Fossil hyaenidae from cooper’s cave, South Africa, and the palaeoenvironmental implications

Abstract: We present material of the family Hyaenidae from Cooper’s Cave, an early Pleistocene (ca 1.5 Ma) fossil-bearing site in Gauteng, South Africa. This site is exceptionally rich in Carnivora, including five species of Hyaenidae: Chasmaporthetes nitidula, Crocuta ultra, Parahyaena brunnea, Hyaena hyaena and cf. Proteles sp. This diversity is greater than that of the entire family in the modern fauna and is matched at other sites in the vicinity of Cooper’s Cave. This raises issues about time averaging and the carrying capacity of the palaeoenvironment that require resolution if we are to properly understand the environments in which Paranthropus robustus, present at Cooper’s Cave, and other early hominins evolved. In addition, the presence of several hyaenid species with bone-eating/collecting capabilities raises questions about the identity of the accumulators of fossil bone assemblages that have yet to be fully resolved

The dietary behaviour of early pleistocene bovids from Cooper's Cave and Swartkrans, South Africa

Ph.D., Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011There is ongoing speculation about how an increasingly arid environment contributed to the extinction of Paranthropus robustus, given that a mosaic landscape with a major part of the area consisting of predominantly open grassland environment accompanied by an escalating cooler drier climate remains the persistent palaeoecological reconstruction for this species. It has been suggested that P. robustus, a dietary specialist, was not able to adapt to an increasingly xeric habitat. This notion has been challenged by recent multi-disciplinary research on P. robustus remains, including stable light isotope and dental microwear analyses, which portray a more complex diet. Paranthropus robustus is present in a number of key fossil assemblages spanning the period ca. 1.8 to 1.0 Ma. Analysis of the stable carbon isotope composition of bioapatites and dental microwear texture analysis of different bovid taxa, associated with P. robustus remains from five discrete deposits, were used to reconstruct dietary behaviour and by inference availability of local resources. The overall pattern emerging from the bovid data indicates a more mixed and varied diet than previously thought, suggesting a heterogeneous environment, and hence a less static ecological profile for Paranthropus. The significant occurrence of mixed diets and relatively few obligate C4 grazers suggest that although C4 grasses were available in a mosaic environment, a C4-dominated ecosystem was not present. Swartkrans Member 2 (ca. 1.6 Ma) contains substantially more C3 feeders than other P. robustus deposits, signifying a vegetation community structure that was more C3-dominated than the other deposits. There is an apparent indication of shifting vegetation structure between P. robustus deposits. Thus, despite its derived craniodental morphology, P. robustus seems to have thrived through a range of climatic and ecological shifts by selecting from a variety of available foods present on the landscape

Mongoose Manor: Herpestidae remains from the Early Pleistocene Cooper’s D locality in the Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa

Mongooses (Herpestidae) are an important component of African ecosystems, and a common constituent of southern African fossil assemblages. Despite this, mongoose fossils from the Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa, have received relatively little interest. This paper presents the diverse mongoose craniodental assemblage from the early Pleistocene fossil locality Cooper’s D. A total of 29 mongoose specimens from five genera were identified at Cooper’s, including numerous first appearances in the Cradle or in South Africa. The exceptional mongoose assemblage at Cooper’s likely reflects the effects of an unknown taphonomic process, although mongooses follow other carnivore groups in the Cradle in displaying an apparent preference for the southern part of the Cradle. This investigation shows the value of mongooses as palaeoecological indicators and supports previous interpretations of the environment at Cooper’s as grassland with a strong woody component near a permanent water source.Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST); DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Palaeosciences (CoE-Pal); the South African National Research Foundation; and the University of the Witwatersrand Postgraduate Merit Award.JNC201

The Equidae from Cooper’s D, an early Pleistocene fossil locality in Gauteng, South Africa

Cooper’s D is a fossil locality in the Bloubank Valley close to other important sites such as Sterkfontein and Kromdraai in Gauteng, South Africa. The fossil deposits of Cooper’s D date to 1.38 ± 0.11 Ma. Hominins like Paranthropus robustus and early Homo have been recovered from Cooper’s Cave. We report here on the Equidae remains. Our sample contains specimens from the extinct Equus capensis, and a specimen which represents an extinct hipparion Eurygnathohippus cf. cornelianus. This particular specimen was previously identified as plains zebra (Equus quagga). The contribution of Equidae to the total fossil assemblage of Cooper’s D is relatively low, and these remains were likely accumulated by various predators such as spotted and brown hyenas and leopards. The Equidae, as well as the other fauna from Cooper’s D supports the existence of grassland, wooded and water components in the vicinity of the site

Identification de deux corps vertébraux du site de Cooper’s Cave D (Afrique du Sud) : l’organisation du réseau trabéculaire comme source de caractères diagnostiques

Notre connaissance de l’anatomie du squelette de Paranthropus est fortement limitée par la faible densité des restes post-crâniens attribués à ce genre. Cette situation s’explique en partie par la difficulté à identifier des vestiges de Paranthropus dans les assemblages fossiles où des restes d’Homo et de cercopithécidés sont également présents. Dans ce contexte, la découverte de deux corps vertébraux dans le site de Cooper’s Cave D (Afrique du Sud), dont les fouilles entre 2001 et 2009 ont ..

Mustelid and viverrid remains from the Pleistocene site of Cooper’s D, Gauteng, South Africa

Fossil mustelids and viverrids are rare in the African Pleistocene fossil record. The careful examination of sieved sediments from the well-dated Cooper’s D locality in Gauteng has revealed six new mustelid and viverrid specimens. These represent three uncommon genera – two mustelids, Propoecilogale bolti and Mellivora capensis, and a viverrid, Civettictis cf. civetta. We describe and figure these six specimens here. Cooper’sD is only the fourth African locality at which P. bolti has been identified, and it is the first of the Witwatersrand sites to contain remains of the African civet.Palaeontological Scientific Trust NRF/DST Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences South African National Research Foundation University of the Witwatersrand Postgraduate Merit Award Liverpool John Moores University Early Career Researcher Awar

Handbuch methodischer Grundfragen zur Masterplan-Erstellung - Kommunale Masterpläne für 100 % Klimaschutz

Masterplan-Kommunen sind die Vorreiter unter den Klimaschutzkommunen und müssen über das bisher in der Breite bereits Begonnene hinausgehen. Sie stehen vor großen strukturellen und finanziellen Herausforderungen, aber auch vor großen Chancen. Die Chancen ergeben sich insbesondere für ein verbessertes und lebenswerteres Umfeld in der Kommune und damit auch für eine gesteigerte Lebensqualität. Die Einbindung aller Akteure in der Kommune, innerhalb und außerhalb der Verwaltung, ist ein wichtiger Baustein auf dem Weg zum Ziel „Null Emissionen“. Vor allem die Einbindung der Wirtschaft vor Ort und der Bürgerinnen und Bürger ist essenziell, wenn eine Transformation angestoßen und umgesetzt werden soll. Das Handbuch unterstützt die Masterplan-Kommunen mit der vorliegenden methodischen Herangehensweise auf ihrem Weg

Reactogenicity after heterologous and homologous COVID-19 prime-boost vaccination regimens: descriptive interim results of a comparative observational cohort study

Background Due to safety signals after vaccination with COVID-19 vector vaccines, several states recommended to complete the primary immunization series in individuals having received one dose of ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) with an mRNA vaccine. However, data on safety and reactogenicity of this heterologous regimen are still scarce. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the reactogenicity and the frequency of medical consultations after boost vaccination in a heterologous regimen with ChAdOx1 and mRNA-vaccines (BNT162b2, BioNTech/Pfizer or mRNA-1273, Moderna) to homologous regimens with ChAdOx1 or mRNA-vaccines, respectively. Methods In an observational cohort study reactogenicity and safety were assessed 14–19 days (short-term) and 40 to 56 days (long-term) after the boost vaccination using web-based surveys. In the short-term survey solicited and unsolicited reactions were assessed, while the long-term survey focussed on health problems leading to medical consultation after the vaccination, including those that were not suspected to be vaccine-related. Results In total, 9146 participants completed at least one of the surveys (ChAdOx1/ChAdOx1: n = 552, ChAdOx1/mRNA: n = 2382, mRNA/mRNA: n = 6212). In the short-term survey, 86% with ChAdOx1/mRNA regimen reported at least one reaction, in the ChAdOx1/ChAdOx1 and mRNA/mRNA cohorts 58% and 76%, respectively (age and sex adjusted p < 0.0001). In the long-term survey, comparable proportions of individuals reported medical consultation (ChAdOx1/ChAdOx1 vs. ChAdOx1/mRNA vs. mRNA/mRNA: 15% vs. 18% vs. 16%, age and sex adjusted p = 0.398). Female gender was associated with a higher reactogenicity and more medical consultations. Younger age was associated with a higher reactogenicity, whereas elderly people reported more medical consultations. Conclusion Although the short-term reactogenicity was higher with the heterologous regimen than with the homologous regimens, other factors such as higher efficacy and limited resources during the pandemic may prevail in recommending specific regimens

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied Palms (Arecaceae). Methods We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests