Latest Guadalupian brachiopods from the Guadalupian/Lopingian boundary GSSP section at Penglaitan in Laibin, Guangxi, South China and implications for the timing of the pre-Lopingian crisis

A brachiopod fauna comprising nine species in eight genera from three closely spaced stratigraphic horizons of the same stratigraphic section is described for the first time from the Laibin Limestone in the uppermost part of the Maokou Formation in the Guadalupian/Lopingian (G/L) GSSP section at Penglaitan, Guangxi Autonomous Region, South China. The brachiopod assemblages are bracketed between two conodont zones: Jinogondolella xuanhanensis Zone below and Jinogondolella granti Zone above and, therefore, they can be safely assigned to the latest Capitanian in age. However, all but one of the nine brachiopod species from the Laibin Limestone carry strong early Lopingian (Wuchiapingian) aspect. Thus, the discovery of this brachiopod fauna not only suggests that some Lopingian brachiopod species had already appeared in the late Guadalupian (Capitanian); more importantly, it has also highlighted the fact that both the previously noted pre-Lopingian life crisis (or end-Guadalupian or Middle Permian mass extinction) and Lopingian recovery/radiation actually occurred in late Capitanian times, sometime before the G/L chronostratigraphic boundary. So far, the Penglaitan GSSP section provides the highest-resolution disappearance patterns of different fossil groups around the G/L boundary.

Ecomuseum evaluation : experiences in Guizhou and Guangxi, China

In general, ecomuseums are new forms of open-air museum for the in-situ interpretation and conservation of heritage as well as for aiding community development. Chinese ecomuseums have been established in some villages for the conservation of cultural heritage values of its ethnic minorities. This research summarises international benchmarks for ecomuseum evaluation and uses them to examine three ecomuseums in Guizhou and three in Guangxi. The goal is to assess how much each meets international benchmarks. In the research it was discovered that in none of these six cases were originated or were led by local communities, negating the appropriateness of benchmarking them against international benchmarks. With interviews and observations undertaken in each six cases, the problems of each site were identified. The essence of Chinese ecomuseum is then considered at the end of this paper-- a trial approach for developing cultural tourism, carried out by low-level governments, for the purpose of poverty alleviation in minority villages.

Ranging patterns of François' langur in a fragmented habitat in fusui reserve, Guangxi province, China

Studies of animal ranging patterns and the influencing ecological factors are useful for understanding the relationship between aspects of animal behavior and ecology. In a year-long study, we investigated the ranging behavior and other determining factors for a group of Francois' langur in an isolated habitat of approximately 25.7 ha in Fusui Reserve, China. The Francois' langur home range was estimated to be 15.3 ha, covering ∼60% of their total habitat. The mean yearly day range length estimate was 802.5 m (SD =295.5 m). Langurs changed sleeping sites approximately every 3 days, resulting in increases in the amount of grid cells used and the range length. Food availability of flowers and fruits were seasonal, whereas both mature and immature leaves of most trees were perennial. Ranging behavior was not significantly correlated with the availability of mature leaves, immature leaves, buds, fruits (ripe and unripe fruits) or seeds (p =0.05). These results suggested that variations in food type availability were not factors influencing ranging behavior for this langur group, whereas sleeping site changes, and probably predation avoidance, are factors that influence the ranging patterns of the langur group.

Discovery of late Changhsingian (latest Permian) brachiopod Attenuatella species from South China

Attenuatella mengi sp. nov. and ?Attenuatella sp. from the Talung Formation, southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, South China, are described herein. This discovery represents the first report of Attenuatella from the late Changhsingian (latest Permian) in South China and provides evidence that Attenuatella expanded its range from high-latitude cold-water regions to palaeoequatorial warm water areas in the Late Permian. Attenuatella
species appear to have been pseudoplanktonic, judging from their hair-like spinose ornamentation, which could have contributed to the global palaeogeographical distribution of Attenuatella.

Motorcycle ownership and injury in China

Background. China has made tremendous progress in its economic development in the past two decades. Accompanying this economic development has been an evident shift in the modes of transport, from walking and cycling to the use of motorcycles and, increasingly, four-wheel vehicles. Such changes are likely to have also produced changes in the patterns and numbers of road traffic injuries, including increases in motorcycle injuries. However, such changes have not been well documented. The work described in this paper sought, therefore, to document the changes in motorcycle ownership, motorcyclist mortality and injury rates in China since 1987.
Methods. National traffic ownership and injury data from 1987 to 2001 were obtained from the National Bureau for Traffic Administration. Additionally, traffic ownership and injury records from 1997 to 2001 were collected from local police offices from 20 counties in Guangxi Region. Population data were obtained from the national and county statistics bureaus. Motorcycle ownership, fatality and injury trends over time were calculated.
Results. Nationally, motorcycles accounted for 23.4% of all registered motor vehicles in 1987, increasing to 63.2% in 2001. Motorcyclist fatalities and injuries increased 5.5-fold and 9.3-fold, respectively, between 1987 and 2001. In 1987, 7.5% of all traffic fatalities and 8.8% of all traffic injuries were sustained by motorcyclists, with the corresponding proportions increasing to 18.9% and 22.8%, respectively, in 2001. The changing proportions of both traffic fatalities and injuries sustained by motorcyclists were positively correlated with the change in the proportion of motorcycles among all motor vehicles. In the 20 counties in Guangxi, motorcyclist fatality and injury rates also increased between 1997 and 2001. Moreover, these rates were considerably higher than the national rates.
Conclusions. Motorcyclist injury in China is a serious public health problem. Motorcyclist fatalities and injuries are likely to continue to increase unless appropriate intervention programmes are implemented.

A late Changhsingian (latest Permian) deep-water brachiopod fauna from Guizhou, South China

A deep-water brachiopod fauna (20 species in 19 genera) is described from the Late Permian Shaiwa Group of Ziyun, Guizhou, South China. New species include Pygmochonetes? shaiwaensis and Martinia ziyunensis. This fauna is associated with deep-water assemblages of pelagic radiolarians, foraminifers, bivalves and ammonoids. The brachiopod faunal correlations and age constraints of the associated fossil groups suggest that the Shaiwa fauna is late Changhsingian (latest Permian) in age. The Shaiwa fauna superficially resembles the coeval deep-water assemblage from Guangxi, South China; both are characterized by a mixture of deep-water brachiopods and shallow-water elements.

Zoophycos composite ichnofabrics and tiers from the Permian neritic facies in South China and south-eastern Australia

Zoophycos composite ichnofabrics (ZCI) comprising two or more suites of the same form of Zoophycos are widespread and densely distributed in Early and Middle Permian (Cisuralian–Guadalupian) neritic limestones (Qixia and Maokou Formations) of palaeotropical origin in the Laibin area, Guangxi, South China. Similar ZCI also occur in neritic greywackes of glaciomarine origin from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) Westley Park Sandstone Member (Broughton Formation) in the southern Sydney Basin, southeastern Australia. Zoophycos from both regions consists of planar spreite with major and minor lamellae and a cylindrical tunnel interpreted as a marginal tube and ⁄ or axial shaft. The cylindrical tunnel is herein considered to be an essential component of Zoophycos, and thus can be used to define and characterize the morphological variability of Zoophycos. It is suggested that the variation of spreite and major and minor lamellae originated from the different morphologies and migration manners of the cylindrical tunnel. The shallowest, shallow, middle and deepest Zoophycos tiers have been distinguished in ZCI on the basis of cross-cutting relationships, the soft-sediment deformation and the contrast in colour between Zoophycos and its host rock. The multiple tiers may represent the substrate consistency spectrum from a softground through a stiffground to a firmground.The different Zoophycos tiers may have been constructed by tracemakers of either different or the same taxonomic affinities in response to the gradual accretion and lithification of sediment layers on the seafloor. The tracemakers appeared to be very sensitive to neither climate nor lithology. The width of the planar spreiten of Zoophycos decreases slightly with the depth of tiering in ZCI

Studies on the interaction between malanin and metal ions by fluorescence spectra methods

A novel protein with anti-tumor activities named malanin was isolated and purified from an endemic plant in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces. Effects of copper ion, silver ion and calcium ion on malanin and apo-malanin fluorescence spectra were studied. The results showed that copper ion leads to obvious statistic quenching of malanin and apo-malanin fluorescence. The dissociation constant of them from malanin and apo-malanin were about 2.37×10-4 and 2.66×10-4 mol·L-1, respectively. The silver ion did not have quenching action on malanin fluorescence, but it had statistic quenching effect on apo-malanin fluorescence, and its dissociation constant was 2.37×10-4 mol·L-1. Calcium ion did not have quenching action on malanin and apo-malanin fluorescence. It plays an important role in keeping malanin natural conformation.