Search

Sampling of environmental DNA (eDNA) and high‐throughput sequencing is emerging as an effective biodiversity assessment method in aquatic systems and may have utility for biodiversity inventory in terrestrial environments. Rock pools (gnammas) on granite inselbergs support a rich community of aquatic organisms and are culturally important to Indigenous peoples worldwide. However, the application of eDNA to survey rock pool biodiversity are undocumented. In a collaborative study with traditional owners, we explore the application of eDNA metabarcoding and traditional sampling methods to document and compare species richness and composition of eukaryotes from 15 rock pools (pits and pans) on granite inselbergs in southeastern Australia. We detected 116 taxonomic units, 81 assignments from eDNA sequencing and 35 species (23 rotifers and 12 microcrustaceans) using microscopic analysis. eDNA detected a broad range of taxa not previously documented from rock pools in Australia, although significantly more zooplankton (rotifers and microcrustaceans) were detected under a microscope, including several rare species and two undescribed species of rotifer. Brachionus calyciflorus and B. angularis were the only rotifer species assigned to species level through eDNA sequencing and were detected using both methods. We found no significant difference in mean species richness between rock pool types; however, species composition differed significantly between pits and pans. This study highlights the value of using eDNA to document biodiversity of ephemeral aquatic habitats in terrestrial ecosystems but reveals the general lack of reference sequence data for microorganisms, underscoring the value of using traditional sampling and taxonomic assignment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occurrences of Phacelia dubia in the Piedmont of South Carolina have been taxonomically enigmatic. Prior work had shown that there was partial reproductive isolation when plants from South Carolina were hybridized with any of the other varieties but evidence of morphological differentiation was lacking. In this study, a new morphological analysis showed South Carolina plants differed significantly in corolla lobe size, sepal size, and leaf dissection in comparisons with neighboring varieties, P. dubia var. dubia and P. dubia var. georgiana. A preponderance of evidence showing differentiation from all other varieties supports recognition of a new variety, P. dubia var. rionensis. Field work and an updated analysis of herbarium records showed the new variety is found in nine contiguous counties in the central and northern Piedmont of South Carolina and two counties in the inner Coastal Plain. We posit a hypothesized biogeographic pathway based on migration of a P. dubia ancestor from the Great Plains or Mexico to the Nashville Basin cedar glades, then to South Carolina piedmont granite outcrops, followed by a migration south to Georgia and Alabama piedmont granite outcrops and a separate migration north to rocky woodlands in North Carolina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Alophia (Tigridieae, Iridaceae), only known from the Brazilian Amazon, is here described and illustrated. Alophia graniticola was found growing over granite outcrops in the Serra dos Carajás mountain range, Pará state, Northern Brazil, inside or at the edges of dry deciduous forests. This is the third native species of Alophia registered in Brazil, differing from the other species of the genus by the anthers with an incurved apex, an unprecedented feature in the genus. An identification key for all Alophia species is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous societies' interactions with plants may result in contemporary distribution patterns that reflect these relationships, such as concentration of resource species close to occupation sites or transport routes. Seeds of the cycad, Macrozamia dyeri, are food of Nyungar First People of the south‐eastern Southwest Australian Floristic Region. Processing of seeds by leaching in soil or water enables detoxification and preservation of the pre‐colonial staple, a Nyungar technique archaeologically dated to at least 13 000 years BP. We measured the distance of M. dyeri populations to cultural landscape features and registered heritage sites. We also compared within‐population plant distribution characteristics to Nyungar occupation preferences around granite inselbergs. We found evidence of Nyungar influence on contemporary distribution of M. dyeri. Populations of M. dyeri occur close to surface water features in the west and granite outcrops in the east of Nyungar country, which corresponds closely to differential pre‐colonial patterns of Nyungar occupation. M. dyeri population frequency was negatively correlated with distance to registered Nyungar sites, and 75% of all M. dyeri populations occur within 3.2 km of a registered Nyungar site. We found no correlation between habitat availability and size of granite populations, but found that Nyungar occupation preferences in relation to ground surface aspect, slope and landform type correlated with intra‐population M. dyeri plant distribution, suggesting a mutualistic relationship with Nyungar people, has influenced the plant's distribution. We suggest that contemporary M. dyeri distribution is therefore useful for interpreting past location‐specific Nyungar land practices to inform contemporary conservation management. Our findings demonstrate that along with edaphic, climate and other environmental factors, consideration of pre‐colonial human dispersal and land practices is important for plant conservation in Australia, particularly for taxa with prolonged use by humans. Further, we suggest that analyses of long‐lived Macrozamia elsewhere may be useful for interpreting past Aboriginal land practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Isolated monoliths of granitic and/or gneissic rock rising abruptly from the surrounding landscape are known as inselbergs. Dome-shaped inselbergs are common throughout the Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil, a region known as Sugarloaf Land (SLL). This study aimed to create the first checklist of vascular plant species occurring on lowland inselbergs in SLL, with a focus on vegetation islands. We used information from online databases, our own field sampling and data from previously-published studies. We found 548 vascular plant species (505 angiosperms; 43 ferns and lycophytes) belonging to 69 families and 212 genera. Of all identified species, 536 are native and 12 are naturalised. New information We updated the information currently available in Flora do Brasil 2020, as 59% of the angiosperms and 63% of the ferns and lycophytes on our checklist were not previously characterised as occurring on rock outcrops. As a first step towards generating a Virtual Herbarium of lowland inselberg vascular plants, we added barcode vouchers with images available online for 75% of the total number of vascular species. In the official lists of endangered species, 115 angiosperms and five ferns and lycophytes are mentioned. However, the conservation status of many species have not yet been evaluated (77% angiosperms; 88% ferns and lycophytes), thus this list is an important step towards their conservation. The information provided herein is essential for management programmes related to rock outcrops in Brazil as they are facing serious threats to conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically fragmented and specialized habitats such as granite outcrops are understudied globally unique hot spots of plant evolution. In contrast to predictions based on mainstream population genetic theory, some granite outcrop plants appear to have persisted as very small populations despite prolonged geographic and genetic isolation. Eucalyptus caesia Benth. is a long‐lived lignotuberous tree endemic with a naturally fragmented distribution on granite outcrops in south‐western Australia. To quantify population to landscape‐level genetic structure, we employed microsatellite genotyping at 14 loci of all plants in 18 stands of E. caesia. Sampled stands were characterized by low levels of genetic diversity, small absolute population sizes, localized clonality and strong fine‐scale genetic subdivision. There was no significant relationship between population size and levels of heterozygosity. At the landscape scale, high levels of population genetic differentiation were most pronounced among representatives of the two subspecies in E. caesia as originally circumscribed. Past genetic interconnection was evident between some geographic neighbours separated by up to 20 km. Paradoxically, other pairs of neighbouring stands as little as 7 km apart were genetically distinct. There was no consistent pattern of isolation by distance across the 280 km range of E. caesia. Low levels of gene flow, together with strong drift within stands, provide some explanation of the patterns of genetic differentiation we observed. Individual genet longevity via the ability to repeatedly resprout and expand from a lignotuber may enhance the persistence of some woody perennial endemic plants despite small population size, minimal genetic interconnection and low heterozygosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microrefugia are sites with stable, high quality habitat within landscapes characterized by dynamic environmental conditions driven by climate variability or ecological disturbances. There is considerable interest in the potential of microrefugia to provide climate change resilience to landscapes and to biodiversity conservation. Although attractive conceptually, there is yet little guidance on how to identify climate change microrefugia in order to study and protect them, and the data required to do so are often lacking. This study demonstrates how time series remote sensing, using all available Landsat images of a study area, can be used to directly detect microrefugia maintained by water subsidies in a semi-arid landscape in southwest Western Australia. Microrefugia were identified as pixels with abundant vegetation and consistent vegetation dynamics between wet and dry years. At every pixel, a harmonic model was fit to the intra-annual time series of vegetation index values compiled from the wettest years in the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) archive. This model was then used to predict the phenological cycle of the driest years at that pixel. Candidate microrefugia were defined to be those pixels with (1) high vegetation activity in dry years and (2) highly predictable phenologies that are consistent regardless of the weather conditions experienced in a given year. Spatial relationships between candidate microrefugia and landscape features associated with elevated moisture availability (thought to drive climate microrefugia in these semi-arid landscapes) were assessed. The candidate microrefugia show great promise. Evaluations against high-resolution imagery reveal that candidate microrefugia most likely buffer against drought, although refugia from other disturbances, especially fire, were also detected. In contrast, spatial proxies of the physical features expected to maintain microrefugia failed to adequately represent the distribution of microrefugia across the landscape, likely due to data quality and the heterogeneity of microrefugia. Direct detection of microrefugia with Earth observation data is a promising solution in data limited regions. Landsat time series analyses are well suited to this application as they can characterize both the habitat quality and stability aspects of microrefugia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aptian-Albian boundary preserves one of the most important events in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia, which belongs to the Southern Tethyan margin. A major sedimentary break was recorded between Early Aptian and Albian series in Bouhedma-Boudouaou Mountains. This major hiatus probably linked to the ‘’Austrian phase’’ and to the Aptian and Albian ‘’Crisis'’ testify a period of major tectonic events. In this paper, field observations on the Mid-Cretaceous stratigraphy combined with seismic profile interpretation were used for the first time to characterize the Aptian-Albian boundary in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia. Our new results reveal that Aptian-Albian boundary marks a critical interval not only in Maknassy-Mezzouna orogenic system but also in the Tunisian Atlas. Furthermore, Aptian-Albian series outcrop is marked by the important sedimentary gaps as well as a dramatic thickness change from West to East and predominately from North to South. This is linked to the extensional tectonic features which characterize all the Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chascolytrum bulbosum occurs in shrubby fields with granite outcrops in southern South America. It is considered endangered, due to habitat loss and overgrazing. However, no population genetic studies nor conservation management plan for the species is currently available. Therefore, Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to assess genetic diversity and infer population structure of 13 natural populations of C. bulbosum distributed across southern Brazil. A total of 651 AFLP fragments were produced, of which 98.2% were polymorphic. Genetic diversity was considered moderate ( H = 0.150), with genetic differentiation being moderate to high ( G ST = 0.228; F ST = 0.341). Analyses enabled the separation of individuals into two clusters, although AMOVA results suggest only 13.2% variation between them. Estimates of gene flow by migration ( Nm ) were high in all analyses. Results suggest that no severe bottleneck has occurred recently in populations analyzed in this study. As gene flow occurs broadly through the geographical range of species found in Rio Grande do Sul, we suggest the stimulation of in situ rather than ex situ conservation, and priority populations for conservation of C. bulbosum are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant communities on granite outcrops are prone to water and nutrient limitations because of the shallow soils and high summer-temperatures characteristic of that habitat. Thus, resource availability is expected to influence plant performance on these sites. Here, we sought to determine if low resource-availability (water and nutrients) acts as a selective agent in natural populations of Helianthus porteri (Porter's Sunflower), a granite-outcrop endemic. We conducted field observations of growth and survival for 3 years in 3 populations spanning the species' range. We found that survival to flowering was correlated with soil-water availability (estimated by plant predawn water-potentials; Ψpd), and that drought severity (estimated by survival and Ψpd) differed among populations, suggesting the populations could be adaptively differentiated for resource-use traits. However, in a greenhouse common-garden experiment, the population that experienced the greatest drought severity in the field did not exhibit traits associated with greater drought resistance, and all 3 populations responded similarly to water and nutrient limitations. Thus, although drought influences survival in Porter's Sunflower, populations do not appear to be adaptively differentiated with respect to resource availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Flat Rock Quillwort, Isoetes graniticola sp. nov., occurs in ephemeral pools on several granite outcrops in Randolph and Lee counties of east-central Alabama, and possibly Heard County of western Georgia. It is tetraploid (2 n=44), in contrast to the widespread Piedmont outcrop diploid (2 n=22) I. piedmontana ( s. str.), with which it is close in appearance. Presently known from three (possibly five) populations, I. graniticola represents a globally rare endemic of the western Piedmont. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The arid and nutrient-poor Southwestern Australia is one of the global biodiversity hotspots. Embedded in this landscape, granite outcrops are considered terrestrial insular habitats supporting habitat heterogeneity when compared to the more homogenous surrounds. Ecology of plant species and communities on granite outcrops has been addressed in numerous studies. However, functional diversity (FD) in context of the environmental heterogeneity remained unexplored. Aims: We tested whether mesic deep-soil habitats on granite outcrops can sustain larger FD than dry shallow-soil habitats. Methods: We calculated FD for dominant species for five single traits (leaf dry matter content, foliar δ13C, foliar C:N ratio, plant height and specific leaf area) and their combinations. We employed Generalized Additive Mixed Models to quantify the relationship between selected climate and soil depth variables, and FD. Results: More benign (deep-soil) habitats supported larger FD for foliar C:N, plant height and for multiple traits than did shallow-soil habitats. Conclusions: We suggest that: (1) functional diversification, likely aimed at avoiding intra- and interspecific competition for light and nutrients acquisition, might be the important factor in deep-soil habitats; (2) deep-soils patches on and around granite outcrops may serve as ecological microrefugia for biota associated with resource-rich environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indosinian granites are widespread in the South China block (SCB) and can give significant information regarding the early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the SCB. A comprehensive geochronological and geochemical study is carried out on the Gaozhou gneissic granites from the Yunkai massif, in the southern part of the SCB. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U-Pb dating of zircons indicates that the gneissic granites were formed at 246 ± 3 Ma. These rocks are monzogranite in lithology and show features of medium-K calcalkaline series and weak peraluminous rocks. They have high SiO2 composition ranging from 75.85 to 76.84 wt%, high alkalis contents with Na2O 1 K2O of 7.20-7.51 wt%, and low MgO contents (0.11-0.20 wt%). Rare earth element (REE) compositions of the granitic rocks are fractionated with enriched light REE and moderate Eu anomalies. The samples also show enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (Rb and K) and Pb and depletion of Sr, Ba, and high field strength elements (Nb, Ti, and P). They possess negative εNd(t) values of 27.1 to 24.8. Petrography and geochemical compositions of the gneissic granites indicate that they belong to I-type granite and are the result of partial melting of the early Paleozoic magmatic rocks in the region combined with minor assimilation of younger crustal components. We propose that the Indosinian gneissic granites in the Gaozhou complex might be the products of an early Indosinian collisional event at the southern part of the SCB. Integrating our new data with documented collision-related magmatic events during the Late Permian to Middle Triassic in the southern part of the SCB, we support the hypothesis of a collision between the Indochina block and the SCB during the Late Permian to Triassic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selaginella boomii is described as a new species and compared to the similar S. roraimensis. The new species is widely distributed in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil where it grows on granite outcrops and boulders in forests and savannas. Selaginella boomii is illustrated with Scanning Electron Micrographs of stem sections, leaves, and spores, and its conservation status is discussed based on IUCN Categories and Criteria. This new species is classified within subgenus Stachygynandrum because of its heteromorphic vegetative leaves and monomorphic sporophylls that are arranged in quadrangular strobili. Finally, a brief overview on the current number of Selaginella species known from South America is provided to highlight that our knowledge of the diversity of this genus in the region is far from complete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Santa Eulália Plutonic Complex (SEPC), located in the Ossa Morena Zone (south Portugal), is composed of a medium- to coarse-grained pink granite (G0-type) and a central grey medium-grained biotite granite (G1-type). Available Rb–Sr data indicates an age of 290 Ma. An emplacement model for the SEPC is proposed, taking into account magnetic fabric, 2D gravity modelling and fluid inclusion planes studies. The G0 and G1 types demonstrate different magnetic behaviour: G0 is considered a magnetite-type granite and G1 is an ilmenite-type granite. The formation of G0 required oxidized conditions related to the interaction of mafic rocks with a felsic magma. The 2D gravity modelling and subvertical magnetic lineations show that the feeder zone of the SEPC is located in the eastern part of the pluton, confirming the role of the Assumar and Messejana Variscan faults in the process of ascent and emplacement. The magma emplacement was controlled by ENE–WSW planar anisotropies related to the final brittle stages of the Variscan Orogeny. The emplacement of the two granites was almost synchronous as shown by their gradational contacts in the field. The magnetic fabric however suggests emplacement of the G0-type first, closely followed by emplacement of the G1-type, pushing the G0 laterally which becomes more anisotropic towards the margin. The G1-type became flattened, acquiring a dome-like structure. The SEPC is a nested pluton with G0-type granite assuming a tabular flat shape and G1-type forming a rooted dome-like structure. After emplacement, SEPC recorded increments of the late Variscan stress field documented by fluid inclusion planes in quartz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the location and extent of granite outcrops (GOs) in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region is important to understand their role as refugia. We present a methodology to map GOs using biannual Landsat TM imagery. An adaptive vegetation cover mask capitalising on seasonal differences, combined with a supervised classification, allowed differentiation of granite from other land covers on five GOs across the rainfall gradient. This methodology provided high classification accuracy (Overall Kappa ranged from 0.83 to 0.91) irrespective of location. Therefore, there is potential to use these methods to compile a more complete GO inventory over the region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The epilithic and epigeic lichen flora of eight localities with granite and gneiss outcrops in the mountains of Makedonia, N Greece has been investigated. Of the 46 taxa reported, seven species are new to Greece, viz.: Brodoa oroarctica, Candelariella coralliza, Cetraria ericetorum, Lecanora swartzii, Parmelia serrana, Pseudephebe pubescens and Ramalina strepsilis. One species is new to the Greek mainland (Umbilicaria polyphylla) and four species are new to the region of Makedonia (Bryoria chalybeiformis, Melanelia disjuncta, Polychidium muscicola and Xanthoparmelia loxodes). Altitudinal range and abundance are briefly discussed for a number of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G ranitohyoidea calycopeplus sp. nov. is described from the south-west of Western Australia. It is associated with the euphorb species, C alycopeplus paucifolius, which is found in association with granite outcrops. It is proposed that G. calycopeplus has affinity with the Palearctic genus H yoidea Reuter, with the later associated with species of the gymnosperm genus E phedra. The hosts of G ranitohyoidea gen. nov. and H yoidea are distantly related, but their vegetative and reproductive characters are putatively convergent and are postulated to offer similar ecological niches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levels of fluorine in sediment cores obtained from Changyi County (PZ core) and Laizhou County (TS core) are used to discuss the fluorine sources in groundwater and its enrichment dynamics. The sediments in the aquifer are mainly constituted of granite gravels. The levels of fluorine in the PZ and TS cores range from 130 to 468 mg/kg, 139-528 mg/kg, with average values of 324, 348 mg/kg, respectively, which show relatively lower levels than the national average of fluorine in the soil or sediment. Thus, the fluorosis in this area should not be attributed to the levels of fluorine in sediments. The average fluorine concentrations in the aquifer from top to bottom are 154, 139, 200, 222 mg/kg for the TS core, and 154, 130, 266, 272 mg/kg for the PZ core, respectively, which are the lowest of the cores and extremely lower levels than the fresh granites. Such a fact indicates that a vast amount of fluorine has been leached into the groundwater. Moreover, the fluorine leachability is estimated to be approximately 70 %, although the previous documents showed fluorine contents of the granite surrounding Laizhou Bay were almost equal to or even lower than the average levels of fluorine in fresh granites. Meanwhile, a simulation experiment also reveals that fluorine release from rocks increases with the addition of seawater and brine water. Therefore, the seawater intrusion may potentially enhance the fluorine leachability, and should be an important dynamic of fluorine enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of refugia is an increasingly important adaptation strategy in conservation planning under rapid anthropogenic climate change. Granite outcrops (GOs) provide extraordinary diversity, including a wide range of taxa, vegetation types and habitats in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). However, poor characterization of GOs limits the capacity of conservation planning for refugia under climate change. A novel means for the rapid identification of potential refugia is presented, based on the assessment of local-scale environment and vegetation structure in a wider region. This approach was tested on GOs across the SWAFR. Airborne discrete return Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data and Red Green and Blue (RGB) imagery were acquired. Vertical vegetation profiles were used to derive 54 structural classes. Structural vegetation types were described in three areas for supervised classification of a further 13 GOs across the region. Habitat descriptions based on 494 vegetation plots on and around these GOs were used to quantify relationships between environmental variables, ground cover and canopy height. The vegetation surrounding GOs is strongly related to structural vegetation types (Kappa = 0.8) and to its spatial context. Water gaining sites around GOs are characterized by taller and denser vegetation in all areas. The strong relationship between rainfall, soil-depth, and vegetation structure (R2 of 0.8–0.9) allowed comparisons of vegetation structure between current and future climate. Significant shifts in vegetation structural types were predicted and mapped for future climates. Water gaining areas below granite outcrops were identified as important putative refugia. A reduction in rainfall may be offset by the occurrence of deeper soil elsewhere on the outcrop. However, climate change interactions with fire and water table declines may render our conclusions conservative. The LiDAR-based mapping approach presented enables the integration of site-based biotic assessment with structural vegetation types for the rapid delineation and prioritization of key refugia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linkage of paleontological and geological discoveries provides new opportunities to strengthen interpretations of paleogeographic evolution of the Rocky Mountains' deepest structural basin. We report discovery in the northeastern Hanna Basin (south-central Wyoming) of a lower first molar of Meniscoessus cf. M. robustus, an advanced form of multituberculate mammal known only from the North American Western Interior in Upper Cretaceous local faunas of the Lancian North American Land Mammal Age. It aids in dating patchy outcrops of the Ferris Formation, overlain and covered laterally by significantly younger, thrust-emplaced Hanna Formation. The specimen documents a member of the M. robustus species group, also recovered from more southwesterly strata of the Ferris Formation in the Hanna Basin. The fossil-bearing strata were deposited close to ancient sea level but are tectonically overturned and bounded above and below by what originally were north-vergent thrust faults. We present a new geologic map (scale 1:24,000) including two representative cross sections. Using an interpretive cross-sectional evolutionary model, we propose that the Hanna Basin, until late in Laramide orogenesis, had a markedly more extensive northern existence in the upland areas now occupied by the Freezeout Hills and southern Shirley Mountains. Local Laramide orogenic history in the mapped area is dominated to the north by development of at least 10 kilometers of Cretaceous-early Eocene structural relief across Archean granitic rocks. Those ancient rocks today form the NNE-SSW-oriented, axial core of the asymmetrical Shirley Mountains Anticline. Completion of the Shirley Mountains' uplift postdated deposition of almost the entire stratigraphic sequence now exposed along the northern Hanna Basin. North-vergent, out-of-the-basin thrust faults developed in response to crowding initiated by the much larger, south-vergent, basement-involved thrust complex known as the Shirley Fault. Those out-of-the-basin thrust faults had mostly bedding-parallel planes of displacement. But they commonly cut stratigraphically down-section during basin-margin deformation, thus placing younger strata of the hanging walls onto older strata of the footwalls. These thin-skinned, younger-on-older fault relationships today exhibit steeply basinwarddipping to overturned strata. The faulting led to greatly thinned stratigraphic sections when juxtaposed against basinmargin, mountainous uplifts expressing oppositely vergent, basement-involved thrust-fault systems. These kinds of downsection thrust faults probably will become recognized as common expressions of basin subdivision along steeply dipping, basin-margin strata throughout the Rocky Mountain province. Furthermore, several occurrences of this phenomenon appear to have been long-misinterpreted as depositional/erosional angular unconformities. Such recognition demands re-thinking of the areas' geologic histories. Complexities of erosional history constitute central parts of our evolutionary scenario. Locally derived clastic deposits within uppermost Cretaceous and Paleogene sequences of the northern Hanna Basin originated principally from north of the Shirley Mountains and other upland areas that today closely border the basin. Multiple source areas existed across deeply eroding, mountainous landscapes (the Granite Mountains) that existed during latest Cretaceous through Eocene time. Beginning in the latest Eocene and continuing late into the Miocene, dominantly airfall volcaniclastic materials from distant sources covered all but the high peaks of Wyoming. Late in the Miocene, however, the heavily eroded core of the Granite Mountains collapsed via extensional tectonics, allowing preservation of remnant volcaniclastic strata atop the Granite Mountains Graben. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The hyper-arid Namib Desert is an ancient desert of great lithological diversity. Weathering plays a key role in landscape evolution in the Namib which, in spite of its aridity, has a number of sources of moisture – rainfall, fogs, dews and groundwater seepage – which enhance weathering. Among the weathering processes that have been the subject of recent study in the central Namib are salt, thermal and lichen weathering which, in often complex associations of processes, contribute to the array of small scale weathering features found on marble and granite outcrops here. At the landscape scale weathering in the central Namib is also highly interrelated with erosion and the development of geochemical sediments (calcrete, gypcrete, tufas etc), whilst weathering ‘hotspots’ are thought to be important sources of fine sediment production. Over the long term weathering has played important roles in landscape evolution here which, despite localized weathering hotspots, has been very slow for much of the Cenozoic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Granite outcrops in the southeastern United States are rare and isolated habitats that support edaphically controlled communities dominated by herbaceous plants. They harbor rare and endemic species that are expected to have low genetic variability and high population structure due to small population sizes and their disjunct habitat. We test this expectation for an annual outcrop endemic, Helianthus porteri (Porter's sunflower). Contrary to expectation, H. porterihas relatively high genetic diversity (He = 0.681) and relatively low genetic structure among the native populations (FST = 0.077) when compared to 5 other Helianthus species (N = 288; 18 expressed sequence tag--SSR markers). These findings suggest greater gene flow than expected. The potential for gene flow is supported by the analysis of transplant populations established with propagules from a common source in 1959. One population established close to a native population (1.5 km) at the edge of the natural range is genetically similar to and shares rare alleles with the adjacent native population and is distinct from the central source population. In contrast, a transplant population established north of the native range has remained similar to the source population. The relatively high genetic diversity and low population structure of this species, combined with the long-term success of transplanted populations, bode well for its persistence as long as the habitat persists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A particular development is proposed to mine some good quality outcrops of granite found in a forest exploitation of eucalypts. The exploitation has been designed with a quarrying method, in which small open cast pits are opened and quarried sequentially, and later filled with the waste of the new open pit. Soil is finally used to cover this waste, so new growing tree areas are gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shewa-Shahbazgarhi complex is an isolated triangular outcrop, occurring about 12 km northeast of Mardan and resides 60 km south of the Main Mantle thrust (MMT) as part of the Indian plate. It comprises of basic and acidic alkaline rocks including microporphry, metagabbro, metadolerite, reibeckite gneiss and porphyritic microgranite. A sample from the porphyritic microgranite yields 280 ± 16 Ma year U-Pb age on zircon. Similar ages from the Swat granites (granite gneiss) and Chakdara granite gneiss including the present date show that Peshawar plain alkaline igneous province (PPAIP) rift-related igneous activity of the granitic rocks was Permian in age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the discovery of an estimated 1,000 rock art sites in north west Tanzania with around four different styles of art from different periods made by Twa hunter-gatherers or Batwa. It notes the rock paintings site located in a massive granite outcrop known locally as Kijashu that depicts geometric and animal paintings. It stats that the paintings include more circles, concentric circles and other geometrics along with more orange elongated stick figures.

The article focuses on the discovery of plant Banksia plumosa at Cape Le Grand National Park in West Australia by the Australian Department of Environment and Conservation. It states that the plant was found growing on stony laterite among grey sands and granite outcrops. It says that the new discovery has supported the previously type location of the plant, which was collected by botanist Robert Brown in Lucky Bay in Western Australia.

The article discusses the geological position of granite plutons in Barangulovo, Russia. It focuses on the results of recent explorations for the occurrence of tantalum and niobium in different Barangulovo granitoids. It talks about greisenized rocks which contain rare metals. It states that due to poor development of granitoid magmatism, the western slope of the Southern Urals is not characterized by rare metal mineralization. It adds that the Barangulovo rocks are characterized by intrusive relations with the deposits of the Mazara Formation. It also talks about Leucocratic granites which are distinguished by much lower biotite content.

Background and Aims Worldwide, many plant species are confined to open, shallow-soil, rocky habitats. Although several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this habitat specificity, none has been convincing. We suggest that the high level of endemism on shallow soils is related to the edaphic specialization needed to survive in these often extremely drought-prone habitats. Previous research has shown that species endemic to ironstone communities in SW Australia have a specialized root morphology that enhances their chance to access fissures in the underlying rock. Here we test the generality of these findings for species that are confined to a shallow-soil habitat that is of much greater global significance: granite outcrops. Methods We compared temporal and spatial root growth and allocation of three endemic woody perennials of SW Australian granite outcrop communities with those of congeners occurring on nearby deeper soils. Seedlings of all species were grown in 1·2 m long custom-made containers with a transparent bottom that allowed monitoring of root growth over time. Key Results The granite outcrop endemics mostly differed in a predictable way from their congeners from deeper soils. They generally invested a larger portion of their biomass in roots, distributed their roots faster and more evenly over the container and had a lower specific root length. In different species pairs the outcrop endemics achieved their apparent advantage by a different combination of the aforementioned traits. Conclusions Our results are consistent with earlier work, indicating that species restricted to different types of drought-prone shallow-soil communities have undergone similar selection pressures. Although adaptive in their own habitat in terms of obtaining access to fissures in the underlying rock, these root system traits are likely to be maladaptive in deeper soil habitats. Therefore, our results may provide an explanation for the narrow endemism of many shallow-soil endemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reveals the issue of distribution of lichens life forms on different substrates, which are present in the Yelanetsko- Ingulskiy region. The largest number of life forms of the lichens is characteristic for granite outcrops, and the lowest - for gneisses. This fact is associated with features of substrate morphostructure and density, microclimatic conditions of different ecotopes in which lichens grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Synsphyronus, S. christopherdarwini, is described from Charles Darwin Reserve, Western Australia. The species occurs on several granite outcrops where they congregate under exfoliating pieces of granite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Koukounaries research project regarding excavations of koukounaries which is a semi-granite outcrop including beginning of the project in 1976, sponsorship of the project by the Archaeological Society at Athens in Greece and buildings found from the Geometric period.

Abstract: Secondary vegetation, associated with changes in land use, presents a conservation issue in the preservation of biological diversity in agricultural landscapes. We examine the interactive effect of eucalypt regrowth and rock habitat on reptile species richness and assemblage structure in fragmented agricultural landscapes in south-eastern Australia. Zoogeographic and geomorphic factors influenced species richness and community composition. Saxicolous and arboreal species were less abundant in grassy woodland regrowth, whereas Bassian and fossorial species responded positively to forest regrowth (and tree plantings). Regrowth with rock habitat had higher reptile richness, and more old growth-associated taxa, than regrowth without rock habitat. Thus, the presence of saxicolous habitat can reduce the time required for regrowth to attain a climax community structure and elements of old growth fauna. However, in the absence of vegetation management, secondary vegetation can reduce habitat suitability for a broad range of reptiles. In agricultural landscapes historically supporting savannah-like vegetation, habitat manipulation may be necessary to maintain reptile diversity. Furthermore, tree plantings in temperate agricultural landscapes should aim to restore historical vegetation composition and structure, thereby reflecting the habitat requirements of extant species and facilitating evolutionary processes. In grassy woodland ecosystems, this may involve heterogeneous plantings which emulate natural levels of canopy cover and solar penetration. Maintaining biodiversity in agricultural landscapes will therefore involve managing trade-offs to preserve areas of dense regeneration for regrowth-dependant fauna, while at the same time, creating open-canopy environments to enhance habitat for ectothermic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important question for the conservation of species dwelling in fragmented habitats is whether changes to the intervening landscape create a barrier to gene flow. Here, we make use of the spatial distribution of the granite outcrop-dwelling lizard, Ctenophorus ornatus, to compare inferred levels of gene flow between outcrops in a nature reserve with that between outcrops in the adjacent agricultural land. Genetic variation, relatedness and subdivision were compared within groups of individuals from different outcrops similar in size and distance apart at each site. In the agricultural land, we found significantly lower genetic variation within outcrops and greater genetic differentiation between outcrops than in the reserve. Further, the rate at which genetic divergence between outcrops increased over geographical distance was significantly greater in the agricultural land than in the reserve. We also found that individuals were more closely related within outcrops but more distantly related between outcrops in the cleared land. These effects occur over a small spatial scale with an average distance between outcrops of less than five kilometres. Thus, even though land clearing around the outcrops leaves outcrop size unchanged, it restricts gene flow, reducing genetic variation and increasing population structure, with potentially negative consequences for the long-term persistence of the lizards on these outcrops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrogeology Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We performed a comparative study of the vascular flora of a serpentine outcrop, Pine Hill, and that of a granite outcrop, Settlement Quarry, from Little Deer Isle and Deer Isle, respectively, Hancock County, Maine. We established four transects along a gradient from exposed to forested areas within each outcrop. Plants were recorded for presence and percent cover from circular plots along each transect. Soil and tissue samples were collected to examine soiltissue elemental relations. One hundred thirty-two taxa were recorded from serpentine and 89 from granite. Fifty-seven taxa were shared by both sites. Species richness (α diversity) and diversity indices (Shannon-Weaver and Simpson) suggested significant differences between sites and within sites. Principle Component Analysis suggested substrates differed significantly between sites and between exposures within sites. Tissue analyses suggested intraspecific variation with respect to tissue elemental concentrations, especially in Achillea millefolium, Oenothera biennis, Prunus virginiana, Selaginella rupestris, Spiraea alba var. latifolia, and Vaccinium angustifolium. Serpentine populations of many taxa showed low tissue Ca:Mg ratios (<1) and high Ni concentrations. Two-way ANOVA showed significant substrate × species effects for several elements, including those that typically characterize serpentine substrates (Ca, Mg, Cr, Ni), suggesting significant genetic variation within species with respect to substrate. Finally, we compared our species list for Pine Hill with a plant survey done at Pine Hill and five additional serpentine sites of Maine in 1977 and provide a list of 285 vascular plant taxa from 62 families for serpentine in Maine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock-pools have specific environmental characteristics, usually with multiple short and unpredictable hydroperiods in 1 season. This requires a specific set of life-history adaptations of their permanent inhabitants, which affects species occurrence. In Southern African rock-pools, large branchiopods are usually represented by Branchipodopsis species. During an intensive sampling campaign in 2004 in the Western Cape of South Africa, a population of Streptocephalus purcelli Sars, 1898 was discovered for the first time in a clear rock-pool with a short hydroperiod. Its usual habitat is a more turbid mud-pool with a longer hydroperiod. We investigated under standard laboratory conditions the differences in early life-history traits between the rock-pool population and a conspecific mud-pool population. Dormant eggs of the rock-pool population were smaller than those of the mud-pool population. The smaller larvae also hatched earlier. These characteristics are in accordance with what is expected for populations living in ephemeral systems. The rock-pool population, on the other hand, also exhibited a higher total hatching percentage, a longer hatching duration, a longer maturation time and a lower mortality. Although, deduced from the last mentioned life-history traits, S. purcelli seemed not well-adapted to unpredictable and ephemeral rock-pool habitats, they could probably occur due to the absence of the competitively stronger species in the region or due to dispersal and mass effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of water in a peralkaline and a peraluminous rhyolitic melt was investigated at temperatures of 714–1,493 K and pressures of 100 and 500 MPa. At temperatures below 923 K dehydration experiments were performed on glasses containing about 2 wt% H2O t in cold seal pressure vessels. At high temperatures diffusion couples of water-poor (<0.5 wt% H2O t) and water-rich (~2 wt% H2O t) melts were run in an internally heated gas pressure vessel. Argon was the pressure medium in both cases. Concentration profiles of hydrous species (OH groups and H2O molecules) were measured along the diffusion direction using near-infrared (NIR) microspectroscopy. The bulk water diffusivity ( $$D_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}$$) was derived from profiles of total water ( $$C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}$$) using a modified Boltzmann-Matano method as well as using fittings assuming a functional relationship between $$D_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}$$ and $$C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}.$$ Both methods consistently indicate that $$D_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}$$ is proportional to $$C_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{}}$$ in this range of water contents for both bulk compositions, in agreement with previous work on metaluminous rhyolite. The water diffusivity in the peraluminous melts agrees very well with data for metaluminous rhyolites implying that an excess of Al2O3 with respect to alkalis does not affect water diffusion. On the other hand, water diffusion is faster by roughly a factor of two in the peralkaline melt compared to the metaluminous melt. The following expression for the water diffusivity in the peralkaline rhyolite as a function of temperature and pressure was obtained by least-squares fitting:where $$ D_{{{\text{H}}_{2} {\text{O}}_{t} }}^{{1\,{\text{wt}}\% }} $$ is the water diffusivity at 1 wt% H2O t in m2/s, T is the temperature in K and P is the pressure in MPa. The above equation reproduces the experimental data (14 runs in total) with a standard fit error of 0.15 log units. It can be employed to model degassing of peralkaline melts at water contents up to 2 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithostratigraphic interval between the marine Puskwaskau Formation (Smoky Group, Santonian–Campanian) and the fluvial Scollard Formation (early Maastrichtian) in west-central Alberta and easternmost British Columbia (Canada) is represented by the nonmarine deposits of the Wapiti Formation. Its subdivision into regionally mappable stratigraphic units and the correlation of such units with the better known successions of central and southern Alberta are the main goals of this study. We present a detailed stratigraphic revision of the Wapiti Formation in the Grande Prairie region, where the entire succession crops out extensively and intensive oil and gas exploration activity provides excellent subsurface control. This study indicates that the Wapiti Formation consists in five stratigraphic units: their description has been based in particular on facies analysis and well-log signatures. In ascending order, units 1 to 5 record major differences in depositional architecture related to variation in accommodation and climatic conditions. Upper and lower contacts of these units are represented by regionally mappable subaerial unconformities or conformable facies contacts. Three major coal zones are identified within the Wapiti Formation, the Basal, Red Willow, and Cutbank: coals referred to these intervals have been documented in both outcrop and subsurface in the entire study area, thus representing a reliable tool for regional correlations. Furthermore, results presented here indicate that the maximum flooding surfaces of the Bearpaw seaway and the Drumheller Marine Tongue, both marine reference units in central and southern Alberta, lie, respectively, within coals of unit 3 and the Red Willow coal zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deposits of the 22.6 ka Okareka Eruption Episode from Tarawera Volcanic Complex record the sequential and simultaneous eruption of three discrete rhyolite magmas following a silicic recharge event related to basaltic intrusion. The episode started with basaltic eruption (∼0.01 km3 magma), and rapidly changed to a plinian eruption involving a moderate temperature (750 °C), cummingtonite-bearing rhyolite magma (T1) with a volume of ∼0.3 km3. Hybrid basalt/rhyolite clasts demonstrate direct basaltic intrusion that helped trigger the eruption. Crystals, shards and lapilli of two other rhyolite magmas then joined the eruption sequence. They comprise a cooler (720 °C) crystal-rich biotite–hornblende rhyolite magma (T2) (∼0.3 km3), and a hotter (780 °C), crystal-poor, pyroxene–hornblende rhyolite magma (T3) (∼4.5 km3). All mid to late-stage ash units contain various mixtures of T1, T2 and T3 components with a general increase in abundance of T3 and rapid decline of T1 with time. About 4 km3 of T3 magma was extruded as lavas at the end of the episode. Contrasts in melt composition, crystal and volatile contents, and temperatures influenced viscosity and miscibility, and thus limited pre-eruption mixing of the rhyolite magmas. The eruption sequence and the restricted direct basaltic intrusion into only one magma (T1) is consistent with the rhyolites occupying separate melt pods within a large crystal-mush zone. Melt–crystal equilibria and volatile contents in melt inclusions indicate temporary magma storage depths of <8 km. Each of the magmas display quartz crystals containing melt inclusions that are compositionally highly evolved relative to the accompanying matrix glass, and thus point to a stage of more complete crystallisation. The matrix glass, enriched in Sr and Ti, represents a re-melting event of underlying the crystal pile induced by basaltic intrusion, presumably part of the same event that erupted scoria at the start of the eruption. This recharge rhyolite melt percolated upward and hybridised with the resident melts in each of the three magma pods. The Okareka episode rhyolites contrast with other well-documented rhyolites that are either continuously or discontinuously zoned, or have been homogenised during re-activation to a uniform composition. Rapid basalt dike intrusion to shallow levels appears to have (prematurely?) triggered the Okareka rhyolites into eruption, so that their early ponding in separate melt pods has been recorded before it could be masked by mixing or stratification had amalgamation into a larger body occurred. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Granite outcrops represent an isolated island habitat and, in ancient landscapes, may harbour species with complex evolutionary histories. Phylogenetic analysis of these species may reveal the influences of evolutionary processes over long time frames. Phylogenetic relationships from chloroplast and nuclear genome analysis were investigated in Eucalyptus caesia, a bird-pollinated mallee endemic to granite outcrops in the South-western Australian Floristic Region. The results obtained revealed high population and haplotype divergence, suggesting restriction to the specific habitat of granite outcrops over long time frames with genetic drift as the most significant evolutionary force. The hypothesis of derivation of ssp. magna from ssp. caesia was not supported by the pattern of diversity in either the chloroplast or the nuclear genome and the two subspecies were not monophyletic. Eucalyptus caesia displays significant clonality yet little evidence of inbreeding depression, suggesting deleterious mutations causing inbreeding depression have been purged. © 2008 Department of Environment and Conservation. Journal compilation © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 93, 177–188. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of dark patinas on rocky surfaces is mainly related to the deposition of gases and particles and to sulphation mechanisms. In the present study, samples of dark patinas taken from granitic outcrops and from granitic buildings were examined in an attempt to understand the mechanisms of their formation. The outcrops are located in non-polluted areas and are characterized by the absence of any extraneous material that provides calcium, such as e.g. mortar. The buildings are located in areas with low levels of pollution. The climate in the study area favours proliferation of microorganisms. Important differences between the patinas sampled from outcrops and from buildings were observed, as the former are of biological origin and the latter of anthropogenic origin. Although the levels of pollution are low in the sampling area, sulphur was present in all of the samples from urban buildings. Sulphur was not present in patinas from outcrops or in patinas from monuments that are assumed to behave as outcrops (dolmens), although the latter are also of anthropogenic origin. Finally, the patinas were found to be formed by elements accumulated on the surface and not from elements contained within the rock itself. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]