• Current Methods, Common Practices, and Perspectives in Tracking and Monitoring Bioinoculants in Soil

      Manfredini, Andrea; Malusà, Eligio; Costa, Corrado; Pallottino, Federico; Mocali, Stefano; Pinzari, Flavia; Canfora, Loredana (Frontiers Media SA, 31/08/2021)
      <jats:p>Microorganisms promised to lead the bio-based revolution for a more sustainable agriculture. Beneficial microorganisms could be a valid alternative to the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. However, the increasing use of microbial inoculants is also raising several questions about their efficacy and their effects on the autochthonous soil microorganisms. There are two major issues on the application of bioinoculants to soil: (i) their detection in soil, and the analysis of their persistence and fate; (ii) the monitoring of the impact of the introduced bioinoculant on native soil microbial communities. This review explores the strategies and methods that can be applied to the detection of microbial inoculants and to soil monitoring. The discussion includes a comprehensive critical assessment of the available tools, based on morpho-phenological, molecular, and microscopic analyses. The prospects for future development of protocols for regulatory or commercial purposes are also discussed, underlining the need for a multi-method (polyphasic) approach to ensure the necessary level of discrimination required to track and monitor bioinoculants in soil.</jats:p>
    • Interspecific interactions through 2 million years: are competitive outcomes predictable?

      Liow, LH; Di Martino, E; Voje, KL; Rust, S; Taylor, PD (The Royal Society, 31/08/2016)
      Ecological interactions affect the survival and reproduction of individuals. However, ecological interactions are notoriously difficult to measure in extinct populations, hindering our understanding of how the outcomes of interactions such as competition vary in time and influence long-term evolutionary changes. Here, the outcomes of spatial competition in a temporally continuous community over evolutionary timescales are presented for the first time. Our research domain is encrusting cheilostome bryozoans from the Wanganui Basin of New Zealand over a ca 2 Myr time period (Pleistocene to Recent). We find that a subset of species can be identified as consistent winners, and others as consistent losers, in the sense that they win or lose interspecific competitive encounters statistically more often than the null hypothesis of 50%. Most species do not improve or worsen in their competitive abilities through the 2 Myr period, but a minority of species are winners in some intervals and losers in others. We found that conspecifics tend to cluster spatially and interact more often than expected under null hypothesis: most of these are stand-off interactions where the two colonies involved stopped growing at edges of encounter. Counterintuitively, competitive ability has no bearing on ecological dominance.
    • The effect of titanite crystallisation on Eu and Ce anomalies in zircon and its implications for the assessment of porphyry Cu deposit fertility

      Loader, ML; Wilkinson, J; Armstrong, R (Elsevier, 31/05/2017)
      The redox sensitivity of Ce and Eu anomalies in zircon has been clearly demonstrated by experimental studies, and these may represent an important tool in the exploration for porphyry Cu deposits which are thought to be derived from oxidised magmas. These deposits are significant because they are the source of much of the world's copper and almost all of the molybdenum and rhenium, key elements in many modern technologies. However, Ce and Eu anomalies in zircon are also affected by the co-crystallisation of REE bearing phases, such as titanite. Here, we report the trace element chemistry of zircons from titanite-bearing intrusions associated with mineralisation at the world class Oyu Tolgoi porphyry Cu–Au deposit (Mongolia). Based on these data, we suggest that neither zircon Eu/Eu⁎, nor Ce4+/Ce3+ are robust proxies for melt redox conditions, because they are both too strongly dependent on melt REE concentrations, which are usually poorly constrained and controlled by the crystallisation of titanite and other REE-bearing phases. In spite of this, Eu/Eu⁎ can broadly distinguish between fertile and barren systems, so may still be an indicator of porphyry magma fertility, and a useful tool for exploration.
    • Grammatikopoulosite, NiVP, a New Phosphide from the Chromitite of the Othrys Ophiolite, Greece

      Bindi, L; Zaccarini, F; Ifandi, E; Tsikouras, B; Stanley, Christopher; Garuti, G; Mauro, D (MDPI AG, 31/01/2020)
      Grammatikopoulosite, NiVP, is a new phosphide discovered in the podiform chromitite and hosted in the mantle sequence of the Othrys ophiolite complex, central Greece. The studied samples were collected from the abandoned chromium mine of Agios Stefanos. Grammatikopoulosite forms small crystals (from 5 μm up to about 80 μm) and occurs as isolated grains. It is associated with nickelphosphide, awaruite, tsikourasite, and an undetermined V-sulphide. It is brittle and has a metallic luster. In plane-polarized light, it is creamy-yellow, weakly bireflectant, with measurable but not discernible pleochroism and slight anisotropy with indeterminate rotation tints. Internal reflections were not observed. Reflectance values of mineral in air (R1, R2 in %) are: 48.8–50.30 at 470 nm, 50.5–53.5 at 546 nm, 51.7–55.2 at 589 nm, and 53.2–57.1 at 650 nm. Five spot analyses of grammatikopoulosite give the average composition: P 19.90, S 0.41, Ni 21.81, V 20.85, Co 16.46, Mo 16.39, Fe 3.83, and Si 0.14, total 99.79 wt %. The empirical formula of grammatikopoulosite—based on Σ(V + Ni + Co + Mo + Fe + Si) = 2 apfu, and taking into account the structural results—is (Ni0.57Co0.32Fe0.11)Σ1.00(V0.63Mo0.26Co0.11)Σ1.00(P0.98S0.02)Σ1.00. The simplified formula is (Ni,Co)(V,Mo)P and the ideal formula is NiVP, which corresponds to Ni 41.74%, V 36.23%, P 22.03%, total 100 wt %. The density, calculated on the basis of the empirical formula and single-crystal data, is 7.085 g/cm3. The mineral is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with a = 5.8893(8), b = 3.5723(4), c = 6.8146(9) Å, V = 143.37(3) Å3, and Z = 4. The mineral and its name have been approved by the Commission of New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA 2019-090). The mineral honors Tassos Grammatikopoulos, geoscientist at the SGS Canada Inc., for his contribution to the economic mineralogy and mineral deposits of Greece.
    • Quantifying the Effect of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Calcifying Plankton

      Fox, L; Stukins, S; Hill, Thomas; Giles Miller, C (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 31/01/2020)
      Widely regarded as an imminent threat to our oceans, ocean acidification has been documented in all oceanic basins. Projected changes in seawater chemistry will have catastrophic biotic effects due to ocean acidification hindering biogenic carbonate production, which will in turn lead to substantial changes in marine ecosystems. However, previous attempts to quantify the effect of acidification on planktonic calcifying organisms has relied on laboratory based studies with substantial methodological limitations. This has been overcome by comparing historic plankton tows from the seminal HMS Challenger Expedition (1872–1876) with the recent Tara Oceans expedition material (2009–2016). Nano CT-scans of selected equatorial Pacific Ocean planktonic foraminifera, have revealed that all modern specimens had up to 76% thinner shells than their historic counterparts. The “Challenger Revisited” project highlights the potential of historic ocean collections as a tool to investigate ocean acidification since the early Industrial Revolution. Further analyses of such biotic archives will enable researchers to quantify the effects of anthropogenic climate change across the globe.
    • Deep-time biodiversity patterns and the dinosaurian fossil record of the Late Cretaceous Western Interior, North America

      Maidment, Susannah; Dean, Christopher; Mansergh, Robert I; Butler, Richard J (The Royal Society, 30/06/2021)
      In order for palaeontological data to be informative to ecologists seeking to understand the causes of today's diversity patterns, palaeontologists must demonstrate that actual biodiversity patterns are preserved in our reconstructions of past ecosystems. During the Late Cretaceous, North America was divided into two landmasses, Laramidia and Appalachia. Previous work has suggested strong faunal provinciality on Laramidia at this time, but these arguments are almost entirely qualitative. We quantitatively investigated faunal provinciality in ceratopsid and hadrosaurid dinosaurs using a biogeographic network approach and investigated sampling biases by examining correlations between dinosaur occurrences and collections. We carried out a model-fitting approach using generalized least-squares regression to investigate the sources of sampling bias we identified. We find that while the raw data strongly support faunal provinciality, this result is driven by sampling bias. The data quality of ceratopsids and hadrosaurids is currently too poor to enable fair tests of provincialism, even in this intensively sampled region, which probably represents the best-known Late Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. To accurately reconstruct biodiversity patterns in deep time, future work should focus on smaller scale, higher resolution case studies in which the effects of sampling bias can be better controlled.
    • Prediction of shoreline–shelf depositional process regime guided by palaeotidal modelling

      Collins, Daniel S; Avdis, Alexandros; Wells, Martin R; Dean, Christopher; Mitchell, Andrew J; Allison, Peter A; Johnson, Howard D; Hampson, Gary J; Hill, Jon; Piggott, Matthew D (Elsevier BV, 29/10/2021)
      Ancient shoreline–shelf depositional systems are influenced by an unusually wide array of geological, biological and hydrodynamic processes, with sediment transport and deposition primarily determined by the interaction of river, wave (including storm) and tidal processes, and changes in relative sea level. Understanding the impact of these processes on shoreline–shelf morphodynamics and stratigraphic preservation remains challenging. Numerical modelling integrated with traditional facies analysis provides an increasingly viable approach, with the potential to quantify, and thereby improve understanding of, the impact of these complex coastal sedimentary processes. An integrated approach is presented here that focuses on palaeotidal modelling to investigate the controls on ancient tides and their influence on sedimentary deposition and preservation – one of the three cornerstones of the ternary process classification scheme of shoreline-shelf systems. Numerical tidal modelling methodology is reviewed and illustrated in three palaeotidal model case studies of different scales and focus. The results are synthesised in the context of shoreline–shelf processes, including a critique and modification of the process-based classification scheme. The emphasis on tidal processes reflects their global importance throughout Earth’s history. Ancient palaeotidal models are able to highlight and quantify the following four controls on tidal processes: (1) the physiography (shape and depth) of oceans (1000s km scale) determines the degree of tidal resonance; (2) the physiography of ocean connections to partly enclosed water bodies (100–1000s km scale) determines the regional-scale flux of tidal energy (inflow versus outflow); (3) the physiography of continental shelves influences shelf tidal resonance potential; and (4) tides in relatively local-scale embayments (typically 1–10s km scale) are influenced by the balance of tidal amplification due to funnelling, shoaling and resonance effects versus frictional damping. In deep time, palaeogeographic and palaeobathymetric uncertainty can be accounted for in palaeotidal models by performing sensitivity analyses to different scenarios, across this range of spatial scales. These tidal process controls are incorporated into an updated predictive decision tree for determining shoreline–shelf process regime in terms of the relative interaction of wave, fluvial and tidal processes. The predictive decision tree considers the effects of basin physiography, shelf width and shoreline morphology on wave, fluvial and tidal processes separately. Uncertainty and ambiguity in applying the widely used three-tier process classification scheme are reduced by using the decision tree in conjunction with a proposed two-tier classification of process regime that is limited to primary and secondary processes. This two-tier classification scheme is illustrated in the three case studies, showing how integration of numerical modelling with facies analysis of the preserved stratigraphic record improves confidence in prediction of tide-influenced shoreline-shelf process regimes. Wider application of this approach will further improve process-based classifications and predictions of modern and ancient shoreline–shelf systems.
    • A chronostratigraphic framework for the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, western U.S.A.

      Maidment, Susannah; Muxworthy, A (Society for Sedimentary Geology, 29/10/2019)
      The fluvial, overbank, and lacustrine deposits of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the Western Interior, U.S.A. have been intensively studied due to their diverse and well-preserved dinosaurian fauna, and the presence of economic quantities of uranium and vanadium ores. The formation crops out over 12 degrees of latitude and 1.2 million km2, and is an excellent case study for the examination of paleoecology, community structure, and evolutionary dynamics at a time in Earth's history when the climate was significantly warmer than today. However, paleoecological studies have been hampered by lack of correlation across the formation. Assuming a primarily tectonic control on fluvial architecture, we propose the first chronostratigraphic framework of the formation, which is based on sequence stratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and radiometric dating. The formation can be divided into three sequences each represented by a period of degradation followed by aggradation. This chronostratigraphic framework indicates that the formation youngs to the north, and was deposited over about 7 million years during the late Kimmeridgian and Tithonian. This framework provides a foundation for future sedimentological, stratigraphic, and paleobiological studies of the iconic dinosaurian fauna known from the Morrison.
    • Episodic and Declining Fluvial Processes in Southwest Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris, Mars

      Davis, J; M. Grindrod, P; Fawdon, P; Williams, R; Gupta, S; Balme, M (American Geophysical Union, 29/08/2018)
    • Diversification dynamics in freshwater bivalves (Unionidae) from the East African Rift

      Ortiz-Sepulveda, C; Stelbrink, B; Poux, C; Monnet, C; Albrecht, C; Todd, JA; Michel, E; Van Bocxlaer, B; Anon (SIAL, 29/07/2018)
      Invertebrates are exceptionally diverse, but declining because of anthropogenic changes to their habitat, as exemplified by freshwater bivalves in Europe and North America. Much less information is available for African freshwater bivalves, especially for Unionidae, which comprise 9 genera and ~40 nominal species, many of which are endemic to African ancient lakes. The phylogenetic position of most of these genera and species remains uncertain, and their conservation status unassessed. Here, we present preliminary results of phylogenetic studies on the Unionidae of the East African Rift. We integrate a phylogenetic backbone based on four gene fragments with (1) sampling information to examine geographic patterns of diversity and with (2) geometric morphometrics of shell shape to examine the relation between morphological disparity and molecular diversity. African Unionidae apart from ‘Cafferia’ form a monophyletic clade, and the basal splits in this clade occur between the reciprocally monophyletic genera Pseudospatha and Grandidieria, both of which are currently endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Mweruella, Nyassunio and Prisodontopsis are also monophyletic in the preliminary analyses as is Nitia, although this latter taxon is nested within Coelatura, which highlights the need of systematic revisions. Biogeographic analyses indicate a statistically significant North-to-South colonization of the East African Rift by Coelatura sensu lato. Beyond deep phylogenetic splits among individual clades, limited molecular differentiation is observed within most clades, calling for population genetic studies. Ongoing morphometric analyses suggest strong morphological differentiation among several clades, but substantial disparity in shell shape is observed within many clades, which needs further examination.
    • Postcranial osteology of the neotype specimen of Massospondylus carinatus Owen, 1854 (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the upper Elliot formation of South Africa

      Barrett, PM; Chapelle, KJ; Staunton, CK; Botha, J; Choiniere, JN (University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 29/04/2019)
      Massospondylus carinatus Owen, 1854, from the earliest Jurassic upper Elliot Formation of South Africa, was one of the first dinosaurs to be described from Gondwana. It has been incorporated into numerous phylogenetic, palaeobiological and biostratigraphic analyses, is often viewed as an exemplar for understanding sauropodomorph anatomy and is a key taxon in studies of early dinosaur evolution. Since its initial description, numerous specimens have been referred to this species, ranging from isolated postcranial elements to complete skeletons with three-dimensional skulls. In addition,M. carinatus has been identified in areas outside of the main Karoo Basin. Surprisingly, however, there have been few attempts to define the taxon rigorously, so that the basis for many of these referrals is weak, undermining the utility of this abundant material. Here, we provide the first detailed postcranial description of the neotype specimen of M. carinatus, use it as a basis for diagnosing the species on the basis of cranial, axial and appendicular characters, demonstrate that it represents an adult individual on the basis of osteohistology, and discuss ways in which these data can assist in providing a better understanding of Karoo-aged African dinosaur faunas.
    • Stepped fans and facies-equivalent phyllosilicates in Coprates Catena, Mars

      M. Grindrod, P; Warner, NH; Hobley, DEJ; Schwartz, C; Gupta, S (28/10/2017)
    • First evidence of denticulated dentition in teleosaurid crocodylomorphs

      Young, MT; Beatty, BL; Brusatte, SL; Steel, L (28/10/2013)
    • Hydroxyferroroméite, a new secondary weathering mineral from Oms, France

      Mills, S; Christy, A; Rumsey, M; Spratt, J; Bittarello, E; Favreau, G; Ciriotti, M; Berbain, C (28/04/2017)
      Hydroxyferroroméite, ideally (Fe2+ 1.5[]0.5)Sb5+ 2O6(OH), is a new secondary mineral from the Correc d'en Llinassos, Oms, Pyrénées-Orientales Department, France. Hydroxyferroroméite occurs as yellow to yellow-brown powdery boxwork replacements up to about 50μm across after tetrahedrite in a siderite–quartz matrix. No distinct crystals have been observed. The empirical formula (based on 7 (O + OH) per formula unit, pfu) is (Fe2+ 1.07Cu2+ 0.50Zn0.03Sr0.03Ca 0.01[]0.36)Σ2 (Sb5+ 1.88Si0.09Al0.02As0.01)Σ2 O6 ((OH)0.86 O0.14). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the valence states of Sb, Fe and Cu. Hydroxyferroroméite crystallises in the space group Fd3 m with the pyrochlore structure and hence is a new Fe2+ -dominant member of the roméite group of the pyrochlore supergroup. It has the unit-cell parameters: a = 10.25(3) Å, V = 1077(6) Å3 and Z = 8. A model, based on bond-valence theory, for incorporation of the small Fe2+ cation into a displaced variant of the A site of the pyrochlore structure is proposed.