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Article Reference First record of the leafhopper tribe Tharrini in Indochina with a new species of the genus Nisitra Walker, 1869 from Central Vietnam (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Coelidiinae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference Building a Lithotectonic Framework for Belgium
Almost all geological subdisciplines depend, to varying extents, on regional geological knowledge. Stratigraphic terminology is typically well-defined, while other concepts rely on generally accepted definitions or hierarchical schemes, such as palaeontological, structural and magmatic terminologies. This is much less the case for the regional geological building blocks. Their nomenclature is usually composed of a reference to a geographical locality and a geological term. Examples from Belgium include the (Anglo-)Brabant Massif, Campine Basin, and Malmedy Graben. Despite wide recognition, such terms often lack precise definitions and may even present conflicting interpretations across different contexts and authors. Even when their meanings have drifted or become less precise, these terms continue to be utilized. Increased awareness has led to significant yet isolated initiatives aimed at improving the structure and definition of regional geological information [1-3], recently brought together through pan-European cooperation [4]. Lithotectonic unit appears to be the most effective concept for encompassing all geological features. A lithotectonic unit is characterized by its composition, structural elements, mutual relations, and/or geological history [5]. Following a geotemporal conceptual approach, lithotectonic units are defined and bounded by relative limits in time and space [6]. Lithotectonic limits are planar features corresponding to geological events which have formed and define these units. Examples of lithotectonic units include orogens, terranes, sedimentary basins, and grabens, while examples of lithotectonic limits include deformation fronts, faults, and unconformities. This approach facilitates the organization and formalization of relationships between units and limits through ontologies. The data model can be linked to established ontologies, such as the ICS Geological Time Scale Ontology [7], and allows future extensions, such as attribution to orogenic cycles [2]. The associated concepts can be linked to 2D and 3D visualizations, thereby adding an important layer of knowledge to geological maps and models. Primary objective of the newly established Lithotectonic Working Group, under the National Commission for Stratigraphy in Belgium, is to create a comprehensive lithotectonic framework, that systematically defines and describes the main geological units and limits of Belgium. This initiative aligns closely with emerging standards currently being developed and implemented at European level [4] and largely based on GeoSciML [8]. [1] Hintersberger et al. 2017, Jb Geol B-A 157:195-207. [2] Németh 2021, Miner Slovaca 2:81-90. [3] Le Bayon et al. 2022: https://doi.org/10.1051/bsgf/2022017. [4] GSEU 2022-2027: https://doi.org/10.3030/101075609. [5] INSPIRE 2015: https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/theme/ge. [6] Piessens et al. 2024: https://doi.org/10.31223/X5RT28. [7] Cox & Richard 2005: https://doi.org/10.1130/GES00022.1. [8] GeoSciML 2016: http://www.opengis.net/doc/geosciml/4.1.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Introducing Difference: from Euclidean Space to Geological Limits
The Lithotectonic Framework (LTF) provides a systematic approach to describing regional geology in terms of geological history. While LTF has been applied to vocabulary development and regional geological description, its theoretical foundations have remained undocumented. This paper introduces the Spatio-Temporal Framework (STF), which extends Euclidean geometry by adding 'difference' as a primitive notion alongside space and time. This enables defining 'event' without circularity, from which lithotectonic limits and units can be formally derived. The five LTF axioms then establish operational relationships between these concepts. STF thus provides LTF with a formal foundation analogous to how Euclidean definitions underpin geometric reasoning.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026
Article Reference Paleoparasitological analysis of a 15th–16th c. CE latrine from the merchant quarter of Bruges, Belgium: Evidence for local and exotic parasite infections
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Sedimentary ancient DNA as part of a multimethod paleoparasitology approach reveals temporal trends in human parasitic burden in the Roman period
The detection of parasite infections in past populations has classically relied on microscopic analysis of sediment samples and coprolites. In recent years, additional methods have been integrated into paleoparasitology such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and ancient DNA (aDNA). The aim of this study was to evaluate a multimethod approach for paleoparasitology using microscopy, ELISA, and sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) with a parasite-specific targeted capture approach and high-throughput sequencing. Using 26 samples dating from c. 6400 BCE to 1500 CE that were previously analyzed with microscopy and ELISA, we aimed to more accurately detect and reconstruct parasite diversity in the Roman Empire and compare this diversity to earlier and later time periods to explore temporal changes in parasite diversity. Microscopy was found to be the most effective technique for identifying the eggs of helminths, with 8 taxa identified. ELISA was the most sensitive for detecting protozoa that cause diarrhea (notably Giardia duodenalis). Parasite DNA was recovered from 9 samples, with no parasite DNA recovered from any pre-Roman sites. Sedimentary DNA analysis identified whipworm at a site where only roundworm was visible on microscopy, and also revealed that the whipworm eggs at another site came from two different species (Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris muris). Our results show that a multimethod approach provides the most comprehensive reconstruction of parasite diversity in past populations. In the pre-Roman period, taxonomic diversity included a mixed spectrum of zoonotic parasites, together with whipworm, which is spread by ineffective sanitation. We see a marked change during the Roman and medieval periods with an increasing dominance of parasites transmitted by ineffective sanitation, especially roundworm, whipworm and protozoa that cause diarrheal illness.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Seeing yew for the forest: a call to action for improving conservation and restoration of the European yew (Taxus baccata L.),
The European yew (Taxus baccata L.) is a long-lived conifer of ecological, cultural, and historical importance across Eurasia. Despite its remarkable resilience, wide distribution, and symbolic importance, the species has experienced a long-term decline due to a complex interplay of climatic fluctuations, megafaunal extinctions, human exploitation, and insufficient regeneration. Recent studies in palaeoecology, archaeology, dendroecology, and conservation have revealed a species with greater ecological plasticity and a broader historical distribution than previously assumed. However, many fundamental questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding its biogeographical history, population dynamics, recruitment processes, and the drivers of its decline. This review stems from prior investigations of yew in the French Pyrenees and, more broadly, across Europe. These efforts led to a transdisciplinary seminar and opened a collaboration uniting >30 researchers across Eurasia. By synthesizing a wide array of data and perspectives, the article highlights key knowledge gaps and outlines emerging research priorities. These are organized thematically—past, present, and future—and include 25 questions on the species' ecological niche, life-history strategies, human interactions, genetic resilience, and conservation under global change. The article advocates for a shift towards integrative and long-term conservation strategies that embrace the historical legacies of yew populations, the general ecology of the species along with local ecological context dependence, and the urgency of future threats. By identifying pressing research needs, this review seeks to lay the foundation for new collaborative initiatives and to support evidence-based conservation of this emblematic yet understudied species.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Long-legged flies as bio-indicators in site quality assessment of mangroves on Pulau Ubin (Singapore) (Insecta: Diptera: Dolichopodidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Hiding in plain sight: New records of Empidoidea (Dolichopodidae, Empididae, and Hybotidae) for Slovakia discovered in rural environments
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference A review of the genus Brachystoma Meigen, 1822 in Europe (Diptera, Brachystomatidae) with a discussion of possible oviposition behaviour
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Managing canopy cover to preserve forest microclimate and diverse macroarthropod communities in times of drought
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025