Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Population genomics of the European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
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Unravelling the eco-evolutionary dynamics of two non-marine ostracods in response to urbanization
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Analyses des restes fauniques
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Taintignies (Rumes) – « Le Pèlerin » : site artisanal (et d’extraction ?) du Haut-Empire et réoccupation rurale tardo-romaine
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Human exploitation of birds during the late Magdalenian at the Trou de Chaleux, Belgium
- In last decades, scholars have highlighted the usefulness of birds, as part of the small game, to help understanding complex human behaviour and choices during the Prehistory. While the exploitation of birds has been documented in several sites in eastern or southern Europe, what happened in north-western Europe is still largely unknown due to a lack in the preservation and in the study of bird material. In this context, archaeological assemblages from Belgium offer a great opportunity to better understand the exploitation of birds in this part of Europe, because of the good conditions of preservation offered by its partially karstic subsoil. Here, we present the results of the study of the bird material from the largest Late Magdalenian assemblage of Belgium, the cave site of the Trou de Chaleux. Archaeological excavations at the Trou de Chaleux at the end of the 19th century yielded a vast assemblage of lithic and bone material as well as figurative art, characteristic of the Late Magdalenian. AMS dates with calibrated ages range from 15,733 cal BP to 14,134 cal BP, situating the main archaeological deposit from the Trou de Chaleux at the transition of Greenland Stadial-2 to Greenland Interstadial-1 (Bølling-Allerød Interstadial). Among the archaeozoological material, more than 500 bird bones have been isolated, which had never been studied. We performed the taxonomic and skeletal identification of the material and we examined in detail the surface of the bones in search of human modifications such as tool marks, fire traces or pigment deposits. Surface alterations were investigated based on a macro- and microscopic analysis, including an analysis of wear traces and elementary composition. More than 30 bird bones display traces of human intervention, mainly tool marks. The traces observed indicate an intense exploitation of birds for food, technical but also symbolic purposes. Ptarmigans, ducks, snowy owl and northern raven were consumed. The bones of the largest taxa such as geese, swan or loon were used as raw material to produce tubes and needles. Feathers were also extracted. Finally, talons of golden eagle, northern raven and snowy owl have been sought after for non-utilitarian purposes. The study of the bird material from the Trou de Chaleux helps precising exploitation patterns of animal in north-western Europe and allow comparisons with other regions. The strong interest observed for geese could be a regional particularity.
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Retour sur les collections gravettiennes de Maisières « Canal » : réévaluation du potentiel du site via les premiers regards croisés sur l’exploitation alimentaire et technique des ressources animales fossiles et non fossiles
- En 1966 les travaux d’élargissement du canal du Centre mettent au jour de nombreux vestiges du Paléolithique supérieur ancien non loin du village de Maisières. La même année, une centaine de mètres carrés sont fouillés dans l’urgence sous la direction de J. de Heinzelin. Cette opération révèle un site de plein air unique à plusieurs égards. Maisières « Canal » fourni en effet une séquence sédimentaire de référence pour la fin du Pléistocène, ainsi qu’un riche mobilier présentant un état de conservation remarquable – témoignage rare d’une implantation anthropique dans une zone périphérique d’Europe, et datée d’une période charnière peu documentée (une phase ancienne du Gravettien, autour de 28 500-27 800 BP). Depuis cinquante ans, bien des scientifiques se sont penchés sur les collections de Maisières « Canal », principalement sur les vestiges lithiques. La campagne d’étude en cours permet de rééquilibrer ces données anciennes dans le cadre du projet EcoPrat (CDR – FNRS), par une approche croisée sur l'assemblage en matières dures d'origine animale (MDA). Cette nouvelle prise en compte des MDA révèle un potentiel inédit concernant la diversité des modalités d’exploitation dont elles firent l'objet, tant à des fins alimentaires que techniques. L’introduction vraisemblablement anthropique de ressources marines fossiles non transformées pour la plupart (malacofaune et ichtyofaune), autant que la particularité de l’exploitation de l’ivoire de mammouth (subfossile et fortement altéré), et du traitement de la petite faune donnent une place des plus singulières à ce gisement au sein du Gravettien d’Europe de l’Ouest. Les restes de lièvre et d’avifaune, certes peu nombreux mais particulièrement bien conservés, n’avaient jusqu’alors jamais été étudiés selon des problématiques archéozoologiques et technologiques. Disposant d’un potentiel unique, Maisières « Canal » se révèle désormais être une fenêtre d’observation majeure sur l’exploitation des MDA au Gravettien. Cette reprise d'étude confirme ainsi la pertinence d’un retour aux collections « anciennes », certes imparfaites mais incontournables.
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Etude archéozoologique de Chièvres – Rue de la Fontaine Site d’occupation, de la période carolingienne à nos jours
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Site de Baelen / Nereth 2 Sélection de charbon de bois et d’ossements d’animaux pour datation radiocarbone
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Evaluation carpologique et archéozoologique du puits-latrines gallo-romain de Warnach (Fauvillers) F002
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Etude archéozoologique de Beauraing – Rue de Revogne Occupations urbaines du Bas Moyen Age (13e-15e siècles)
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Data assimilation with the ensemble Kalman filter in a numerical model of the North Sea
- Coastal management and maritime safety strongly rely on accurate representations of the sea state. Both dynamical models and observations provide abundant pieces of information. However, none of them provides the complete picture. The assimilation of observations into models is one way to improve our knowledge of the ocean state. Its application in coastal models remains challenging because of the wide range of temporal and spatial variabilities of the processes involved. This study investigates the assimilation of temperature profiles with the ensemble Kalman filter in 3-D North Sea simulations. The model error is represented by the standard deviation of an ensemble of model states. Parameters’ values for the ensemble generation are first computed from the misfit between the data and the model results without assimilation. Then, two square root algorithms are applied to assimilate the data. The impact of data assimilation on the simulated temperature is assessed. Results show that the ensemble Kalman filter is adequate for improving temperature forecasts in coastal areas, under adequate model error specification.
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Bats in the Belgian part of the North Sea and possible impacts of offshore Wind Farms. in: Degraer, S. et al. (Ed.) (2016). Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Environmental impact monitoring reloaded.
- Several species of bats in northern Europe undertake seasonal migrations between their summer roosts and wintering areas. Doing so, they are known to cross open sea in some cases. Taking account of the increase of wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea and the entire North Sea, the lack of information on the spatio-temporal distribution of bats in Belgian waters and the results of some studies (onshore) demonstrating wind turbines can cause high mortalities in bats, a taxon in global decline, it is important to quantify the risk of offshore wind farms in the North Sea to threaten bat populations. To investigate bat distribution, we installed an automated acoustic recorder on the Belgian research vessel ‘Belgica’ to record bats while the vessel is at sea at night. The acoustic detector on the Belgica was operational during 93 nights in autumn 2014 and spring 2015, hence covering two full bat migration periods. In autumn 2014, 117 call sequences were registered in the BPNS, belonging to four different species. In spring 2015, only four sequences were registered, all during one night. The few recordings were all registered during only three nights. These results are not sufficient to solidly determine spatio-temporal patterns of bats in the BPNS, but allow drawing some preliminary conclusions on their frequency of occurrence and distribution at sea. In 2015 and 2016, a network of nine Batcorders is collecting data in the Dutch and Belgian part of the North Sea and along the coastline. This detector network will increase our knowledge about the impact of offshore wind farms on bats as it will increase the number of detections of bats at sea and will allow direct comparison between data collected at the different locations, without seasonal or meteorological bias. This will allow addressing the question if bats are attracted to or avoid offshore wind farms. This may then lead to appropriate management or mitigation measures.
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Une Araignée nouvelle pour la faune de Belgique: Tetrilus arietimus (Thorell).
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Communication: Araignées nouvelles pour la faune de Belgique
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Meta merianae var. celata (Black.) nouvelle pour la faune de Belgique.
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Trois Araignées inéressantes pour al faune de Belgique.
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Notes sur les Araignées de la faune de Belgique. V. Thomisidae
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Communication
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Spinnen van Lagland
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Exposé présidentiel: Historique et évolution de l'arachnologie en Belgique
