Located in the south of the Moroccan Sahara, the Adrar Souttouf Massif is the northern continuation of the Mauritanides at the western margin of the West African Craton. The massif itself exhibits a complex polyphase geologic history and contains four geologically different, SSW-NNE trending main units named from west to east: Oued Togba, Sebkha Gezmayet, Dayet Lawda, Sebkha Matallah. They are thrusted over each other in thin-skinned nappes with local windows of the discordantly overlain Archaean Reguibat basement. The eastern margin of the massif is bordered by the Tiris and Tasiast-Tijirit areas of the Reguibat Shield as well as its (par-) autochthonous Palaeozoic cover sequence, termed Dhloat Ensour unit. More than 5.500 U-Th-Pb age determinations and over 1.000 Hf isotopic measurements on single zircon grains from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks of all the massifs units and its vicinity have yet been obtained. Most of the zircons were studied with respect to their morphological features. This method improves the accuracy of provenance studies by detecting varying zircon morphologies in space and time. These data are accompanied by U-Th-Pb age determinations on apatite as well as rutile. Together, they allow proposing a model of the geologic evolution of this poorly mapped area for the last 635 Ma. A combination of the obtained data with extensive zircon age databases of the surrounding cratons and terranes facilitates continental-scaled palaeogeographic reconstructions. Regarding the geologic evolution of the Adrar Souttouf Massif, the assembly of the first units began prior to 635 Ma. Although containing all the major zircon age and Hf-isotope populations of the West African Craton as well as some Mesoproterozoic grains, the Sebkha Gezmayet unit lies to the west of the Dayet Lawda unit of oceanic island arc composition. Hence, the Sebkha Gezmayet unit must have been rifted away from the craton prior to the formation of the oceanic unit within the West African Neoproterozoic Ocean at about 635 Ma. Recently published Hf and zircon age data of this unit suggest that the island arc was derived from a juvenile mantle source. Subsequently, the accretion of precursors of the Oued Togba and Sebkha Gezmayet units as well as a partial obduction of the oceanic Dayet Lawda unit and the Neoproterozoic sediments of a foreland basin (Sebkha Matallah unit) onto the Reguibat Shield took place. Peak metamorphism in the obducted oceanic rocks was reached at about 605 Ma. Magmatism in the western units between 610 and 570 Ma suggests on-going tectonic activity. The Early and Middle Cambrian is characterised by the erosion of the Ediacaran orogen and deposition of thick sedimentary sequences at the Sebkha Matallah unit, which acted as foreland basin. These sediments show a mostly West African zircon record with only some Mesoproterozoic grains provided by the westernmost parts of the massif. Initial rifting of the Oued Togba and Sebkha Gezmayet units from the remaining areas presumably occurred during the Late Cambrian. Coeval granitoid intrusions occurred on both sides of the rift. The two rifted units were likely involved to the polyphased Appalachian orogenies, which is emphasised by Devonian magmatism. Thus, and with respect to the isotopic data, the Oued Togba unit is interpreted to be of Avalonia affinity, while the Sebkha Gezmayet unit can likely be linked to Meguma. The units which remained at the West African Craton underwent intense sediment recycling during the entire Ordovician to Devonian times. Final accretion of all units and formation of the current massif was achieved during the Variscan-Alleghanian orogeny. This was accompanied by magmatism in the Sebkha Gezmayet unit and intense metamorphism of the Reguibat basement, whose zircons often show lower discordia intercepts of Carboniferous or Permian age. The post-Variscan period is characterised by erosion of the orogen and subjacent alternating cycles of sedimentation and deflation. The Adrar Souttouf Massifs importance for palaeogeographic reconstructions is given by the striking differences in the zircon age and Hf-isotope record of its westernmost Oued Togba unit and the remaining area. The results obtained from the Oued Togba unit resemble the published data of the Avalonia type terranes including prominent Mesoproterozoic, Ediacaran-Early Cambrian, as well as Early Devonian age populations. Many Mesoproterozoic zircons, which are exotic for the West African Craton prior to 635 Ma, form a ca. 1.20 to 1.25 Ga age peak that is an excellent tracer for detrital provenance studies and source craton identification of the sedimentary rocks. This is also valid for some sedimentary samples that do not show ages younger than 700 Ma, but large quantities of Mesoproterozoic zircon. These rocks can be correlated to similar sediments in Mauritania and W-Avalonia and are thought to be of pre-pan-African", i.e. pre-Ediacaran or even pre-Cryogenian age. They may give direct insights to the source area in Early to Mid Neoproterozoic times. Accordingly, comparison with published data of Amazonia and Baltica, allows setting up new hypotheses for the pre-Ediacaran history of the Avalonian type terranes. Lacking of magmatism in Amazonia between ca. 1200 and ca. 1300 Ma favours Baltica as source craton for the Avalonian terranes and requires a new point of view for the Neoproterozoic palaeogeography.

Le mérou géant, Epinephelus itajara, espèce en danger critique d’extinction au niveau mondial, est présent dans les eaux turbides et saumâtres de la Guyane française où l’espèce est exploitée par une pêcherie côtière. Dans la partie est du plateau continental guyanais, les mérous géants se localisent autour de tous les sites rocheux marins où ils se répartissent en fonction de la profondeur et du faciès (éboulis ou tombant). Les analyses des isotopes stables du carbone et de l’azote suggèrent qu’environ 30 % des mérous géants < 115 cm présents sur ces sites rocheux, proviendraient des mangroves alentours. Les analyses de contenus stomacaux révèlent un changement ontogénétique du régime alimentaire. Les petits individus (< 90 cm) s’alimentent principalement de Crustacés puis intègrent progressivement les poissons à leur alimentation jusqu’à devenir essentiellement piscivores au-delà de 140 cm. La population de Guyane est principalement composée d’individus juvéniles : seulement 8,5 % des individus capturés en Guyane a plus de 6 ans. Ces jeunes mérous sont très territoriaux durant les 4-5 premières années de leur vie puis ne sont plus retrouvés sur les sites rocheux. Le devenir de ces juvéniles est incertain, soit ils sont pêchés, soit ils migrent vers d’autres sites ou vers les agrégations de reproduction. Cependant, les mérous géants ne semblent pas se reproduire en Guyane. Il est possible que les conditions environnementales (forte turbidité et température) ne favorisent pas le développement gonadique, ce qui engendrerait une omission totale de reproduction. Le suivi par tags satellite suggère que les mérous géants migrent dans le sens des courants marins vers Trinidad-et-Tobago, potentiellement pour la reproduction. Aucun mouvement vers le Brésil n’a été mis en évidence bien que les stocks de mérous géants du Brésil et de Guyane semblent liés. En effet, ces deux stocks évoluent conjointement avec un déclin des populations au début des années 90. Le maintien de la population de mérou géant en Guyane se ferait grâce à l’apport de larves des sites d’agrégation du Brésil par le courant marin. La mortalité totale des mérous géants (0,65) est aussi élevée au sein de la réserve marine ainsi que sur les sites de pêche. Cela suggère que l’interdiction de pêche à la réserve n’est pas respectée et que les grands individus quittent la réserve pour des sites plus spacieux. En supposant que la population de mérous géants adultes a été réduite à cause de la pêche, une protection régionale des individus > 150 cm doit être instaurée afin de régénérer le stock d’individus matures. Il semble nécessaire de développer une politique de gestion internationale de l’espèce, surtout entre la Guyane et le Brésil, afin de conserver les populations de mérous géants d’Amérique du Sud. / The critically endangered Goliath Grouper, Epinephelus itajara, is found in the turbid and brackish waters of French Guiana, where the species is subject to a coastal fishery. Goliath Grouper populations inhabit all rocky habitats and exhibit increasing abundance with depth. Around 30% of individuals less than 115 cm may derive from the abundant mangrove habitat along the french Guiana coast. There is a ontogenetic shift of the diet, primarily crustacivorous, individuals >140 cm become piscivorous. The Goliath Grouper population in French Guiana is composed primarily og juvelines. The fate of the juvelines is unknonw, some may be caught in the fishery, others may move to other habitat. No evidence of spawning or gonadal readiness was found in french Guiana. it is possible that environmental conditions (high turbidity and temperature) are not conducive to reproductive activity. Goliath Grouper may migrate down current from French Guiana to Trinidad and Tobago or further. No movement of Goliath Grouper was found against the current toward Brazil. French Guiana juveniles may be derived from spawns occuring off Brazil. Calculated total mortality of Goliath Grouper off French Guiana is high (0.65) in both fished and protected areas suggesting that illegal fishing is occuring within the protected area, or that emigration rates are high. Assuming that the adult population of Goliath Grouper in French Guiana has been reduced due to fishing, protection of spawning-size adults (larger than about 150 cm TL) should be instated.

Thesis (MSc. Agriculture (Pasture Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016. / The relationships between tree age, growth rings, and stem circumference correlated with establishment patterns may be a valuable instrument to reveal the functioning of woody species in the Savanna Biome. A study on tree age and establishment patterns of Acacia tortilis in the semi-arid regions of the Limpopo Province was conducted to aid an understanding of the causes of encroachment in savanna vegetation. This study aimed to determine the periodicity of growth ring formation at two study areas, correlate the number of growth rings with different tree characteristics and document tree population establishment patterns of Acacia tortilis, using stem circumferences. This was done in order to predict long-term bush encroachment using the interaction between rainfall and soil on the age, growth and establishment patterns of Acacia tortilis. Data was collected at three sites representing two study areas, two sites at the University of Limpopo’s Syferkuil Agricultural Experimental Farm and one site at the Sondela Nature Reserve in the Limpopo Province. The study incorporated two different soil forms and two rainfall regimes. Trees were divided into five height classes; namely, <0.5 m, >0.5 – 1.5 m, >1.5 – 2.0 m, >2.0 – 3.0 m and >3m. Fifty trees (ten in each class) were felled at each site, and the following recordings were made: tree height, stem circumference and crown diameter. Furthermore, each felled stump was taken to the laboratory and examined for growth rings. The results indicated that growth pattern of Acacia tortilis stems were more influenced by soil form than the amount of rainfall. Tree height was not significantly affected by soil form. However, rainfall proved to have a significant effect on the final height of the plant. Both rainfall and soil form did not have a substantial effect on the number of growth rings. Crown diameter was affected by soil form but rainfall did not prove to have the same effect. Correlations between growth rings and stem circumferences, tree height and crown diameter, proved to have significant relationships. However, the relationship between stem circumference and the number of growth rings was the most significant. iv A prediction model was created using the relationship between stem size and growth rings. Using this model tree age can be determined in a non-destructive manner. However, the absence of a correlation between rainfall and establishment strongly suggests that rainfall cannot be used, on its own, to determine the establishment sequence and the pattern of bush encroachment. The study suggests that natural developments responsible for establishment patterns and population dynamics of woody species are complex, and their effects are visible after an extensive period. Therefore, to understand these influential processes comprehensively, several seasons of observations and monitoring would be recommended. Future research on this particular topic should include more than one encroaching species, because this will provide a broader perspective on the encroachment patterns of bush communities. However, the focus should be on studying the influence of growth limiting factors such as soil and climatic impacts, as well as area-specific environmental factors on the growth of encroaching species, such as Acacia tortilis. Key words: Bush encroachment, dendrochronology, growth rings, tree age, savanna, stem circumference Note: The candidate and the supervisors are aware of the fact that the Acacia genus has been revised. However, in this dissertation, the genus and species Acacia tortilis is still used. Relevant changes will be used in future publications. / University of Limpopo’s Department of Agriculture and National Research Foundation

Located in the south of the Moroccan Sahara, the Adrar Souttouf Massif is the northern continuation of the Mauritanides at the western margin of the West African Craton. The massif itself exhibits a complex polyphase geologic history and contains four geologically different, SSW-NNE trending main units named from west to east: Oued Togba, Sebkha Gezmayet, Dayet Lawda, Sebkha Matallah. They are thrusted over each other in thin-skinned nappes with local windows of the discordantly overlain Archaean Reguibat basement. The eastern margin of the massif is bordered by the Tiris and Tasiast-Tijirit areas of the Reguibat Shield as well as its (par-) autochthonous Palaeozoic cover sequence, termed Dhloat Ensour unit. More than 5.500 U-Th-Pb age determinations and over 1.000 Hf isotopic measurements on single zircon grains from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks of all the massifs units and its vicinity have yet been obtained. Most of the zircons were studied with respect to their morphological features. This method improves the accuracy of provenance studies by detecting varying zircon morphologies in space and time. These data are accompanied by U-Th-Pb age determinations on apatite as well as rutile. Together, they allow proposing a model of the geologic evolution of this poorly mapped area for the last 635 Ma. A combination of the obtained data with extensive zircon age databases of the surrounding cratons and terranes facilitates continental-scaled palaeogeographic reconstructions. Regarding the geologic evolution of the Adrar Souttouf Massif, the assembly of the first units began prior to 635 Ma. Although containing all the major zircon age and Hf-isotope populations of the West African Craton as well as some Mesoproterozoic grains, the Sebkha Gezmayet unit lies to the west of the Dayet Lawda unit of oceanic island arc composition. Hence, the Sebkha Gezmayet unit must have been rifted away from the craton prior to the formation of the oceanic unit within the West African Neoproterozoic Ocean at about 635 Ma. Recently published Hf and zircon age data of this unit suggest that the island arc was derived from a juvenile mantle source. Subsequently, the accretion of precursors of the Oued Togba and Sebkha Gezmayet units as well as a partial obduction of the oceanic Dayet Lawda unit and the Neoproterozoic sediments of a foreland basin (Sebkha Matallah unit) onto the Reguibat Shield took place. Peak metamorphism in the obducted oceanic rocks was reached at about 605 Ma. Magmatism in the western units between 610 and 570 Ma suggests on-going tectonic activity. The Early and Middle Cambrian is characterised by the erosion of the Ediacaran orogen and deposition of thick sedimentary sequences at the Sebkha Matallah unit, which acted as foreland basin. These sediments show a mostly West African zircon record with only some Mesoproterozoic grains provided by the westernmost parts of the massif. Initial rifting of the Oued Togba and Sebkha Gezmayet units from the remaining areas presumably occurred during the Late Cambrian. Coeval granitoid intrusions occurred on both sides of the rift. The two rifted units were likely involved to the polyphased Appalachian orogenies, which is emphasised by Devonian magmatism. Thus, and with respect to the isotopic data, the Oued Togba unit is interpreted to be of Avalonia affinity, while the Sebkha Gezmayet unit can likely be linked to Meguma. The units which remained at the West African Craton underwent intense sediment recycling during the entire Ordovician to Devonian times. Final accretion of all units and formation of the current massif was achieved during the Variscan-Alleghanian orogeny. This was accompanied by magmatism in the Sebkha Gezmayet unit and intense metamorphism of the Reguibat basement, whose zircons often show lower discordia intercepts of Carboniferous or Permian age. The post-Variscan period is characterised by erosion of the orogen and subjacent alternating cycles of sedimentation and deflation. The Adrar Souttouf Massifs importance for palaeogeographic reconstructions is given by the striking differences in the zircon age and Hf-isotope record of its westernmost Oued Togba unit and the remaining area. The results obtained from the Oued Togba unit resemble the published data of the Avalonia type terranes including prominent Mesoproterozoic, Ediacaran-Early Cambrian, as well as Early Devonian age populations. Many Mesoproterozoic zircons, which are exotic for the West African Craton prior to 635 Ma, form a ca. 1.20 to 1.25 Ga age peak that is an excellent tracer for detrital provenance studies and source craton identification of the sedimentary rocks. This is also valid for some sedimentary samples that do not show ages younger than 700 Ma, but large quantities of Mesoproterozoic zircon. These rocks can be correlated to similar sediments in Mauritania and W-Avalonia and are thought to be of pre-pan-African", i.e. pre-Ediacaran or even pre-Cryogenian age. They may give direct insights to the source area in Early to Mid Neoproterozoic times. Accordingly, comparison with published data of Amazonia and Baltica, allows setting up new hypotheses for the pre-Ediacaran history of the Avalonian type terranes. Lacking of magmatism in Amazonia between ca. 1200 and ca. 1300 Ma favours Baltica as source craton for the Avalonian terranes and requires a new point of view for the Neoproterozoic palaeogeography.

It is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is obtained after interrogation of appropriate DNA databases, the DNA profile per se presently provides no meaningful information to investigators, with the notable exception of gender determination. In these situations it would be advantageous to the investigation, if additional probative information could be obtained from the biological stain. A useful biometric that could provide important probative information, and one that may be amenable to molecular genetic analysis, is the biological age of an individual. The ability to provide investigators with information as to whether a DNA donor is a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, middle-aged or elderly individual could be useful in certain cases, particularly those involving young children such as kidnappings or in providing additional intelligence during terrorist investigations. Currently no validated molecular assays exist for age determination. Biological human ageing can be defined by two distinct processes, degenerative and developmental ageing. The degenerative process of ageing is based on theories which identify an increase or decrease in physiological conditions with increasing age. In contrast, the developmental process of ageing is based on the theory that as individuals increase in chronological age, there will be subtle corresponding molecular based biological changes, each requiring genes to be expressed or silenced, indicative of that particular stage of life. We investigated the degenerative process of chromosomal telomere shortening, as well as the developmental process of gene expression profiling analysis, in an attempt to identify biomarkers of biological age in a self-renewing tissue such as blood. While telomere length analysis was an ineffective method for age determination; gene expression analysis revealed three gene transcripts expressed in an age-dependent physiological manner. These species namely- COL1A2, HBE1 and IGFBP3, were found to be expressed at elevated levels in younger individuals, newborns, or post-pubertal individuals, respectively. The biological process of hemoglobin switching was also investigated for the possibility of determining human age. While experimenting with the potential of using the gamma-hemoglobin chains, as newborn specific gene candidates, we serendipitously discovered four novel truncated transcripts, which we have termed HBG1n1, HBG1n2, HBG2n2 and HBG2n3; whose expression was restricted to whole-blood newborn samples and specific fetal tissues. The molecular origin of these transcripts appears to be at the RNA level, being produced by specific rearrangement events occurring in the standard gamma hemoglobin transcripts (HBG1 and HBG2), which yield these new isoforms that are expressed in a highly regulated tissue specific manner.

No description available.

No description available.

The influence of physical parameters on spawning times of smallmouth bass and subsequent growth of young-of-the year was studied via the otolith aqeinq technique. Daily rings on the saqittae of young-of-the-year smallmouth bass were first formed the day of swim-up, and continued to be formed until growth was significantly reduced in the fall. Daily age estimates of young-of-the-year smallmouth bass collected from one unregulated section of the New River, two regulated sections of the New River, and two tributary streams of the New River were used to back-calculate spawning dates. Growth rates of young-of-the-year declined as fish got older. Smallmouth bass spawned early in the spawning season did not initially grow as rapidly as those spawned later. Spawning occurred from late-April through mid-July, 1982, at mean daily water temperatures ranging from 12.5 to 23.5 C. Frequency distributions of spawning dates were nearly identical among study sites, as were hydrological events. A major flood in June separated the spawning season at all study sites into t)lo distinct periods. Discriminant functions were developed from four water temperature variables that differentiated between daily stream conditions prior to the spawning season and daily stream conditions during the spawning season. Mean daily water temperature was the most important of the four variables in differentiating between groups of conditions. / Master of Science

Previous studies have reported that the ageing method of Suchey-Brooks (pubic bone) and some of the features applied by Lovejoy et al. and Buckberry-Chamberlain (auricular surface) can be confidently performed on 3D visualizations from CT-scans. In this study, seven observers applied the Suchey-Brooks and the Buckberry-Chamberlain methods on 3D visualizations based on CT-scans and, for the first time, on 3D visualizations from laser scans. We examined how the bone features can be evaluated on 3D visualizations and whether the different modalities (direct observations of bones, 3D visualization from CT-scan and from laser scans) are alike to different observers. We found the best inter-observer agreement for the bones versus 3D visualizations, with the highest values for the auricular surface. Between the 3D modalities, less variability was obtained for the 3D laser visualizations. Fair inter-observer agreement was obtained in the evaluation of the pubic bone in all modalities. In 3D visualizations of the auricular surfaces, transverse organization and apical changes could be evaluated, although with high inter-observer variability; micro-, macroporosity and surface texture were very difficult to score. In conclusion, these methods were developed for dry bones, where they perform best. The Suchey-Brooks method can be applied on 3D visualizations from CT or laser, but with less accuracy than on dry bone. The Buckberry-Chamberlain method should be modified before application on 3D visualizations. Future investigation should focus on a different approach and different features: 3D laser scans could be analyzed with mathematical approaches and sub-surface features should be explored on CT-scans.

Recent advances in the methods of skeletal age estimation have rekindled interest in their applicability to paleodemography. The current study contributes to the discussion by applying several long established as well as recently developed or refined aging methods to a subsample of 121 adult skeletons from the early medieval cemetery of Lauchheim. The skeletal remains were analyzed by 13 independent observers using a variety of aging techniques (complex method and other multimethod approaches, Transition Analysis, cranial suture closure, auricular surface method, osteon density method, tooth root translucency measurement, and tooth cementum annulation counting). The age ranges and mean age estimations were compared and results indicate that all methods showed smaller age ranges for the younger individuals, but broader age ranges for the older age groups.