Nutrient inputs from productive marine environments have been shown to directly and indirectly subsidise primary producers and consumers in terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. Polis and Hurd 1995; 1996; Anderson and Polis 1998; 1999). But does this theory hold true on islands surrounded by oligotrophic waters, which account for a significant proportion of the marine environment? The aim of the present study was to examine the applicability of the spatial subsidisation hypotheses proposed by Polis and his co-authors to an oligotrophic system in south-western region of Western Australia. These aims were achieved by comparing soil and plant nutrients, and the nitrogen stable isotope signatures of soil, plants, detritus and invertebrates in areas with (islands) and without (mainland sites) inputs from seabirds. In addition, the responses of plant nutrients and vegetation assemblages to guano additions were examined in a controlled field experiment.

Thesis (M.Sc. Biological Sciences)--University of Waikato, 2008. / Title from PDF cover (viewed February 25, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-78)

This thesis reports an investigation of Iron Age diet in Britain using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data obtained from skeletal material from four locations across England and southern Scotland. Both human and animal bone Collagen has been analysed from Wetwang in East Yorkshire and other sites in East Lothian, Hampshire and Cornwall. Animal bone from Dorset has also been included. The aims of the study were to characterize British Iron Age diet in general isotopic terms and also to provide a contextual base for future analysis which allows an understanding of both inter- and intra-site variation in such data for this and other periods. The comparisons across the locations allowed consideration of geographical variability within England and southern Scotland and included material from coastal sites (Cornwall and East Lothian), from sites with easy access to rivers and estuaries (Hampshire) and an inland site where access to water would have been more difficult (Wetwang). All human groups were consuming high levels of animal protein and there was very little evidence for the consumption of aquatic resources. There was significant variation in 815N values between the locations, which was reflected both in the humans and the herbivores, such that it is likely to be related to environmental rather than to dietary differences. Intra-site group comparisons at Wetwang showed very little variation within the cemetery population IM according to age, sex, subjective status category or site phase. The data were very consistent within the populations, although those for Hampshire displayed more variation in nitrogen.

Submitted by Biblioteca de Pós-Graduação em Geoquímica BGQ (bgq@ndc.uff.br) on 2016-07-27T16:16:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MAIA 2016.pdf: 4239749 bytes, checksum: 3670e8f040c7e0ba5e1a4bba302867d4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T16:16:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MAIA 2016.pdf: 4239749 bytes, checksum: 3670e8f040c7e0ba5e1a4bba302867d4 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de DesenvolvimentO Científico e Tecnológico / Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Química. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências - Geoquímica. Niterói, RJ / O sistema de circulação oceânica desempenha um importante papel na regulação e manutenção do clima no planeta. Uma vez que o Atlântico Equatorial representa o ponto de conexão entre o Atlântico Sul e Norte, estudos paleoceanográficos nesta área podem contribuir para o entendimento dos processos e fatores envolvidos nas variações climáticas ao longo do tempo geológico, principalmente durante o Quaternário. Dentro desse contexto, o presente estudo visou descrever elementos representativos da paleoprodutividade do Atlântico Equatorial Oeste no Pleistoceno tardio, por meio da análise de dados sedimentológicos e geoquímicos do testemunho sedimentar MD09-3243CQ coletado no talude da margem continental do nordeste do Brasil. A partir desse testemunho, foi recuperado o período entre 33.700 e 10.150 anos cal A.P., o qual foi dividido em seis fases principais, de acordo com a análise de agrupamento das frações granulométricas representativas do testemunho. As fases apresentaram características distintas em função de mudanças das condições paleoambientais, paleoceanográficas e da paleoprodutividade. O cenário do último glacial (Fase V), caracterizado pela alta produtividade carbonática e baixa produtividade orgânica (COT = 0,40 ± 0,12%; NT = 0,05 ± 0,01%; derivados de clorofila = 0,06 ± 0,04 SPDU; teor de carbonato = 51,04 ± 6,39%), foi gradualmente substituído por ambiente com certa influência terrígena em virtude do clima mais seco e maior erosão, como sugerido pela razão C/N e δ13C, que proporcionou o aumento da produtividade fitoplanctônica, e, assim, das concentrações de COT (0,90 ± 0,25%), NT (0,09 ±0,02%) e derivados de clorofila (0,12 ± 0,07 SPDU) durante o Último Máximo Glacial (Fase IV). No H1, por outro lado, foi observada uma redução abrupta das concentrações destas variáveis e da razão C/N, concomitante com o aumento do teor de carbonato, δ13C e δ15N, indicando uma produtividade estritamente marinha, com maior remineralização da matéria orgânica. Essas alterações na paleoprodutividade estão relacionadas ao enfraquecimento da AMOC e aumento da temperatura no Atlântico Equatorial durante o H1, que resultaram em um ambiente mais oligotrófico e com maior precipitação de carbonatos. O YD (Fase II) apresentou uma tendência oposta ao H1 e semelhante ao LGM. O tardiglacial (final da Fase II e Fase I), por sua vez, apresentou uma redução do COT, NT e derivados de clorofila de 1,21 ± 0,24%, 0,11 ± 0,02% e 0,27 ± 0,08 SPDU para 0,83 ± 0,06%, 0,08 ± 0,01% e 0,15 ± 0,05 SPDU, respectivamente, acompanhado de uma ligeira diminuição do C/N (de 10,98 ± 1,05 para 10,47 ± 0,59) e valores menos negativos de δ13C (-21,92 ± 1,26‰ para -20,31 ± 0,25‰). De uma forma geral, a relação entre a razão C/N e δ13C sugeriu a presença de matéria orgânica predominantemente marinha ao longo do testemunho, com alguns períodos com tendências terrígenas. A taxa de sedimentação foi relativamente baixa 0,013 ± 0,051 cm.ano-1, apresentando maiores valores nos primeiros 100 cm. Os resultados mostram que a paleoprodutividade nessa região foi influenciada pelas alternâncias de inputs terrestres e produção de carbonatos ao longo do Pleistoceno tardio / The ocean circulation system plays an important role in climate on Earth. Once the Equatorial Atlantic is the connection point between the South and North Atlantic, paleoceanographic studies in this area can contribute to the understanding of the processes and factors involved in climate variations over geological time, especially during the Quaternary. Within this context, The present study aimed to describe representative elements of the western equatorial Atlantic paleoproductivity during the Last Glacial through the sedimentological and geochemical analysis of sedimentary MD09-3243CQ core collected in the slope of the continental margin of northeastern Brazil. It was recovered the period between 33,700 and 10,150 years B.P., which was divided into six main phases, according to the cluster analysis of representative size fractions. Stages had different characteristics due to changes of paleoenvironmental conditions, paleoceanographic and paleoproductivity. The Last Glacial scenario (Phase V), characterized by high productivity and low carbonate marine primary productivity (TOC = 0.40 ± 0.12%; TN = 0.05 ± 0.01%, derived from chlorophyll = 0.06 0.04 ± SPDU; carbonate = 51.04 ± 6.39%) was gradually replaced by environmental influenced by terrigenous material because the drier climate and greater erosion, as suggested by the C/N ratio and δ13C that provided increased phytoplankton productivity, and thus the concentrations of TOC (0.90 ± 0.25%), TN (0.09 ± 0.02%) and derivatives of chlorophyll (0.12 ± 0.07 SPDU) during the Last Glacial Maximum (Phase IV). During H1, on the other hand, an abrupt reduction of the concentrations of these variables and the C/N ratio, concomitant with the increase in carbonate content, δ13C and δ15N was observed, indicating a strictly marine productivity with increased remineralization of organic matter. These changes in paleoproductivity are related to the weakening of AMOC and increase of temperature in the Equatorial Atlantic during H1, which resulted in a more oligotrophic environment and greater precipitation carbonates. The YD (Phase II) had an opposite trend to H1 and was similar to LGM. The Late Glacial (end of Phase II and Phase I), in turn, showed a reduction in TOC, TN and derivatives of chlorophyll 1.21 ± 0.24%, 0.11 ± 0.02%, and 0.27 ± 0.08 SPDU, to 0.83 ± 0.06%, 0.08 ± 0.01% and 0.15 ± 0.05 SPDU, respectively, accompanied by a slight decrease in the C/N (10.98 ± 1.05 to 10.47 ± 0.59) and less negative values of δ13C (-21.92 ± 1.26 ‰ to -20.31 ± 0.25 ‰). In general, the relation between the C/N ratio and δ13C suggested organic matter predominantly marine with some periods with terrigenous trends. The sedimentation rate was relatively low, 0.013 ± 0.051 cm.year-1, with higher values in the first 100 cm. The results show that paleoproductivity in the studied region was influenced by the alternation of terrigenous input and carbonate production during the Late Pleistocene

The influence of biological relationships on the morphology of the human skeleton is a current theme in bioarchaeology and forensic research. Whether it is the discovery of kinship relationships in an anonymous cemetery or the question of individual identification based on familial similarity, research is limited by a number of factors. Above all, there is the shortage of osteological assemblages with genealogical documentation. Most such samples also include only a small number of individuals, and thus the number of different degrees of their relatedness is limited. Related to this is the lack or absence of methods suitable for either the exact expression of the degree of morphological similarity between individuals or the statistical evaluation of results. However, for this dissertation an opportunity arose to analyze several osteological assemblages with genealogical documentation from the 17th to 20th centuries, comprising almost one hundred individuals. This represents one of the largest such units in the world to date. The individual samples also include several cases of consanguineous marriages with subsequent generations. The aim of the first part of the dissertation is to propose new methodological approaches to expressing the degree of similarity of individuals based on different types of...

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