Geographies of Displacement: The Karenni and The Shan Across The Myanmar-Thailand Border

First, central to our analysis is the argument that human movement within and across borders fundamentally challenges the view of geopolitics based upon fixed territorial states, inter-state relations, national identities and citizenship; indeed the whole idea of "national geographic". Using the examples of the Karen and Shan peoples, we explore the processes and patterns of forced relocation, displacement and migration in the border regions of Myanmar and Thailand. Our main concern is with forced displacement as a result of political and ethnic conflict; specifically, how the Burmese military regime's desire for "national unity" within Myanmar's "national space" has influenced the militarily inspired displacements of hundreds of thousands of villagers and civilians within the border zones inhabited mostly by so-called "national minorities". We examine the particular problems of the so-called "internally displaced persons" within "national" boundaries compared with the "refugees" and "undocumented migrants" who make it across "international" space into Thailand. We illustrate the ways displaced people are represented by state agencies and the media as "threats" and "transgressors". We consider some of the "long term" aspects of the displacement problem along the Myanmar-Thai border and the vital contribution geographers can make to the study of displacement.     

2Passalopalpidae,a new family from the Cretaceous Burmese amber,as the possible sister group of Passalidae Leach (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

A new family of Scarabaeoidea is revealed from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (earliest Cenomanian, near 100 Ma), on a series of males and females, most in perfect condition. Passalopalpidae fam. nov., Passalopalpus cheni gen. et sp. nov., are probably extinct since a long time. Observations were made on the whole body (head, thorax, abdomen) and appendages (mouthparts, antennae, legs, wings). Most characters are remarkable and plesiomorphic, compared to Passalidae Leach, as well as to some other Scarabaeoidea. Morphological characteristics demonstrate that the fossil species is typically « passaloid », but that it cannot belongs to Passalidae. Passalopalpidae and Passalidae are clearly distinct families, with strong assumption to be sister groups. The systematic interpretation of the fossil could fill a historic gap: the sister group of Passalidae had been established previously never in a solid way. Passalids are Gondwanian, whereas passalopalpids lived on former eastern Laurasia. Vicariance of both taxa, each on one of the super-continents, seems to support recent hypotheses of phylogeny and paleobiogeography for Passalidae. Other preliminary notes are given on the morphology, biology and phylogenetic relationships of passalopalpids.     

Mapping cropland fallow areas in myanmar to scale up sustainable intensification of pulse crops in the farming system

Cropland fallows are the next best-bet for intensification and extensification, leading to increased food production and adding to the nutritional basket. The agronomical suitability of these lands can decide the extent of usage of these lands. Myanmar’s agricultural land (over 13.8 Mha) has the potential to expand by another 50% into additional fallow areas. These areas may be used to grow short-duration pulses, which are economically important and nutritionally rich, and constitute the diets of millions of people as well as provide an important source of livestock feed throughout Asia. Intensifying rice fallows will not only improve the productivity of the land but also increase the income of the smallholder farmers. The enhanced cultivation of pulses will help improve nutritional security in Myanmar and also help conserve natural resources and reduce environmental degradation. The objectives of this study was to use remote sensing methods to identify croplands in Myanmar and cropland fallow areas in two important agro-ecological regions, delta and coastal region and the dry zone. The study used moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250-m, 16-day normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) maximum value composite (MVC), and land surface water index (LSWI) for one 1 year (1 June 2012–31 May 2013) along with seasonal field-plot level information and spectral matching techniques to derive croplands versus cropland fallows for each of the three seasons: the monsoon period between June and October; winter period between November and February; and summer period between March and May. The study showed that Myanmar had total net cropland area (TNCA) of 13.8 Mha. Cropland fallows during the monsoon season account for a meagre 2.4% of TNCA. However, in the winter season, 56.5% of TNCA (or 7.8 Mha) were classified as cropland fallows and during the summer season, 82.7% of TNCA (11.4 Mha) were cropland fallows. The producer’s accuracy of the cropland fallow class varied between 92 and 98% (errors of omission of 2 to 8%) and user’s accuracy varied between 82 and 92% (errors of commission of 8 to 18%) for winter and summer, respectively. Overall, the study estimated 19.2 Mha cropland fallows from the two major seasons (winter and summer). Out of this, 10.08 Mha has sufficient moisture (either from rainfall or stored soil water content) to grow short-season pulse crops. This potential with an estimated income of US$ 300 per hectare, if exploited sustainably, is estimated to bring an additional net income of about US$ 1.5 billion to Myanmar per year if at least half (5.04 Mha) of the total cropland fallows (10.08 Mha) is covered with short season pulses.     

缅甸含硬玉的蛇纹石化橄榄岩及其围岩的岩石学研究

以缅甸帕敢地区含硬玉岩的蛇纹石化橄榄岩及其围岩－未细分的变质岩为研究对象，较详细地研究了各类岩石的岩相学，岩石化学及主要矿物的组成，认为该区超基性岩为含铬铁矿的蛇纹石化纯橄岩，它的围岩由含多硅白母蓝闪石片岩，石榴斜长角闪岩，大理岩及透辉石大理岩，石英岩等构成。通过其中典型的变质反应分析与计算，认为围岩的变质程度分别为蓝闪石片岩相和的高角闪岩相，其中蓝闪石片岩相的压力大于0．8－1．0GPa，斜长角闪岩相的温度为582度，通过对比分析世界上不同产地硬玉岩的特征，认为硬玉岩，尤其是优质者，产出环境如下：（1）容矿岩体属超基性岩，以含铬铁矿的纯橄岩为最佳；（2）围岩中存在低温高压变质岩，即蓝闪石片岩－榴辉岩类；（3）位于与俯冲带有关大地构造单元内。     

缅甸莫苇塘红土型镍矿矿物学特征

莫苇塘红土型镍矿分为土状矿和岩状矿,矿物成分基本相同,但量上有差异。矿石主要由蛇纹石类硅酸盐矿物和褐铁矿、赤铁矿等氧化物、氢氧化物矿物组成,有用组份镍主要赋存于硅酸盐类矿物和氧化物、氢氧化物类矿物中。     

东南亚缅泰老越柬五国与中国邻区成矿带划分及成矿特征

东南亚缅泰老越柬五国与中国西南邻区在大地构造上位于特提斯构造域东段与西太平洋构造域相交接地带,复杂的地质构造演化造就了该区丰富的矿产资源。通过近年来对东南亚中南半岛及中国邻区的地层、构造、岩浆及矿产研究,在大地构造单元划分基础上,本文将研究区划分为两个一级成矿域(特提斯成矿域、环太平洋成矿域)、3个二级成矿省(滇缅马成矿省、印支成矿省、扬子-华夏成矿省)和17个三级成矿带。并对各成矿带的地质及成矿特征进行了简单阐述。     

New polymorphic psyllipsocids from Burmese amber (Psocodea: Psyllipsocidae)

Annulipsyllipsocus andreneli gen. et sp. nov. and A. inexspectatus gen. et sp. nov., the first records of the Psyllipsocidae from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar are described, illustrated and their taxonomic position discussed. The new genus is characterized by antennae with 16 segments; flagellomeres with secondary annulations; radial cell closed, five-angled, bulged on its R1 border; triangular pterostigma. Species belonging to Annulipsyllipsocus gen. nov. are polymorphic. The described taxa represent the earliest evidence for polymorphism in Psocodea. A checklist of all known species of Psyllipsocidae is given.     

A new genus and species of aphids,Tanyaulus caudisetula gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Burmitaphidae) in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus and species of aphids, Tanyaulus caudisetula gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Burmitaphidae), is described from mid- Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Autapomorphies for the new genus are stub-like hind wings, 7-segmented antenna, long rostrum equal to body length, 4 veins departing from the main vein, cubital veins distinctly separated, with a very short, curved basal proximal cubitus, one-branched M vein with distal fork arched at the base, distinct claval folds at wing bases and caudal protuberance with extended setae. The new fossil adds to our knowledge of the morphological diversity of Mesozoic Aphidoidea.     

缅甸密支那地区发现侏罗纪的SSZ型蛇绿岩

本文报道了在缅甸的密支那地区发现的一套侏罗纪SSZ型蛇绿岩和有关的岩石单元。蛇绿岩由地幔橄榄岩、安山玄武岩、淡色辉长岩和辉长岩类、橄榄辉石岩和含长辉石岩类、以及斜长花岗岩组成。锆石的U-Pb定年获得安山玄武岩的形成年龄为166±3Ma、淡色辉长岩177±1Ma、橄榄辉石岩171±2Ma,和斜长花岗岩176±1Ma。安山玄武岩以低K2O(平均0.21%)和中TiO2(0.8%～1.2%)为特征,熔岩的球粒陨石标准化属于近平坦和LREE轻微富集型〔(La/Yb)N变化于1～1.3之间〕。微量元素MORB标准化蛛网图显示,熔岩和其他基性岩的大离子亲石元素Sr,K,Rb和Ba含量明显富集,而高场强元素Nb、Th、Ta、Zr、Ti明显亏损,为典型的SSZ构造背景成因的熔岩特征。87Sr/86Sr(i)比值为0.70367～0.70397,以及εNd(t)为正值(4～5.3),均表明它们的岩浆源区为亏损地幔源区。从空间展布看,密支那蛇绿岩与缅甸东带蛇绿岩应属同一条蛇绿岩带,与我国西藏的雅鲁藏布江缝合带相连。但不同的是,雅鲁藏布江缝合带侏罗纪时(约170Ma)为MOR型蛇绿岩,但密支那侏罗纪出现的是SSZ型蛇绿岩。两者时间如此相近,我们认为用洋内俯冲来解释较为合适。但值得注意的是,也有人将缅甸东带蛇绿岩与西藏北带的班公湖-怒江缝合带相连,并且后者在侏罗纪时也已经出现SSZ型蛇绿岩。因此,有必要进一步开展对密支那蛇绿岩构造背景的研究。     

The oldest tachyporine rove beetle in amber (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae): A new genus and species from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new genus and species of extinct rove beetle, Procileoporus burmiticus gen. and sp. n., is described from Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Cenomanian; ca. 99 Ma). Due to the condition of the fossil, parts of the body could not be examined, but sufficient characteristics were visible to allow the specimen to be placed within the subfamily Tachyporinae (tribe Tachyporini). Procileoporus is most similar to the extant genus Cileoporus Campbell in having a slender abdomen, but it differs in having much shorter abdominal setae, prominent striated microreticulation on the elytra, non-lobed tergite VIII, and in other details of the male genital segments. This is the first tachyporine rove beetle from Burmese amber and the oldest record of the subfamily in amber. The evolution of sexual dimorphism in the genital segments is briefly discussed.