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Article Reference Benthic Food Webs in Antarctica ~ Would you care for some more (micro)algae ?
The West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is experiencing rapid warming, which will impact ecosystem processes, particularly sympagic algae dynamics. As these ice-associated microalgae are a vital food source for primary consumers, this disruption is likely to cascade through the communities via trophic interactions. To study these effects, we sampled benthic communities along the WAP in February 2023, focusing on macroalgae forests (n=2) and soft bottoms (n=3) at Dodman Island and Blaiklock Island. Basal resources and benthic invertebrates (n=410, 49 morphospecies) were collected for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis to explore differences in food webs structure between macroalgae forests and soft bottoms, addressing three questions: 1) Are sympagic algae more crucial as basal resources in one of the two habitats? 2) Is there a difference in trophic diversity between macroalgae forests and soft bottoms? 3) How does the vertical food web structure differ between the two habitats? In soft bottoms communities, consumers’ stable isotopes ratios showed a switch toward higher δ¹³C values, typical of sympagic algae in Antarctica. This may suggest a higher vulnerability of WAP soft bottoms communities to alterations of sympagic algae dynamics. Trophic diversity was generally higher in communities with a wider range of basal resources. However, significant local-scale variations in trophic diversity surpassed habitat-related differences, limiting conclusions about habitat influence on trophic diversity. Finally, soft bottoms consumers tended to occupy a higher trophic position than those in macroalgae forests, resulting in a higher mean trophic position at the community scale. This could reflect a diet shift by generalist invertebrates—common in Antarctica—towards increased consumption of more degraded organic matter or necrophagy in habitats with fewer basal resources. Overall, these results underscore the complexity of trophic dynamics in Antarctica, where both local variability and large-scale environmental changes influence food web structure and community resilience to climate change.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Inproceedings Reference Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Inproceedings Reference Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Incollection Reference Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Proceedings Reference Berries from Belgium: archaeobotanical finds of redcurrant, blackcurrant and gooseberry
Recently medieval and post-medieval carpological data from Belgium were collected in an ArboDat© database. The dataset obtained shows a diversification of fruit species during the late medieval period, which can be related to the development of horticulture. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), redcurrant (Ribes rubrum) and gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) belong to this new fruit species group occurrence. In the Low Countries Ribes sp. pollen and macrobotanical remains dating to the Atlantic period were recently recorded, suggesting that at least some species are autochthonous. However, it is striking that the earliest records after prehistoric times date to the medieval period. In Northwestern Europe archaeobotanical finds become more frequent from the end of the medieval period and the beginning of the early modern period onwards. Likewise, the oldest historical sources date to the 15th and 16th centuries. This poster gives an overview of the Belgian archaeobotanical records of Ribes species. We will discuss the species status and use during the late medieval and post-medieval period in Belgium based on archaeobotanical finds and information from iconographical and written sources.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Best-practice for long-term observations of total suspended particulate matter in coastal marine environments
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Proceedings Reference Best-practice for long-term observations of total suspended particulate matter in coastal marine environments
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Misc Reference Beta-diversity of ant assemblages in the Paraguayan dry Chaco and its implication for conservation
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Inproceedings Reference Beyond the current limits of Raman Spectroscopy: controlling fluorescence in solid bitumen with low thermal maturity
Raman spectroscopy is an interesting tool to assess the thermal maturity of solid organic matter. For carbonaceous material with moderate to high maturities, several studies have found good correlations between Raman spectral parameters and thermal maturity, expressed as vitrinite reflectance (VR) or bitumen reflectance (BR). However, at low maturities a large part of the Raman peaks is lost under an intense background radiation, caused by fluorescence. This fluorescence problem mainly occurs at 0.4-1.0% VR (the oil window), and makes it difficult to recognize the original spectrum. In this study, Raman parameters that have been put forward in literature were tested on a low maturity, solid bitumen sample of approximately 0.61% BR. The investigated parameters include the peak’s full width at half maximum FWHM, peak position W, peak area A, area ratio AD/AG and intensity ratio ID/IG. Fluorescence in this sample is very high and covers Raman peaks. It was found that during consecutive measurements at a single location (i.e. irradiation with the Raman laser), fluorescence decreases with time and Raman peaks appear. This is in line with Quirico et al. (2005), who observed the same effect at coal measurements. An interesting observation is the behaviour of Raman parameters during ongoing irradiation. The full widths at half maximum do not change at all for every investigated peak in our spectra. Also peak positions remain the same. The peak areas do change with irradiation, and show a decrease with decreasing fluorescence. Comparison of areas under individual peaks and total spectrum area however suggests that A and fluorescence decrease at equal speeds. This is the case for most important Raman peaks at 1370 (D-band), 1600 (G-band) and 3200 cm-1, with correlation coefficients of 0.66, 0.97 and 0.92 respectively. Lastly, the area ratio AD/AG and intensity ratio ID/IG(approximation) show no trend with fluorescence, indicating that the shape of the spectrum remains the same with irradiation. This is a promising result, because it suggests that fluorescence can be controlled without changing spectral parameters. Although not all peak parameters in this study (FWHM and AD/AG) correspond to parameters from literature regarding maturity, the behaviour of the Raman peak parameters in combination with the decreasing fluorescence is an exciting outcome. If further research proves that the original parameters are not altered by irradiation, this will provide an answer to the problem of fluorescence at low maturity samples.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Bilan des données archéobotaniques médiévales en Wallonie
Depuis le printemps 2011, une équipe interdisciplinaire en Bioarchéologie a été créé à l'Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique (IRSNB). Cette équipe collabore avec le Service Public de Wallonie (SPW) sur l’ensemble des site archéologiques préventifs fouillés en région Wallonne. La majorité des sites étudiés depuis le début de la mise en œuvre de ce nouveau service sont datés de la période médiévale. Bien que depuis de nombreuses années, des études carpologiques et palynologiques ont été menées en Wallonie, elle ont rarement été combinées en interdisciplinarité et publiées. Le but de cette présentation sous forme de poster est d'examiner toutes les données archéobotaniques existantes pour la période médiévale (Haut Moyen Âge, Moyen Âge Central et Bas Moyen Âge) en région Wallonne en y ajoutant celles effectuées récemment par les collaborateurs archéobotanistes de l'Institut (carpologue, anthracologue, palynologue). Ce premier bilan montre une grande hétérogénéité au niveau de la distribution spatiale et temporelle des sites archéologiques ainsi qu’au niveau des études archéobotaniques qui y ont été menées. Cependant, ce travail de synthèse nous donne un premier aperçu de l'état et de la nature de la couverture végétale au cours de cette période de l'histoire. Il permet également d’appréhender, dans les grandes lignes, les espèces végétales exploitées et consommés par les populations médiévales. Enfin, il montre les pistes de recherches à développer et celles à explorer.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications