Lizard ecology through time is largely unknown. Understanding ecology is important because of today’s drastic climate change, but this is not a unique event. Early Cenozoic hyperthermals were comparable to the perturbations currently experienced by living species. Understanding ecology through time must acknowledge the dynamic relationship between an organism and its environment on multiple scales. Ecological inferences can be based on form equaling function, correlating certain features (e.g. leaf-shaped dentition) with certain behaviors (e.g. herbivorous diet). Though this applies to specific taxa, there are confounding examples. Ecology can also be inferred through indirect means, but these are disconnected from the taxon of interest. Stable isotope geochemistry, however, provides an independent test. I analyzed stable isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C) from enamel, providing new data on the connection between morphology, diet, and environment. I find a trophic separation in δ¹³C, and indications of aridity through δ¹⁸O. I applied this framework to extinct lizards from an Early Eocene (Wa4) assemblage, a key time between two major global warming events (Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum and Early Eocene Climatic Optimum). I identify xenosaurid and glyptosaurine squamates and alethinophidian snakes. The xenosaurid is one of the youngest representatives of Restes rugosus, and I provide the first testable hypothesis of its ecology. These δ¹⁸O values corroborate hypotheses of a wet, tropical environment, and the δ¹³C values indicate an insectivorous or carnivorous diet for both taxa. My study provides an independent test of ecology of both extant and fossil lizards, with implications for differing survivorship throughout the early Cenozoic. / MS

Yes / Here we present a novel method which allows the measurement of the stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) from much smaller samples of dentine than previously possible without affecting the quality parameters. The reconstruction of the diet of past populations using isotopic analysis of bone collagen is a well-established tool. However, because of remodelling of bone throughout life, this gives a blurred picture of the diet. The analysis of δ13C and δ15N from tiny increments of dentine utilizes tissue that does not remodel and permits comparison, at the same age, of those who survived infancy with those who did not at high temporal resolution. This new method has been tested on archaeological teeth from two sites: three molar teeth from the 19th Century Kilkenny Union Workhouse Famine cemetery, Ireland; and three from the Anglian (5-7th centuries AD) cemetery at West Heslerton, Yorkshire, England, selected on the basis of their varied preservation. The methods of incremental dentine sectioning described in Beaumont et al (2013)[1] were carried out and a sub-section removed prior to denaturing and lyophilisation. The two sample sets, dentine and collagen from each section, were measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The profiles produced from each of the six teeth studied show close correlation in isotope ratios indicating that demineralized dentine which has not been denatured and lyophilised produces isotope ratios comparable with dentine collagen. This finding allows analysis of extremely small samples of dentine which could previously not be measured using current instruments and methods.

Yes / From the early Medieval period, Christian monasteries were wealthy and powerful, and played a central role in both religious and political life. Those who entered the monasteries did so at the age of 7-8 years and were drawn from a wide range of social strata. From that point, they were subject to the dietary rules imposed by the rules of each monastic order. In order to assess the origins and diet of 10 monks who lived in the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla Yuso (La Rioja, Spain) during the 17th – 18th century, collagen from small sections of human dentine (representing the childhood diet) and from ribs (an average of the last 5 - 10 years of adult diet) was measured to establish lifetime variations in the isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). Bulk collagen δ13C (overall mean= -18.2‰ +/-0.4) and δ15N (overall mean= 12.6‰ +/-0.8) values from the ribs suggest 2 adult cohorts: one with a diet based on C3 plants and a high intake of protein from meat or dairy products and some marine resources and a second cohort with some C4 plant consumption alongside meat and dairy. Data from the dentine sections revealed different dietary patterns during the period of tooth formation among the monks, suggesting that 4 of them entered the monastery after consuming lower status diets during childhood. / This paper was written with the support of a PhD grant (BES-2015-075176) from the project CoChange (HAR2014-51830-P) lead by Prof. Pablo Arias.

We test the fidelity of shallow-water gastropod skeletons as multi-proxy archives of seasonal paleo-environmental change by performing isotopic and trace-metal analyses on specimens of Conus ermineus from the Gulf of Mexico. Four adult specimens were collected from Stetson Bank in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary during the summer of 2002. Shell samples were milled along axes of growth to produce time-series profiles spanning up to eight years. We corrected the profiles for growth rate effects and compared the tuned results with in situ temperature and salinity records at the reef surface and temperature profiles from nearby surface buoys. Examination of sample densities in δ18O cycles shows that shell growth is faster during summers and slower during winters. Tuning the profiles versus time yields δ18O values that co-vary closely with seasonal temperatures to a high degree of coherency (R2 = 0.84). The δ13C profiles show cyclic variation modified by ontogenetic decreases in δ13C. These ontogenetic trends are attributable to decreasing metabolic efficiency, while seasonal cycles reflect hydrographic changes in the gastropods’ habitat. Salinity and δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon show a strong correlation at Stetson Bank (R2 = 0.80), and early summer shell δ13C minima coincide with local salinity minima during times of peak river discharge. The terminations of these δ13C minima occur during annual upcoast reversals of shelf currents in this area. These effects are augmented by summer stratification and productivity minima that further decrease seawater δ13C. Sr/Ca ratios increase through ontogeny, most likely due to decreasing metabolic efficiency. However, seasonal variations in Sr/Ca profiles show strong similarity with δ18O profiles, confirming the temperature dependence of Sr/Ca and minimal influence of salinity on shell δ18O at Stetson Bank. The results of this study show that tuned δ18O and Sr/Ca profiles can be used to reconstruct seasonal paleotemperatures. Carbon isotope profiles and environmental data also demonstrate the utility of Conus δ13C as a proxy for freshwater flux and shelf circulation.

We test the fidelity of shallow-water gastropod skeletons as multi-proxy archives of seasonal paleo-environmental change by performing isotopic and trace-metal analyses on specimens of Conus ermineus from the Gulf of Mexico. Four adult specimens were collected from Stetson Bank in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary during the summer of 2002. Shell samples were milled along axes of growth to produce time-series profiles spanning up to eight years. We corrected the profiles for growth rate effects and compared the tuned results with in situ temperature and salinity records at the reef surface and temperature profiles from nearby surface buoys. Examination of sample densities in δ18O cycles shows that shell growth is faster during summers and slower during winters. Tuning the profiles versus time yields δ18O values that co-vary closely with seasonal temperatures to a high degree of coherency (R2 = 0.84). The δ13C profiles show cyclic variation modified by ontogenetic decreases in δ13C. These ontogenetic trends are attributable to decreasing metabolic efficiency, while seasonal cycles reflect hydrographic changes in the gastropods’ habitat. Salinity and δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon show a strong correlation at Stetson Bank (R2 = 0.80), and early summer shell δ13C minima coincide with local salinity minima during times of peak river discharge. The terminations of these δ13C minima occur during annual upcoast reversals of shelf currents in this area. These effects are augmented by summer stratification and productivity minima that further decrease seawater δ13C. Sr/Ca ratios increase through ontogeny, most likely due to decreasing metabolic efficiency. However, seasonal variations in Sr/Ca profiles show strong similarity with δ18O profiles, confirming the temperature dependence of Sr/Ca and minimal influence of salinity on shell δ18O at Stetson Bank. The results of this study show that tuned δ18O and Sr/Ca profiles can be used to reconstruct seasonal paleotemperatures. Carbon isotope profiles and environmental data also demonstrate the utility of Conus δ13C as a proxy for freshwater flux and shelf circulation.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:32:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:06:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:32:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:06:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Cogumelos são espécies de fungos que têm a capacidade de reter radionuclídeos e elementos estáveis, importantes do ponto de vista tóxicológico e radiológico do meio ambiente. Estudos têm demonstrado que cogumelos podem ser utilizados como bioacumuladores na monitoração e na avaliação de contaminação e qualidade do ecossistema. No presente estudo, foram determinados os radionuclídeos 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb e os elementos As, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Mn, Na, Sc, U, Th e Zn em 24 amostras de cogumelos e de solos coletadas na região do Planalto de Poços de Caldas. O Planalto de Poços de Caldas é um exemplo de região de anomalia radioativa, apresentando cerca de 70 delas. No presente estudo, dois grupos de amostragem (do total de sete grupos) foram realizados em locais que apresentam tais anomalias. A determinação dos elementos estáveis foi realizada por Análise por Ativação com Nêutrons. As determinações de 226Ra, 228Ra e 210Pb nas amostras de cogumelos foram realizadas por separação radioquímica e suas atividades foram quantificadas em contador proporcional de fluxo gasoso Alfa e Beta Total. A determinação destes mesmos radionuclídeos nos solos foi realizada por Espectrometria Gama. A determinação dos isótopos de tório nos cogumelos foi realizada por separação radioquímica e quantificada por Espectrometria Alfa. O controle analítico de todas as metodologias utilizadas no presente trabalho foi realizado com o uso de materiais de referência certificados. Foram também analisadas amostras de cogumelos de uma região que não apresenta anomalia radioativa e os resultados comparados com os valores obtidos no Planalto de Poços de Caldas, podendo assim comprovar que cogumelos atuam como indicadores de contaminação radioativa do meio ambiente. As concentrações e atividades mais elevadas foram encontradas nas amostras coletadas nas zonas rurais do Planalto de Poços de Caldas, onde ocorrem as maiores anomalias radioativas na região. Pelos resultados obtidos, pode-se comprovar a eficiência do cogumelo como indicador de contaminação radioativa ambiental, sendo estes apropriados para avaliar os níveis de radioatividade em áreas de Materiais Radioativos de Ocorrência Natural. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

In this work, I present a multi-isotopic study (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, strontium and lead) and Re-Os geochronology in rocks and crude oils of the Sonda de Campeche Petroleum System (SCPS). Since crude oils are complicated chemical systems easily disturbed, the Re-Os isotopic system could be affected if secondary processes perturb crude oils. Therefore, the multi stable isotopic study allows the identification of the presence and grade of these secondary processes in crude oils. The δ13C values of crude oils from the SCPS distinguish between: 1) crude oils with the fingerprint of source rocks of hydrocarbons (-28.3 to -26.7 ‰), and 2) crude oils with the fingerprint of the reservoir rocks (-25.5 to -24.9 ‰). Similarly, the δ15N values reveal that crude oils, during migration or trapping processes mimic the isotopic composition of the reservoir rocks of the Ek-Balam Formation. Furthermore, the δ34S values of crude oils from the SCPS (-8.0 to -2.5 ‰) show an absence of a thermal sulfate reduction (TSR) signature, which likely means that the use of Re-Os systematics in crude oils and rocks in the SCPS is appropriate. Strontium and lead measurements show crude oils have an isotopic composition different from rocks from the Edzna Formation but similar to rocks of the Akimpech and Ek-Balam formations, indicating that crude oils received Sr and Pb from the trapping rocks during migration or trapping processes, producing a isotopic mixing trend with rocks of these formations. Specifically, the lead isotope composition allows the identification of a source of lead never recorded before, the Guichicovi Complex. The isotopic data suggest that this Grenville Complex has been feeding with detrital material to the sedimentary rocks from Bacab, Ek-Balam and Akimpech formations in the SCPS, and in consequence contributing to the final isotopic composition of crude oils as well. Re-Os geochronology of rocks from the Edzna and Akimpech formations (152 ± 4 Ma; and 158.6 ± 5.5 Ma, respectively) provides precise ages of deposition that coincide with the ages proposed in previous studies based on the fossil record. Re-Os geochronology in crude oils yield ages with low uncertainty and moderate MSWD values, reflecting a rapid formation and migration process that occurred during evolution of the SCPS. The age of crude oils (28.3 ± 5.5 Ma) broadly agrees with petroleum generation models proposed by PEMEX.

No description available.

In this article, we document a detailed analytical characterisation of zircon M127, a homogeneous 12.7 carat gemstone from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Zircon M127 has TIMS-determined mean U-Pb radiogenic isotopic ratios of 0.084743 +/- 0.000027 for Pb-206/U-238 and 0.67676 +/- 0.00023 for Pb-207/U-235 (weighted means, 2s uncertainties). Its Pb-206/U-238 age of 524.36 +/- 0.16 Ma (95% confidence uncertainty) is concordant within the uncertainties of decay constants. The delta O-18 value (determined by laser fluorination) is 8.26 +/- 0.06 parts per thousand VSMOW (2s), and the mean Hf-176/Hf-177 ratio (determined by solution ICP-MS) is 0.282396 +/- 0.000004 (2s). The SIMS-determined delta Li-7 value is -0.6 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand (2s), with a mean mass fraction of 1.0 +/- 0.1 mu g g(-1) Li (2s). Zircon M127 contains similar to 923 mu g g(-1) U. The moderate degree of radiation damage corresponds well with the time-integrated self-irradiation dose of 1.82 x 10(18) alpha events per gram. This observation, and the (U-Th)/He age of 426 +/- 7 Ma (2s), which is typical of unheated Sri Lankan zircon, enable us to exclude any thermal treatment. Zircon M127 is proposed as a reference material for the determination of zircon U-Pb ages by means of SIMS in combination with hafnium and stable isotope (oxygen and potentially also lithium) determination.