Comparative statistical studies on the anthropology of the Iron Age (last millennium B.C.)

Extending previous statistical studies on the anthropology of the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, anthropological material from the Iron Age (1000-0) was compiled and condensed into 71 series (population samples). Penrose distances were calculated on the basis of 10 skull measurements.The dendrogram consisting of 49 larger series shows a division into a west- and an east-cluster. The west-cluster can be broken down into a northern, entirely European section, and into a southern subcluster, stretching from Sardinia to Pakistan.The east-cluster differs from the west-cluster above all in the larger width measurements, as in the case with the north-east and south-west complexes in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages The northern part deviates from the southern part in much the same way, but only to the same degree with respect to skull width. Both in the west and in the east the “Europid Brachycephalic belt” begins to show, with a lower cephalic index in the north and south, and a higher one in the centre.The convergent trend in resemblance between the European populations continues in the Iron Age. The difference between east and west diminishes continually, too. Skull width and cephalic index run contrary to this trend; the brachycranisation process is faster in the east than in the west.     

中国西南地区重要木本油料植物扁核木的遗传结构及成因

扁核木(Prinsepia utilis)为中国西南地区温带森林重要的木本油料植物, 但对其野生资源种群遗传结构及成因的了解严重不足。我们采用核微卫星分子标记, 对32个扁核木自然种群共377个个体的群体演化历史进行了探讨, 并评估其遗传资源。研究发现扁核木种群自西向东可划分4个遗传群组, 即喜马拉雅、横断山以及云贵高原西部和东部群组。其中, 最大的遗传分化存在于喜马拉雅和其他区域种群间。与喜马拉雅和云贵高原东部群组相比, 横断山和云贵高原西部群组混合了其他群组的遗传成分。种群动态历史分析显示中部2个群组在喜马拉雅和云贵高原东部群组形成后形成, 不同群组间的分化均发生在更新世晚期。地理隔离和环境隔离分析表明扁核木种群间的遗传分化主要由环境差异导致。环境差异分析显示不同群组间的气候存在不同程度的差异, 其中喜马拉雅和云贵高原东部群组与中部2个群组间的差异显著。此外, 结合该物种不同时期的生态位模拟数据, 我们认为喜马拉雅和云贵高原地区的遗传资源在未来需要优先保护。     

Genetic differentiation among populations of Brachytrupes portentosus (Lichtenstein 1796) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in Thailand and the Lao PDR: the Mekong River as a biogeographic barrier

The Mekong River is known to act as a boundary between a number of terrestrial and freshwater species, including various parasites and their intermediate hosts as well as endangered mammal species. Little information is available, however, on the genetic differentiation between terrestrial invertebrates to the east and the west of this wide river. The genetic diversity among eight natural populations of Brachytrupes portentosus (Lichtenstein, 1796) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) collected from Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) were analyzed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. The allelic profiles of 20 enzymes encoding 23 loci were analyzed. An average of 41% fixed differences was detected between the populations from Thailand and Lao PDR, which are separated by the Mekong River. The percent fixed differences ranged between 4% and 26% within the populations from Thailand and between 4% and 22% within the populations from Lao PDR. A phenogram shows that the eight populations fell into two major clusters based on the Thai and Lao sampling sites. The genetic distance between the samples within Thailand and within Lao PDR was related to the distances between sampling areas. The genetic variability between populations of this cricket indicates that genetic relationships are influenced by a natural barrier as well as by the geographical distance between these allopatric populations.     

Leopard tortoises in southern Africa have greater genetic diversity in the north than in the south (Testudinidae)

In contrast to mammals, little is known about the phylogeographic structuring of widely distributed African reptile species. With the present study, we contribute data for the leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis). It ranges from the Horn of Africa southward to South Africa and westwards to southern Angola. However, its natural occurrence is disputed for some southern regions. To clarify the situation, we used mtDNA sequences and 14 microsatellite loci from 204 individuals mainly from southern Africa. Our results retrieved five mitochondrial clades; one in the south and two in the north‐west and north‐east of southern Africa, respectively, plus two distributed further north. Using microsatellites, the southern clade matched with a well‐defined southern nuclear cluster, whilst the two northern clades from southern Africa corresponded to another nuclear cluster with three subclusters. One subcluster had a western and central distribution, another occurred mostly in the north‐east, and the third in a small eastern region (Maputaland), which forms part of a biodiversity hotspot. Genetic diversity was low in the south and high in the north of our study region, particularly in the north‐east. Our results refuted that translocations influenced the genetic structure of leopard tortoises substantially. We propose that Pleistocene climatic fluctuations caused leopard tortoises to retract to distinct refugia in southern and northern regions and ascribe the high genetic diversity in the north of southern Africa to genetic structuring caused by the survival in three refuges and subsequent admixture, whereas tortoises in the south seem to have survived in only one continuous coastal refuge.     

Reproductive characteristics of Drosophila hibisci in the Northern Territory, Australia

Reproductive traits of Drosophila hibisci collected at 18 sites in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia in May, 1998, as well as at two sites in north Queensland, in June, 1998, were compared to those from earlier work on a cline in ovariole number in D. hibisci along the east coast of Australia. The flies in the NT were considerably smaller, but had more ovarioles than comparably-sized flies on the east coast. Although the flies on the east coast showed an increasing number of ovarioles in populations at increasing distances from the equator, these new populations, both on the east coast and in the NT, reversed this trend, producing a generally U-shaped pattern of ovariole number with latitude among all populations. The northernmost and southernmost populations allocate more to ovariole numbers than populations in intermediate latitudes. Ovariole number is closely related to body size of females in all populations, but the regression coefficient is small at intermediate latitudes and increases at the northern and southern ends of the distribution. Egg volumes primarily varied with body size of the female (positive) and number of ovarioles per female (negatively), producing a generally inverted U-shaped pattern of egg volumes with latitude. Reproductive allocation patterns, but not thorax size or ovariole number, varied significantly in two samples taken 10 days apart at one NT site. This variation probably results from environmental differences across generations of developing larvae and is consistent with our earlier suggestion of substantial effects of the environment, primarily rainfall and temperature, on reproductive allocation in D. hibisci.     

Genetic structure of a 2,500-year-old human population in China and its spatiotemporal changes

To examine temporal changes in population genetic structure, we compared the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of three populations that lived in the same location, Linzi, China, in different periods: 2,500 years ago (the Spring-Autumn era), 2,000 years ago (the Han era), and the present day. Two indices were used to compare the genetic differences: the frequency distributions of the radiating haplotype groups and the genetic distances among the populations. The results indicate that the genetic backgrounds of the three populations are distinct from each other. Inconsistent with the geographical distribution, the 2,500-year-old Linzi population showed greater genetic similarity to present-day European populations than to present-day east Asian populations. The 2, 000-year-old Linzi population had features that were intermediate between the present-day European/2,500-year-old Linzi populations and the present-day east Asian populations. These relationships suggest the occurrence of drastic spatiotemporal changes in the genetic structure of Chinese people during the past 2,500 years.     

Phenotypic evolution of human craniofacial morphology after admixture: a geometric morphometrics approach

An evolutionary, diachronic approach to the phenotypic craniofacial pattern arisen in a human population after high levels of admixture and gene flow was achieved by means of geometric morphometrics. Admixture has long been studied after molecular data. Nevertheless, few efforts have been made to explain the morphological outcome in human craniofacial samples. The Spanish-Amerindian contact can be considered a good scenario for such an analysis. Here we present a comparative analysis of craniofacial shape changes observed between two putative ancestor groups, Spanish and precontact Aztecs, and two diachronic admixed groups, corresponding to early and late colonial periods from the Mexico's Central Valley. Quantitative shape comparisons of Amerindian, Spanish, and admixed groups were used to test the expectations of quantitative genetics for admixture events. In its simplest form, this prediction states that an admixed group will present phenotypic values falling between those of both parental groups. Results show that, in general terms, although the human skull is a complex, integrated structure, the craniofacial morphology observed fits the theoretical expectations of quantitative genetics. Thus, it is predictive of population structure and history. In fact, results obtained after the craniofacial analysis are in accordance with previous molecular and historical interpretations, providing evidence that admixture is a main microevolutionary agent influencing modern Mexican gene pool. However, expectations are not straightforward when moderate shape changes are considered. Deviations detected at localized structures, such as the upper and lower face, highlight the evolution of a craniofacial pattern exclusively inherent to the admixed groups, indicating that quantitative characters might respond to admixture in a complicated, nondirectional way.     

Diachronic variation in cranial thickness of Near Eastern populations

Cephalometric radiographs were taken of 111 skulls of skeletal remains of populations living in Israel and Jordan during the last 12,000 years. From these radiographs, skull length and height, and cranial thickness were measured. For each sex and period, high correlations were found between cranial thickness at vertex, bregma, and lambda. Cranial thickness at nasion was correlated with sinus width but not sinus height. All measurements were correlated with skull length but not skull breadth. Using multivariate analysis, no significant differences in cranial thickness were found between the sexes. Significant diachronic trends were found in lambda and sinus width, and they were independent of variation in skull length.     

REMARKABLE CONSERVATION OF INTERNALLY TRANSCRIBED SPACER SEQUENCES OF ARTHROSPIRA (“SPIRULINA” ) (CYANOPHYCEAE,CYANOBACTERIA) STRAINS FROM FOUR CONTINENTS AND OF RECENT AND 30‐YEAR‐OLD DRIED SAMPLES FROM AFRICA1

The internally transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of 21 Arthrospira clonal strains from four continents and assigned to four different species (A. platensis, A. maxima, A. fusiformis, A. indica) in the culture collections were determined. Two main clusters, I and II, were differentiated by 49 positions out of 475 nt or 477 nt, respectively. Each cluster was further subdivided into two subclusters. Subclusters I.A and I.B were separated by two substitutions, whereas subclusters II.A and II.B were distinguished by four substitutions. After direct sequencing of the PCR products, three dried samples from Chad aged between 3 months and 35 years yielded a sequence belonging to subcluster I.A, as did a recent commercial product. The strains grown in production plants belonged to the same (sub)clusters as strains from culture collections, mainly I.A and II. PCR primers specific for each cluster and subcluster were designed and tested with crude cell lysates of Arthrospira strains. One dried sample (“dihé” 1) and a herbarium sample from Lake Sonachi (Kenya) only contained I.A sequences, whereas the commercial product was a mixture of the four genotypes and the other two dried samples contained minor polymorphisms characteristic of different clusters. Five clonal Arthrospira strains, thought to be duplicates, showed the simultaneous presence of the two forms of the four diagnostic positions that distinguish subclusters genotype II.A and genotype II.B. This is likely to be caused by multiple copies of the rDNA operon, in a intermediate stage of homogenization between subcluster II.A and subcluster II.B. The high conservation of ITS sequences is in contrast with the assignment to four different species, the great morphological variability of the strains, and their wide geographic distribution.     

Genes and people in the caspian littoral: A population genetic study in northern Iran

Data for the distribution of alleles controlling two blood group systems and secretor status, for hemoglobin types, five serum protein groups and 15 red cell enzyme systems has been obtained. Eleven of the systems showed polymorphic variation and these systems have been used to calculate genetic distances using Morton's Kinship measure. No systematic relationship between genetic distance and geographic location of linguistic affiliation is apparent. There is, however, an apparent cline of decreasing frequency of PGD^c from east to west and also significant differences in the frequency of G6PD deficiency corresponding to variation in the ecology of the region. Genetic distance comparisons with other selected populations reveal that the Turkic and Turkoman speaking peoples in the Caspian area cluster with the Kurds, Greeks and Iranis. The Persian speakers are genetically remote from these populations; they are, however, close to the Parsis who migrated from Iran to India at the end of the Seventh Century A.D. Several unusual genetic variants were detected, including a novel MDH pheno-type, a superoxide dismutase phenotype identical with the Scandinavian type, and rare forms of LDH, PGM locus 2, ceruloplasmin, diaphorase, peptidases and PHI.     

Comparison of Avar period anthropological series

This study concerns human skeletal remains recovered from nine Avar period cemeteries from two regions, one in Northern Hungary and the other from Backa in Yugoslavia. Regional differences are compared using Penrose's generalised distance method, Alexeyeva's indices and preauricular facio-cerebral indices.     

Differences in mandibular disparity between extant and extinct species of metatherian and placental carnivore clades

There are a number of studies relating to skull morphology differences within the carnivoran clades of both placentals and metatherians. It is difficult to compare these studies because of differences in taxonomic sampling, for example some include fossil taxa while others include non‐carnivoran placentals. As a consequence, we studied mandible morphology in a broad range of both extant and extinct carnivorous species, including Carnivora, Marsupialia and Sparassodonta to test for differences between these clades. We used geometric morphometrics and two disparity indexes, the variance and Procrustes distances mean. When including fossil species, we found no significant differences for both disparities in some analyses, except after the exclusion of the sabretooth morphotype. This can be explained by the extreme morphology of this morphotype, which increases the variance and reduces the disparity effect of the other species in the analyses. Using Procrustes distances, we found significant differences in disparity distances between Carnivora and Metatheria for most of the analyses. We also found significant differences using the variance index in some analyses. The mandibular disparity in Carnivora is greater than in carnivorous metatherian mammals for most of the cases and this can be related with differences in evolutionary history and constraints of both groups. The pattern found in the mandible is similar to that found in the face of the skull but was not observed in the braincase, due to differences in skull function and mandible function.     

A Comparative Floristic Study on the Seed Plants of the East Side and the West Side of the Northern Gaoligong Mts . in Northwestern Yunnan,China

The differences in rainfall and temperature between the east and west sides of the northern GaoligongMts. leads to distinct differences in the plant diversity and floristic characteristics between the two sides . Recorded taxa on the east side include 1 475 native species and 192 varieties (or subspecies) belonging to 580 genera in 152 families and for the west side include 1 804 native species and 186 varieties ( or subspecies) belonging to 659 genera in 162 families . Based on the statistics and analysis of families, genera, and species, a comparative floristic study on the seed plants for the east side and the west side of the northern Gaoligong Mts. was carried out. The results are as follows: 1) The present flora on the east and west sides of the northern Gaoligong Mts . have the same floristic origins, but the relative contribution from these different sources has changed through time . The result is that the floristic similarity of families, genera, and species between the east side and the west side has decreased through time; 2) The floristic characteristic of seed plants for the west side has become more greatly influenced by tropical floristic elements than has that of the east side, and the influence by the temperate floristic elements has become less influenced on the west side but greater on the east side; 3) The flora of the west side is more closely linked with that of the eastern Himalayans than is the flora of the east side, and the flora of the east side is more closely linked with the other floras farther to the east. Owing to the obstruct of the Gaoligong Mts. ridge itself, it is seemingly difficult for the species interchange between the two sides of the northern Gaoligong Mts. ; 4) The ecological-geographical environment has made it more conducive to species conservation and the speciation on the west side than on the east side, so the west side is not only a refuge for some ancient floristic elements but also as a cradle of some new species.     

2000-2019年长江流域植被覆盖时空演化及其驱动因素

长江流域作为中国重要的生态屏障,科学认识长江流域植被覆盖时空变化及其驱动因素,对有效开展长江流域生态工程建设具有重要的指导意义与应用价值。基于2000—2019年间MODIS-NDVI与相关气象等数据,采用Theil-Sen median趋势分析、Mann-Kendall检验、变异系数、偏相关分析、残差分析等方法,研究了近20年来长江流域植被覆盖的时空分布与变化特征,并探究了研究区植被覆盖的驱动因素。结果表明：(1)时间变化上,长江流域生长季NDVI呈现波动增长趋势,显著改善面积大于退化面积;(2)空间分布上,流域植被覆盖空间分布格局大致呈现为“中部高,东西低”,生长季NDVI多年均值为0.6164,呈较高植被覆盖状态;(3)变化趋势上,植被增长区域大于减少区域,具体表现为“中部强于东部、东部强于西部”;(4)变化稳定性上,流域植被变异系数介于0.0104—1.3199之间,呈现出“中间低,东西高,东西部局部区域高低波动并存,地域性差异明显”的空间变化稳定性特征;(5)影响因素上,流域植被覆盖变化受气温和降水的共同影响,大部分区域生长季NDVI变化以气候驱动为主,局部区域表现自然因素叠...     

The effects of periodic eutrophication on parasitism and stock identification of Trematomus bernacchii (Pisces: Nototheniidae) in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, is suited for the study of the effects of eutrophication on diet-related parasites of Trematomus bernacchii (Boulenger, 1902) (Pisces). It has been relatively well studied, the environment is predictable, and there are significant differences in primary productivity over small distances. The differences in parasitism for 5 helminth species can be attributed to the enrichment processes in the sound. The prevalences of the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus sp., the nematode Ascarophis nototheniae, the digenean Dinosoma sp., and the cestode Phyllobothrium sp. are significantly higher on the east side of the sound than on the west. The prevalence of the digenean Lepidepedon garrardi was significantly higher on the west side. We believe that the differences in the prevalences of infection between the east and west sides suggest that at least the benthic, adult fish do not readily move from one side of the sound to the other. We report the following (new host records are marked by asterisks): Echinorhynchus sp., Corynosoma hamanni (Acanthocephala); Phyllobothrium sp., Diphyllobothrium sp., Trypanorhyncha (Cestoidea); Clavellopsis (Copepoda); Dinosoma sp., Lepidepedon garrardi (Digenea); Pseudobenedenoides brachicola, Polyopisthocotylea (Monogenea); Contracaecum sp., Ascarophis nototheniae (Nematoda); Myxoproteus sp., Henneguya sp., Ceratomyxa sp., and Zschokkella sp. (Protozoa).     

Phylogenetic relationships of coconut phytoplasmas and the development of specific oligonucleotide PCR primers

Using the polymerase chain reaction the 16S rRNA genes and the 16S-23S spacer regions of phytoplasmas associated with lethal decline diseases of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), were amplified from infected plants from Florida and the Yucatan region in Mexico and from east and west Africa. Following sequencing of the rDNA products, phylogenetic analysis confirmed that these coconut phytoplasmas form a separate cluster within the phytoplasma clade and that the pathogen causing diseases in west Africa formed a new sub-clade within this cluster. Analysis of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer regions confirmed the sequence diversity of this region and enabled two primers to be designed which were specific for the diseases found in east and west Africa. None of these specific primers, when paired with a universal primer, produced PCR amplification products from healthy coconut DNA, infected coconut DNA from the Caribbean or DNA from a variety of periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)-maintained phytoplasmas. These specific primers can serve as effective tools for identifying particular coconut phytoplasmas in field samples.     

Patterns of enamel hypoplasia in two medieval populations from Nubia's Batn el Hajar

Analysis of enamel hypoplasia frequencies for two medieval populations representing the earliest and latest Christian periods of ancient Nubia reveals important diachronic shifts in childhood stress. The mean frequency for hypoplastic bands among the early Christians is 4.2, while the late Christian sample has a mean frequency of 3.7. In addition, the earlier Christians show a prolongation of hypoplastic occurrences through childhood corresponding to a prolonged period of intensified childhood mortality. The modal time interval between hypoplastic occurrences is also shorter for the early Christian children. A comparison of hypoplasia frequencies by sex also reveals a pattern of considerable interest. Females show both lower frequencies of hypoplasias as well as a delay in onset. The diachronic differences are consistent with other indications from paleopathology and paleodemography that childhood stress decreased in later Christian times. The sex differences suggest that during the infancy and early childhood females were more resilient than their male counterparts.