Correlation of conodont and ammonoid successions across the Viséan–Serpukhovian boundary — A review of occurrences in the South Urals,Cantabrian Mountains,western Ireland and the Rhenish Mountains

Lochriea ziegleri is the conodont species that bears the highest potential to be the index for the base of Serpukhovian. Proposed phylogenetic lineages within the genus Lochriea, particularly the lineage L. nodosa–L. ziegleri, can be confirmed by the latest studies of the succession of the respective species in sections of north-western Ireland and the Rhenish Mountains of Germany; in these regions the first occurrence datum (FOD) of L. ziegleri is in the P2a zone or the comparable Neoglyphioceras suerlandense ammonoid zone. In the Cantabrian Mountains and the South Urals, the FODs of L. ziegleri are possibly located within ammonoid zones characterized by the genera Revilloceras and early representatives of Dombarites zones with falcatoid ornament.     

The biology and chemistry of land fast ice in the White Sea,Russia—A comparison of winter and spring conditions

Various abiotic and biotic parameters, including phytoplankton distribution, were studied to investigate seasonal changes within the fast-ice cover in Chupa Inlet, a freshwater-influenced Arctic-like fjord in Kandalaksha Bay (White Sea). Sea ice and under-ice water were collected along transects in the inlet in February and April 2002. Ice-texture analysis, salinity and ¹⁸O values indicated that the complete ice sheet had transformed within 2 months. This resulted from an upward growth of snow ice and subsequent melting at the underside of the ice, which makes a comparison between the two sampling periods difficult in terms of defining temporal developments within the ice. Nutrients, DOC and DON concentrations in the under-ice water were typical for Russian Arctic rivers. Concentrations of nitrate, silicate and DOC in the ice were lower, which is attributed to a loss as the ice forms. The concentrations were also modified by biological activity. In February, there was a strong correspondence between the distribution of biological parameters, including particulate and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (POC and PON, DOC and DON) and inorganic nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and silicate), which was not the case in April. The correlation between both DOC and DON with ammonium indicates heterotrophic activity within the winter ice collected in February. Sea-ice organisms were distributed throughout the ice, and several assemblages were found in surface layers of the ice. In April, a more "typical" distribution of biomass in the ice was measured, with low values in the upper part and high algal concentrations in the lower sections of the ice, characteristic of a spring ice-algal bloom. In contrast to the February sampling, there was evidence that the ice-algal assemblage in April was nitrogen-limited, with total inorganic nitrogen concentrations being <1 µm and a mean inorganic nitrogen to phosphorus ratio of 2.8. The ice assemblages were dominated by diatoms (in particular, Nitzschia spp.). There were temporal shifts in the assemblage composition: in February, diatoms accounted for 40% and in April for >98% of all organisms counted.     

Seasonal and synoptic climatic drivers of tree growth in the Bighorn Mountains,WY, USA (1654–1983 CE)

In the United States’ (US) Northern Rockies, synoptic pressure systems and atmospheric circulation drive interannual variation in seasonal temperature and precipitation. The radial growth of high-elevation trees in this semi-arid region captures this temperature and precipitation variability and provides long time series to contextualize instrumental-era variability in synoptic-scale climate patterns. Such variability in climate patterns can trigger extreme climate events, such as droughts, floods, and forest fires, which have a damaging impact on human and natural systems. We developed 11 tree-ring width (TRW) chronologies from multiple species and sites to investigate the seasonal climatic drivers of tree growth in the Bighorn Mountains, WY. A principal component analysis of the chronologies identified 54% of shared common variance (1894–2014). Tree growth (expressed by PC1) was driven by multiple seasonal climate variables: previous October and current July temperatures, as well as previous December and current April precipitation, had a positive influence on growth, whereas growth was limited by July precipitation. These seasonal growth-climate relationships corresponded to circulation patterns at higher atmospheric levels over the Bighorn Mountains. Tree growth was enhanced when the winter jet stream was in a northward position, which led to warmer winters, and when the spring jet stream was further south, which led to wetter springs. The second principal component, explaining 19% of the variance, clustered sites by elevation and was strongly related to summer temperature. We leverage this summer temperature signal in our TRW chronologies by combining it with an existing maximum latewood density (MXD) chronology in a nested approach. This allowed us to reconstruct Bighorn Mountains summer (June, July, and August) temperature (BMST) back to 1654, thus extending the instrumental temperature record by 250 years. Our BMST reconstruction explains 39–53% of the variance in regional summer temperature variability. The 1830s were the relatively coolest decade and the 1930s were the warmest decade over the reconstructed period (1654–1983 CE) – which excludes the most recent 3 decades. Our results contextualize recent drivers and trends of climate variability in the US Northern Rockies, which contributes to the information that managers of human and natural systems need in order to prepare for potential future variability.     

Heterogeneity in recruitment and habitat patterns of valley oak (Quercus lobata Née) at the site and landscape scale in the Santa Monica Mountains, California, USA

Valley oak, Quercus lobata Née, has been a focus of conservation attention due to concerns about regeneration failure, habitat fragmentation and modification, and potential range contraction associated with climate change. A drawback of previous studies of valley oak stand structure and the regeneration problem has been their emphasis on one site or spatial and temporal scale. Generalization about valley oak dynamics from such studies is problematic because demographic parameters are not likely to be constant across sites, but heavily influenced by site-specific conditions. This study examines site-to-site variability across three locations in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California, USA. Variability in measures of stand structure and spatial pattern was examined across sites and within the landscape context. Estimates of expected landscape-scale evenness were derived by repeated random sampling of the data set and used as benchmarks for comparison with site-scale measures. Saplings were more abundant than expected at all three sites with sapling:adult ratios ranging from 0.5 to >1.0. Size-class structure suggested past recruitment problems at two sites, but recruitment at one site appears to have been steady for some time. Spatial distribution of adult stems at each site roughly corresponded to the estimated landscape pattern, but sapling establishment has shifted to north-to-east aspect hillsides and riparian-adjacent positions. In hilltop and swale habitats, adult valley oak are senescing without sapling recruitment. Shifting habitat-recruitment associations may lead to increasingly uneven distribution of stems across the landscape, altering landscape patterns and ecological processes.     

A Perspective on the History and Evolution of an Oceans and Human Health “Metadiscipline” in the USA

We review recent history and evolution of Oceans and Human Health programs and related activities in the USA from a perspective within the Federal government. As a result of about a decade of support by the US Congress and through a few Federal agencies, notably the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, robust Oceans and Human Health (OHH) research and application activities are now relatively widespread, although still small, in a number of agencies and academic institutions. OHH themes and issues have been incorporated into comprehensive federal ocean research plans and are reflected in the new National Ocean Policy enunciated by Executive Order 13547. In just a decade, OHH has matured into a recognized “metadiscipline,” with development of a small, but robust and diverse community of science and practice, incorporation into academic educational programs, regular participation in ocean and coastal science and public health societies, and active engagement with public health decision makers. In addition to substantial increases in scientific information, the OHH community has demonstrated ability to respond rapidly and effectively to emergency situations such as those associated with extreme weather events (e.g., hurricanes, floods) and human-caused disasters (e.g., the Deep Water Horizon oil spill). Among many other things, next steps include development and implementation of agency health strategies and provision of specific services, such as ecological forecasts to provide routine early warnings for ocean health threats and opportunities for prevention and mitigation of these risks.     

Vegetation–environment relationships and ecological species groups of an Arizona Pinus ponderosa landscape, USA

Pinus ponderosa forests occupy numerous topographic and soil complexes across vast areas of the southwestern United States, yet few data exist on species distributions and vegetation–environment relationships for these environmentally diverse landscapes. We measured topography, soils, and vegetation on 66, 0.05-ha plots within a 110,000-ha P. ponderosa landscape in northern Arizona, USA, to discern vegetation–environment relationships on this landscape. We analyzed associations of environmental variables with plant communities and with single-species distributions, and we classified ecological species groups (co-occurring plant species exhibiting similar environmental affinities). Gradients in community composition paralleled gradients in soil texture, available water, organic C, total N, and geographic precipitation patterns. Soil parent material, affected by the presence or absence of volcanic activity, is a primary factor constraining vegetation patterns on this landscape. Using discriminant analysis, we built a model that correctly classified the most important of four grasses (Bouteloua gracilis, Muhlenbergia montana, Sporobolus interruptus, or Festuca arizonica) on 70–80% of plots based on five environmental variables related to soil moisture and resource levels. We also classified 52 of the 271 detected plant species into 18 ecological species groups. Species groups ranged from Phacelia and Bahia groups occupying xeric, volcanic cinder soils low in organic C and total N, to Festuca and Lathyrus groups characterizing moist, loam and silt loam soils. We applied the species groups by estimating P. ponderosa diameter increment in a regression tree using abundances of species groups. The most rapid P. ponderosa diameter growth of 5 mm/year occurred on plots with high importance of the Festuca and Lathyrus groups. Our results on this semi-arid landscape support several general ecological species group principles chiefly developed in temperate regions, and suggest that vegetation–environment research has great potential for enhancing our understanding of P. ponderosa forests occupying vast areas of the southwestern United States.     

Impacts of human disturbance on the temporal stability of climate–growth relationships in a red spruce forest,southern Appalachian Mountains,USA

We used dendrochronological techniques to develop a tree-ring chronology (AD 1874–2009) from live trees and investigated the temporal stability of regional climate signals in the heavily disturbed red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.] forest of Roan Mountain, Tennessee and North Carolina, USA. We performed bootstrapped correlation analyses in split data sets and moving intervals analyses to detect shifts in climatic sensitivity during periods of changing forest structure following disturbances. Most notably, a significant shift in red spruce temperature sensitivity occurred post-1930s, where positive growth responses to warm temperatures shifted to negative responses, and this shift coincided with a period of clearcut harvesting. As exogenous disturbances (i.e. ice storms, wind throw, and acidic deposition) are expected to continue altering the structure of this forest throughout the region, the climatic sensitivity of these species may become increasingly unstable.     

Ethnicizatlon and racialization of welfare‐state politics in Germany and the USA

Welfare‐state retrenchment, transnational migration and the integration of immigrants have been accompanied by a growing ethnicization and racialization of welfare‐state politics in the United States and Germany. Although ethnicization and racialization may have other, deeper causes, immigration and its effects on social policies and provisions has become one of the main targets of dissent in the politics of West European and North American welfare states. While in the United States these developments have reinforced race‐class cleavages that have existed since the emergence of her welfare state, German welfare‐state politics has evolved from being primarily class‐based to class‐ethnicity divides in recent years. These cleavages have disadvan‐taged social democratic positions that tried to bridge protection of native workers and humanitarian obligations towards refugees but have supported nationalist‐populist trends. Cosmopolitan‐liberal positions face the formidable task of developing institutional mechanisms for handling conflicts in ethnically pluralist'welfare states.     

Karyotype and cytogeography of the genus Heracleum （Apiaceae） in the Hengduan Mountains

In the present study, the karyotypes of 34 populations belonging to 11 species and one variety of Heracleum from the Hengduan Mountains in China were examined. Chromosome numbers and the karyotypes of three species （H. souliei, H. la＇ngdoni, and H. wenchuanense） are reported for the first time, as are the karyotypes of H. moellendorffii and H. henryi （tetraploid）. Populations of H. candicans, H. franchetii, and H. kingdoni in the Hengduan Mountains were found to consist of a mixture of diploid and tetraploid plants. Except for four species of Heracleum, namely H. candicans, H. franchetii, H. henryi, and H.kingdoni, which have both diploid and tetraploid karyotypes, all other species of Heracleum are were found to be diploid. All karyotypes were found to belong to the 2A type of Stebbins, with the exception ofH. candicans var. obtusifolium, which belongs to 2B, and H. hemsleyanum and H. franchetii （Mt. Dujuan, Daocheng, Sichuan, China）, which belong to 1A. There was only a slight difference in the karyotype asymmetry index, which suggests a close kinship for species of Heracleum and that the entire phylogenetic development of Heracleum is relatively primitive. Species that exhibited advanced morphological features were also more advanced in karyotype structure, with the order ofkaryotype evolution being 1A→2A→2B. This phenomenon indicates that the species distributed in the Hengduan Mountains have not diverged completely and that the Hengduan Mountains are a relatively young and active area for the evolution of Heracleum. Polyploidization in Heracleum may be an important evolutionary mechanisms for some species, generating diversity. The biological attributes, distribution range, and the geological history of the genus have all played a part in accelerating the evolution through polyploidization or aneuploidization. It is known that as the distribution latitude of Heracleum decreases from north to south, the chromosome number, ploidy level, and asymmetry structure appear to increase. In the Hengd     

Stress-induced formation of echinatin and a metabolite, 5′-prenyl-licodione,in cultured Glycyrrhiza echinata cells

The production of a retrochalcone, echinatin, by isoflavone-rich Glycyrrhiza echinata (M-2) cultured cells was stimulated by the addition of yeast extract or calcium alginate beads to the culture medium. Combined addition of yeast extract and cycloheximide suppressed the formation of retrochalcone, suggesting de novo synthesis. A new metabolite was isolated from the induced cells and its structure was determined to be 1-[2,4-dihydroxy-5-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl]-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-propanedione (5′-prenyl-licodione).     

Climatic potential for tourism in the Black Forest,Germany — winter season

Climate change, whether natural or human-caused, will have an impact on human life, including recreation and tourism among other things. In this study, methods from biometeorology and tourism climatology are used to assess the effect of a changed climate on tourism and recreation in particular. The study area is the Black Forest mountainous region of south-west Germany, which is well known for its tourist and recreational assets. Climate model projections for the 2021–2050 period based on REMO-UBA simulations with a high spatial resolution of 10 km are compared to a 30-year reference period (1971–2000) using the IPCC emission scenarios A1B and B1. The results show that the mean winter air temperature will increase by up to 1.8°C, which is the most pronounced warming compared to the other seasons. The annual precipitation amount will increase marginally by 5% in the A1B scenario and 10% in the B1 scenario. Winter precipitation contributes about 10% (A1B) and 30% (B1) to variations in annual precipitation. Although the results show that winter precipitation will increase slightly, snow days affecting skiing will be reduced on average by approximately 40% due to regional warming. Cold stress will be reduced on average by up to 25%. The result is that the thermal environment will be advanced, and warmer winters are likely to lead to an upward altitudinal shift of ski resorts and winter sport activities, thus displacing land-use currently dedicated to nature conservation.     

Pesticides and birds—A review of the situation in Great Britain in 1965

Capsule Arrival date strongly influenced date of breeding and breeding success.

Aim To check our hypothesis that in years with low April temperatures, i.e. when storks started to breed, the relationship between timing of breeding and success would be absent, meaning that migrants would have no advantage by returning early to their breeding area.

Methods We collected data in Poznań province, western Poland during the period 1983–2002. Based on local climatological data we selected eight cold spring years and compared them with the 12 ‘normal’ years. We analysed how weather affected the timing and arrival pattern of White Stork.

Results The two groups of years did not differ significantly in population size, but in normal years the arrival date of both parents was earlier. Arrival date strongly influenced (was positively correlated with) date of breeding and (negatively correlated with) breeding success.

Conclusion The slopes describing the above relationships did not differ significantly between the two groups of years. Therefore, we speculate that natural selection strongly favours birds that return early from the wintering grounds.     

A Revision of Fritillaria L. (Liliaceae) in the Hengduan Mountains and Adjacent Regions,China ( 1 )—A Study of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don and Its Related Species

A study was made on Fritillaria cirrhosa D．Don and its related species based on both field observation and herbarium material．As a result,four species are recognized and 16 specific names and 18 variety names are reduced as synonyms．     

Flora and fauna of the sublittoral hard substrata in the Oosterschelde (The Netherlands) — interactions with the North Sea and the influence of a storm surge barrier

Since 1979 the flora and fauna of the artificial rocky shores of the Oosterschelde estuary have been investigated by diving biologists.Spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity and biomass were studied and several groups of species (communities) were distinguished. A west-east gradient in species composition was found. Species distribution proved to be mainly determined by current velocities, silt and plankton concentrations in the water, underwater irradiance, and the nature of the substratum. Some indications of migration between the basin and the North Sea are shown. Biomass of the hard substratum fauna was compared with that of the soft bottom fauna; the ratio appeared to be about 1 : 2, which is surprisingly high considering the small area available for hard substratum fauna.The key to the interactions with the North Sea is found in the water movements and the volume of water passing through the mouth of the basin during each tide. The abiotic and subsequent biotic changes in the basin caused by the building of the storm surge barrier are discussed, and used to illustrate the measure of dependence of the Oosterschelde on the North Sea.     

Quantitative classification and carbon density of the forest vegetation in Lüliang Mountains of China

Forests play a major role in global carbon (C) cycle, and the carbon density (CD) could reflect its ecological function of C sequestration. Study on the CD of different forest types on a community scale is crucial to characterize in depth the capacity of forest C sequestration. In this study, based on the forest inventory data of 168 field plots in the study area (E 111°30′–113°50′, N 37°30′–39°40′), the forest vegetation was classified by using quantitative method (TWINSPAN); the living biomass of trees was estimated using the volume-derived method; the CD of different forest types was estimated from the biomass of their tree species; and the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on CD were studied using a multiple linear regression analysis. The results show that the forest vegetation in this region could be classified into 9 forest formations. The average CD of the 9 forest formations was 32.09 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2000 and 33.86 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2005. Form. Picea meyeri had the highest CD (56.48 Mg ha⁻¹), and Form. Quercus liaotungensis + Acer mono had the lowest CD (16.14 Mg ha⁻¹). Pre-mature forests and mature forests were very important stages in C sequestration among four age classes in these formations. Forest densities, average age of forest stand, and elevation had positive relationships with forest CD, while slope location had negative correlation with forest CD.     

Forest composition changes in the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mountains during the last millennium—A palaeoecological study

Pollen analysis of sediments carried off slope-spring mires (Jan?ík I and II) in the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mountains made it possible to reconstruct the vegetation in the area over the last millennium. The reconstruction included changes in forest cover and composition, management methods, and changes in landscape from the Middle Ages to the present. Nearly all inferred vegetation changes were most probably anthropogenic. Most of the sediments probably resulted from water-logging following deforestation. Two distinct phases in the vegetation development were inferred. The older phase reflects the natural composition of forests and the original character of the landscape before human impact. Forest communities with dominantAbies, Fagus, andPicea still covered this part of the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mountains at the beginning of the Wallachian colonization (end of the 15th century). Other tree species were interspersed, depending on local conditions. The vegetation changed sharply a major way at the transition to the second phase. Deforestation was considerable, many soils became water-logged, and agricultural activity expanded from the lowlands into the mountains. This is shown in the pollen diagrams by the very strong decline ofAbies andFagus, high values ofPoaceae andCyperaceae, and marked increase of cultivated species, weeds of arable fields, grassland species, and, above all, indicators of eutrophicated biotopes.