Novo opažanje malog vranca Microcarbo pygmaeus u sezoni gniježđenja u središnejm dijelu zapadne Bugarske

Opisano je opažanje odraslog malog vranca Microcarbo pygmaeus u negnijezdećem ruhu 1. srpnja 2023. na umjetnom jezeru Ognyanovo u blizini sela Ognyanovo (središnji dio zapadne Bugarske). Ovo je prvi zapis o prisutnosti vrste tijekom sezone gniježđenja od 1880.-ih u središnjem dijelu zapadne Bugarske

Novo opažanje malog vranca Microcarbo pygmaeus u sezoni gniježđenja u središnejm dijelu zapadne Bugarske

Opisano je opažanje odraslog malog vranca Microcarbo pygmaeus u negnijezdećem ruhu 1. srpnja 2023. na umjetnom jezeru Ognyanovo u blizini sela Ognyanovo (središnji dio zapadne Bugarske). Ovo je prvi zapis o prisutnosti vrste tijekom sezone gniježđenja od 1880.-ih u središnjem dijelu zapadne Bugarske

Production method of nanostructured wood-polymer composition with microwave application

ABSTRACT: Introduction. Currently, wood-polymer compositions (WPC) are widely used in the national economy and construction. The composition of WPC varies widely depending on the further purpose. Improving the binding quality in the wood-polymer system is one of the promising areas for enhancing operational characteristics. Organic and inorganic substrates nanostructured with individual substances, including metal particles, are used as binding components. In the petrochemical industry, most high-capacity productions use catalysts based on active carriers like heavy metals when developing targeted products for various purposes. After several stages of regeneration, recovering these heavy metals becomes impossible. Consequently, spent catalysts accumulate in sedimentation tanks and sludge collectors, lacking an efficient method for disposal and secondary use. One of the components included in the composition of spent catalysts is chromium (+6), which belongs to carcinogenic metals. Numerous disposal methods are currently inadequate for neutralizing this metal on an industrial scale, which is of interest for research. Methods and materials. The study is aimed at converting carcinogenic chromium (+6) into non-carcinogenic chromium (+3) by ultrahigh frequency exposure (microwave), which will open up opportunities for its use as a chromium-containing nanocomplex binding a tree-polymer. Results and discussions. The ultrahigh-frequency effect on the mixture of wood-polymer composition and spent chromium (+6) causes an increase in the penetration depth of high–frequency waves, characterized by a uniform distribution of energy over the entire area of the composite, which is explained by the reduction of chromium (VI) oxide into chromium (III) oxide, and there is also a change in the color of the nanostructured wood-polymer composition (WP – compositions) from yellow to malachite. Conclusion. This study, which consists in the application of microwave exposure to the wood-nanoparticle-polymer system, confirms the receipt of a durable construction product and its use in the construction of roofs, facade boards, sidewalks, piers, port facilities, et

New material of Laophis crotaloides, an enigmatic giant snake from Greece, with an overview of the largest fossil European vipers

Laophis crotaloides was described by Richard Owen as a new and very large fossil viperid snake species from Greece. The type material is apparently lost and the taxon was mostly neglected for more than a century. We here describe a new partial viperid vertebra, collected from the same locality and of equivalent size to the type material. This vertebra indicates that at least one of the three morphological characters that could be used to diagnose L. crotaloides is probably an artifact of the lithographer who prepared the illustration supporting the original description. A revised diagnosis of L. crotaloides is provided on the basis of the new specimen. Despite the fragmentary nature of the new vertebra, it confirms the validity of L. crotaloides, although its exact relationships within Viperidae remain unknown. The new find supports the presence of a large viperid snake in the early Pliocene of northern Greece, adding further data to the diversity of giant vipers from Europe

Status and New Data of the Geochemical Determination of the pp-Neutrino Flux by LOREX

LOREX LORandite EXperiment addresses the determination of the solar pp neutrino flux during the last four million years by exploiting the reaction 205 Tl ν e → 205 Pb e − with an incomparably low-energy threshold of 50 keV for the capture of solar neutrinos. The ratio of 205 Pb/ 205 Tl atoms in the Tl-bearing mineral lorandite provides, if corrected for the cosmic-ray induced background, the product of the flux of solar neutrinos and their capture probability by 205 Tl, averaged over the age of lorandite. To get the mean solar neutrino flux itself, four problems have to be addressed: 1 the geological age of lorandite, 2 the amount of background cosmicray-induced 205 Pb atoms which strongly depends on the erosion rate of the lorandite-bearing rocks, 3 the capture probability of solar neutrinos by 205 Tl and 4 the extraction of lorandite and the appropriate technique to "count" the small number of 205 Pb atoms in relation to the number of 205 Tl atoms. This paper summarizes the status of items 1 age and 3 neutrino capture probability and presents in detail the progress achieved most recently concerning the items 2 background/erosion and 4 "counting" of 205 Pb atoms in lorandite

Redefining the timing and circumstances of the chicken's introduction to Europe and north-west Africa

This is the final version. Available on open access from Cambridge University Press via the DOI in this recordLittle is known about the early history of the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), including the timing and circumstances of its introduction into new cultural environments. To evaluate its spatio-temporal spread across Eurasia and north-west Africa, the authors radiocarbon dated 23 chicken bones from presumed early contexts. Three-quarters returned dates later than those suggested by stratigraphy, indicating the importance of direct dating. The results indicate that chickens did not arrive in Europe until the first millennium BC. Moreover, a consistent time-lag between the introduction of chickens and their consumption by humans suggests that these animals were initially regarded as exotica and only several centuries later recognised as a source of ‘food’.Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)Chair of Palaeoanatomy, LMU Munic

Miocene waterfowl and other birds from central Otago, New Zealand

Copyright © The Natural History Museum 2007Abundant fossil bird bones from the lower Bannockburn Formation, Manuherikia Group, an Early-Middle Miocene lacustrine deposit, 16–19 Ma, from Otago in New Zealand, reveal the “St Bathans Fauna” (new name), a first Tertiary avifauna of land and freshwater birds from New Zealand. At least 23 species of birds are represented by bones, and probable moa, Aves: Dinornithiformes, by eggshell. Anatids dominate the fauna with four genera and five species described as new: a sixth and largest anatid species is represented by just one bone. This is the most diverse Early-Middle Miocene duck fauna known worldwide. Among ducks, two species of dendrochenines are most numerous in the fauna, but a tadornine is common as well. A diving petrel (Pelecanoididae: Pelecanoides) is described, so extending the geological range of this genus worldwide from the Pliocene to the Middle Miocene, at least. The remaining 16 taxa are left undescribed but include: a large species of gull (Laridae); two small waders (Charadriiformes, genus indet.), the size of Charadrius bicinctus and Calidris ruficollis, respectively; a gruiform represented by one specimen similar to Aptornis; abundant rail (Rallidae) bones, including a common flightless rail and a rarer slightly larger taxon, about the size of Gallirallus philippensis; an ?eagle (Accipitridae); a pigeon (Columbidae); three parrots (Psittacidae); an owlet nightjar (Aegothelidae: Aegotheles sp.); a swiftlet (Apodidae: Collocalia sp.); and three passerine taxa, of which the largest is a member of the Cracticidae. The absence of some waterbirds, such as anserines (including swans), grebes (Podicipedidae) and shags (Phalacrocoracidae), among the abundant bones, indicates their probable absence from New Zealand in the Early-Middle Miocene.T. H. Worthy, A. J. D. Tennyson, C. Jones, J. A. McNamara and B. J. Dougla

Genetic Differentiation of the Western Capercaillie Highlights the Importance of South-Eastern Europe for Understanding the Species Phylogeography

The Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) is a grouse species of open boreal or high altitude forests of Eurasia. It is endangered throughout most mountain range habitat areas in Europe. Two major genetically identifiable lineages of Western Capercaillie have been described to date: the southern lineage at the species' southernmost range of distribution in Europe, and the boreal lineage. We address the question of genetic differentiation of capercaillie populations from the Rhodope and Rila Mountains in Bulgaria, across the Dinaric Mountains to the Slovenian Alps. The two lineages' contact zone and resulting conservation strategies in this so-far understudied area of distribution have not been previously determined. The results of analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 319 samples from the studied populations show that Alpine populations were composed exclusively of boreal lineage; Dinaric populations of both, but predominantly (96%) of boreal lineage; and Rhodope-Rila populations predominantly (>90%) of southern lineage individuals. The Bulgarian mountains were identified as the core area of the southern lineage, and the Dinaric Mountains as the western contact zone between both lineages in the Balkans. Bulgarian populations appeared genetically distinct from Alpine and Dinaric populations and exhibited characteristics of a long-term stationary population, suggesting that they should be considered as a glacial relict and probably a distinct subspecies. Although all of the studied populations suffered a decline in the past, the significantly lower level of genetic diversity when compared with the neighbouring Alpine and Bulgarian populations suggests that the isolated Dinaric capercaillie is particularly vulnerable to continuing population decline. The results are discussed in the context of conservation of the species in the Balkans, its principal threats and legal protection status. Potential conservation strategies should consider the existence of the two lineages and their vulnerable Dinaric contact zone and support the specificities of the populations