High belowground biomass allocation in an upland black spruce (Picea mariana) stand in interior Alaska

The root system of forest trees account for a significant proportion of the total forest biomass. However, data is particularly limited for forests in permafrost regions. In this study, therefore, we estimated the above- and belowground biomass of a black spruce (Picea mariana) stand underlain with permafrost in interior Alaska. Allometric equations were established using 4–6 sample trees to estimate the biomass of the aboveground parts and the coarse roots (roots >5 mm in diameter) of P. mariana trees. The aboveground biomass of understory plants and the fine-root biomass were estimated by destructive sampling. The aboveground and coarse-root biomasses of the P. mariana trees were estimated to be 3.97 and 2.31 kg m^?2, respectively. The aboveground biomass of understory vascular plants such as Ledum groenlandicum and the biomass of forest floor mosses and lichens were 0.10 and 0.62 kg m^?2, respectively. The biomass of fine roots <5 mm in diameter was 1.27 kg m^?2. Thus, the above- and belowground biomasses of vascular plants in the P. mariana stand were estimated to be 4.07 and 3.58 kg m^?2, respectively, indicating that belowground biomass accounted for 47% of the total biomass of vascular plants. Fine-root biomass was 36% of the total root biomass, of which 90% was accumulated in the surface organic layer. Thus, this P. mariana stand can be characterized as having extremely high belowground biomass allocation, which would make it possible to grow on permafrost with limited soil resource availability.     

Structure and age of lower structural unit of Taukha terrane of Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous accretionary prism,southern Sikhote–Alin

Specific data is presented on structure and age of the sedimentary formations within the lower structural unit (Erdagou Formation) in the Taukha terrane, southern Sikhote–Alin, Russia. According to lithological research of this unit exposed in the Benevka River area, the Erdagou Formation represents a deformed fragment of so‐called Oceanic Plate Stratigraphy sequence. The Erdagou Formation includes all lithological varieties of rocks from pelagic (cherts and clayey cherts) and hemipelagic (siliceous mudstones) up to oceanic‐margin (mudstones, siltstones, and turbidites) deposits. Based on the results of radiolarian biostratigraphic research of the rocks, the age of the cherts is from middle Oxfordian to the beginning of Berriasian. Transitive layers between cherts and terrigenous rocks (turbidites), namely siliceous mudstones, are early Berriasian in age. The lower part of the terrigenous section is characterized by late Berriasian–late Valanginian radiolarians. Taking these data into account, it is plausible that the accretion of the given part of the paleo‐oceanic plate occurred post‐Valanginian.     

On sexual dimorphism in Paleoparadoxia tabatai

Abstract Upon studying the well preserved skulls referred to Paleoparadoxia tabatai from Japan, the short and low skull of the Yanagawa specimen requires an explanation. Six cranial and dental characters lead us to suggest that the Yanagawa individual is a female while the Izumi, Ohnohara, and Itsukaichi skulls are male. The important characters in the Yanagawa skull are its shortness and shallow depth, less pronounced sagittal and nuchal crests, smaller zygoma, and the small dentition with especially poorly erupted canines, most of which are indicative of weak masticatory musculature.