Late Tertiary and Early Pleistocene Paleosols in Northwestern Canada

Late Tertiary paleosols occurring in the unglaciated portion of the Yukon Territory of northwestern Canada have either Podzolic or Luvisolic soil development. The early Pleistocene paleosols in this area also display Luvisolic soil development in addition to cryogenic soil properties resulting from frost action. Most of these latter paleosols have deeply weathered sola and they usually have rubified argillic horizons. These soil properties suggest that the climate during the late Tertiary and early Pleistocene was warmer than at present. The cryogenic soil properties found in the early Pleistocene paleosols suggest that these soils were exposed to cold climates during subsequent glacial periods.Key words: paleosols, late Tertiary, early Pleistocene, northwestern Canada, soil environments, soil developmentMots clés: paléosols, Tertiaire tardif, Pléistocène précoce, nord-ouest canadien, environnements pédologiques, formation des sol

Comparison of processed unifloral clover and canola honey

Although clover honey is generally considered to be superior to canola honey, the differences, if any, in the processed product are unknown. Unifloral clover and canola honey were identified by pollen analysis (each honey > 90% pollen from one floral source) and processed under the same conditions to produce liquid honey. Processed honey samples were all similar in physical properties and carbohydrate composition. Storage at 14 °C resulted in all samples starting to crystallize after approximately the same time of storage. Storage temperature and percentage moisture were more important factors in predicting crystallization than floral source. Although untrained sensory panelists could differentiate the processed clover and canola honey by taste (P ≤ 0.005), there was no overall preference for either honey

New species of cynipid inquilines of the genus Synergus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) from the Eastern Palaearctic

Eight new species of cynipid inquilines, Synergus abei Melika & Schweger, S. belizinellus Schweger & Melika, S. changtitangi Melika & Schweger, S. formosanus Schweger & Melika, S. ishikarii Melika & Schweger, S. kawakamii Tang & Melika, S. khazani Melika & Schweger and S. symbioticus Schweger & Melika, from the Eastern Palaearctic are described. Descriptions, diagnoses, biology, and host associations for the new species and a key to all known Eastern Palaearctic Synergus species are given. All taxa are supported by morphological and molecular data. We discuss the status of all previously described Eastern Palaearctic Synergus species, and provide validation and synonymization of some species

'The Farm Beneath the Sand' - An archaeological case study on ancient 'dirt' DNA

It is probable that ‘The Farm Beneath the Sand’ will come to stand for a revolution in archaeological investigation. The authors show that a core of soil from an open field can provide a narrative of grazing animals, human occupation and their departure, just using DNA and AMS dating. In this case the conventional archaeological remains were nearby, and the sequence obtained by the old methods of digging and faunal analysis correlated well with the story from the core of ancient ‘dirt’ DNA. The potential for mapping the human, animal and plant experience of the planet is stupendous

Two-step deglaciation at the oxygen isotope stage 6/5e transition: The Zeifen-Kattegat climate oscillation

Comparison of marine, lacustrine, and terrestrial records from twenty-four sites suggests the existence of a 'Younger Dryas'-type climate oscillation just prior to the Oxygen Isotope Stage 6/5e boundary. These records include results from biostratigraphic, pedostratigraphic, and speleothem studies, as well as analyses of stable isotope compositions of marine records and ice cores. The climate oscillation is named after the warm Zeifen Interstadial and the cold Kattegat Stadial. The Zeifen Interstadial may be related to a major meltwater pulse in the Baffin Bay-Labrador Sea-Norwegian Sea region. The climate oscillation is presumably in part a result of a variation in ocean circulation, especially in the strength of the North Atlantic Drift, but changes in the atmospheric circulation also played an important role. The geographically widespread distribution of the oscillation suggests that the two-step deglaciation influenced both the northern and southern hemispheres. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Lt