Les Radiolaires d'âge jurassique supérieurà crétacé supérieur dans les Radiolarites du Pinde-Olonos (Presqu'île de Koroni; Péloponnèse méridional,Grèce)

Radiolarians of several radiolarites sections of the Pindos-Olonos zone, southern Peloponnesus, lead to propose direct datations of mesozoic sediments. The acuity of such datations allow to distinguish two periods for depositionof radiolarites s.s. in the tethyan region. The first period would be Upper Jurassic and general in tethyan realm, radiolarites depositing under various latitudes (0–35°N). This would be the result of a strong ocean surface current. The second period would be Upper Cretaceous (Vraconian—Coniacian) and be geographically much more restricted (0–15°N). This could result from a weaker current. The absence of radiolaritic sedimentation is possibly the result of the destruction or insulation of the accurate basins during the obduction of ophiolites on the apulo-african realm. The inventory of Late Cretaceous radiolarian fauna, rarely done on alpine series so far, shows similar result to those obtained in Central American and California.     

Une nouvelle sous-famille,les Poulpinae, et quatre nouvelles espèces de Saitoum radiolaires mésozoiques téthysiens

Studies of skeleton elements of several jurassic species of Saitoum allow to compare them with Poulpus from Trias. The sub-family Poulpinae is introduced, caracterised by three cephalic arcs and the collar position of the cephalic structure. Among the jurassic forms, 4 species are newly described: S. corniculum, S. elegans, S. levium and S. trichylum.     

Palaeoctopus pelagicus from the Turonian of Mexico reinterpreted as a coelacanth (Sarcopterygian) gular plate

Abstract: The supposed vestige of a cephalopod gladius from Turonian platy limestones at Vallecillo, north‐east Mexico, named Palaeoctopus pelagicus by Fuchs et al. in 2008, is reinterpreted and shown to be a gular plate of a coelacanth fish, possibly of the genus Megacoelacanthus. In addition to the gular plate, two extrascapulars and fin rays of all fins are preserved on one slab and its counterpart. This is the first record of a coelacanth from these lower Turonian strata at Vallecillo, which are rich in fish.     

辽宁铁岭盆地早白垩世孢粉组合

铁岭盆地白垩系发育,1990年以来辽河油田公司在该区钻探了3口参数井,并在下白垩统采获了较丰富的孢粉化石,建立了3个早白垩世孢粉组合,自下而上为Cicatricosisporites-Concavissimisporites-Protoconiferus组合,Cicatricosisporites-Abdiverrucospora-Piceaepollenites组合以及Deltoidospora-Cicatricosisporites-Laevigato-sporites-Tricolpopollenites组合,分别产自九佛堂组、沙海组和阜新组。本文叙述了组合特征,通过与国内外孢粉组合的对比及特征分子的时代分布,确立了本区早白垩世生物地层层序及地质时代。孢粉植物群反映了温暖潮湿的热带-亚热带气候。     

Evolutionary timescale of monocots determined by the fossilized birth‐death model using a large number of fossil records

Although the phylogenetic relationships between monocot orders are sufficiently understood, a timescale of their evolution is needed. Several studies on molecular clock dating are available, but their results have been biased by their calibration schemes. Recently, the fossilized birth‐death model, a type of Bayesian dating method, was proposed, and it does not require prior calibration and allows the use all available fossils. Using this model, we conducted divergence‐time estimations of monocots to explore their evolutionary timeline without calibration bias. This is the first application of this model to seed plants. The dataset contained the matK and rbcL chloroplast genes of 118 monocot genera covering all extant orders. We employed information from 247 monocot fossils, which exceeded previous dating analyses that used a maximum of 12 monocot fossils. The crown group of monocots was dated to approximately the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous periods, and most extant monocot orders were estimated to diverge throughout the Early Cretaceous. Our results overlapped with the divergence time of insect lineages, such as beetles and flies, suggesting an association with pollinators in early monocot evolution. In addition, we proposed three new orders based on divergence time: Orchidales separated from Asparagales and Tofieldiales and Arales separated from Aslimatales.     

松辽盆地南部梨树断陷登楼库组孢粉组合

本文系统地研究了松辽盆地南部梨树断陷登楼库组孢子花粉化石,计３９属６０种,描述１０属１６种,根据孢粉组合特征及对包括被子植物花粉在内的主要孢粉类型地质地理分布的分析,认为登楼库组时代应为早白垩世Ａｌｂｉａｎ期,这一孢粉组合的研究,对于登楼库组地质时代的地一步确定及我国东北地区白垩纪孢粉组合序列的建立、完善与地层划分对比有较重要意义。     

Xylem hydraulic and photosynthetic function of Gnetum (Gnetales) species from Papua New Guinea

Gnetum (Gnetales) species are suggested to be unique extant gymnosperms that have acquired high photosynthetic and transpiration capacities as well as greater xylem hydraulic capacity and efficiency compared with all other extant gymnosperms. This is because Gnetum is the only extant gymnosperm lineage that combines vessels, broad pinnate-veined leaves and an ecological distribution in wet, productive lowland tropical rainforest habitats. Yet, field-based observations on the group's ecophysiological performance are lacking. To test a hypothesis that Gnetum species are ecophysiologically analogous to light-demanding woody tropical angiosperms, stem xylem hydraulic performance, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were investigated in Gnetum as compared with a diverse group of co-occurring woody plants in a lowland tropical rainforest. It was found that Gnetum species combined low photosynthetic capacity and low stomatal conductances with a low stem water transport ability. The physiological observations are consistent with the general occurrence of Gnetum species in shady, primary forest habitats. These results on Gnetum ecophysiology indicate that the coupling of vessels, broad pinnate-veined leaves and the liana habit do not signal the evolution of a highly opportunistic, light-demanding life history in gymnosperms.     

甘肃高台早白垩世下沟组轮藻化石

本文报道了甘肃省高台县马营河剖面下沟组上部轮藻化石5属6种、1相似种和1未定种：Clypeator jiuquanensis (S. Wang) L. Grambast, Aclistochara huihuibaoensis S. Wang, A. cf. huihuibaoensis S. Wang,Mesochara stipitata (S. Wang) Z. Wang, Mesochara crassistipitata Zhang et Meng, Peckisphaera paragranulifera(S. Wang) Fu et Lu, Sphaerochara valida (Z. W. Li) comb. nov. , Sphaerochara sp.。讨论相关种的国内外地层分布,将下沟组上部地质时代归为早白垩世巴雷姆期。     

Conserving biodiversity under climate change: the rear edge matters

Modern climate change is producing poleward range shifts of numerous taxa, communities and ecosystems worldwide. The response of species to changing environments is likely to be determined largely by population responses at range margins. In contrast to the expanding edge, the low-latitude limit (rear edge) of species ranges remains understudied, and the critical importance of rear edge populations as long-term stores of species' genetic diversity and foci of speciation has been little acknowledged. We review recent findings from the fossil record, phylogeography and ecology to illustrate that rear edge populations are often disproportionately important for the survival and evolution of biota. Their ecological features, dynamics and conservation requirements differ from those of populations in other parts of the range, and some commonly recommended conservation practices might therefore be of little use or even counterproductive for rear edge populations.