scholarly journals The Pull of the Recent revisited: negligible species-level effect in a regional marine fossil record

Paleobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 470-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom M. Womack ◽  
James S. Crampton ◽  
Michael J. Hannah
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Taxonomic Class ◽  
Marine Diversity ◽  
Tectonically Active ◽  
Biodiversity Change ◽  
Level Effect

AbstractQuantifying true patterns of biodiversity change over the Cenozoic has major implications for all of biology and paleontology but is still a source of significant debate. The problem centers on the magnitude and nature of several well-known sampling effects and analytical biases in the fossil record, including the Pull of the Recent. We test the effect of the Pull of the Recent at both generic and species levels on the exemplary New Zealand Cenozoic marine mollusk fossil record. We examine several biological traits of species to determine whether particular attributes of taxa control their likely presence or absence in the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma). We demonstrate that, for a tectonically active region, the Pull of the Recent does not exert a strong effect on apparent diversity patterns of genera and species over the Cenozoic at temporal scales typically used in global and regional biodiversity analyses. This result agrees with previous studies quantifying the effect of the Pull of the Recent in the marine and terrestrial realms at the genus level. The effect of the Pull of the Recent, although small, is greatest for the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma), particularly for species. This increase cannot easily be explained by effects related to shell mineralogical composition, size, habitat, taxonomic class, or lithification. The small effect that the Pull of the Recent exerts on the New Zealand molluscan fossil record implies that the apparent rise in regional marine diversity during the Cenozoic represents a true biological signal and/or reflects other confounding effects not considered here.

scholarly journals The Pull of the Recent revisited: negligible species-level effect in a regional marine fossil record

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Womack ◽  
James Crampton ◽  
Michael Hannah
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Taxonomic Class ◽  
Marine Diversity ◽  
Tectonically Active ◽  
Biodiversity Change ◽  
Level Effect

Abstract Quantifying true patterns of biodiversity change over the Cenozoic has major implications for all of biology and paleontology but is still a source of significant debate. The problem centers on the magnitude and nature of several well-known sampling effects and analytical biases in the fossil record, including the Pull of the Recent. We test the effect of the Pull of the Recent at both generic and species levels on the exemplary New Zealand Cenozoic marine mollusk fossil record. We examine several biological traits of species to determine whether particular attributes of taxa control their likely presence or absence in the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma). We demonstrate that, for a tectonically active region, the Pull of the Recent does not exert a strong effect on apparent diversity patterns of genera and species over the Cenozoic at temporal scales typically used in global and regional biodiversity analyses. This result agrees with previous studies quantifying the effect of the Pull of the Recent in the marine and terrestrial realms at the genus level. The effect of the Pull of the Recent, although small, is greatest for the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma), particularly for species. This increase cannot easily be explained by effects related to shell mineralogical composition, size, habitat, taxonomic class, or lithification. The small effect that the Pull of the Recent exerts on the New Zealand molluscan fossil record implies that the apparent rise in regional marine diversity during the Cenozoic represents a true biological signal and/or reflects other confounding effects not considered here.

scholarly journals The Pull of the Recent revisited: negligible species-level effect in a regional marine fossil record

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Womack ◽  
James Crampton ◽  
Michael Hannah
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Taxonomic Class ◽  
Marine Diversity ◽  
Tectonically Active ◽  
Biodiversity Change ◽  
Level Effect

Abstract Quantifying true patterns of biodiversity change over the Cenozoic has major implications for all of biology and paleontology but is still a source of significant debate. The problem centers on the magnitude and nature of several well-known sampling effects and analytical biases in the fossil record, including the Pull of the Recent. We test the effect of the Pull of the Recent at both generic and species levels on the exemplary New Zealand Cenozoic marine mollusk fossil record. We examine several biological traits of species to determine whether particular attributes of taxa control their likely presence or absence in the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma). We demonstrate that, for a tectonically active region, the Pull of the Recent does not exert a strong effect on apparent diversity patterns of genera and species over the Cenozoic at temporal scales typically used in global and regional biodiversity analyses. This result agrees with previous studies quantifying the effect of the Pull of the Recent in the marine and terrestrial realms at the genus level. The effect of the Pull of the Recent, although small, is greatest for the youngest fossil record (<2.4 Ma), particularly for species. This increase cannot easily be explained by effects related to shell mineralogical composition, size, habitat, taxonomic class, or lithification. The small effect that the Pull of the Recent exerts on the New Zealand molluscan fossil record implies that the apparent rise in regional marine diversity during the Cenozoic represents a true biological signal and/or reflects other confounding effects not considered here.

In search of predictive models for stenolaemate morphometry across the skeletal–polypide divide

Paleobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-236
Author(s):  
Yuta Tamberg ◽  
Abigail M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Central Tendency ◽  
Feeding Apparatus ◽  
Soft Body ◽  
Suspension Feeders ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractMarine bryozoans have been members of benthic skeletal faunas since the Ordovician. These small suspension feeders collect particles in the range of 10 to 100 μm. Specific details of their feeding depend on the morphology of the feeding apparatus, which may be reflected in skeletal characters. While several studies have described the link between the skeletal and soft-body traits of gymnolaemate bryozoans, stenolaemates have received less attention. To fill this gap, we conducted a detailed analysis of morphometry within and across species and attempted to develop robust predictive models that can be used to infer the soft-body morphology from skeletal data. This, in turn, will help with extracting data on ecology of Paleozoic communities of suspension feeders from the extensive bryozoan fossil record. Characters of polypide morphology among New Zealand cyclostomates (single Recent order in Stenolaemata) displayed staggering variability and almost without exception were not connected to skeletal characters at the species level. When this variability is reduced to its central tendency, interspecific trends are more apparent. The relationship is positive, linear, and moderately strong, but the resulting models have wide predictive intervals (plus/minus hundreds of micrometers). A precise estimate of the characters of the feeding apparatus of modern, and especially fossil, stenolaemates may be difficult to attain, at least on the basis of the skeletal traits used here.

ERRORS ASSOCIATED WITH HERBAGE DISSECTION ANALYSES 2. Problems of species identification

1976 ◽  
pp. 213-225
Author(s):  
I.M. Ritchie ◽  
C.C. Boswell ◽  
A.M. Badland
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Analytical Tool ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Weight Basis ◽  
Plant Identification ◽  
Leaf Fragment ◽  
Research Division ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Botanical Analysis

HERBACE DISSECTION is the process in which samples of herbage cut from trials are separated by hand into component species. Heavy reliance is placed on herbage dissection as an analytical tool ,in New Zealand, and in the four botanical analysis laboratories in the Research Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries about 20 000 samples are analysed each year. In the laboratory a representative subsample is taken by a rigorous quartering procedure until approximately 400 pieces of herbage remain. Each leaf fragment is then identified to species level or groups of these as appropriate. The fractions are then dried and the composition calculated on a percentage dry weight basis. The accuracy of the analyses of these laboratories has been monitored by a system of interchanging herbage dissection samples between them. From this, the need to separate subsampling errors from problems of plant identification was, appreciated and some of this work is described here.

scholarly journals Local radon flux maxima in the quaternary sediments of Schleswig–Holstein (Germany)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Albert ◽  
Maximilian Schärf ◽  
Frieder Enzmann ◽  
Martin Waltl ◽  
Frank Sirocko
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Salt Diapirism ◽  
The North ◽  
Radon Flux ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Tectonically Active

AbstractThis paper presents radon flux profiles from four regions in Schleswig–Holstein (Northern Germany). Three of these regions are located over deep-rooted tectonic faults or salt diapirs and one is in an area without any tectonic or halokinetic activity, but with steep topography. Contrary to recently published studies on spatial patterns of soil radon gas concentration we measured flux of radon from soil into the atmosphere. All radon devices of each profile were deployed simultaneously to avoid inconsistencies due to strong diurnal variations of radon exhalation. To compare data from different seasons, values had to be normalized. Observed radon flux patterns are apparently related to the mineralogical composition of the Quaternary strata (particularly to the abundance of reddish granite and porphyry), and its grain size (with a flux maximum in well-sorted sand/silt). Minimum radon flux occurs above non-permeable, clay-rich soil layers. Small amounts of water content in the pore space increase radon flux, whereas excessive water content lessens it. Peak flux values, however, are observed over a deep-rooted fault system on the eastern side of Lake Plön, i.e., at the boundary of the Eastholstein Platform and the Eastholstein Trough. Furthermore, high radon flux values are observed in two regions associated with salt diapirism and near-surface halokinetic faults. These regions show frequent local radon flux maxima, which indicate that the uppermost strata above salt diapirs are very inhomogeneous. Deep-rooted increased permeability (effective radon flux depth) or just the boundaries between permeable and impermeable strata appear to concentrate radon flux. In summary, our radon flux profiles are in accordance with the published evidence of low radon concentrations in the “normal” soils of Schleswig–Holstein. However, very high values of radon flux are likely to occur at distinct locations near salt diapirism at depth, boundaries between permeable and impermeable strata, and finally at the tectonically active flanks of the North German Basin.

Fossil Record of Parasitism on Marine Invertebrates with Special Emphasis on the Platyceratid-Crinoid Interaction

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 195-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz K. Baumiller ◽  
Forest J. Gahn
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Marine Diversity ◽  
Parasitic Interactions ◽  
Explicit Criteria ◽  
Lower Frequencies

The paleontological literature on marine invertebrates is rich in supposed examples of parasitism and our tabulation shows a nearly even distribution of reported cases through the post-Cambrian Phanerozoic. Slightly lower frequencies characterize the Triassic and Jurassic and higher frequencies the Cretaceous and Tertiary, and the pattern roughly mirrors Sepkoski's (1984) marine diversity curve. The total number of parasitic associations for any geologic period rarely exceeds a dozen, yet few of the reported examples provide explicit criteria distinguishing parasitism from predation, commensalism, or mutualism. We evaluated the published examples using the following criteria: (1) evidence of a long-term relationship between two organisms, (2) benefit of interaction to supposed parasite, and (3) detriment of interaction to the host We found that only in exceptional cases were these criteria fulfilled. One example that provides much information on parasitic interactions involves platyceratids and crinoids and we summarize the evidence for the parasitic interaction between these two groups of organisms.

A review of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) described from Mesozoic deposits

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 001-014
Author(s):  
MATHIAS JASCHHOF
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
North America ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Gall Midges ◽  
Incertae Sedis ◽  
New Tribe

Twenty-four fossil gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) described from 1917–2020 from Mesozoic deposits, mostly ambers, are reviewed. Information from the original publications is used as the basis for reinterpretation, when such is regarded as appropriate here. As a result, the fossil record of cecidomyiids from the Mesozoic comprises representatives of the following subfamilies and tribes, all mycophagous (numbers in parentheses refer to species described): Catotrichinae (1); Micromyinae: Catochini (2), Amediini (1), Campylomyzini (1), Micromyini (2) and Aprionini (1); Winnertziinae: Heteropezini (2), Diallactiini (4) and Winnertziini (1); Porricondylinae: Dicerurini (1). Other Winnertziinae (3) and Micromyinae (5) cannot be classified to tribe because information on critical morphological structures is unavailable; they are thus considered incertae sedis. Members of the Lestremiinae sensu stricto are unrecorded from the Mesozoic, as are any Cecidomyiinae (the only subfamily containing phytophages and predators). Commonly occurring reasons for misinterpretation of amber fossils are the non-recognition of artefacts and the unfamiliarity with group-specific literature regarding prevailing taxonomic concepts and the morphological diversity found in Cecidomyiidae. These causes as well as obvious differences between neontological and paleontological taxonomic practices are discussed. Amediini trib. nov. Jaschhof, 2021 is introduced as a new tribe of the Micromyinae, to absorb the genera Amedia Jaschhof, 1997 (extant, North America, type genus), Amediella Jaschhof, 2003 (extant, New Zealand) and Eltxo Arillo & Nel, 2000 (extinct, Alava amber). A diagnosis of the new tribe is given. Krassiloviolini Fedotova & Perkovsky, 2017 is a new junior synonym of Heteropezini Schiner, 1868. Amediini Plakidas, 2017 and Zarqacecidomyius singularis Kaddumi, 2007 are nomina nuda.

New Zealand sub-Antarctic phytoliths and their potential for past vegetation reconstruction

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa C. Thorn
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Ecosystem Development ◽  
Grassland Ecosystem ◽  
Vegetation Reconstruction ◽  
Geological Past ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Campbell Island

AbstractPhytoliths in the modern vegetation of sub-Antarctic Campbell Island are compared with those in the soil beneath to assess the accuracy of vegetation reconstructions made from dispersed phytolith assemblages. The soil phytoliths alone suggest the source vegetation is a grassland association for all study sites, which reflects none of the herb, fern or shrub component of the overlying vegetation. It is concluded that at this locality dispersed phytoliths on their own are not reliable indicators of source vegetation and should be used with caution in this context for palaeoecological studies. However, they can provide useful botanical information where all other organic material is absent. With further research, based on the abundance and diversity of Poaceae phytoliths observed in this and other studies, dispersed phytoliths from the fossil record have the potential to contribute significantly to the understanding of grassland ecosystem development in the geological past.

scholarly journals Putting fossils on the map: Applying a geographical information system to heritage resources

2015 ◽  
Vol Volume 111 (Number 11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merrill van der Walt ◽  
Antony K. Cooper ◽  
Inge Netterberg ◽  
Bruce S. Rubidge ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Geographical Information System ◽  
South African ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Museum Collections ◽  
Research Application ◽  
Gis Database ◽  
Biodiversity Change

Abstract A geographical information system (GIS) database was compiled of Permo-Triassic tetrapod fossils from the Karoo Supergoup in South African museum collections. This database is the first of its kind and has great time applicability for understanding tetrapod biodiversity change though time more than 200 million years ago. Because the museum catalogues all differed in recorded information and were not compliant with field capture requirements, this information had to be standardised to a format that could be utilised for archival and research application. Our paper focuses on the processes involved in building the GIS project, capturing metadata on fossil collections and formulating future best practices. The result is a multi-layered GIS database of the tetrapod fossil record of the Beaufort Group of South Africa for use as an accurate research tool in palaeo- and geoscience research with applications for ecology, ecosystems, stratigraphy and basin development.

A Holocene incised valley infill sequence developed on a tectonically active coast: Pakarae River, New Zealand

2007 ◽  
Vol 197 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 333-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Wilson ◽  
Kelvin Berryman ◽  
Ursula Cochran ◽  
Tim Little
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Incised Valley ◽  
Tectonically Active
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