239 research outputs found
Teosinte Inflorescence Phytolith Assemblages Mirror Zea Taxonomy
Molecular DNA analyses of the New World grass (Poaceae) genus Zea, comprising five species, has resolved taxonomic issues including the most likely teosinte progenitor (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) of maize (Zea mays ssp. mays). However, archaeologically, little is known about the use of teosinte by humans both prior to and after the domestication of maize. One potential line of evidence to explore these relationships is opaline phytoliths produced in teosinte fruit cases. Here we use multidimensional scaling and multiple discriminant analyses to determine if rondel phytolith assemblages from teosinte fruitcases reflect teosinte taxonomy. Our results indicate that rondel phytolith assemblages from the various taxa, including subspecies, can be statistically discriminated. This indicates that it will be possible to investigate the archaeological histories of teosinte use pending the recovery of appropriate samples
Effect of sampling effort and sampling frequency on the composition of the planktonic crustacean assemblage: a case study of the river Danube
Although numerous studies have focused
on the seasonal dynamics of riverine zooplankton,
little is known about its short-term
variation. In order to examine the effects of sampling
frequency and sampling effort, microcrustacean
samples were collected at daily intervals
between 13 June and 21 July of 2007 in a parapotamal
side arm of the river Danube, Hungary.
Samples were also taken at biweekly intervals
from November 2006 to May 2008. After presenting
the community dynamics, the effect of
sampling effort was evaluated with two different
methods; the minimal sample size was also estimated.
We introduced a single index (potential
dynamic information loss; to determine the potential
loss of information when sampling frequency
is reduced. The formula was calculated for the total abundance, densities of the dominant taxa, adult/larva ratios of copepods and for two different diversity measures. Results suggest that abundances may experience notable fluctuations even within 1 week, as do diversities and adult/larva ratios
- …