Article
Plant Sciences
Marian J. Giertych, Adrian Lukowski, Piotr Karolewski
Summary: Damage to leaf veins does not necessarily lead to the death of leaf galls. Galls induced on oaks are dependent on leaf resources and cutting off the veins may disrupt their development. However, even with cut veins, the galls can still survive and grow.
JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
K. S. Perfilieva
Summary: We studied the morphological diversity of ants from Cretaceous Burmese amber and proposed an ethologic-ecological hypothesis to explain the features of the morphological diversity and ant communities of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. We found that some morphological features of stem formicoids hindered effective communication and collective hunting, while crown ants evolved effective communication and collective hunting, leading to the formation of modern ant communities based on dominance hierarchy rather than prey specialization.
ZHURNAL OBSHCHEI BIOLOGII
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carolina Doran, David Bierbach, Juliane Lukas, Pascal Klamser, Tim Landgraf, Haider Klenz, Marie Habedank, Lenin Arias-Rodriguez, Stefan Krause, Pawel Romanczuk, Jens Krause
Summary: The collective behavior of animals has been a topic of interest, particularly in understanding how local interactions can lead to global group properties. This field study investigates the anti-predator benefits of fish waves when diving in response to avian predator attacks. The results show that experimentally induced fish waves significantly delayed bird attacks, suggesting an anti-predator function of this collective behavior.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arnau Bolet, Edward L. Stanley, Juan D. Daza, J. Salvador Arias, Andrej Cernansky, Marta Vidal-Garcia, Aaron M. Bauer, Joseph J. Bevitt, Adolf Peretti, Susan E. Evans
Summary: Oculudentavis, originally thought to be the smallest avian dinosaur, was proven to be a bizarre lizard of uncertain position. The new interpretation and phylogenetic placement highlight a rare case of convergent evolution in skull proportions, but apparently not in morphological characters.
Article
Ecology
Robert J. Warren II, Antoine Guiguet, Chloe Mokadam, John F. Tooker, Andrew R. Deans
Summary: This study found that ants disperse oak galls of certain cynipid wasp species in a similar manner to how they disperse seeds with elaiosomes. The ants retrieve the galls, attracted by specific appendages called kapellos. The chemical composition and morphology of the appendages on seeds and galls are similar. The results suggest a convergence in ant-mediated dispersal between myrmecochorous seeds and oak galls, and challenge established assumptions in ant-plant research.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cee S. S. Nell, Riley Pratt, Jutta Burger, Kristine L. L. Preston, Kathleen K. K. Treseder, Dana Kamada, Karly Moore, Kailen A. A. Mooney
Summary: A study on the Coastal Cactus Wren in coastal southern California and Baja Mexico reveals how the composition of arthropods can affect the reproductive success of insectivorous birds, highlighting the importance of managing arthropods in bird conservation efforts.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taposhi Hazra, Benjamin Adroit, Thomas Denk, Torsten Wappler, Subhankar Kumar Sarkar, Subir Bera, Mahasin Ali Khan
Summary: We report a new type of fossil margin galls arranged in a linear series on dicot leaf impressions from the latest Neogene (Pliocene) sediments of the Chotanagpur Plateau, Jharkhand, eastern India. The new type of gall suggests that marginal gall-inducing mites on leaves of Ipomoea did not change their host preference at the genus level since the Pliocene. The development of marginal leaf galling in Ipomoea is linked to extrafloral nectaries that do not offer protection against arthropod galling but indirectly protect the plant against herbivory from large mammals.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Steven H. D. Haddock, Casey W. Dunn
Summary: Specialization in siphonophores is not an evolutionary dead end as previously thought, with specialists able to evolve into generalists and transition between different prey types. Morphological changes in tentacle structures are strongly associated with prey type and play a key role in the evolution and diversification of predatory niches.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Benito, Pei-Chen Kuo, Klara E. Widrig, John W. M. Jagt, Daniel J. Field
Summary: The bony palate helps distinguish between the two deepest clades of extant birds: Neognathae and Palaeognathae. The discovery of the new Late Cretaceous ornithurine Janavis finalidens provides evidence supporting the presence of an anatomically neognathous palate in some Mesozoic non-crown ornithurines, suggesting that pterygoids similar to those of extant Galloanserae may be ancestral for crown birds. This challenges previous assumptions about the ancestral palate of crown birds and calls for a reevaluation of the purported galloanseran affinities of early Cenozoic groups.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andre Guimaraes, Ricardo Vieira, Ana Vieira
Summary: This study examined gall development in a dioecious plant species in the neotropical region, finding that gall formation only occurred in male individuals and led to morphological changes in the leaf blades. The research also revealed sex-biased development in the plant, with variations in metabolic compounds like phenolics and flavonoids potentially inhibiting gall development in female individuals.
Article
Biology
Yaroslav Ispolatov, Carlos Doebeli, Michael Doebeli
Summary: In models for the evolution of predation, predation ability is often assumed to be a result of the relative morphological and physiological traits of interacting species. This study explores a model where predation ability evolves independently as a phenotypic feature, so that even when morphological or physiological traits allow for predation, it only occurs if individuals have evolved sufficiently high predation ability. The model not only identifies the conditions for the emergence of predation, but also reproduces multilevel food webs with top predators not necessarily having size superiority.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Nicolas R. Chimento, Federico L. L. Agnolin, Makoto Manabe, Takanobu Tsuihiji, Thomas H. H. Rich, Patricia Vickers-Rich, Fernando E. E. Novas
Summary: A tooth from the Late Cretaceous in Argentina suggests the presence of monotremes in South America at the end of the Mesozoic Era. Monotremata, a group of egg-laying mammals represented by the platypus and echidnas, is endemic to Australia and nearby islands. The discovery of a Late Cretaceous monotreme in southern Argentina indicates their presence in circumpolar regions and suggests that their distinctive anatomical features were already present in ancient forms.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Ashley L. Ferguson, Leif Tapanila
Summary: This study describes a well-preserved clutch of turtle eggs in southern Utah. The characteristics of the eggshell and porosity suggest that these turtles nested in a humid environment. By extrapolating from the egg size, the researchers estimated the size of the adult turtle and the number of eggs in the clutch. A new species of turtle egg was named based on the unique attributes of the eggshell.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min Wang, Jingmai K. O'Connor, Tao Zhao, Yanhong Pan, Xiaoting Zheng, Xiaoli Wang, Zhonghe Zhou
Summary: Enantiornithes, the most successful group of Mesozoic birds, may have evolved their extravagant tail plumage through sexual selection, resembling those in neornithines. The contrasting tail morphotypes between Enantiornithes and early Ornithuromorpha suggest unique pressures from sexual and natural selections. Early avialans repeatedly evolved extravagant structures, showcasing the importance of sexual selection in shaping feathered dinosaurs' plumage early in their evolutionary history.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ricardo Melchor, Mariano Perez, Pablo Villegas, Nahuel Espinoza, Aldo Umazano, M. Cristina Cardonatto
Summary: Scarcely found in Cretaceous rocks, tetrapod burrows from Patagonia provide insights into paleoecology and paleoenvironment. These burrows, preserved in pyroclastic rocks of eolian dunes and ash-fall deposits, suggest the presence of lepidosaurs, possibly eilenodontine sphenodontians. The rare occurrence of these burrows can be attributed to harsh conditions caused by volcanic ash and a semiarid climate.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Huyue Song, Shixue Hu, Michael Benton, Dayong Jiang
Summary: This article examines the end Permian to Middle Triassic interval, which witnessed a significant marine mass extinction and delayed recovery. The focus is on Triassic marine sediments in South China, providing unique documentation of the collapse and recovery of marine ecosystems. Several papers analyze different fossils and their ecological significance, while others study biostratigraphy, reconstruct paleoenvironments, and link records to volcanic eruptions.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Mohammad Firoze Quamar, Upasana Swaroop Banerji, Biswajeet Thakur, Ratan Kar
Summary: The Indian Summer Monsoon is a crucial component of the Asian Monsoon System, impacting rainfall, agricultural productivity, and socio-economic growth in India and nearby regions. The central monsoon zone in India is more responsive to strong monsoon phases than weak ones.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Maria Laura Balestrieri, Valerio Olivetti, David Chew, Luca Zurli, Massimiliano Zattin, Foteini Drakou, Gianluca Cornamusini, Matteo Perotti
Summary: This study presents a multidisciplinary provenance study on legacy cores drilled in the central Ross Sea, Antarctica, providing insights into the oscillation of ice flows and advance and retreat phases of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
P. Depuydt, S. Toucanne, C. Barras, S. Le Houedec, M. Mojtahid
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the dynamics of the upper branch of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the mid-latitudes of the Northeast Atlantic. It focuses on the European Slope Current (ESC) and its glacial equivalent known as the Glacial Eastern Boundary Current (GEBC). The study reveals significant changes in flow strength and ventilation during the glacial and deglaciation periods, as well as a gradual weakening of the slope current during the Holocene.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Junhee Park, Holly J. Stein, Judith L. Hannah, Svetoslav V. Georgiev, Oyvind Hammer, Snorre Olaussen
Summary: This study reports new Re-Os ages for black shales from Svalbard and evaluates the paleoenvironment during organic-rich shale deposition. The study also proposes correlations of specific Late Jurassic ammonite zones between the Boreal and Tethyan realms.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Guocheng Dong, Weijian Zhou, Feng Xian, Yunchong Fu, Li Zhang, Ling Tang, Pengkai Ding
Summary: The cause of ice-age cycles is still not fully understood, and studying the timing and magnitude of mountain glaciations can provide valuable insights. This study presents new dating results from the Niqingqu Valley in the Tibetan Plateau, showing multiple glacial activities prior to the Penultimate Glacial Maximum. The findings suggest that low atmospheric CO2 content and reduced summer solar insolation/high summer-monsoon precipitation played a role in these glacial fluctuations.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Haoran Dong, Zhitong Chen, Yucheng Wang, Jie Chen, Zhiping Zhang, Zhongwei Shen, Xinwei Yan, Jianbao Liu
Summary: Through sediment records from Lake Nanyi in the lower Yangtze, we found that anthropogenic fire activity played a dominant role in the region, and the temporal pattern of fire activity was asynchronous from east to west. Archaeological evidence suggests an inverse relationship between agricultural and population levels and fire intensity during the mid-Holocene, with fire intensity being influenced by the diversity of landscape types associated with pre-historic subsistence patterns. Overall, changes in regional water-level delayed the transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture in the lower Yangtze region.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Giovanni Coletti, Giulia Bosio, Alberto Collareta, Or Mordecai Bialik, Eleonora Regattieri, Irene Cornacchia, Gianni Insacco, John Buckeridge
Summary: This paper argues that sessile barnacles are an excellent proxy for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. The shells of barnacles consist of diagenetically stable low-magnesium calcite and record short-term variations. Analyses of several Western Mediterranean barnacle-rich deposits demonstrate the utility of barnacles as proxies for water depth, distance from the coastline, and hydrodynamic conditions. Moreover, the stable isotope ratios of barnacle shells can provide detailed palaeoenvironmental information.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Feng Wu, Xinong Xie, Wen Yan, Youhua Zhu, Beichen Chen, Jianuo Chen, Mo Zhou
Summary: This paper describes the Quaternary evolution of Meiji Atoll in the southern South China Sea. The findings show how variations in sea surface temperature, eustatic sea level, and tectonics have influenced the development of the atoll. These findings have broader implications for understanding the Quaternary evolution of similar tropical carbonate atolls in the region.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ana Mateos, Ericson Hoelzchen, Jesus Rodriguez
Summary: The Epivillafranchian and the transition to the Galerian was a period of environmental fluctuations and faunal turnover. Hominins and giant hyenas could coexist during the Epivillafranchian, but the transition to the Galerian led to a disruption of the scavenging niche, coinciding with the extinction of P. brevirostris.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Tianyu Du, Wensheng Zhang, Bing Li, Linjing Liu, Yuecong Li, Yawen Ge, Shiyong Yu
Summary: This article presents sedimentary evidence for a dramatic channel displacement of the lower Yellow River about 3000-2600 years ago, and explains the impact of this displacement on the geomorphology and human migration.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Johann Mueller, Michael M. Joachimski, Oliver Lehnert, Peep Mannik, Yadong Sun
Summary: The Late Ordovician mass extinction occurred during an ice age, with maximum ice coverage and a substantial drop in global sea level. This led to the exposure or shallowing of shallow tropical shelf environments. The study suggests that the burial rate of nutrient phosphorus (P) on shelves was minimal during this glacial period, leading to excess bioavailable P entering the open ocean and stimulating phytoplankton production, which in turn lowered oxygen concentrations.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Marina Addante, Patrizia Maiorano, Giovanna Scopelliti, Angela Girone, Maria Marino, Samanta Trotta, Antonio Caruso
Summary: This study presents the first high-resolution results on planktonic foraminiferal stable oxygen isotopes and calcareous plankton assemblages, providing insights into the glacial-interglacial variability and North Atlantic climate variability. The research also reveals evidence of the first significant southward migration of the Subarctic Front in the mid-latitudes.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Bing-Cai Liu, Rui-Wen Zong, Kai Wang, Jiao Bai, Yi Wang, Hong-He Xu
Summary: Phytogeography plays a vital role in the evolution of plants. This paper describes a new species of a spore-bearing plant from the upper Silurian period in West Junggar, China. By analyzing global Silurian macrofossil records, the study reveals the spatial-temporal distribution of Silurian plant macrofossils and identifies two phytogeographic realms during the Pridoli Epoch.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Francois Fournier, Thomas Teillet, Alexis Licht, Jean Borgomano, Lucien Montaggioni
Summary: This study investigates the temporal evolution of neritic carbonates in the proto-South China Sea to reconstruct East Asian monsoonal currents and winds during the middle to late Paleogene. The results highlight that many of the features of the summer East Asian Monsoon large-scale circulation are rooted in the middle Paleogene.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2024)