Prokaryotes in the WAIS Divide ice core reflect source and transport changes between Last Glacial Maximum and the early Holocene

We present the first long‐term, highly resolved prokaryotic cell concentration record obtained from a polar ice core. This record, obtained from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide (WD) ice core, spanned from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the early Holocene (EH) and showed distinct fluctuations in prokaryotic cell concentration coincident with major climatic states. The time series also revealed a ~1,500‐year periodicity with greater amplitude during the Last Deglaciation (LDG). Higher prokaryotic cell concentration and lower variability occurred during the LGM and EH than during the LDG. A sevenfold decrease in prokaryotic cell concentration coincided with the LGM/LDG transition and the global 19 ka meltwater pulse. Statistical models revealed significant relationships between the prokaryotic cell record and tracers of both marine (sea‐salt sodium [ssNa]) and burning emissions (black carbon [BC]). Collectively, these models, together with visual observations and methanosulfidic acid (MSA) measurements, indicated that the temporal variability in concentration of airborne prokaryotic cells reflected changes in marine/sea‐ice regional environments of the WAIS. Our data revealed that variations in source and transport were the most likely processes producing the significant temporal variations in WD prokaryotic cell concentrations. This record provided strong evidence that airborne prokaryotic cell deposition differed during the LGM, LDG, and EH, and that these changes in cell densities could be explained by different environmental conditions during each of these climatic periods. Our observations provide the first ice‐core time series evidence for a prokaryotic response to long‐term climatic and environmental processes.     

Postglacial northward expansion and genetic differentiation between migratory and sedentary populations of the broad‐tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)

Unlike other migratory hummingbirds in North America, the broad‐tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) exhibits both long‐distance migratory behaviour in the USA and sedentary behaviour in Mexico and Guatemala. We examined the evolution of migration linked to its northward expansion using a multiperspective approach. We analysed variation in morphology, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, estimated migration rates between migratory and sedentary populations, compared divergence times with the occurrence of Quaternary climate events and constructed species distribution models to predict where migratory and sedentary populations resided during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Last Interglacial (LIG) events. Our results are consistent with a recent northward population expansion driven by migration from southern sedentary populations. Phylogeographical analyses and population genetics methods revealed that migratory populations in the USA and sedentary populations in Mexico of the platycercus subspecies form one admixed population, and that sedentary populations from southern Mexico and Guatemala (guatemalae) undertook independent evolutionary trajectories. Species distribution modelling revealed that the species is a niche tracker and that the climate conditions associated with modern obligate migrants in the USA were not present during the LIG, which provides indirect evidence for recent migratory behaviour in broad‐tailed hummingbirds on the temporal scale of glacial cycles. The finding that platycercus hummingbirds form one genetic population and that suitable habitat for migratory populations was observed in eastern Mexico during the LIG also suggests that the conservation of overwintering sites is crucial for obligate migratory populations currently facing climate change effects.     

Palaeoclimate and Palaeoenvironment of the Last Glacial Stage in Salawusu Area of Nei Monggol,China

Salawusu area of Nei Monggol, is the famous ruins of “Hetao man” and their culture. It is also the native haunt of Salawusu Fauna and the typical site of the late Pleistocene in northern China. By densely sampling and carefully analysing, the authors worked out a beautiful and complete pollen-spore diagram of the Salawusu section, which records in detail the proccess of the vegetational development and the climatic changes of this region since Last Glacial periode, about 60 ka B.P. Accordingly, the last glacial period may be divided into three substages: Early, middle and late substage, corresponding to the pollen-spore zones: Ⅰ,Ⅱ, and Ⅲ. Substages are divided into cold stadials and relative warmmer tnterstadials, corresponding to subzones of pollenspore zones. This scheme can be well correlated with that of other regions in China, in Europe, in America and the results of the oxygen isotopic research in deep sea, all over the world.     

Late Pleistocene divergence and postglacial expansion in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: multilocus phylogeography of Rhopias gularis (Aves: Passeriformes)

In the last decade, phylogeographic studies have revealed a complex evolutionary history of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF) biota. Here, we investigated the evolutionary history of Rhopias gularis, an endemic bird of the AF, based on sequences of two mitochondrial genes and three nuclear introns from 64 specimens from 15 localities. We addressed three main questions: (1) Does the genetic diversity of R. gularis exhibit a distribution pattern congruent with the refuge hypothesis postulated for the AF? (2) Is the population genetic structure of R. gularis congruent with those observed in other AF species? (3) What were the possible historical events responsible for the population structure of this species? Our mtDNA data revealed two phylogroups: (1) phylogroup central‐south, with samples from the central and southern parts of the range; (2) and phylogroup north, which included individuals from southern Bahia. Nevertheless, nuclear loci did not reveal any evidence of population structure. Bottleneck tests indicated that the central‐south lineage experienced demographic expansion, starting around 20 kya, which coincides with the end of the last glacial maximum. However, there was no evidence of population growth in phylogroup north. Isolation with migration analysis indicated that these phylogroups split c.a. 304 kya, with limited gene flow among them. Palaeodistribution models indicated that R. gularis had a reduced distribution in the south and central AF during the last glacial maximum. Our results support a diversification scenario that is in accordance with proposed Pleistocene refugia. The phylogeographic results from our study exhibited spatial and temporal concordances and discordances with previous studies of organisms from the AF. Differences in habitat requirements of these species could be behind this complex scenario. Future studies correlating variables of the niche of these species with the observed phylogeographic patterns may help understand why there are congruent and incongruent results.     

Ecological niche conservatism and Pleistocene refugia in the Thrush-like Mourner, Schiffornis sp., in the neotropics

Recent studies have increasingly implicated deep (pre-Pleistocene) events as key in the vertebrate speciation, downplaying the importance of more recent (Pleistocene) climatic shifts. This work, however, has been based almost exclusively on evidence from molecular clock inferences of splitting dates. We present an independent perspective on this question, using ecological niche model reconstructions of Pleistocene Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) potential distributions for the Thrush-like Mourner (Schiffornis turdina) complex in the neotropics. LGM distributional patterns reconstructed from the niche models relate significantly to phylogroups identified in previous molecular systematic analyses. As such, patterns of differentiation and speciation in this complex are consistent with Pleistocene climate and geography, although further testing will be necessary to establish dates of origin firmly and unambiguously.     

The vegetation and climate at the last glaciation on the emerged continental shelf of the South China Sea

Studies on the dispersal mechanism and source areas of pollen from hemipelagic sediments recovered from the continental slopes of the South China Sea (SCS) reveal that vegetation existed on the exposed shelves at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the latter part of the Marine Isotope Stage 3. At the low sea level stand, Artemisia-dominated grassland covered the northern continental shelf and tropical lowland rainforest and mangroves grew on the southern shelf ‘Sunda Land’. Consequently, the climate in the northern SCS must have been much colder and drier during the last glacial period compared to the present. Sunda Land experienced only a marginally lower temperature but was not drier than today. The enhanced contrast between the northern and southern parts of the SCS in vegetation and climate during the LGM may be ascribed, at least partly, to the strengthening of Winter Monsoon during the last glacial period.     

Last Interglacial Hominid and Associated Vertebrate Fossil Trackways in Coastal Eolianites,South Africa

Two Late Pleistocene hominid footprint sites are known in South Africa, one on the west coast (Langebaan) and the other on the southeast coast (Nahoon). Both trackways occur in calcareous eolianites and are dated to the Last Interglacial (～120 ka). The chief objective is to infer anatomical features of these early anatomically modern hominid footprint makers, about which little is known. At Nahoon, trackways of at least five species of vertebrates, including three hominid footprints, are preserved as casts. One footprint preserves excellent detail, appearing in all respects to be modern, but possibly with a deformity of the small toe. The impressions are shallow and suggest slight build. The stature of the footprint maker, as estimated from foot length (19.2 cm), is ～127 cm, considerably less than modern adult Khoi-San and was probably made by a juvenile. The step length is short relative to foot length, a consequence of walking uphill on a yielding substrate. The Langebaan trackway (preserved as natural impressions) comprises two intact prints and remnants of a third. Pronounced push up mounds flank the prints and preservation of toe impressions is poor. The foot length is 22.8 cm, indicating a stature of ～1.57 m. This falls within the range of modern adult Khoi-San, lending some support to the notion that Middle Stone Age people were of small stature. The depth of the prints and clumsy progression are suggestive of heavy build.     

孑遗灌木长柄扁桃的历史分布格局及其环境驱动力

为了解历史气候变化背景下分布于中国西北干旱沙漠、半干旱沙地和山地地区的孑遗灌木植物长柄扁桃(Amygdalus pedunculata)的分布与演化, 该研究利用长柄扁桃60个自然分布点和8个环境因子, 整合GIS空间分析和最大熵模型(MaxEnt), 分析珍稀濒危保护物种长柄扁桃末次间冰期(LIG)、末次盛冰期(LGM)和当前的历史地理分布格局变化及其环境驱动力。基于各时期长柄扁桃的分布模型模拟数据及自然种群的叶绿体基因测序数据, 利用最小成本路径方法, 模拟LIG时期以来长柄扁桃可能的扩散路径。利用R语言“ggbiplot”程序包对各时期长柄扁桃适生区的历史环境变量进行主成分分析(PCA), 分析影响长柄扁桃历史分布格局变化的关键气候因子。结果表明: (1) LIG时期以来, 长柄扁桃的历史分布经历了显著收缩和末次盛冰期后的扩张, LIG至LGM时期, 分布于库布齐沙漠东部、毛乌素沙地北部、陕西北部、阴山北部、乌兰察布高原南部、浑善达克沙地的适宜分布区明显收缩; LGM时期至今, 长柄扁桃在库布齐沙漠东部、毛乌素沙地中部沿北部阴山向东, 以及浑善达克沙地西部均发生了显著扩张。3个时期长柄扁桃均在内蒙古高原中西部存在高度适宜性分布区, 包括毛乌素沙地北缘、库布齐沙漠东缘以及大青山, 这些地区很可能是长柄扁桃的冰期避难所。北部阴山和毛乌素沙地边缘是长柄扁桃种群迁移过程中重要的扩散廊道; (2) LIG至LGM时期, 气温因子: 最冷月最低气温、平均气温日较差和最热月最高气温均呈显著下降的趋势, 冷干气候对长柄扁桃的冰期分布存在较大限制, 适生区显著收缩。而LGM时期至今, 降水因子最湿月降水量和降水量季节性均显著上升, 长柄扁桃在库布齐沙漠东部、毛乌素沙地中部、阴山以及浑善达克沙地西部发生显著扩张, 降水因子也是影响当前适宜分布区的关键限制性因子。     

Combining ecological niche modelling and morphology to assess the range‐wide population genetic structure of bobcats (Lynx rufus)

Despite a broad distribution, general habitat requirements, and a large dispersal potential, bobcats (Lynx rufus) exhibit a genetic division that longitudinally transects central North America. We investigated (1) whether the climate of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 21 kya) isolated bobcats into refugia and also whether the current climate influences gene flow between the segregate populations and (2) whether the geographical patterns in cranial morphology reflect population identity. We created ecological niche models (ENMs) to evaluate climatic suitability and to estimate distributions of the disparate populations under both historical (LGM) and contemporary conditions. We used two‐dimensional geometric morphometric methods to evaluate variations in the cranium and mandible. These variations were then regressed across geographical variables to assess morphological differences throughout the range of the bobcat. ENMs projected onto LGM climate provided evidence of refugia during the LGM via increased suitability in the north‐west and south‐east portions of this species' range. Contemporarily, our models suggest that the Great Plains may be restricting bobcat migration and gene flow, effectively maintaining disparate populations. Morphological analyses identified a significant linear trend in shape variation across latitudinal and longitudinal gradients rather than distinct morphological divergence between lineages. Similar shape variations, however, did converge in approximate locations of assumed refugia. The findings of the present study provide a robust assessment of the biogeographical considerations for the population genetic structure of bobcats.     

The deep population history of northern East Asia from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene

1. Download : Download high-res image (291KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Vegetation changes around the last glacial maximum and effects of the Aira-Tn ash,at the Itai-Teragatani site,central Japan

On the basis of fossil pollen, plant macrofossils and fossil wood, vegetation existing around the Itai-Teragatani Site between 26000 and 20000 yr ago was reconstructed. On the upland, there were mixed forests of conifers and deciduous broad-leaved trees throughout the studied period. The forests consisted mainly ofPinus subgen.Haploxylon andQuercus subgen.Lepidobalanus, together withTsuga, Cryptomeria andUlmus-Zelkova. In the wetland, there were stands ofBetula andAlnus in grassland consisting of Cyperaceae, Gramineae,Lysichiton, Thalictrum, Sangusiorba, Umbelliferae and Compositae. The vegetation changed three times during the studied period. The first change, which occurred prior to the fall of the Aira-Tn ash, was characterized by an increase inAbies, Pinus subgen.Haploxylon and hygrophytes, and a decrease inCryptomeria andAlnus. This is considered to reflect a cooler climate, and expansion of grassland. The second change was caused by the fall of the Aira-Tn ash, which caused serious damage to the vegetation. Many taxa, except forAlnus, Cyperaceae andLysichiton, decreased or vanished after the ash fall. The third change was the process of recovery after the damage. The regenerated forests differed from those before the ash fall. With the regeneration conifers andArtemisia increased. This seemed to reflect the changes in climate and ground conditions caused by the accumulation of the ash.     

The not‐so‐Irish spurge: Euphorbia hyberna (Euphorbiaceae) and the Littletonian plant ‘steeplechase’

The disjunct distributions of the Lusitanian flora, which are found only in south‐west Ireland and northern Iberia, and are generally absent from intervening regions, have been of great interest to biogeographers. There has been much debate as to whether Irish populations represent relicts that survived the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; approximately 21 kya), or whether they recolonized from southern refugia subsequent to the retreat of the ice and, if so, whether this occurred directly (i.e. the result of long distance dispersal) or successively (i.e. in the manner of a ‘steeplechase’, with the English Channel and Irish Sea representing successive ‘water‐jumps’ that have to be successfully crossed). In the present study, we used a combined palaeodistribution modelling and phylogeographical approach to determine the glacial history of the Irish spurge, Euphorbia hyberna, the sole member of the Lusitanian flora that is also considered to occur naturally in south‐western England. Our findings suggest that the species persisted through the LGM in several southern refugia, and that northern populations are the result of successive recolonization of Britain and Ireland during the postglacial Littletonian warm stage, akin to the ‘steeplechase’ hypothesis. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 114 , 249–259.     

Radiocarbon dating the late Middle Paleolithic and the Aurignacian of the Swabian Jura

Many lines of evidence point to the period between roughly 40 and 30 ka BP as the period in which modern humans arrived in Europe and displaced the indigenous Neandertal populations. At the same time, many innovations associated with the Upper Paleolithic--including new stone and organic technologies, use of personal ornaments, figurative art, and musical instruments--are first documented in the European archaeological record. Dating the events of this period is challenging for several reasons. In the period about six to seven radiocarbon half-lives ago, variable preservation, pre-treatment, and sample preparation can easily lead to a lack of reproducibility between samples and laboratories. A range of biological, cultural, and geological processes can lead to mixing of archaeological strata and their contents. Additionally, some data sets point to this period as a time of significant spikes in levels of atmospheric radiocarbon. This paper assesses these questions in the context of the well-excavated and intensively studied caves of Geissenkl?sterle and Hohle Fels in the Swabian Jura of southwestern Germany. We conclude that variable atmospheric radiocarbon production contributes to the problems of dating the late Middle Paleolithic and the early Upper Paleolithic. To help establish a reliable chronology for the Swabian Aurignacian, we are beginning to focus our dating program on short-lived, stratigraphically secure features to see if they yield reproducible results. This approach may help to test competing explanations for the noisy and often non-reproducible results that arise when trying to date the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic.     

Pleistocene human footprints from the Willandra Lakes, Southeastern Australia

Human and other hominid fossil footprints provide rare but important insights into anatomy and behavior. Here we report recently discovered fossil trackways of human footprints from the Willandra Lakes region of western New South Wales, Australia. Optically dated to between 19-23 ka and consisting of at least 124 prints, the trackways form the largest collection of Pleistocene human footprints in the world. The prints were made by adults, adolescents, and children traversing the moist surface of an ephemeral soak. This site offers a unique glimpse of humans living in the arid inland of Australia at the height of the last glacial period.     

Insights into the biogeographical history of the Lower Guinea Forest Domain: evidence for the role of refugia in the intraspecific differentiation of Aucoumea klaineana

Determining the biogeographical histories of rainforests is central to our understanding of the present distribution of tropical biodiversity. Ice age fragmentation of central African rainforests strongly influenced species distributions. Elevated areas characterized by higher species richness and endemism have been postulated to be Pleistocene forest refugia. However, it is often difficult to separate the effects of history and of present-day ecological conditions on diversity patterns at the interspecific level. Intraspecific genetic variation could yield new insights into history, because refugia hypotheses predict patterns not expected on the basis of contemporary environmental dynamics. Here, we test geographically explicit hypotheses of vicariance associated with the presence of putative refugia and provide clues about their location. We intensively sampled populations of Aucoumea klaineana, a forest tree sensitive to forest fragmentation, throughout its geographical range. Characterizing variation at 10 nuclear microsatellite loci, we were able to obtain phylogeographic data of unprecedented detail for this region. Using Bayesian clustering approaches, we demonstrated the presence of four differentiated genetic units. Their distribution matched that of forest refugia postulated from patterns of species richness and endemism. Our data also show differences in diversity dynamics at leading and trailing edges of the species' shifting distribution. Our results confirm predictions based on refugia hypotheses and cannot be explained on the basis of present-day ecological conditions.     

An Insight into Paleovegetation on the Emerged Shelf at the Last Glaciation: Pollen Date of the South China Sea

Vegetation on the emerged continental shelves of the South China Sea (SCS) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was deduced based on pollen of hemipelagic sediments from the continental slopes and the consideration of pollen transport dynamics and source areas. During the LGM (including the top of Oxygen Isotope Stage 3) the sea level might be more than 100 m lower than that of the present. Consequently, both northern and southern continental shelves of the SCS were exposed. The northern continental shelf was covered by grassland mainly of Artem/s/a. The climate should be cold and dry, whereas on the southern continental shelf (Sunda Land) was spread tropical lowland rainforest and mangroves were scattered by the river mouths and along the coast. The climate might be cooler than that in the present day, but drop of humidity was not observed.