喜马拉雅中段高压麻粒岩变质作用、地球化学与年代学

研究的高压麻粒岩发现于西藏亚东以北约40公里的(Zherger-La)、出露在藏南拆离系(STDS)主构造面下盘的高喜马拉雅结晶岩系中,是继喜马拉雅东西构造结的Nanga Barbat、Namjag Barwa和喜马拉雅中段Khatra & Marina地区、定结地区发现的榴辉岩或高压麻粒岩之后,在青藏高原上新近发现的高压麻粒岩.该麻粒岩呈岩片被包裹于花岗质片麻岩中.麻粒岩记录了两期变质作用,早期矿物组合为Grt+Cpx+Pl+Qz,属麻粒岩相变质产物,矿物成分分析显示早期矿物组合达到了平衡,并且没有表现成分扩散;后期矿物组合为Hbl+Pl+Bio或Opx+Pl,指示了较高温但相对压力较低的麻粒岩相退变变质作用,矿物成分分析和结构显示了退变作用没有达到变质平衡.显微结构可以观察到多组变质反应Grt+Cpx+Qtz=Opx+Pl,Grt+Qtz=Opx+Pl,Grt+Cpx+L=Hbl+Pl+Bio+Mt,和Cpx+L=Hbl+Mt.根据矿物平衡关系,利用Grt-Cpx温度计和Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qz压力计估算的早期变质作用温压为T=780～850℃,P=12～15kbar,相对应的地温梯度16℃～18℃/km.借用Hbl-Pl温度计和A1tot in Hbl压力计估算的晚期变质作用温压为T=730～760℃;P=4～6kbar,相当的地温梯度为38℃～50℃/km.变质作用P-T演化呈等温降压轨迹,指示麻粒岩地体从增厚(或俯冲)地壳到减薄增温(或部分熔融)地壳,进而被快速剥露地表的构造过程.初步的地球化学结果表明高压麻粒岩原岩可能相当于大陆拉斑玄武岩.麻粒岩锆石SHRIMP年代学有两组相对集中的年龄分别为98±5 Ma(5 spots)和17.0±0.3 Ma(13 spots).高压麻粒岩的两期变质作用的温度都在700℃以上,略高于锆石U-Pb同位素体系计时封闭温度,推断17 Ma是高压麻粒岩变质后发生折返,随高喜马拉雅结晶岩系剥露冷却的年龄;98.4Ma的测年结果被推测是高压麻粒岩原岩形成的年龄.在喜马拉雅山,高压麻粒岩记录了类似增厚地壳到减薄地壳的转变一方面可能是地壳深部作用机制的转变,另一方面,这种机制与喜马拉雅南坡巨大的降雨量和去顶作用有密切关系,意义重大.     

帕米尔高原沙克达拉穹窿变质作用及新生代下地壳演化

帕米尔高原从西到东展布的8个新生代变质穹窿构成帕米尔高原变质地壳的主体,沙克达拉穹窿是其中最大的一个。沙克达拉穹窿变质杂岩中石榴矽线石片麻岩峰期组合(Grt+Ky+Bi+Rt+Pl+Qz)变质作用温压条件为T约810 ℃/P约10 kbar, 石榴石单斜辉石基性麻粒岩峰期组合(Grt+Cpx+Rt+Pl+Qz)变质作用温压条件为T约824 ℃/P约16.3 kbar, 榴闪岩退变较强,其残留峰期组合(Grt+Pl+Hbl+ilm+Qz)变质作用温压条件为T约683 ℃～873 ℃/P约8.6～11.7 kbar。基性麻粒岩变质锆石的U-Pb年龄为19～35 Ma,反映了从晚始新世到早中新世帕米尔高原下地壳加热加厚过程。帕米尔穹窿的变质作用可以与高喜马拉雅结晶岩系类比,在新生代印度亚洲大陆碰撞过程中,帕米尔陆内各地体沿前新生代缝合带的陆内俯冲可能是帕米尔下地壳加厚的主要动因。     

阿尔金淡水泉花岗质高压麻粒岩P-T演化及年代学研究

岩相学研究表明阿尔金南缘淡水泉一带出露的花岗质片麻岩的峰期矿物组合为Grt+Kfs+Ky+Rt+Qz,为典型的高压麻粒岩相矿物组合。利用Thermocalc3.33程序计算的P-T视剖面图和矿物温压计,确定其峰期变质温压条件为T=875~925℃,P=14.5~15.9kbar,该岩石后期还经历了以矿物组合Grt+Kfs+Bt+Pl+Sill+Ilm+Qz为代表的麻粒岩相和以Sill+Bt+Pl+Mu+Qz±Ilm为代表的角闪岩相的退变质作用,具有一个早期快速等温降压,后期近等压降温的顺时针型的退变质P-T演化轨迹。锆石的U-Pb同位素定年结果显示其原岩的时代为866±5Ma,峰期变质时代为505±5Ma。其中该岩石原岩的形成时代与阿尔金及其周缘地区广泛发育的由Rodinia超大陆裂解事件导致的岩浆活动时代一致,而峰期变质时代则与南阿尔金高压/超高压变质岩的峰期变质时代(486~509Ma)一致,说明花岗片麻岩原岩的形成与罗迪尼亚超大陆裂解有关,并在早古生代卷入了陆壳深俯冲事件,构成了南阿尔金高压/超高压变质带的一部分。     

甘肃敦煌观音沟地区变质作用初步研究

敦煌东南三危山观音沟地区,出露有石榴斜长角闪片麻岩,岩石中保存了三个阶段的变质矿物组合。进变质阶段的矿物组合(M1)以石榴子石变斑晶中的包裹体矿物组合(Hbl1+Pl1+Qtz1)为代表,形成条件约为550~575℃/5.2~5.7kbar(绿帘角闪岩相)。变质高峰期矿物组合(M2)主要由石榴子石变斑晶和基质矿物(Hbl2+Pl2+Qtz2±Cpx2)组成,形成温度670℃,压力11.9kbar(角闪岩相)。退变质阶段矿物组合(M3)为后成合晶矿物组合(Hbl3+Pl3+Qtz3),形成条件约为590~640℃/4.3~5.9kbar(角闪岩相)。观音沟石榴斜长角闪片麻岩记录了包含进变质、变质高峰、退变质过程的造山过程"西阿尔卑斯"型P-T轨迹,其中退变质阶段具有明显的近等温降压特征。变质作用P-T轨迹指示本地区可能经历了俯冲-碰撞-快速抬升的造山过程。结合年代学资料,该期造山事件可能发生于泥盆纪。     

南阿尔金尤努斯萨依花岗质高压麻粒岩的发现及其地质意义

南阿尔金尤努斯萨依地区首次发现一套高压麻粒岩相特征矿物组合的含蓝晶石石榴子石的花岗质片麻岩,其矿物组合为Grt+Ky+Per(+Ksp)+Ru+Q。依据矿物内部一致性热力学数据,基于THERMOCALC 3. 40程序平台,计算出P-T视剖面图,并结合矿物等值线、矿物组合稳定域及三元长石温度计等,确定其早期变质温压条件为T=970～1010℃,P=23. 2～25. 3kbar,达到了榴辉岩相变质条件。同时,根据岩相学观察获得的矿物共生组合与矿物变质显微结构以及P-T视剖面图,可识别出该岩石在早期变质之后还经历了以矿物组合Grt+Ky+Per(+Ksp)+Pl+Ru+Q为代表的麻粒岩相、以及Grt+Ky+Ksp+Pl+Bi+Ru+Ilm+Q为代表的麻粒岩-高角闪岩相和以Ky+Ksp+Pl+Q+Bi+Mu+Ru+Ilm为代表的角闪岩相三期退变质作用,它们共同构成了一个顺时针型降温降压的退变质P-T演化轨迹,指示出与大陆俯冲-深俯冲相关的高压变质事件和俯冲碰撞后的折返事件。利用LA-ICP-MS进行的锆石原位微区U-Pb定年和微量元素分析表明,该高压岩石峰期变质年龄497. 8±2. 7Ma,与南阿尔金地区已发现的高压-超高压岩石的峰期变质时代完全一致,表明它们应属同一变质岩带;其原岩形成时代为900. 2±4. 1Ma,与南阿尔金已报道的正变质的高压-超高压岩石原岩的形成时代基本一致,指示它们可能具有相同的原岩属性。这套花岗质高压麻粒岩的确定为进一步约束南阿尔金早古生代高压-超高压变质岩带的时空分布规律提供了新的限定。     

冈底斯岩浆弧东段夕线石榴黑云片岩的变质作用P-T轨迹与构造意义

冈底斯岩浆弧东段的中-新生代变质岩是揭示岩浆弧深部组成与形成演化的窗口。本文对该地区的变质沉积岩——夕线石榴黑云片岩进行了岩石学和锆石年代学研究。岩相学和矿物化学研究表明,夕线石榴黑云片岩具有三期矿物组合:(1)进变质矿物组合为Grt+Pl+Bt+Ms+Qz+Ep+Rt+Ilm,其保存于石榴石和斜长石变斑晶核部;(2)峰期矿物组合为Grt+Pl+Bt+Ms+Qz+Rt+Ilm,为包裹在石榴石变斑晶幔部和基质中的矿物;(3)退变质矿物组合是Grt+Pl+Bt+Sil+Qz+Ilm,为石榴石的冠状体或产在基质中。相平衡模拟表明,岩石的进变质、峰期和退变质条件分别为600～650℃和9～13kbar、～820℃和～16kbar、～680℃和～7kbar,表明岩石具有一个顺时针型的变质作用P-T轨迹,其峰期发生在高压和高温麻粒岩相条件下,并经历了明显的部分熔融。锆石U-Pb定年表明,岩石的变质作用发生在～89Ma。本文和现有研究结果表明,夕线石榴黑云片岩作为晚白垩世岩基中的包体记录了大体积幔源岩浆岩底垫和增生导致的岩浆弧地壳显著加厚过程,以及加厚弧根的高温和高压变质与深熔作用。     

青藏高原东南缘哀牢山构造带泥质高压麻粒岩的发现及其构造意义

哀牢山构造带泥质高压麻粒岩主要由石榴石、夕线石、钾长石和斜长石变斑晶及尖晶石、铁假蓝宝石、蓝晶石、石英、金红石和钛铁矿包裹体组成,为确定印支地块和华南地块的边界提供了关键性标志。石榴石-黑云母-斜长石-石英地质温压计(GBPQ)计算结果及标志性高温矿物组合(Spl+Qz)表明泥质高压麻粒岩的形成和演化经历了高压/高温进变质到中温/低压退变质的顺时针P-T演化过程。其中:1)高压/高温进变质阶段的矿物组合为Ky+Sil+Grt1+Kf1+Pl1+Spr+Ter(Kf+Pl)+Bt1+Spl+Qtz+Ilm1+Rut1,形成于850～919℃,≥10.4kbar;2)中温/低压退变质阶段的矿物组合为Grt2+Bt2+Pl2+Ms+Qtz+Ilm2+Rut2,早期和晚期的温压条件分别为664～754℃,4.9～6.5kbar和572～576℃,3.5～3.9kbar。反映陆壳物质在碰撞过程中俯冲到地下深处(≥30km)经高压高温变质后快速折返到中上地壳的动力学演变轨迹。     

造山带中成对出现的高压麻粒岩与榴辉岩及其地球动力学意义

在一些典型碰撞造山带中,高压麻粒岩与榴辉岩在空间和时间上密切相关,它们之间的关系对揭示碰撞造山带的造山过程和造山机制具有重要意义.本文以中国西部的南阿尔金、柴北缘及中部的北秦岭造山带为例,详细陈述了这3个地区榴辉岩和相关的高压麻粒岩的野外关系、变质演化和形成时代,目的是要建立大陆碰撞造山带中榴辉岩和相关高压麻粒岩形成的地球动力学背景模式.南阿尔金榴辉岩呈近东西向分布在江尕勒萨依,玉石矿沟一带,与含夕线石副片麻岩、花岗质片麻岩和少量大理岩构成榴辉岩一片麻岩单元,榴辉岩中含有柯石英假象,其峰期变质条件为P=2.8～3.0GPa,T=730～850℃,并在抬升过程中经历了角闪岩-麻粒岩相的叠加;大量年代学研究显示其峰期变质时代为485～500Ma.南阿尔金高压麻粒岩分布在巴什瓦克地区,包括高压基性麻粒岩和高压长英质麻粒岩,它们与超基性岩构成了一个大约5km宽的构造岩石单元,与周围角闪岩相的片麻岩为韧性剪切带接触.长英质麻粒岩和基性麻粒岩的峰期组合均具有蓝晶石和三元长石(已变成条纹长石),形成的温压条件为T=930～1020℃,P=1.8～2.5GPa,并在退变质过程中经历了中压麻粒岩相变质作用叠加.锆石SHRIMP测定显示巴什瓦克高压麻粒岩的峰期变质时代为493～497Ma.都兰地区的榴辉岩分布柴北缘HP-UHP变质带的东端,在榴辉岩和围岩副片麻岩中均发现有柯石英保存,形成的峰期温压条件为T=670～730℃和P=2.7～3.25GPa,退变质阶段经过了角闪岩相的叠加;榴辉岩相变质时代为420～450Mao都兰地区的高压麻粒岩分布在阿尔茨托山西部,高压麻粒岩包括基性麻粒岩长英质麻粒岩,基性麻粒岩的峰期矿物组合为Grt+Cpx+Pl±Ky±Zo+Rt±Qtz,长英质麻粒岩的峰期矿物组合为：Grt+Kf+Ky+Pl+Qtz.峰期变质条件为T=800～925℃,P=1.4～1.85GPa,退变质阶段经历了角闪岩-绿片岩的改造,高压麻粒岩的变质时代为420～450Ma.北秦岭榴辉岩分布在官坡-双槐树一带,榴辉岩的峰期变质组合为Grt+Omp±Phe+Qtz+Rt,所计算的峰期温压条件为T=680～770℃和P=2.25～2.65GPa,年代学数据显示榴辉岩的变质时代为500Ma左右.北秦岭高压麻粒岩分布在含榴辉岩单元的南侧松树沟一带,包括高压基性麻粒岩和高压长英质麻粒岩,与超基性岩在空间上密切伴生,高压麻粒岩的峰期温压条件为T=850～925℃,P=1.45～1.80GPa,锆石U-Pb年代学研究显示其峰期变质时代为485～507Ma.以上三个实例显示,出现在同一造山带、在空间上伴生的高压麻粒岩和榴辉岩有各自不同的变质演化历史,但榴辉岩中的榴辉岩相变质时代和相邻的高压麻粒岩中的高压麻粒岩相变质作用时代相同或相近,这种成对出现的榴辉岩和高压麻粒岩代表了它们同时形成在造山带中不同的构造环境中,即榴辉岩的形成于大陆俯冲带中,而高压麻粒岩可能形成在俯冲带之上增厚的大陆地壳根部.     

胶北南山口古元古代高压基性麻粒岩和钙硅酸盐岩的岩石地球化学特征探讨

胶北莱西古元古代的高压基性麻粒岩和钙硅酸盐岩的基本矿物组合分别为以铁铝榴石为主的石榴石-普通辉石-铁紫苏辉石和钙铝榴石-黝帘石-葡萄石-钠长石.矿物岩石学研究表明钙硅酸盐岩是由含石榴石高压基性麻粒岩经退变质和钙质交代作用形成.南山口高压基性麻粒岩记录了麻粒岩相变质作用前、麻粒岩相变质作用、退变质和钙硅酸盐岩化共同作用以及完全钙硅酸盐岩化的四个阶段的地质作用,其矿物组合分别为Cpx+ Pl+ Qtz(M1),Grt+ Cpx+ Rt+ Qtz(M2),Cpx+Pl+ Opx+ Ilm+ Mgt+ Ep(M3)和Grs+ Zo+ Prh+ Ab+ Cal(M4).微量元素研究表明,高压基性麻粒岩中大离子亲石元素Ba、Rb、K、Rb、Th富集,而高场强元素Nb、Zr、Ti、Y亏损,具有轻稀土富集的右倾型稀土配分曲线.稀土元素和微量元素配分图解显示了岛孤拉斑玄武岩的特征.主元素、微量元素的构造判别图解进一步分析表明高压基性麻粒岩及其钙硅酸盐岩的原岩形成于大陆边缘的岛弧环境.综合高压基性麻粒岩岩石学、元素地球化学特征认为,莱西高压基性麻粒岩的原岩是拉斑玄武岩质岩石,可能是形成于孤后扩张背景下基性的侵入岩或喷出岩.岩石形成以后,在胶-辽-吉带碰撞闭合过程中,经历了麻粒岩相变质作用,又在后来的抬升过程中经历退变质和钙硅酸盐岩化作用.     

左权变质杂岩区早前寒武纪变质演化及其构造指示

左权变质杂岩构造上位于华北中部带中南段,向东紧邻赞皇变质杂岩。研究区广泛发育长英质黑云斜长片麻岩和斜长角闪岩,无典型变泥质岩石出露,斜长角闪岩多以似层状或透镜状方式产于似层状的片麻岩中,二者在局部地区侵入接触关系明显。该地区可识别出三期变形作用和三期变质作用,区域片麻理所代表的第二期变形作用(D2)与峰期变质作用(M2)事件相对应。杂岩区含榴黑云斜长片麻岩和含榴斜长角闪岩中较好地保留了多个阶段的变质作用信息,本文重点研究其变质演化过程。含榴黑云斜长片麻岩中仅保留峰期阶段矿物组合,变质条件为730℃/8.5kbar。含榴斜长角闪岩记录了3个阶段的变质矿物组合,第一阶段矿物组合(M1)为进变质矿物组合,以石榴石变斑晶内部的早期包裹体及其临近的石榴石核部为代表,即Grt1+Pl1+Amp1+Qtz±Bt1±Chl1±Ilm±Ap,该阶段的温度和压力范围分别为:608~643℃/5.2~5.5kbar;第二阶段矿物组合(M2)为变质峰期矿物组合,主要由石榴石XMn最低的"边部"和基质矿物(Grt2+Amp2+Pl2+Qtz±Cpx2±Bt2±Ep2±Ilm±Ap)组成。最高变质温度大于670℃,最高变质压力大于9.4kbar。第三阶段矿物组合(M3)为退变质减压矿物组合,其典型代表是石榴石边部发育的Pl3+Hbl3+Cum3+Qtz±Bt3后成合晶矿物组合,呈细粒交生状结构特征,该阶段温压估算范围为:611~627℃/5.1~5.9kbar。左权变质杂岩区岩石变质程度虽明显低于赞皇变质杂岩区(Tmax812℃,Pmax12.5kbar),但两杂岩区岩石拥有类似的变质演化特征,均记录了包含近等温降压型(ITD)退变质片段的顺时针P-T轨迹,指示碰撞造山环境。结合中部带其它杂岩区的变质演化特征,推测左权变质杂岩卷入了晚太古代-早元古代末期华北克拉通东、西部陆块之间的碰撞造山过程。     

Teredolites Leymerie in the Lower Greensand Group (Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight and the problematic ichnology of reworked clasts

Nineteenth-century references to clavate borings in woody substrates in the Lower Greensand of the Isle of Wight used a variety of names, but Teredo (a wood-boring bivalve, not a boring), Teredolithes (a junior synonym of Teredolites) and Gastrochaena (a bivalve borer of rock and shelly substrates, not a boring in wood) are all nomenclatorially incorrect. Borings in a beach clast derived from the Lower Greensand Group and recently collected from Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight, are referred to Teredolites isp. cf. T. longissimus Kelly and Bromley. This specimen confirms the presence of Teredolites in the Lower Greensand Group and demonstrates a common ichnological problem of beach clasts; borings, either fossil or modern, are incompletely preserved, making confident classification below the level of ichnogenus problematic.     

Neoichnology and implications for stratigraphy of reworked Upper Oligocene oysters,Antigua, West Indies

The Late Oligocene oyster Hyotissa antiguensis (Brown) is locally common in the Antigua Formation of Hughes Point, eastern Antigua, Lesser Antilles; it was not commonly bored at that time. Its valves and shells are robust, and reworked into the shallow water near-shore environment in Antigua; it could potentially be incorporated into younger rocks. Its neoichnology includes clues that would facilitate identification of these oysters as reworked fossils. The suite of modern borings found in these specimens includes common Caulostrepsis taeniola Clarke, Gastrochaenolites isp. cf. G. turbinatus Kelly and Bromley and Entobia isp., and rare Oichnus simplex Bromley and Rogerella? isp. The latter three taxa are limited to oyster shell substrates. Of the common ichnotaxa, Caulostrepsis and Gastrochaenolites are particularly prominent in limestone clasts and limestone cemented to oyster shells, which would be an indicator of reworking if found in a post-Oligocene lithified deposit. Caulostrepsis and Gastrochaenolites are relatively less common in oyster shells and valves, and in many specimens are seen to terminate against the shell. Entobia is the only common boring limited to the shell substrate. The fidelity of preservation of modern borings is also superior in limestone clasts. This suite of borings is comparable with those found in the Neogene of the Antillean region.     

Large hatchling size in Cretaceous nautiloids persists across the end-Cretaceous mass extinction: New data of Hercoglossidae hatchlings

The hatchling sizes of the Cretaceous nautiloids (Hercoglossa forbesianus and Cimomia angustus; Hercoglossidae) are reported here for the first time as ranging between 20.4-22.2 mm in diameter. These new data for Hercoglossidae and the previously reported data for Nautilidae and Cymatoceratidae suggest that all Cretaceous nautiloids had large hatchlings irrespective of their taxonomy relative to those in ammonoids. Based on the relationship between hatching events and the nepionic constriction in modern nautili, the hatchling size of nautiloids can be recognized by the constriction on the shell surface of the innermost whorl. The range of hatchling diameter in all Cretaceous nautiloids (9-35 mm) is comparable to those of modern nautili (20-32 mm), although the Cretaceous nautiloids are characterized by a wider range with the smaller minimum diameter. The large hatchling size in Cretaceous nautiloids stands in marked contrast to those in ammonoids, which had much smaller hatchling size (mostly <2 mm in diameter) and became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. Such distinct differences in reproductive strategy (i.e., hatchling and egg sizes) suggest that these differences may have played a significant role in the fate of ammonoids and nautiloids through the K/T mass extinction, as previously hypothesized by several paleontologists.     

Biogeochemical sampling for mineral exploration in arid terrains: Tanami Gold Province,Australia

Vegetation sampling is an effective mineral exploration technique in areas of transported cover in the Tanami Gold Province where other techniques have been of limited success. This research tests the ability of plants to show signatures of mineralisation as well as the optimum scale of sampling for first-pass mineral exploration surveys. The semi-arid Tanami Gold Province in northern Australia encompasses nearly 160,000 km² and is a highly prospective yet under-explored region due to transported cover masking mineralisation. Various dominant plant species were sampled along transects across four sites of Au mineralisation in the Tanami (Larranganni, Hyperion, Coyote and Titania). Snappy gum (Eucalyptus brevifolia) gave a geobotanical (plant distribution) and lithological (S and Zn) signature of an underlying geological structure known to host Au mineralisation at the Coyote Prospect. Soft spinifex (Triodia pungens) provided an Au, As, ± Zn, ± S, and ± Ce expression of buried Au mineralisation at Coyote and Titania. At the Hyperion prospect, mineralisation is located at the contact between granite and dolerite, and biogeochemical signatures from snappy gum and dogwood (Acacia coriacea) show elevated ± Au, Ce, S and Zn that corresponded to the contact. Biogeochemistry is able to determine the location of mineralisation at each site, except at Hyperion where the sample density was too low. It is able to identify underlying substrate differences, however, background knowledge relating to regolith, geology, hydrology and geophysics are important in aiding the interpretation of the elemental data. It was found that having too few samples (at Hyperion) there was insufficient useful information for mineral exploration. Grid coverage of an area (at Titania) provided information on mineralisation and groundwater dispersion plumes; however, in this case a single transect over the same area would have been sufficient for a first-pass mineral exploration survey.     

New palaeontological data from the organic-rich layers of the Bathonian of the Grands Causses (France)

The palaeontological content (charophytes and vertebrates) of organic-rich layers from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of the Grands Causses at Mostuéjouls (Aveyron, France) has been examined. It is rich in gyrogonites of Porochara douzensis. The vertebrates of the lower layer include a single hybodontiform tooth, “semionotiform” teeth and scales, and one pycnodontiform tooth whereas the upper layer has yielded one hybodontiform tooth, a variety of actinopterygian remains (mostly Caturus sp. and indeterminate pycnodontiforms) and a few possible reptile remains. The variation in fauna between the two layers is ascribed to a different degree of marine influence.     

The postglacial history of three Picea species in New England, USA

Given the difficulty of separating the three Picea species—P. glauca, P. mariana, and P. rubens (white, black, and red spruce)—in the pollen record, little is known about their unique histories in eastern North America following deglaciation. Here we report the first use of a classification tree analysis (CART) to distinguish pollen grains of these species. It was successfully applied to fossil pollen from eight sites in Maine and one in Massachusetts. We focused on the late glacial/early Holocene (14,000 to 8000 cal yr B.P.) and the late Holocene (1400 cal yr B.P. to present)—the two key periods since deglaciation when Picea has been abundant in the region. The result shows a shift from a Picea forest of P. glauca and P. mariana in the late glacial to a forest of P. rubens and P. mariana in the late Holocene. The small number of P. rubens grains identified from the late glacial/early Holocene samples (<5%) suggests that that species was either absent or rare at most of the sites. The occurrence and distribution of the three species do not reveal any geographic or temporal trend during late glacial time, but the data suggest that they were distributed in local patches on the landscape. The results of this study indicate that the recent population expansion of Picea (1000 to 500 cal yr B.P.) was likely the first time since deglaciation that P. rubens was abundant in the region.     

The Olduvai buffalo Pelorovis and the origin of Bos

The origin of the genus Bos is a debated issue. From ∼ 0.5 Ma until historic times, the genus is well known in the Eurasian large mammal assemblages, where it is represented by Bos primigenius. This species has a highly derived cranial anatomy that shows important morphological differences from other Plio-Pleistocene Eurasian genera of the tribe Bovini such as Leptobos, Bison, Proamphibos-Hemibos, and Bubalus. The oldest clear evidence of Bos is the skull fragment ASB-198-1 from the middle Pleistocene (∼ 0.6-0.8 Ma) site of Asbole (Lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia). The first appearance of Bos in Europe is at the site of Venosa-Notarchirico, Italy (∼ 0.5-0.6 Ma). Although the origin of Bos has traditionally been connected with Leptobos and Bison, after a detailed anatomical and morphometric study we propose here a different origin, connecting the middle Pleistocene Eurasian forms of B. primigenius with the African Late Pliocene and early Pleistocene large size member of the tribe Bovini Pelorovis sensu stricto. The dispersal of the Bos lineage in Western Europe during middle Pleistocene times seems to coincide with the arrival of the Acheulean tool technology in this continent.     

Accumulation patterns of Cu and Ni for Indigofera melanadenia and Tephrosia longipes plant species growing in Cu–Ni mining area in Botswana

Indigofera melanadenia and Tephrosia longipes plant species, collected from Cu–Ni mining area, were evaluated for accumulation of Cu and Ni. The total and bioavailable concentrations of Cu and Ni in the host soils were also determined. Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used for all metal determinations. The total and bioavailable concentrations of Cu in the soils were in the range 900–9000 μg/g and 200–2000 μg/g respectively. For Ni, the total and bioavailable concentrations were in the range 900–2000 μg/g and ∼ 40–100 μg/g respectively. The concentrations of Cu and Ni in the leaves of I. melanadenia were higher than in the roots with a range 80–130 μg/g in the leaves and 20–80 μg/g in the roots for Cu and a range of 150–200 μg/g in the leaves and 20–60 μg/g in the roots for Ni. Concentration of Cu in T. longipes was in the range of 37–240 μg/g and 150–200 μg/g in the leaves and roots respectively while the concentration of Ni was 80–140 μg/g in the leaves and 25–100 μg/g in the roots. Results indicate that both species have a potential for accumulating Cu and Ni. Translocation factor, a ratio of shoots to roots metal concentration, was used to evaluate the translocation properties of the plants from roots to shoots. Translocation factors of the plants were ≥ 1 suggesting efficient translocation of metals from roots to shoots.     

Molluscs as evidence for a late Pleistocene and early Holocene humid period in the southern coastal desert of Peru (14.5°S)

The southern Peruvian coastal desert around Palpa, southern Peru (14.5°S) is currently characterized by hyper-arid conditions. However, the presence of two species of molluscs (Scutalus, Pupoides) and desert-loess deposits indicates the past development of semi-desert and grassland ecosystems caused by a displacement of the eastern desert margin due to hydrological changes. Radiocarbon dating shows that the transition to a semi-arid climate in the southern Peruvian coastal desert took place during the Greenland interstadial 1, ∼ 13.5 cal ka BP. At the beginning of the Holocene, the mollusc fauna vanished due to increasing humidity and the development of grasslands. Dust particles were fixed by the grasses, as indicated by abundant Poaceae phytoliths, and desert loess was formed. The humid period we observe here is out of phase with the palaeoenvironmental records from the Titicaca region, which indicates dry conditions at that time. This paper offers a new idea for this contradiction: an orbitally driven meridional shift of the Bolivian high might have altered the moisture supply across the Andes.