Evolutionary genetics and human assisted movement of a globally invasive pest (Russian wheat aphid : Diuraphis noxia)

This PhD study has examined the population genetics of the Russian wheat aphid (RWA, Diuraphis noxia), one of the world’s most invasive agricultural pests, throughout its native and introduced global range. Firstly, this study investigated the geographic distribution of genetic diversity within and among RWA populations in western China. Analysis of mitochondrial data from 18 sites provided evidence for the long-term existence and expansion of RWAs in western China. The results refute the hypothesis that RWA is an exotic species only present in China since 1975. The estimated date of RWA expansion throughout western China coincides with the debut of wheat domestication and cultivation practices in western Asia in the Holocene. It is concluded that western China represents the limit of the far eastern native range of this species. Analysis of microsatellite data indicated high contemporary gene flow among northern populations in western China, while clear geographic isolation between northern and southern populations was identified across the Tianshan mountain range and extensive desert regions. Secondly, this study analyzed the worldwide pathway of invasion using both microsatellite and endosymbiont genetic data. Individual RWAs were obtained from native populations in Central Asia and the Middle East and invasive populations in Africa and the Americas. Results indicated two pathways of RWA invasion from 1) Syria in the Middle East to North Africa and 2) Turkey to South Africa, Mexico and then North and South America. Very little clone diversity was identified among invasive populations suggesting that a limited founder event occurred together with predominantly asexual reproduction and rapid population expansion. The most likely explanation for the rapid spread (within two years) from South Africa to the New World is by human movement, probably as a result of the transfer of wheat breeding material. Furthermore, the mitochondrial data revealed the presence of a universal haplotype and it is proposed that this haplotype is representative of a wheat associated super-clone that has gained dominance worldwide as a result of the widespread planting of domesticated wheat. Finally, this study examined salivary gland gene diversity to determine whether a functional basis for RWA invasiveness could be identified. Peroxidase DNA sequence data were obtained for a selection of worldwide RWA samples. Results demonstrated that most native populations were polymorphic while invasive populations were monomorphic, supporting previous conclusions relating to demographic founder effects in invasive populations. Purifying selection most likely explains the existence of a universal allele present in Middle Eastern populations, while balancing selection was evident in East Asian populations. Selection acting on the peroxidase gene may provide an allele-dependent advantage linked to the successful establishment of RWAs on wheat, and ultimately their invasion potential. In conclusion, this study is the most comprehensive molecular genetic investigation of RWA population genetics undertaken to date and provides significant insights into the source and pathway of global invasion and the potential existence of a wheat-adapted genotype that has colonised major wheat growing countries worldwide except for Australia. This research has major biosecurity implications for Australia’s grain industry.

新疆天山中段北坡地区现代孢粉学研究

新疆中部地区位于西北内陆干旱一半干旱区，是欧亚大陆的地理中心，是中纬度内陆干旱区代表性区域，也是全球变化敏感区域之一，基本特点是气候干旱、水资源匮乏、植被稀少、荒漠广布，生态系统脆弱。在研究区域内，天山山脉海拔高度差异5 000 m左右，随海拔梯度下降依次出现高山冰雪带、高山亚高山草甸带、森林带、草原带、荒漠带、沙漠带等明显完整的植被垂直带，是开展现代孢粉学和植被变化研究的理想地点。本报告在立足于该区前人工作的基础上，从表土花粉、空气花粉和现代植被之间的关系入手开展现代孢粉学研究，探讨了花粉与植被的关系。 在研究区内，选择新疆阜康市和吉木萨尔县为研究地点，设计了一条从天山博格达峰附近雪线开始直至古尔班通古特沙漠长约100 km、宽约20 km的样带。沿样带，从高山座垫植被和草甸带开始，经过中海拔地带的云杉林，置到低海拔的荒漠，在山地海拔每下降20～100 m采集一个表土花粉样品，平原每间隔10～20 km采集一个表土花粉样品，同时做现代植被调查，共采集80个表土花粉样品和调查了86个现代植被样方;在天山乌鲁木齐河河源区的大西沟，从一号冰川前缘开始，沿山谷向下直到谷口，按海拔100 m间隔采集了14个表土样品，对表土花粉与植被之间的关系进行了探讨。为了弄清空气花粉传播、散布与气象因子和植被的关系，沿样带从高山到沙漠分别在天池气象站、中国科学院阜康荒漠生态系统定位研究站和北沙窝草炭试验地设置了三个风标式空气花粉收集器，从2001年7月至2002年7月连续收集空气花粉雨，收集了跨2个年度1周年的1 14个空气花粉样品，依据分析结果研究了空气花粉的传播和散布规律以及与表土花粉和植被之间的关系，这在新疆地区乃至全国尚属首次。 根据表土花粉分析结果和现代植被样方资料的分析以及天山中段主要植物种类沿海拔高度的分布特征，天山中段北坡垂直植被带谱为：高山座垫植被(>3 400 m)、高山亚高山草甸(3 400-2 700 m)、山地云杉林(2 700-1 720 m)、森林草原过渡带(1 720-1 300 m)、蒿类荒漠(1 300-700 m)和典型荒漠(<700 m)。表土花粉谱基本上反映了相同海拔高度的现代植被带，特别是在云杉林带，表土中雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)花粉占优势;在蒿类荒漠植被带表土中蒿属（Artemisia）植物花粉非常丰富;在典型荒漠植被带的表土中藜科(Chenopodiaceae)植物花粉占绝对优势，因此可依据这些建群种植物花粉含量峰值的位置划分植物群落。 空气花粉样品分析结果表明：空气中花粉主要是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，盛花期的花粉数量能较好地反映当地的植被状况。空气中的乔木植物花粉主要有云杉(Picea)，其次是柳属（Salix）;灌木草本植物花粉主要是藜科和蒿属，其次是菊科(Compositae)、禾本科(Gramineae)、柽柳科(Tamaricaceae)和麻黄属(Ephedra);空气中的花粉数量与植物的花期相对应，云杉等乔木植物盛花期在夏季5月末至7月初，灌木草本植物盛花期在夏秋季节。气温、降水、风速和风向等气象条件对空气中花粉数量有很大影响，其中风速和风向影响最大。从空气花粉和表土花粉的分析结果与现生植被对比，新疆中部地区的山谷上升气流是导致花粉“爬坡”现象的主要动力，在一定条件下，上升气流搬运花粉的数量和能力是十分可观的。 空气中的花粉是现生植物当年生长产出的花粉，表土中的花粉是多年花粉落地沉积的积累，植物盖度大，该植物的花粉在空气中和表土中数量相对就大。在新疆中部地区，空气花粉能反映当地和附近周边方圆约50 km的植被状况，其花粉组合特征与表土花粉和当地现生植被分布的对比研究，可以较好地寻找花粉与植被的关系。本研究报告的研究成果不仅为新疆地区的孢粉学研究增添新的内容，而且将有助于合理解释新疆地层中、尤其是第四纪以来的地层孢粉，较客观地恢复过去的植被景观，同时可为本地区的大气环境检测提供有重要价值的参考资料。

天山北麓中段土壤侵蚀影响因素及特征分析

通过对天山北麓中段土地类型、河流径流和植被覆盖等土壤侵蚀影响因素的空间分布特征分析认为 :1天山北麓中段主要侵蚀类型为风蚀、水蚀、冻融侵蚀及人为加速侵蚀 ;2侵蚀产沙类型以及产沙强度在空间上具有明显的垂直变化规律 :沙漠以风力侵蚀、高山和亚高山以冻融侵蚀为强烈侵蚀类型 ,普遍存在微度水力侵蚀 ,局部表现为中度甚至强度 ;3水蚀类型有冰川融雪径流侵蚀和降雨径流侵蚀两种方式。天山北麓中段河流产沙时间上主要在每年的 5月初至 8月末 ,且冰川雪水径流产沙要比雨水径流产沙量大 ,空间上则主要位于海拔 80 0～ 1 50 0 m的由第三纪、第四纪地层和黄土堆积所组成的中、低山丘陵地

中强地震震源的破裂过程

With the large developments of the seismic sources theory, computing technologies and survey instruments, we can model and rebuild the rupture process of earthquakes more realistically. On which earthquake sources' properties and tectonic activities law are realized more clearly. The researches in this domain have been done in this paper as follows. Based on the generalized ray method, expressions for displacement on the surface of a half-space due to an arbitrary oriented shear and tensile dislocation are also obtained. Kinematically, fault-normal motion is equivalent to tensile faulting. There is some evidence that such motion occurs in many earthquakes. The expressions for static displacements on the surface of a layered half-space due to static point moment tensor source are given in terms of the generalized reflection and transmission coefficient matrix method. The validity and precision of the new method is illustrated by comparing the consistency of our results with the analytical solution given by Okada's code employing same point source and homogenous half-space model. The computed vertical ground displacement using the moment tensor solution of the Lanchang_Gengma earthquake displays considerable difference with that of a double couple component .The effect of a soft layer at the top of the homogenous half-space on a shallow normal-faulting earthquake is also analyzed. Our results show that more seismic information would be obtained utilizing seismic moment tensor source and layered half-space model. The rupture process of 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake investigated by using co-seismic surface displacement GPS observations and far field P-wave records. In according to the tectonic analysis and distributions of aftershock, we introduce a three-segment bending fault planes into our model. Both elastic half-space models and layered-earth models to invert the distribution of co-seismic slip along the Chi-Chi earthquake rupture. The results indicate that the shear slip model can not fit horizontal and vertical co-seismic displacements together, unless we add the fault-normal motion (tensile component) in inversions. And then, the Chi Chi earthquake rupture process was obtained by inversion using the seismograms and GPS observations. Fault normal motions determined by inversion, concentrate on the shallow northern bending fault from Fengyuan to Shuangji where the surface earthquake ruptures reveal more complexity and the developed flexural slip folding structures than the other portions of the rupture zone For understanding the perturbation of surface displacements caused by near-surface complex structures, We have taken a numeric test to synthesize and inverse the surface displacements for a pop-up structure that is composed of a main thrust and a back thrust. Our result indicates that the pop-up structure, the typical shallow complex rupture that occurred in the northern bending fault zone form Fengyuan to Shuangji, can be modeled better by a thrust fault added negative tensile component than by a simple thrust fault. We interpret the negative tensile distributions, that concentrate on the shallow northern bending fault from Fengyuan to Shuangji, as a the synthetic effect including the complexities of property and geometry of rupture. The earthquake rupture process also reveal the more spatial and temporal complexities form Fenyuan to SHuangji. According to the three-components teleseismic records, the S-wave velocity structure beneath the 59 teleseismic stations of Taiwan obtained by using the transform function method and the SA techniques. The integrated results, the 3D crustal structure of Taiwan reveal that the thickest part of crustal local in the western Central Range. This conclusion is consistent with the result form the Bouguer gravity anomaly. The orogenic evolution of Taiwan is young period, and the developing foot of Central Range dose not in static balancing. The crustal of Taiwan stays in the course of dynamic equilibrium. The rupture process of 2003)2,24,Jiashi, Xinjiang earthquake was estimated by the finite fault model using far field broadband P wave records of CDSN and IRIS. The results indicate that the earthquake focal is north dip trust fault including some left-lateral strike slip. The focal mechanism of this earthquake is different form that of earthquakes occurred in 1997 and 1998, but similar to that of 1996, Artux, Xinjiang earthquake. We interpreted that the earthquake caused trust fault due to the Tarim basin pushing northward and orogeny of Tianshan mountain. In the end, give a brief of future research subject: Building the Real Time Distribute System for rupture process of Large Earthquakes Based on Internet.

库车坳陷-南天山盆山系统第三纪脆性构造研究

Study on the structural coupling relationship between basin and range is not only helpful to recognize the basin formation and evolution systematically, but also to guide petroleum exploration in the basin. As a late Paleozoic Orogen, the South Tianshan Mountains reactivated and uplifted rapidly during the Cenozoic, and led to the Mesozoic-Cenozoic considerable thick deposits in the Kuqa Depression. The researches of the dissertation were carried out in the Kuqa depression-South Tianshan M ountain s ystem, a nd t he b rittle m icrotectonics w. ere c hosen as t he m ost important object. Based on observations and measurements of the field, we made detailed investigations on the geometry and kinematics of this area, and analyzed the abutting and cutting relationships and relative sequence of many brittle structures, such as joint, shear fractures, faults and some small-scale structures related to them closely. According to those brittle fractures' relationships with stress, the nature and variation of regional palaeostress field during the Cenozoic were studied through inversion of fault slip data and inferring stress state from joint sequences. And the deformation time was estimated primarily via ESR dating of faulting. Results show that the stress field varies as well in times as in space. The maximal principal stress direction shifted from the vertical to the horizontal, and stress regime from weak extension to strong compression from the Paleogene to the Neogene regionally. During the late Neogene, the structural deformation of the South Tianshan and the basin-range boundary was dominated by near N-S extension, while near N-S compressive deformation in the interior of the Kuqa Depression. There exits obvious differential stress state from the north to the south. ESR dating of the faulting during the Cenozoic indicates that, the normal faulting in the north edge of the Kuqa Depression have been active all along from the Miocene to the early Pleistocene, but the thrusting and reverse faulting in the interior only been active from the Pliocene to the early Pleistocene. On the base of those geological data and some geophysical information and theoretical calculation results, we infer that, the different stress regime the basin-range system is ascribed to the vertical uplift of the Tianshan Mountain. It was the vertical uplift that lead to the gravity-driven gliding of thick layers lying on the faulted basement from the South Tianshan Mountain to the Kuqa depression, and to folding and thrusting in the interior and frontal of the Kuqa depression. Combining the structural evolution with petroleum geological conditions of the Kuqa Depression, we think that the strong compressive deformation of the Kuqa Depression during rapid uplifting of the Tianshan Mountains from the Pliocene to the early Pleistocene play crucial role in the structural trap formation and proliferous gas accumulation.

Community engagement and groundwater investigation in a rural/peri urban basaltic aquifier system, Tamborine Mountain, South East Queensland

The Tamborine Mt area is a popular residential and tourist area in the Gold Coast hinterland, SE Qld. The 15km2 area occurs on elevated remnant Tertiary Basalts of the Beechmont Group, which comprise a number of mappable flow units originally derived from the Tweed volcanic centre to the south. The older Albert Basalt (Tertiary), which underlies the Beechmont Basalt at the southern end of the investigation area, is thought to be derived from the Focal Peak volcanic centre to the south west. The Basalts contain a locally significant ‘un-declared’ groundwater resource, which is utilised by the Tamborine Mt community for: • domestic purposes to supplement rainwater tank supplies, • commercial scale horticulture and • commercial export off-Mountain for bottled water. There is no reticulated water supply, and all waste water is treated on-site through domestic scale WTPs. Rainforest and other riparian ecosystems that attract residents and tourist dollars to the area, are also reliant on the groundwater that discharges to springs and surface streams on and around the plateau. Issues regarding a lack of compiled groundwater information, groundwater contamination, and groundwater sustainability are being investigated by QUT, utilising funding provided by the Federal Government’s ‘Caring for our Country’ programme through SEQ Catchments Ltd. The objectives of the two year project, which started in April 2009, are to: • Characterise the nature and condition of groundwater / surface water systems in the Tamborine Mountain area in terms of the issues being raised; • Engage and build capacity within the community to source local knowledge, encourage participation, raise awareness and improve understanding of the impacts of land and water use; • Develop a stand-alone 3D Visualisation model for dissemination into the community and use as a communication tool.

The Idea of Mountain

Poem

Geologic map of the Valley Mountain 15’ quadrangle, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ–1767, scale 1:62,500

The Valley Mountain 15’ quadrangle straddles the Pinto Mountain Fault, which bounds the eastern Transverse Ranges in the south against the Mojave Desert province in the north. The Pinto Mountains, part of the eastern Transverse Ranges in the south part of the quadrangle expose a series of Paleoproterozoic gneisses and granite and the Proterozoic quartzite of Pinto Mountain. Early Triassic quartz monzonite intruded the gneisses and was ductiley deformed prior to voluminous Jurassic intrusion of diorite, granodiorite, quartz monzonite, and granite plutons. The Jurassic rocks include part of the Bullion Mountains Intrusive Suite, which crops out prominently at Valley Mountain and in the Bullion Mountains, as well as in the Pinto Mountains. Jurassic plutons in the southwest part of the quadrangle are deeply denuded from midcrustal emplacement levels in contrast to supracrustal Jurassic limestone and volcanic rocks exposed in the northeast. Dikes inferred to be part of the Jurassic Independence Dike Swarm intrude the Jurassic plutons and Proterozoic rocks. Late Cretaceous intrusion of the Cadiz Valley Batholith in the northeast caused contact metamorphism of adjacent Jurassic plutonic rocks...

Stone Weathering in the Monastic Building Complex on Mountain of St Aaron in Petra, Jordan.

Since 1997 the Finnish Jabal Haroun Project (FJHP) has studied the ruins of the monastery and pilgrimage complex (Gr. oikos) of Aaron located on a plateau of the Mountain of Prophet Aaron, Jabal an-Nabi Harûn, ca. 5 km to the south-west of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra in Jordan. The state of conservation and the damaging processes affecting the stone structures of the site are studied in this M.A. thesis. The chapel was chosen as an example, as it represents the phasing and building materials of the entire site. The aim of this work is to act as a preliminary study with regards to the planning of long-term conservation at the site. The research is empirical in nature. The condition of the stones in the chapel walls was mapped using the Illustrated Glossary on Stone Deterioration, by the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee for Stone. This glossary combines several standards and systems of damage mapping used in the field. Climatic conditions (temperature and RH %) were monitored for one year (9/2005-8/2006) using a HOBO Microstation datalogger. The measurements were compared with contemporary measurements from the nearest weather station in Wadi Musa. Salts in the stones were studied by taking samples from the stone surfaces by scraping and with the “Paper Pulp”-method; with a poultice of wet cellulose fiber (Arbocel BC1000) and analyzing what main types of salts were to be found in the samples. The climatic conditions on the mountain were expected to be rapidly changing and to differ clearly from conditions in the neighboring areas. The rapid changes were confirmed, but the values did not differ as much as expected from those nearby: the 12 months monitored had average temperatures and were somewhat drier than average. Earlier research in the area has shown that the geological properties of the stone material influence its deterioration. The damage mapping showed clearly, that salts are also a major reason for stone weathering. The salt samples contained several salt combinations, whose behavior in the extremely unstable climatic conditions is difficult to predict. Detailed mapping and regular monitoring of especially the structures, that are going remain exposed, is recommended in this work.

Concordant molecular and phenotypic data delineate new taxonomy and conservation priorities for the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog

The mountain yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa sensu lato, once abundant in the Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada, and the disjunct Transverse Ranges of southern California, has declined precipitously throughout its range, even though most of its habitat is protected. The species is now extinct in Nevada and reduced to tiny remnants in southern California, where as a distinct population segment, it is classified as Endangered. Introduced predators (trout), air pollution and an infectious disease (chytridiomycosis) threaten remaining populations. A Bayesian analysis of 1901 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA confirms the presence of two deeply divergent clades that come into near contact in the Sierra Nevada. Morphological studies of museum specimens and analysis of acoustic data show that the two major mtDNA clades are readily differentiated phenotypically. Accordingly, we recognize two species, Rana sierrae, in the northern and central Sierra Nevada, and R. muscosa, in the southern Sierra Nevada and southern California. Existing data indicate no range overlap. These results have important implications for the conservation of these two species as they illuminate a profound mismatch between the current delineation of the distinct population segments (southern California vs. Sierra Nevada) and actual species boundaries. For example, our study finds that remnant populations of R. muscosa exist in both the southern Sierra Nevada and the mountains of southern California, which may broaden options for management. In addition, despite the fact that only the southern California populations are listed as Endangered, surveys conducted since 1995 at 225 historic (1899-1994) localities from museum collections show that 93.3% (n=146) of R. sierrae populations and 95.2% (n=79) of R. muscosa populations are extinct. Evidence presented here underscores the need for revision of protected population status to include both species throughout their ranges.

Fritz Gottschalk and his children boating on a mountain lake; Titisee, Germany.

From left to right: Ursula, Walter, Hal, Kurt, Fritz, and Elizabeth Gottschalk; the lake is probably the Titisee near the Swiss border in the Black Forest, Germany