murao, Naoto

2018-04-25

To identify the unusual climate conditions and their connections to air pollutions in a remote area due to wildfires, we examine three anomalous large-scale wildfires in May 2003, April 2008, and July 2014 over East Eurasia, as well as how products of those wildfires reached an urban city, Sapporo, in the northern part of Japan (Hokkaido), significantly affecting the air quality. NASA's MERRA-2 (the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2) aerosol re-analysis data closely reproduced the PM 2.5 variations in Sapporo for the case of smoke arrival in July 2014. Results show that all three cases featured unusually early snowmelt in East Eurasia, accompanied by warmer and drier surface conditions in the months leading to the fires, inducing long-lasting soil dryness and producing climate and environmental conditions conducive to active wildfires. Due to prevailing anomalous synoptic-scale atmospheric motions, smoke from those fires eventually reached a remote area, Hokkaido, and worsened the air quality in Sapporo. In future studies, continuous monitoring of the timing of Eurasian snowmelt and the air quality from the source regions to remote regions, coupled with the analysis of atmospheric and surface conditions, may be essential in more accurately predicting the effects of wildfires on air quality.

The lateral variation of P n velocity gradient under Eurasia

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

Yang, Xiaoning

We report that mantle lid P wave velocity gradient, or P n velocity gradient, reflects the depth and lateral variations of thermal and rheological state of the uppermost mantle. Mapping the P n velocity gradient and its lateral variation helps us gain insight into the temperature, composition, and dynamics of the uppermost mantle. In addition, because P n velocity gradient has profound influence on P n propagation behavior, an accurate mapping of P n velocity gradient also improves the modeling and prediction of P n travel times and amplitudes. In this study, I used measured P n travel times tomore » derive path-specific P n velocity gradients. I then inverted these velocity gradients for two-dimensional (2-D) P n velocity-gradient models for Eurasia based on the assumption that a path-specific Pn velocity gradient is the mean of laterally varying P n velocity gradients along the P n path. Result from a Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the assumption is appropriate. The 2-D velocity-gradient models show that most of Eurasia has positive velocity gradients. High velocity gradients exist mainly in tectonically active regions. Most tectonically stable regions show low and more uniform velocity gradients. In conclusion, strong velocity-gradient variations occur largely along convergent plate boundaries, particularly under overriding plates.« less

The lateral variation of P n velocity gradient under Eurasia

DOE PAGES

Yang, Xiaoning

2017-05-03

We report that mantle lid P wave velocity gradient, or P n velocity gradient, reflects the depth and lateral variations of thermal and rheological state of the uppermost mantle. Mapping the P n velocity gradient and its lateral variation helps us gain insight into the temperature, composition, and dynamics of the uppermost mantle. In addition, because P n velocity gradient has profound influence on P n propagation behavior, an accurate mapping of P n velocity gradient also improves the modeling and prediction of P n travel times and amplitudes. In this study, I used measured P n travel times tomore » derive path-specific P n velocity gradients. I then inverted these velocity gradients for two-dimensional (2-D) P n velocity-gradient models for Eurasia based on the assumption that a path-specific Pn velocity gradient is the mean of laterally varying P n velocity gradients along the P n path. Result from a Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the assumption is appropriate. The 2-D velocity-gradient models show that most of Eurasia has positive velocity gradients. High velocity gradients exist mainly in tectonically active regions. Most tectonically stable regions show low and more uniform velocity gradients. In conclusion, strong velocity-gradient variations occur largely along convergent plate boundaries, particularly under overriding plates.« less

Influence of the North Atlantic dipole on climate changes over Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serykh, I. V.

2016-11-01

In this paper, some hydrophysical and meteorological characteristics of negative (1948-1976 and 1999-2015) and positive (1977-1998) phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) in the North Atlantic and Eurasia are constructed and investigated. Specifically, the near-surface temperature, sea-level atmospheric pressure, wind speed, heat content of the upper 700 m ocean layer, water temperature and salinity at various depths, the latent and sensible heat fluxes from the ocean to the atmosphere are analyzed. The fields obtained are in good agreement and complement each other. This gives important information about the hydrometeorological conditions in the region under study. Analysis of these data has shown that in the upper 1000 m North Atlantic layer there is a thermal dipole which can be interpreted as an oceanic analog of the atmospheric North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). An index of the North Atlantic Dipole (NAD) as the difference between the mean heat contents in the upper 700 m oceanic layer between the regions (50°-70° N; 60°-10° W) and (20°-40° N; 80°-30° W) is proposed. A possible physical mechanism of the internal oscillations with a quasi-60-year period in the North Atlantics- Eurasia system of ocean-atmosphere interactions is discussed.

A multicenter study on dental trauma in permanent incisors among Special Olympics athletes in Europe and Eurasia.

PubMed

Fernandez, Carla; Kaschke, Imke; Perlman, Steven; Koehler, Bjoern; Marks, Luc

2015-11-01

Special Olympics athletes, as part of the population with intellectual disabilities, are reported to be more vulnerable to dental injuries due to poor lip closure, slow response to environmental obstacles, oral pathologic reflexes, or dental features. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental trauma among Special Olympics athletes in countries of Europe and Eurasia. A retrospective longitudinal study was performed with data collected through standardized Special Smiles screening forms and procedures from consenting 15,941 athletes participating in the annual Special Olympics held in 49 countries from Europe and Eurasia between 2007 and 2012. The data was compiled in an Excel worksheet and transferred to an SPSS data file in order to be analyzed. A total of 2190 athletes presented dental injury (13.02%) with a std. deviation of 5.02%, and there were no significant differences (p = 0.136) in mean dental injury between age groups (one-way ANOVA test). The present data suggest that dental trauma is an actual problem among individuals with special needs. The distribution of prevalence among the different countries had a remarkable variability, but it is evident that a relatively high proportion of this population is in need of dental trauma preventive programs.

The assessment of UV resources over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubarova, Natalia; Zhdanova, Yekaterina

2013-05-01

The spatial and temporal distribution of UV resources was assessed over Northern Eurasia by using RT modeling (8 stream DISORT RT code) with 1×1 degree grid and month resolution. For this purpose a special dataset of main input geophysical parameters (total ozone content, aerosol characteristics, surface UV albedo, and UV cloud modification factor) has been developed. To define the UV resources both erythemally-weighted and vitamin D irradiances were used. In order to better quantify vitamin D irradiance threshold we accounted for a body exposure fraction S as a function of surface effective temperature. The UV resources are defined by using several classes and subclasses: UV deficiency, UV optimum, and UV excess. They were evaluated for clear and typical cloudy conditions for different skin types. We show that for typical cloudy conditions in winter (January) there are only few regions in Europe at the south of Spain (southward 43°N) with conditions of UV optimum for people with skin type 2 and no such conditions for people with skin type 4. In summer (July) UV optimum for skin 2 is observed northward 63°N with a boundary biased towards higher latitudes at the east, while for skin type 4 these conditions are observed over the most territory of Northern Eurasia.

The drift history of the Indochina Block from Gondwana to Eurasia, constraints from paleomagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yonggang; Huang, Baochun; Zhang, Donghai; Charusiri, Punya

2017-04-01

The Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic paleopositions of Indochina Block has long been debated, which is regarded as one of the biggest problems unresolved in the reconstruction of Eastern Asian blocks in the Gondwana or Pangea Supercontinent. We reported new high quality Early-Middle Permian and Late Triassic paleomagnetic results from Thailand, the central of Indochina, in the aiming to constraint the drift history of Indochina from Gondwana to Eurasia. Following detailed rock magnetic and paleomagnetic analyses, new datasets with positive fold tests and reversal tests are obtained, and an Early-Middle Permian (ca. 280Ma) paleomagnetic pole is suggested to be located at 34.1°N/331.7°E (A95 = 5.7°), corresponds to a paleolatitude of 21°S at the center of study area (15°N, 101°E); and the Norian of Late Triassic (ca.220 Ma) pole is 48.7°N/165.9°E (A95=7.2°), indicating the Indochina block was located at 26°N. The two key poles indicate the Indochina drift for 5000 km from the Gondwana region to the south margin of the Eurasia during Early-Middle Permian to Late Traissic. And its averaged movement rate relative to Gondwana is calculated to be 4.5cm/yr.

Winter Eurasian cooling linked with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Dehai; Chen, Yanan; Dai, Aiguo; Mu, Mu; Zhang, Renhe; Ian, Simmonds

2017-12-01

In this paper, we analyze observational and reanalysis data to demonstrate that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) significantly modulates winter Eurasian surface air temperature through its impact on the shape, frequency and persistence of Ural blocking (UB) events that last for 10-20 d. This impact results from changes in mid-high latitude westerly winds over Eurasia associated with the warming in the Barents-Kara Seas (BKS) through the AMO-driven high sea surface temperature and sea-ice decline and resultant weakening in meridional temperature gradients. The BKS warming has a strongest positive correlation with the AMO at a time lag of about 14 years. During the recent positive AMO phase, more persistent northwest-southeast (NW-SE) oriented UB events are favored by weakened westerly winds in Eurasian mid-high latitudes. Through cold atmospheric advection and radiative cooling, such UB events produce a strong, persistent and widespread cooling over Eurasia and enhance BKS warming during 1999-2015. However, the positive AMO phase cannot directly produce the Eurasian cooling if the UB is absent. Thus, we conclude that the recent AMO phase change is a major cause of the recent winter cooling over Eurasia through its impact on BKS temperature and sea ice, which in turn affect the meridional temperature gradient, the westerly winds and the UB events.

Palaeomagnetic study of the Kepezdaǧ and Yamadaǧ volcanic complexes, central Turkey: Neogene tectonic escape and block definition in the central-east Anatolides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürsoy, H.; Tatar, O.; Piper, J. D. A.; Koçbulut, F.; Akpınar, Zafer; Huang, Baochun; Roberts, A. P.; Mesci, B. L.

2011-05-01

The Anatolian accretionary collage between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia is currently subject to two tectonic regimes. Ongoing slip of Arabia relative to Africa along the Dead Sea Fault Zone in the east is extruding crustal blocks away from the indenter by a combination of strike-slip and rotation. This zone of compression gives way to an extensional province in western Turkey, which also includes the eastern sector of Aegean Province. Although it is now well established that rotational deformation throughout Anatolia is distributed and differential, the sizes of the blocks involved are poorly understood. As a contribution towards evaluating this issue in central-east Turkey, we report palaeomagnetic study of the mid-Miocene Kepezdağ and Yamadağ volcanic complexes in central-south Anatolia (38-39.5°N, 37.5-39°E). A distributed sample through the Yamadağ complex identifies eruption during an interval of multiple geomagnetic field reversals (40 normal, 36 reversed, 8 intermediate sites) with a selected mean defined by 63 sites of D/ I = 335.4/51.1° ( α95 = 4.4°). The smaller Kepezdağ complex (8 reversed, 4 normal and 1 intermediate site) yields a comparable mean direction from 12 sites of 338.7/49.8° ( α95 = 14.1°). In the context of a range of radiometric age evidence, two thick normal polarity zones within the Yamadağ succession probably correlate with zones C5ACn and C5ADn of the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale and imply that the bulk of the volcanic activity took place between ˜15 and 13.5 Ma. Comparison of the palaeomagnetic results with the adjoining major plate indenters shows that the Yamadağ complex has rotated CCW by 29.3 ± 5.2° relative to Eurasia; the much smaller dataset from the Kepezdağ complex indicates a comparable CCW rotation of 26.0 ± 11.8° with respect to Eurasia. The Arabian Indenter has also been rotating CCW since mid Miocene times, and the block incorporating these two volcanic complexes north of the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) is determined to have rotated 18.2 ± 6.0° CCW relative to the northern perimeter of Arabia. Comparison with data to the north identifies quasi-uniform rotation across a ˜200 km wide block extending from the Central Anatolian Fault Zone in the northwest to close to the East Anatolian transform fault zone in the south east. Although absence of suitable younger rocks does not permit the timing of this rotation to be determined in the study area, analogies with results from the Sivas Basin suggest that it is young, and followed establishment of the major transform faults. Rotation has evidently taken place around bounding arcuate faults and accompanied westward expulsion as the accretionary collage north of Arabia has been subject to ongoing post-collisional indentation.

Snow and Ice Crust Changes over Northern Eurasia since 1966

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulygina, O.; Groisman, P. Y.; Razuvaev, V.; Radionov, V.

2009-12-01

When temperature of snow cover reaches zero Celsius first time since its establishment, snowmelt starts. In many parts of the world this process can be lengthy. The initial amount of heat that “arrives” to the snowpack might be insufficient for complete snowmelt, during the colder nights re-freeze of the melted snow may occur (thus creating the ice crust layers), and a new cold front (or the departure of the warm front that initiated melt) can decrease temperatures below the freezing point again and stop the snowmelt completely. It well can be that first such snowmelt occurs in winter (thaw day) and for several months thereafter snowpack stays on the ground. However, even the first such melt initiates a process of snow metamorphosis on its surface changing snow albedo and generating snow crust as well as on its bottom generating ice crust. Once emerged, the crusts will not disappear until the complete snowmelt. Furthermore, these crusts have numerous pathways of impact on the wild birds and animals in the Arctic environment as well as on domesticated reindeers. In extreme cases, the crusts may kill some wild species and prevent reindeers’ migration and feeding. Ongoing warming in high latitudes created situations when in the western half of Eurasian continent days with thaw became more frequent. Keeping in mind potential detrimental impacts of winter thaws and associated with them snow/ice crust development, it is worthwhile to study directly what are the major features of snow and ice crust over Eurasia and what is their dynamics. For the purpose of this study, we employed the national snow survey data set archived at the Russian Institute for Hydrometeorological Information. The dataset has routine snow surveys run throughout the cold season each decade (during the intense snowmelt, each 5 days) at all meteorological stations of the former USSR, thereafter, in Russia since 1966. Prior to 1966 snow surveys are also available but the methodology of observations has substantially changed at that year. Therefore, this analysis includes only data of 585 Russian stations from 1966 to 2008 that have all years of data with a minimal number of missing observations. Surveys run separately along all types of environment typical for the site for 1 to 2 km, describing the current snow cover properties including characteristics of snow and ice crust. Joint analysis of these characteristics of crust together with a suite of synoptic information at the stations allows us to empirically assess the process of snow and ice crust formation and development throughout the cold season and outline major factors responsible for their dynamics. Finally, regional averaging and time series analysis of both, these factors and the crust characteristics themselves, answer the question about the regional climatic changes of snow and ice crusts over Northern Eurasia, including those crust characteristics that are of practical importance for reindeer husbandry. These results for the Russian Federation will be presented at the Meeting.

Rethinking argumentation-teaching strategies and indigenous knowledge in South African science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Òtúlàjà, Fẹ´Mi S.; Cameron, Ann; Msimanga, Audrey

2011-09-01

Our response to Hewson and Ogunniyi's paper focuses, on the one hand, on some of the underlying tensions associated with alinging indigenous knowledge systems with westernized science in South African science classrooms, as suggested by the new, post-apartheid, curriculum. On the other hand, the use of argumentation as a vehicle to accomplish the alignment when the jury is still out on the appropriateness of argumentation as a pedagogical and research tool heightens the tension. We argue that the need for education stakeholders from indigenous heritages to value, know and document their own indigenous knowledge becomes paramount. The textualizing of indigenous knowledge, as has been done in western science, will create repositories for teachers to access and may help with the argumentation strategies such as advocated by the authors.

Smilax (Smilacaceae) from the Miocene of western Eurasia with Caribbean biogeographic affinities.

PubMed

Denk, Thomas; Velitzelos, Dimitrios; Güner, H Tuncay; Ferrufino-Acosta, Lilian

2015-03-01

• Recent molecular studies provide a phylogenetic framework and some dated nodes for the monocot genus Smilax. The Caribbean Havanensis group of Smilax is part of a well-supported "New World clade" with a few disjunct taxa in the Old World. Although the fossil record of the genus is rich, it has been difficult to assign fossil taxa to extant groups based on their preserved morphological characters.• Leaf fossils from Europe and Asia Minor were studied comparatively and put into a phylogenetic and biogeographic context using a molecular phylogeny of the genus.• Fossils from the early Miocene of Anatolia represent a new species of Smilax with systematic affinities with the Havanensis group. The leaf type encountered in the fossil species is exclusively found in species of the Havanensis group among all modern Smilax. Scattered fossils of this type from the Miocene of Greece and Austria, previously referred to Quercus (Fagaceae), Ilex (Aquifoliaceae), and Mahonia (Berberidaceae) also belong to the new species.• The new Smilax provides first fossil evidence of the Havanensis group and proves that this group had a western Eurasian distribution during the Miocene. The age of the fossils is in good agreement with the (molecular-based) purported split between the Havanensis and Hispida groups within Smilax. The Miocene Smilax provides evidence that all four subclades within the "New World clade" had a disjunct intercontinental distribution during parts of the Neogene involving trans-Atlantic crossings (via floating islands or the North Atlantic land bridge) and the Beringia land bridge. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Phylogeographic history of grey wolves in Europe

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background While it is generally accepted that patterns of intra-specific genetic differentiation are substantially affected by glacial history, population genetic processes occurring during Pleistocene glaciations are still poorly understood. In this study, we address the question of the genetic consequences of Pleistocene glaciations for European grey wolves. Combining our data with data from published studies, we analysed phylogenetic relationships and geographic distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes for 947 contemporary European wolves. We also compared the contemporary wolf sequences with published sequences of 24 ancient European wolves. Results We found that haplotypes representing two haplogroups, 1 and 2, overlap geographically, but substantially differ in frequency between populations from south-western and eastern Europe. A comparison between haplotypes from Europe and other continents showed that both haplogroups are spread throughout Eurasia, while only haplogroup 1 occurs in contemporary North American wolves. All ancient wolf samples from western Europe that dated from between 44,000 and 1,200 years B.P. belonged to haplogroup 2, suggesting the long-term predominance of this haplogroup in this region. Moreover, a comparison of current and past frequencies and distributions of the two haplogroups in Europe suggested that haplogroup 2 became outnumbered by haplogroup 1 during the last several thousand years. Conclusions Parallel haplogroup replacement, with haplogroup 2 being totally replaced by haplogroup 1, has been reported for North American grey wolves. Taking into account the similarity of diets reported for the late Pleistocene wolves from Europe and North America, the correspondence between these haplogroup frequency changes may suggest that they were associated with ecological changes occurring after the Last Glacial Maximum. PMID:20409299

Genetic diversities of cytochrome B in Xinjiang Uyghur unveiled its origin and migration history

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Uyghurs are one of the many populations of Central Eurasia that is considered to be genetically related to Eastern and Western Eurasian populations. However, there are some different opinions on the relative importance of the degree of Eastern and Western Eurasian genetic influence. In addition, the genetic diversity of the Uyghur in different geographic locations has not been clearly studied. Results In this study, we are the first to report on the DNA polymorphism of cytochrome B in the Uyghur population located in Xinjiang in northwest China. We observed a total of 102 mutant sites in the 240 samples that were studied. The average number of mutated nucleotides in the samples was 5.126. A total of 93 different haplotypes were observed. The gene diversity and discrimination power were 0.9480 and 0.9440, respectively. There were founder and bottleneck haplotypes observed in Xinjiang Uyghurs. Xinjiang Uyghurs are more genetically related to Chinese population in genetics than to Caucasians. Moreover, there was genetic diversity between Uyghurs from the southern and northern regions. There was significance in genetic distance between the southern Xinjiang Uyghurs and Chinese population, but not between the northern Xinjiang Uyghurs and Chinese. The European vs. East Asian contribution to the ten regional Uyghur groups varies among the groups and the European contribution to the Uyghur increases from north to south geographically. Conclusion This study is the first report on DNA polymorphisms of cytochrome B in the Uyghur population. The study also further confirms that there are significant genetic differences among the Uyghurs in different geographical locations. PMID:24103151

Pig Domestication and Human-Mediated Dispersal in Western Eurasia Revealed through Ancient DNA and Geometric Morphometrics

PubMed Central

Ottoni, Claudio; Girdland Flink, Linus; Evin, Allowen; Geörg, Christina; De Cupere, Bea; Van Neer, Wim; Bartosiewicz, László; Linderholm, Anna; Barnett, Ross; Peters, Joris; Decorte, Ronny; Waelkens, Marc; Vanderheyden, Nancy; Ricaut, François-Xavier; Çakırlar, Canan; Çevik, Özlem; Hoelzel, A. Rus; Mashkour, Marjan; Mohaseb Karimlu, Azadeh Fatemeh; Sheikhi Seno, Shiva; Daujat, Julie; Brock, Fiona; Pinhasi, Ron; Hongo, Hitomi; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Rasmussen, Morten; Frantz, Laurent; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Crooijmans, Richard; Groenen, Martien; Arbuckle, Benjamin; Benecke, Nobert; Strand Vidarsdottir, Una; Burger, Joachim; Cucchi, Thomas; Dobney, Keith; Larson, Greger

2013-01-01

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia ∼8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. As a result, European wild boar mtDNA lineages replaced Near Eastern/Anatolian mtDNA signatures in Europe and subsequently replaced indigenous domestic pig lineages in Anatolia. The specific details of these processes, however, remain unknown. To address questions related to early pig domestication, dispersal, and turnover in the Near East, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA and dental geometric morphometric variation in 393 ancient pig specimens representing 48 archeological sites (from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Medieval period) from Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Our results reveal the first genetic signatures of early domestic pigs in the Near Eastern Neolithic core zone. We also demonstrate that these early pigs differed genetically from those in western Anatolia that were introduced to Europe during the Neolithic expansion. In addition, we present a significantly more refined chronology for the introduction of European domestic pigs into Asia Minor that took place during the Bronze Age, at least 900 years earlier than previously detected. By the 5th century AD, European signatures completely replaced the endemic lineages possibly coinciding with the widespread demographic and societal changes that occurred during the Anatolian Bronze and Iron Ages. PMID:23180578

Planning riparian restoration in the context of tamarix control in Western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, P.B.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B.; Briggs, M.K.; Lair, K.; Scott, M.L.; Sher, A.A.

2008-01-01

Throughout the world, the condition of many riparian ecosystems has declined due to numerous factors, including encroachment of non-native species. In the western United States, millions of dollars are spent annually to control invasions of Tamarix spp., introduced small trees or shrubs from Eurasia that have colonized bottomland ecosystems along many rivers. Resource managers seek to control Tamarix in attempts to meet various objectives, such as increasing water yield and improving wildlife habitat. Often, riparian restoration is an implicit goal, but there has been little emphasis on a process or principles to effectively plan restoration activities, and many Tamarix removal projects are unsuccessful at restoring native vegetation. We propose and summarize the key steps in a planning process aimed at developing effective restoration projects in Tamarix-dominated areas. We discuss in greater detail the biotic and abiotic factors central to the evaluation of potential restoration sites and summarize information about plant communities likely to replace Tamarix under various conditions. Although many projects begin with implementation, which includes the actual removal of Tamarix, we stress the importance of pre-project planning that includes: (1) clearly identifying project goals; (2) developing realistic project objectives based on a detailed evaluation of site conditions; (3) prioritizing and selecting Tamarix control sites with the best chance of ecological recovery; and (4) developing a detailed tactical plan before Tamarix is removed. After removal, monitoring and maintenance as part of an adaptive management approach are crucial for evaluating project success and determining the most effective methods for restoring these challenging sites. ?? 2008 Society for Ecological Restoration International.

Lateral Variations of the Behavior of the North Anatolian Fault from the Marmara Sea to the Karliova Triple Junction Using Geodetic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, F.; Klein, E.; Rembert, F.; Peyret, M.; Duputel, Z.; Yavasoglu, H.; Ulrich, P.

2017-12-01

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is the major transform system that accommodates the westward movement of the relatively rigid Anatolian block with respect to Eurasia. Mitigating the hazard associated with devastating earthquakes requires understanding how the NAF accumulates and releases the stored elastic strain energy both in space and in time. In this study, we present new results obtained from re-analyzed geodetic data sets: 1- along the offshore segment of the NAF through the Marmara Sea and 2- along the whole onshore NAF from Ismetpaça to Karliova. To study the Marmara sea segments, we analyze GPS and InSAR data from Istanbul to Tekirdag and propose a new interpretation of the velocity field in the area. The results indicate large east-west variations in the behavior of the fault that are modeled using a Bayesian approach. Some parts of the fault are probably creeping at shallow depth, inducing a lower strain accumulation than expected if the fault is fully locked. Along the NAF from Ismetpaça to Karliova, we use a synthesis of the velocities provided by Kreemer et al. (2014), updated with the new data provided by Aktug et al. (2015). The main results indicate (1) a contrasted behavior between eastern and western segments of the fault, the eastern part being fully locked while the western part is only partially coupled and (2) the existence of compressional and extensional segments that are well-correlated with pull-apart basins and mountain ranges respectively.

Importance of Nitrogen Availability on Land Carbon Sequestration in Northern Eurasia during the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kicklighter, D. W.; Melillo, J. M.; Monier, E.; Sokolov, A. P.; Lu, X.; Zhuang, Q.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, nitrogen fixation, and the application of nitrogen fertilizers provide subsidies to land ecosystems that can increase nitrogen availability for vegetation production and thereby influence land carbon dynamics. In addition, enhanced decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) from warming soils and permafrost degradation may also increase nitrogen availability in Northern Eurasia. Here, we examine how changes in nitrogen availability may influence land carbon dynamics in Northern Eurasia during the 21st century by comparing results for a "business as usual" scenario (the IPCC Representative Concentration Pathways or RCP 8.5) and a stabilization scenario (RCP 4.5) between a version of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model that does not consider the effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, nitrogen fixation and soil thermal dynamics on land carbon dynamics (TEM 4.4) and a version that does consider these dynamics (TEM 6.0). In these simulations, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, nitrogen fixation, and fertilizer applications provide an additional 3.3 Pg N (RCP 4.5) to 3.9 Pg N (RCP 8.5) to Northern Eurasian ecosystems over the 21st century. Land ecosystems retain about 38% (RCP4.5) to 48% (RCP 8.5) of this nitrogen subsidy. Net nitrogen mineralization estimated by TEM 6.0 provide an additional 1.0 Pg N to vegetation than estimated by TEM 4.4 over the 21st century from enhanced decomposition of SOM including SOM formerly protected by permafrost. The enhanced nitrogen availability in TEM 6.0 allows Northern Eurasian ecosystems to sequester 1.8x (RCP 8.5) to 2.4x (RCP 4.5) more carbon over the 21st century than estimated by TEM 4.4. Our results indicate that consideration of nitrogen subsidies and soil thermal dynamics have a large influence on how simulated land carbon dynamics in Northern Eurasia will respond to future changes in climate, atmospheric chemistry, and disturbances.

Most of the extant mtDNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia were likely shaped during the initial settlement of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans

PubMed Central

Metspalu, Mait; Kivisild, Toomas; Metspalu, Ene; Parik, Jüri; Hudjashov, Georgi; Kaldma, Katrin; Serk, Piia; Karmin, Monika; Behar, Doron M; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Endicott, Phillip; Mastana, Sarabjit; Papiha, Surinder S; Skorecki, Karl; Torroni, Antonio; Villems, Richard

2004-01-01

Background Recent advances in the understanding of the maternal and paternal heritage of south and southwest Asian populations have highlighted their role in the colonization of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans. Further understanding requires a deeper insight into the topology of the branches of the Indian mtDNA phylogenetic tree, which should be contextualized within the phylogeography of the neighboring regional mtDNA variation. Accordingly, we have analyzed mtDNA control and coding region variation in 796 Indian (including both tribal and caste populations from different parts of India) and 436 Iranian mtDNAs. The results were integrated and analyzed together with published data from South, Southeast Asia and West Eurasia. Results Four new Indian-specific haplogroup M sub-clades were defined. These, in combination with two previously described haplogroups, encompass approximately one third of the haplogroup M mtDNAs in India. Their phylogeography and spread among different linguistic phyla and social strata was investigated in detail. Furthermore, the analysis of the Iranian mtDNA pool revealed patterns of limited reciprocal gene flow between Iran and the Indian sub-continent and allowed the identification of different assemblies of shared mtDNA sub-clades. Conclusions Since the initial peopling of South and West Asia by anatomically modern humans, when this region may well have provided the initial settlers who colonized much of the rest of Eurasia, the gene flow in and out of India of the maternally transmitted mtDNA has been surprisingly limited. Specifically, our analysis of the mtDNA haplogroups, which are shared between Indian and Iranian populations and exhibit coalescence ages corresponding to around the early Upper Paleolithic, indicates that they are present in India largely as Indian-specific sub-lineages. In contrast, other ancient Indian-specific variants of M and R are very rare outside the sub-continent. PMID:15339343

Trend shifts in satellite-derived vegetation growth in Central Eurasia, 1982-2013.

PubMed

Xu, Hao-Jie; Wang, Xin-Ping; Yang, Tai-Bao

2017-02-01

Central Eurasian vegetation is critical for the regional ecological security and the global carbon cycle. However, climatic impacts on vegetation growth in Central Eurasia are uncertain. The reason for this uncertainty lies in the fact that the response of vegetation to climate change showed nonlinearity, seasonality and differences among plant functional types. Based on remotely sensed vegetation index and in-situ meteorological data for the years 1982-2013, in conjunction with the latest land cover type product, we analyzed how vegetation growth trend varied across different seasons and evaluated vegetation response to climate variables at regional, biome and pixel scales. We found a persistent increase in the growing season NDVI over Central Eurasia during 1982-1994, whereas this greening trend has stalled since the mid-1990s in response to increased water deficit. The stalled trend in the growing season NDVI was largely attributed by summer and autumn NDVI changes. Enhanced spring vegetation growth after 2002 was caused by rapid spring warming. The response of vegetation to climatic factors varied in different seasons. Precipitation was the main climate driver for the growing season and summer vegetation growth. Changes in temperature and precipitation during winter and spring controlled the spring vegetation growth. Autumn vegetation growth was mainly dependent on the vegetation growth in summer. We found diverse responses of different vegetation types to climate drivers in Central Eurasia. Forests were more responsive to temperature than to precipitation. Grassland and desert vegetation responded more strongly to precipitation than to temperature in summer but more strongly to temperature than to precipitation in spring. In addition, the growth of desert vegetation was more dependent on winter precipitation than that of grasslands. This study has important implications for improving the performance of terrestrial ecosystem models to predict future vegetation response to climate change. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biological invasion of oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) in North America: Pre-adaptation, post-introduction evolution, or both?

PubMed

Stutz, Sonja; Mráz, Patrik; Hinz, Hariet L; Müller-Schärer, Heinz; Schaffner, Urs

2018-01-01

Species may become invasive after introduction to a new range because phenotypic traits pre-adapt them to spread and become dominant. In addition, adaptation to novel selection pressures in the introduced range may further increase their potential to become invasive. The diploid Leucanthemum vulgare and the tetraploid L. ircutianum are native to Eurasia and have been introduced to North America, but only L. vulgare has become invasive. To investigate whether phenotypic differences between the two species in Eurasia could explain the higher abundance of L. vulgare in North America and whether rapid evolution in the introduced range may have contributed to its invasion success, we grew 20 L. vulgare and 21 L. ircutianum populations from Eurasia and 21 L. vulgare populations from North America under standardized conditions and recorded performance and functional traits. In addition, we recorded morphological traits to investigate whether the two closely related species can be clearly distinguished by morphological means and to what extent morphological traits have changed in L. vulgare post-introduction. We found pronounced phenotypic differences between L. vulgare and L. ircutianum from the native range as well as between L. vulgare from the native and introduced ranges. The two species differed significantly in morphology but only moderately in functional or performance traits that could have explained the higher invasion success of L. vulgare in North America. In contrast, leaf morphology was similar between L. vulgare from the native and introduced range, but plants from North America flowered later, were larger and had more and larger flower heads than those from Eurasia. In summary, we found litte evidence that specific traits of L. vulgare may have pre-adapted this species to become more invasive than L. ircutianum, but our results indicate that rapid evolution in the introduced range likely contributed to the invasion success of L. vulgare.

Harmful and favourable ultraviolet conditions for human health over Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubarova, Nataly; Zhdanova, Ekaterina

2014-05-01

We provide the analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of ultraviolet (UV) radiation over Northern Eurasia taking into account for both its detrimental (erythema and eye-damage effects) and favourable (vitamin D synthesis) influence on human health. The UV effects on six different skin types are considered in order to cover the variety of skin types of European and Asian inhabitants. To better quantifying the vitamin D irradiance threshold we accounted for an open body fraction S as a function of effective air temperature. The spatial and temporal distribution of UV resources was estimated by radiative transfer (RT) modeling (8 stream DISORT RT code) with 1x 1 degree grid and monthly resolution. For this purpose special datasets of main input geophysical parameters (total ozone content, aerosol characteristics, surface UV albedo, UV cloud modification factor) have been created over the territory of Northern Eurasia, which can be of separate interest for the different multidisciplinary scientific applications over the PEEX domain. The new approaches were used to retrieve aerosol and cloud transmittance from different satellite and re-analysis datasets for calculating the solar UV irradiance at ground. Using model simulations and some experimental data we provide the altitude parameterization for different types of biologically active irradiance in mountainous area taking into account not only for the effects of molecular scattering but for the altitude dependence of aerosol parameters and surface albedo. Based on the new classification of UV resources (Chubarova, Zhdanova, 2013) we show that the distribution of harmful (UV deficiency and UV excess) and favorable UV conditions is regulated by various geophysical parameters (mainly, total ozone, cloudiness and open body fraction) and can significantly deviate from latitudinal dependence. The interactive tool for providing simulations of biologically active irradiance and its attribution to the different classes of UV resources is demonstrated. Reference: Natalia Chubarova, Yekaterina Zhdanova. Ultraviolet resources over Northern Eurasia, Photochemistry and Photobiology, Elsevier, 127, 2013, p. 38-51

Sedimentary record of late Paleozoic to Recent tectonism in central Asia — analysis of subsurface data from the Turan and south Kazak domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, J. C.; Cobbold, P. R.; Shein, V. S.; Le Douaran, S.

1999-11-01

The Turan and south Kazak domains (TSK) are in central Asia, between the Caspian Sea and the Tien Shan. The area is covered by sediments, deposited since the Late Permian during a series of tectonic events closely related to the history of two oceanic domains, Paleotethys and Neotethys. Sedimentary basins on the TSK therefore provide constraints on the tectonic development of the southern margin of Eurasia since the Late Permian. Our study is based on structure-contour maps and isopach maps of five key stratigraphic markers, of Late Permian to Tertiary age. Isopach maps help locate major faults and delimit sedimentary basins, providing information on vertical motions and, in some instances, horizontal motions. Subsidence associated with extension appears to have dominated the TSK, from the Late Permian to the Eocene. The extension may have been of back-arc type in southern Eurasia, next to the active margin, where the Paleotethys and Neotethys successively subducted toward the north. Here, sedimentary basins are both wide and deep (up to 15 km). During the Mesozoic, two compressional events of regional significance occurred in association with accretion of continental blocks at the southern margin of Eurasia. The first one, at the end of the Triassic, led to strong selective inversion of basins over the Turan domain. The second one, during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, had weaker effects. Since the Oligocene, following collision of both India and Arabia with Eurasia, inversion has become more generalized and compressional basins have formed on the TSK. Throughout the entire history of development of the TSK, from the Late Permian to the Tertiary, structures of Paleozoic and early Mesozoic age have exerted a strong control on sedimentation and especially on the location of depocenters. The south Kazak domain has registered little subsidence, in comparison with the Turan domain, where some basins have become very deep.

2D Ball-and-Socket Tectonic Rotation in a Heterogeneous Strain Field: The 2013 Mw7.7 Balochistan, Pakistan Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnhart, W. D.; Hayes, G. P.; Briggs, R. W.; Gold, R. D.; Bilham, R. G.

2014-12-01

The September 2013 Mw7.7 Balochistan strike-slip earthquake ruptured a ~200 km long segment of the curved Hoshab fault within the Makran accretionary prism - the active zone of convergence between the northward subducting Arabia plate and overriding Eurasia. The Hoshab fault ruptured bilaterally with ~10 m of mean sinistral and ~1.7 m of dip slip along the length of the rupture, quantified jointly from geodetic and seismological observations. This rupture is unusual because the fault dips ~60o towards the focus of a small circle centered in northwest Pakistan, and, despite a 30o increase in obliquity along the curving strike of the fault with respect to Arabia:Eurasia convergence, the ratio of strike and dip slip remain relatively uniform. Static friction prior to rupture was unusually weak ( <0.05) as inferred from topographic and slab profiles, and friction may have approached zero during dynamic rupture, thus permitting in part this unusual event. In this presentation, we argue that the northward dipping Hosab fault defines the northern rim of a structural unit in southeast Makran. This unit rotates - akin to a 2-D ball-and-socket joint - counter clockwise in response to India's penetration into the Eurasia plate. According to this interpretation, the mechanically weak Makran accretionary prism is subjected to a highly heterogeneous strain and deforms in response to convergence from both the Arabia and India plates. Rotation of the southeast Makran block accounts for complexity in the Chaman fault system and, in principle, reduces the seismic potential near Karachi by accommodating some slip along the southern Ornach-Nal fault. At the same time, geological indicators and along-strike fault slip profiles indicate that the Hoshab fault may also slip as a reverse fault in response to Arabia:Eurasia convergence - indicating that a single fault may accommodate multiple components of strain partitioning in a heterogeneous strain field over several seismic cycles.

Visions of the past and dreams of the future in the Orient: the Irano-Turanian region from classical botany to evolutionary studies.

PubMed

Manafzadeh, Sara; Staedler, Yannick M; Conti, Elena

2017-08-01

Ever since the 19th century, the immense arid lands of the Orient, now called the Irano-Turanian (IT) floristic region, attracted the interest of European naturalists with their tremendous plant biodiversity. Covering approximately 30% of the surface of Eurasia (16000000 km 2 ), the IT region is one of the largest floristic regions of the world. The IT region represents one of the hotspots of evolutionary and biological diversity in the Old World, and serves as a source of xerophytic taxa for neighbouring regions. Moreover, it is the cradle of the numerous species domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. Over the last 200 years, naturalists outlined different borders for the IT region. Yet, the delimitation and evolutionary history of this area remain one of the least well-understood fields of global biogeography, even though it is crucial to explaining the distribution of life in Eurasia. No comprehensive review of the biogeographical delimitations nor of the role of geological and climatic changes in the evolution of the IT region is currently available. After considering the key role of floristic regions in biogeography, we review the history of evolving concepts about the borders and composition of the IT region over the past 200 years and outline a tentative circumscription for it. We also summarise current knowledge on the geological and climatic history of the IT region. We then use this knowledge to generate specific evolutionary hypotheses to explain how different geological, palaeoclimatic, and ecological factors contributed to range expansion and contraction, thus shaping patterns of speciation in the IT region over time and space. Both historical and ecological biogeography should be applied to understand better the floristic diversification of the region. This will ultimately require evolutionary comparative analyses based on integrative phylogenetic, geological, climatic, ecological, and species distribution studies on the region. Furthermore, an understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes will play a major role in regional planning for protecting biodiversity of the IT region in facing climatic change. With this review, we aim to introduce the IT floristic region to a broader audience of evolutionary, ecological and systematic biologists, thus promoting cutting-edge research on this area and raising awareness of this vast and diverse, yet understudied, part of the world. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Neotectonic deformation model of the Northern Algeria from Paleomagnetic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derder, M. E. M.; Henry, B.; Maouche, S.; Amenna, M.; Bayou, B.; Djellit, H.; Ymel, H.; Gharbi, S.; Abtout, A.; Ayache, M.

2012-04-01

The seismic activity of the Western Mediterranean area is partly concentrated in northern Africa, particularly in northern Algeria, as it is shown by the strongest recent earthquakes of "Zemmouri" 21 May 2003 Mw=6.9 and the "El Asnam" 10 October 1980 Ms= 7.3. This seismicity is due to the tectonic activity related to the convergence between Africa and Eurasia plates since at least the Oligocene. The deformation is mostly compressional with associated folds, strike-slip faults and thrusts, and a direction of shortening between N-S and NNW-SSE. This convergence involves a tectonic transpression which is expressed by active deformation along the plate boundary. In northern Algeria, the seismicity is concentrated in a coastal E-W thin band zone (the Tell Atlas). Active structures define there NE-SW trending folds and NE-SW sinistral transpressive faults, which affect the intermountain and coastal Neogene to Quaternary sedimentary basins (e.g. " Cheliff "basin, " Mitidja "basin, …). These reverse faults are associated with NW-SE to E-W strike-slips deep faults. The active tectonics could be explained by a simple blocks rotation kinematics model. In order to test the validity of this kinematic model, three different paleomagnetic studies have been conducted. The first one concerned the "Cheliff" basin where sedimentary Neogene formations were extensively sampled (66 sites). The second study was carried out on Miocene andesite and dacite rocks cropping out along the northern coastal zone of the "Cheliff" basin ("Beni Haoua" area, 19 sites). The third study has been carried out on the Miocene magmatic rocks (rhyolites and basalts) cropping out north-eastern part of the "Mitidja" basin ("Cap Djinet" - "Boumerdes" area, 23 sites). The obtained results show existence of paleomagnetic clockwise rotations in all the studied areas and then validates the kinematics block rotation model. Accordingly, the deformation related to the convergence between the Africa and Eurasia plates, is partly accommodated in northern Algeria by blocks rotation movements. It seems that the Tellian Atlas (northern Algeria) domain is organized as tectonic blocks with relative clockwise blocks rotation movement as in a "bookshelf" model.

Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2012 Philippine Sea plate and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smoczyk, Gregory M.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Hamburger, Michael W.; Benz, Harley M.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Furlong, Kevin P.

2013-01-01

The complex tectonics surrounding the Philippine Islands are dominated by the interactions of the Pacific, Sunda, and Eurasia plates with the Philippine Sea plate (PSP). The latter is unique because it is almost exclusively surrounded by zones of plate convergence. At its eastern and southeastern edges, the Pacific plate is subducted beneath the PSP at the Izu-Bonin, Mariana, and Yap trenches. Here, the subduction zone exhibits high rates of seismic activity to depths of over 600 km, though no great earthquakes (M>8.0) have been observed, likely because of weak coupling along the plate interface. In the northeast, the PSP subducts beneath Japan and the eastern margin of the Eurasia plate at the Nankai and Ryukyu trenches, extending westward to Taiwan. The Nankai portion of this subduction zone has hosted some of the largest earthquakes along the margins of the PSP, including a pair of Mw8.1 megathrust events in 1944 and 1946. Along its western margin, the convergence of the PSP and the Sunda plate is responsible for a broad and active plate boundary system extending along both sides of the Philippine Islands chain. The region is characterized by opposite-facing subduction systems on the east and west sides of the islands, and the archipelago is cut by a major transform structure: the Philippine Fault. Subduction of the Philippine Sea plate occurs at the eastern margin of the islands along the Philippine Trench and its northern extension, the East Luzon Trough. On the west side of Luzon, the Sunda Plate subducts eastward along a series of trenches, including the Manila Trench in the north, the smaller Negros Trench in the central Philippines, and the Sulu and Cotabato trenches in the south. Twentieth and early twentyfirst century seismic activity along the boundaries of the Philippine Sea plate has produced seven great (M>8.0) earthquakes and 250 large (M>7) events. Among the most destructive events were the 1923 Kanto, the 1948 Fukui, and the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquakes; the 1935 and the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquakes; and the 1976 M7.6 Moro Gulf and 1990 M7.6 Luzon, Philippines, earthquakes.

Impacts of continental arcs on global carbon cycling and climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, C. T.; Jiang, H.; Carter, L.; Dasgupta, R.; Cao, W.; Lackey, J. S.; Lenardic, A.; Barnes, J.; McKenzie, R.

2017-12-01

On myr timescales, climatic variability is tied to variations in atmospheric CO2, which in turn is driven by geologic sources of CO2 and modulated by the efficiency of chemical weathering and carbonate precipitation (sinks). Long-term variability in CO2 has largely been attributed to changes in mid-ocean ridge inputs or the efficiency of global weathering. For example, the Cretaceous greenhouse is thought to be related to enhanced oceanic crust production, while the late Cenozoic icehouse is attributed to enhanced chemical weathering associated with the Himalayan orogeny. Here, we show that continental arcs may play a more important role in controlling climate, both in terms of sources and sinks. Continental arcs differ from island arcs and mid-ocean ridges in that the continental plate through which arc magmas pass may contain large amounts of sedimentary carbonate, accumulated over the history of the continent. Interaction of arc magmas with crustal carbonates via assimilation, reaction or heating can significantly add to the mantle-sourced CO2 flux. Detrital zircons and global mapping of basement rocks shows that the length of continental arcs in the Cretaceous was more than twice that in the mid-Cenozoic; maps also show many of these arcs intersected crustal carbonates. The increased length of continental arc magmatism coincided with increased oceanic spreading rates, placing convergent margins into compression, which favors continental arcs. Around 50 Ma, however, nearly all the continental arcs in Eurasia and North America terminated as India collided with Eurasia and the western Pacific rolled back, initiating the Marianas-Tonga-Kermadec intra-oceanic subduction complex and possibly leading to a decrease in global CO2 production. Meanwhile, extinct continental arcs continued to erode, resulting in regionally enhanced chemical weathering unsupported by magmatic fluxes of CO2. Continental arcs, during their magmatic lifetimes, are thus a source of CO2, driving greenhouse climates, but after they die magmatically, they remain geomorphically active and become a net CO2 sink, helping to drive climate towards cooler conditions. Tectonic oscillations that drive fluctuations in the activity of continental arcs thus may be responsible for greenhouse-icehouse oscillations in the Phanerozoic.

Formation and stability of a double subduction system: a numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pusok, A. E.; Stegman, D. R.

2017-12-01

Examples of double subduction systems can be found in both modern (Izu-Bonin-Marianas and Ryukyu arcs, e.g. Hall [1997]) and ancient (Kohistan arc in Western Himalayas, e.g. Burg et al. [2006]) tectonic record. A double subduction system has been proposed to explain the high convergence rate observed for the India-Eurasia convergence [Aitchison et al., 2000, Jagoutz et al., 2015; Holt et al., 2017]. Rates of convergence across coupled double subduction systems can be significantly faster than across single subduction systems because of slab pull by two slabs. However, despite significant geological and geophysical observations, questions regarding double subduction remain largely unexplored. For example, it is unclear how a double subduction system forms and remains stable over millions of years. Previous numerical studies of double subduction either introduced weak zones to initiate subduction [Mishin et al., 2008] or both the subduction systems were already initiated [Jagoutz et al., 2015, Holt et al., 2017], thus assuming a priori information regarding the initial position of the two subduction zones. Moreover, the driving forces initiating a stable double subduction system remain unclear. In the context of India-Eurasia, Cande and Stegman [2011] found evidence the Reunion mantle plume head provided an ephemeral driving force on both the Indian and African plates for as long as 25 Million years, and had significant influence on plate boundaries in the region. In this study, we perform 2D and 3D numerical simulations using the code LaMEM [Kaus et al., 2016] to investigate i) subduction initiation of a secondary system in an already initiated single subduction system, and ii) the dynamics and stability of the newly formed double subduction system. We start from a single subduction setup, where subduction is already initiated (mature) and we stress the system by controlling the convergence rate of the system (i.e. imposing influx/outflux boundary conditions). Under certain conditions, a second subduction may develop and transform into a stable double subduction system. Results suggest that the fate of the incipient secondary subduction depends on internal factors (i.e. buoyancy and rheology), but also on the dynamics of the primary subduction zone and the boundary conditions (i.e. convergence rate).

Indigenous Healing Legacies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taliman, Valerie

2001-01-01

On a tour of Cuba, Native scholars from North and South America reconnected with the "extinct" Taino people and shared their knowledge of traditional healing herbs. Western science is just beginning to validate the tremendous knowledge base that indigenous healers have developed--most indigenous medicinal knowledge is useful for finding…

The reactivation of the SW Iberian passive margin: a brief review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte, Joao; Rosas, Filipe; Terrinha, Pedro; Schellart, Wouter; Almeida, Pedro; Gutscher, Marc-André; Riel, Nicolas; Ribeiro, António

2016-04-01

On the morning of the 1st of November of 1755 a major earthquake struck offshore the Southwest Iberian margin. This was the strongest earthquake ever felt in Western Europe. The shake, fire and tsunami devastated Lisbon, was felt as far as Finland and had a profound impact on the thinkers of that time, in particular on the Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Kant. The Great Lisbon Earthquake is considered by many as the event that marks the birth of modern geosciences; and made of this region one of the most well studied areas in the world. After the 1755 earthquake, Kant and others authors wrote several treaties dealing with the causes and dynamics of earthquakes and tsunamis and were close to identify some key elements of what we now call plate tectonics. More than two hundred years later, in the year of 1969, the region was struck by another major earthquake. This was precisely during the period in which the theory of plate tectonics was being built. Geoscientists like Fukao (1973), Purdy (1975) and Mackenzie (1977) immediately focused their attention in the area. They suggested that these events were related with "transient" subduction of Africa below Iberia, along the East-West Azores-Gibraltar plate boundary. Several years later, Ribeiro (1989) suggested that instead of Africa being subducted below Iberia, it was the West Iberian passive margin that was being reactivated, a process that may, in time, lead to the formation of a new subduction zone. In the turning of the millennium, a subducting slab was imaged bellow the Gibraltar Straits, a remanent of the Western Mediterranean arc system that according to Gutscher et al. (2002) was related with ongoing subduction. Recently, it was proposed that a causal link between the Gibraltar subduction system and the reactivation of the SW Iberian margin might exist. In addition, the large-scale Africa-Eurasia convergence is inducing compressive stresses along the West Iberian margin. The margin reactivation is expressed by the presence of several active lithospheric-scale thrust faults. In this communication, we will highlight the main moments of the journey that lead to the understanding that the Southwest Iberian is in fact being reactivated. We will present some of the data and ideas that were gathered over the years, including the most recent findings. Finally, we will see that despite the numerous endeavours and the substantial improvements in our tectonic knowledge of the region there are still many enigmas waiting to be resolved. Publication supported by project FCT UID/GEO/50019/2013 - Instituto Dom Luiz

Threats to western United States riparian ecosystems: A bibliography

Treesearch

Boris Poff; Karen A. Koestner; Daniel G. Neary; David Merritt

2012-01-01

This bibliography is a compendium of state-of-knowledge publications about the threats affecting western U.S. riparian ecosystems and is a companion to the website: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/AWAE/publications/bibliography.shtml#riparian. The website...

Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses of Teacher Knowledge in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Western Countries: Differential Item Functioning in TEDS-M

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blömeke, Sigrid; Suhl, Ute; Döhrmann, Martina

2013-01-01

The "Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics" assessed the knowledge of primary and lower-secondary teachers at the end of their training. The large-scale assessment represented the common denominator of what constitutes mathematics content knowledge and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge in the 16 participating…

World Religions, Women and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Ursula

1987-01-01

Examines religious traditions--Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Western Christianity--to see how women were taught and what knowledge was transmitted to them. Notes that women have always had some access to religious knowledge in informal ways but were excluded from formal education once sacred knowledge became transmitted in an…

Discovering indigenous science: Implications for science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snively, Gloria; Corsiglia, John

2001-01-01

Indigenous science relates to both the science knowledge of long-resident, usually oral culture peoples, as well as the science knowledge of all peoples who as participants in culture are affected by the worldview and relativist interests of their home communities. This article explores aspects of multicultural science and pedagogy and describes a rich and well-documented branch of indigenous science known to biologists and ecologists as traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Although TEK has been generally inaccessible, educators can now use a burgeoning science-based TEK literature that documents numerous examples of time-proven, ecologically relevant, and cost effective indigenous science. Disputes regarding the universality of the standard scientific account are of critical importance for science educators because the definition of science is a de facto gatekeeping device for determining what can be included in a school science curriculum and what cannot. When Western modern science (WMS) is defined as universal it does displace revelation-based knowledge (i.e., creation science); however, it also displaces pragmatic local indigenous knowledge that does not conform with formal aspects of the standard account. Thus, in most science classrooms around the globe, Western modern science has been taught at the expense of indigenous knowledge. However, because WMS has been implicated in many of the world's ecological disasters, and because the traditional wisdom component of TEK is particularly rich in time-tested approaches that foster sustainability and environmental integrity, it is possible that the universalist gatekeeper can be seen as increasingly problematic and even counter productive. This paper describes many examples from Canada and around the world of indigenous people's contributions to science, environmental understanding, and sustainability. The authors argue the view that Western or modern science is just one of many sciences that need to be addressed in the science classroom. We conclude by presenting instructional strategies that can help all science learners negotiate border crossings between Western modern science and indigenous science.

Valid Knowledge: The Economy and the Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Peter John

2007-01-01

The future of Western universities as public institutions is the subject of extensive continuing debate, underpinned by the issue of what constitutes "valid knowledge". Where in the past only propositional knowledge codified by academics was considered valid, in the new economy enabled by information and communications technology, the procedural…

Indigenous Knowledges and the Story of the Bean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brayboy, Bryan McKinley Jones; Maughn, Emma

2009-01-01

In this article, Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy and Emma Maughn explore epistemic tensions within an Indigenous teacher preparation program where students question Western systems for creating, producing, reproducing, and valuing knowledge. Grounding their argument in a rich understanding of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, the authors advocate for an…

A Brief Note on Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Neil

1999-01-01

Points out that learning in Western cultures is predominately concerned with left-brain, or rational, knowledge. Discusses the importance of balancing our learning systems with right-brain, or intuitive, knowledge; how outdoor and experiential learning can help foster this balance; and the role of the instructor as facilitator rather than teacher.…

An International Review of Autism Knowledge Assessment Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Ashley J.; Slane, Mylissa M.; Hoang, Linh; Campbell, Jonathan M.

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder-specific knowledge deficits contribute to current disparities in the timing and quality of autism spectrum disorder services throughout the United States and globally. This study conducted a systematic review of Western and International literature to examine measures used to assess autism spectrum disorder knowledge. This…

Prostate cancer in East Asia: evolving trend over the last decade

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yao; Wang, Hong-Kai; Qu, Yuan-Yuan; Ye, Ding-Wei

2015-01-01

Prostate cancer is now becoming an emerging health priority in East Asia. Most of our current knowledge on Prostate cancer has been generated from studies conducted in Western population; however, there is considerable heterogeneity of Prostate cancer between East and West. In this article, we reviewed epidemiologic trends, risk factors, disease characteristics and management of Prostate cancer in East Asian population over the last decade. Growing evidence from East Asia suggests an important role of genetic and environmental risk factors interactions in the carcinogenesis of Prostate cancer. Exposure to westernized diet and life style and improvement in health care in combination contribute substantially to the increasing epidemic in this region. Diagnostic and treatment guidelines in East Asia are largely based on Western knowledge. Although there is a remarkable improvement in the outcome over the last decade, ample evidence suggests an inneglectable difference in diagnostic accuracy, treatment efficacy and adverse events between different populations. The knowledge from western countries should be calibrated in the Asian setting to provide a better race-based treatment approach. In this review, we intend to reveal the evolving trend of Prostate cancer in the last decade, in order to gain evidence to improve Prostate cancer prevention and control in East Asia. PMID:25080928

Enhancing decolonization and knowledge transfer in nursing research with non-western populations: examining the congruence between primary healthcare and postcolonial feminist approaches.

PubMed

Racine, Louise; Petrucka, Pammla

2011-03-01

This article is a call for reflection from two distinct programs of research which converge on common interests pertaining to issues of health, social justice, and globalization. One of the authors has developed a research program related to the health and well-being of non-western populations, while the other author has expanded the field of Aboriginal and international research in Canada and abroad. Based on examples drawn from our respective programs of research, we suggest conciliating the philosophy of primary healthcare to postcolonial feminism for decolonizing research and enhancing knowledge transfer with non-western populations. We contend that applying the theoretical and methodological strengths of these two approaches is a means to decolonize nursing research and to avoid western neocolonization. In conciliating primary health care and postcolonial feminism, the goal is to enhance the pragmatic relevance of postcolonial feminism to generate resistance through transformative research for achieving social justice. In tapping into the synergistic and complementary epistemological assumptions of the philosophy of primary health care and postcolonial 'feminisms', nurse researchers reinforce the anti-oppresive goals of postcolonial feminist research. Consequently, this approach may enhance both decolonization and knowledge transfer through strategies like photovoice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

High-precision 14C and 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Campanian Ignimbrite (Y-5) reconciles the time-scales of climatic-cultural processes at 40 ka.

PubMed

Giaccio, Biagio; Hajdas, Irka; Isaia, Roberto; Deino, Alan; Nomade, Sebastien

2017-04-06

The Late Pleistocene Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) super-eruption (Southern Italy) is the largest known volcanic event in the Mediterranean area. The CI tephra is widely dispersed through western Eurasia and occurs in close stratigraphic association with significant palaeoclimatic and Palaeolithic cultural events. Here we present new high-precision 14 C (34.29 ± 0.09 14 C kyr BP, 1σ) and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar (39.85 ± 0.14 ka, 95% confidence level) dating results for the age of the CI eruption, which substantially improve upon or augment previous age determinations and permit fuller exploitation of the chronological potential of the CI tephra marker. These results provide a robust pair of 14 C and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for refining both the radiocarbon calibration curve and the Late Pleistocene time-scale at ca. 40 ka. In addition, these new age constraints provide compelling chronological evidence for the significance of the combined influence of the CI eruption and Heinrich Event 4 on European climate and potentially evolutionary processes of the Early Upper Palaeolithic.

Ancient DNA, pig domestication, and the spread of the Neolithic into Europe

PubMed Central

Larson, Greger; Albarella, Umberto; Dobney, Keith; Rowley-Conwy, Peter; Schibler, Jörg; Tresset, Anne; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Edwards, Ceiridwen J.; Schlumbaum, Angela; Dinu, Alexandru; Bălăçsescu, Adrian; Dolman, Gaynor; Tagliacozzo, Antonio; Manaseryan, Ninna; Miracle, Preston; Van Wijngaarden-Bakker, Louise; Masseti, Marco; Bradley, Daniel G.; Cooper, Alan

2007-01-01

The Neolithic Revolution began 11,000 years ago in the Near East and preceded a westward migration into Europe of distinctive cultural groups and their agricultural economies, including domesticated animals and plants. Despite decades of research, no consensus has emerged about the extent of admixture between the indigenous and exotic populations or the degree to which the appearance of specific components of the “Neolithic cultural package” in Europe reflects truly independent development. Here, through the use of mitochondrial DNA from 323 modern and 221 ancient pig specimens sampled across western Eurasia, we demonstrate that domestic pigs of Near Eastern ancestry were definitely introduced into Europe during the Neolithic (potentially along two separate routes), reaching the Paris Basin by at least the early 4th millennium B.C. Local European wild boar were also domesticated by this time, possibly as a direct consequence of the introduction of Near Eastern domestic pigs. Once domesticated, European pigs rapidly replaced the introduced domestic pigs of Near Eastern origin throughout Europe. Domestic pigs formed a key component of the Neolithic Revolution, and this detailed genetic record of their origins reveals a complex set of interactions and processes during the spread of early farmers into Europe. PMID:17855556

Morphological change in cranial shape following the transition to agriculture across western Eurasia.

PubMed

Cheronet, Olivia; Finarelli, John A; Pinhasi, Ron

2016-09-13

The Neolithic transition brought about fundamental social, dietary and behavioural changes in human populations, which, in turn, impacted skeletal morphology. Crania are shaped through diverse genetic, ontogenetic and environmental factors, reflecting various elements of an individual's life. To determine the transition's effect on cranial morphology, we investigated its potential impact on the face and vault, two elements potentially responding to different influences. Three datasets from geographically distant regions (Ukraine, Iberia, and the Levant plus Anatolia) were analysed. Craniometric measurements were used to compare the morphology of pre-transition populations with that of agricultural populations. The Neolithic transition corresponds to a statistically significant increase only in cranial breadth of the Ukrainian vaults, while facial morphology shows no consistent transformations, despite expected changes related to the modification of masticatory behaviour. The broadening of Ukrainian vaults may be attributable to dietary and/or social changes. However, the lack of change observed in the other geographical regions and the lack of consistent change in facial morphology are surprising. Although the transition from foraging to farming is a process that took place repeatedly across the globe, different characteristics of transitions seem responsible for idiosyncratic responses in cranial morphology.

Molecular phylogeography of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Northeastern Asia based on analyses of complete mitochondrial DNA sequences.

PubMed

Hirata, Daisuke; Mano, Tsutomu; Abramov, Alexei V; Baryshnikov, Gennady F; Kosintsev, Pavel A; Vorobiev, Alexandr A; Raichev, Evgeny G; Tsunoda, Hiroshi; Kaneko, Yayoi; Murata, Koichi; Fukui, Daisuke; Masuda, Ryuichi

2013-07-01

To further elucidate the migration history of the brown bears (Ursus arctos) on Hokkaido Island, Japan, we analyzed the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of 35 brown bears from Hokkaido, the southern Kuril Islands (Etorofu and Kunashiri), Sakhalin Island, and the Eurasian Continent (continental Russia, Bulgaria, and Tibet), and those of four polar bears. Based on these sequences, we reconstructed the maternal phylogeny of the brown bear and estimated divergence times to investigate the timing of brown bear migrations, especially in northeastern Eurasia. Our gene tree showed the mtDNA haplotypes of all 73 brown and polar bears to be divided into eight divergent lineages. The brown bear on Hokkaido was divided into three lineages (central, eastern, and southern). The Sakhalin brown bear grouped with eastern European and western Alaskan brown bears. Etorofu and Kunashiri brown bears were closely related to eastern Hokkaido brown bears and could have diverged from the eastern Hokkaido lineage after formation of the channel between Hokkaido and the southern Kuril Islands. Tibetan brown bears diverged early in the eastern lineage. Southern Hokkaido brown bears were closely related to North American brown bears.

The Regional Influence of the Arctic Oscillation and Arctic Dipole on the Wintertime Arctic Surface Radiation Budget and Sea Ice Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hegyi, Bradley M.; Taylor, Patrick C.

2017-01-01

An analysis of 2000-2015 monthly Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System-Energy Balanced and Filled (CERES-EBAF) and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA2) data reveals statistically significant fall and wintertime relationships between Arctic surface longwave (LW) radiative flux anomalies and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Arctic Dipole (AD). Signifying a substantial regional imprint, a negative AD index corresponds with positive downwelling clear-sky LW flux anomalies (greater than10W m(exp -2)) north of western Eurasia (0 deg E-120 deg E) and reduced sea ice growth in the Barents and Kara Seas in November-February. Conversely, a positive AO index coincides with negative clear-sky LW flux anomalies and minimal sea ice growth change in October-November across the Arctic. Increased (decreased) atmospheric temperature and water vapor coincide with the largest positive (negative) clear-sky flux anomalies. Positive surface LW cloud radiative effect anomalies also accompany the negative AD index in December-February. The results highlight a potential pathway by which Arctic atmospheric variability influences the regional surface radiation budget over areas of Arctic sea ice growth.

High-precision 14C and 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Campanian Ignimbrite (Y-5) reconciles the time-scales of climatic-cultural processes at 40 ka

PubMed Central

Giaccio, Biagio; Hajdas, Irka; Isaia, Roberto; Deino, Alan; Nomade, Sebastien

2017-01-01

The Late Pleistocene Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) super-eruption (Southern Italy) is the largest known volcanic event in the Mediterranean area. The CI tephra is widely dispersed through western Eurasia and occurs in close stratigraphic association with significant palaeoclimatic and Palaeolithic cultural events. Here we present new high-precision 14C (34.29 ± 0.09 14C kyr BP, 1σ) and 40Ar/39Ar (39.85 ± 0.14 ka, 95% confidence level) dating results for the age of the CI eruption, which substantially improve upon or augment previous age determinations and permit fuller exploitation of the chronological potential of the CI tephra marker. These results provide a robust pair of 14C and 40Ar/39Ar ages for refining both the radiocarbon calibration curve and the Late Pleistocene time-scale at ca. 40 ka. In addition, these new age constraints provide compelling chronological evidence for the significance of the combined influence of the CI eruption and Heinrich Event 4 on European climate and potentially evolutionary processes of the Early Upper Palaeolithic. PMID:28383570

Distribution history and climatic controls of the Late Miocene Pikermian chronofauna.

PubMed

Eronen, Jussi T; Ataabadi, Majid Mirzaie; Micheels, Arne; Karme, Aleksis; Bernor, Raymond L; Fortelius, Mikael

2009-07-21

The Late Miocene development of faunas and environments in western Eurasia is well known, but the climatic and environmental processes that controlled its details are incompletely understood. Here we map the rise and fall of the classic Pikermian fossil mammal chronofauna between 12 and 4.2 Ma, using genus-level faunal similarity between localities. To directly relate land mammal community evolution to environmental change, we use the hypsodonty paleoprecipitation proxy and paleoclimate modeling. The geographic distribution of faunal similarity and paleoprecipitation in successive timeslices shows the development of the open biome that favored the evolution and spread of the open-habitat adapted large mammal lineages. In the climate model run, this corresponds to a decrease in precipitation over its core area south of the Paratethys Sea. The process began in the latest Middle Miocene and climaxed in the medial Late Miocene, about 7-8 million years ago. The geographic range of the Pikermian chronofauna contracted in the latest Miocene, a time of increasing summer drought and regional differentiation of habitats in Eastern Europe and Southwestern Asia. Its demise at the Miocene-Pliocene boundary coincides with an environmental reversal toward increased humidity and forestation, changes inevitably detrimental to open-adapted, wide-ranging large mammals.

Genetic and archaeological perspectives on the initial modern human colonization of southern Asia.

PubMed

Mellars, Paul; Gori, Kevin C; Carr, Martin; Soares, Pedro A; Richards, Martin B

2013-06-25

It has been argued recently that the initial dispersal of anatomically modern humans from Africa to southern Asia occurred before the volcanic "supereruption" of the Mount Toba volcano (Sumatra) at ∼74,000 y before present (B.P.)-possibly as early as 120,000 y B.P. We show here that this "pre-Toba" dispersal model is in serious conflict with both the most recent genetic evidence from both Africa and Asia and the archaeological evidence from South Asian sites. We present an alternative model based on a combination of genetic analyses and recent archaeological evidence from South Asia and Africa. These data support a coastally oriented dispersal of modern humans from eastern Africa to southern Asia ∼60-50 thousand years ago (ka). This was associated with distinctively African microlithic and "backed-segment" technologies analogous to the African "Howiesons Poort" and related technologies, together with a range of distinctively "modern" cultural and symbolic features (highly shaped bone tools, personal ornaments, abstract artistic motifs, microblade technology, etc.), similar to those that accompanied the replacement of "archaic" Neanderthal by anatomically modern human populations in other regions of western Eurasia at a broadly similar date.

Earth observations taken by the Expedition 14 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-11-09

ISS014-E-08138 (9 Nov. 2006) --- Gallipoli and Dardanelles Strait, Turkey are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 14 crewmember on the International Space Station. The city of Gallipoli (or Gelibolu in Turkish) sits at a crossroads between the Marmara and Aegean Seas, connected by the Dardanelles Strait. According to scientists, the strait is a 61 kilometer-long drowned fault valley formed during tectonic activity during the Tertiary period as the Arabian, Indian, and African plates collided with the Eurasian plate. This faulting, which formed the great mountain ranges of the Alps and Himalayas, also created the rugged terrain of western Turkey visible in the lower half of this image. Plate collision continues today, leading to frequent strike-slip (side-by-side relative motion along a fault, rather than up or down motion) earthquakes in the region as Turkey moves westward in relation to Eurasia (sometimes called escape tectonics). The urbanized area of modern Gallipoli is visible as a light gray to pink region at the entrance to the Dardanelles Strait. Water in the Strait flows in both northeast and southwest directions due to opposite surface and undercurrents. Several ships are visible in the Strait to the southwest of Gallipoli (center left).

Worldwide status of burbot and conservation measures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stapanian, Martin A.; Paragamian, Vaughn L.; Madenjian, Charles P.; Jackson, James R.; Lappalainen, Jyrki; Evenson, Matthew J.; Neufeld, Matthew D.

2010-01-01

Although burbot (Lota lota Gadidae) are widespread and abundant throughout much of their natural range, there are many populations that have been extirpated, endangered or are in serious decline. Due in part to the species’ lack of popularity as a game and commercial fish, few regions consider burbot in management plans. We review the worldwide population status of burbot and synthesize reasons why some burbot populations are endangered or declining, some burbot populations have recovered and some burbot populations do not recover despite management measures. Burbot have been extirpated in much of Western Europe and the United Kingdom and are threatened or endangered in much of North America and Eurasia. Pollution and habitat change, particularly the effects of dams, appear to be the main causes for declines in riverine burbot populations. Pollution and the adverse effects of invasive species appear to be the main reasons for declines in lacustrine populations. Warmer water temperatures, due either to discharge from dams or climate change, have been noted in declining burbot populations at the southern extent of their range. Currently, fishing pressure does not appear to be limiting burbot populations world-wide. We suggest mitigation measures for burbot population recovery, particularly those impacted by dams and invasive species.

A long-term Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent product (JASMES) deriving from satellite-borne optical sensors using consistent objective criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, M.; Sugiura, K.; Kobayashi, K.; Aoki, T.; Tanikawa, T.; Niwano, M.; Enomoto, H.

2017-12-01

A long-term Northern Hemisphere (NH) snow cover extent (SCE) product (JASMES SCE) was developed from the application of a consistent objective snow cover mapping algorithm to satellite-borne optical sensors (NOAA/AVHRR and NASA's optical sensor MODIS) from 1982 to the present. We estimated NH SCE from weekly composited snow cover maps and evaluated the accuracies of snow cover detection using in-situ snow data. As benchmark SCE product, we also evaluated the accuracy of SCE maps from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Data Record (NOAA-CDR) product. The evaluation showed that JASMES SCE has more temporally stable accuracies. Seasonally averaged SCE derived from JASMES exhibited negative slopes in all seasons which is opposite to those of NOAA-CDR SCE in the fall and winter seasons. The spatial pattern of annual snow cover duration (SCD) trends exhibited noticeable asymmetric pattern between continents with the largest negative trends seen over western Eurasia. The NH SCE product will be connected to the data of the Japanese Earth Observing satellite named "Global Change Observation Mission for Climate (GCOM-C)" to be launched in late 2017.

Derived immune and ancestral pigmentation alleles in a 7,000-year-old Mesolithic European.

PubMed

Olalde, Iñigo; Allentoft, Morten E; Sánchez-Quinto, Federico; Santpere, Gabriel; Chiang, Charleston W K; DeGiorgio, Michael; Prado-Martinez, Javier; Rodríguez, Juan Antonio; Rasmussen, Simon; Quilez, Javier; Ramírez, Oscar; Marigorta, Urko M; Fernández-Callejo, Marcos; Prada, María Encina; Encinas, Julio Manuel Vidal; Nielsen, Rasmus; Netea, Mihai G; Novembre, John; Sturm, Richard A; Sabeti, Pardis; Marquès-Bonet, Tomàs; Navarro, Arcadi; Willerslev, Eske; Lalueza-Fox, Carles

2014-03-13

Ancient genomic sequences have started to reveal the origin and the demographic impact of farmers from the Neolithic period spreading into Europe. The adoption of farming, stock breeding and sedentary societies during the Neolithic may have resulted in adaptive changes in genes associated with immunity and diet. However, the limited data available from earlier hunter-gatherers preclude an understanding of the selective processes associated with this crucial transition to agriculture in recent human evolution. Here we sequence an approximately 7,000-year-old Mesolithic skeleton discovered at the La Braña-Arintero site in León, Spain, to retrieve a complete pre-agricultural European human genome. Analysis of this genome in the context of other ancient samples suggests the existence of a common ancient genomic signature across western and central Eurasia from the Upper Paleolithic to the Mesolithic. The La Braña individual carries ancestral alleles in several skin pigmentation genes, suggesting that the light skin of modern Europeans was not yet ubiquitous in Mesolithic times. Moreover, we provide evidence that a significant number of derived, putatively adaptive variants associated with pathogen resistance in modern Europeans were already present in this hunter-gatherer.

Climatic change controls productivity variation in global grasslands

PubMed Central

Gao, Qingzhu; Zhu, Wenquan; Schwartz, Mark W.; Ganjurjav, Hasbagan; Wan, Yunfan; Qin, Xiaobo; Ma, Xin; Williamson, Matthew A.; Li, Yue

2016-01-01

Detection and identification of the impacts of climate change on ecosystems have been core issues in climate change research in recent years. In this study, we compared average annual values of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with theoretical net primary productivity (NPP) values based on temperature and precipitation to determine the effect of historic climate change on global grassland productivity from 1982 to 2011. Comparison of trends in actual productivity (NDVI) with climate-induced potential productivity showed that the trends in average productivity in nearly 40% of global grassland areas have been significantly affected by climate change. The contribution of climate change to variability in grassland productivity was 15.2–71.2% during 1982–2011. Climate change contributed significantly to long-term trends in grassland productivity mainly in North America, central Eurasia, central Africa, and Oceania; these regions will be more sensitive to future climate change impacts. The impacts of climate change on variability in grassland productivity were greater in the Western Hemisphere than the Eastern Hemisphere. Confirmation of the observed trends requires long-term controlled experiments and multi-model ensembles to reduce uncertainties and explain mechanisms. PMID:27243565

Mountain pine beetle, a major disturbance agent in US Western coniferous forests: A synthesis of the state of knowledge [Research In Review

Treesearch

Jose F. Negron; Christopher J. Fettig

2014-01-01

In recent years, the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, has impacted 8.9 million hectares of forests in the western United States. Historically a common occurrence in western forests, particularly in lodgepole and ponderosa pine, the magnitude and extent of recent outbreaks have exceeded past events since written records are available and have occurred in...

Report on the Western Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia) conservation workshop

Treesearch

Geoffrey L. Holroyd; Troy I. Wellicome

1997-01-01

This workshop was convened to review the current status of the Western Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea) in North America, to discuss means by which we can improve our knowledge of this owl, and to initiate conservation action to benefit the species.

Participatory Geographic Information Systems as an organizational platform for the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge in contemporary fire and fuels management

Treesearch

Brooke Balauf McBride; Fernando Sanchez-Trigueros; Stephen J Carver; Alan E Watson; Linda Moon Stumpff; Roian Matt; William T. Borrie

2016-01-01

Traditional knowledge about fire and its effects held by indigenous people, who are connected to specific landscapes, holds promise for informing contemporary fire and fuels management strategies and augmenting knowledge and information derived from western science. In practice, however, inadequate means to organize and communicate this traditional knowledge with...

Indigenous and Western Knowledges in Science Education: An Ethnographic Study of Rural and Urban Secondary Schools and Classrooms in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Hern, Darren M.

2010-01-01

In Kenya, indigenous knowledges related to the natural sciences are not considered in the formal science education of secondary students. Despite the prevalence of studies that examine indigenous knowledges in Kenyan school and community contexts, the perspectives of students and teachers concerning indigenous natural science knowledges and their…

Treatment needs and predictive capacity of explanatory variables of oral disease in young athletes with an intellectual disability in Europe and Eurasia.

PubMed

Fernandez, C; Descamps, I; Fabjanska, K; Kaschke, I; Marks, L

2016-03-01

To evaluate the oral condition and treatment needs of young athletes with intellectual disability (ID) from 53 countries of Europe and Eurasia who participated in the Special Olympics European Games held in Antwerp, October 2014. A cross- sectional study was undertaken with data collected through standardised procedures from consenting athletes under 21 years of age. Oral hygiene habits, reports of oral pain and presence of gingival signs, sealants, untreated caries and missing teeth were recorded. Data analysis was performed in SPSS to produce descriptive statistics and explanatory variables for untreated decay, and gingival signs of disease were tested with Multilevel Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Five hundred three athletes participated in this study (mean age 17 yrs). Untreated decay was recorded in 33.4% of the participants and 38.7% of them had signs of gingival disease. Absence of untreated decay was associated with lower chances of gingival signs, while absence of sealants was related with higher chances of untreated decay. There is consistent evidence of persistent need for increased promotion of oral health, as well as preventive and restorative treatment in young athletes with ID in Europe and Eurasia. Due to the limited predictive capacity of the studied variables for oral disease, further studies including other related factors are needed.

Eocene Podocarpium (Leguminosae) from South China and its biogeographic implications.

PubMed

Xu, Qingqing; Qiu, Jue; Zhou, Zhekun; Jin, Jianhua

2015-01-01

Podocarpium A. Braun ex Stizenberger is one of the most common legumes in the Neogene of Eurasia, including fossil fruits, seeds, leaves, and possible flower and pollen grains. This genus is not completely consistent with any extant genera according to gross morphological characters and poorly preserved cuticular structures reported in previous studies. The fossil pods collected from the coal-bearing series of the Changchang Basin of Hainan Island and Maoming Basin of Guangdong, South China, are examined by morphologically comparative work, with special reference to venation patterns and placental position. These distinctive features, as well as the ovule development of pods from different developmental stages and the epidermal structure of the pods, as distinguished from previous records lead to the conclusion that these fossils can be recognized as a new species of Podocarpium, P. eocenicum sp. nov. This new discovery indicates that Podocarpium had arrived in South China by the Eocene. Investigation on the fossil records of this extinct genus shows that P. eocenicum is the earliest and lowest latitude fossil data. The possible occurrence pattern of this genus is revealed as follows: Podocarpium had distributed in the South China at least in the middle Eocene, and then migrated to Europe during the Oligocene; in the Miocene this genus reached its peak in Eurasia, spreading extensively across subtropical areas to warm temperate areas; finally, Podocarpium shrank rapidly and became extinct in Eurasia during the Pliocene.

Potential Influence of Climate-Induced Vegetation Shifts on Future Land Use and Associated Land Carbon Fluxes in Northern Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kicklighter, D. W.; Cai, Y.; Zhuang, Q.; Parfenova, E. I.; Paltsev, S.; Sokolov, A. P.; Melillo, J. M.; Reilly, J. M.; Tchebakova, N. M.; Lu, X.

2014-12-01

Climate change will alter ecosystem metabolism and may lead to a redistribution of vegetation and changes in fire regimes in Northern Eurasia over the 21st century. Land management decisions will interact with these climate-driven changes to reshape the region's landscape. Here we present an assessment of the potential consequences of climate change on land use and associated land carbon sink activity for Northern Eurasia in the context of climate-induced vegetation shifts. Under a 'business-as-usual' scenario, climate-induced vegetation shifts allow expansion of areas devoted to food crop production (15%) and pastures (39%) over the 21st century. Under a climate stabilization scenario, climate-induced vegetation shifts permit expansion of areas devoted to cellulosic biofuel production (25%) and pastures (21%), but reduce the expansion of areas devoted to food crop production by 10%. In both climate scenarios, vegetation shifts further reduce the areas devoted to timber production by 6-8% over this same time period. Fire associated with climate-induced vegetation shifts causes the region to become more of a carbon source than if no vegetation shifts occur. Consideration of the interactions between climate-induced vegetation shifts and human activities through a modeling framework has provided clues to how humans may be able to adapt to a changing world and identified the tradeoffs, including unintended consequences, associated with proposed climate/energy policies.

Observed Land Impacts on Clouds, Water Vapor, and Rainfall at Continental Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Menglin; King, Michael D.

2005-01-01

How do the continents affect large-scale hydrological cycles? How important can one continent be to the climate system? To address these questions, 4-years of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations, and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) global precipitation analysis, were used to assess the land impacts on clouds, rainfall, and water vapor at continental scales. At these scales, the observations illustrate that continents are integrated regions that enhance the seasonality of atmospheric and surface hydrological parameters. Specifically, the continents of Eurasia and North America enhance the seasonality of cloud optical thickness, cirrus fraction, rainfall, and water vapor. Over land, both liquid water and ice cloud effective radii are smaller than over oceans primarily because land has more aerosol particles. In addition, different continents have similar impacts on hydrological variables in terms of seasonality, but differ in magnitude. For example, in winter, North America and Eurasia increase cloud optical thickness to 17.5 and 16, respectively, while in summer, Eurasia has much smaller cloud optical thicknesses than North America. Such different land impacts are determined by each continent s geographical condition, land cover, and land use. These new understandings help further address the land-ocean contrasts on global climate, help validate global climate model simulated land-atmosphere interactions, and help interpret climate change over land.

The story of rising voices: Facilitating collaboration between indigenous and western ways of knowing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maldonado, Julie; Lazrus, Heather; Bennett, Shiloh-Kay; Chief, Karletta; Dhillon, Carla May; Gough, Bob; Kruger, Linda; Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Petrovic, Stefan; Whyte, Kyle P.; Companion, Michele; Chaiken, Miriam S.

2016-01-01

Indigenous community self-determination, cultures, and ways of life are at high risk from climate change impacts and ecological dispossession. Partnerships between experts with backgrounds in Indigenous and western knowledge may be productive and effective ways to reduce vulnerability and foster resilience. This chapter examines collaborations among scientific and Native American, Alaska Native, and Pacific Island communities to support climate solutions. We draw examples from the "Rising Voices: Collaborative Science with Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Solutions" program (Rising Voices) to examine how boundary organizations function cross-culturally to increase communities' adaptive capacity through knowledge exchange, as well as building the decision-making capacity needed to exercise sovereignty and make adaptive decisions in a changing climate.

[Knowledge about basic life support in European students].

PubMed

Marton, József; Pandúr, Attila; Pék, Emese; Deutsch, Krisztina; Bánfai, Bálint; Radnai, Balázs; Betlehem, József

2014-05-25

Better knowledge and skills of basic life support can save millions of lives each year in Europe. The aim of this study was to measure the knowledge about basic life support in European students. From 13 European countries 1527 volunteer participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic questions and knowledge regarding basic life support. The maximum possible score was 18. Those participants who had basic life support training earned 11.91 points, while those who had not participated in lifesaving education had 9.6 points (p<0.001). Participants from former socialist Eastern European countries reached 10.13 points, while Western Europeans had average 10.85 points (p<0.001). The best results were detected among the Swedish students, and the worst among the Belgians. Based on the results, there are significant differences in the knowledge about basic life support between students from different European countries. Western European youth, and those who were trained had better performance.

Conducting Indigenous Research in Western Knowledge Spaces: Aligning Theory and Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Myra; Major, Jae

2017-01-01

Walking simultaneously in two worlds as an Indigenous researcher, navigating Indigenous and Western epistemologies/methodologies can have its challenges. Indigenous methodologies have become an important element of qualitative research and have been increasingly taken up by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers. Indigenous methodologies…

The International Institutionalization of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Norman G.

A study of student opinions in a developing country--Malaysia--shows that the institutionalization of education in developed countries has been transferred to developing countries in the status given to Western degrees. Ideas about what constitutes knowledge and professionalism, disseminated by universities of the Western world, have come to…

Interfering with Gendered Development: A Timely Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaise, Mindy

2014-01-01

Instead of relying on colonial and Western developmental logic to understand and research gender, this paper proposes interfering as a strategy toward generating gender knowledges that are more inclusive to other-than-Western concepts and contexts. This paper shows how post-developmental perspectives interfere with psychological and biological…

Iberian plate kinematics: A jumping plate boundary between Eurasia and Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Srivastava, S.P.; Schouten, Hans; Roest, W.R.; Klitgord, Kim D.; Kovacs, L.C.; Verhoef, J.; Macnab, R.

1990-01-01

THE rotation of Iberia and its relation to the formation of the Pyrenees has been difficult to decipher because of the lack of detailed sea-floor spreading data, although several models have been proposed1-7. Here we use detailed aeromagnetic measurements from the sea floor offshore of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to show that Iberia moved as part of the African plate from late Cretaceous to mid-Eocene time, with a plate boundary extending westward from the Bay of Biscay. When motion along this boundary ceased, a boundary linking extension in the King's Trough to compression along the Pyrenees came into existence. Finally, since the late Oligocene, Iberia has been part of the Eurasian plate, with the boundary between Eurasia and Africa situated along the Azores-Gibraltar fracture zone.

[Polymorphism of alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH1B in eastern Slavic and Iranian-speaking populations].

PubMed

2005-11-01

Frequencies of alleles and genotypes for alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH1B (arg47his polymorphism), associated with alcohol tolerance/sensitivity, were determined. It was demonstrated that the frequency of allele ADH1B*47his, corresponding to atypical alcohol dehydrogenase variant in Russians, Ukrainians, Iranians, and mountain-dwellers of the Pamirs constituted 3, 7, 24, and 22%, respectively. The frequencies established were consistent with the allele frequency distribution pattern among the populations of Eurasia. Russians and Ukrainians were indistinguishable from other European populations relative to the frequency of allele ADH1B*47his, and consequently, relative to specific features of ethanol metabolic pathways. The data obtained provide refinement of the geographic pattern of ADH1B*47his frequency distribution in Eurasia.

How to write a history of Europe: Europe, Europes, Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, Peter

2006-05-01

This article looks at the history of European culture from three angles, those of European uniqueness, European variety and European consciousness. The first section discusses the question of whether the fundamental unit of study, for cultural as well as economic historians, is not Eurasia. The second section is concerned with cultural divisions within Europe, with Europes in the plural. It asks whether it is more illuminating to distinguish two Europes (like Leopold von Ranke), or three (like Jeno Szucs), or even five (like Hugo Hassinger), and examine both centripetal and centrifugal forces in early modern history. The final section deals with the history of the idea of Europe, or more exactly with the rise of consciousness of being European, as it is revealed in early modern histories, geographies, journals and newspapers.

Endogenous Retroviral Insertions Indicate a Secondary Introduction of Domestic Sheep Lineages to the Caucasus and Central Asia between the Bronze and Iron Age

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Oskar; Benecke, Norbert; Frölich, Kai; Peng, Zuogang; Kaniuth, Kai; Sverchkov, Leonid; Reinhold, Sabine; Belinskiy, Andrey; Ludwig, Arne

2017-01-01

Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia. PMID:28632161

Endogenous Retroviral Insertions Indicate a Secondary Introduction of Domestic Sheep Lineages to the Caucasus and Central Asia between the Bronze and Iron Age.

PubMed

Schroeder, Oskar; Benecke, Norbert; Frölich, Kai; Peng, Zuogang; Kaniuth, Kai; Sverchkov, Leonid; Reinhold, Sabine; Belinskiy, Andrey; Ludwig, Arne

2017-06-20

Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia.

Traditional Knowledge of Western Herbal Medicine and Complex Systems Science

PubMed Central

Niemeyer, Kathryn; Bell, Iris R.; Koithan, Mary

2013-01-01

Traditional knowledge of Western herbal medicine (WHM) supports experiential approaches to healing that have evolved over time. This is evident in the use of polyherb formulations comprised of crude plant parts, individually tailored to treat the cause of dysfunction and imbalance by addressing the whole person holistically. The challenge for WHM is to integrate science with traditional knowledge that is a foundation of the practice of WHM. The purpose of this paper is to provide a plausible theoretical hypothesis by applying complex systems science to WHM, illustrating how medicinal plants are complex, adaptive, environmentally interactive systems exhibiting synergy and nonlinear healing causality. This paper explores the conceptual congruence between medicinal plants and humans as complex systems coherently coupled through recurrent interaction. Complex systems science provides the theoretical tenets that explain traditional knowledge of medicinal plants while supporting clinical practice and expanding research and documentation of WHM. PMID:24058898

Traditional Knowledge of Western Herbal Medicine and Complex Systems Science.

PubMed

Niemeyer, Kathryn; Bell, Iris R; Koithan, Mary

2013-09-01

Traditional knowledge of Western herbal medicine (WHM) supports experiential approaches to healing that have evolved over time. This is evident in the use of polyherb formulations comprised of crude plant parts, individually tailored to treat the cause of dysfunction and imbalance by addressing the whole person holistically. The challenge for WHM is to integrate science with traditional knowledge that is a foundation of the practice of WHM. The purpose of this paper is to provide a plausible theoretical hypothesis by applying complex systems science to WHM, illustrating how medicinal plants are complex, adaptive, environmentally interactive systems exhibiting synergy and nonlinear healing causality. This paper explores the conceptual congruence between medicinal plants and humans as complex systems coherently coupled through recurrent interaction. Complex systems science provides the theoretical tenets that explain traditional knowledge of medicinal plants while supporting clinical practice and expanding research and documentation of WHM.

The Cultural Interface of Islander and Scientific Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakata, Martin

2010-01-01

The interface between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western scientific knowledge systems is a contested space where the difficult dialogue between us and them is often reduced to a position of taking sides. Storytelling is however a very familiar tradition in Indigenous families where we can and do translate expertly difficult concepts from one…

Returning fire to the land: celebrating traditional knowledge and fire

Treesearch

Frank K. Lake; Vita Wright; Penelope Morgan; Mary McFadzen; Dave McWethy; Camille Stevens-Rumann

2017-01-01

North American tribes have traditional knowledge about fire effects on ecosystems, habitats, and resources. For millennia, tribes have used fire to promote valued resources. Sharing our collective understanding of fire, derived from traditional and western knowledge systems, can benefit landscapes and people. We organized two workshops to investigate how traditional...

Sun-related knowledge and attitudes of primary and secondary schoolchildren in western Switzerland.

PubMed

Vuadens, Anne; Ackermann, Simone; Levi, Fabio; Bulliard, Jean-Luc

2017-09-01

Switzerland, particularly its western region, has the highest incidence of melanoma in Europe. Although the risk of melanoma increases with sun overexposure during childhood, sun-related knowledge and attitudes of Swiss children are scarcely documented. We report the first investigation of the knowledge of the danger of ultraviolet radiation, attitudes towards a suntan and parental influence of schoolchildren in western Switzerland. All fifth, eighth and eleventh graders (average ages of 9, 12 and 15, respectively) in the 18 primary (fifth grade, n=431) and secondary (eighth and eleventh grades, n=837) public schools of La Chaux-de-Fonds were surveyed during regular school classes. The response rate was 91% (1154/1268). Sun-related knowledge was high overall. Eight out of 10 children knew about the risk of skin cancer and recognized the most susceptible phototype. Knowledge increased significantly with age. Girls, older children, fair-skinned participants and those who preferred a tanned skin obtained the highest knowledge score. The main source of information on ultraviolet radiation and sun protection was their parents (76%), followed by the school (11%) and the media (9%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified higher sun-related knowledge, lower familial socioprofessional status and skin phototypes III-IV to be associated with a tan-seeking attitude. Parental sensitization (56%) and encouragement (61%) towards sun protection were more common among fair-skinned children and those of higher familial socioprofessional status. The high awareness of the risk of skin cancer among Swiss schoolchildren does not translate into appropriate attitudes. Community-wide intervention programmes involving parents, teachers, peers and primary care clinicians could be considered for Swiss prevention campaigns to improve children's sun behaviour and change their current pro-tan attitude.

Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes-Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo?

PubMed

Breuer, Thomas; Mavinga, Franck Barrel; Evans, Ron; Lukas, Kristen E

2017-10-01

Applying environmental education in primate range countries is an important long-term activity to stimulate pro-conservation behavior. Within captive settings, mega-charismatic species, such as great apes are often used to increase knowledge and positively influence attitudes of visitors. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term video and theater program developed for a Western audience and adapted to rural people living in two villages around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. We assessed the knowledge gain and attitude change using oral evaluation in the local language (N = 111). Overall pre-program knowledge about Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) was high. Detailed multivariate analysis of pre-program knowledge revealed differences in knowledge between two villages and people with different jobs while attitudes largely were similar between groups. The short-term education program was successful in raising knowledge, particularly of those people with less pre-program knowledge. We also noted an overall significant attitude improvement. Our data indicate short-term education programs are useful in quickly raising knowledge as well improving attitudes. Furthermore, education messages need to be clearly adapted to the daily livelihood realities of the audience, and multi-variate analysis can help to identify potential target groups for education programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

EPA's Efforts in Eurasia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has been collaborating with Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Ukraine for over 20 years and continues to work with their governments and non-governmental organizations on environment, science and technology issues.

Health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics in Western Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Perumal, Nandita; Cole, Donald C; Ouédraogo, Hermann Z; Sindi, Kirimi; Loechl, Cornelia; Low, Jan; Levin, Carol; Kiria, Christine; Kurji, Jaameeta; Oyunga, Mary

2013-07-11

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to decreasing maternal mortality in low-resource settings. ANC clinics provide resources to improve nutrition and health knowledge and promote preventive health practices. We sought to compare the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) among women seeking and not-seeking ANC in rural Kenya. Data from a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in Western Province, Kenya were used. Nutrition knowledge (NKS), health knowledge (HKS), attitude score (AS), and dietary diversity score (DDS) were constructed indices. χ2 test and Student's t-test were used to compare proportions and means, respectively, to assess the difference in KAP among pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the impact of the number of ANC visits (none, <4, ≥4) on knowledge and practice scores, adjusting for maternal socio-demographic confounders, such as age, gestational age, education level and household wealth index. Among the 979 pregnant women in the survey, 59% had attended ANC clinics while 39% had not. The mean (±SD) NKS was 4.6 (1.9) out of 11, HKS was 6.2 (1.7) out of 12, DDS was 4.9 (1.4) out of 12, and AS was 7.4 (2.2) out of 10. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and DDS were not significantly different between ANC clinic attending and non-attending women. Among women who attended ANC clinics, 82.6% received malaria and/or antihelmintic treatment, compared to 29.6% of ANC clinic non-attendees. Higher number of ANC clinic visits and higher maternal education level were significantly positively associated with maternal health knowledge. Substantial opportunities exist for antenatal KAP improvement among women in Western Kenya, some of which could occur with greater ANC attendance. Further research is needed to understand multi-level factors that may affect maternal knowledge and practices.

Proceedings - Management and productivity of western-montane forest soils

Treesearch

Alan E. Harvey; Leon F. Neuenschwander

1991-01-01

Includes 35 papers and six poster synopses presenting state-of-the-art knowledge on the nature and problems of integrating soils information and expertise into management of inland western forest resources. Papers emphasize regional information, but include data from world literature and previously unpublished material from regional experts.

Higher Education Co-operation and Western Dominance of Knowledge Creation and Flows in Third World Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selvaratnam, Viswanathan

1988-01-01

Third World adoption of the Western university and the accompanying Eurocentric system of information flow is criticized as sometimes being counterproductive and alien to developing nations. The potential for a self-reliant, interdependent higher education system among Third World countries is discussed. (MSE)

Does Mother Nature Really Sell Margarine?: The Uncertain Rural Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Peter

There exists a question as to whether United States society and its agricultural system will continue to follow the long-term trend of Western civilization or move in a new direction. The "modernization trend" of Western civilization has 4 components: scientification of knowledge, secularization of human values, industrialization of…

Considering Ecological Métissage: To Blend or Not to Blend?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowan-Trudeau, Gregory

2014-01-01

This article reports on a study that examined the ecological identities and philosophies of Canadian experiential environmental educators who incorporate Western and Indigenous traditions into their pedagogical praxis. Guided by the overarching question, "Can Western and Indigenous knowledge of the natural world be blended theoretically and…

Improved alignment of the Hengchun Fault (southern Taiwan) based on fieldwork, structure-from-motion, shallow drilling, and levelling data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giletycz, Slawomir Jack; Chang, Chung-Pai; Lin, Andrew Tien-Shun; Ching, Kuo-En; Shyu, J. Bruce H.

2017-11-01

The fault systems of Taiwan have been repeatedly studied over many decades. Still, new surveys consistently bring fresh insights into their mechanisms, activity and geological characteristics. The neotectonic map of Taiwan is under constant development. Although the most active areas manifest at the on-land boundary of the Philippine Sea Plate and Eurasia (a suture zone known as the Longitudinal Valley), and at the southwestern area of the Western Foothills, the fault systems affect the entire island. The Hengchun Peninsula represents the most recently emerged part of the Taiwan orogen. This narrow 20-25 km peninsula appears relatively aseismic. However, at the western flank the peninsula manifests tectonic activity along the Hengchun Fault. In this study, we surveyed the tectonic characteristics of the Hengchun Fault. Based on fieldwork, four years of monitoring fault displacement in conjunction with levelling data, core analysis, UAV surveys and mapping, we have re-evaluated the fault mechanisms as well as the geological formations of the hanging and footwall. We surveyed features that allowed us to modify the existing model of the fault in two ways: 1) correcting the location of the fault line in the southern area of the peninsula by moving it westwards about 800 m; 2) defining the lithostratigraphy of the hanging and footwall of the fault. A bathymetric map of the southern area of the Hengchun Peninsula obtained from the Atomic Energy Council that extends the fault trace offshore to the south distinctively matches our proposed fault line. These insights, coupled with crust-scale tomographic data from across the Manila accretionary system, form the basis of our opinion that the Hengchun Fault may play a major role in the tectonic evolution of the southern part of the Taiwan orogen.

Interspecific nest parasitism by chukar on greater sage-grouse

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fearon, Michelle L.; Coates, Peter S.

2014-01-01

Nest parasitism occurs when a female bird lays eggs in the nest of another and the host incubates the eggs and may provide some form of parental care for the offspring (Lyon and Eadie 1991). Precocial birds (e.g., Galliformes and Anseriformes) are typically facultative nest parasites of both their own and other species (Lyon and Eadie 1991). This behavior increases a female’s reproductive success when she parasitizes other nests while simultaneously raising her own offspring. Both interspecific and conspecific nest parasitism have been well documented in several families of the order Galliformes, particularly the Phasianidae (Lyon and Eadie 1991, Geffen and Yom-Tov 2001, Krakauer and Kimball 2009). The Chukar (Alectoris chukar) has been widely introduced as a game bird to western North America from Eurasia and is now well established within the Great Basin from northeastern California east to Utah and north to Idaho and Oregon (Christensen 1996). Over much of this range the Chukar occurs with other phasianids, including the native Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), within sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe (Christensen 1996, Schroeder et al. 1999, Connelly et al. 2000). Chukar typically exploit a broader range of habitats than do sage-grouse, but both species use the same species of sagebrush and other shrubs for nesting cover (Christensen 1996, Schroeder et al. 1999). Chukar are known to parasitize nests of other individuals of their own species (Geffen and Yom-Tov 2001), but we are unaware of reported evidence that Chukar may parasitize nests of sage-grouse. Here we describe a case of a Chukar parasitizing a sage-grouse nest in the sagebrush steppe of western Nevada.

Paleomagnetic and Geochronologic Results of Latest Cretaceous Lava Flows From the Lhasa Terrane and Their Tectonic Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yiming; Yang, Tianshui; Bian, Weiwei; Jin, Jingjie; Wang, Qiang; Zhang, Shihong; Wu, Huaichun; Li, Haiyan; Cao, Liwan; Yuan, Haifan; Ding, Jikai

2017-11-01

To position the Asian southern margin before the India-Asia collision, paleomagnetic and geochronologic studies were performed on the Dianzhong Formation lava flows from the Shiquanhe area of the westernmost Lhasa terrane (LT). Zircon U-Pb analyses dated the lava flows to 69.5 ± 2.5 Ma. The characteristic remanent magnetization directions contain antipodal polarities and pass fold tests, implying that they are primary magnetizations; this interpretation is supported by rock-magnetic analyses and petrographic observations. Forty-four site-mean directions were divided into 17 statistically independent direction groups. The group-mean direction after tilt correction is Ds = 43.3°, Is = 30.3°, k = 28.0, α95 = 6.9°. The corresponding paleopole at 47.8°N, 181.4°E (A95 = 6.4°) yields a paleolatitude of 16.6° ± 6.4°N for the Shiquanhe area of westernmost Tibet (32.34°N, 80.12°E). Consistent paleolatitudes for the southern margin of the LT calculated from the western and central part of the LT indicate that the leading edge of the LT was aligned relatively W-E. When compared with the reference pole at 70 Ma for Eurasia, this new paleopole suggests that crustal shortening between the Shiquanhe area and stable Asia was 1,500 ± 800 km. This is supported by the crustal shortening (600-1,000 km) absorbed by Cenozoic thrust and fold belts within this area, indicating that the magnitude of crustal shortening within Asia north of the India-Asia suture zone was similar in the central and western part of the plateau.

Migrations of European honey bee lineages into Africa, Asia, and North America during the Oligocene and Miocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotthoff, Ulrich; Wappler, Torsten; Engel, Michael

2013-04-01

Today honey bees, principally the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, represent a multi-billion dollar agricultural industry. Through the efforts of humans they have become established well outside of their modern native ranges, having been introduced multiple times into the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and many areas of Oceania. The native, i.e., non-human influenced, distribution and migration of honey bee species and populations has been a matter of serious and continued debate. Apicultural dogma informs us that the center of origin of honey bees (genus Apis) resides in Asia, with subsequent migration and diversification into Europe and Asia. Recent population genetic studies of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, slightly modified this received wisdom by suggesting that this species originated in Africa and subsequently reinvaded Eurasia. Research into the historical biogeography of honey bees has ignored entirely the abundant fossil evidence distributed through a variety of Late Paleogene (Oligocene) and Early Neogene (Miocene) deposits, a diversity which is predominantly European in origin, particularly among the most basal species of the genus. We have examined the morphological disparity and affinities of the full living and fossil diversity of honey bees ranging from their earliest origins to the present day. This analysis indicates that honey bees exhibited a greater morphological disparity during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs, a time when the principal lineages were established, and that Apis apparently originated in Europe, spreading from there into Asia, Africa, and North America, with subsequent diversification in the former two regions and extinction in the latter. During the human migrations and colonization honey bees were once again introduced multiple times into the Americas, as well as into Australia and Asia.

The East Atlantic - West Russia Teleconnection in the North Atlantic: Climate Impact and Relation to Rossby Wave Propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Young-Kwon

2014-01-01

Large-scale winter teleconnection of the East Atlantic - West Russia (EA-WR) over the Atlantic and surrounding regions is examined in order to quantify its impacts on temperature and precipitation and identify the physical mechanisms responsible for its existence. A rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) analysis of the upper-tropospheric monthly height field captures successfully the EA-WR pattern and its interannual variation, with the North Atlantic Oscillation as the first mode. EA-WRs climate impact extends from eastern North America to Eurasia. The positive (negative) EA-WR produces positive (negative) temperature anomalies over the eastern US, western Europe and Russia east of Caspian Sea, with negative (positive) anomalies over eastern Canada, eastern Europe including Ural Mountains and the Middle East. These anomalies are largely explained by lower-tropospheric temperature advections. Positive (negative) precipitation anomalies are found over the mid-latitude Atlantic and central Russia around 60E, where lower-level cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation anomaly is dominant. The eastern Canada and the western Europe are characterized by negative (positive) precipitation anomalies.The EA-WR is found to be closely associated with Rossby wave propagation. Wave activity fluxes show that it is strongly tied to large-scale stationary waves. Furthermore, a stationary wave model (SWM) forced with vorticity transients in the mid-latitude Atlantic (approximately 40N) or diabatic heat source over the subtropical Atlantic near the Caribbean Sea produces well-organized EA-WR-like wave patterns, respectively. Sensitivity tests with the SWM indicate improvement in the simulation of the EA-WR when the mean state is modified to have a positive NAO component that enhances upper-level westerlies between 40-60N.

Remote sensing, paleoecology, and the archaeology of human migration during the Pleistocene in central Asia and western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glantz, Michelle M.; Todd, Lawrence

2003-07-01

Remote sensing used in the context of global information systems has enormous applications within archaeology. This technology enables the discovery of new archaeological features and promotes an understanding of the relationship between ecosystem and cultural dynamics. Archaeologists are able to add a time dimension to 'creeping environmental changes' that other areas of scientific inquiry concerned with climate change often lack. Remote sensing and other aerial prospecting has been used successfully to model land use and population expansions during relatively recent archaeological eras, such as the Bronze and Iron Ages. Although satellite image databases exist for numerous areas of the New and Old World, very little research has been conducted in Central Asia or western China. This region is historically significant because of its position along the important trading route called the Silk Road. The purpose of the present research is to investigate another poorly understood period of human history that would benefit from the application of remote sensing and associated ground truthing techniques. The migration of hominids out of Africa during the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene and their subsequent colonization of north-central, east, and south-east Asia is relatively well documented in the archaeological record and marks the beginning of the long-term process of human impacts on the region. However, the trajectory of dispersal of Homo erectus, Neandertals, and early modern humans and the ways by which ecosystem vagaries affected this dispersal across Eurasia is unknown. Our purpose is to summarize what is currently known about the geological indicators of ecosystem changes that remote sensing techniques provide and how ecosystem variables may allow us to model human migration as that of an invasive species through this important geographic crossroads of the Old World.

A 20-year simulated climatology of global dust aerosol deposition.

PubMed

Zheng, Yu; Zhao, Tianliang; Che, Huizheng; Liu, Yu; Han, Yongxiang; Liu, Chong; Xiong, Jie; Liu, Jianhui; Zhou, Yike

2016-07-01

Based on a 20-year (1991-2010) simulation of dust aerosol deposition with the global climate model CAM5.1 (Community Atmosphere Model, version 5.1), the spatial and temporal variations of dust aerosol deposition were analyzed using climate statistical methods. The results indicated that the annual amount of global dust aerosol deposition was approximately 1161±31Mt, with a decreasing trend, and its interannual variation range of 2.70% over 1991-2010. The 20-year average ratio of global dust dry to wet depositions was 1.12, with interannual variation of 2.24%, showing the quantity of dry deposition of dust aerosol was greater than dust wet deposition. High dry deposition was centered over continental deserts and surrounding regions, while wet deposition was a dominant deposition process over the North Atlantic, North Pacific and northern Indian Ocean. Furthermore, both dry and wet deposition presented a zonal distribution. To examine the regional changes of dust aerosol deposition on land and sea areas, we chose the North Atlantic, Eurasia, northern Indian Ocean, North Pacific and Australia to analyze the interannual and seasonal variations of dust deposition and dry-to-wet deposition ratio. The deposition amounts of each region showed interannual fluctuations with the largest variation range at around 26.96% in the northern Indian Ocean area, followed by the North Pacific (16.47%), Australia (9.76%), North Atlantic (9.43%) and Eurasia (6.03%). The northern Indian Ocean also had the greatest amplitude of interannual variation in dry-to-wet deposition ratio, at 22.41%, followed by the North Atlantic (9.69%), Australia (6.82%), North Pacific (6.31%) and Eurasia (4.36%). Dust aerosol presented a seasonal cycle, with typically strong deposition in spring and summer and weak deposition in autumn and winter. The dust deposition over the northern Indian Ocean exhibited the greatest seasonal change range at about 118.00%, while the North Atlantic showed the lowest seasonal change at around 30.23%. The northern Indian Ocean had the greatest seasonal variation range of dry-to-wet deposition ratio, at around 74.57%, while Eurasia had the lowest, at around 12.14%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution and connectivity in the world-wide migration system of the mallard: Inferences from mitochondrial DNA

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Main waterfowl migration systems are well understood through ringing activities. However, in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) ringing studies suggest deviations from general migratory trends and traditions in waterfowl. Furthermore, surprisingly little is known about the population genetic structure of mallards, and studying it may yield insight into the spread of diseases such as Avian Influenza, and in management and conservation of wetlands. The study of evolution of genetic diversity and subsequent partitioning thereof during the last glaciation adds to ongoing discussions on the general evolution of waterfowl populations and flyway evolution. Hypothesised mallard flyways are tested explicitly by analysing mitochondrial mallard DNA from the whole northern hemisphere. Results Phylogenetic analyses confirm two mitochondrial mallard clades. Genetic differentiation within Eurasia and North-America is low, on a continental scale, but large differences occur between these two land masses (FST = 0.51). Half the genetic variance lies within sampling locations, and a negligible portion between currently recognised waterfowl flyways, within Eurasia and North-America. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) at continent scale, incorporating sampling localities as smallest units, also shows the absence of population structure on the flyway level. Finally, demographic modelling by coalescence simulation proposes a split between Eurasia and North-America 43,000 to 74,000 years ago and strong population growth (~100fold) since then and little migration (not statistically different from zero). Conclusions Based on this first complete assessment of the mallard's world-wide population genetic structure we confirm that no more than two mtDNA clades exist. Clade A is characteristic for Eurasia, and clade B for North-America although some representatives of clade A are also found in North-America. We explain this pattern by evaluating competing hypotheses and conclude that a complex mix of historical, recent and anthropogenic factors shaped the current mallard populations. We refute population classification based on flyways proposed by ornithologists and managers, because they seem to have little biological meaning. Our results have implications for wetland management and conservation, with special regard to the release of farmed mallards for hunting, as well as for the possible transmission of Avian Influenza by mallards due to migration. PMID:22093799

Estimating Asian terrestrial carbon fluxes from CONTRAIL aircraft and surface CO2 observations for the period 2006 to 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, H. F.; Chen, B. Z.; van der Laan-Luijkx, I. T.; Machida, T.; Matsueda, H.; Sawa, Y.; Fukuyama, Y.; Labuschagne, C.; Langenfelds, R.; van der Schoot, M.; Xu, G.; Yan, J. W.; Zhou, L. X.; Tans, P. P.; Peters, W.

2013-10-01

Current estimates of the terrestrial carbon fluxes in Asia ("Asia" refers to lands as far west as the Urals and is divided into Boreal Eurasia, Temperate Eurasia and tropical Asia based on TransCom regions) show large uncertainties particularly in the boreal and mid-latitudes and in China. In this paper, we present an updated carbon flux estimate for Asia by introducing aircraft CO2 measurements from the CONTRAIL (Comprehensive Observation Network for Trace gases by Airline) program into an inversion modeling system based on the CarbonTracker framework. We estimated the averaged annual total Asian terrestrial land CO2 sink was about -1.56 Pg C yr-1 over the period 2006-2010, which offsets about one-third of the fossil fuel emission from Asia (+4.15 Pg C yr-1). The uncertainty of the terrestrial uptake estimate was derived from a set of sensitivity tests and ranged from -1.07 to -1.80 Pg C yr-1, comparable to the formal Gaussian error of ±1.18 Pg C yr-1 (1-sigma). The largest sink was found in forests, predominantly in coniferous forests (-0.64 Pg C yr-1) and mixed forests (-0.14 Pg C yr-1); and the second and third large carbon sinks were found in grass/shrub lands and crop lands, accounting for -0.44 Pg C yr-1 and -0.20 Pg C yr-1, respectively. The peak-to-peak amplitude of inter-annual variability (IAV) was 0.57 Pg C yr-1 ranging from -1.71 Pg C yr-1 to -2.28 Pg C yr-1. The IAV analysis reveals that the Asian CO2 sink was sensitive to climate variations, with the lowest uptake in 2010 concurrent with summer flood/autumn drought and the largest CO2 sink in 2009 owing to favorable temperature and plentiful precipitation conditions. We also found the inclusion of the CONTRAIL data in the inversion modeling system reduced the uncertainty by 11% over the whole Asian region, with a large reduction in the southeast of Boreal Eurasia, southeast of Temperate Eurasia and most Tropical Asian areas.

Paleogene events in Central Eurasia: their role in the flora and vegetation cover evolution, migration of phytochore boundaries, and climate changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhmetiev, M. A.; Zaporozhets, N. I.

2014-05-01

The flora and vegetation of Central Eurasia evolved in the Paleogene to a significant extent in line with the scenario similar to the Late Cretaceous one. The position of high-rank phytochores was controlled by the global climatic zonality, while development stages of the flora depended on interaction between the Arctic and Tethyan water masses and direction of atmospheric flows and were determined by principal geological and paleogeographic events in the Paleogene history of Central Eurasia. Five main stages are definable in development of the Paleogene flora: (1) early-middle Danian with the wide distribution of temperate-thermophilic floras in the middle and high latitudes and their westward and southward expansion from the Pacific and Arctic regions of the Boreal realm; (2) Late Paleocene-Early Eocene with the maximal advancement of the Tethyan flora to the high latitudes and northward migration of phytochore boundaries in response to intense water exchange between the Tethys and Atlantic oceans with its trade currents and atmospheric heat transfer directly from the tropical zone in absence of the Alpine-Himalayan orogen; (3) Lutetian with development of subtropical monsoon-type floras under influence of the water mass exchange between the Arctic Basin and Peritethys with the monsoon-induced currents and atmospheric heat transfer from the Peritethys under conditions of the restricted connection between the Central Asia basins and Tethys; (4) (?) late Lutetian-Priabonian reflecting the climate inversion due to isolation of the West Siberian Sea from the Arctic Basin against the background of its continuing connection with the Peritethys; the formation of the semiclosed West Siberian Sea at that time was accompanied by development of a climate with humid winters, hot dry summers, and deficiency of average annual precipitation in the middle latitudes of Central Eurasia, where luxuriant subtropical Quercus-Laurus forests with Castanopsis that prevailed at the preceding stage were replaced by sclerophyllous arboreal-frutescent maquis; (5) Oligocene marked by the formation of the temperate deciduous mesophyllous coniferous-broad-leaved Turgai flora after definitive desiccation of the West Siberian Sea and Turgai Seaway due to global regression induced by glaciation (transition from the "warm" to "cold" biosphere).

Using peer education to increase sexual health knowledge among West African refugees in Western Australia.

PubMed

Drummond, Peter D; Mizan, Ayse; Brocx, Katie; Wright, Bernadette

2011-03-01

Ten bilingual West African peer educators conducted a 3-hour workshop on sexual health for small groups of West African refugees (N = 58) who recently had settled in Perth, Western Australia. There were significant increases in the participants' knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, how these infections are spread, and how to protect against infection. In addition, attitudes toward condom use became more positive. We conclude that the peer-education approach was successful in assisting a new and emerging community to work effectively on sexual health topics generally considered "taboo" or too sensitive to discuss.

Evaluation of fast food behavior in pre-school children and parents following a one-year intervention with nutrition education.

PubMed

Gao, Yongqing; Huang, Yuee; Zhang, Yongjun; Liu, Fengqiong; Feng, Cindy Xin; Liu, Tingting; Li, Changwei; Ling, Dong Dong; Mu, Yongping; Tarver, Siobhan L; Wang, Mao; Sun, Wenjie

2014-06-30

A community-based intervention study was conducted to assess a nutrition education intervention on western style fast food consumption among Chinese children and parents. Eight kindergartens from three district areas of Hefei City (a total of 1252 children aged 4-6 years and their parents) were randomly selected. Descriptive and analytical statistical methods were used to evaluate the baseline, midterm, and final western style fast food knowledge, attitude, and practice in both parents and children were used to identify and compare the knowledge, attitude, and practice in the parents and children. Parents and children were divided into "intervention" and "control" groups based on nutrition education status. Consumption of western style fast food at breakfast in Chinese children and parents is not high. The main reasons for this in children is that consumption of western style fast food is not viewed as "food", but rather as a "gift" or "interesting". The time of children's consumption of western style fast food is mostly likely to be in the weekends. The nutrition education modified the parents' western style fast food behavior (p < 0.01), although it did not change significantly in children. The healthy nutrition concept should be built up among Chinese, especially in children. Insights from the families provide leads for future research and ideas for the nutrition education.

Evaluation of Fast Food Behavior in Pre-School Children and Parents Following a One-Year Intervention with Nutrition Education

PubMed Central

Gao, Yongqing; Huang, Yuee; Zhang, Yongjun; Liu, Fengqiong; Feng, Cindy Xin; Liu, Tingting; Li, Changwei; Lin, DongDong; Mu, Yongping; Tarver, Siobhan L.; Wang, Mao; Sun, Wenjie

2014-01-01

A community-based intervention study was conducted to assess a nutrition education intervention on western style fast food consumption among Chinese children and parents. Eight kindergartens from three district areas of Hefei City (a total of 1252 children aged 4–6 years and their parents) were randomly selected. Descriptive and analytical statistical methods were used to evaluate the baseline, midterm, and final western style fast food knowledge, attitude, and practice in both parents and children were used to identify and compare the knowledge, attitude, and practice in the parents and children. Parents and children were divided into “intervention” and “control” groups based on nutrition education status. Consumption of western style fast food at breakfast in Chinese children and parents is not high. The main reasons for this in children is that consumption of western style fast food is not viewed as “food”, but rather as a “gift” or “interesting”. The time of children’s consumption of western style fast food is mostly likely to be in the weekends. The nutrition education modified the parents’ western style fast food behavior (p < 0.01), although it did not change significantly in children. The healthy nutrition concept should be built up among Chinese, especially in children. Insights from the families provide leads for future research and ideas for the nutrition education. PMID:24983391

Towards a Cognitive Organisational Framework for Knowledge Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

of knowledge now exist only at the bottom of the organisation, with management uninformed on specific detail. For many knowledge- based ...the organisation’ s internal context - its internal management practices, learning culture and knowledge base . This has particularly been found to...of the process is based in ’Kaizen’. Within the Western culture we may well have ignored important insights in our own tradition. Traditionally, in

Two models of the sound-signal frequency dependence on the animal body size as exemplified by the ground squirrels of Eurasia (mammalia, rodentia).

PubMed

Nikol'skii, A A

2017-11-01

Dependence of the sound-signal frequency on the animal body length was studied in 14 ground squirrel species (genus Spermophilus) of Eurasia. Regression analysis of the total sample yielded a low determination coefficient (R 2 = 26%), because the total sample proved to be heterogeneous in terms of signal frequency within the dimension classes of animals. When the total sample was divided into two groups according to signal frequency, two statistically significant models (regression equations) were obtained in which signal frequency depended on the body size at high determination coefficients (R 2 = 73 and 94% versus 26% for the total sample). Thus, the problem of correlation between animal body size and the frequency of their vocal signals does not have a unique solution.

NEESPI focus issues in Environmental Research Letters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, Julian; Groisman, Pavel; Soja, Amber J.

2010-05-01

In 2007 and 2009 Environmental Research Letters published focus issues (edited by Pavel Groisman and Amber J Soja) made up of work carried out by NEESPI participants. Here, we present the content of those focus issues as an invaluable resource for researchers working in the NEESPI study area. The first of the two issues, published in 2007 with title 'Northern Hemisphere High Latitude Climate and Environmental Change', presents a diverse collection of articles that are assembled into five groups devoted to studies of climate and hydrology, land cover and land use, the biogeochemical cycle and its feedbacks, the cryosphere, and human dimensions. The second issue, published in 2009, with title 'Climatic and Environmental Change in Northern Eurasia' presents diverse, assorted studies of different aspects of contemporary change, representing the diversity of climates and ecosystems across Northern Eurasia.

The NASA NEESPI Data Portal: Products, Information, and Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Suhung; Leptoukh, Gregory; Loboda, Tatiana; Csiszar, Ivan; Romanov, Peter; Gerasimov, Irina

2008-01-01

Studies have indicated that land cover and use changes in Northern Eurasia influence global climate system. However, the procedures are not fully understood and it is challenging to understand the interactions between the land changes in this region and the global climate. Having integrated data collections form multiple disciplines are important for studies of climate and environmental changes. Remote sensed and model data are particularly important die to sparse in situ measurements in many Eurasia regions especially in Siberia. The NASA GES DISC (Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center) NEESPI data portal has generated infrastructure to provide satellite remote sensing and numerical model data for atmospheric, land surface, and cryosphere. Data searching, subsetting, and downloading functions are available. ONe useful tool is the Web-based online data analysis and visualization system, Giovanni (Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure), which allows scientists to assess easily the state and dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems in Northern Eurasia and their interactions with global climate system. Recently, we have created a metadata database prototype to expand the NASA NEESPI data portal for providing a venue for NEESPI scientists fo find the desired data easily and leveraging data sharing within NEESPI projects. The database provides product level information. The desired data can be found through navigation and free text search and narrowed down by filtering with a number of constraints. In addition, we have developed a Web Map Service (WMS) prototype to allow access data and images from difference data resources.

Diversification of rhacophorid frogs provides evidence for accelerated faunal exchange between India and Eurasia during the Oligocene.

PubMed

Li, Jia-Tang; Li, Yang; Klaus, Sebastian; Rao, Ding-Qi; Hillis, David M; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2013-02-26

The accretion of the Indian subcontinent to Eurasia triggered a massive faunal and floral exchange, with Gondwanan taxa entering into Asia and vice versa. The traditional view on the Indian-Asian collision assumes contact of the continental plates during the Early Eocene. Many biogeographic studies rely on this assumption. However, the exact mode and timing of this geological event is still under debate. Here we address, based on an extensive phylogenetic analysis of rhacophorid tree frogs, if there was already a Paleogene biogeographic link between Southeast Asia and India; in which direction faunal exchange occurred between India and Eurasia within the Rhacophoridae; and if the timing of the faunal exchange correlates with one of the recently suggested geological models. Rhacophorid tree frogs showed an early dispersal from India to Asia between 46 and 57 Ma, as reconstructed from the fossil record. During the Middle Eocene, however, faunal exchange ceased, followed by increase of rhacophorid dispersal events between Asia and the Indian subcontinent during the Oligocene that continued until the Middle Miocene. This corroborates recent geological models that argue for a much later final collision between the continental plates. We predict that the Oligocene faunal exchange between the Indian subcontinent and Asia, as shown here for rhacophorid frogs, also applies for other nonvolant organisms with an Indian-Asian distribution, and suggest that previous studies that deal with this faunal interchange should be carefully reinvestigated.

Diversification of rhacophorid frogs provides evidence for accelerated faunal exchange between India and Eurasia during the Oligocene

PubMed Central

Li, Jia-Tang; Li, Yang; Klaus, Sebastian; Rao, Ding-Qi; Hillis, David M.; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2013-01-01

The accretion of the Indian subcontinent to Eurasia triggered a massive faunal and floral exchange, with Gondwanan taxa entering into Asia and vice versa. The traditional view on the Indian–Asian collision assumes contact of the continental plates during the Early Eocene. Many biogeographic studies rely on this assumption. However, the exact mode and timing of this geological event is still under debate. Here we address, based on an extensive phylogenetic analysis of rhacophorid tree frogs, if there was already a Paleogene biogeographic link between Southeast Asia and India; in which direction faunal exchange occurred between India and Eurasia within the Rhacophoridae; and if the timing of the faunal exchange correlates with one of the recently suggested geological models. Rhacophorid tree frogs showed an early dispersal from India to Asia between 46 and 57 Ma, as reconstructed from the fossil record. During the Middle Eocene, however, faunal exchange ceased, followed by increase of rhacophorid dispersal events between Asia and the Indian subcontinent during the Oligocene that continued until the Middle Miocene. This corroborates recent geological models that argue for a much later final collision between the continental plates. We predict that the Oligocene faunal exchange between the Indian subcontinent and Asia, as shown here for rhacophorid frogs, also applies for other nonvolant organisms with an Indian–Asian distribution, and suggest that previous studies that deal with this faunal interchange should be carefully reinvestigated. PMID:23401521

Resolving relationships between several Neolithic and Mesolithic populations in Northern Eurasia using geometric morphometrics.

PubMed

Stansfield Bulygina, Ekaterina; Rasskasova, Anna; Berezina, Natalia; Soficaru, Andrei D

2017-09-01

Remains from several Eastern European and Siberian Mesolithic and Neolithic sites are analysed to clarify their biological relationships. We assume that groups' geographical distances correlate with genetic and, therefore, morphological distances between them. Material includes complete male crania from several Mesolithic and Neolithic burial sites across Northern Eurasia and from several modern populations. Geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistical techniques are applied to explore morphological trends, group distances, and correlations with their geographical position, climate, and the time of origin. Despite an overlap in the morphology among the modern and archeological groups, some of them show significant morphological distances. Geographical parameters account for only a small proportion of cranial variation in the sample, with larger variance explained by geography and age together. Expectations of isolation by distance are met in some but not in all cases. Climate accounts for a large proportion of autocorrelation with geography. Nearest-neighbor joining trees demonstrate group relationships predicted by the regression on geography and on climate. The obtained results are discussed in application to relationships between particular groups. Unlike the Ukrainian Mesolithic, the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov Mesolithic displays a high morphological affinity with several groups from Northern Eurasia of both European and Asian origin. A possibility of a common substrate for the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov Mesolithic and Siberian Neolithic groups is reviewed. The Siberian Neolithic is shown to have morphological connection with both modern Siberian groups and the Native North Americans. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age and Date for Early Arrival of the Acheulian in Europe (Barranc de la Boella, la Canonja, Spain)

PubMed Central

Vallverdú, Josep; Saladié, Palmira; Rosas, Antonio; Huguet, Rosa; Cáceres, Isabel; Mosquera, Marina; Garcia-Tabernero, Antonio; Estalrrich, Almudena; Lozano-Fernández, Iván; Pineda-Alcalá, Antonio; Carrancho, Ángel; Villalaín, Juan José; Bourlès, Didier; Braucher, Régis; Lebatard, Anne; Vilalta, Jaume; Esteban-Nadal, Montserrat; Bennàsar, Maria Lluc; Bastir, Marcus; López-Polín, Lucía; Ollé, Andreu; Vergés, Josep Maria; Ros-Montoya, Sergio; Martínez-Navarro, Bienvenido; García, Ana; Martinell, Jordi; Expósito, Isabel; Burjachs, Francesc; Agustí, Jordi; Carbonell, Eudald

2014-01-01

The first arrivals of hominin populations into Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene are currently considered to have occurred as short and poorly dated biological dispersions. Questions as to the tempo and mode of these early prehistoric settlements have given rise to debates concerning the taxonomic significance of the lithic assemblages, as trace fossils, and the geographical distribution of the technological traditions found in the Lower Palaeolithic record. Here, we report on the Barranc de la Boella site which has yielded a lithic assemblage dating to ∼1 million years ago that includes large cutting tools (LCT). We argue that distinct technological traditions coexisted in the Iberian archaeological repertoires of the late Early Pleistocene age in a similar way to the earliest sub-Saharan African artefact assemblages. These differences between stone tool assemblages may be attributed to the different chronologies of hominin dispersal events. The archaeological record of Barranc de la Boella completes the geographical distribution of LCT assemblages across southern Eurasia during the EMPT (Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition, circa 942 to 641 kyr). Up to now, chronology of the earliest European LCT assemblages is based on the abundant Palaeolithic record found in terrace river sequences which have been dated to the end of the EMPT and later. However, the findings at Barranc de la Boella suggest that early LCT lithic assemblages appeared in the SW of Europe during earlier hominin dispersal episodes before the definitive colonization of temperate Eurasia took place. PMID:25076416

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory

2006-01-01

The presentation describes the recently awarded ACCESS project to provide data management of NASA remote sensing data for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). The project targets integration of remote sensing data from MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US-satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEP/NCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

Age and date for early arrival of the Acheulian in Europe (Barranc de la Boella, la Canonja, Spain).

PubMed

Vallverdú, Josep; Saladié, Palmira; Rosas, Antonio; Huguet, Rosa; Cáceres, Isabel; Mosquera, Marina; Garcia-Tabernero, Antonio; Estalrrich, Almudena; Lozano-Fernández, Iván; Pineda-Alcalá, Antonio; Carrancho, Ángel; Villalaín, Juan José; Bourlès, Didier; Braucher, Régis; Lebatard, Anne; Vilalta, Jaume; Esteban-Nadal, Montserrat; Bennàsar, Maria Lluc; Bastir, Marcus; López-Polín, Lucía; Ollé, Andreu; Vergés, Josep Maria; Ros-Montoya, Sergio; Martínez-Navarro, Bienvenido; García, Ana; Martinell, Jordi; Expósito, Isabel; Burjachs, Francesc; Agustí, Jordi; Carbonell, Eudald

2014-01-01

The first arrivals of hominin populations into Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene are currently considered to have occurred as short and poorly dated biological dispersions. Questions as to the tempo and mode of these early prehistoric settlements have given rise to debates concerning the taxonomic significance of the lithic assemblages, as trace fossils, and the geographical distribution of the technological traditions found in the Lower Palaeolithic record. Here, we report on the Barranc de la Boella site which has yielded a lithic assemblage dating to ∼1 million years ago that includes large cutting tools (LCT). We argue that distinct technological traditions coexisted in the Iberian archaeological repertoires of the late Early Pleistocene age in a similar way to the earliest sub-Saharan African artefact assemblages. These differences between stone tool assemblages may be attributed to the different chronologies of hominin dispersal events. The archaeological record of Barranc de la Boella completes the geographical distribution of LCT assemblages across southern Eurasia during the EMPT (Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition, circa 942 to 641 kyr). Up to now, chronology of the earliest European LCT assemblages is based on the abundant Palaeolithic record found in terrace river sequences which have been dated to the end of the EMPT and later. However, the findings at Barranc de la Boella suggest that early LCT lithic assemblages appeared in the SW of Europe during earlier hominin dispersal episodes before the definitive colonization of temperate Eurasia took place.

Dispersals of the Siberian Y-chromosome haplogroup Q in Eurasia.

PubMed

Huang, Yun-Zhi; Pamjav, Horolma; Flegontov, Pavel; Stenzl, Vlastimil; Wen, Shao-Qing; Tong, Xin-Zhu; Wang, Chuan-Chao; Wang, Ling-Xiang; Wei, Lan-Hai; Gao, Jing-Yi; Jin, Li; Li, Hui

2018-02-01

The human Y-chromosome has proven to be a powerful tool for tracing the paternal history of human populations and genealogical ancestors. The human Y-chromosome haplogroup Q is the most frequent haplogroup in the Americas. Previous studies have traced the origin of haplogroup Q to the region around Central Asia and Southern Siberia. Although the diversity of haplogroup Q in the Americas has been studied in detail, investigations on the diffusion of haplogroup Q in Eurasia and Africa are still limited. In this study, we collected 39 samples from China and Russia, investigated 432 samples from previous studies of haplogroup Q, and analyzed the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) subclades Q1a1a1-M120, Q1a2a1-L54, Q1a1b-M25, Q1a2-M346, Q1a2a1a2-L804, Q1a2b2-F1161, Q1b1a-M378, and Q1b1a1-L245. Through NETWORK and BATWING analyses, we found that the subclades of haplogroup Q continued to disperse from Central Asia and Southern Siberia during the past 10,000 years. Apart from its migration through the Beringia to the Americas, haplogroup Q also moved from Asia to the south and to the west during the Neolithic period, and subsequently to the whole of Eurasia and part of Africa.

Ecology and management of morels harvested from the forests of western North America.

Treesearch

David Pilz; Rebecca McLain; Susan Alexander; Luis Villarreal-Ruiz; Shannon Berch; Tricia L. Wurtz; Catherine G. Parks; Erika McFarlane; Blaze Baker; Randy Molina; Jane E. Smith

2007-01-01

Morels are prized edible mushrooms that fruit, sometimes prolifically, in many forest types throughout western North America. They are collected for personal consumption and commercially harvested as valuable special (nontimber) forest products. Large gaps remain, however, in our knowledge about their taxonomy, biology, ecology, cultivation, safety, and how to manage...

Analysis of Communication and Dissemination Channels Influencing the Adoption of Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Western Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adolwa, Ivan S.; Okoth, Peter F.; Mulwa, Richard M.; Esilaba, Anthony O.; Mairura, Franklin S.; Nambiro, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Purpose: The following study was carried out to evaluate the socio-economic factors influencing access to Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) information and knowledge among farmers in western Kenya, and subsequent ISFM uptake with a view to assessing communication gaps. Design/Methodology/Approach: Structured questionnaires were…

Bird communities of gambel oak: a descriptive analysis

Treesearch

Andreas Leidolf; Michael L. Wolfe; Rosemary L. Pendleton

2000-01-01

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii Nutt.) covers 3.75 million hectares (9.3 million acres) of the western United States. This report synthesizes current knowledge on the composition, structure, and habitat relationships of gambel oak avian communities. It lists life history attributes of 183 bird species documented from gambel oak habitats of the western...

The Offerings of Fringe Figures and Migrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engels-Schwarzpaul, A.-Chr.

2015-01-01

"The Western tradition", as passe-partout, includes fringe figures, émigrés and migrants. Rather than looking to resources at the core of the Western tradition to overcome its own blindnesses, I am more interested in its gaps and peripheries, where other thoughts and renegade knowledges take hold. It is in the contact zones with…

Anishinaabe Star Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Michael Wassegijig

2002-01-01

A connection with nature constitutes the difference between Western science and indigenous perspectives of the natural world. Understanding the synchronicity of natural and astronomical cycles is integral to Anishinaabe cosmology. Examples show how the Anishinaabe cultural worldview and philosophy are reflected in their celestial knowledge and how…

Thai visitors' expectations and experiences of explainer interaction within a science museum context.

PubMed

Kamolpattana, Supara; Chen, Ganigar; Sonchaeng, Pichai; Wilkinson, Clare; Willey, Neil; Bultitude, Karen

2015-01-01

In Western literature, there is evidence that museum explainers offer significant potential for enhancing visitors' learning through influencing their knowledge, content, action, behaviour and attitudes. However, little research has focused on the role of explainers in other cultural contexts. This study explored interactions between visitors and museum explainers within the setting of Thailand. Two questionnaires were distributed to 600 visitors and 41 museum explainers. The results demonstrated both potential similarities and differences with Western contexts. Explainers appeared to prefer didactic approaches, focussing on factual knowledge rather than encouraging deep learning. Two-way communication, however, appeared to be enhanced by the use of a 'pseudo-sibling relationship' by explainers. Traditional Thai social reserve was reduced through such approaches, with visitors taking on active learning roles. These findings have implications for training museum explainers in non-Western cultures, as well as museum communication practice more generally. © The Author(s) 2014.

Thai visitors’ expectations and experiences of explainer interaction within a science museum context

PubMed Central

Chen, Ganigar; Sonchaeng, Pichai; Wilkinson, Clare; Willey, Neil; Bultitude, Karen

2015-01-01

In Western literature, there is evidence that museum explainers offer significant potential for enhancing visitors’ learning through influencing their knowledge, content, action, behaviour and attitudes. However, little research has focused on the role of explainers in other cultural contexts. This study explored interactions between visitors and museum explainers within the setting of Thailand. Two questionnaires were distributed to 600 visitors and 41 museum explainers. The results demonstrated both potential similarities and differences with Western contexts. Explainers appeared to prefer didactic approaches, focussing on factual knowledge rather than encouraging deep learning. Two-way communication, however, appeared to be enhanced by the use of a ‘pseudo-sibling relationship’ by explainers. Traditional Thai social reserve was reduced through such approaches, with visitors taking on active learning roles. These findings have implications for training museum explainers in non-Western cultures, as well as museum communication practice more generally. PMID:24751689

"Womb with a View": The Introduction of Western Obstetrics in Nineteenth-Century Siam.

PubMed

Pearson, Quentin Trais

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the historical confrontation between Western obstetrical medicine and indigenous midwifery in nineteenth-century Siam (Thailand). Beginning with the campaign of medical missionaries to reform Siamese obstetrical care, it explores the types of arguments that were employed in the contest between these two forms of expert knowledge. Missionary-physicians used their anatomical knowledge to contest both particular indigenous obstetrical practices and more generalized notions concerning its moral and metaphysical foundations. At the same time, by appealing to the health and well-being of the consorts and children of the Siamese elite, they gained access to the intimate spaces of Siamese political life. The article contends that the medical missionary campaign intersected with imperial desires to make the sequestered spaces of Siamese political life more visible and accessible to Western scrutiny. It therefore reveals the imbrication of contests over obstetrical medicine and trade diplomacy in the imperial world.

Approaching Etuaptmumk--introducing a consensus-based mixed method for health services research.

PubMed

Chatwood, Susan; Paulette, Francois; Baker, Ross; Eriksen, Astrid; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Eriksen, Heidi; Hiratsuka, Vanessa; Lavoie, Josée; Lou, Wendy; Mauro, Ian; Orbinski, James; Pabrum, Nathalie; Retallack, Hanna; Brown, Adalsteinn

2015-01-01

With the recognized need for health systems' improvements in the circumpolar and indigenous context, there has been a call to expand the research agenda across all sectors influencing wellness and to recognize academic and indigenous knowledge through the research process. Despite being recognized as a distinct body of knowledge in international forums and across indigenous groups, examples of methods and theories based on indigenous knowledge are not well documented in academic texts or peer-reviewed literature on health systems. This paper describes the use of a consensus-based, mixed method with indigenous knowledge by an experienced group of researchers and indigenous knowledge holders who collaborated on a study that explored indigenous values underlying health systems stewardship. The method is built on the principles of Etuaptmumk or two-eyed seeing, which aim to respond to and resolve the inherent conflicts between indigenous ways of knowing and the scientific inquiry that informs the evidence base in health care. Mixed methods' frameworks appear to provide a framing suitable for research questions that require data from indigenous knowledge sources and western knowledge. The nominal consensus method, as a western paradigm, was found to be responsive to embedding of indigenous knowledge and allowed space to express multiple perspectives and reach consensus on the question at hand. Further utilization and critical evaluation of this mixed methodology with indigenous knowledge are required.

Approaching Etuaptmumk – introducing a consensus-based mixed method for health services research

PubMed Central

Chatwood, Susan; Paulette, Francois; Baker, Ross; Eriksen, Astrid; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Eriksen, Heidi; Hiratsuka, Vanessa; Lavoie, Josée; Lou, Wendy; Mauro, Ian; Orbinski, James; Pabrum, Nathalie; Retallack, Hanna; Brown, Adalsteinn

2015-01-01

With the recognized need for health systems’ improvements in the circumpolar and indigenous context, there has been a call to expand the research agenda across all sectors influencing wellness and to recognize academic and indigenous knowledge through the research process. Despite being recognized as a distinct body of knowledge in international forums and across indigenous groups, examples of methods and theories based on indigenous knowledge are not well documented in academic texts or peer-reviewed literature on health systems. This paper describes the use of a consensus-based, mixed method with indigenous knowledge by an experienced group of researchers and indigenous knowledge holders who collaborated on a study that explored indigenous values underlying health systems stewardship. The method is built on the principles of Etuaptmumk or two-eyed seeing, which aim to respond to and resolve the inherent conflicts between indigenous ways of knowing and the scientific inquiry that informs the evidence base in health care. Mixed methods’ frameworks appear to provide a framing suitable for research questions that require data from indigenous knowledge sources and western knowledge. The nominal consensus method, as a western paradigm, was found to be responsive to embedding of indigenous knowledge and allowed space to express multiple perspectives and reach consensus on the question at hand. Further utilization and critical evaluation of this mixed methodology with indigenous knowledge are required. PMID:26004427

Improving rural and remote practitioners' knowledge of the diabetic foot: findings from an educational intervention.

PubMed

Schoen, Deborah E; Gausia, Kaniz; Glance, David G; Thompson, Sandra C

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine knowledge of national guidelines for diabetic foot assessment and risk stratification by rural and remote healthcare professionals in Western Australia and their implementation in practice. Assessment of diabetic foot knowledge, availability of equipment and delivery of foot care education in a primary healthcare setting at baseline enabled evaluation of the effectiveness of a diabetic foot education and training program for generalist healthcare professionals. This study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study design. Healthcare practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and practice of diabetic foot assessment, diabetic foot risks, risk stratification, and use of the 2011 National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines were investigated with an electronic pre-test survey(.) Healthcare professionals then undertook a 3-h education and training workshop before completing the electronic post-test knowledge, attitudes and practice survey. Comparison of pre-test/post-test survey findings was used to assess the change in knowledge, attitudes and intended practice due to the workshops. Two hundred and forty-six healthcare professionals from two rural and remote health regions of Western Australia participated in training workshops. Monofilaments and diabetes foot care education brochures, particularly brochures for Aboriginal people, were reported as not readily available in rural and remote health services. For most participants (58 %), their post-test knowledge score increased significantly from the pre-test score. Use of the Guidelines in clinical settings was low (19 %). The healthcare professionals' baseline diabetic foot knowledge was adequate to correctly identify the high risk category. However, stratification of the intermediate risk category was poor, even after training. This study reports the first assessment of Western Australia's rural and remote health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the diabetic foot. It shows that without training, generalists' levels of knowledge concerning the diabetic foot was low and they were unlikely to assess foot risk. The findings from this study in a rural and remote setting cast doubt on the ability of generalist healthcare professionals to stratify risk appropriately, especially for those at intermediate risk, without clinical decision support tools.

Public School Teachers' Knowledge, Perception, and Implementation of Brain-Based Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wachob, David A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine K-12 teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and practices of brain-based learning strategies in western Pennsylvania schools. The following five research questions were explored: (a) What is the extent of knowledge K-12 public school teachers have about the indicators of brain-based learning and Brain Gym?; (b) To…

Genome-wide SNP data unveils the globalization of domesticated pigs.

PubMed

Yang, Bin; Cui, Leilei; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Traspov, Aleksei; Crooijmans, Richard P M A; Zinovieva, Natalia; Schook, Lawrence B; Archibald, Alan; Gatphayak, Kesinee; Knorr, Christophe; Triantafyllidis, Alex; Alexandri, Panoraia; Semiadi, Gono; Hanotte, Olivier; Dias, Deodália; Dovč, Peter; Uimari, Pekka; Iacolina, Laura; Scandura, Massimo; Groenen, Martien A M; Huang, Lusheng; Megens, Hendrik-Jan

2017-09-21

Pigs were domesticated independently in Eastern and Western Eurasia early during the agricultural revolution, and have since been transported and traded across the globe. Here, we present a worldwide survey on 60K genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for 2093 pigs, including 1839 domestic pigs representing 122 local and commercial breeds, 215 wild boars, and 39 out-group suids, from Asia, Europe, America, Oceania and Africa. The aim of this study was to infer global patterns in pig domestication and diversity related to demography, migration, and selection. A deep phylogeographic division reflects the dichotomy between early domestication centers. In the core Eastern and Western domestication regions, Chinese pigs show differentiation between breeds due to geographic isolation, whereas this is less pronounced in European pigs. The inferred European origin of pigs in the Americas, Africa, and Australia reflects European expansion during the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Human-mediated introgression, which is due, in particular, to importing Chinese pigs into the UK during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, played an important role in the formation of modern pig breeds. Inbreeding levels vary markedly between populations, from almost no runs of homozygosity (ROH) in a number of Asian wild boar populations, to up to 20% of the genome covered by ROH in a number of Southern European breeds. Commercial populations show moderate ROH statistics. For domesticated pigs and wild boars in Asia and Europe, we identified highly differentiated loci that include candidate genes related to muscle and body development, central nervous system, reproduction, and energy balance, which are putatively under artificial selection. Key events related to domestication, dispersal, and mixing of pigs from different regions are reflected in the 60K SNP data, including the globalization that has recently become full circle since Chinese pig breeders in the past decades started selecting Western breeds to improve local Chinese pigs. Furthermore, signatures of ongoing and past selection, acting at different times and on different genetic backgrounds, enhance our insight in the mechanism of domestication and selection. The global diversity statistics presented here highlight concerns for maintaining agrodiversity, but also provide a necessary framework for directing genetic conservation.

Forearc Basin Structure in the Andaman-Nicobar Segment of the Sumatra-Andaman Subduction Zone: Insight from High-Resolution Seismic Reflection Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeremans, R. E.; Singh, S. C.

2014-12-01

The Andaman-Nicobar subduction is the northernmost segment of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction zone and marks the western boundary of the Andaman Sea, which is a complex backarc extensional basin. We present the interpretation of a new set of deep seismic reflection data acquired across the Andaman-Nicobar forearc basin, from 8°N to 11°N, to understand the structure and evolution of the forearc basin, focusing on how the obliquity of convergence affects deformation in the forearc, as well as on the Diligent (DF) and Eastern Margin Faults (EMF). Constraining the evolution of this basin, which is strongly related to the collision of India and Eurasia, can help shed light onto present-day deformation processes along this segment of the subduction zone, where convergence is highly oblique and little data is available. We find that he DF is a backthrust and corresponds to the Mentawai (MFZ) and West Andaman Fault (WAF) systems further south, offshore Sumatra. The DF is expressed as a series of mostly landward verging folds and faults, deforming the early to late Miocene sediments. The DF seems to root from the boundary between the accretionary complex and the continental backstop, where it meets the EMF. The EMF marks the western boundary of the forearc basin; it is associated with subsidence and is expressed as a deep piggyback basin, associated with recent Pliocene to Pleistocene subsidence at the western edge of the forearc basin. The eastern edge of the forearc basin is marked by the Invisible Bank (IB), which is thought to be tilted and uplifted continental crustal block. Subsidence along the EMF and uplift and tilting of the IB seem to be related to different opening phases in the Andaman Sea. The sliver Andaman-Nicobar Fault (ANF), which is the active northward extension of the Great Sumatra sliver Fault (GSF), lies to the east of the IB, and marks the boundary between continental crust underlying the forearc basin and crust accreted at the Andaman Sea Spreading Center.

The Nd-, Sr- and Pb-isotopic character of lavas from Taal, Laguna de Bay and Arayat volcanoes, southwestern Luzon, Philippines: Implications for arc magma petrogenesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mukasa, S.B.; Flower, M.F.J.; Miklius, Asta

1994-01-01

Following the amalgamation of a collage of pre-Neogene terranes largely by strike-slip and convergence mechanisms to form the Philippine islands, volcanic chains, related to oppositely dipping subduction zones, developed along the eastern and western margins of the archipelago. There is ample field evidence that this volcanic activity, predominantly calc-alkaline in chemical character, had commenced by the Oligocene. Volcanoes resulting from subduction along the Manila-Negros trench in the west (e.g. Taal, Laguna de Bay and Arayat) form a high-angle linear array, trending away from the MORE field on Pb-isotopic covariation diagrams; have the highest Sr- and lowest Nd-isotopic compositions, of the two chains (but nevertheless plotting above bulk earth on the 87Sr/86Sr versus 143Nd/144Nd covariation diagram); and exhibit Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr values that are lower and higher, respectively, than the estimated values for bulk earth. While the Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr characteristics are common to both chains, volcanoes associated with the Philippine-East Luzon trench have Pb-isotopic compositions that fall in the Indian Ocean MORB field and that require time-integrated evolution in a high Th/U environment. They also have higher Nd- and lower Sr-isotopic ratios. The source materials of Philippine volcanoes, therefore, have undergone varied recent enrichments in LILE, as indicated by the decoupling of isotopic and elemental ratios. These enrichments, particularly for the western volcanoes, cannot be entirely due to small degrees of partial melting in the mantle wedge, considering that they were accompanied by elevations in radiogenic Pb. Elevated Pb ratios are best explained by the introduction of subducted, continentally derived sediments. The sedimentary component in the western volcanoes is probably the South China Sea sediments derived largely from Eurasia. That this component is not available in the Philippine-East Luzon trench is reflected by the fact that the eastern volcanoes have higher Nd- and lower Sr-isotopic ratios as well as less radiogenic common Pb. ?? 1994.

The Influence of Religion and Ethnicity on Family Planning Approval: A Case for Women in Rural Western Kenya.

PubMed

Bakibinga, Pauline; Mutombo, Namuunda; Mukiira, Carol; Kamande, Eva; Ezeh, Alex; Muga, Richard

2016-02-01

The role of sociocultural factors such as religion and ethnicity in aiding or hampering family planning (FP) uptake in rural Western Kenya, a region with persistently high fertility rates, is not well established. We explored whether attitudes towards FP can be attributed to religious affiliation and/or ethnicity among women in the region. Findings show that religion and ethnicity have no impact; the most significant factors are level of education and knowledge about the benefits of FP for the mother. FP interventions ought to include strategies aimed at enhancing women's knowledge about the positive impacts of family planning.

Burns education for non-burn specialist clinicians in Western Australia.

PubMed

McWilliams, Tania; Hendricks, Joyce; Twigg, Di; Wood, Fiona

2015-03-01

Burn patients often receive their initial care by non-burn specialist clinicians, with increasingly collaborative burn models of care. The provision of relevant and accessible education for these clinicians is therefore vital for optimal patient care. A two phase design was used. A state-wide survey of multidisciplinary non-burn specialist clinicians throughout Western Australia identified learning needs related to paediatric burn care. A targeted education programme was developed and delivered live via videoconference. Pre-post-test analysis evaluated changes in knowledge as a result of attendance at each education session. Non-burn specialist clinicians identified numerous areas of burn care relevant to their practice. Statistically significant differences between perceived relevance of care and confidence in care provision were reported for aspects of acute burn care. Following attendance at the education sessions, statistically significant increases in knowledge were noted for most areas of acute burn care. Identification of learning needs facilitated the development of a targeted education programme for non-burn specialist clinicians. Increased non-burn specialist clinician knowledge following attendance at most education sessions supports the use of videoconferencing as an acceptable and effective method of delivering burns education in Western Australia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

The Dialectics of African Education and Western Discourses: Counter-Hegemonic Perspectives. Black Studies and Critical Thinking. Volume 21

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Handel Kashope, Ed.; Abdi, Ali A., Ed.

2012-01-01

"The Dialectics of African Education and Western Discourses" addresses how continental Africans who have worked or are currently working in the Canadian academy address their dual legacy of African and Euro-American knowledge paradigms. Reflecting a range of approaches to hegemonic Euro-American paradigms that can be summarized as…

How the West Was One: The Western as Individualist, the African as Communitarian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, Thaddeus

2015-01-01

There is a kernel of truth in the claim that Western philosophy and practice of education is individualistic; theory in Euro-America tends to prize properties that are internal to a human being, such as her autonomy, rationality, knowledge, pleasure, desires, self-esteem and self-realisation, and education there tends to adopt techniques focused…

Moving from Colonization toward Balance and Harmony: A Native American Perspective on Wellness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, David R.; Limb, Gordon E.; Cross, Terry L.

2009-01-01

At best, mainstream mental health services are often ineffective with Native American clients, and, at worst, they are a vehicle for Western colonization. As such, the authors explore the notion of abandoning the Western therapeutic project and rebuilding the helping process on the basis of indigenous knowledge foundations. To this end, they…

An Evaluation of Career Selection Education in Thirteen Project Schools of the Western States Small Schools Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cragun, John R.; Kartchner, Eugene C.

The Western States Small Schools Project (WSSSP) developed the Career Selection Education (CSE) program to provide students from small high schools in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah with: (1) knowledge about self, broad occupational groupings, the institution and dynamics of society which generate, define, and lend meaning to…

Re-Examining the Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in the Western Environmental Education for Sustainability: "From Tribal to Mainstream Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandra, Doreen Vikashni

2014-01-01

This paper highlights the importance of integrating indigenous perspectives on environmental sustainability into mainstream education as a way of bridging the gap in the understanding of indigenous knowledge systems into Western science explanations of sustainable development (SD) in education, at the same time ensuring traditional ecological…

Diapause response to photoperiod in an Arizona population of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus Knight) is an important crop pest in the western U.S. that overwinters in an adult diapause. However, knowledge of L. hesperus diapause is incomplete. Eggs from field-collected adults were reared under photoperiods of 10:14, 11:13, 12:12, and 13:10 (L:...

The present geodynamics of Albania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koçi, Rexhep; Dushi, Edmond; Begu, Enkela; Bozo, Rrezart

2017-04-01

Geological structure of Albania comprises different formations widely varying in age beginning since the Paleozoic era to Quaternary. From the tectonic stand point Albanides belongs to folded Alpine belt, representing a particular node in the geology of the Mediterranean Alps. Albanian geological environment have a long and complicated history. It is folded and dissected by many tectonic faults. During the Alpine geological evolution of Albanides, an imbricated tectonic thrusting system, with considerable amplitude, has been developed in the outer part, while a series of normal faults have been developed in the inner part. The convergence of the geological structures is southwest oriented, from inner to external tectonic area, associated by mass displacement. These displacements can be observed nowadays from geodynamic measurements, of the GPS networks in Albania, and the surrounding. GPS data for Albanian territory, recorded during a 10-years period, in reference to the Eurasia and Apulia plates, reveal an important pre-Pliocene compression of the outer Albanides, including Sazani, Ionian and Kruja zones, undergoing a major post-Pliocene shortening in the western side. The outer Albanides are structured by infringements of over-thrust and up-thrust type, by NNW-SSE oriented folds, which in some cases are dislocated by transverse faults, of NE orientation. Actual results from GPS measurements of the points located in outer Albanides show a displacement towards west and northwest in relation to Eurasia, and southwest in relation to Apulia block. From numerous focal mechanisms solutions (FMS) of shallow earthquakes it results a horizontal compression dominating along the Adriatic collision contact. Active tectonics in this area is reflected from historical and instrumental strong earthquakes. Quite often, they are generated from the activation of tectonic faults, which in turn are responsible for this seismic activity of the country. Referring to the historical data, the whole territory of Balkans and its southwest territory in particular, is characterized by a high seismicity rate. In general, Albanian seismicity is characterized by an intense micro-activity (1.0 ≤ M ≤ 3.0), by many small earthquakes (3.0 ≤ M ≤ 5.0), by medium size earthquakes (5.0 ≤ M ≤ 7.0) and very seldom by strong ones (M > 7.0). This paper aims a general representation of the geodynamics of Albania, based on recent results from earthquake and GPS instrumental data. Keywords: Albanides, frontal collision, thrusting system, normal faults

The growth of a mountain belt forced by base-level fall: Tectonics and surface processes during the evolution of the Alborz Mountains, N Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballato, Paolo; Landgraf, Angela; Schildgen, Taylor F.; Stockli, Daniel F.; Fox, Matthew; Ghassemi, Mohammad R.; Kirby, Eric; Strecker, Manfred R.

2015-09-01

The idea that climatically modulated erosion may impact orogenic processes has challenged geoscientists for decades. Although modeling studies and physical calculations have provided a solid theoretical basis supporting this interaction, to date, field-based work has produced inconclusive results. The central-western Alborz Mountains in the northern sectors of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone constitute a promising area to explore these potential feedbacks. This region is characterized by asymmetric precipitation superimposed on an orogen with a history of spatiotemporal changes in exhumation rates, deformation patterns, and prolonged, km-scale base-level changes. Our analysis suggests that despite the existence of a strong climatic gradient at least since 17.5 Ma, the early orogenic evolution (from ∼36 to 9-6 Ma) was characterized by decoupled orographic precipitation and tectonics. In particular, faster exhumation and sedimentation along the more arid southern orogenic flank point to a north-directed accretionary flux and underthrusting of Central Iran. Conversely, from ∼6 to 3 Ma, erosion rates along the northern orogenic flank became higher than those in the south, where they dropped to minimum values. This change occurred during a ∼3-Myr-long, km-scale base-level lowering event in the Caspian Sea. We speculate that mass redistribution processes along the northern flank of the Alborz and presumably across all mountain belts adjacent to the South Caspian Basin and more stable areas of the Eurasian plate increased the sediment load in the basin and ultimately led to the underthrusting of the Caspian Basin beneath the Alborz Mountains. This underthrusting in turn triggered a new phase of northward orogenic expansion, transformed the wetter northern flank into a new pro-wedge, and led to the establishment of apparent steady-state conditions along the northern orogenic flank (i.e., rock uplift equal to erosion rates). Conversely, the southern mountain front became the retro-wedge and experienced limited tectonic activity. These observations overall raise the possibility that mass-distribution processes during a pronounced erosion phase driven by base-level changes may have contributed to the inferred regional plate-tectonic reorganization of the northern Arabia-Eurasia collision during the last ∼5 Ma.

Climate Extreme Events over Northern Eurasia in Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulygina, O.; Korshunova, N. N.; Razuvaev, V. N.; Groisman, P. Y.

2014-12-01

During the period of widespread instrumental observations in Northern Eurasia, the annual surface air temperature has increased by 1.5°C. Close to the north in the Arctic Ocean, the late summer sea ice extent has decreased by 40% providing a near-infinite source of water vapor for the dry Arctic atmosphere in the early cold season months. The contemporary sea ice changes are especially visible in the Eastern Hemisphere All these factors affect the change extreme events. Daily and sub-daily data of 940 stations to analyze variations in the space time distribution of extreme temperatures, precipitation, and wind over Russia were used. Changing in number of days with thaw over Russia was described. The total seasonal numbers of days, when daily surface air temperatures (wind, precipitation) were found to be above (below) selected thresholds, were used as indices of climate extremes. Changing in difference between maximum and minimum temperature (DTR) may produce a variety of effects on biological systems. All values falling within the intervals ranged from the lowest percentile to the 5th percentile and from the 95th percentile to the highest percentile for the time period of interest were considered as daily extremes. The number of days, N, when daily temperatures (wind, precipitation, DTR) were within the above mentioned intervals, was determined for the seasons of each year. Linear trends in the number of days were calculated for each station and for quasi-homogeneous climatic regions. Regional analysis of extreme events was carried out using quasi-homogeneous climatic regions. Maps (climatology, trends) are presented mostly for visualization purposes. Differences in regional characteristics of extreme events are accounted for over a large extent of the Russian territory and variety of its physical and geographical conditions. The number of days with maximum temperatures higher than the 95% percentile has increased in most of Russia and decreased in Siberia in spring and autumn. Reducing the number of days with extremely low air temperatures dominated in all seasons. At the same time, the number of days with abnormally low air temperatures has increased in Middle Volga region and south of Western Siberia. In most parts of European Russia observed increase in the number of days with heavy snowfalls.

Slip distribution, strain accumulation and aseismic slip on the Chaman Fault system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amelug, F.

2015-12-01

The Chaman fault system is a transcurrent fault system developed due to the oblique convergence of the India and Eurasia plates in the western boundary of the India plate. To evaluate the contemporary rates of strain accumulation along and across the Chaman Fault system, we use 2003-2011 Envisat SAR imagery and InSAR time-series methods to obtain a ground velocity field in radar line-of-sight (LOS) direction. We correct the InSAR data for different sources of systematic biases including the phase unwrapping errors, local oscillator drift, topographic residuals and stratified tropospheric delay and evaluate the uncertainty due to the residual delay using time-series of MODIS observations of precipitable water vapor. The InSAR velocity field and modeling demonstrates the distribution of deformation across the Chaman fault system. In the central Chaman fault system, the InSAR velocity shows clear strain localization on the Chaman and Ghazaband faults and modeling suggests a total slip rate of ~24 mm/yr distributed on the two faults with rates of 8 and 16 mm/yr, respectively corresponding to the 80% of the total ~3 cm/yr plate motion between India and Eurasia at these latitudes and consistent with the kinematic models which have predicted a slip rate of ~17-24 mm/yr for the Chaman Fault. In the northern Chaman fault system (north of 30.5N), ~6 mm/yr of the relative plate motion is accommodated across Chaman fault. North of 30.5 N where the topographic expression of the Ghazaband fault vanishes, its slip does not transfer to the Chaman fault but rather distributes among different faults in the Kirthar range and Sulaiman lobe. Observed surface creep on the southern Chaman fault between Nushki and north of City of Chaman, indicates that the fault is partially locked, consistent with the recorded M<7 earthquakes in last century on this segment. The Chaman fault between north of the City of Chaman to North of Kabul, does not show an increase in the rate of strain accumulation. However, lack of seismicity on this segment, presents a significant hazard on Kabul. The high rate of strain accumulation on the Ghazaband fault and lack of evidence for the rupture of the fault during the 1935 Quetta earthquake, present a growing earthquake hazard to the Balochistan and the populated areas such as the city of Quetta.

Muscle dysmorphia: current insights.

PubMed

Tod, David; Edwards, Christian; Cranswick, Ieuan

2016-01-01

Since 1997, there has been increasing research focusing on muscle dysmorphia, a condition underpinned by people's beliefs that they have insufficient muscularity, in both the Western and non-Western medical and scientific communities. Much of this empirical interest has surveyed nonclinical samples, and there is limited understanding of people with the condition beyond knowledge about their characteristics. Much of the existing knowledge about people with the condition is unsurprising and inherent in the definition of the disorder, such as dissatisfaction with muscularity and adherence to muscle-building activities. Only recently have investigators started to explore questions beyond these limited tautological findings that may give rise to substantial knowledge advances, such as the examination of masculine and feminine norms. There is limited understanding of additional topics such as etiology, prevalence, nosology, prognosis, and treatment. Further, the evidence is largely based on a small number of unstandardized case reports and descriptive studies (involving small samples), which are largely confined to Western (North American, British, and Australian) males. Although much research has been undertaken since the term "muscle dysmorphia" entered the psychiatric lexicon in 1997, there remains tremendous scope for knowledge advancement. A primary task in the short term is for investigators to examine the extent to which the condition exists among well-defined populations to help determine the justification for research funding relative to other public health issues. A greater variety of research questions and designs may contribute to a broader and more robust knowledge base than currently exists. Future work will help clinicians assist a group of people whose quality of life and health are placed at risk by their muscular preoccupation.

Muscle dysmorphia: current insights

PubMed Central

Tod, David; Edwards, Christian; Cranswick, Ieuan

2016-01-01

Since 1997, there has been increasing research focusing on muscle dysmorphia, a condition underpinned by people’s beliefs that they have insufficient muscularity, in both the Western and non-Western medical and scientific communities. Much of this empirical interest has surveyed nonclinical samples, and there is limited understanding of people with the condition beyond knowledge about their characteristics. Much of the existing knowledge about people with the condition is unsurprising and inherent in the definition of the disorder, such as dissatisfaction with muscularity and adherence to muscle-building activities. Only recently have investigators started to explore questions beyond these limited tautological findings that may give rise to substantial knowledge advances, such as the examination of masculine and feminine norms. There is limited understanding of additional topics such as etiology, prevalence, nosology, prognosis, and treatment. Further, the evidence is largely based on a small number of unstandardized case reports and descriptive studies (involving small samples), which are largely confined to Western (North American, British, and Australian) males. Although much research has been undertaken since the term “muscle dysmorphia” entered the psychiatric lexicon in 1997, there remains tremendous scope for knowledge advancement. A primary task in the short term is for investigators to examine the extent to which the condition exists among well-defined populations to help determine the justification for research funding relative to other public health issues. A greater variety of research questions and designs may contribute to a broader and more robust knowledge base than currently exists. Future work will help clinicians assist a group of people whose quality of life and health are placed at risk by their muscular preoccupation. PMID:27536165

Depression literacy and health-seeking attitudes in the Western Pacific region: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Ho, Grace W K; Bressington, D; Leung, S F; Lam, K K C; Leung, A Y M; Molassiotis, A; Ligot, J; Ranoco, C; Sophal, C; Valimaki, M

2018-06-02

Depression literacy refers to the ability to recognize depression and make informed decisions about its treatment. To date, relatively little research has been done to examine depression literacy in the Western Pacific region. Given the pervasiveness of depression and the need to enhance mental health care in this region, it is important to gain a better understanding of depression literacy and health-seeking behaviors in this part of the world. This mixed-methods study utilized a convergent parallel design to examine depression literacy and the associated health-seeking attitudes among urban adults from three countries-Cambodia, Philippines, and Fiji. A total of 455 adults completed a quantitative survey on depression knowledge, attitudes, and professional help seeking. Separately, 56 interviewees from 6 focus groups provided qualitative data on their impression and knowledge of depression and mental illness within the context of their local communities. Overall, results showed that depression knowledge was comparatively lower in this region. Controlling for differences across countries, higher knowledge was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards mental illness (B = - 0.28, p = 0.025) and professional help seeking (B = 0.20, p < 0.001). Financial stability, such as employment, was also a salient factor for help seeking. This study was the first to provide a baseline understanding on depression literacy and highlights the need to increase public knowledge on depression in the Western Pacific. Culturally congruent recommendations on enhancing depression literacy in this region, such as anti-stigma campaigns, use of financial incentives, and family-based approach in health education, are discussed.

The Value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for the Environmental Health Sciences and Biomedical Research

PubMed Central

Herne, Mose; Castille, Dorothy

2017-01-01

Background: Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is a term, relatively new to Western science, that encompasses a subset of traditional knowledge maintained by Indigenous nations about the relationships between people and the natural environment. The term was first shared by tribal elders in the 1980s to help raise awareness of the importance of TEK. TEK has become a construct that Western scientists have increasingly considered for conducting culturally relevant research with Tribal nations. Objectives: The authors aim to position TEK in relation to other emerging schools of thought, that is, concepts such as the exposome, social determinants of health (SDoH), and citizen science, and to explore TEK’s relevance to environmental health research. This article provides examples of successful application of TEK principles in federally funded research when implemented with respect for the underlying cultural context and in partnership with Indigenous communities. Discussion: Rather than treating TEK as an adjunct or element to be quantified or incorporated into Western scientific studies, TEK can instead ground our understanding of the environmental, social, and biomedical determinants of health and improve our understanding of health and disease. This article provides historical and recent examples of how TEK has informed Western scientific research. Conclusions: This article provides recommendations for researchers and federal funders to ensure respect for the contributions of TEK to research and to ensure equity and self-determination for Tribal nations who participate in research. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP858 PMID:28858824