Geographical Provenance Research Articles

Microbial Forensics: A Present to Future Perspective on Genomic Targets, Bioinformatic Challenges, and Applications

Introduction: The human microbiome is a compendium of all organisms on and within the human body (i.e., bacteria, archaea, fungi, and eukaryotes), where the diversity of taxa as well as their relative abundance contribute to the highly individualizing nature of an individual's microbial signature. Discussion: The effect of individual characteristics such as lifestyle, genetics, health, and geographic provenance on the human microbiome contribute to both the individuality and forensic usefulness of microbiome samples for the purposes of human identification, body fluid attribution, estimation of the post-mortem interval, or geolocation. Further, the use of technologies such as massively parallel sequencing and long-read sequencing, in combination with bioinformatic tools and machine learning models, allow for quick and accurate characterization of individual human microbiome samples. Conclusion: However, before microbial profiling can be implemented into routine forensic casework, extensive standardization and validation of sample types, collection procedures and analysis pipelines must be established.

Genetic Diversity Study on Geographical Populations of the Multipurpose Species Elsholtzia stauntonii Using Transferable Microsatellite Markers.

Elsholtzia stauntonii Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an economically important ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plant species. To meet the increasing market demand for E. stauntonii, it is necessary to assess genetic diversity within the species to accelerate the process of genetic improvement. Analysis of the transferability of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from related species or genera is a fast and economical method to evaluate diversity, and can ensure the availability of molecular markers in crops with limited genomic resources. In this study, the cross-genera transferability of 497 SSR markers selected from other members of the Lamiaceae (Salvia L., Perilla L., Mentha L., Hyptis Jacq., Leonurus L., Pogostemon Desf., Rosmarinus L., and Scutella L.) to E. stauntonii was 9.05% (45 primers). Among the 45 transferable markers, 10 markers revealed relatively high polymorphism in E. stauntonii. The genetic variation among 825 individuals from 18 natural populations of E. stauntonii in Hebei Province of China was analyzed using the 10 polymorphic SSR markers. On the basis of the SSR data, the average number of alleles (NA), expected heterozygosity (HE), and Shannon’s information index (I) of the 10 primers pairs were 7.000, 0.478, and 0.688, respectively. Lower gene flow (Nm = 1.252) and high genetic differentiation (Fst = 0.181) were detected in the populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the variation (81.47%) was within the populations. Integrating the results of STRUCTURE, UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) clustering, and principal coordinate analysis, the 825 samples were grouped into two clusters associated with geographical provenance (southwestern and northeastern regions), which was consistent with the results of a Mantel test (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). Overall, SSR markers developed in related genera were effective to study the genetic structure and genetic diversity in geographical populations of E. stauntonii. The results provide a theoretical basis for conservation of genetic resources, genetic improvement, and construction of a core collection for E. stauntonii.

From Seed to Seedling: Influence of Seed Geographic Provenance and Germination Treatments on Reproductive Material Represented by Seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia

The influence of the geographical origin of eight Romanian provenances of Robinia pseudoacacia on the characteristics of seeds, germination, and growth of seedlings in young stages of life was analyzed. Four experiments were undertaken to test seed germination (thermal treatment at distinct temperatures, mechanical scarification, acetone 90%, and biostimulator). The germination percentage showed that scarification treatment provided the best results among all treatments (41.7%). Seeds soaked in water at 100 °C provided the second-highest germination rate. Furthermore, the same two treatments also assured the highest values for the seedlings’ length. There were registered significant differences among the provenances for the analyzed characteristics, the seed germination capacity, and the growth rate of the seedlings in the first years of life. The study highlighted the resources that could ensure good quality of the reproductive forest material, which can be used in new afforestation and breeding programs. Pearson correlations and multivariate analysis provided interesting and useful information about R. pseudoacacia provenances and 13 characteristics of the seeds and seedlings, highlighting the relationship among them. The results could be of interest for the efficient use of forest genetic resources and the obtention of quality reproductive material in black locust.

Dropped in the Ocean – 87Sr/86Sr as a provenance tool for ice-rafted Arctic driftwood

Provenance and age determinations of driftwood provide insights into Holocene Arctic Ocean surface currents and sea ice dynamics, with detailed reconstructions requiring a provenance methodology with fine temporal and spatial resolution. Determination of wood geographical provenance by genus data is limited by its spatially coarse resolution, while provenance by dendrochronological crossdating is reliant on available boreal forest reference chronologies which are abundant for recent centuries but more sparse for older periods of the Holocene. We present the development of novel techniques to refine the provenance of driftwood through radiogenic isotopic analysis ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr). The use of geochemical techniques addresses limitations of current methods and opens the possibility of defining the role of atmospheric and oceanic circulation in sea ice and climatic changes throughout the Holocene at a finer spatial resolution than currently possible. This study investigates and develops geochemical 87 Sr/ 86 Sr fingerprinting of Arctic driftwood. To this end, it analyses driftwood samples from northern Svalbard and compares this technique with provenance regions obtained through dendrochronology, and with modelled and measured global 87 Sr/ 86 Sr reference databases. We conclude that the utilisation of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios to establish provenance for Arctic driftwood has some potential, but identify important limitations in the method, concerning both the signal in samples and reference values required for provenance. Increased sample populations and source samples for calibration, as well as methodological improvements that address the likely overprinting linked to driftwood transport, are recommended to build upon this work. We conclude that at present dendro-provenancing continues to be the most powerful method to study sea ice dynamics from Arctic driftwood and suggest that given the high spatial granularity of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr across the boreal forest, this technique might only be usable in combination with previously developed provenance tools and reconstructions. This study provides a first step in the use of radiogenic isotopic analysis in a multi-proxy reconstruction of Holocene driftwood incursion onto high Arctic shorelines. • Driftwood is a novel tool for insights into Holocene Arctic sea ice dynamics. • Fine spatial and temporal resolution of driftwood provenance is needed. • Geochemical 87 Sr/ 86 Sr fingerprinting of Arctic driftwood is explored in this study. • 87 Sr/ 86 Sr shows some promise, with limitations in reference data and sample signals. • We conclude that a combined approach to driftwood provenance shows the most promise.

Absolute Age Determinations of Rural Basque Furniture Using Dendrochronology: A Pilot Study of Four Granary Chests and a Wardrobe

Dendrochronological research in NW Spain is aimed at developing reference chronologies of oak (Quercus sp.), which are suitable for absolute age determinations of cultural heritage from the Basque Country. So far, the main research interest has been on rural architecture such as farmhouses and barns. In order to extend the application range of Basque dendrochronology, the current study focuses on tree-ring research of rural furniture. In close consultation with the curators of cultural centre Gordailu (Irun), four granary chests and a wardrobe were selected for this pilot study. The tree-ring patterns of these objects significantly match against the new Basque reference chronologies, yielding absolute calendar years for the studied panels. The last-formed measured ring from the oldest granary chest in this collection dates to AD 1517. The other three chests have last-formed rings dating to AD 1580, 1665 and 1829, and the wardrobe has a last-formed ring dating to AD 1439. Sapwood ring counts from living oaks in this region were used to estimate the number of sapwood rings missing on the outside of the panels. Derived absolute and terminus post quem felling dates of wood were further refined by adding the estimated drying time of the wood based on information derived from traditional carpenters in this area. All dendrochronologically established construction dates constitute a correction or refinement of the original art-historical age determinations. In addition, the previously assigned provenance of one granary chest could be corrected. These results indicate that dendrochronology is an excellent method to refine our knowledge about the age, and in some cases the exact geographical provenance, of rural movable heritage in and from the Basque region. The fact that the previously established provenance of four of the studied objects within the Basque Country could not be refined further implies that most Basque reference chronologies at present are not sufficiently specific for assessing wood provenance on an intra-regional scale. This can be solved in the future by reassembling the data underlying these chronologies into homogeneous timber groups covering smaller, ecologically more similar, geographical growth areas.

An innovative electron paramagnetic resonance and statistical analysis approach to investigate the geographical origin of multi-layered samples from a Renaissance painting

The present study aims at unravelling whether an innovative, integrated method based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and statistical analysis could shed light on the mineralogical attribution of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, microcrystalline powders found in an unusual preparation layer of a Renaissance painting on wood. Moreover, the undertaken investigation was performed to assess, if possible, the geographical provenance of the same carbonate powders. A specifically designed procedure was operated based on previous methods applied to the investigation of ancient white and colored marbles.Microscopic samples were taken from the painting with the aim of keeping both their size and mass at a minimum possible. All investigated samples consist of a highly complex, multi-layered, heterogeneous material, where the calcium carbonate aliquot is very limited. The investigation has been carried out in a non-destructive way, registering the EPR spectra of the fragments, identifying the diagnostic Mn(II) spectra, parameterizing them, and comparing them with the most extensive available database through a set of robust statistical methods. The main results include the attribution to calcite (marble rather than chalk), the mineralogical speciation of the carbonate layer and the reduction of the possible calcite provenance sites to few localities where marble was exploited. Among them, the marble from Apuan Alps is one of the likely provenances of this calcite.

Sixteenth-century tomatoes in Europe: who saw them, what they looked like, and where they came from.

BackgroundSoon after the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the first tomatoes were presented as curiosities to the European elite and drew the attention of sixteenth-century Italian naturalists. Despite of their scientific interest in this New World crop, most Renaissance botanists did not specify where these ‘golden apples’ or ‘pomi d’oro’ came from. The debate on the first European tomatoes and their origin is often hindered by erroneous dating, botanical misidentifications and inaccessible historical sources. The discovery of a tomato specimen in the sixteenth-century ‘En Tibi herbarium’ kept at Leiden, the Netherlands, triggered research on its geographical provenance and morphological comparison to other tomato specimens and illustrations from the same time period.MethodsRecent digitization efforts greatly facilitate research on historic botanical sources. Here we provide an overview of the ten remaining sixteenth-century tomato specimens, early descriptions and 13 illustrations. Several were never published before, revealing what these tomatoes looked like, who saw them, and where they came from. We compare our historical findings with recent molecular research on the chloroplast and nuclear DNA of the ‘En Tibi’ specimen.ResultsOur survey shows that the earliest tomatoes in Europe came in a much wider variety of colors, shapes and sizes than previously thought, with both simple and fasciated flowers, round and segmented fruits. Pietro Andrea Matthioli gave the first description of a tomato in 1544, and the oldest specimens were collected by Ulisse Aldrovandi and Francesco Petrollini in c. 1551, possibly from plants grown in the Pisa botanical garden by their teacher Luca Ghini. The oldest tomato illustrations were made in Germany and Switzerland in the early 1550s, but the Flemish Rembert Dodoens published the first image in 1553. The names of early tomatoes in contemporary manuscripts suggest both a Mexican and a Peruvian origin. The ‘En Tibi’ specimen was collected by Petrollini around 1558 and thus is not the oldest extant tomato. Recent molecular research on the ancient nuclear and chloroplast DNA of the En Tibi specimen clearly shows that it was a fully domesticated tomato, and genetically close to three Mexican landraces and two Peruvian specimens that probably also had a Mesoamerican origin. Molecular research on the other sixteenth-century tomato specimens may reveal other patterns of genetic similarity, past selection processes, and geographic origin. Clues on the ‘historic’ taste and pest resistance of the sixteenth-century tomatoes will be difficult to predict from their degraded DNA, but should be rather sought in those landraces in Central and South America that are genetically close to them. The indigenous farmers growing these traditional varieties should be supported to conserve these heirloom varieties in-situ.

Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Robinia pseudoacacia Depending on the Origin of Different Geographic Provenances

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is recognised as a forest species of interest due to its multiple uses. The management of forest genetic resources and their efficient conservation suffer from variations in traits and start with seed germination. The aim of the current study was to investigate the germination of seeds obtained from plus trees selected in eight Romanian provenances, as well as to investigate the influence of the origin upon plants’ growth and development. Two experiments were undertaken to test seed germination: one treatment involved water-soaked seeds and heat/cold treatment, while the other treatment was based on sulphuric acid, at different concentrations (50, 70, 90%). The results were correlated with the morphological analysis of the seeds. Satu-Mare had the lowest germination rate within both treatments. Sulphuric acid did not improve seed germination as much as the heat treatment. The highest germination rate occurred for the water and temperature treatment on seeds from Bihor provenance (68.2%). The most distant provenance was Bihor, in inverse correlation with Bistrița Năsăud and grouped separately within the hierarchical dendrogram of cluster analysis based on the analysed parameters of the provenances investigated. The results demonstrated that the genotypes and environmental heterogeneity of the seed origin within the provenances may finally result in different performances.

Quantitative monitoring of nucleotide sequence data from genetic resources in context of their citation in the scientific literature.

BackgroundLinking nucleotide sequence data (NSD) to scientific publication citations can enhance understanding of NSD provenance, scientific use, and reuse in the community. By connecting publications with NSD records, NSD geographical provenance information, and author geographical information, it becomes possible to assess the contribution of NSD to infer trends in scientific knowledge gain at the global level.FindingsWe extracted and linked records from the European Nucleotide Archive to citations in open-access publications aggregated at Europe PubMed Central. A total of 8,464,292 ENA accessions with geographical provenance information were associated with publications. We conducted a data quality review to uncover potential issues in publication citation information extraction and author affiliation tagging and developed and implemented best-practice recommendations for citation extraction. We constructed flat data tables and a data warehouse with an interactive web application to enable ad hoc exploration of NSD use and summary statistics.ConclusionsThe extraction and linking of NSD with associated publication citations enables transparency. The quality review contributes to enhanced text mining methods for identifier extraction and use. Furthermore, the global provision and use of NSD enable scientists worldwide to join literature and sequence databases in a multidimensional fashion. As a concrete use case, we visualized statistics of country clusters concerning NSD access in the context of discussions around digital sequence information under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Use of near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics for authentication and traceability of intact lemon fruits

The reflectance NIR spectroscopy and chemometric data treatment on mature intact lemons, Limone di Sorrento PGI (cv Ovale di Sorrento) and Limone Costa D’Amalfi PGI (cv Sfusato Amalfitano) from Campania region, collected in 2018 and 2019, were used to predict properties, and discriminate cultivar and geographical provenance. By PCA, lemon NIR spectra grouped for production years due to the year variation of lemon properties attributable to annual climatic differences, homogeneous in all sites. This agrees with lemon chemical and physical differences by production year. Consequently, the relationship of NIR spectra with lemon quality properties by MLR and the cultivar and provenances discrimination by LDA were affected by year climatic difference; therefore, better model reliability was for single production year. NIR detectability of lemon properties did not appear beyond lemon thick peels, therefore the measured properties of lemon juices could derive from measurable properties of peel correlating with pulp properties.

Effect of Perforation Dyeing Technique on Color Difference, Colorfastness, and Basic Density of Living Red-Heart Chinese Fir

Red-heart Chinese fir is an excellent geographic provenance of Cunninghamia lanceolata, with high-value red heartwood. However, the formation of red heartwood is usually slow. To quickly cultivate red-heart Chinese fir, we studied perforation dyeing technology on living trees that were 7 years old and efficient in high-value red heartwood formation. Reactive dye (%), penetrant (%), KH2PO4 (%), and pH were selected as influencing factors, and an orthogonal test (L9(3)4) was used. The results showed that the total color difference between the experimental and CK groups ranged from 13.74 to 26.86 NBS, which was a significant visual perception (above 12 NBS). The total color difference before and after soaking in water for 6 h ranged from 2.30 to 5.12 NBS, which belonged to the detectable and identifiable value of the human eye (2~5 NBS). After the injection of the dye liquid, the wood basic density (WBD) was significantly affected after one year. After a comprehensive analysis of wood color difference, colorfastness, and WBD of the orthogonal test, the best dyeing process of juvenile red-heart Chinese fir was reactive dye: 0.8%, penetrant: 0.05%, KH2PO4: 0.3%, and pH: 3.5. The results of this study can provide a reference to improve the value of red-heart Chinese fir, a fast-cultivated, high-value decorative wood material.

Differences in PItotal of Quercus liaotungensis seedlings between provenance

The performance index of overall photochemistry (PItotal) is widely used in photosynthesis research, but the PItotal interspecies differences are unclear. To this end, seeds of Quercus liaotungensis from 10 geographical provenances were planted in two different climate types. Two years later, leaf relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) and chlorophyll a fluorescence transient of seedlings were measured. Meanwhile, the environmental factors of provenance location, including temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind speed, transpiration pressure, and soil properties, were retrieved to analyze the trends of PItotal among geographic provenance. The results showed that, in each climate type, there was no significant difference in SPAD and electron transfer status between PSII and PSI, but PItotal was significantly different among geographic provenances. The major internal causes of PItotal interspecies differences were the efficiency of electronic transfer to final PSI acceptor and the number of active reaction centers per leaf cross-section. The main external causes of PItotal interspecies differences were precipitation of the warmest quarter, solar radiation intensity in July, and annual precipitation of provenance location. PItotal had the highest correlation with precipitation of the warmest quarter of origin and could be fitted by the Sine function. The peak location and fluctuating trend of precipitation—PItotal fitted curve were different in two climate types, largely due to the difference of precipitation and upper soil conductivity in the two test sites. Utilizing the interspecific variation and trends of PItotal might be a good strategy to screen high and stable photosynthetic efficiency of Q. liaotungensis provenance.

Incidental Loaning and the Babylonian Context of Second Isaiah

Abstract The social location of Second Isaiah has been an issue of renewed scholarly debate in the past decade. In this debate, H. G. M. Williamson has called attention to the role of terminology in identifying the probable geographical provenance of this portion of Isaiah. In this article, we examine an instance of language contact in Isa 47:2 and argue that the hapax legomenon שׁבל is a loan from the Akkadian root špl, perhaps the specific lexeme šaplû or šapiltu, referring to the “lower part (of the body).” In doing so, we propose that this term is an incidental loan, namely, a borrowing that evinces general contact with the author’s Babylonian surroundings but exhibits no polemic against the empire. That this borrowing was not ideologically motivated is significant, we suggest, for it increases the likelihood that the loan occurred in a Babylonian locale. The argument for Babylonian provenance is buttressed further by parallels observed in Ezek 16, another prophetic text that apparently originated in Babylon and that contains phrasing, literary conventions, and evidence of language contact similar to that in Isa 47. These features, we suggest, are part of an evolving rhetoric within an identifiable segment of exilic and post-exilic biblical prophecy.

Bordering on Asian Paintings: Dye Analysis of Textile Borders and Mount Elements to Complement Research on Asian Pictorial Art

Mount components and textile borders represent important elements of Asian paintings. However, they are often side-lined or not considered an integral part of the original piece, as they may be later additions or may have been replaced during historic conservation or mounting interventions. Nevertheless, evidence is sometimes present that textile borders are contemporaneous to the production of the paintings they frame or, in the case of paintings found in archaeological contexts, to the time of deposition. Even when not contemporaneous with the paintings, the mount textiles are often of significant historic interest in themselves, showing a range of complex textile techniques and materials, and highlighting the re-use of fabrics. In all these cases, the study and reconstruction of the original colours of the borders enable further understanding of the holistic visual impact originally intended for the composition, as well as of the role of colour itself, which was used to emphasise, complement or contrast important pictorial themes or motifs in the paintings. Furthermore, the identification of dyes and dyeing techniques has the potential to support the production date and provenance of the paintings. In this study, the textile borders and some additional mounting elements of six paintings (late 9th–10th century CE) from the Library Cave, Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, China, one rare Korean portrait painting dated 1789 CE, and two Tibetan thangkas (18th century) were investigated with the aim to identify the dyes present. Fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) was used to obtain information non-invasively and, when sampling was possible, high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to obtain molecular identification of the dyestuffs employed in their production. Typical Asian dyes, such as gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon), sappanwood (Biancaea sappan), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and pagoda tree flower buds (Sophora japonica), were identified. Some of the dyeing techniques were commensurate with the geographical and temporal provenance assigned to these pieces. Considerations about fading and discolouration of the dyes enabled valuable additional information to be obtained that complements the evidence gleaned from the study of the paintings and informs conservators and curators on best practices in the preservation and display of these precious and delicate artworks.

Investigating the origins of ivory recovered in the United Kingdom

• Concordance study of stable isotope and mtDNA African elephant databases. • Ivory present in the United Kingdom analysed and geographic assignments evaluated. • UK seizure contained modern ivory and regional geographic distribution was inferred. • Antique and modern ivory surrendered in the UK included novel mtDNA haplotypes. • Novel haplotypes & moderate isotopic fits offer more complex geographic provenance. Over recent years, mounting pressure has been placed on countries to assess their role in the ivory trade, with a view to tackling the rapidly declining numbers of elephants, due to poaching. The United Kingdom has been identified as a large re-exporter of ivory. Despite much of this trade being reported as legal or antique ivory, such provision of ivory to meet demand is known to fuel illegal markets and provide trade routes for modern ivory sales. Aside from ivory species and age, further analysis to evaluate geographic provenance, can inform where an elephant had lived, and so identify a source region or population where poaching occurred. The purpose of this study was to determine the age and species of ivory objects surrendered or seized in the UK and assess their likely geographic provenance through comparison of results from mitochondrial DNA and stable isotope analysis to publicly accessible georeferenced African elephant databases. The results demonstrated that the objects tested from an airport seizure were modern and matched existing haplotypes allowing for regional geographic inferences (supported by both techniques) to be obtained for most of these objects. In contrast, antique and modern ivory was detected amongst the amnesty objects, and several new mtDNA haplotypes were identified. Regional geographic inferences were achieved for some but not all of the objects tested. Our findings show this combination of methods provides a wealth of information which, could provide insight into targeted elephant populations and assist in disrupting international wildlife trade networks.

DNA analyses of large pangolin scale seizures: Species identification validation and case studies

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, and all eight species are listed under CITES Appendix I. DNA-based wildlife forensic techniques are recognized as an important component of investigating a pangolin seizure. In particular, determining the species of pangolin in a seizure will 1) confirm the presence of pangolin to establish the legality of any trade, and 2) ensure appropriate laws are applied to their fullest extent in a prosecution. Furthermore, valuable intelligence data, such as determining the geographic provenance of samples, can be produced through analysis of pangolin seizures. Despite the immense scale of the pangolin trade, standardized wildlife forensic techniques for testing pangolin seizures are in their infancy. To address this, here, we present a standardized genetic marker suitable for species identification of all eight pangolin species, and outline practical strategies for sampling large-volume pangolin scale seizures. We assessed the repeatability, reproducibility, robustness, sensitivity and phylogenetic resolution of this species identification test. Critically, the assay was tested in four wildlife forensic laboratories involved in testing pangolins. Additionally, we demonstrated the test’s utility to conduct geographic provenance analysis of Phataginus tricuspis samples. We analysed five large-volume pangolin scale seizures in Malaysia, which elucidated key target species, poaching hotspots, and trafficking routes. Phataginus tricuspis was the most commonly identified species (88.8%) from the seizure samples, and 84.3% of these P. tricuspis individuals were likely sourced from western central Africa. We expect the implementation of the techniques presented in this paper will improve enforcement of pangolin trafficking crimes.

Exploring the chemical composition and corrosion patterns of arrowheads used in the Siege of Motya (397 BC) through a multi-analytical approach

• A set of arrowheads attributed to the siege of Motya are studied. • X-ray maps showed a complex zoning of the elements. • SEM and EMPA showed the occurrence of Cu-Sn alloys and leaded bronzes. • Liesegang phenomenon is recognized in conical shaped arrowhead. • Copper trihydroxichlorides are identified in all arrowheads. This study examines a set of bronze arrowheads involved in the Siege of Motya (Italy) and aims to determine their microstructures, corrosion patterns and production techniques using Scanning Electron Microscope, X-ray maps, Electron Microprobe Analysis and X-ray diffraction. The arrowheads characterized by plane and conical shapes are made from Cu-Sn-alloy, featuring Liesegang rings with streaks of Sn-oxide interposed between Cu 2 O and Cu 2 (OH) 3 Cl layers. Those of pyramidal or lanceolate shapes are made from Cu-Pb-Sn alloy and contain different corrosive products triggered by exposure to high levels of chloride-rich conditions. These results have highlighted an interesting correlation between alloy microstructures, compositions, typology and geographic provenance, and thus provide new insight on the weaponry and poliorcetics of the Syracusan army that led to the defeat of Motya in 397/6 BC.

Inference of origin of Pterocarpus timber by chemical profiling of ambient ionization mass spectra

In Pterocarpus, three out of 46 tree species (P. erinaceus, P. santalinus, and P. tinctorius) are listed as endangered and protected under Appendix II of CITES, and the status of several Pterocarpus species suggests that more will find a place on CITES in the future. As unsustainable forest exploitation has increased, regulations for timber traceability have also increased with the creation of such laws as the 2005 Lacey Act in the United States (Lacey Act, 2005) and the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) in 2013. These laws were implemented to ensure that members of the timber trade operated in accordance with guidelines and practiced due diligence, with the goal of halting illegal timber imports (FAO, 2016). Unfortunately, the illegal timber trade remains prevalent and has progressed into the third largest transnational crime (Mavrellis, 2017). To combat the prevalence of illegal timber, researchers have utilized Direct Analysis in Real Time Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (DART-TOFMS). With the success found using DART-TOFMS for species identification, we investigated whether the method could be used to identify the original geographic region of timber through analysis of 211 samples taken from 12 Pterocarpus species taken from the Neotropics, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. We found that analysis using DART-TOFMS could identify the broad geographical provenances of the timber with an accuracy of 98%. This research demonstrated that DART-TOFMS can be used to detect the phytochemical trends that exist between timber species occupying broad geographic regions.

Seedling Response to Simulated Browsing and Reduced Water Availability: Insights for Assisted Migration Plantations

To facilitate forest transition to future climate conditions, managers can use adaptive silvicultural tools, for example the assisted translocation of tree species and genotypes to areas with suitable future climate conditions (i.e., assisted migration). Like traditional plantations, however, assisted migration plantations are at risk of failure because of browsing by ungulate herbivores. The ability of seedlings to tolerate browsing could also be hampered by low water availability, as is expected under climate change. Using a greenhouse experiment with five eastern North American tree species, we evaluated the effects of simulated winter browsing and reduced water availability on the growth (total biomass, shoot:root ratio), survival, and chemical composition (nitrogen, total phenolics, flavonoids) of seedlings. We compared seedlings from three geographic provenances representing three climate analogues, i.e., locations with a current climate similar to the climate predicted at the plantation site at a specific time (here: current, mid-century and end of the century). We hypothesized that seedlings would allocate resources to the system (shoots or roots) affected by the most limiting treatment (simulated browsing or reduced water availability). Additionally, we evaluated whether the combination of treatments would have an additive or non-additive effect on the growth, survival and chemical composition of the seedlings. Quercus rubra seedlings reacted only to the water reduction treatment (changes in biomass and N concentration, dependent on geographic provenance) while Pinus strobus reacted only to the simulated browsing treatment (biomass and chemical composition). We also observed non-additive effects of reduced water availability and simulated browsing on Prunus serotina, Acer saccharum and Thuja occidentalis. In general, shoot:root ratio and investment in chemical defense did not vary in response to treatments. The regrowth response observed in Q. rubra and A. saccharum suggests that these species could tolerate periodic browsing events, even when water availability is reduced. More information is required to understand their long-term tolerance to repeated browsing events and to harsher and more frequent water stress. We highlight the importance of species-specific growth and allocation responses that vary with geographic provenance, which should be considered by managers when planning climate-adapted strategies, such as assisted migration.

Fatty Acids Evaluation by Principal Component Analysis for the Traceability of Sicilian and Calabrian Olive Oils

Background and Objectives: In this article, a comprehensive study was carried out for Sicilian and Calabrian olive oils authenticity evaluation through chemometric analyses, correlating botanical and geographical origins with the samples' chemical composition. Methods: A total of eighteen Sicilian and Calabrian (southern Italy) olive oil samples were analyzed through gas chromatography (GC). Results: The fatty acids concentration in the investigated samples followed the subsequent order: oleic (C18:1) &gt; palmitic (C16) &gt; linoleic (C18:2) &gt; stearic (C18) &gt; palmitoleic (C16:1) &gt; linoleic (C18:3). The 2D Scatterplot (Principal Component Analysis) showed that, among the analyzed oils, six clusters stand out, which seem to consistently group samples in relation to the cultivars and cultivation areas that share the territorial proximity (same province). Conclusions: Experimental results demonstrated that it is possible to strictly relate, through the PCA, olive oils to their geographical and botanical provenance, thus becoming a useful tool for evaluating product authenticity and guaranteeing it to the consumers.