Two new late Carboniferous Neuropteris species (Medullosales) from Saarland, Germany and their palaeobiogeographical significance

Two new species ( Neuropteris terminiscus and N. kneuperi ) are described from the Bolsovian ('Westphalian C') of Saarland. N. terminiscus had previously been misidentified as Paripteris pseudograndinioides , but the pinnae are clearly imparipinnate and thus cannot belong to that morphogenus. N. kneuperi had previously been misidentified as Neuropteris obliqua and N. heterophylla , both which appear to be absent from Saar-Lorraine. This is considered further evidence of the distinctive nature of the Westphalian vegetation of the Saar-Lorraine Basin, especially among the seed-plants.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London , Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 139 , 193–205.     

The Bioarchaeology of Identity in Spanish Colonial Florida: Social and Evolutionary Transformation before, during, and after Demographic Collapse

In this article, I consider the effects of Spanish missionization on indigenous identity and biological interaction patterns. Odontometric data were recorded for 26 skeletal samples dating to three time periods: precontact (C.E. 1200–1400), early mission (C.E. 1600–1650), and late mission (C.E. 1650–1700). Population genetic analyses generated estimates of regional genetic variation (F_ST) and intersample genetic distances. Genetic variation during the precontact period was limited despite documented linguistic and cultural variation. Variation increased during the early mission period, indicating a decline in between-group interaction despite inclusion within a single colonial sociopolitical framework. During the late mission period, variation declined significantly, indicating a dramatic reduction in between-group variability consistent with genetic drift and gene flow between communities. I discuss these results in terms of archaeological and historical models of postcolonial transformation and suggest an emerging polyethnic community was resident in La Florida preceding the subsequent diaspora caused by burgeoning European military conflict in eastern North America.     

Satellite inventory of human settlements using nocturnal radiation emissions: a contribution for the global toolchest

Time series data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) have been used to derive georeferenced inventories of human settlements for Europe, North and South America, and Asia. The visible band of the OLS is intensified at night, permitting detection of nocturnal visible-near infrared emissions from cities, towns, and villages. The time series analysis makes it possible to eliminate ephemeral VNIR emission sources such as fire and to normalize for differences in the number of cloud-free observations. An examination of the area lit (km²) for 52 countries indicates the OLS derived products may be used to perform the spatial apportionment of population and energy related greenhouse gas emissions.     

Studies on the development of the oncosphere and procercoid of Cyathocephalus truncatus (Cestoda) in the intermediate host, Gammarus pulex

Cultured eggs of Cyathocephalus truncatus were found to develop optimally at 20°C, but they did not develop at 6°C and above. The oncosphere of the tapeworm has been seen to be a true hexacanth embryo. Specimens of the intermediate host. Gammaurs pulex , were infected by being forced to feed on pieces of lettuce leaves on which infective eggs of the tapeworm were placed. The young drveloping porocercoid was first recovered from the haemocoel of Gammarus pulex 5 days after infection. The procercoid was found to reach the infective stage within the amphipod after about ten weeks.     

When and How Much to Reproduce: The Trade-Off Between Power and Efficiency

A compromise between speed and efficiency of energy conversionsgives the maximum power of useful energy conversion at intermediateefficiencies. Organisms are selected to maximize the power ofenergy conversions to a useful form. However, most species havevery little capacity to vary the efficiency of their energyconversions in response to variation in the intensity of theenvironmental power supply. Plants can respond slowly to horizontalvariation in the availability of energy by growth. The trade-offbetween power and efficiency which is dependent on the compromisebetween speed and efficiency of energy conversions does seemto apply to the relative efficiencies of successive speciesin a sere of secondary terrestrial plant succession. The applicationof the power trade-off to species in a sere predicts the commongeneral properties of growth and reproduction in succession.The power trade-off may also help to explain reproductive patternsin animals that differ in the concentration of their food supply.The thermodynamic basis of causation provided by the power trade-offcould be a valuable tool for connecting evol utionary ecologywith community and ecosystem studies.