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New dental elements of the oldest proviverrine mammal from the early Eocene of Southern France support possible African origin of the subfamily
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Here we describe and illustrate specimens of hyaenodont mammals from two early Eocene localities of Southern France: Fournes (Minervois) and Fordones (Corbières). Some of these specimens were previously described as cf. Hyracolestes sp. (Cimolesta, Sarcodontidae), a taxon only known from Asia, but new arguments allow their referring to the small proviverrine hyaenodont Parvagula palulae which was previously only recorded in Palette (Provence). The material notably includes the oldest p4 ever recorded for the European endemic subfamily Proviverrinae. This new material shows that, by the beginning of the early Eocene, proviverrines already displayed their typical combination of dental features characterized by the presence of a large paraconid and entoconid on p4. The comparison between the earliest European proviverrines and sinopines (a mostly North American radiation) supports the divergence of the two subfamilies by this time. Moreover, the early proviverrines are morphologically similar to the African hyaenodont Tinerhodon (late Paleocene). Consequently, the history of the European proviverrines is likely rooted in Africa. Finally, the new specimens support a similar age for the localities of Palette and Fordones, and a younger age for Fournes. Due to the ages of these localities Parvagula palulae must be regarded as the oldest proviverrine.
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Hydrodynamics and meteorology of the Belgian Coastal zone.
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Ecological modelling as a scientific tool for assessing eutrophication and mitigation strategies for Belgian coastal waters.
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Application 2: Connectivity.
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Hydrodynamic models.
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Exchange processes and nitrogen cycling on the shelf and continental slope of the Black Sea basin.
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A 3D coupled biogeochemical-hydrodynamical model has been applied to the Black Sea to simulate nitrogen cycling and to estimate the exchange of biogeochemical components at the shelf break and between the continental slope and the deep sea. It was found that biological processes on the northwestern shelf are in approximate balance. Primary production is fueled by river discharge, nitrate input from the open sea at the shelf break, and in situ remineralization. The input of nitrate from the open sea is roughly equivalent to the river nitrate discharge but is half the nitrate export from the shelf toward the open sea. Also, the Black Sea shelf acts throughout the year as a nitrate source for the open sea. The amount of shelf production not remineralized in the euphotic layer is 22.2% and is exported to lower layers (20%) or offshore (2.2%). We estimate that the export of carbon from the shelf to the interior of the basin represents 2.5% of the new production of the open sea. The upper slope adjoining the northwestern shelf is the site of downwelling events responsible for the downward transport to the intermediate layer of the continental slope of biogeochemical components exported from the shelf in the upper layer. The shelf has been found to be an efficient trap for the refractory material discharged by the Danube.
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Atmospheric CO2 flux from mangrove surrounding waters.
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The partial pressure of CO 2 (pCO2) was measured at daily and weekly time scales in the waters surrounding mangrove forests in Papua New Guinea, the Bahamas and India. The pCO2 values range from 380 to 4800 æatm. These data, together with previously published data, suggest that overall oversaturation of CO2 with respect to atmospheric equilibrium in surface waters is a general feature of mangrove forests, though the entire ecosystems (sediment, water and vegetation) are probably sinks for atmospheric CO2. The computed CO2 fluxes converge to about +50 mmolC m -2 day-1. If this conservative value is extrapolated for worldwide mangrove ecosystems, the global emission of CO2 to the atmosphere is about 50 106 tC year-1. Based on this tentative estimate, mangrove waters appear to be regionally a significant source of CO2 to the atmosphere and should be more thoroughly investigated, especially at seasonal time scale.
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Remotely sensed seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton in the Ligurian Sea in 1997-1999.
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Remotely sensed data and a one-dimensional hydrophysical model were used to study the seasonal dynamics of surface plant pigments concentration in the Ligurian-Provençal basin. The variations of phytoplankton biomass were estimated from the observations of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (1978–1986) and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) (September 1997 to October 1999) radiometers. The factors of physical environment analyzed included remotely sensed sea surface temperature (from advanced very high resolution radiometers), wind, air temperature, and atmospheric precipitation. The Geohydrodynamics and Environment Research (GHER) model was used to explain the observed correlations between the physical forcing and the response of phytoplankton biomass. The general pattern of phytoplankton seasonal dynamics was typical to subtropical areas: maximum biomass during cold season from October to April and low biomass during summer months. The intensity of winter/spring bloom significantly varied during different years. The correlation was revealed between the summer/autumn air temperature contrast (expressed as the difference between the air temperatures in August and in November) and the maximum monthly averaged surface chlorophyll concentration during the subsequent winter/spring bloom. The features of seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton are regulated by the physical impacts influencing water stratification. The difference between two seasonal cycles (from September 1997 to October 1999) illustrates the response of phytoplankton growth to local meteorological conditions. In March–April 1999 the vernal bloom was much more pronounced; it resulted from deeper winter cooling and more intensive winter convection. Heating of surface water layer, wind mixing, and freshwater load with rains and river discharge either stimulate or depress the development of phytoplankton, depending on what limiting environmental factor (light or nutrient limitation) prevailed.
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Annotated Checklist of the Terrestrial Gastropods of Nepal
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A new archaic homodont toothed whale (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the early Miocene of Peru
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