High-Precision Geochronology

High-precision geochronology is integral to testing hypotheses regarding the correlation, causes, and rates of events and processes in Earth history. Recent studies have sought to reconcile very precise, but apparently conflicting, ages for the same geological samples and events using different chronometers. Both systematic (decay constants, ages of standard materials) and geological (daughter-nuclide loss, inheritance) complexities contribute to the challenges of rock-clock calibration. Community-wide efforts to improve radioisotope geochronology have successfully mitigated many of these factors, and have brought high-precision geochronology to a threshold of unprecedented integration with stratigraphic and geochemical proxies of Earth systems dynamics

Identification and Quantitation of Flavanols and Proanthocyanidins in Foods: How Good are the Datas?

Evidence suggesting that dietary polyphenols, flavanols, and proanthocyanidins in particular offer significant cardiovascular health benefits is rapidly increasing. Accordingly, reliable and accurate methods are needed to provide qualitative and quantitative food composition data necessary for high quality epidemiological and clinical research. Measurements for flavonoids and proanthocyanidins have employed a range of analytical techniques, with various colorimetric assays still being popular for estimating total polyphenolic content in foods and other biological samples despite advances made with more sophisticated analyses. More crudely, estimations of polyphenol content as well as antioxidant activity are also reported with values relating to radical scavenging activity. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the method of choice for quantitative analysis of individual polyphenols such as flavanols and proanthocyanidins. Qualitative information regarding proanthocyanidin structure has been determined by chemical methods such as thiolysis and by HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS) techniques at present. The lack of appropriate standards is the single most important factor that limits the aforementioned analyses. However, with ever expanding research in the arena of flavanols, proanthocyanidins, and health and the importance of their future inclusion in food composition databases, the need for standards becomes more critical. At present, sufficiently well-characterized standard material is available for selective flavanols and proanthocyanidins, and construction of at least a limited food composition database is feasible

Strontium Isotope Zoning in Garnet: Implications for Metamorphic Matrix Equilibration, Geochronology and Phase Equilibrium Modelling

In principle, garnet growth rates may be calculated from 87Rb/86Sr and 87Sr/86Sr measurements in garnet subsamples and the surrounding rock matrix. Because of low Rb/Sr, garnet should passively record the matrix decay of 87Rb to 87Sr as a progressive increase in 87Sr/86Sr from core to rim. This concept was tested by collecting Rb-Sr data for five garnet grains from four major orogenic belts: eastern Vermont (c. 380 Ma), western New Hampshire (c. 320 Ma), southern Chile (c. 75 Ma) and northwestern Italy (c. 35 Ma). Both normal Sr isotope zoning (increasing 87Sr/86Sr from core to rim) and inverse Sr zoning (decreasing 87Sr/86Sr from core to rim) were observed. Garnet and matrix isotope data commonly yielded grossly inaccurate model ages. Incomplete Rb and Sr equilibration among matrix minerals is invoked to explain the deviations between theoretical v. measured zoning patterns and the age disparities. Initially, the reactive matrix is dominated by rapidly equilibrating Rb-rich mica, which imparts high 87Sr/86Sr values in garnet cores. Progressive participation of slower equilibrating Sr-rich plagioclase buffers or even reduces 87Sr/86Sr, possibly leading to flat or decreasing 87Sr/86Sr from garnet cores to rims. Unusually high 87Sr/86Sr in garnet in combination with bulk matrix compositions causes erroneously young apparent ages, so metamorphic ages, growth rates, and associated heating and loading rates are likely suspect. Although Rb-Sr may be the most susceptible because of the profound disparities between mica and feldspar, zircon reactivity might influence the Lu-Hf system by up to a few per cent. The Sm-Nd system seems generally immune to these effects. Pseudosection analysis and conventional garnet geochronology, which presume complete matrix equilibration during metamorphism, may require modification to account for differences between whole-rock v. reactive matrix compositions

No ecological opportunity signal on a continental scale?:Diversification and life-history evolution of african true toads (Anura: Bufonidae)

The niche-filling process predicted by the “ecological opportunity” (EO) model is an often-invoked mechanism for generating exceptional diversity in island colonizers. Whether the same process governs lineage accumulation and trait disparity during continental colonization events is less clear. Here, we test this prediction by investigating the rate dynamics and trait evolution of one of Africa's most widespread amphibian colonizers, the true toads (Bufonidae). By reconstructing the most complete molecular phylogeny of African Bufonidae to date, we find that the diversification of lineages in Africa best conforms to a constant rate model throughout time and across subclades, with little support for EO. Evolutionary rates of life-history traits have similarly been constant over time. However, an analysis of generalists and specialists showed a shift toward higher speciation rates associated with habitat specialization. The overall lack of EO signal can be interpreted in a number of ways and we propose several explanations. Firstly, methodological issues might preclude the detection of EO. Secondly, colonizers might not experience true EO conditions and due to the size, ecological heterogeneity and age of landmasses, the diversification processes might be more complex. Thirdly, lower speciation rates of habitat generalists may have affected overall proliferation of lineages

The Gossypium longicalyx genome as a resource for cotton breeding and evolution

Cotton is an important crop that has made significant gains in production over the last century. Emerging pests such as the reniform nematode have threatened cotton production. The rare African diploid specie

Filling the Gap: New Precise Early Cretaceous Radioisotopic Ages from the Andes

Two tuffs in the Lower Cretaceous Agrio Formation, Neuquén Basin, provided U–Pb zircon radioisotopic ages of 129.09 ± 0.16 Ma and 127.42 ± 0.15 Ma. Both horizons are well constrained biostratigraphically by ammonites and nannofossils and can be correlated with the ‘standard’ sequence of the Mediterranean Province. The lower horizon is very close to the base of the Upper Hauterivian and the upper horizon to the Hauterivian/Barremian boundary, indicating that the former lies at c. 129.5 Ma and the latter at c. 127 Ma. These new radioisotopic ages fill a gap of over 8 million years in the numerical calibration of the current global Early Cretaceous geological time scale

Control of star formation by supersonic turbulence

Understanding the formation of stars in galaxies is central to much of modern astrophysics. For several decades it has been thought that stellar birth is primarily controlled by the interplay between gravity and magnetostatic support, modulated by ambipolar diffusion. Recently, however, both observational and numerical work has begun to suggest that support by supersonic turbulence rather than magnetic fields controls star formation. In this review we outline a new theory of star formation relying on the control by turbulence. We demonstrate that although supersonic turbulence can provide global support, it nevertheless produces density enhancements that allow local collapse. Inefficient, isolated star formation is a hallmark of turbulent support, while efficient, clustered star formation occurs in its absence. The consequences of this theory are then explored for both local star formation and galactic scale star formation. (ABSTRACT ABBREVIATED)Comment: Invited review for "Reviews of Modern Physics", 87 pages including 28 figures, in pres