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ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusions Recent literature is unveiling more complex responses of biodiversity to Pleistocenic climatic oscillations than those derived from initial models based solely on southern glacial macrorefugia. Here, we zoom in to delve into the genetic diversity and population structure of Podarcis lusitanicus, a lizard species native to the north‐western Iberian Peninsula.North‐western Iberian Peninsula.Podarcis lusitanicus.Utilising a comprehensive multilocus approach, we explored the species' phylogeography and demographic history at a very fine spatial scale and timeframe. Concurrently, we evaluated both current and historical habitat suitability for the species, linking it to the observed demographic trends. We examined DNA sequences from two mitochondrial (cytb and ND4) and three nuclear genes (ACM4, MC1R and PDC) in 230 specimens collected from 21 populations spanning most of the species' distribution range.Our findings corroborate cytonuclear discordances in Podarcis, with nuclear genes failing to identify the mitochondrial clades in P. lusitanicus. Despite its separation from other Podarcis species approximately 4 million years ago, its diversification occurred much more recently, around 0.4 million years ago, resulting in three monophyletic lineages that are geographically coherent. This pattern suggests that some lineages of P. lusitanicus might have gone extinct after the split from the common ancestor. Pleistocene climatic oscillations profoundly influenced the demographic history of the species. During warmer periods, such as the Last Interglacial, populations expanded and came into secondary contact, whereas during the Last Glacial Maximum, populations contracted and became isolated in multiple micro‐refugia. The subsequent Mid‐Holocene warming facilitated population recovery, range expansion and lineage admixture.This study underscores the intricate interplay between isolation and dispersal at a microscale, driven by Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, which have profoundly shaped the genetic structure and diversity of Iberian terrestrial biodiversity and may remain overlooked by biogeographic studies at coarser scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) describes the response of the solid Earth, oceans, and gravitational field to the spatio‐temporal evolution of ice sheets during a glacial cycle. Present‐day vertical displacements and sea‐level changes vary throughout eastern North America in response to the melting of the Laurentide Ice Sheet following the Last Glacial Maximum. We use the open‐source software SELEN4.0 (a SealEveL EquatioN solver) to investigate the influence of GIA on vertical land motions and sea‐level changes in eastern North America. Further, we evaluate the uncertainties associated with the lithospheric thickness and viscosity structure using an ensemble modeling approach (129,956 total simulations). We identify the best‐fitting rheological profiles by comparing modeled vertical displacements to vertical velocity rates derived from Global Positioning System (GPS). We find a general pattern of subsidence (causing accelerated relative sea‐level rise) in the eastern United States region and uplift (causing relative sea‐level fall) in the eastern Canada region consistent with previous studies for two tested ice sheet models (ICE‐6G(VM5a) and ICE‐7G(VM7)). Overall, we find lower rates of modeled vertical displacement using ICE‐6G(VM5a) compared with ICE‐7G(VM7), which produces lower residuals when compared with the GPS‐derived vertical velocity rates. Our ensemble analysis identifies adjustments to the nominal VM5a and VM7 viscosity models that improve fits to the GPS‐imaged vertical velocity rates throughout eastern North America and on the North American Atlantic Coast. The differences in our best‐fitting models for inland versus coastal regions highlight the importance of exploring lateral viscosity variations for GIA modeling throughout North America and elsewhere. Plain Language Summary: Approximately 19,000–26,000 years ago a massive ice sheet covered Canada and a portion of the northern United States. We investigate the Earth's surface movements following the melting of the ice sheet throughout eastern North America. Through computational modeling, we predict rates of vertical land motion and relative sea‐level change throughout eastern North America. We see a general pattern of downward movements (causing relative sea‐level rise) in the eastern United States region and upward movements (causing relative sea‐level fall) in the eastern Canada region. However, modeled rates vary depending on the assumptions about Earth's internal structure. We test different models of Earth structure, based upon variations of the Earth structure profiles paired with two published models of ice sheet history. Our different models vary the lithospheric thickness and radial viscosity structure (viscosity varies by depth only). By comparing the rates of Earth's surface movements generated by these different models to published data of observed vertical land motions, we determine which Earth structure models produce the best fits to the published observations. Differences in the best‐fitting Earth structure for different regions of eastern North America indicate the importance of exploring Earth structures that vary both radially and laterally. Key Points: Modeled present‐day vertical displacement and sea‐level change rates fit observed data better using ICE‐6G(VM5a) compared with ICE‐7G(VM7)Ensemble analysis suggests adjustments to VM5a and VM7 viscosity models improve fits to geodetic data throughout eastern North AmericaRegional differences in best‐fitting Earth structure support the adoption of lateral viscosity in glacial isostatic adjustment modeling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Paravani, located on the volcanic Javakheti Plateau in the central part of the Lesser Caucasus at 2073 m a.s.l., forms a unique geo‐bio‐archive for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions in this remote region. Based on sediment cores from the southwestern part of the lake we expand the existing palynological and sedimentological records beyond the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). For the first time, it is possible to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment in this part of the Lesser Caucasus back to c. 28 cal. ka BP. Our study shows that until 16 cal. ka BP glacial conditions dominated (Phase I) in the region; there is, however, proof that the lake already existed during the LGM. In the following transitional Phase II from 16 until 6 cal. ka BP, cold and arid conditions with sparse steppe vegetation and a lowered lake level prevailed. Around 10 cal. ka BP, tree pollen started to expand while herbaceous pollen, especially Chenopodiaceae, declined. In Phase III, since 6 cal. ka BP, mixed forest probably represented the Holocene climatic optimum. Fluctuating lake levels indicate shifting climatic conditions. The minor changes of arboreal pollen hin the uppermost part of Phase II may be an indication of human activity. The more humid, vegetation‐rich environment and mild climate around 4.5–2 cal. ka BP correlate with the expansion of the Late Bronze Age settlements in this area (from ~3.5 cal. ka BP/~1.5 ka BC). The proliferation of sites on the plateau, along with even higher‐altitude sites possibly dating to the same period, may indicate that this climate amelioration played an important role in enabling more sustained human occupation. The results extend the record on Lake Paravani by several millennia beyond the LGM and complement the palaeo‐lake reconstructions of the wider region, e.g. at Lake Van (Türkiye) or Lake Sevan (Armenia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroclimate variation and vegetation changes of the Nile River watershed area in northeast Africa since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) were reconstructed based on n‐alkanes, their carbon isotope ratios (δ13Cn‐alkanes), and their hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2Hn‐alkanes) in sediments from ODP Site 967 in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The results were compared with the present vegetation cover in the watershed areas using ArcGIS. The average proportion of current grassland in the Equatorial Lake and Ethiopian Highland Plateaus watershed areas was 45.8 and 64.7%, respectively. δ2Hn‐alkanes ranged from −199 to −127‰ and co‐varied with insolation change response to orbital forcing. Depleted δ2Hn‐alkanes were found from deglaciation to the middle Holocene, suggesting increased precipitation during the African Humid Period (AHP) from 15 to 5 ka caused by northward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. However, lower precipitation was inferred by enriched δ2Hn‐alkanes during the LGM and late Holocene. δ13Cn‐alkanes at Site 967 did not show a trend in harmony with δ2Hn‐alkanes and instead exhibited millennial‐scale variations ranging from –25.9 to –33.2‰. These δ13Cn‐alkanes values consistently indicated a C4 grass‐dominated environment in the watershed areas of the River Nile since the LGM, persisting through the AHP and into the present. Reconstructions demonstrated orbital and abrupt forcing of hydroclimate variability while maintaining generally grass‐dominated vegetation with weak precipitation feedback over the late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species distributions are often indicative of historical biogeographical events and contemporary spatial biodiversity patterns. The Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus is a sea duck of conservation concern that has a disjunct distribution, with discrete portions of its range associated with northern Pacific and Atlantic Ocean basins. Movement data indicate migratory connectivity within regions of each ocean basin but not cross‐continent dispersal, suggesting that genetic structuring could exist at multiple spatial scales. Little is known regarding the impacts of past vicariance events on the species phylogeographical structure and historical demography, or rates of gene flow at different spatial scales. We used data from microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences to quantify levels of genetic diversity within, and the extent of spatial genetic differentiation among locations sampled at multiple spatial scales across the species range. Samples were collected at nonbreeding locations, which represent groupings appropriate for characterizing genetically differentiated subgroups at regional and continental scales. Collectively, genetic data and coalescence modelling suggested that individuals colonized regions currently occupied within both ocean basins in the Holocene from a single refuge in the Atlantic. Further, it seems likely there was secondary contact with lineages derived from populations in Asia, based on the shallow species‐wide mtDNA phylogeny and high incidence of recently derived private mtDNA haplotypes. Estimates of inter‐location variance in microsatellite allele and mtDNA haplotype frequency were moderate and significant between western (Pacific – North America) and eastern (Atlantic – North America, Greenland and Iceland) ocean basins and among sampling groups within each ocean basin. Genetic differentiation among sampling groups was particularly evident at the species distributional margins in the Atlantic (Iceland) and the Pacific (Shemya Island) Ocean basins. Coalescent modelling results suggest that contemporary spatial genetic patterns in the species arose through the combined influences of secondary contact, shared ancestry and gene flow after the last glacial maxima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Early studies of the textbook mixed‐ploidy system Biscutella laevigata highlighted diploids restricted to never‐glaciated lowlands and tetraploids at high elevations across the European Alps, promoting the hypothesis that whole‐genome duplication (WGD) is advantageous under environmental changes. Here we addressed long‐held hypotheses on the role of hybridisation at the origin of the tetraploids, their single vs multiple origins, and whether a shift in climatic niche accompanied WGD. Climatic niche modelling together with spatial genetics and coalescent modelling based on ddRAD‐seq genotyping of 17 diploid and 19 tetraploid populations was used to revisit the evolution of this species complex in space and time. Diploids differentiated into four genetic lineages corresponding to allopatric glacial refugia at the onset of the last ice age, whereas tetraploids displaying tetrasomic inheritance formed a uniform group that originated from southern diploids before the last glacial maximum. Derived from diploids occurring at high elevation, autotetraploids likely inherited their adaptation to high elevation rather than having evolved it through or after WGD. They further presented considerable postglacial expansion across the Alps and underwent admixture with diploids. Although the underpinnings of the successful expansion of autotetraploids remain elusive, differentiation in B. laevigata was chiefly driven by the glacial history of the Alps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions To describe worldwide distribution of mammalian cradles and museums using the rates of phylogenetic lineage turnover as a surrogate. Additionally, we investigated the influences of current water–energy dynamics, climate instability, past climate changes and elevational ranges on the distribution of these evolutionary zones.Global.Current.Terrestrial mammals.We developed a new methodology that consists of calculating the spatial phylogenetic turnover for non‐overlapping temporal segments of phylogenetic trees. By calculating the relative turnover in each tree segment, we quantified the rate of accumulation of phylogenetic turnover through time. We depicted cold and hotspots of rates of lineage turnover using bivariate maps and examined the effects of environmental factors using a path model.The distributions of cradles and museums of biodiversity are primarily driven by water–energy dynamics. Environments with higher water availability than energetic demand predominantly act as cradles, as seen in tropical rainforests, while xeric‐like environments predominantly serve as museums. Conversely, regions undergoing higher historical climate changes become cradles, such as in higher northern latitudes, while climatically stable areas function as museums. Mountains play a dual role, acting as both cradles and museums by generating new lineages along their elevation bands while simultaneously providing climate refuges for ancient mammal lineages.Our findings demonstrate that cradles and museums are not merely a dichotomy but exist along an evolutionary continuum. Furthermore, they reveal how spatial patterns of mammalian cradles and museums are intricately shaped by biogeographical processes governed by environmental forces. Uncovering these hidden effects provides insights into the ecological mechanisms by which ongoing climate changes continually shape evolutionary assemblages over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park (TPNP) is one of the most impressive landscapes in southern Patagonia, with unique natural elements on the edge of the southern ice field, where knowledge of soils and ecological relationships is nonexistent. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the chemical, physical, mineralogical, and micromorphological characteristics of Holocene soils along a local toposequence representing the main vegetation types of the TPNP. The morphological, chemical, physical, and mineralogical properties of 12 soil profiles were studied and classified according to Soil Taxonomy. Coevolution of vegetation and soil taxa is clearly evident since glaciation, with podsolization under austral Nothofagus pumilio forests leading to the development of spodosols, while paludization in local depressions with Nothofagus forests allowed the formation of histosols. Slopes covered with loess and tephra led to the formation of Andisols with shrub vegetation. Predominant parent materials include till from Late Quaternary advances of southern Andean ice, Pleistocene loess, and volcanic ash from surrounding Chilean volcanoes. The parent materials were strongly influenced by Late Quaternary climatic and landscape changes following the retreat of the Last Glacial Maximum in southern Patagonia, resulting in erosional and depositional conditions (windblown loess, fluvial glacial deposits, and moraines). Stable landforms show the influence of allochthonous volcanic ash shaping Andean features, combined with the accumulation of organic matter in hydromorphic soils. Three main groups of soils have been identified: loess-rich soils, organic-rich soils, and poorly developed soils. The latter show low fertility related to recent landforms on different substrates ranging from till, rocky slopes, talus, or glacial deposits. In high mountain regions under periglacial conditions, cryoturbation features indicate seasonal frost–thaw cycles without current permafrost. The diversity of soil orders in the mountains of southern Patagonia is comparable to similar environmental conditions and latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. However, the andic properties due to volcanic ejecta inputs, as well as organic-rich soils at low altitudes of bottom valleys, are typical features of the soils at TNTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic changes can affect species distributions, population abundance, and evolution. Such organismal responses could be determined by the amount and quality of available habitats, which can vary independently. In this study, we assessed changes in habitat quantity and quality independently to generate explicit predictions of the species' responses to climatic changes between Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and present day. We built ecological niche models for genetic groups within 21 reptile, mammal, and plant taxa from the Baja California peninsula inhabiting lowland or highland environments. Significant niche divergence was detected for all clades within species, along with significant differences in the niche breadth and area of distribution between northern and southern clades. We quantified habitat quantity from the distribution models, and most clades showed a reduction in distribution area towards LGM. Further, niche marginality (used as a measure of habitat quality) was higher during LGM for most clades, except for northern highland species. Our results suggest that changes in habitat quantity and quality can affect organismal responses independently. This allows the prediction of genomic signatures associated with changes in effective population size and selection pressure that could be explicitly tested from our models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In northern environments, periods of isolation during Pleistocene glaciations and subsequent recolonization and secondary contact have had a significant influence on contemporary diversity of many species. The recent advent of high‐resolution genomic analyses allows unprecedented power to resolve genomic signatures of such events in northern species. Here, we provide the highest resolution genomic characterization of Atlantic salmon in North America to date to infer glacial refugia and the geographic scales of post‐glacial secondary contact. Location: North America. Taxon: Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. Methods: Samples were collected for 5455 individuals from 148 populations, encompassing the majority of the Atlantic salmon's native range in North America, from Labrador to Maine. Individuals were genotyped using a 220K single nucleotide polymorphism array aligned to the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) genome. Spatial genetic structure (principal component analysis, k‐means clustering, admixture) was evaluated in conjunction with genomic comparisons of these identified lineages to infer the refugia during the last glacial maximum and regions of secondary contact following recolonization. Results: Spatial genomic analyses identified three phylogeographic groups, consistent with the northward recolonization from two southern glacial refugia in North America (a western Maritime lineage and an eastern Newfoundland and Labrador lineage), with subsequent differentiation of the eastern lineage into two separate groups. Secondary contact among these North American groups was observed within the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and evidence of trans‐Atlantic secondary contact was detected within the eastern Newfoundland and Labrador lineage. Comparison of groups from insular Newfoundland with those from mainland Labrador suggests genomic regions displaying high differentiation were characterized by elevated European admixture, suggesting a possible role of European secondary contact in population divergence. Main Conclusions: These findings present the first evidence suggesting that genomic diversity in extant North American Atlantic salmon populations has resulted from allopatric isolation in two glacial refugia followed by both regional and trans‐Atlantic recolonization and secondary contact and demonstrate the power of genomic tools to resolve historical drivers of diversity in wild populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Reproductive systems strongly influence plants' evolution and adaption, and the biogeographic pattern of its variation has intrigued biologists and ecologists. Here, to test the impacts of paleoglaciation on plants' reproductive system variation, we compared the geographical pattern and environmental drivers in the proportions of different reproductive systems in Primula in regions affected and unaffected by paleoglaciation. Location: Global. Time Period: Since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Major Taxa Studied: Primula. Methods: Using data on reproductive systems and distributions of 604 Primula taxa around the world and 221 along the elevational gradient of the Himalayas, we demonstrated the global pattern and the elevational pattern in the proportions of homostylous taxa. We employed general linear models to establish the relationship between the proportion of homostylous taxa and environmental variables and hierarchical partitioning to assess the relative contributions of these variables in both regions affected and unaffected by paleoglaciation, respectively. Results: We found a higher proportion of homostylous taxa in regions glaciated during the LGM than those unglaciated, with different latitudinal patterns and climate drivers. The proportion of homostylous taxa showed varying trends across different regions: increasing with latitude and temperature anomaly in glaciated regions while concentrating at lower latitudes with higher winter temperatures in unglaciated regions. Additionally, homostylous taxa were more prevalent at lower elevations in the Himalayas. Main Conclusions: Our study provides the first quantitative evidence for the hypothesis that selfers are more prevailing in regions affected by paleoglaciation facilitated by recolonization via comparing the geographic pattern and drivers in regions affected and unaffected by paleoglaciation. Our findings also reveal the concentrated distribution of homostylous taxa in Primula at low latitudes, which may be the result of population shrinkage caused by heat stress, facing a more severe survival crisis under the circumstances of global warming and increasing human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Various species distributed in the Alps have their disjunct occurrences in the Carpathians. Fossil evidence for some woodland snails of Alpine distribution suggests that they colonized the Carpathians during the Holocene forest optimum or later. Here, we focus on disjunct Carpathian populations of the rock‐dwelling alpine snail Pyramidula saxatilis. As it occupies very stable habitats, that is, high‐elevation limestone rocks, one can assume its potential survival in Carpathian refugia over the glacial period(s). For comparison, the more widespread and warm‐climate P. pusilla is analysed. Location: Europe. Taxon: Pyramidula saxatilis and P. pusilla. Methods: We analysed the genetic diversity of P. saxatilis and P. pusilla populations across their entire ranges using mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA markers. Seven fossil mollusc successions from the area where P. saxatilis occurs in the Carpathians were analysed and dated using the radiocarbon method. Habitat suitability models of both species were calculated for selected time periods since the Last Glacial Maximum. Results: All Carpathian P. saxatilis populations were genetically homogeneous and similar to those from the Eastern Alps. In P. pusilla, we found a genetically distinct lineage in the southern Western Carpathians. Both species were found in three fossil profiles since the Middle Holocene, and in one already in the Late Glacial. Habitat suitability models suggested the fluctuations of suitable conditions in the Carpathians driven by summer precipitation, especially for P. saxatilis. Main Conclusions: Our results suggest that the Carpathian populations of P. saxatilis represent a post‐LGM colonization from the Eastern Alps triggered by climatic changes, mainly by the increase in summer precipitation during the Late Glacial interstadials and Middle Holocene. The evidence for P. pusilla is similar, but also suggests rare long‐term survival in the Carpathian microrefugia. The palaeoecological evidence indicates a possible threat to high‐elevation species from future fluctuations in precipitation regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caatinga is the largest patch of Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest in the Neotropics, located in northeastern Brazil and characterized mainly by deciduous vegetation and extreme rainfall seasonality. It has historically been treated as a biologically impoverished domain, but recent studies uncovered new diversification patterns and several new taxa of frogs, mammals, insects, and fishes. Here we employed a dense sampling regime to evaluate whether the São Francisco River (SFR) would have promoted genetic diversification and fixed phenotypic differences and how Quaternary climatic oscillations shaped distribution and population sizes in a Caatinga endemic species, the Silvery‐cheeked Antshrike (Sakesphoroides cristatus). We adopted an integrative approach using multilocus genetic, plumage, vocal data, and ecological niche modelling (ENM) to characterize evolutionary units and niche suitability in past scenarios. We recovered strong genetic structure across the SFR that was congruent with plumage and vocal variation, revealing a yet undescribed species named herein as Sakesphoroides niedeguidonae, sp. nov. (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2B9FC637‐008A‐4E9A‐B92B‐69ED7FE23823s). The splitting time estimated between the newly described species and S. cristatus is consistent with the establishment of the modern course of SFR, with a more recent course shift apparently promoting the secondary contact between the two species in the Raso da Catarina region. After their split, both species experienced increases in population sizes and range sizes at similar times during the Last Glacial Maximum. We expect other Caatinga avian endemic lineages to show similar patterns of genetic differentiation across the SFR that were enhanced by Quaternary climatic oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Temperature is regarded as an important driver of broad‐scale biodiversity patterns. However, less is known of the role of dispersal in shaping broad‐scale species and trait distributions, particularly given that species had to disperse out of glacial refugia after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Here, we used a unique dataset describing the distributions of freshwater fauna combined with trait information to evaluate biodiversity relationships to distance to glacial refugia and temperature. Location: Twenty‐five biogeographical regions across Europe. Time Period: Data from species occurrence were gathered in 1978. Major Taxa Studied: A total of 2816 freshwater invertebrate species and 230 freshwater fish species. Methods: Using the occurrence of invertebrate and fish species in the biogeographical regions, and publicly available trait information, we analysed patterns in diversity indices (i.e. species richness, trait richness and trait redundancy), trait distribution and species and trait β‐diversity, and their relationship to distance to known glacial refugia and regional temperature. Results: We show that distributions of European invertebrate and fish species and traits are primarily explained by distance to refugia and its covarying effect with temperature (i.e. refugia tend to be warmer). Specifically, species and trait richness were higher in regions proximate to refugia and lower in distant regions. Additionally, communities in colder and distant regions exhibited reduced niche dimensions and slower life histories, suggesting increased vulnerability to environmental change. Main Conclusions: Species more distant from their refugia were characterized by higher dispersal capacities. Accordingly, since the LGM, only a subset of species was able to colonize distant regions, while many species have spatial ranges constrained by their dispersal capacity, increasing their potential for extinction under ongoing climate change. Therefore, additional conservation measures considering species' dispersal capacities are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last deglaciation experienced the retreat of massive ice sheets and a transition from the cold Last Glacial Maximum to the warmer Holocene. Key simulation challenges for this period include the timing and extent of ice sheet decay and meltwater input into the oceans. Here, major uncertainties and forcing factors for the last deglaciation are evaluated. Two sets of transient simulations are performed based on the novel ice‐sheet reconstruction PaleoMist and the more established GLAC1D. The simulations reveal that the proximity of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) to a bifurcation point, where it can switch between on‐ and off‐modes, is primarily determined by the interplay of greenhouse gas concentrations, orbital forcing and freshwater forcing. The PaleoMist simulation qualitatively replicates the Bølling‐Allerød (BA)/Younger Dryas (YD) sequence: a warming in Greenland and Antarctica during the BA, followed by a cooling northern North Atlantic and an Antarctic warming during the YD. Plain Language Summary: The last deglaciation, spanning roughly 20,000 to 10,000 years ago, marked a period of Earth's history characterized by the retreat of massive ice sheets that had covered large parts of the planet. During this phase, a drastic transition occurred from the cold Last Glacial Maximum to the warmer and more stable climate of the Holocene. A main challenge for simulating the last deglaciation is the timing and amplitude of the ice sheet decay and the amount of meltwater that enters into the oceans. Using two different reconstructions of ice sheets, we employ an efficient climate model to explore changes at the end of the last ice age. Our comparison shows notable differences in the timing and amplitude of abrupt climate events in the simulations using two different ice‐sheet reconstructions. Furthermore, we investigate the effects of factors such as greenhouse gases and Earth's orbital changes on the large‐scale ocean currents with respect to underlying ice sheets. Ultimately, our study sheds light on how different elements of the Earth's system shape the termination of the last ice age, enriching our understanding of Earth's climate history and guiding further deglaciation scenarios. Key Points: Transient simulations of the last deglaciation using GLAC1D and the new PaleoMist ice sheet reconstruction are compared for the first timeAMOC stability is impacted by ice sheet reconstruction used and the combination of forcings, indicating its proximity to a bifurcation pointPaleoMist simulation captures the BA/YD sequence signature in the northern North Atlantic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the position and intensity changes of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over Asia (50°E−135°E) relative to the preindustrial period annually and seasonally during the Last Interglacial (LIG), Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and mid‐Holocene (MH) using available models from phases 3 and 4 of the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project. The multi‐model mean shows that the June–July–August ITCZ variations generally dominate the annual changes. The Asian ITCZ shifts northward over western Asia and southward over the eastern side in both the LIG and MH, and the opposite occurs in the LGM. Its intensity varies with longitude similarly for the LIG and MH and generally weakens in the LGM. Precipitation changes associated directly with ITCZ indices are primarily caused by the dynamic term in the LIG and MH, while both dynamic and thermodynamic terms play roles in the LGM, with major contributions from the convergence components. Plain Language Summary: As an intense rain belt, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) has an important influence on the regional climate, particularly over Asia. However, its future and past behaviors remain unclear. Based on multi‐model experiments, we investigate Asian ITCZ changes in location and intensity during the past three typical periods: the interglacial periods of the Last Interglacial and the mid‐Holocene and the glacial period of the Last Glacial Maximum. The Asian ITCZ overall strengthens and regionally moves northward over the western part and southward over the eastern part during the two interglacial periods relative to its preindustrial state, which are generally opposite to the position and intensity changes in the glacial period. These ITCZ changes are directly caused by uneven precipitation changes, which are dominated by atmospheric circulation changes during interglacial periods and additionally contributed from water vapor content changes during glacial periods, primarily through the vertical motion of air. Key Points: Asian Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts northward over western Asia and southward over the eastern side in Last Interglacial (LIG) and mid‐Holocene (MH), and the opposite occurs in Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)Asian ITCZ intensity varies with longitude similarly for LIG and MH, while it weakens during LGMDynamic term dominates the ITCZ‐related precipitation changes in LIG and MH, while both dynamic and thermodynamic terms play roles in LGM [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice sheet feedbacks are underrepresented in model assessments of climate sensitivity and their magnitudes are still poorly constrained. We combine a recently published record of Earth's Energy Imbalance (EEI) with existing reconstructions of temperature, atmospheric composition, and sea level to estimate both the magnitude and timescale of the ice sheet‐albedo feedback since the Last Glacial Maximum. This facilitates the first opportunity to quantify this feedback over the most recent deglaciation using a proxy data‐driven approach. We find the ice sheet‐albedo feedback to be amplifying, increasing the total climate feedback parameter by 42% and reaching an equilibrium magnitude of 0.55 Wm−2K−1, with a 66% confidence interval of 0.45–0.63 Wm−2K−1. The timescale to equilibrium is estimated as 3.6 ka (66% confidence: 1.9–5.5 ka). These results provide new evidence for the timescale and magnitude of the amplifying ice sheet‐albedo feedback that will drive anthropogenic warming for millennia to come. Plain Language Summary: During a deglacial transition, ice sheets melt and retreat, decreasing the reflectivity of the land surface and increasing the surface temperature, leading to further melting. It is agreed that this feedback amplifies global warming on millennial timescales, but the exact magnitude and timescale are still very uncertain. This is important because the stronger the feedback, the more sensitive Earth's climate is to carbon dioxide on long timescales. We use proxy data records of the past 25,000 years to quantify the ice sheet‐albedo feedback since the Last Glacial Maximum and estimate the time taken for the feedback to reach equilibrium and stabilize. We find that the ice sheet‐albedo feedback strongly amplifies warming over thousands of years, increasing our understanding of how human activity today will continue to influence our climate for generations into the future. Key Points: Novel proxy data‐driven assessment of the ice sheet‐albedo feedback for the last deglaciation is presentedIce sheet‐albedo feedback is amplifying during a deglacial transition with a best estimate of 0.55 Wm−2K−1 (0.45–0.63 Wm−2K−1)Ice sheet‐albedo feedback reaches equilibrium after approximately 3.6 ka (1.9–5.5 ka) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last glacial period is known to have greatly influenced the demographic history of temperate forest trees, with important range contractions and post‐glacial expansions that led to the formation of multiple genetic lineages and secondary contact zones in the Northern Hemisphere. These dynamics have been extensively studied for European and North American species but are still poorly understood in other temperate regions of rich biodiversity such as the Caucasus. Our study helps filling that gap by deciphering the genomic landscapes of F. orientalis across the South Caucasus. The use of genome‐wide data confirmed a past demographic history strongly influenced by the Last Glacial Maximum, revealing two disjunct glacial refugia in the Colchis and Hyrcanian regions. The resulting patterns of genetic diversity, load and differentiation are not always concordant across the region, with genetic load pinpointing the location of the glacial refugia more efficiently than genetic diversity alone. The Hyrcanian forests show depleted genetic diversity and substantial isolation, even if long‐distance gene flow is still present with the main centre of diversity in the Greater Caucasus. Finally, we characterize a strong heterogeneity of genetic diversity and differentiation along the species chromosomes, with noticeably a first chromosome showing low diversity and weak differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inbreeding, the mating of individuals that are related through common ancestry, is of central importance in evolutionary and conservation biology due to its impacts on individual fitness and population dynamics. However, while advanced genomic approaches have revolutionised the study of inbreeding in animals, genomic studies of inbreeding are rare in plants and lacking in fungi. We investigated global patterns of inbreeding in the prized edible porcini mushroom Boletus edulis using 225 whole genomes from seven lineages distributed across the northern hemisphere. Genomic inbreeding was quantified using runs of homozygosity (ROHs). We found appreciable variation both among and within lineages, with some individuals having over 20% of their genomes in ROHs. Much of this variation could be explained by a combination of elevation and latitude, and to a lesser extent by predicted habitat suitability during the last glacial maximum. In line with this, the majority of ROHs were short, reflecting ancient common ancestry dating back approximately 200–1700 generations ago, while longer ROHs indicative of recent common ancestry (less than approximately 50 generations ago) were infrequent. Our study reveals the inbreeding legacy of major climatic events in a widely distributed forest mutualist, aligning with prevailing theories and empirical studies of the impacts of historical glaciation events on the dominant forest tree species of the northern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Scots pine is the foundation species of diverse forested ecosystems across Eurasia and displays remarkable ecological breadth, occurring in environments ranging from temperate rainforests to arid tundra margins. Such expansive distributions can be favored by various demographic and adaptive processes and the interactions between them.To understand the impact of neutral and selective forces on genetic structure in Scots pine, we conducted range‐wide population genetic analyses on 2321 trees from 202 populations using genotyping‐by‐sequencing, reconstructed the recent demography of the species and examined signals of genetic adaptation.We found a high and uniform genetic diversity across the entire range (global FST 0.048), no increased genetic load in expanding populations and minor impact of the last glacial maximum on historical population sizes. Genetic‐environmental associations identified only a handful of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms significantly linked to environmental gradients.The results suggest that extensive gene flow is predominantly responsible for the observed genetic patterns in Scots pine. The apparent missing signal of genetic adaptation is likely attributed to the intricate genetic architecture controlling adaptation to multi‐dimensional environments. The panmixia metapopulation of Scots pine offers a good study system for further exploration into how genetic adaptation and plasticity evolve under gene flow and changing environment. See also the Commentary on this article by Duffy, 243: 830–832. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: How the ability of plants to move towards newly favourable habitats (dispersal limitation) impacts the change of biome distribution and transition under fast climate warming is still debated. Analysing vegetation change in the past may help to clarify the relative importance of underlying ecological processes such as climate, biotic interactions, and dispersal. In this study, we investigated how dispersal limitation affected the distribution of European forests in the last 18,000 years. Location: Southern and Central Europe. Taxon: Spermatophyta. Methods: Using the LPJ‐GM 2.0 model (an extension of LPJ‐GUESS), we simulated European vegetation from the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (18.5 ka) to the current time (0 ka). Using biome reconstructions from pollen data as reference, we compared the performance of two dispersal modes: with no migration constraints or seed limitation (free dispersal mode), and with plant establishment depending on seed dynamics and dispersal (dispersal limitation mode). Results: The model run, including migration processes, was better at capturing the post‐glacial expansion of European temperate forests (and the longer persistence of boreal forests) than the setting assuming free dispersal, especially during periods of rapid warming. This suggests that a number of (temperate) tree taxa experienced delayed occupancy of climatically suitable habitats due to a limited dispersal capacity, i.e., post‐glacial migration lags. Main Conclusions: Our results show that including migration processes in model simulations allows for more realistic reconstructions of forest patterns under rapid climate change, with consequences for future projections of carbon sequestration and climate reconstructions with vegetation feedback, assisted migration and forest conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Ecological niche‐based models (ENM) frequently rely on bioclimatic variables (BioV) to reconstruct biogeographic scenarios for species evolution, ignoring mechanistic relations. We tested if climatic predictors relevant to species hydric and thermal physiology better proximate distribution patterns and support location of Pleistocene refugia derived from phylogeographic studies. Location: The Western Palaearctic. Taxon: Vipera berus and Zootoca vivipara, two cold‐adapted species. Methods: We used two sets of variables, that is physiologically meaningful climatic variables (PMV) and BioV, in a multi‐algorithm ENM approach, to compare their ability to predict current and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) species ranges. We estimated current and LGM permafrost extent to address spatially the cold hardiness dissimilarity between both species. Results: PMV explained more accurately the current distribution of these two cold‐adapted species and identified the importance of summer temperature and solar radiation that constrain activity in cold habitats. PMV also provide a better insight than BioV predictors on LGM distribution. By including notably, the permafrost extent, PMV‐based models gave parsimonious putative arrangement and validity of refugia for each clade and subclade in accordance with phylogeographic data. Northern refugia were also identified from 48 to 52° N for V. berus and from 50 to 54° N for Z. vivipara. Main Conclusions: Our hybrid approach based on PMV generated more realistic predictions for both current (biogeographical validation) and past distributions (phylogeographic validation). By combining constraints during the activity period (summer climatic niche) and those inherent to the wintering period (freeze tolerance), we managed to identify glacial refuges in agreement with phylogeographic hypotheses concerning post‐glacial routes and colonization scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In migratory animals, high mobility may reduce population structure through increased dispersal and enable adaptive responses to environmental change, whereas rigid migratory routines predict low dispersal, increased structure, and limited flexibility to respond to change. We explore the global population structure and phylogeographic history of the bar‐tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica, a migratory shorebird known for making the longest non‐stop flights of any landbird. Using nextRAD sequencing of 14,318 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms and scenario‐testing in an Approximate Bayesian Computation framework, we infer that bar‐tailed godwits existed in two main lineages at the last glacial maximum, when much of their present‐day breeding range persisted in a vast, unglaciated Siberian‐Beringian refugium, followed by admixture of these lineages in the eastern Palearctic. Subsequently, population structure developed at both longitudinal extremes: in the east, a genetic cline exists across latitude in the Alaska breeding range of subspecies L. l. baueri; in the west, one lineage diversified into three extant subspecies L. l. lapponica, taymyrensis, and yamalensis, the former two of which migrate through previously glaciated western Europe. In the global range of this long‐distance migrant, we found evidence of both (1) fidelity to rigid behavioural routines promoting fine‐scale geographic population structure (in the east) and (2) flexibility to colonise recently available migratory flyways and non‐breeding areas (in the west). Our results suggest that cultural traditions in highly mobile vertebrates can override the expected effects of high dispersal ability on population structure, and provide insights for the evolution and flexibility of some of the world's longest migrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding spatial patterns of biodiversity within the context of long‐term climatic shifts is of high importance, particularly in the face of contemporary climate change. In comparison to aboveground taxa, subterranean organisms respond to changing climates with generally much lower dispersal and recolonization potential, yet possible persistence in refugial groundwater habitats under ice‐shields. However, knowledge on general and geographically large‐scale effects of glaciation on contemporary groundwater biodiversity patterns is still very limited. Here, we tested how Late Pleistocene glaciation influenced the diversity and distribution of 36 groundwater amphipod species in Alpine and peri‐Alpine regions, characterized by extensive glaciation cycles, and how its legacy explains contemporary diversity patterns. We based our analysis on an unprecedented density of ~ 1000 systematic sampling sites across Switzerland. Using presence–absence data, we assessed biodiversity and species' ranges, and calculated for each site within‐catchment distance to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glacier extent. We then applied a sliding window approach along the obtained distance gradient from LGM ice‐covered to ice‐free sites to compute biodiversity indices reflecting local richness, regional richness, and differentiation, respectively. We found a strong signal of the LGM ice extent on the present‐day distribution of groundwater amphipods. Our findings revealed pronounced species turnover and spatial envelopes of individual species' occurrences in formerly ice‐covered, ice‐free, or transitional zones, respectively. While local richness remained constant and low along the LGM distance gradient, groundwater communities in LGM ice‐covered areas were more similar to each other and had lower gamma diversities and decreased occurrence probabilities per sliding window compared to communities in Pleistocene ice‐free areas. These results highlight the significant impact of Pleistocene glaciation on shaping biodiversity patterns of subterranean communities and imprinting contemporary distribution of groundwater organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: The intrinsic characteristics of islands make them a unique study system for the investigation of ecological and evolutionary dynamics. The Mediterranean Basin, an island‐rich biodiversity hotspot, still lacks a comprehensive spatial database for these geographic features. This study presents the first comprehensive spatial database of all Mediterranean islands larger than 0.01 km2, aiding ecological investigations and interdisciplinary research. Main types of variable contained: The MEDIS spatial database offers detailed information on 39 geographic, climatic, ecological and land‐use variables, including island area, perimeter, isolation metrics, climatic space, terrain data, land cover, palaeogeography, road networks and geological information, providing a multifaceted view of each island's characteristics. Spatial location and grain: The study encompasses 2217 islands in the Mediterranean Basin larger than 0.01 km2. The spatial grain of the datasets on which the selected variables are based varies from 10 m (ESA WorldCover) to 1 km (CHELSA‐BIOCLIM+). Time period and grain: The spatial database incorporates data from various sources, each with its own timeframe, such as the Global Shoreline Vector from 2014 Landsat imagery and the WorldCover dataset from 2021. Historical data like the Paleocoastlines GIS dataset offer insights into island configurations during the Last Glacial Maximum. Major taxa and level of measurement: While not focusing on specific taxa, the study lays the foundation for comprehensive research on Mediterranean islands, facilitating comparisons and investigations into the distribution of native, endemic or alien species. The level of measurement is extensive, encompassing a wide range of variables and providing polygonal features rather than centroids' coordinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐relief coastal landscapes are at major risk of rising sea levels, as vertical changes in relative sea level have far‐reaching lateral effects. Integration of a dense 2D grid of seismic reflection data with sedimentological and geotechnical data obtained in two offshore wind farm zones allows detailed documentation of postglacial landforms and environmental change over a 1,021 km2 area in the western sector of the southern North Sea. Following the retreat of Last Glacial Maximum ice sheets from the southern North Sea, the resulting postglacial terrestrial landscape provided a surface for peatland formation as climate started to warm and the water table rose in response to relative sea‐level rise. Southward‐draining fluvial networks formed contemporaneously with the peatlands, and remnants of this terrestrial wetland landscape are buried beneath Holocene marine sediments. Distinctive isolated incisional features and discrete widening of fluvial channels that cut through the peats are interpreted as either tidal ponds or relict tidal channels. These features record the evolution of this landscape through the Early Holocene as marine transgression inundated a low‐relief coastal plain. The erosion of the peatlands observed in the cores, the patchy preservation of the organic wetland landscape, and the lack of preserved barrier systems recorded by the seismic reflection data suggest that the rate of relative sea‐level rise outpaced sediment supply during the Late Postglacial and Early Holocene in this area of the southern North Sea. In a regional context, the southward draining river channels contrast to northward fluvial drainage to the North Sea, pointing to a subtle drainage divide in the palaeolandscape and the presence of a low‐relief land bridge separating the North Sea and the English‐Channel/La Manche during the Early Holocene. The documented scenario of rising sea levels combined with decreasing sediment supply in a low‐relief setting is a situation faced by many global deltas and coastlines, which makes the southern North Sea a crucial archive of coastal landscape change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding large desert formation/evolution contributing to regional‐to‐global dust cycles remains a challenge. This study presents the geochemical and Sr‐Nd isotope compositions of 51 surface sediment samples collected from the widespread hyper‐arid Thar Desert in northwestern India. The major objective is to determine sediment provenance for a better understanding of the formation/evolution mechanism of this Great Indian Desert as well as downwind dust contributions toward the Himalayas. The compositionally immature sandy Thar sediments (CIA ∼50 ± 4, WIP ∼49 ± 12, and EuN/Eu* ∼0.80 ± 0.13) are recycled materials derived from the Himalayan orogen and later modified by quartz addition and heavy mineral depletion/sorting processes. The 87Sr/86Sr (0.7259 ± 0.0012 and εNd (−12.5 ± 2.7) in the bulk of these Thar sediments are different from the earlier published compositions of the eolian sand deposits in northwestern India. The subcategories of Thar materials collected from different dune types exposed over different lithologies (Quaternary alluvium vs. Tertiary and Mesozoic sedimentary formations) are geochemically and isotopically indistinguishable, which indicates their cogenetic sources and/or sediment reworking. Thar sediments collected in this study have a predominant Indus origin along with significant contributions from the upwind Ghaggar‐Hakra paleochannels. The Indus sediments are most likely wind‐eroded from the shelf region exposed during the low sea stand of LGM and afterward deglaciation. Considering the new and published data sets, the Sr‐Nd isotope budget of dust deposited in the Himalayan frontal glaciers indicates that atmospheric mineral dust contribution from the upwind Indo‐Gangetic Plain proximal to the Himalayas is at par with dust parcels from distant natural deserts. Plain Language Summary: This provenance study aims to explore the eolian versus fluvial/alluvial mode of sediment delivery to the Thar Desert and its significance to the downwind dust dispersal toward the Himalayas. For this purpose, we characterized several Thar sediment samples collected from a widespread hyper‐arid area in southwest Rajasthan. The sampled area has a variety of Thar dune types and underlying lithologies but a poor river drainage system in modern times. This new data set provides evidence for the Thar surface sediments as predominantly derived from the Indus shelf region during the low sea stand of the Last Glacial Maxima (LGM ∼18–22 ka BP) and afterward deglaciation. The upwind Ghaggar‐Hakra paleochannels also seem to be a significant source of sandy Thar surface sediments in the sampled area of southwest Rajasthan. Further, a literature data comparison indicates a competitive role of downwind sediment source regions (Indo‐Gangetic Plain, IGP) more proximal to the Himalayas at par with the dust delivery from remote natural deserts including Thar. This new data set has the potential to serve as the Thar sediment signatures in regional provenance studies. Key Points: Sandy Thar sediments collected from different dune types exposed over key lithologies are geochemically/isotopically indistinguishableThar sediments have a predominantly Indus provenance with significant contributions from upwind Ghaggar‐Hakra paleochannelsProximal Indo‐Gangetic Plain has dust contributions to the Himalayan frontal glaciers at par with that from the Thar Desert [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we explore the profound impact of the Tasmanian Aboriginal (Palawa) people on Tasmanian landscapes by examining a 22,000‐year record of landscape change from Lake Selina in western Tasmania, Australia. We analysed a sediment core for palaeoecological proxies, namely, pollen (vegetation), charcoal (fire), and geochemical data (landscape weathering). This study reveals that the contemporary landscape is a product of Palawa people’s intentional and strategic fire management practices characterised by fire‐dependent buttongrass moorland and the absence of climax rainforest. Specifically, our data show that rainforest failed to re‐establish a dominance at Lake Selina following the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, as temperature and moisture increased as a result of Palawa cultural fire for at least 18,000 years. This finding challenges the long‐held notion that Tasmania’s wilderness is a product of the absence of human activity. Rather, archaeological sites across western and central Tasmania demonstrate long term presence, with some of the highest artefact and faunal bone densities in the world. The study contributes to the recognition of Tasmania’s west as a cultural landscape shaped by generations of Aboriginal care for Country and fire practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a threat to biodiversity, and it is unclear whether species can adapt to or tolerate new conditions, or migrate to areas with suitable habitats. Reconstructions of range shifts that occurred in response to environmental changes since the last glacial maximum (LGM) from species distribution models (SDMs) can provide useful data to inform conservation efforts. However, different SDM algorithms and climate reconstructions often produce contrasting patterns, and validation methods typically focus on accuracy in recreating current distributions, limiting their relevance for assessing predictions to the past or future. We modeled historically suitable habitat for the threatened North American tree green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica using 24 SDMs built using two climate models, three calibration regions, and four modeling algorithms. We evaluated the SDMs using contemporary data with spatial block cross‐validation and compared the relative support for alternative models using a novel integrative method based on coupled demographic‐genetic simulations. We simulated genomic datasets using habitat suitability of each of the 24 SDMs in a spatially‐explicit model. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) was then used to evaluate the support for alternative SDMs through comparisons to an empirical population genomic dataset. Models had very similar performance when assessed with contemporary occurrences using spatial cross‐validation, but ABC model selection analyses consistently supported SDMs based on the CCSM climate model, an intermediate calibration extent, and the generalized linear modeling algorithm. Finally, we projected the future range of green ash under four climate change scenarios. Future projections using the SDMs selected via ABC suggest only minor shifts in suitable habitat for this species, while some of those that were rejected predicted dramatic changes. Our results highlight the different inferences that may result from the application of alternative distribution modeling algorithms and provide a novel approach for selecting among a set of competing SDMs with independent data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining patterns of genetic diversity are crucial for conservation planning on endangered species, while inferring the underlying process of recent anthropogenic habitat modifications in the context potential long‐term demographic changes remains challenging. The globally endangered scaly‐sided merganser (SSME), Mergus squamatus, is endemic to a narrow range in Northeast Asia, and its population has recently been contracted into two main breeding areas. Although low genetic diversity has been suggested in the Russian population, the genetic status and demographic history of these individuals have not been fully elucidated. We therefore examined the genetic diversity and structure of the breeding populations of the SSME and investigated the relative importance of historical and recent demographic changes to the present‐day pattern of genetic diversity. Using 10 nuclear microsatellite (SSR) markers and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences, we found limited female‐inherited genetic diversity and a high level of nuclear genetic diversity. In addition, analysis of both markers consistently revealed significant but weak divergence between the breeding populations. Inconsistent demographic history parameters calculated from mtDNA and bottleneck analysis results based on SSR suggested a stable historical effective population size. By applying approximate Bayesian computation, it was estimated that populations started to genetically diverge from each other due to recent fragmentation events caused by anthropogenic effects rather than isolation during Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and post‐LGM recolonization. These results suggest that limited historical population size and shallow evolutionary history may be potential factors contributing to the contemporary genetic diversity pattern of breeding SSME populations. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting the current breeding habitats from further destruction, with priority given to both the Russian and Chinese population, as well as restoring the connected suitable breeding grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the changing process of the geographical distribution pattern of Tetracentron sinense Oliv. and its main influencing factors since the last interglacial period can provide a scientific basis for the effective protection and management of the species. The MaxEnt model was used to construct the potential distribution areas of T. sinense in different periods such as the last interglacial (LIG), the last glacial maximum (LGM), the mid‐Holocene (MID), and the current and future (2050s and 2070s). On the premise of discussing the influence of dominant environmental factors on its distribution model, the suitable area changes of T. sinense under different ecological climate situations were quantitatively analyzed. (1) The AUC and TSS values predicted by the optimized model were 0.959 and 0.835, respectively, indicating a good predictive effect by the MaxEnt model; the potential suitable areas for T. sinense in the current period are mainly located in Southwest China, which are wider compared to the actual habitats. (2) Jackknife testing showed that the lowest temperature in the coldest month (Bio6), elevation (Elev), seasonal variation coefficient of temperature (Bio4), and surface calcium carbonate content (T‐CACO3) are the dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of T. sinense. (3) From the last interglacial period to the current period, the total suitable area of T. sinense showed a decreasing trend; the distribution points of T. sinense populations in mid‐Holocene period may be the origin of the postglacial population, and Southwest China may be its glacial biological refuge. (4) Compared with the current period, the total suitable area ranges of T. sinense in China in the 2050s and 2070s decreased, and the centroid location of its total fitness area all migrated to the northwest, with the largest migration distance in 2070s under the SSPs 7.0 climate scenario. Temperature was the principal factor influencing the geographical distribution of T. sinense. With global warming, the range of T. sinense suitable areas will show a shrinking trend, with a shift toward higher‐latitude regions. Ex situ conservation measures could be taken to preserve its germplasm resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how both contemporary and historical physical barriers influence gene flow is key to reconstructing evolutionary histories and can allow us to predict species' resilience to changing environmental conditions. During the last glacial maximum (LGM), many high latitude North American bird species were forced into glacial refugia, including mountain bluebirds (Silia currucoides). Within their current breeding range, mountain bluebirds still experience a wide variety of environmental conditions and barriers that may disrupt gene flow and isolate populations. Using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained through restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing, we detected at least four genetically distinct mountain bluebird populations. Based on this structure, we determined that isolation‐by‐distance, the northern Rocky Mountains, and discontinuous habitat are responsible for the low connectivity and the overall history of each population going back to the last glacial maximum. Finally, we identified five candidate genes under balancing selection and three loci under diversifying selection. This study provides the first look at connectivity and gene flow across the range of these high‐altitude and high latitude songbirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau (YGP) is characterized by the distinctive isolated habitat of the limestone Karst Islands and features the Wumeng Mountains, which divide the YGP into the two Plateaus of Yunnan and Guizhou. This study aimed to assess the effects of geographic isolation and past climate fluctuation on the distribution of flora in the YGP. To achieve this, we carried out the phylogeographical pattern and genetic structure based on chloroplast and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence in relation to past (Last Glacial Maximum) and present distributions based on ecological niche modeling for Morella nana, an important wild plant resource and endemic to the YGP once considered a vulnerable species. The results suggest that the genetic and chlorotype network structures of M. nana are divided into at least two groups: cpDNA chlorotype H2 (or dominant nrDNA haplotypes h1 and h2), distributed primarily to the east of the Wumeng Mountains, and cpDNA chlorotypes H1 and H3–H10 (or dominant nrDNA haplotype h2 and h3), distributed to the west of the Wumeng Mountains. A deep genetic split was noted within the two groups to reach 25 steps, especially for the cpDNA fragment variation. This east–west divergence reveals the existence of a natural geographical isolation boundary in the form of the Wumeng Mountains, and supports the existence of at least two glacial refuges during the Quaternary glacial period, along with two genetic diversity center, and at least two large geographic protection units for the important species of M. nana. This study indicates that the phylogeographical pattern of M. nana can be attributed to geographic/environmental isolation caused by the Wumeng Mountains and climate fluctuation during the last glacial maximum, and proposes an effective strategy to protecting this important plant resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Koksu River valley is located in the Pamir‐Alay mountain range and contains 25 glaciers larger than 1 km2 and numerous smaller glaciers. The largest glacier in the catchment is Abramov Glacier with a current surface area of 22.55 km2 (in 2022), which was extensively monitored between 1965 and 1999, and resumed in 2011. The long and detailed mass balance time series provide, among other information, benchmark climate variables for the Pamir‐Alay range. We report 10 new cosmogenic 10Be exposure dates of glacial moraines directly deposited by Abramov Glacier to extend the glacial history of the valley. Six boulders indicate that the Local Last Glacial Maximum occurred at 17.1±1.0 ka. Four boulders suggest a Little Ice Age (LIA) glacial advance around AD 1750. Secular glacier mass balance reconstructions suggest a progressively negative mass balance since the LIA advance. The decrease in mass balance accelerated in the last quarter of the 20th century. Results from repeated ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements suggest that Abramov Glacier lost about 403 million m3 of ice volume between 1986 and 2018. Based on the reconstruction of the glacier surface, the corresponding equilibrium line altitude, which is closely correlated with the mass balance, increased by about 70 to 80 m during this period. Our results also suggest that Abramov Glacier has become increasingly out of equilibrium with the climate over the last two decades. This is supported by repeated GPR measurements of the tongue area, which indicate a dramatic decrease in glacier area and ice volume over the period 1986–2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present distribution of Siberian boreal forests that are dominated by larches (Larix spp.) is influenced, to an unknown extent, by glacial history. Knowing the past treeline dynamics can improve our understanding of future treeline shifts under changing climate. Here, we study patterns in the genetic variability of Siberian Larix to help unravel biogeographic migration routes since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We infer the spatial distribution and the postglacial demographic history of Larix using genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived through genotyping by sequencing (GBS) from 130 individuals sampled across eastern Siberia. Our analysis gives statistical support for two or three clusters, spanning from western to eastern Siberia. These clusters reveal a genetic structure influenced by isolation resulting from geographical distance, barriers imposed by geographic features, and distinct glacial histories. Assuming three clusters, our demographic inference indicates that the common ancestor of the current Larix populations existed in northeast Siberia well before the LGM. This suggests that Larix persisted in the northern region throughout previous glacials. Our genetic studies suggest that Larix likely survived the cold LGM in northern refugia, enabling a fast colonization of Siberia. Instead of complete repopulation from southern areas postglacially, the northernmost Larix expansion during the Holocene seems to have benefitted from refugial populations ahead of the treeline. Present‐day migration is expected to be slow initially, due to the absence of current refugial populations in the far north, in contrast to the early‐Holocene situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As climatic variation re‐shapes global biodiversity, understanding eco‐evolutionary feedbacks during species range shifts is of increasing importance. Theory on range expansions distinguishes between two different forms: "pulled" and "pushed" waves. Pulled waves occur when the source of the expansion comes from low‐density peripheral populations, while pushed waves occur when recruitment to the expanding edge is supplied by high‐density populations closer to the species' core. How extreme events shape pushed/pulled wave expansion events, as well as trailing‐edge declines/contractions, remains largely unexplored. We examined eco‐evolutionary responses of a marine invertebrate (the owl limpet, Lottia gigantea) that increased in abundance during the 2014–2016 marine heatwaves near the poleward edge of its geographic range in the northeastern Pacific. We used whole‐genome sequencing from 19 populations across >11 degrees of latitude to characterize genomic variation, gene flow, and demographic histories across the species' range. We estimated present‐day dispersal potential and past climatic stability to identify how contemporary and historical seascape features shape genomic characteristics. Consistent with expectations of a pushed wave, we found little genomic differentiation between core and leading‐edge populations, and higher genomic diversity at range edges. A large and well‐mixed population in the northern edge of the species' range is likely a result of ocean current anomalies increasing larval settlement and high‐dispersal potential across biogeographic boundaries. Trailing‐edge populations have higher differentiation from core populations, possibly driven by local selection and limited gene flow, as well as high genomic diversity likely as a result of climatic stability during the Last Glacial Maximum. Our findings suggest that extreme events can drive poleward range expansions that carry the adaptive potential of core populations, while also cautioning that trailing‐edge extirpations may threaten unique evolutionary variation. This work highlights the importance of understanding how both trailing and leading edges respond to global change and extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pleiades Volcanic Field is made up of some 20 monogenetic, partly overlapping scoria and spatter cones, erupted in the last 900 ka, cropping out from the ice close to the head of the Mariner Glacier in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Erupted products vary from hawaiite to trachyte, defining a complete mild Na‐alkaline differentiation trend. Mafic samples are characterized by multi‐elemental patterns typical of OIB magmas, moderately low 87Sr/86Sr (0.7037) and high 143Nd/144Nd (0.51284), with a clear within‐plate affinity, indicating a subcontinental lithospheric source. With increasing SiO2, 87Sr/86Sr ratios increase up to 0.7052 and 143Nd/144Nd decrease to 0.51277, supporting the hypothesis of open‐system evolution, with significant crustal assimilation during fractional crystallization. The erupted volume of most evolved products (∼7 km3), according to fractionation models, suggests that primitive magmas should have been more than 10 times larger, indicating the occurrence of a large magma plumbing system, unexpected for a volcanic field of monogenetic scoria cones. The occurrence of a complete fractionation trend with large magma chambers and large assimilation rate is unusual, if not unique, among the alkali basaltic volcanic fields and it is matched by a climax of activity during the last glacial maximum (30 ka), as indicated by new 40Ar‐39Ar ages (30 ± 3 ka and 25 ± 2 ka) for samples from the two most prominent edifices. Therefore, we hypothesize a role of a thick ice cap in suppressing eruptions and ultimately leading to prolonged magma residence time in the subsurface, favoring significant fractionation coupled with unusual high rates of crustal assimilation. Plain Language Summary: The Pleiades volcanic field is made up of some 20 monogenetic scoria and spatter cones, which erupted in the last 900 ka close to the head of the Mariner Glacier in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. The erupted products are very unusual for alkali basaltic volcanism: indeed, whereas few samples show clear within‐plate subcontinental lithospheric characteristics and were directly derived from the mantle source, most of the products formed after extensive fractional crystallization matched by significant crustal assimilation, implying that primitive magma volumes are 10 times larger than outcropping products in an unusually large magma plumbing system. These peculiar features coincided with a climax of activity during the last glacial maximum (30–25 ka). Therefore, we speculate that a thick ice cap favored high rates of crystal fractionation coupled with crustal assimilation and was responsible for increasing magma residence times in chambers at crustal depths and suppressing the eruptive potential of magmas. Key Points: The Pleiades complex (NVL, Antarctica) is made up of some 20 monogenetic cones aged 900–0 ka, defining a complete Na‐alkaline trendFractionation models show much larger volumes of primitive magmas, indicating the occurrence of an unusually large magma plumbing systemA climax of activity occurred during the last glacial maximum (30 ka). Thickness variation of the ice cap may have influenced volcanic activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glacial‐interglacial cycle of elements and the linkage with biological production is very important. Nonetheless, records on incorporation of elements into diatom frustules are very poor in the Southern Ocean where diatom productivity is very high. As a result, there is a big gap in our understanding of elemental cycles in association with biological production and the controlling mechanisms. Here, we documented concentrations of major, trace, and rare earth elements of diatom frustules in two cores collected from the Southern Ocean since the Last Glacial Maximum to understand changes of incorporation of these elements into diatom frustules and to investigate mechanisms for changing incorporation. We found that there are three types of glacial‐interglacial variation patterns. Most elements showed increased (decreased) concentrations during the glacial period (interglacial) with decreased (increased) diatom production in the surface water following the variation pattern of magnetic susceptibility, whereas P, Ge, and Sb showed the opposite trend following the variation pattern of biogenic opal. Li, Ni, Ag, W, U, and I showed no clear glacial‐interglacial variation pattern. These different variation patterns imply that elemental incorporation into diatom frustules are also different according to elements. Our results revealed that biologically mediated removal of most elements from surface water to deep‐sea is comparable between glacial (low diatom production with high elements assimilation) and interglacial (high diatom production with low elements assimilation) periods in the Southern Ocean. However, more removal of P, Sb, and Ge in the surface water by diatoms occurs during interglacial periods in the Southern Ocean. Key Points: Concentrations of multi‐elements within diatom frustules were documented from the Southern Ocean since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)Most elements were assimilated/incorporated into diatoms synchronously: high (low) during glacial (interglacial) periodsP, Ge, and Sb showed low incorporation into diatom frustules during the LGM but increased during the Holocene [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative sea level (RSL) predictions based on glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) simulations and palaeotidal predictions generated by hydrodynamic models using GIA‐generated palaeotopographies are available in the published literature, and datasets are available via data repositories. However, these data are often difficult to extract for specific locations or timeslices, requiring users to request datasets from corresponding authors. To overcome the intractability of these data and to enable users to interrogate datasets themselves without requiring offline requests, we have developed PALTIDE, an online visualization tool with intuitive user interface accessible at https://shiny.bangor.ac.uk/paleotidal/. The model domain for this interactive visualization tool is the northwest European continental shelf, covering the period from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the present day, and is based on previous GIA simulations by Bradley and colleagues and hydrodynamic simulations using Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) published by Ward and colleagues. The tool is developed in R and utilizes a number of packages including shiny and bslib for the frontend, and arrow, raster and the tidyverse for backend data processing. The tool enables visualizations and data downloads for RSL, tidal amplitude and tide‐dependent parameters for any location within the model domain over 1000‐year timesteps from the LGM to the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental conditions experienced by hunter‐gatherers during the second part of the Upper Palaeolithic (ca. 28 000–15 000 cal bp) are poorly known in the mid‐elevation volcanic mountains of the Massif Central in southern France. The stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen (13C/12C and 15N/14N expressed as δ13C and δ15N values) in bone collagen of large herbivores can track their diet and habitat, reflecting local abiotic conditions (temperature, aridity, altitude). Due to poor preservation of skeletal organic matter in the region, new radiocarbon dating was conducted on a limited number of quality‐controlled collagen samples, based on a minimum carbon content of 30%. They document three main phases of occupation corresponding to the Final Gravettian, the Badegoulian and the Magdalenian, each of which is represented in different regions of the Allier and Loire valleys. Over time, a decrease in horse δ15N values, the best documented species of large herbivores, is found between the Final Gravettian (ca. 26 700–25 600 cal bp), around the Last Glacial Maximum and the Badegoulian (ca. 21 900–19 200 cal bp), followed by an increase in δ15N and δ13C values during the Magdalenian (ca. 19 100–16 600 cal bp). During the Badegoulian, the δ15N values of the horses were lower than those of their counterparts in southwestern France, testifying to harsh climatic conditions favourable to a tundra‐like landscape, also reflected in the higher horse and reindeer δ13C values in the Allier valley compared to those in southwestern France. The relatively high δ13C and low δ15N values of a Final Gravettian wolf from the Allier valley suggests reindeer as a preferred prey, in line with their high abundance in the archaeological sites. Game access, rather than climatic conditions or lithic resources, seems to have motivated human groups to occupy the Massif Central during the Upper Palaeolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This work evaluates glacial dust as a source of sediment, and associated iron (Fe), to the Fe‐limited Gulf of Alaska (GoA). A reanalysis of GoA sediment data, using rare earth elements and thorium as provenance tracers, suggests a flux to the ocean surface of Copper River (AK) glacial dust, and associated Fe, that is comparable to the flux of dust from Asia, at least 1,000 km from the narrow mountain valley glacial dust source area. This work suggests dust from Asia may not be the largest source of Fe to the GoA. Dust models fail to accurately simulate this glacial dust transport because their coarse resolution underestimates wind speeds, and the dust flux. This work suggests that glacial dust fluxes may have been important in the geologic past (e.g., the last glacial maximum) from locations where there was more extensive coverage by glaciers than at present. Plain Language Summary: The growth of phytoplankton, the base of the marine food web, is known to be limited by availability of the micronutrient iron in the Gulf of Alaska. We evaluated the importance of glacial dust in this region as a source of iron, and other trace metals, by using concentrations of the rare earth elements and thorium in particles as tracers of their geographic origin. We analyzed for these elements in glacial dust samples from the Copper River valley (Alaska), the largest source of glacier‐derived dust. Together with previously published concentrations for dust from Asia and volcanic material, we estimated the inputs of each source material to the sediments of the Gulf of Alaska. This information, together with published sediment mass accumulation rates, suggests an important contribution of Alaskan glacial dust and associated iron, to surface waters of the Gulf of Alaska, at least 1,000 km from the source. Dust models fail to accurately simulate this dust transport because their coarse spatial resolution substantially underestimates wind speeds. Glacial dust fluxes may have been important sources of iron in the geologic past (e.g., the Last Glacial Maximum) from New Zealand and South America, when there was more extensive glacial coverage. Key Points: Copper River glacial dust contributes substantially to Gulf of Alaska sediments, and associated iron to surface watersDust models lack sufficient spatial resolution to accurately simulate the winds that drive the flux of glacial dust from narrow valleysGlacial dust‐associated iron may have been important in the geologic past in times and locations with more extensive glacial coverage [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic change is a challenge for plant conservation due to plants' limited dispersal abilities. The survival and sustainable development of plants directly depend on the availability of suitable habitats. In this study, we employed an optimized MaxEnt model to evaluate the relative contribution of each environmental variable and predict the suitable habitat for Alsophila costularis under past, current, and future periods, which is an endangered relict tree fern known as a living fossil. For the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Mid‐Holocene scenarios, we adopted two atmosphere–ocean general circulation models: CCSM4 and MIROC‐ESM. The BCC‐CSM2‐MR model was used for future projections. The results revealed that temperature annual range (Bio7) contributed most to the model construction with an optimal range of 13.74–22.44°C. Species distribution modeling showed that current suitable areas were mainly located in most areas of Yunnan, most areas of Hainan, most areas of Taiwan, southeastern Tibet, southwestern Guizhou, western Guangxi, southern Sichuan, and southern Guangdong, with an area of 35.90 × 104 km2. The suitable habitat area expanded northward in Yunnan from the Last Interglacial to the LGM under the CCSM4 model, while a significant contraction toward southwestern Yunnan was found under the MIROC‐ESM model. Furthermore, the potential distributions during the Mid‐Holocene were more widespread in Yunnan compared to those under current period. It is predicted that in the future, the range will significantly expand to northern Yunnan and western Guizhou. Almost all centroids of suitable habitats were distributed in southeastern Yunnan under different periods. The stable areas were located in southwestern Yunnan in all scenarios. The simulation results could provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of reasonable conservation and management measures to mitigate the effects of future climate change for A. costularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reindeer, called caribou in North America, has a circumpolar distribution and all extant populations belong to the same species (Rangifer tarandus). It has survived the Holocene thanks to its immense adaptability and successful coexistence with humans in different forms of hunting and herding cultures. Here, we examine the paternal and maternal history of Rangifer based on robust Y‐chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) trees representing Eurasian tundra reindeer, Finnish forest reindeer, Svalbard reindeer, Alaska tundra caribou, and woodland caribou. We first assembled Y‐chromosomal contigs, representing 1.3 Mb of single‐copy Y regions. Based on 545 Y‐chromosomal and 458 mtDNA SNPs defined in 55 males, maximum parsimony trees were created. We observed two well separated clades in both phylogenies: the "EuroBeringian clade" formed by animals from Arctic Islands, Eurasia, and a few from North America and the "North American clade" formed only by caribou from North America. The time calibrated Y tree revealed an expansion and dispersal of lineages across continents after the Last Glacial Maximum. We show for the first time unique paternal lineages in Svalbard reindeer and Finnish forest reindeer and reveal a circumscribed Y haplogroup in Fennoscandian tundra reindeer. The Y chromosome in domesticated reindeer is markedly diverse indicating that several male lineages have undergone domestication and less intensive selection on males. This study places R. tarandus onto the list of species with resolved Y and mtDNA phylogenies and builds the basis for studies of the distribution and origin of paternal and maternal lineages in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piedmont glaciers (lobes), typically found in high latitudes and large mountainous regions, extend from ice sheets and ice caps to lower altitudes. However, they can also occur, although less commonly, on mid‐latitude mountains. When these fan‐like glaciers retreat, they leave behind hummocky moraines scattered in a chaotic pattern. In this study, we have mapped one of these mid‐latitude sites and established a Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) glacial chronology on Mount Davraz, namely Davraz hummocky moraine field (37°46′00″N, 30°43′15″E). Our findings indicate that the glaciers in this area started receding from the early local Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) period (21.8 ± 2.4 ka) to the early Late‐glacial period (17.7 ± 2.2 ka), and eventually disappearing. The deglaciation of the Mt. Davraz palaeoglacier matches nearby mountains, supported by southerly winds as significant for regional glaciation. Our discoveries reveal a robust connection between southerly winds and nearby glaciation, contributing to our understanding of how climate influences glaciers. Likewise, the glacial timelines of the neighbouring mountains align with the glacial history of Mt. Davraz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The response of South American seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) and savanna species to the Quaternary climate changes is still poorly understood. Here we use multi‐model inference approach to compare the phylogeography and demographic history of five trumpet tree species (also known as pau‐d'arco) and draw general biogeographical patterns: Handroanthus impetiginosus, H. ochraceus, H. serratifolius, Tabebuia aurea and T. roseoalba. Location: Amazonia, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga ecoregions, South America and Brazil. Taxa: Bignoniaceae, Tabebuia Alliance, trees. Methods: We compiled genetic data, occurrence records and ecological niche modelling (ENM) from published articles. We used coalescent modelling to test patterns of co‐divergence, and analysed niche breadth and overlap and spatial patterns in genetic diversity using quantile regressions. Results: Species showed concordant lineage divergence times in the Pleistocene. Lineage diversification and phylogeographical patterns are more related to species niche breadth than to biome (savanna or SDTF). Differences in genetic diversity among species matches the expected for the demographic scenarios obtained with coalescent simulations and ENMs: species with wider range expansion during the Last Glacial Maximum had higher diversity than species with range retraction or multiple refugia. Main Conclusions: Diversification burst in the Pliocene, and major diversification of lineages during the Pleistocene seems to be a general pattern in SDTF and savannas in the South America. The high number of haplotypes at the Central Brazil, corresponding to the Cerrado ecoregion, highlights the importance of Protected Areas for SDTFs and savannas, highly threatened biomes in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We are using the fossil record of different marine plankton groups to determine how their biodiversity has changed during past climate warming comparable to projected future warming. Location: North Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. Time series cover a latitudinal range from 75° N to 6° S. Time period: Past 24,000 years, from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the current warm period covering the last deglaciation. Major taxa studied: Planktonic foraminifera, dinoflagellates and coccolithophores. Methods: We analyse time series of fossil plankton communities using principal component analysis and generalized additive models to estimate the overall trend of temporal compositional change in each plankton group and to identify periods of significant change. We further analyse local biodiversity change by analysing species richness, species gains and losses, and the effective number of species in each sample, and compare alpha diversity to the LGM mean. Results: All plankton groups show remarkably similar trends in the rates and spatio‐temporal dynamics of local biodiversity change and a pronounced non‐linearity with climate change in the current warm period. Assemblages of planktonic foraminifera and dinoflagellates started to change significantly with the onset of global warming around 15,500 to 17,000 years ago and continued to change at the same rate during the current warm period until at least 5000 years ago, while coccolithophore assemblages changed at a constant rate throughout the past 24,000 years, seemingly irrespective of the prevailing temperature change. Main conclusions: Climate change during the transition from the LGM to the current warm period led to a long‐lasting reshuffling of zoo‐ and phytoplankton assemblages, likely associated with the emergence of new ecological interactions and possibly a shift in the dominant drivers of plankton assemblage change from more abiotic‐dominated causes during the last deglaciation to more biotic‐dominated causes with the onset of the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study utilized an ensemble modelling approach to predict the distribution of Diospyros melanoxylon under present, past (last glacial maximum (LGM), ~ 22 000 years BP, middle Holocene (MH) ~ 6000 years BP) and future climate change scenarios (RCP 2.6 and 8.5 for 2050s and 2070s). The annual mean temperature, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and annual precipitations were the most critical parameters that chiefly influence the distribution of D. melanoxylon. The ensemble model rendered high accuracy with AUC = 0.93, TSS = 0.74 and Kappa = 0.71. Past projections of D. melanoxylon indicated a widespread distribution during LGM and MH suggesting its adaptability to semi‐dry as well as warm and humid climate, respectively. Presence of fossil pollen evidence of D. melanoxylon in the suitable habitats derived through past projections in this study complements the model results and marks occurrences of the species during LGM and MH. By 2050s and 2070s (RCP 8.5), there would be a decline in the distribution by only 0.4% (13 622 km2) and 0.2% (6842 km2) of the extremely suitable habitats, respectively. The main factor leading to reduced habitat suitability is the anticipated rise in temperature and variations in seasonal precipitation patterns. Our findings, help in identifying the parts of the country which would be severely affected by future climate change scenarios and plan conservation strategies for this commercially important species to facilitate its growth in suitable habitats which are likely to sustain under future climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The export of neritic material from the top of carbonate platforms is a key process in the construction of their slopes. However, our knowledge of the supply pattern of materials from platforms is dominantly based on platforms lying in the euphotic zone during the present sea‐level highstand. This is a somewhat biased perspective as through geological time not all platforms were euphotic. The Saya de Malha Bank in the Mascarene Plateau is an example of a modern mesophotic carbonate platform, and as such, its flooding and export patterns differ from those of euphotic ones. Using cores collected on the western slope of the Saya de Malha Bank, the export patterns of the platform since the last glacial maximum were explored. Material on the platform edge is winnowed and transported to the slope by multiple possible processes. The material on the platform is a combination of high and low magnesium calcite as well as high and low strontium aragonite, integrating pelagic and neritic sources. The ratio of these constituents varies over time with changes in the platform production capability as it was flooded and drowned during the Holocene transgression. The material from the platform is transported in both confined flows, mainly during lowstands, and unconfined flows, mainly during late transgression and early highstand. In the present state of the highstand, supply may have diminished, leading to erosion of the canyon shoulders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the interpretation of a set of high‐resolution seismic lines integrated with multibeam echosounder data acquired in a coastal area in the Northern Adriatic Sea. The aim of the study was to reconstruct the stratigraphic evolution of a late Quaternary sedimentary succession offshore the town of Bibione, North‐Eastern Italy, by recognising the key unconformities, identifying the main depositional units, dating them and reconstructing the depositional environments in relation to relative sea‐level variations. Specifically, four sedimentary units, separated by erosional unconformities associated with the development of deep channels, were identified and dated based on literature information. By interpreting the seismic data, sedimentary dynamics were reconstructed and palaeoenvironments identified. The lower unit corresponds to a paludal environment, showing abundant gas seeps and accumulations (bright spots); the two intermediate units correspond to fluvial deposits, filling the deep incisions that characterise the bounding surfaces. Finally, the shallowest unit, bounded by a wave‐ravinement surface incised by tidal currents, corresponds to the Holocenic progradation of the coastal wedge. In addition, several vertical gas chimneys were identified, ranging in width from a few metres to 20–30 m. These were present in all units, often reaching the sea floor. Finally, elongated mounds, about 300 m wide, at the sea floor were recognised. The bathymetric and seismic characteristics of these elongated bodies and their relationship to adjacent sedimentary bodies suggest that they are probably methane‐derived carbonate formations known as 'Trezze' or 'Tegnùe'. These names recall the fact that the trawls of the local fishermen were often hindered ('tegnù' in the Venetian language) or even cut off by these formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]