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The vicinity of the Rozprza archaeological site (central Poland) has been the area of a series of palaeoecological studies tracking the environmental history of the Luciąża River valley up to ca. 13,200 cal. BP. Numerous subfossil palaeomeanders of different sizes have been discovered in the valley floor. Here, we present the first results of multiproxy research on the paleo-oxbow lake fill, one of the oldest in the region. The wide range of palaeoecological analyses resulted in reconstructions of vegetation history, climatic, hydrological and habitat changes. The studied oxbow was an aquatic ecosystem with diverse invertebrate fauna until the end of Younger Dryas when it transformed into a limno-telmatic habitat. The sediment composition indicates active denudation processes and several episodes of turbulent hydrological conditions. Such an increased river activity could have caused flooding, resulting in an allochthonous matter supply to the oxbow lake in Late Vistulian. Environmental changes were strictly related to the regional features of the catchment, the transformation of soils, and the hydrogeological conditions. The chironomid- and pollen-inferred climatic reconstructions indicate periods of high and low continentality. The chironomid record indicates relatively cool summer conditions in the Allerød, especially ca. 13,000 cal. BP, possibly related to the Gerzensee Oscillation. On the other hand, a distinct increase of summer temperatures in Younger Dryas (up to 16 °C) was recorded. Such a situation was also confirmed in some other studies from the region, suggesting that it might be the effect of some specific, local palaeoclimatic conditions. Fundator badań: Fundator badań: Optional.empty

The paper presents new data on the subfossil insects and molluscs, as well a new radiocarbon date for the Gornovo site in the Southern Fore-Urals. As a result, the stratigraphic interpretation of the sediments of the lower part of the first above floodplain terrace of the Belaya River is corrected and they are assigned to the Tabulda Horizon (MIS 3) of the Upper Pleistocene in the regional scheme of the Fore-Urals Quaternary. The malacofauna of the locality is represented by 27 species of terrestrial and freshwater molluscs. The composition of molluscs in the deposits of MIS 3 indicates the succession of deposit accumulation in the river valley from the stage of reservoirs that periodically connecting with the river to the stage of the overgrown oxbow lake. Single occurrence of mollusc shells in the loams of MIS 2 is a result of sharp climate change. New insect material includes 136 species of Coleoptera from 17 families, as well as Heteroptera and Hymenoptera representatives. 29 species of beetles (Carabidae, Histeridae, Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, Tenebrionidae, Chrysomelidae, Brentidae and Curculionidae) are recorded for the Pleistocene for the first time. The insect assemblages from Gornovo site are assigned to periglacial and humid boreal faunal types. The entomofauna of the periglacial type has no analogues in the recent fauna; it corresponds to the deposits assigned to the middle of MIS 3. This entomofauna is characteristic to the MIS 2 and MIS 3 insect assemblages from the south of West Siberian Plain. Based on entomological data, the climate of the middle of MIS 3 of the Southern Fore-Urals is reconstructed as dry and cold, extracontinental, with mean July temperature not exceeding +15 °C. Steppe landscapes likely prevailed in open areas and coniferous forests were restricted to river valleys. Beetles from deposits dated to end of MIS 3 are assigned to the fauna of the boreal humid type. These insect assemblages are significantly poorer in diversity than periglacial type assemblages and are represented mainly by near water and forest Coleoptera. Based on these species, meadow and forest landscapes were reconstructed. The reconstructed mean air temperature of July ranged from +16 to +19 °C. This suggests a trend towards more mild conditions in the region connected to the climate warming at the end of MIS 3. It is likely that humidification during this period was regional, determined by the proximity of the site to the Southern Urals Mountains.

Lake ecosystems in arid Central Asia are in crisis due to water abstraction and eutrophication, and it is important to understand their response to combined climate and human impacts. In this study, based on the relationship between modern chironomids and salinity, we studied subfossil chironomid remains in a ~4550-year sedimentary record from Lake Ulungur in northwest China, with the aim of reconstructing past ecosystem dynamics, especially in response to climate change and human impacts. The results show that from 4550–580 cal yr BP the hydrological status of Lake Ulungur was transformed from close to open and the salinity decreased causing an increase in freshwater chironomid species. Comparison with regional paleoclimatic records makes us to infer that the lake ecosystem evolution has been primarily controlled by changes in the westerly driven by the Northern Hemisphere insolation. Since 580 cal yr BP, the lake returned to be closed and the structure of the aquatic community reorganized. In recent centuries, human activities have made a more significant effect on lake ecosystems in northwest China than natural climate changes, which largely was induced by a surge in the human population related to national policies. Furthermore, due to the combined effects of global warming and intensifying human activities, lake ecosystems in Central Asia are subject to unprecedented anthropogenic pressures and urgent action is needed to protect them.

Subfossil remains of the Quaternary megafauna from two Ukrainian natural history collections stored at Kaniv Nature Reserve and the National Museum of Natural History NAS of Ukraine were examined. Most of the bones were collected in 1965–1966, in the building pit and the gateway of the Kaniv hydroelectric power plant. The fauna is represented at least by ten taxa (Gulo gulo, Mammuthus trogonterii chosaricus, Mammuthus intermedius, Coelodonta antiquitatis, Megaloceros giganteus, Alces alces, Bison priscus, Cervus elaphus, Capra cf. ibex, and Equus ferus). Skeletal parts are represented mainly by skulls, long bones, horns, and tusks. Based on the species composition of proboscideans, at least part of the faunal assemblage is dated by the end of the Middle Pleistocene (Dnieper Stage = Saale, Warta, MIS 6), but majority of bones could be older or younger (Late Pleistocene and Holocene age) due to the alluvial origin of accumulation.

Analysis of Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) subfossil remains in lake sediments features prominently in paleolimnological studies. It is well known, however, that species composition in a taphocoenosis (assemblage of subfossil remains in sediments) does not represent perfectly that of the original living community (biocoenosis) from which it came. We analyzed the representation of different Cladocera skeletal components in sediments of 27 Russian water bodies to compare two methods of enumerating relative abundances of cladoceran remains: (1) recording the number of most abundant fragments of each taxon to represent the number of individuals, and (2) recording each fragment of a taxon as belonging to an individual specimen. Overall, for all cladoceran taxa and all water bodies sampled, proportions of different skeletal components differed from what would be expected based on those in live individuals. Carapaces were the most abundant component in 23 of 27 water bodies. Head shields were common, but predominated in only four samples, whereas postabdomens were rare, accounting for

Twentieth-century historic industrial activity in Cornwall, ON loaded high amounts of metals and metalloids to the St. Lawrence River. Despite industrial improvements and the eventual closure of point-source polluters, sedimentary contamination in the Cornwall waterfront remains above provincial guidelines, causing concern for ecosystem management. We analysed chironomid (Order: Diptera) subfossils from modern-day surface-sediment samples and a sediment core from the Cornwall waterfront in order to better understand historic pollution impacts and potential recovery. Modern-day chironomid assemblages were diverse (48 genera, >70 species) and overall assemblage structure was weakly related to sedimentary zinc concentrations, with Procladius, Paratanytarsus, and Ablabesmyia identified as zinc-tolerant and Rheotanytarsus, Polypedilum and Paratendipes identified as zinc-sensitive. The sediment core showed peak total mercury (THg) concentrations were an order of magnitude higher than in modern-day surface sediments. In sections of the core below 10 cm in depth, THg concentrations were high (~30–50 µg/g) and chironomids were nearly absent from the record. Above 10 cm (c. 1980) THg concentrations decreased and chironomid taxa returned in low abundances. Subsequent intervals displayed an increase in diversity, abundance, and the relative abundance of metal-sensitive taxa. This study provides evidence of ecological change which co-occurs with Cornwall’s historic industrial activity and indicates progress toward related ecological goals identified in the current management strategy.

Southern South America, especially Patagonia, presents numerous glacial lakes holding proxies of past environmental and climate changes. This is useful to reconstruct past environmental changes, key for understanding Southern Hemisphere variability and the present. Our aim was to identify the volcanic and environmental impact that occurred during the last 700 year in Northern Patagonia (Argentina) using subfossil chironomids, organic matter content, and tephrochronology from short sediment cores of two lakes located between Los Alerces National Park and Esquel city. Both lakes have similar watershed characteristics and were affected by the same volcanic events, making them an excellent tool for study environmental changes. Although changes in chironomid assemblages were subtle along both cores, enviromental variations and faunal responses to volcanic ash (tephra) could be inferred. In the last 50 years, an increase of organic matter, chironomids typical of productive environments, and the presence of macrophytes, point towards an increase in lake productivity. Probably linked to the establishment of Esquel city and fisheries starting in 1966 AD. Four tephra were recorded along cores affecting chironomid abundance differently, showing that the effects of volcanic events are not unique onefold but are related to the characteristics of the ash, the effect of wind, rain, and/or macrophytes.

The present paper is a literature review related to subfossil wood, which aims at acquiring knowledge and understanding of the material. The study presents methods for old wood chronology and some properties such as: structural, chemical, physical, and mechanical, compared with recent wood. The results are very useful for the wood industry and will open new paths for the research of this material.

From traditional archaeology to ecological archaeology: looking back and looking ahead in a jubilee year. The start of archaeological research at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen dates back to 1920. From the 1930s, research on subfossil plant remains became integrated into the archaeological research. Three research disciplines became established: palynology, research on wood, and research on non-woody macro remains (in particular seeds and fruits). Because this research deals with cells, tissues and organisms, identifications are possible to a low taxonomic level, which facilitates a detailed reconstruction of former vegetation and food economies. Future research would benefit from a further integration of these distinct disciplines within biological archaeology, as well as a further integration of biological archaeology within the study of archaeology. Such an approach could be designated as ecological archaeology.

Cladocerans are biological indicators of environmental changes. Their remains provide information on past changes in lake environments. We studied the correspondence between contemporary Cladocera assemblages and their subfossil remains from an oxbow lake. We sought to demonstrate that there were differences among the various sites of an oxbow lake with different utilization based on contemporary and subfossil Cladocera assemblages and physical–chemical variables. The oxbow lake’s two sides are used as fishing sites, where angling is the main activity. The middle site of the lake is under nature protection with high macrovegetation coverage. Contemporary and subfossil Cladocera assemblages were sampled from 21 sampling sites along the oxbow lake. Our research showed that the subfossil Cladocera assemblages had higher species richness and densities (36 taxa) than the contemporary species (29 taxa). We found one species of the Polyphemidae family only in the contemporary assemblage. Among the sites, Cladocera assemblages differed in their species composition and density. The highest densities were found in the second fishing site due to the appearance of the small-sized Bosmids. The relationship between Cladocerans and the physical–chemical variables showed that some variables, such as chlorophyll-a, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, copper, phosphide, and organic matter content, significantly affected Cladocera composition. We found that the subfossil Cladocera assemblage was significantly more diverse and abundant than the contemporary one, indicating that an integrated sampling may be sufficient to provide better results on the total species composition of the water body.

The 18 extant members of the Tribe Phloeomyini, the “cloud rats,” constitute an endemic Philippine radiation of arboreal herbivores that range in size from ca. 18 g to 2.7 kg, most occurring in cloud forest above 1,200 m elevation. Although calibrated phylogenies indicate that the Phloeomyini is estimated to have begun diversifying within the Philippines by ca. 10–11 million years ago, no extinct fossil species have been described, severely limiting our understanding of this distinctive radiation. Our studies of fossil and subfossil small mammal assemblages from the lowland Callao Caves complex in NE Luzon, Philippines, have produced specimens of Phloeomyini that date from ca. 67,000 BP to the Late Holocene (ca. 4,000 to 2,000 BP). We identify three extinct species that we name as new members assigned to the genera Batomys, Carpomys, and Crateromys, distinguished from congeners by body size, distinctive dental and other morphological features, and occupancy of a habitat (lowland forest over limestone) that differs from the high-elevation mossy forest over volcanic soils occupied by their congeners. Batomys cagayanensis n. sp. is known only from two specimens from ca. 67,000 BP; Carpomys dakal n. sp. and Crateromys ballik n. sp. were present from ca. 67,000 BP to the Late Holocene. These add to the species richness and morphological diversity of this endemic Philippine radiation of large folivores, and show specifically that the lowland fauna of small mammals on Luzon was more diverse in the recent past than it is currently, and that Luzon recently supported five species of giant rodents (ca. 1 kg or more). All three occurred contemporaneously with Homo luzonensis, and two, the new Carpomys and Crateromys, persisted until the Late Holocene when multiple exotic mammal species, both domestic and invasive, were introduced to Luzon, and new cultural practices (such as making pottery) became evident, suggesting that modern humans played a role in their extinction.

The origin and evolutionary history of the European bison Bison bonasus (wisent) have become clearer after several morphological, genomic, and paleogenomic studies in the last few years, but these paleogenomic studies have raised new questions about the evolution of the species. Here, we present additional information about the population diversity of the species based on the analysis of new subfossil Holocene remains from the Balkan Peninsula. Seven ancient samples excavated from caves in Western Stara Planina in Bulgaria were investigated by mitochondrial D‐loop (HVR1) sequence analysis. The samples were dated to 3,800 years BP by radiocarbon analysis. Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis was performed to investigate the genetic relationship among the investigated samples and all mitochondrial DNA sequences from the genus Bison available in GenBank. The results clustered with the sequences from the extinct Holocene South‐Eastern (Balkan) wisent to the fossil Alpine population from France, Austria, and Switzerland, but not with those from the recent Central European (North Sea) one and the now extinct Caucasian population. In conclusion, these data indicate that the Balkan wisent that existed in historical time represented a relict and probably an isolated population of the Late Pleistocene‐Holocene South‐Western mountainous population of the wisent., Bison bonasus remains from Ponor part of Western Stara Planina Mountain (Bulgaria). The data indicate that the Balkan wisent that existed in historical time represented a relict and probably isolated population of a distinct South European mountainous population of the wisent.

Seabirds are prominent biovectors whose guano and other wastes are an important source of nutrients that can eutrophy terrestrial and aquatic environments surrounding their breeding and nesting habitats. When these ornithogenically derived nutrients are introduced to waterbodies, they alter aquatic conditions, resulting in shifts in benthic invertebrate communities. In this paleolimnological study, we examined subfossil Chironomidae (non-biting midge) assemblages to assess the impacts of changes in the colony size of the Leach’s Storm-Petrel in three ponds on Baccalieu Island (Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada) over the past ~ 1700 years. Our results indicate that chironomids tracked the growth of the storm-petrel colony (determined by five additional paleolimnological proxies) starting in the early-1800s, and the decline of the colony in the 1980s. Given the shallow nature of the study ponds, assemblage changes likely occurred due to a combination of fluctuations in pH, metal concentrations, and bottom-water oxygen. In the ponds influenced by storm-petrels, we observed a poorly described form of degradation in subfossil chironomids that we attribute to chitinolytic processes mediated by bacteria and/or fungi that thrive on organic matter in productive aquatic systems. This study provides complementary proxy data regarding bottom-water habitats for use alongside other established paleolimnological methods to determine the long-term population dynamics of seabirds.

In Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada), roaster stack emissions from historic gold mining activities, particularly Giant Mine (1948–2004), have left a legacy of arsenic contamination in lakes. We examined Cladocera (Branchiopoda, Crustacea) subfossil remains in the recent and pre-industrial sediments of 23 lakes (arsenic gradient of 1.5–750 µg/l) within a 40 km radius of Giant Mine to provide a snapshot of regional change in Cladocera since pre-1850. We found that littoral and benthic taxa dominated the recent assemblages in high-[As] lakes (surface water [As] > 100 µg/l), while pelagic Bosmina was dominant in lakes with lower [As]. Cladocera richness and diversity were positively correlated with [As] (P = 0.004, R2 = 0.39; and P = 0.002, R2 = 0.46, respectively), except for four lakes with [As] > 100 µg/l. The lakes that showed the most pronounced changes in Cladocera since pre-1850 were those affected by both metal(loid) pollution and urban development, where complete shifts in the dominant taxa occurred. Lakes that were most heavily impacted by arsenic emissions did not experience notable shifts in Cladocera assemblages. Our study suggests that changes in Cladocera assemblages in mining-impacted subarctic lakes are modulated by local, lake-specific limnological conditions and the interaction of multiple stressors.

The paper summarizes numerous scattered data from the last 120 years on the former distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Bulgaria. Data from 52 (13 fossil and 39 subfossil) sites (from the Middle Pleistocene to the 19th century AD) are presented. The brown bear former distribution was much wider than the present occurrence. The species range covered the whole territory of the country, including mountain regions, as well as vast lowland and plain landscapes. The geographical, altitudinal and chronological distribution are presented and analyzed. The record from the Kozarnika Cave (1.000,000–700,000 years BP) is one of the earliest records of this species in Europe. About 73% of the localities are situated between 100 and 500 m a. s. l. Twelve sites contain Paleolithic finds, one Mesolithic, 14 Neolithic, six Chalcolithic, five from the Bronze Age, and two from the Iron Age. The remaining 12 subrecent sites are dated to the last ca. 2,400 years. Most of the species findings came from archeological sites – prehistoric and ancient settlements. The distribution of Ursus arctos once covered the entire territory of the country, including the vast regions such as Ludogorie, Dobruja, the Danube Lowland, the Upper Thracian Lowland, as well as the Sakar, Strandja, Sredna Gora, and the Predbalkan Mts.

Calcareous loess in North Canterbury, eastern South Island, New Zealand (NZ), preserves subfossil bird bone, terrestrial gastropods, and eggshell, whose abundances and radiocarbon ages allowed us to reconstruct aspects of palaeoenvironment at high resolution through 25 to 21 cal ka BP. This interval includes millennial-scale climatic variability during the extended last glacial maximum (30–18 ka) of Australasia. Our loess palaeoclimatic record shows good correspondence with stadial and interstadial climate events of the NZ Climate Event Stratigraphy, which were defined from a pollen record on the western side of South Island. An interstade from 25.4 to 24 cal ka BP was warm but also relatively humid on eastern South Island, and loess grain size may indicate reduced vigour of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. The subsequent stade (24–22.6 cal ka BP) was drier, colder, and probably windier. The next interstade remained relatively dry on eastern South Island, and westerly winds remained vigorous. The 25.4–24 ka interstade is synchronous with Heinrich stade 2, which may have driven a southward migration of the subtropical front, leading to warming and wetting of northern and central South Island and retreat of Southern Alps glaciers at ca. 26.5 ka.

The physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of both stem wood and knot wood were investigated from two subfossil Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trunks retrieved from a lake in Finnish Lapland, dated to 404–486 CE and to 1318–1444 CE. Both the stem wood and the knot wood of the younger trunk had higher moisture content, lower density, and lower strength properties in comparison to the older trunk. The ash content of the stem wood of the younger trunk was lower, but the ash content of the knot wood was higher than that of the older trunk. Due to the degradation that occurred over time, all the values of physical and mechanical properties were lower compared to typical values of recently grown Scots pine wood. The chemical composition of both stem wood samples was close to the composition of the recently grown wood, and the only exception was the small decrease of the cellulose and hemicellulose in the subfossil samples. The bulk extractives were well-preserved, but terpenes and fatty acids underwent transformation, resulting in more stable compounds. The SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) showed pros and cons for the productization of subfossil wood, with the branding value of an ancient material being the potential enabler in developing commercial niche uses.

Aim: The Expansion-Contraction model has been used to explain the responses of species to climatic changes. During periods of unfavourable climatic conditions, species retreat to refugia from where they may later expand. This paper focuses on the palaeoecology of red deer over the past 54 ka across Europe and the Urals, to reveal patterns of change in their range and explore the role of environmental conditions in determining their distribution. Location: Europe and western Asia to 63°E. Taxon: Red deer (Cervus elaphus). Methods: We collected 984 records of radiocarbon-dated red deer subfossils from the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene, including 93 original dates. For each deer sample we compiled climatic and biome type data for the corresponding time intervals. Results: During the last 54 ka changes in red deer range in Europe and the Urals were asynchronous and differed between western and eastern Europe and western Asia due to different environmental conditions in those regions. The range of suitable areas for deer during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was larger than previously thought and covered vast regions not only in southern but also in western and eastern Europe. Throughout the period investigated the majority of specimens inhabited forests in the temperate climatic zone. The contribution of forests in deer localities significantly decreased during the last 4 ka, due to deforestation of Europe caused by humans. Mean January temperature was the main limiting factor for species distribution. Over 90% of the samples were found in areas where mean January temperature was above −10°C. Main conclusions: Red deer response to climatic oscillations are in agreement with the Expansion-Contraction model but in contradiction to the statement of only the southernmost LGM refugia of the species. During the last 54 ka red deer occurred mostly in forests of the temperate climatic zone. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. European Social Fund, Grant/Award Number: UDA-POKL.04.01.01-00-072/09-00; University of Wroclaw, Grant/Award Number: 0410/2990/18; Institute of Environmental Biology, University of Wrocław, Grant/Award Number: 0410/2990/18; Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences; Narodowe Centrum Nauki , Grant/Award Number: DEC-2013/11/B/NZ8/00888 and UMO-2016/23/B/HS3/00387; Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, UEFISCDI, Grant/Award Number: PN-IIIP4-ID-PCE-2016-0676; National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis, UK; Faunal Database of the Stage Three Project; Leverhulme Trust, Grant/Award Number: F00568W.

This study was aimed to show whether subfossil Chironomidae (Diptera) may be useful tool for assessing toxicity of heavy metals in the aquatic environment. Investigations were carried out in subsidence ponds affected by the activity of metal mining: (1) the older ones formed before mining activity and (2) the younger one formed after the mine was closed. Waters of ponds were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters, whereas sediments were studied for metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn), pH, organic matter, nutrients (TOC, N-tot, and P-tot), and subfossil Chironomidae. High concentrations of Cd 6.7–612 μg g−1, Pb 0.1–10.2 mg g−1, and Zn 0.5–23.1 mg g−1 were found in the seven analyzed sediment cores. In total, 374 head capsules of Chironomidae larvae, belonging to four subfamilies Chironominae, Orthocladiinae, Tanypodinae, and Prodiamesinae, were determined. Both the diversity and density of Chironomidae change in particular sediment cores and layers. However, these changes were not related to metal concentrations, as shown in the statistical calculations (dendrogram of similarities, Mann-Whitney test, Spearman correlations). The only exception was the negative correlations between Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations and the density of head capsules of Polypedilum sp. We found that organic matter and nutrient contents were important factors that control the spatial distribution of subfossil Chironomidae, mainly Orthocladiinae. Other factors which may influence subfossil Chironomidae distribution in sediment cores are discussed. To sum up, despite very high Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations, the Chironomidae community was not clearly altered, therefore subfossil Chironomidae taxa appeared to be not useful for reconstructing dozen-years scale changes in the toxicity of the aquatic environment.

A new subgenus of Tenebroides, Polynesibroides subgen. nov., is established for six potentially extinct beetles, Tenebroides atiu, T. moorea, T. raivavae, T. rimatara, T. tubuai and T. mihiura spp. nov., described from the Cook, Austral and Society Islands based on subfossil fragments, and the extant T. tahiti sp. nov. from the island of Tahiti, Society Islands. Here we present the first detailed time-scaled phylogeny of the superfamily Cleroidea inferred from our four-gene dataset, including T. tahiti. Bayesian tip-dating, incorporating 17 fossils, estimated that Cleroidea appeared at the end of the Triassic (~210 Mya). The split of Biphyllidae + Byturidae + Phloiophilidae was reconstructed at ~204 Mya, followed by Early Jurassic separation of Trogossitidae (~200 Mya), Acanthocnemidae (~197 Mya), stem Cleridae–Thanerocleridae–Chaetosomatidae (~194 Mya), Peltidae, Lophocateridae, Decamerinae and the melyrid lineage (~191 Mya). Trogossitidae diversified by separation of Kolibacia (~136 Mya) in the Cretaceous, followed by parting Temnoscheila + Nemozoma and Airora + Tenebroides lineages (~113 Mya). Tenebroides radiated ~75 Mya and T. tahiti diverged from Panamanian taxa in the Middle Eocene (~40 Mya). Fourteen morphological characters of Pacific trogossitids were analysed. Parallelodera, including the Panamanian species, is nested within Tenebroides being sister to Polynesibroides. Therefore, Parallelodera is classified as a subgenus of Tenebroides. Tenebroides fairmairei is placed in the subgenus Parallelodera. A Neotropical origin for Parallelodera and Polynesibroides is inferred.

The stain of wood samples from lake subfossil trees (LSTs) is challenging the wide application of the blue intensity (BI) technique for millennial dendroclimatic reconstructions. In this study, we used seven chemical destaining reagents to treat samples of subfossil black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) trees from two lakes in the eastern Canadian boreal forest. We subsequently compared latewood BI (LBI) and delta BI (DBI) time series along with conventional maximum latewood density (MXD) measured from the stained and destained samples. Results showed that the stain of our samples is most likely caused by postsampling oxidation of dissolved ferrous iron in lake sediments that penetrated into wood. Three reagents (ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, and sodium dithionite all mixed with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) could remove >90 % of Fe. However, even for the best chemical protocol, a discrepancy of about +2 ∘C compared to MXD data remained in the LBI-based temperature reconstruction due to incomplete destaining. On the contrary, the simple mathematical delta correction, DBI, was unaffected by the Fe stain and showed very similar results compared to MXD data (r>0.82) from annual to centennial timescales over the past ∼360 years. This study underlines the difficulty of completely destaining lake subfossil samples while confirming the robustness of the DBI approach. DBI data measured from stained LSTs can be used to perform robust millennial temperature reconstructions.

Integration of a diverse set of data from pollen, wood, macrofossils and dendrochronological studies from the Sierra de Ayllon, a mountainous region in central Spain, enables one of the most complete palaeoecological vegetation reconstructions for almost the whole Holocene on the Iberian Peninsula. Previously, the absence of pollen data for the early Holocene in the eastern part of the Sistema Central mountains had been a gap in the information needed for correctly reconstructing palaeoenvironmental change there. Our pollen study on the Valdojos site finally allows this issue to be resolved. This analysis highlights the crucial role played by pine woodlands throughout the first half of the Holocene in this region. The importance of the pine woods in the region enables us to show the clear difference in vegetation between the western and eastern parts of the Sistema Central mountains for the early to mid Holocene. Moreover, the Fagus pollen found at Valdojos, dating to ca. 7,000–6,600 cal years bp, is the oldest beech record for the central and eastern part of this chain of mountains during the Holocene. This supports the hypothesis of the existence of beech refuges in the Sistema Central for this time span. Furthermore, we used the tree-ring series from the Pinus cf. sylvestris subfossil wood from the Sandria site to extend the previous data from the Sierra de Ayllon to almost the entire Holocene. This tree-ring record is the most complete data set from the Iberian Peninsula and southern Europe and it also provides data on some aspects of the palaeoenvironment.

This paper summarizes data on subfossil insects from the Holocene sites of the Urals, the Cis-Ural region, and the central and northern parts of West Siberia. The material from 39 sites, mostly alluvial ones, and also the insect remains from peat bogs and zoogenic deposits is considered. The insect communities from most alluvial sites correspond to the recent faunas from the same territories. The dynamics of insect faunas, probably associated with changes in landscape and climatic conditions, can be observed only at the boundaries of the recent natural zones, such as the tundra and taiga ones. The range limits of some boreal species seem to have moved northwards during the Holocene climatic optimum. No changes in insect faunas from the sites of alluvial and swamp genesis situated within the taiga zone have been observed, these insect assemblages being identical to the recent faunas of the corresponding areas. Changes in the insect faunas in particular sections can largely be attributed to ecological successions and local habitat dynamics. No changes in plant communities caused by the Holocene climatic fluctuations and revealed by the spore and pollen data are reflected in the composition of insect complexes; this was demonstrated by the example of two peat bogs: Lake Perevalnoe site in the Polar Urals and Nyulsaveito site in the South Yamal. The data presented herein generally correspond to those obtained over the territories of Western and Eastern Europe as well as Northeast Siberia. However, changes in distribution of certain beetle species recorded at zoogenic sites (in bird pellets, burrows) may be linked to the Holocene climatic fluctuations.

Modern beavers (Castor) are prolific ecosystem engineers and dramatically alter the landscape through tree harvesting and dam building. Little is known, however, about the evolutionary drivers of their woodcutting behaviour. Here we investigate if early woodcutting behaviour in Castoridae was driven by nutritional needs. We measured stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of coeval subfossil plants and beaver collagen (Dipoides sp.) from the Early Pliocene, High Arctic Beaver Pond fossil locality (Ellesmere Island), in order to reconstruct Dipoides sp. diet. Isotopic evidence indicates a diet of woody plants and freshwater macrophytes, supporting the hypothesis that this extinct semiaquatic beaver engaged in woodcutting behaviour for feeding purposes. In a phylogenetic context, the isotopic evidence implies that woodcutting and consumption of woody plants can be traced back to a small-bodied, semiaquatic Miocene castorid, suggesting that beavers have been consuming woody plants for over 20 million years. We propose that the behavioural complex (swimming, woodcutting, and consuming woody plants) preceded and facilitated the evolution of dam building. Dam building and food caching behaviours appear to be specializations for cold winter survival and may have evolved in response to late Neogene northern cooling.

Methods in Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society Isotopic analyses of collagen, the main protein preserved in subfossil bone and tooth, has long provided a powerful tool for the reconstruction of ancient diets and environments. Although isotopic studies of contemporary ecosystems have typically focused on more accessible tissues (e.g. muscle, hair), there is growing interest in the potential for analyses of collagen because it is often available in hard tissue archives (e.g. scales, skin, bone, tooth), allowing for enhanced long-term retrospective studies. The quality of measurements of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of ancient samples is subject to robust and well-established criteria for detection of contaminants and diagenesis. Among these quality control (QC) criteria, the most widely utilized is the atomic C:N ratio (C:NAtomic), which for ancient samples has an acceptable range between 2.9 and 3.6. While this QC criterion was developed for ancient materials, it has increasingly being applied to collagen from modern tissues. Here, we use a large survey of published collagen amino acid compositions (n = 436) from 193 vertebrate species as well as recent experimental isotopic evidence from 413 modern collagen extracts to demonstrate that the C:NAtomic range used for ancient samples is not suitable for assessing collagen quality of modern and archived historical samples. For modern tissues, collagen C:NAtomic falling outside 3.00–3.30 for fish and 3.00–3.28 for mammals and birds can produce systematically skewed isotopic compositions and may lead to significant interpretative errors. These findings are followed by a review of protocols for improving C:NAtomic criteria for modern collagen extracts. Given the tremendous conservation and environmental policy-informing potential that retrospective isotopic analyses of collagen from contemporary and archived vertebrate tissues have for addressing pressing questions about long-term environmental conditions and species behaviours, it is critical that QC criteria tailored to modern tissues are established.

Permafrost thaw in peatlands is one of the most widespread and worrying consequences of climate warming in the sub-Arctic area. To predict future climate feedbacks, it is important to study the his ...

To describe the indicator potential of non-marine ostracods for lotic (streams) and lentic (lakes) habitats, 42 taxa (27 recent, 15 subfossil) were evaluated from 62 sampling sites in West-site of Turkey during May of 2018. Nannocandona faba is a new report for Turkey. A higher Shannon diversity value was reported for lakes (H′ = 2.16) than streams (H′ = 1.62) when they had equal number of species (17 spp.). SIMPER analysis showed 53.01% contribution of Psychrodromus olivaceus, Candona neglecta, Heterocypris incongruens and Stenocypria fischeri with a 96.72% difference between lakes and streams. Both TWINSPAN and Indicator Species Analysis revealed that P. olivaceus (p

The Stripe-headed Round-eared bat, Tonatia saurophila, includes three subspecies: Tonatia saurophila saurophila (known only from subfossil records in Jamaica), Tonatia saurophila bakeri (distributed from southeastern Mexico to northern Colombia, Venezuela west and north of the Cordillera de Mérida, and northwestern Ecuador), and Tonatia saurophila maresi (distributed in Venezuela east and south of the Cordillera de Mérida, the Guianas, Trinidad and Tobago, northeastern Brazil, and along the upper Amazon basin in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia). The last two subspecies are an attractive example to test predictions about the historical role of the Andes in mammalian diversification. Based on morphological descriptions, morphometric analyses, and phylogenetic reconstruction using the mitochondrial gene Cyt-b and the nuclear exon RAG2, this study evaluates the intraspecific relationships within Tonatia saurophila and the taxonomic status of the taxon. The three subspecies of T. saurophila are recognizable as full species: Tonatia bakeri, Tonatia maresi, and Tonatia saurophila. The latter is restricted to its type locality and possibly is extinct. Tonatia bakeri, in addition to being larger than T. maresi, is morphologically distinguishable by possessing an acute apex at the posterior edge of the skull, a well-developed clinoid process, and relatively robust mandibular condyles, and by lacking a diastema between the canine and the first lower premolar. The genetic distance between T. bakeri and T. maresi is 7.65%.

Comparing apples, quinces and pears. While establishing the identification possibilities of subfossil plant tissues derived from cesspits, the following question arose: is variation within species a limiting factor for establishing diagnostic characteristics? In order to answer this question core fragments of modern fruits of Apples, Quinces and Pears were examined. These fragments are frequently encountered during archaeobotanical analyses of cesspits. However, they are rarely identified to a species level, due to a lack of criteria for identification. This study also aims to provide criteria for identification in addition to visual reference material. A comparison of modern and subfossil remains revealed that the characteristics of Apple and Quince show similarities, which complicates the identification possibilities of these two species. However, it is possible to distinguish between the core fragments of Apple and Pear.

We discovered subfossil remains of Phreatalona protzi (Hartwig, 1900) (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) in a short sediment core taken from a small tundra lake Pe-03 located in the Pechora River delta, North-East of European part of Russia. This species had been described previously only from Central and Northern Europe. The occurrence of P. protzi in the Russian Arctic suggests that this chydorid species must be much more widely distributed than previously reported, and in the near future we expect findings of this species in other regions of Russia.