Expanding tropical forest monitoring into Dry Forests: The DRYFLOR protocol for permanent plots

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordSocietal Impact Statement Understanding of tropical forests has been revolutionized by monitoring in permanent plots. Data from global plot networks have transformed our knowledge of forests’ diversity, function, contribution to global biogeochemical cycles, and sensitivity to climate change. Monitoring has thus far been concentrated in rain forests. Despite increasing appreciation of their threatened status, biodiversity, and importance to the global carbon cycle, monitoring in tropical dry forests is still in its infancy. We provide a protocol for permanent monitoring plots in tropical dry forests. Expanding monitoring into dry biomes is critical for overcoming the linked challenges of climate change, land use change, and the biodiversity crisis.Newton FundNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloCYTE

Anatomical interpretations of the taxonomy of Chamaecrista (L.) Moench sect. Absus (Leguminosae–Caesalpinioideae)

Chamaecrista (L.) Moench (Caesalpinioideae–Leguminosae) with 330 species is organized into six sections: Apoucouita, Absus, Grimaldia, Chamaecrista, Caliciopsis and Xerocalyx. Section Absus is the largest section of the Chamaecrista and is organized into four subsections, viz., subsect. Adenophyllum, subsect. Baseophyllum, subsect. Otophyllum and subsect. Absus. This section is not monophyletic and has a complex taxonomy. This study aims to anatomically characterize 60 taxa of Chamaecrista, identifying meaningful morphoanatomical characters that may shed light on the evaluations of the taxonomic and phylogenetic framework of Chamaecrista, especially C. sect. Absus. Standard light microscopy techniques were used to anatomically characterize the leaves. The anatomical data were subjected to a multivariate analysis (Jaccard index). Epidermal papillae on the abaxial side, the distribution and types of secretory and tector trichomes, variations in the arrangement of the vascular system of the midvein and the type of arrangement of the vascular system of the petiole are useful for separating species or groups of species. The presence and type of secretory structure, the type and position of stomata and the venation pattern are important in establishing the affinities between sections and subsections. The phenetic analysis demonstrates that the anatomical data contribute to the establishment of affinities between sections and subsections, supporting the elevation of the taxonomic status of the clade Baseophyllum to section and the insertion of C. absus (C. sect. Grimaldia) into C. sect. Absus, corroborating molecular studies

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved