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Land, Lava, And Disaster Create A Social Dilemma After The 2018 Eruption Of Kīlauea Volcano, Bruce F. Houghton, Wendy A. Cockshell, Chris E. Gregg, Brett H. Walker, Karl Kim, Caroline M. Tisdale, Eric Yamashita
Land, Lava, And Disaster Create A Social Dilemma After The 2018 Eruption Of Kīlauea Volcano, Bruce F. Houghton, Wendy A. Cockshell, Chris E. Gregg, Brett H. Walker, Karl Kim, Caroline M. Tisdale, Eric Yamashita
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No abstract provided.
Muknalia Is A Collared Peccary (Pecari Tajacu): A Reply To Stinnesbeck Et Al., Blaine W. Schubert, Joshua X. Samuels, James C. Chatters, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales
Muknalia Is A Collared Peccary (Pecari Tajacu): A Reply To Stinnesbeck Et Al., Blaine W. Schubert, Joshua X. Samuels, James C. Chatters, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales
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Several years ago, a new genus and species of peccary, “Muknalia minima”, was described from the Pleistocene of Mexico. We previously examined that specimen and concluded that it was synonymous with the extant collared peccary, Pecari tajacu, but that taxonomic revision is rejected by the authors of the original study (this volume). Here, we provide further analysis of “Muknalia” and expand on previous evidence from both morphology and taphonomy that support synonymy with P. tajacu. We argue that morphological features, both in terms of size and shape, that were used to diagnose “Muknalia” all fall within the range of variation …
American Mastodon Mitochondrial Genomes Suggest Multiple Dispersal Events In Response To Pleistocene Climate Oscillations, Emil Karpinski, Dirk Hackenberger, Grant Zazula, Chris Widga, Ana T. Duggan, G. Brian Golding, Melanie Kuch, Jennifer Klunk, Christopher N. Jass, Pam Groves, Patrick Druckenmiller, Blaine W. Schubert, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, William F. Simpson, John W. Hoganson, Daniel C. Fisher, Simon Y.W. Ho, Ross D.E. Macphee, Hendrik N. Poinar
American Mastodon Mitochondrial Genomes Suggest Multiple Dispersal Events In Response To Pleistocene Climate Oscillations, Emil Karpinski, Dirk Hackenberger, Grant Zazula, Chris Widga, Ana T. Duggan, G. Brian Golding, Melanie Kuch, Jennifer Klunk, Christopher N. Jass, Pam Groves, Patrick Druckenmiller, Blaine W. Schubert, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, William F. Simpson, John W. Hoganson, Daniel C. Fisher, Simon Y.W. Ho, Ross D.E. Macphee, Hendrik N. Poinar
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Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles are correlated with dramatic temperature oscillations. Examining how species responded to these natural fluctuations can provide valuable insights into the impacts of present-day anthropogenic climate change. Here we present a phylogeographic study of the extinct American mastodon (Mammut americanum), based on 35 complete mitochondrial genomes. These data reveal the presence of multiple lineages within this species, including two distinct clades from eastern Beringia. Our molecular date estimates suggest that these clades arose at different times, supporting a pattern of repeated northern expansion and local extirpation in response to glacial cycling. Consistent with this hypothesis, we also note …
Clarifying Relationships Between Cranial Form And Function In Tapirs, With Implications For The Dietary Ecology Of Early Hominins, Larisa R.G. Desantis, Alana C. Sharp, Blaine W. Schubert, Matthew W. Colbert, Steven C. Wallace, Frederick E. Grine
Clarifying Relationships Between Cranial Form And Function In Tapirs, With Implications For The Dietary Ecology Of Early Hominins, Larisa R.G. Desantis, Alana C. Sharp, Blaine W. Schubert, Matthew W. Colbert, Steven C. Wallace, Frederick E. Grine
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Paleontologists and paleoanthropologists have long debated relationships between cranial morphology and diet in a broad diversity of organisms. While the presence of larger temporalis muscle attachment area (via the presence of sagittal crests) in carnivorans is correlated with durophagy (i.e. hard-object feeding), many primates with similar morphologies consume an array of tough and hard foods—complicating dietary inferences of early hominins. We posit that tapirs, large herbivorous mammals showing variable sagittal crest development across species, are ideal models for examining correlations between textural properties of food and sagittal crest morphology. Here, we integrate dietary data, dental microwear texture analysis, and finite …
Object-Based Image Analysis Of Ground-Penetrating Radar Data For Archaic Hearths, Reagan L. Cornett, Eileen G. Ernenwein
Object-Based Image Analysis Of Ground-Penetrating Radar Data For Archaic Hearths, Reagan L. Cornett, Eileen G. Ernenwein
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Object-based image analysis (OBIA) has been increasingly used to identify terrain features of archaeological sites, but only recently to extract subsurface archaeological features from geophysical data. In this study, we use a semi-automated OBIA to identify Archaic (8000-1000 BC) hearths from Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) data collected at David Crockett Birthplace State Park in eastern Tennessee in the southeastern United States. The data were preprocessed using GPR-SLICE, Surfer, and Archaeofusion software, and amplitude depth slices were selected that contained anomalies ranging from 0.80 to 1.20 m below surface (BS). Next, the data were segmented within ESRI ArcMap GIS software using a …
Seasonal Precipitation Variability And Gully Erosion In Southeastern Usa, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi
Seasonal Precipitation Variability And Gully Erosion In Southeastern Usa, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi
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This study examines the relationship between gully erosion in channels, sidewalls, and interfluves, and precipitation parameters (duration, total accumulation, average intensity, and maximum intensity) annually and seasonally to determine seasonal drivers for precipitation-related erosion. Ordinary Least Square regression models of erosion using precipitation and antecedent precipitation at weekly lags of up to twelve weeks were developed for three erosion variables for each of three geomorphic areas: channels, interfluves, and sidewalls (nine models in total). Erosion was most pronounced in winter months, followed by spring, indicating the influence of high-intensity precipitation from frontal systems and repeated freeze-thaw cycles in winter; erosion …
Mesowear Analysis Of The Tapirus Pplkensis Population From The Gray Fossil Site, Tennessee, Usa, Julia A. Schap, Joshua X. Samuels
Mesowear Analysis Of The Tapirus Pplkensis Population From The Gray Fossil Site, Tennessee, Usa, Julia A. Schap, Joshua X. Samuels
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Various methods exist for measuring and analyzing dental wear patterns in mam-mals, and these patterns have been extensively studied in ungulates. Mesowear has proven useful as a method to compare large numbers of individuals, particularly fossil individuals, observe trends through time or between groups, and estimate paleoenvi-ronmental conditions. Levels of attrition (tooth-on-tooth wear) and abrasion (tooth-on-food wear) can be readily compared by observing the shape of the cusp and relative crown height of the tooth. This study uses a modified method of mesowear analysis, examining actual cusp angles of the population of Tapirus polkensis from the Gray Fossil Site, a …
Muknalia Minima From The Yucatán Of Mexico Is Synonymous With The Collared Peccary, Pecari Tajacu (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae), Blaine W. Ob, Joshua X. Samuels, James C. Chatters, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales
Muknalia Minima From The Yucatán Of Mexico Is Synonymous With The Collared Peccary, Pecari Tajacu (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae), Blaine W. Ob, Joshua X. Samuels, James C. Chatters, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales
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Ongoing investigation of peccary remains from fossiliferous deposits in the Yucatán resulted in re-examination of previously identified tayassuid fossils from the region. This included the recently described new genus and species of peccary, Muknalia minima, which is based on a dentary from Muknal Cave near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Diagnostic characters of this taxon include a concave notch along the caudal edge of the ascending ramus and a ventrally directed angular process. Our assessment of the holotype indicates that these characteristics are not a reflection of the original morphology, but are instead the result of breakage and polishing of the …
Heatwave Events And Mortality Outcomes In Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification By Socioeconomic Status And Urbanicity, Ying Li, Cem Akkus, Xinhua Yu, Andrew Joyner, Jennifer Kmet, David Sweat, Chunrong Jia
Heatwave Events And Mortality Outcomes In Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification By Socioeconomic Status And Urbanicity, Ying Li, Cem Akkus, Xinhua Yu, Andrew Joyner, Jennifer Kmet, David Sweat, Chunrong Jia
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Heatwave studies typically estimate heat-related mortality and morbidity risks at the city level; few have addressed the heterogeneous risks by socioeconomic status (SES) and location within a city. This study aimed to examine the impacts of heatwaves on mortality outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee, a Mid-South metropolitan area top-ranked in morbidity and poverty rates, and to investigate the effects of SES and urbanicity. Mortality data were retrieved from the death records in 2008–2017, and temperature data from the Applied Climate Information System. Heatwave days were defined based on four temperature metrics. Heatwave effects on daily total-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were …
Freeze-Thaw Induced Gully Erosion: A Long-Term High-Resolution Analysis, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi
Freeze-Thaw Induced Gully Erosion: A Long-Term High-Resolution Analysis, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi
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Gullies are significant contributors of sediment to streams in the southeastern USA. This study investigated gully erosion in the clay-rich soils of east Tennessee under a humid subtropical climate. The aims of this study were to (1) estimate long-term erosion rates for different gully geomorphic settings, (2) compare patterns of erosion for the different settings, and (3) model the response of gully erosion to freeze-thaw events. Erosion was measured weekly from June 2012 to August 2018 using 105 erosion pins distributed in gully channels, interfluves, and sidewalls. Erosion rates were estimated from average slopes of lines of best fit of …
Identifying Untapped Potential: A Geospatial Analysis Of Florida And California’S 2009 Recycled Water Production, Jana E. Archer, Ingrid Luffman, T. Andrew Joyner, A. Nandi
Identifying Untapped Potential: A Geospatial Analysis Of Florida And California’S 2009 Recycled Water Production, Jana E. Archer, Ingrid Luffman, T. Andrew Joyner, A. Nandi
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Increased water demand attributed to population expansion and reduced freshwater availability caused by saltwater intrusion and drought, may lead to water shortages. These may be addressed, in part, by use of recycled water. Spatial patterns of recycled water use in Florida and California during 2009 were analyzed to detect gaps in distribution and identify potential areas for expansion. Databases of recycled water products and distribution centers for both states were developed by combining the 2008 Clean Water Needs Survey database with Florida’s 2009 Reuse Inventory and California’s 2009 Recycling Survey, respectively. Florida had over twice the number of distribution centers …
Florida’S Recycled Water Footprint: A Geospatial Analysis Of Distribution (2009 And 2015), Jana E. Archer, Ingrid E. Luffman, Arpita N. Nandi, T. Andrew Joyner
Florida’S Recycled Water Footprint: A Geospatial Analysis Of Distribution (2009 And 2015), Jana E. Archer, Ingrid E. Luffman, Arpita N. Nandi, T. Andrew Joyner
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Water shortages resulting from increased demand or reduced supply may be addressed, in part, by redirecting recycled water for irrigation, industrial reuse, groundwater recharge, and as effluent discharge returned to streams. Recycled water is an essential component of integrated water management and broader adoption of recycled water will increase water conservation in water-stressed coastal communities. This study examined spatial patterns of recycled water use in Florida in 2009 and 2015 to detect gaps in distribution, quantify temporal change, and identify potential areas for expansion. Databases of recycled water products and distribution centers for Florida in 2009 and 2015 were developed …
Using Spatial Regression To Model Potentially Toxic Metal (Ptm) Mobility Based On Physicochemical Soil Properties, Melissa A. Magno, Arpita Nandi, Ingrid E. Luffman
Using Spatial Regression To Model Potentially Toxic Metal (Ptm) Mobility Based On Physicochemical Soil Properties, Melissa A. Magno, Arpita Nandi, Ingrid E. Luffman
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Mining processes generate waste rock, tailings, and slag that can increase potentially toxic metal (PTM) concentrations in soils. Un-reclaimed, abandoned mine sites are particularly prone to leaching these contaminants, which may accumulate and pose significant environmental and public health concerns. The characterization and spatial delineation of PTMs in soils is vital for risk assessment and soil reclamation. Bumpus Cove, a once active mining district of eastern Tennessee, is home to at least 47 abandoned, un-reclaimed mines, all permanently closed by the 1950s. This study evaluated soil physicochemical properties, determined the spatial extent of PTMs (Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, and Cd), …
Comparison Of Geometric And Volumetric Methods To A 3d Solid Model For Measurement Of Gully Erosion And Sediment Yield, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi, Benjamin Luffman
Comparison Of Geometric And Volumetric Methods To A 3d Solid Model For Measurement Of Gully Erosion And Sediment Yield, Ingrid Luffman, Arpita Nandi, Benjamin Luffman
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Gully erosion is a global problem that degrades land and reduces its utility for agriculture, development, and water quality. Quantification of sediment yield and control of sediment sources is essential for environmental protection. Five methods to evaluate erosion rates and sediment yield on an east Tennessee, USA, hillslope were compared: (1) physical measurement by removal of accumulated sediment using 10 L buckets; (2) repeated measurement of erosion pins in gully (erosional) and delta (depositional) areas; (3) geometric model using a combination trapezoidal prism-cylinder segment; (4) geometric model using a series of trapezoidal pyramids; and (5) 3D solid computer modeling. The …
Niche Modeling For The Genus Pogona (Squamata: Agamidae) In Australia: Predicting Past (Late Quaternary) And Future (2070) Areas Of Suitable Habitat, Julie E. Rej, T. Andrew Joyner
Niche Modeling For The Genus Pogona (Squamata: Agamidae) In Australia: Predicting Past (Late Quaternary) And Future (2070) Areas Of Suitable Habitat, Julie E. Rej, T. Andrew Joyner
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Background: As the climate warms, many species of reptiles are at risk of habitat loss and ultimately extinction. Locations of suitable habitat in the past, present, and future were modeled for several lizard species using MaxEnt, incorporating climatic variables related to temperature and precipitation. In this study, we predict where there is currently suitable habitat for the genus Pogona and potential shifts in habitat suitability in the past and future. Methods: Georeferenced occurrence records were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, climate variables (describing temperature and precipitation) were obtained from WorldClim, and a vegetation index was obtained from AVHRR …
A New Species Of Gulo From The Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (Eastern United States); Rethinking The Evolution Of Wolverines, Joshua X. Samuels, Keila E. Bredehoeft, Steven C. Wallace
A New Species Of Gulo From The Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (Eastern United States); Rethinking The Evolution Of Wolverines, Joshua X. Samuels, Keila E. Bredehoeft, Steven C. Wallace
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The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest living terrestrial member of the Mustelidae; a versatile predator formerly distributed throughout boreal regions of North America and Eurasia. Though commonly recovered from Pleistocene sites across their range, pre- Pleistocene records of the genus are exceedingly rare. Here, we describe a new species of Gulo from the Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee. Based on biostratigraphy, a revised estimate of the age of the Gray Fossil Site is Early Pliocene, near the Hemphillian-Blancan transition, between 4.9 and 4.5 Ma. This represents the earliest known occurrence of a wolverine, more than one million years earlier …
First Occurrence Of The Enigmatic Peccaries Mylohyus Elmorei And Prosthennops Serus From The Appalachians: Latest Hemphillian To Early Blancan Of Gray Fossil Site, Tennessee, Evan M. Doughty, Steven C. Wallace, Blaine W. Schubert, Lauren M. Lyon
First Occurrence Of The Enigmatic Peccaries Mylohyus Elmorei And Prosthennops Serus From The Appalachians: Latest Hemphillian To Early Blancan Of Gray Fossil Site, Tennessee, Evan M. Doughty, Steven C. Wallace, Blaine W. Schubert, Lauren M. Lyon
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Two peccary species, Mylohyus elmorei and Prosthennops serus are described from the medium-bodied fauna of the Gray Fossil Site (GFS) of northeastern Tennessee. This site, recognized as an oak-hickory forest, is latest Hemphillian or earliest Blancan based on mammalian biochronology, with an estimated age of 4.9-4.5 Ma. The GFS represents the only site outside the Palmetto Fauna of Florida with M. elmorei, greatly expanding the species range north over 920 km, well into the Appalachian region. This is also the first Appalachian occurrence of the relatively widespread P. serus. Our understanding of intraspecific variation for both M. elmorei and P. …
Dental Caries In The Fossil Record: A Window To The Evolution Of Dietary Plasticity In An Extinct Bear, Borja Figueirido, Alejandro Pérez-Ramos, Blaine W. Schubert, Francisco Serrano, Aisling B. Farrell, Francisco J. Pastor, Aline A. Neves, Alejandro Romero
Dental Caries In The Fossil Record: A Window To The Evolution Of Dietary Plasticity In An Extinct Bear, Borja Figueirido, Alejandro Pérez-Ramos, Blaine W. Schubert, Francisco Serrano, Aisling B. Farrell, Francisco J. Pastor, Aline A. Neves, Alejandro Romero
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During the late Pleistocene of North America (≈36,000 to 10,000 years ago), saber-toothed cats, American lions, dire wolves, and coyotes competed for prey resources at Rancho La Brea (RLB). Despite the fact that the giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus) was the largest land carnivoran present in the fauna, there is no evidence that it competed with these other carnivores for prey at the site. Here, for the first time, we report carious lesions preserved in specimens of A. simus, recovered from RLB. Our results suggest that the population of A. simus from RLB was more omnivorous than the highly carnivorous …
The Importance Of Human Population Characteristics In Modeling Aedes Aegypti Distributions And Assessing Risk Of Mosquito-Borne Infectious Diseases, Julie F. Obenauer, T. Andrew Joyner, Joseph B. Harris
The Importance Of Human Population Characteristics In Modeling Aedes Aegypti Distributions And Assessing Risk Of Mosquito-Borne Infectious Diseases, Julie F. Obenauer, T. Andrew Joyner, Joseph B. Harris
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Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti has long been a vector for human illness in the Southeastern United States. In the past, it has been responsible for outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever and, very recently, the Zika virus that has been introduced to the region. Multiple studies have modeled the geographic distribution of Ae. aegypti as a function of climate factors; however, this ignores the importance of humans to the anthropophilic biter. Furthermore, Ae. aegypti thrives in areas where humans have created standing water sites, such as water storage containers and trash. As models are developed to examine the …
The Evolutionary And Phylogeographic History Of Woolly Mammoths: A Comprehensive Mitogenomic Analysis, Dan Chang, Michael Knapp, Jacob Enk, Sebastian Lippold, Martin Kircher, Adrian Lister, Ross D.E. Macphee, Christopher Widga, Paul Czechowski, Robert Sommer, Emily Hodges, Nikolaus Stümpel, Ian Barnes, Love Dalén, Anatoly Derevianko, Mietje Germonpré, Alexandra Hillebrand-Voiculescu, Silviu Constantin, Tatyana Kuznetsova, Dick Mol, Thomas Rathgeber, Wilfried Rosendahl, Alexey N. Tikhonov, Eske Willerslev, Greg Hannon, Carles Lalueza-Fox, Ulrich Joger, Hendrik Poinar
The Evolutionary And Phylogeographic History Of Woolly Mammoths: A Comprehensive Mitogenomic Analysis, Dan Chang, Michael Knapp, Jacob Enk, Sebastian Lippold, Martin Kircher, Adrian Lister, Ross D.E. Macphee, Christopher Widga, Paul Czechowski, Robert Sommer, Emily Hodges, Nikolaus Stümpel, Ian Barnes, Love Dalén, Anatoly Derevianko, Mietje Germonpré, Alexandra Hillebrand-Voiculescu, Silviu Constantin, Tatyana Kuznetsova, Dick Mol, Thomas Rathgeber, Wilfried Rosendahl, Alexey N. Tikhonov, Eske Willerslev, Greg Hannon, Carles Lalueza-Fox, Ulrich Joger, Hendrik Poinar
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Near the end of the Pleistocene epoch, populations of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) were distributed across parts of three continents, from western Europe and northern Asia through Beringia to the Atlantic seaboard of North America. Nonetheless, questions about the connectivity and temporal continuity of mammoth populations and species remain unanswered. We use a combination of targeted enrichment and high-throughput sequencing to assemble and interpret a data set of 143 mammoth mitochondrial genomes, sampled from fossils recovered from across their Holarctic range. Our dataset includes 54 previously unpublished mitochondrial genomes and significantly increases the coverage of the Eurasian range of …
The First Eocene Rodents From The Pacific Northwest, Usa, Joshua X. Samuels, William W. Korth
The First Eocene Rodents From The Pacific Northwest, Usa, Joshua X. Samuels, William W. Korth
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The Oligocene and Miocene faunas of the John Day Basin are diverse and very well-studied, including a large number of small mammal species. Though Eocene floras from Oregon are well-known, Eocene faunas include relatively few taxa from only two described localities in the Clarno area. The first Eocene rodents from the John Day Basin also include the first ischyromyids from the Pacific Northwest. Several rodent incisors were recovered from the Hancock Mammal Quarry at Clarno, representing the first rodent specimens known from the Clarno Formation. The Hancock Mammal Quarry lies between tuffs dated 42.7 and 39.22 Ma, meaning these rodents …
Evidence For Unusual Size Dimorphism In A Fossil Ailurid, Ethan L. Fulwood, Steven C. Wallace
Evidence For Unusual Size Dimorphism In A Fossil Ailurid, Ethan L. Fulwood, Steven C. Wallace
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A second nearly complete skeleton of the fossil ailurid Pristinailurus bristoli was recently recovered from the Hemphillian (late Miocene) Gray Fossil Site of northeast Tennessee. It appears to be significantly larger than the previously known skeleton of P. bristoli, which was surprising as the living red panda Ailurus fulgens is thought to be generally monomorphic, including between sexes. Here the presence of significant size difference in the geometric means of cranial and postcranial measurements and canine area in the two specimens of P. bristoli is tested relative to the distribution of size differences in intersex and intrasex pairs of A. …
Human Brucellosis Occurrences In Inner Mongolia, China: A Spatio-Temporal Distribution And Ecological Niche Modeling Approach, Peng Jia, Andrew Joyner
Human Brucellosis Occurrences In Inner Mongolia, China: A Spatio-Temporal Distribution And Ecological Niche Modeling Approach, Peng Jia, Andrew Joyner
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Background: Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease and remains a major burden in both human and domesticated animal populations worldwide. Few geographic studies of human Brucellosis have been conducted, especially in China. Inner Mongolia of China is considered an appropriate area for the study of human Brucellosis due to its provision of a suitable environment for animals most responsible for human Brucellosis outbreaks. Methods: The aggregated numbers of human Brucellosis cases from 1951 to 2005 at the municipality level, and the yearly numbers and incidence rates of human Brucellosis cases from 2006 to 2010 at the county level were collected. …
Surface-Soil Properties Of Alder Balds With Respect To Grassy And Rhododendron Balds On Roan Mountain, North Carolina—Tennessee, James T. Donaldson, Zachary C. Dinkins, Foster Levy, Arpita Nandi
Surface-Soil Properties Of Alder Balds With Respect To Grassy And Rhododendron Balds On Roan Mountain, North Carolina—Tennessee, James T. Donaldson, Zachary C. Dinkins, Foster Levy, Arpita Nandi
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We analyzed soils in Alder Bald, Grassy Bald, and Rhododendron Bald communities on Roan Mountain to infer the influence of vegetation on soil and to help guide management strategies. In all vegetation types, soils were acid (pH = 4–5) sandy loams. We found vegetation-associated differences for organic content, cation exchange capacity, acidity, two plant macronutrients (K, Mg), and three cations (Fe, Na, Zn). We predicted that nitrogen compounds would be highest in the Alder Bald because Alnus viridis ssp. crispa (Green Alder) can harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Organic content was highest at the alder-bald sites, ammonium was similar among vegetation types, …
Implications Of Diet For The Extinction Of Saber-Toothed Cats And American Lions, Larisa R.G. Desantis, Blaine W. Schubert, Jessica R. Scott, Peter S. Ungar
Implications Of Diet For The Extinction Of Saber-Toothed Cats And American Lions, Larisa R.G. Desantis, Blaine W. Schubert, Jessica R. Scott, Peter S. Ungar
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The saber-toothed cat, Smilodon fatalis, and American lion, Panthera atrox, were among the largest terrestrial carnivores that lived during the Pleistocene, going extinct along with other megafauna ~12,000 years ago. Previous work suggests that times were difficult at La Brea (California) during the late Pleistocene, as nearly all carnivores have greater incidences of tooth breakage (used to infer greater carcass utilization) compared to today. As Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA) can differentiate between levels of bone consumption in extant carnivores, we use DMTA to clarify the dietary niches of extinct carnivorans from La Brea. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that …
Helodermatid Lizard From The Mio-Pliocene Oak-Hickory Forest Of Tennessee, Eastern Usa, And A Review Of Monstersaurian Osteoderms, Jim I. Mead, Blaine W. Schubert, Steven C. Wallace, Sandra L. Swift
Helodermatid Lizard From The Mio-Pliocene Oak-Hickory Forest Of Tennessee, Eastern Usa, And A Review Of Monstersaurian Osteoderms, Jim I. Mead, Blaine W. Schubert, Steven C. Wallace, Sandra L. Swift
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The extant venomous Gila monster and beaded lizards, species of Heloderma, live today in southwestern USA and south along the Pacific coastal region into Central America, but their fossil history is poorly understood. Here we report helodermatid osteoderms (dermal ossicles) from the late Miocene-early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site, eastern Tennessee USA. Twenty-three species of mammals are known from the fauna including abundant Tapirus polkensis, as well as fishes, anurans, salamanders, turtles, Alligator, birds, and snakes. Beaded lizards belong to the Monstersauria, a clade that includes Primaderma + Paraderma + Gobiderma + Helodermatidae (Estesia, Eurheloderma, Lowesaurus, and Heloderma). Osteoderms of lizards …
Managing Tsunami Risk: Social Context Influences On Preparedness, Douglas Paton, Bruce F. Houghton, Chris E. Gregg, David Mcivor, David M. Johnston, Petra Bürgelt, Penny Larin, Duane A. Gill, Liesel A. Ritchie, Steven Meinhold, Jennifer Horan
Managing Tsunami Risk: Social Context Influences On Preparedness, Douglas Paton, Bruce F. Houghton, Chris E. Gregg, David Mcivor, David M. Johnston, Petra Bürgelt, Penny Larin, Duane A. Gill, Liesel A. Ritchie, Steven Meinhold, Jennifer Horan
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This article describes the testing of a model that proposes that people's beliefs regarding the effectiveness of hazard preparedness interact with social context factors (community participation, collective efficacy, empowerment and trust) to influence levels of hazard preparedness. Using data obtained from people living in coastal communities in Alaska and Oregon that are susceptible to experiencing tsunami, structural equation modelling analyses confirmed the ability of the model to help account for differences in levels of tsunami preparedness. Analysis revealed that community members and civic agencies influence preparedness in ways that are independent of the information provided per se. The model suggests …