Comparative phylogeography of African rain forest trees: A review of genetic signatures of vegetation history in the Guineo-Congolian region

The biogeographic history of the African rain forests has been contentious. Phylogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of genetic lineages within species, can highlight the signatures of historical events affecting the demography and distribution of species (i.e. population fragmentation or size changes, range expansion/contraction) and, thereby, the ecosystems they belong to. The accumulation of recent data for African rain forests now enables a first biogeographic synthesis for the region. In this review, we explain which phylogeographic patterns are expected under different scenarios of past demographic change, and we give an overview of the patterns detected in African rain forest trees to discuss whether they support alternative hypotheses regarding the history of the African rain forest cover. The major genetic discontinuities in the region support the role of refugia during climatic oscillations, though not necessarily following the classically proposed scenarios. We identify in particular a genetic split between the North and the South of the Lower Guinean region. Finally we provide some perspectives for future study.     

A petrological study of a vertical section of the Narrabeen Group at Helensburgh,N.S.W.

A detailed petrological study has been made of a complete section of the Narrabeen Group exposed in a bore near Helensburgh. The Clifton Sub‐Group is characterised by two major cycles in which thick units of predominantly arenaceous sediments are interspersed with red‐brown claystones. Rock fragments are abundant in the sandstones, particularly near the base of the sub‐group, while siderite is common as a minor constituent. The red‐brown claystones show a marked contrast in composition with the shaly members of the thicker units in that quartz and siderite are absent or sparse and hematite is prevalent. However, the clay mineral contents of the two claystone formations differ. The upper or Bald Hill Claystone contains only kaolinite, whereas inter‐layered clay minerals and illite are present in addition to kaolinite in the lower or Stanwell Park Claystone. Hematite is absent from the upper few feet of the Bald Hill Claystone and kaolinite, partly in the form of vermicular crystals, may comprise the whole sample but elsewhere boehmite or siderite is prevalent. The texture varies from pisolitic to brecciated. The Gosford Formation overlying the Clifton Sub‐Group is composed predominantly of shales which resemble in texture and composition those of the later Wianamatta Group. A brief discussion of the origin of the Narrabeen Group is given.     

Kaolinite Claystones associated with the Wongawilli seam in the southern part of the Sydney basin

Kaolinite claystones that are similar in structure, texture and composition to the kaolin tonsteins of Western Europe, and to some of the flint clays of North America, are associated with the Wongawilli Seam in the southern part of the Sydney Basin, where they form thin persistent bands within the coal and somewhat thicker deposits immediately overlying the seam. The thin bands within the coal are fine grained and consist of brecciated to pelletal clasts composed of well‐ordered kaolinite set in a matrix of similar composition. The thicker deposits overlying the seam are much coarser grained and appear restricted in occurrence to the basin margins. They contain a predominance of oolites with kaolinite clasts bonded by a relatively sparse matrix and in places, remarkable ‘outgrowths’ of vermicular kaolinite. The origin of the deposits is discussed, and it is concluded that most of the unusual features of these claystones can be ascribed to a fluvial environment.     

Sedimeitfology,geochemistry and discriminant analysis in the engineering geological investigation of damsites,Lower Gordon Area,Tasmania

Application of sedimentological, geochemical and discriminant analysis techniques to the engineering geological investigation of damsites assists in understanding the variation of rock types, stratal correlation, porosity, folding and faulting, through studying the history of depositional and diagenetic environments.

Factor analysis (Rao & Naqvi, 1977) resulted in the proposal of a tidal depositional model consisting of subtidal, shoal, bar, intertidal and supratidal carbonate environments, and channels and dune‐and‐flat terrigenous environments. Discriminant analysis has now been employed to extend the paleo‐environmental model laterally. Samples (142) from four new drill holes were examined, and the data compared with the earlier data by a discriminant analysis technique. The results confirm our pre‐existing model of a prograding tidal complex.

Regional correlation of depositional environments of strata shows an anticlinal structure. Faulting in the sequence is indicated by secondary dolomitisation, breccia‐tion and stfatal discontinuities. The secondary dolomites replaced both limestones and sandstones in the sequence. The amount of porosity is related to depositional facies and dolomitisation. It is possible to understand the hydrologic regime with the aid of regional structure, depositional and diagenetic facies, and porosity.

Because this factor and discriminant analysis technique intensively uses information from each length of drill core, the possibility exists of more confident interpretation of new data from less extensive drilling, with consequent saving in cost.     

The origin of the Naturaliste Plateau,SE Indian Ocean: Implications from dredged basalts

Although a 1972 dredging by USNS Eltanin from the submarine Naturaliste Plateau was reported to yield rocks of continental origin, a re‐examination of the dredge haul shows that the rock clasts are in fact altered tholeiitic basalts. They have affinities both with MOR basalts and, especially, within‐plate basalts. Petrographically they correlate most closely with the Bunbury Tholeiitic Suite on the Australian mainland to the east. The basalts are reworked cobbles in a manganiferous Quaternary slump mass, which contains a quartz‐rich, felsic, detrital mineral suite with a granite‐gneiss provenance. The basalt cobbles were part of a basal conglomerate, which covered large areas of the Plateau. It is suggested that this was laid down from nearby elevated volcanic structures formed during the inception of seafloor spreading and the separation of Greater India from Australia at about 122 Ma BP.     

Origin of Natural Gas in Kekeya Field, Tarim Basin, China

This paper is mainly concentrated on the geochemical characteristics and origin of gas of Kekeya field in the Tarim basin, NW China. This study shows that Permian mudstone is the main source rock of oil and gas. Based on the carbon isotopes of C1--C4, the carbon isotope of gas in Kekeya field is a little heavier than that in the typical marine-derived gas. The relationship between carbon isotopes of methane and ethane is coincident with Faber equation of gas derived from organic matter Ⅰ/Ⅱ. The majority of gas maturity is estimated, based on the formula, at 1.8%-2.2% besides K2 and K18 wells. In addition, the gas derived from 0.9%-1.2% Ro source rocks may also bemixture. ^40Ar/^36Ar and ^3He/^4He ratios from the gas samples also support the mixing process. Moreover, the gas in this region is mainly generated from more mature source rocks although the low mature gas exists.     

Fine structure in the infrared OH-stretching bands of holmquistite and anthophyllite

The principal infrared OH-stretching bands in the orthorhombic (Mg, Fe, Mn, Li) amphiboles holmquistite and anthophyllite show fine structure due to the occurrence of two symmetrically distinct OH groups in the crystal structure. There are two distinct tetrahedral double chains in the orthorhombic amphibole structure, the A chain and the B chain. The B chain is more rotated than the A chain, and the stereochemistry around each of the OH sites suggests that the hydrogen bond to the bridging anion(s) of the B chain is stronger than the hydrogen bond to the bridging anion(s) of the A chain. This difference is sufficient to shift the frequency of the principal OH2-stretching band(s) ~5 cm ^-1 to lower frequency, and allows resolution of the two bands in the infrared spectrum. This distinction could allow detection of possible OH, F ordering between the two distinct monovalent-anion sites in the orthorhombic amphibole structure.     

Messinian events in the Sorbas Basin in southeastern Spain and their implications in the recent history of the Mediterranean

The Messinian (Late Miocene) marine stratigraphic record of the Sorbas Basin (S.E. Spain) is well preserved and can be considered as being representative of the entire western Mediterranean. It exhibits a series of features relating to: (1) the composition, characteristics and evolution of coral reefs; (2) changes between temperate and subtropical climates; and (3) the extensive development of microbial carbonates (stromatolites and thrombolites) at the end of the Messinian. Each of these features has global significance.

Porites, which is the major and almost only coral component in reefs, is heavily encrusted with stromatolites. These reefs grew at the edge of the subtropical belt and were totally eliminated at the end of the Messinian because of global cooling.

Lowermost-Messinian carbonate sediments in the Sorbas Basin reflect a temperate climate, whereas those immediately above, which contain bioherms and coastal reefs, are subtropical. The shift from temperate to subtropical conditions during the early Messinian was accompanied by an important change in water circulation within the western Mediterranean. Temperate times were marked by cold surface Atlantic waters entering the Mediterranean, whereas subtropical times coincided with warm surface waters entering the western Mediterranean from the east. The subtropical waters were thermally stratified, which favoured the deposition of euxinic marls and diatomites at the centre of the basin. The upwelling of nutrient-rich water promoted stromatolite development within reefs and Halimeda growth on adjacent slopes.

Lastly, microbial carbonates (stromatolites and thrombolites) attained giant dimensions during the late Messinian, which can be regarded as a measure of their success in occupying a variety of ecological niches. This abundance of available habitats is believed to have resulted from the Messinian “salinity crisis”, which was followed by a re-colonization of the western Mediterranean. In this context stromatolite proliferation was due to opportunism of microbial communities in colonizing the new environments, rather than to a complete absence of other competitive biota. We do not believe that hypersaline conditions were a causal factor in stromatolite development because of the normal-marine biota associated with them.     

Aggregate resources: Production and environmental constraints

Aggregates are produced from sand and gravel deposits or from bedrock sources. Production sites are numerous to minimize transport and are more and more in a competing land use position. Urbanization, while creating a market, also sterilizes deposits and pressures producers to relocate further from populated areas. Regulating and permitting quarries is an issue in regions with growing populations. This regulatory environment may cause exploitation schemes to evolve towards greater recycling, importing, and marine production, for example. These changes may be entirely attributable to increased environmental constraints on producing operations and not on conventional mining constraints such as overburden, ore grade, and costs of operation.     

Inter- and intra-crystalline temperature and pressure estimates on pyroxenes from NE Brazil mantle xenoliths

Mercier's thermobarometer (Mercier 1980) and Saxena's thermometer (Dal Negro et al. 1982) were applied to single pyroxenes of both porphyroclastic (PF) and protogranular (PR) spinel peridotitic nodules enclosed in alkaline products related to necks of North-Eastern Brazil. Intercrystalline temperatures obtained using both orthopyroxene (opx) and clinopyroxene (cpx) compositions were in agreement, and were lower in protogranular than in porphyroclastic nodules (1051±57 and 1266±19°C respectively). In contrast, pressure estimates using cpx and opx were conflicting, in particular as regards PF nodules. In fact for PF nodules cpx compositions point to 27–32 kbar (mean 29±2) whereas opx compositions point to 17–19 kbar (mean 18±1). Conversely, PR nodule cpx and opx compositions point to similar values 17–24 and 15–18 kbar respectively (mean 19±4). The result obtained for PF nodules using cpx composition clearly contrasts with petrographic evidence and it is due to the peculiar composition of PF cpx (e.g. low Ca content, from 0.645 to 0.737 atoms per formula unit, a.f.u.) that strongly affects the barometric formulation. The PR and PF cpxs reveal similar mean intracrystalline temperature estimates (712±112 and 778±217°C, respectively). These, considering the difference of about 200°C in the intercrystalline temperature estimates, indicate that the exchange cation reaction between the M1 and M2 sites was a faster process in PF than in PR cpx, favoured by the low Ca content of PF cpx. Thus alternatively, the composition of PF cpx, characterized by a high rate of Ca » Mg substitution in the M2 site, may not affect the intercrystalline temperature. Therefore the difference of about 200°C found in intercrystalline temperatures between PR and PF cpxs, in spite of their same pressure values, may be interpreted as indicating an anomalous temperature gradient in the region.