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Article Reference The European Mesonychid Mammals: Phylogeny, Ecology, Biogeography, and Biochronology
Here we review the fossil record of European mesonychids, which are known only through the genera Dissacus and Pachyaena from Thanetian and Ypresian localities (from MP6 to MP10 reference-levels). We describe two new species, Dissacus rougierae, sp. nov., and Dissacus raslanloubatieri, sp. nov., respectively from Palette (Ypresian, ≈MP7) and from La Borie (Ypresian, ≈MP8 + 9). We also describe new specimens of D. europaeus from Berru (Thanetian, ≈MP6). The evolution of the geographic distribution of the European mesonychids is characterized by three phases: (1) the mesonychid Dissacus appeared in Europe during the Thanetian (≈ 57–58 Mya), probably due to dispersal from North America; D. europaeus survived the PETM event (≈ 56 Mya) and possibly experienced a dwarfism; (2) the large mesonychid Pachyaena migrated into Europe shortly after the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (≈ 55 Mya), but it was restricted to northwestern Europe, while Dissacus is recorded at this time only in southwestern Europe (Palette); and (3) Pachyaena rapidly disappeared from European environments, while Dissacus subsequently dispersed into northwestern Europe (≈ 54–52 Mya). We performed phylogenetic analyses in order to identify the relationships of the new species among mesonychids. It seems that the mesonychids went through two radiative events: the first during the Paleocene, the second mostly during the early Eocene. The first one corresponds to the diversification of Dissacus, while the latter resulted in the appearance of the most specialized mesonychids, such as Pachyaena and Mesonyx.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Inproceedings Reference Dating the latest appearance of Neanderthals in Belgium
Belgium represents a key region for studying the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition (MUPT) in North-West Europe. This area sits at the crossroads between Palaeolithic cultural facies with influences from eastern, western and southern Europe intermingling during the Late Middle Palaeolithic and the MUPT. Until recently, a temporal gap believed to be around 4ka (ca 42-38 ky calBP) existed between the Late Mousterian and the earliest dated Aurignacian settlements in the region [1, 2]. The dates obtained on Neanderthal remains from Spy fell into this gap, making them the latest Neanderthals in the region [3]. Including the dates from Spy, a gap of two millennia remained between the dates on Neanderthals and the beginning of the Aurignacian. Based on this chronological evidence, the transition from Neanderthals to Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) in this region was believed to have been without contact between species. AMH would have settled in an area Neanderthals abandoned long before. As part of the PalaeoChron project, we have redated the Neanderthal specimens from Spy (tooth, maxilla and scapula), Engis 2 (skull and tooth) and Fond-de-Forêt (femur), using the compound specific radiocarbon dating method in place at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. This method is based on the extraction of the amino acid hydroxyproline that occurs in mammalian collagen using preparative liquid chromatography. This method is more efficient than others in eliminating modern carbon contamination such as conservation materials. In this presentation, we report the new radiocarbon dates obtained on the Belgian Neanderthal specimens. These results show how much impact sample preparation can have on the AMS measurement when specimens have been heavily preserved with conservation materials, which is often the case for human remains. These results also now place the Belgian Neanderthal remains from Spy, Engis and Fond-de-Forêt in their proper chronometric context and allow us to refine our understanding of the disappearance of Neanderthals in north-western Europe and integrate this with other evidence for the human occupation of this region during the Palaeolithic.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Diversity of strophomenid, orthotedid and orthid brachiopods in the Uppermost Famennian (“Strunian"; Upper Devonian) of the Avesnois (Northern France)
In order to contribute to assessment of the aftermath of the Hangenberg Biological Crisis that took place at the top of the Famennian (Upper Devonian), the strophomenid, orthotetid and orthid brachiopods from the ‘Strunian’-aged Etroeungt Limestone Formation (Avesnois, northern France) are described. The Avesnois is the historical type area of the ‘Strunian’, traditionally considered as the last Famennian substage. Although they are sometimes abundant in the studied sections, their generic and specific diversity is very low in the Etroeungt Limestone Formation. Moreover, the majority of the species belong to long-ranging genera (Leptagonia, Schellwienella?, Schizophoria, Aulacella).
Located in Library / No RBINS Staff publications
Inbook Reference Les restes d'animaux
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021
Inproceedings Reference Large old tropical trees as keystone biodiversity structures: the Life on Trees program
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation annual meeting https://www.atbc2024.org Large old tropical trees as keystone biodiversity structures: the Life on Trees program Leponce Maurice1, Basset Yves2, Aristizábal-Botero Ángela1, Albán Castillo Joaquina3, Aguilar Rengifo Guillermo4, Barbut Jérôme5, Buyck Bart5, Butterill Phil6, Calders Kim7, Carrias Jean-François8, Catchpole Damien9, D’hont Barbara7, Delabie Jacques10, Drescher Jochen11, Ertz Damien12, Heughebaert André13, Hofstetter Valérie14, Leroy Céline15, Leveque Antoine16, Macedo Cuenca Victor4, Melki Frédéric17, Michaux Johan18, Ocupa Horna Luis19, Pillaca Huacre Luis3, Poirier Eddy20, Ramage Thibault21, Rougerie Rodolphe5, Rouhan Germinal5, Rufray Vincent17, Salas Guererro Marcos4, Scheu Stefan11, Schmidl Jürgen22, Silva Dávila Diana3, Valenzuela Gamarra Luis23, Vanderpoorten Alain18, Villemant Claire5, Youdjou Nabil1, Pascal Olivier17 1 Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautier st. 29, Brussels, 1000, Belgium; 2 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama; 3 Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; 4 Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado, Ministerio del Ambiente, Peru; 5 Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France; 6 Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice,Czech Republic; 7 Ghent University, Belgium; 8 Université Clermont-Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France; 9 Independent Consultant, Lima, Peru; 10 Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau – CEPEC, Itabuna, Brasil; 11 Göttingen University, Germany; 12 Meise Botanic Garden, Belgium; 13 Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Brussels, Belgium; 14 AGROSCOPE, Nyon, Switzerland; 15 AMAP (Univ. Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD), Montpellier, France; 16 PatriNat (OFB-CNRS-MNHN), Paris, France; 17 Fonds de Dotation Biotope Pour La Nature, Mèze, France; 18 Université de Liège, Belgique; 19 Centro de Investigación en Biología Tropical y Conservación, Piura, Perú ; 20 Independent entomologist, Cayenne, Guyane ; 21 Independent entomologist, Concarneau, France ; 22 Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. ; 22 Jardín Botánico de Missouri, Peru E-mail: (presenting author): mleponce@naturalsciences.be The aim of the Life on Trees (LOT, www.lifeontrees.org) program is to generate baseline knowledge about the number of eukaryotic species that a single large mature tropical tree can host and to understand how these communities of organisms are assembled. The program is being undertaken in the Andean Amazon biodiversity hotspot. Our first project, LOT01 in the Andean foothills in 2022, located at 400m a.s.l., involved the study of a spectacular Dussia tessmannii tree (Fabaceae), towering at 50 meters in height and 45m wide. Our second project, LOT02 in the Andes in 2023, at 2450m a.s.l., focused on a 32-meter-tall Ficus americana subsp. andicola. Surveys were carried out by professional climbers, guided by experts of the different eukaryotic groups studied (plants, fungi, animals, protists). To better understand the contribution of different tree components (bark, leaves, fruits, flowers, living and dead wood) to overall tree biodiversity, we partitioned observations into communities based on vertical strata or microhabitat and will examine similarities and nestedness in the composition of these communities. Initial findings indicate that significant diversity is harbored by the individual tree at both locations (e.g., LOT01 vs LOT02: 42 vs 114 orchid species, 28 vs 28 fern species, 200+ vs 300+ bryophyte species, and 180 vs 100+ lichen species identified). These figures set world records for their respective elevations. This confirms that large old tropical trees are important pools of biodiversity, probably related to the variety of local microhabitats and tree age.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Unveiling the above-ground eukaryotic diversity supported by individual large old trees : the “Life on Trees” integrative protocol
Large tropical trees are rightly perceived as supporting a plethora of organisms. However, baseline data about the variety of taxa coexisting on single large tropical trees are lacking and prevent a full understanding of both the magnitude of biodiversity and the complexity of interactions among organisms in tropical rainforests. The two main aims of the research program “Life on Trees” (LOT) are (1) to establish baseline knowledge on the number of eukaryote species supported/hosted by the above-ground part of a single tropical tree and (2) to understand how these communities of organisms are assembled and distributed on or inside the tree. To achieve the first goal, we integrated a set of 36 methods for comprehensively sampling eukaryotes (plants, fungi, animals, protists) present on a tropical tree. The resulting LOT protocol was conceived and implemented during projects in the Andean Amazon region and is proposed here as a guideline for future projects of a similar nature. To address the second objective, we evaluated the microclimatic differences between tree zones and tested state-of-the-art terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and positioning technologies incorporating satellite and fixed base station signals (dGNSS). A marked variation in temperature and relative humidity was detected along a 6-zones Johansson scheme, a tree structure subdivision system commonly used to study the stratification of epiphytic plants. Samples were collected from these six zones, including three along the trunk and three in the canopy. To better understand how different tree components (e.g., bark, leaves, fruits, flowers, dead wood) contribute to overall tree biodiversity, we categorized observations into communities based on Johansson zones and microhabitats. TLS was an essential aid in understanding the complex tree architecture. By contrast, the accuracy of positioning samples in the tree with dGNSS was low. Comprehensively sampling the biota of individual trees offers an alternative to assessing the biodiversity of fewer groups of organisms at the forest scale. Large old tropical trees provide a wealth of microhabitats that encompass a wide range of ecological conditions, thereby capturing a broad spectrum of biodiversity.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Contribution of omnidirectional flight traps to assess the ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversity in an agroforestry system.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Inproceedings Reference Canopy laser scanning to study the complex architecture of large old trees
Canopy laser scanning to study the complex architecture of large old trees Barbara D'hont1 , Professor Kim Calders1 , Professor Alexandre Antonelli6 , Dr. Thomas Berg7 , Dr. Karun Dayal1 , Dr. Leonard Hambrecht5 , Dr. Maurice Leponce2,3, Prof. Arko Lucieer5 , Olivier Pascal4 , Professor Pasi Raumonen8, Professor Hans Verbeeck1 1Q-ForestLab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, 2Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 3Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 4Fonds de Dotation Biotope Pour La Nature, France, 5School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, , Australia, 6Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom, 7ARAÇÁ Project, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 8Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland Large trees are keystone structures providing multiple ecosystem functions in forests all around the world: they disproportionately contribute to forest biomass and biodiversity. Large trees can have an extremely complex structure, housing many epiphytes on their stem and branches. High point-density 3D point clouds, in which leaves and epiphytes in the tree can be distinguished, are useful to make the link between the distribution of organisms on the tree, the tree architecture and its microclimate. In addition, a comprehensive branching model can improve above ground biomass (AGB) estimates. Highly detailed, complete point clouds of large trees are, however, exceptionally difficult to derive. With terrestrial laser scanning, the state-of-the-art method to capture 3D tree structure, the plant material blocks the view of (or, occludes) the top part of the dense crown. Drone or airborne laser scanning data on the other hand, lacks detail in the subcanopy. Combining these two methods minimises occlusion; however, increased distance from the tree to the scanner still leads to a relatively low resolution of the canopy point clouds. To improve the level of precision of the tree point clouds, we introduce a new concept, called canopy laser scanning (CLS). With CLS, a laser scanner is operated statically inside the tree canopy, reducing the distance between the area of interest and the instrument. We lifted a high-end laser scanner (RIEGL vz-400(i)) inside the canopy of six large emergent trees. Four of these trees are located in different types of tropical rainforests in Colombia, Brazil and Peru. They are part of biodiversity programs in which organisms and their spatial distributions are studied (Life On Trees, Araçá). The two other trees are famous giants located in the wet temperate eucalypt forests of southern Tasmania. We will present the practical aspects of CLS, evaluate the extra value of using canopy scans, looking at occlusion and point cloud precision, estimate epiphyte cover and AGB. We demonstrate that canopy laser scanning opens up new opportunities in sciences in which multi-disciplinary teams perform in depth research on large individual trees.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Book Reference Bedforms as Benthic Habitats: Living
on the Edge, Chaos, Order and Complexity
Bedforms as benthic habitats are studied increasingly as acquisition and analysis of acoustic data improve in capturing, visualizing and quantifying terrain variables on various scales. However, feedback mechanisms between geomorphology and benthos are not always clear and complexity increases where humans also affect the benthos-landscape relationship. Based on research-oriented seabed mapping along the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS), a synthesis is provided on where increased biodiversity has been observed in relation to active bedforms.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Book Reference Building a 4D Voxel-Based Decision Support System for a Sustainable Management of Marine Geological Resources
For sustainable management of marine geological resources, a geological knowledge base is being built for the Belgian and southern Netherlands part of the North Sea. Voxel models of the subsurface are used for predictions on sand and gravel quantities and qualities, to ensure long-term resource use. The voxels are filled with geological data from boreholes and seismic lines, but other information can be added also. The geology provides boundary conditions needed to run environmental impact models that calculate resource depletion and regeneration under various scenarios of aggregate extraction. Such analyses are important in monitoring progress towards good environmental status, as outlined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. By including uncertainty, data products can be generated with confidence limits, which is critical for assessing the significance of changes in the habitat or in any other resource-relevant parameter. All of the information is integrated into a cross-domain, multi-criteria decision support system optimised for user-friendliness and online visualisation.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017