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Vertebrate predation in the Late Devonian evidenced by bite traces and regurgitations: implications for an early tetrapod freshwater ecosystem
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2022/articlereference.2023-03-01.0036679896
The terrestrialization process by vertebrates occurred during the Devonian period, with fully land-dwelling tetrapods recorded in the Carboniferous. Thus, the Late Devonian is an important period for deciphering the ecological pressures that applied during the water-to-land transition. Higher predation pressures in the underwater environment have been suggested as an influential biotic evolutionary factor in this key habitat shift. Direct evidence of ancient predation on Palaeozoic vertebrates is seen in the form of rare traces preserved on fossils, and these range from trauma observed on the skeleton (such as attack marks) to ingested food remains (bromalites). The late Famennian freshwater ecosystem of Strud (Belgium) consists of a rich assemblage of many coeval gnathostomes or jawed fishes (placoderms, ‘acanthodians’, actinopterygians, and various sarcopterygian groups including tetrapods). Here we analyse the record of direct evidence for predation in the Strud vertebrate fossil assemblage. We recognize 12 regurgitalites and 13 bite traces, including a rare case of a tooth embedded in its original prey body target. Fossils from regurgitalites were imaged using scanning electron microscopy and chemically analysed to test for their possible ingestion signature by comparison with other isolated skeletal remains from the same locality. From this evidence, tristichopterid tetrapodomorphs are inferred to be the highest consumers of the trophic network, targeting small placoderms, and porolepiforms, and probably congeners. We observe two possible prey patterns in regurgitalites, for sarcopterygians and actinopterygians, both of which are associated with acanthodians. In Strud, no trophic position can be deduced for tetrapods from direct fossil evidence of predation.No publisherPeer ReviewImpact FactorRBINS Collection(s)2023/03/02 16:24:04 GMT+1Article ReferenceVerschillen tussen "museumgeologen" en "vrije geologen" - Différences entre les "géologues de musée" et les "géologues libres"
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2022/inbookreference.2022-12-08.4930582444
No publisherRBINS Publication(s)Peer ReviewPopular Science2022/12/08 11:05:00 GMT+1Inbook ReferenceVegetation controls on channel network complexity in coastal wetlands
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2024/vandeVijsel-2023-NC
Channel networks are key to coastal wetland functioning and resilience under climate change. Vegetation affects sediment and hydrodynamics in many different ways, which calls for a coherent framework to explain how vegetation shapes channel network geometry and functioning. Here, we introduce an idealized model that shows how coastal wetland vegetation creates more complexly branching networks by increasing the ratio of channel incision versus topographic diffusion rates, thereby amplifying the channelization feedback that recursively incises finer-scale side-channels. This complexification trend qualitatively agrees with and provides an explanation for field data presented here as well as in earlier studies. Moreover, our model demonstrates that a stronger biogeomorphic feedback leads to higher and more densely vegetated marsh platforms and more extensive drainage networks. These findings may inspire future field research by raising the hypothesis that vegetation-induced self-organization enhances the storm surge buffering capacity of coastal wetlands and their resilience under sea-level rise.No publisherPeer ReviewOpen AccessPDF available2024/03/26 18:55:00 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariation that can be expected when using particle tracking models in connectivity studies
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2017/articlereference.Hufnagl.2017.JSR
No publisherPeer ReviewImpact Factor2017/12/21 15:45:00 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariation in space and time of ant distribution among ground layers in an ecuadorian premontane forest
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2018/346
Nearly half of the ant species present in a tropical forest are directly in contact with the ground for nesting or foraging, with evidence of vertical stratification among ground layers (i.e., surface, litter, and soil). How ants in each layer respond to environmental factors and to seasonality remains little studied. We hypothesized that ant species distribution varied spatially and seasonally among the three ground layers and that their distribution was distinctly affected by various abiotic and biotic factors. The ant distribution was analysed spatio-temporally: vertically (between the ground surface, leaf-litter, and mineral soil, using pitfalls, Winkler, and soil cores), horizontally (every meter along a 100 m transect) and seasonally (between the dry and the rainy seasons). Four environmental parameters were measured every meter along the transect: canopy openness, slope, leaf-litter volume and soil properties. Our results showed a clear vertical stratification, with distinct faunal composition in each layer and a strong seasonal effect. Stable distribution of several dominant species between seasons suggests a low nest relocation rate. During the dry season, higher ant richness and abundance were found in pitfall traps suggesting higher activity on the surface of the forest floor. Similarly, higher ant richness and abundance found in the soil during the dry season suggest the migration of drought-sensitive species downwards deeper into the soil. Species richness and dominant species distribution were related to distinct factors according to the layer considered; we found strong correlations between the quantity of leaf-litter and dominant ant species distribution and species richness in the leaf-litter layer, while no correlation was found with any factor in the soil layer. While soil properties influenced the ant distribution at the kilometer scale they had little influence at the meter scale.No publisherPeer ReviewAbstract of an Oral Presentation or a Poster2023/03/02 14:10:58 GMT+1Inproceedings ReferenceVariation in ostracod (Crustacea, Ostracoda) communities in the alluvial valleyof the upper Parana River (Brazil) in relation to substrate
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/articlereference.2015-12-02.1742138097
No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact Factor2015/12/02 10:43:05 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariability of the inherent and apparent optical properties in a highly turbid coastal area: impact for the calibration of remote sensing algorithms
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/astoreca_variability_2006
No publisherPeer ReviewOpen AccessInternational Redaction Board2016/06/08 10:35:13 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariability of Suspended Particulate Matter in the Bohai Sea from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI)
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/ruddick_variability_2012
This study assesses the performance of the Geostationary Ocean Imager (GOCI) for mapping of suspended particulate matter in the Bohai Sea, a turbid water region. GOCI imagery for remote sensing reflectance and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) is analysed in detail for two days in June 2011 (8 images per day). Both instantaneous and daily composite maps are considered and a comparison is made with corresponding reflectance and TSS products from MODIS-AQUA. Results show TSS distributions corresponding to previous studies of the region. The advantage of the higher acquisition frequency (8 images/day instead of 1) offered by GOCI is clearly demonstrated in the daily composite which is more complete during this period of scattered but moving clouds. Consideration of temporal variation over the day indicates low natural variability but some artificial variability from processing errors - this analysis provides a first indication of how the higher frequency of data from geostationary ocean colour could lead to improved data quality control via temporal coherency outlier detection. While there is room for improvement on the GOCI calibration, atmospheric correction and retrieval algorithms, the current study suggests that the GOCI data can already be used now to study qualitatively sediment dynamics except in the extremely turbid waters which are masked out of the current dataset. In a wider context, it is considered that the technical challenges of geostationary ocean colour have been met by the GOCI concept, and, notwithstanding potential improvements on the concept and data processing methods, it is recommended that this mission serve as a model for future geostationary ocean colour sensors over Europe/Africa and the Americas.No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact Factor2016/06/08 10:39:20 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariability of pterygoid teeth in three species of Podarcis lizards and the utility of palatal dentition in lizard systematics
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/associated_publications/bjz/bibliographic-references/articlereference.2018-02-16.8464645233
No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact FactorOpen Access2018/02/16 11:50:00 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariability in radiocarbon dates in Middle Pleniglacial wood from Kurtak (Central Siberia)
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/articlereference.2015-03-03.3830925776
No publisherPeer ReviewImpact Factor2015/04/22 08:54:05 GMT+1Article ReferenceVariability in ostracod communities (Crustacea, Ostracoda) in connected and isolated tropical floodplain lakes
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2017/articlereference.2017-09-20.5882414625
Floodplains mostly consist of primary and secondary riverbeds, connecting channels and lakes that are either isolated from rivers and channels for most of the year, or lakes that are connected to rivers and channels for most (or all) of the year. We hypothesize that the differences in invertebrate communities, as calculated by beta-diversities, will be higher in isolated than in connected lakes. We use ostracod communities in the pleuston of the floating macrophyte Eichhornia crassipes in the Upper Paraná River floodplain to test this hypothesis. We have observed significant differences in species composition between the two types of lakes. However, although beta diversity values are indeed slightly higher in isolated than in connected lakes, these differences are not significant. This lack of clear effect of isolation on beta diversity could be owing to the fact that the period of isolation since the last homogenizing flood pulse had not been long enough, or because differences in degree of isolation become altogether insignificant in periods of low water flow.No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact Factor2018/03/08 21:35:11 GMT+1Article ReferenceVan heinde en verre: gebruik en herkomst van polychrome marmers in Romeins Tongeren - een eerste stand van zaken.
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/articlereference.2016-06-01.2646274631
No publisherPeer Review2016/06/01 15:05:00 GMT+1Article ReferenceValve shape is not linked to genetic species in the Eucypris virens (Ostracoda, Crustacea) species complex
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications-2016/articlereference.2016-11-16.3233786875
No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact Factor2016/11/16 15:13:33 GMT+1Article ReferenceValve chemistry of Limnocythere inopinata (Ostracoda) in a cold arid environment - implications for paleolimnological interpretation
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/articlereference.2015-12-02.6855034891
No publisherPeer ReviewInternational Redaction BoardImpact Factor2015/12/02 10:02:10 GMT+1Article ReferenceValidité du genre Olentangiella CASIER, 1985 (Ostracoda, Dévonien): réponse à la note de G. BECKER (1990).
https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/library-1/rbins-staff-publications/articlereference.2023-08-01.9750435016
No publisherPeer ReviewImpact Factor2023/08/01 13:31:18 GMT+1Article Reference