Southern Plateau Research Articles

Industrial Symbiosis and Circular Economy Practices Towards Sustainability in Forest-Based Clusters: Case Studies in Southern Brazil

This study aimed to investigate how Industrial Symbiosis (IS) built around thermoelectric power plants (TPPs) located in forest-based clusters in the southern plateau region of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, can stimulate the adoption of circular economy (CE) practices. Data were collected to identify the presence of forest-based clusters and the purchase and sale of logs, processed wood, and forest residues from companies within the clusters, and to investigate CE practices using the ReSOLVE framework adopted in two TPPs, which used residues and black liquor as fuel. The results indicate that the nature of the forest-based activities enhances the formation of clusters, especially when TPPs use forest residues for energy production with IS intensified in this process. Brazil has 140 TTPs that use forest biomass with the capacity to generate 5.5 million wK. Three clusters were identified in the study region with purchase and sale, respectively, of logs (78.6 and 100%), processed wood (75 and 66.7%), and wood residues (45.5 and 83.3%) within the region. The case studies indicated the strong occurrence of CE practices in the cases analyzed that contribute to four of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) proposed by the United Nations (7, 8, 9, and 12).

Satellite Based Composite Weather Insurance Product for assessing mid-term adversary

The present study formulated a satellite-based rainfall insurance product (SRIP) at sub-seasonal scale during 2015–2020 by integrating meteorological, geophysical and vegetation index products e.g. rainfall (CHIRPS:Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station), soil moisture (SMAP), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI) from moderate resolution imaging spectro-radiometer (MODIS). The SRIP was meticulously designed to integrate both cause (rainfall) and impact (NDVI, NDWI, soil moisture) parameters to enhance the assessment of min-season crop risks, with a particular emphasis on deficit rainfall. The performance evaluation of SRIP was conducted in two distinct agro-climatic zones viz. Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh (Upper Gangetic Plain Region) and Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh (Southern Plateau and Hills Region) spanned from June to October, which aligns with the major crop-growing season corresponding to the Southwest monsoon period in India. Three sets of SRIPs were investigated i.e. SRIP with cause parameter (SRIP1), SRIP with cause-impact parameters with no lag response (SRIP2) and SRIP with cause-impact parameters with one-month lag response (SRIP3). The SRIP was structured to provide a numerical index on a scale ranging from 0 to 1, representing poor to good crop-growing conditions that could effectively identify the rainfall deficit threshold (SRIP≤0.43) corresponding to negative percent deviation in rainfall (PDR≤−20%). This threshold level was recognized for compensation of triggers at the multiple crop growth phases during the crop-growing season. The district average of SRIP and PDR showed fair correlation co-efficient (0.77 ≤ r ≤ 0.88). Good correlation between sub-seasonal (monthly, bi-monthly, tri-monthly) SRIP and normalized MODIS Gross Primary Productivity (0.65 ≤ r ≤ 0.98), and SRIP deviation and yield deviation (0.45 ≤ r ≤ 0.97) reflect sensitivity of SRIP to crop carbon productivity and crop yield. The findings of the present study recommend SRIP not only a multi-phase composite index for assessing mid-season crop risks in terms of rainfall deficit for clusters of insurance units, but it has the potential to be used by insurance agencies to settle the claims by farmers in a transparent and faster manner for crop loss due to large-scale rainfall deficits. However, SRIP needs to be customized in future to make it more adaptable to settle insurance claims due to weather adversaries at individual farm level.

Evaluation of rabi season sesame productivity from graded nutrient doses and tillage regimes in rice fallows of southern plateau and hills region of the Indian sub-continent.

Only scattered information is available on the tillage and nutrient management information for the sesame crop following rice in the literature. Sesame as an edible oil yielding crop with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids has high international demand due to superior health benefits. Being a small seeded crop, it requires standard tillage and nutrient management to obtain optimum productivity under rice fallow ecologies. As a sequential crop after rice harvest, the tillage and nutrient management practices followed for the preceding rice have astounding effects on the succeeding sesame crop. To better understand and manipulate the agro ecology in the rice fallow culture, it is necessary to study the behaviour of sesame cultivars, in relation to the tillage requirements and macro nutrient factors that have a bearing on the productivity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the productivity of rice fallow sesame in the southern plateau and hills regions of the Indian sub-continent (Tamil Nadu) with a hypothesis that tillage and nutrient management would immensely benefit the sesame crop. Field experiments were conducted at TNAU, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduturai, Tamil Nadu during 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 with tillage practices (reduced tillage, conventional tillage and zero tillage) and fertilizer doses (zero percent RDF, 25% RDF, 50% RDF, 75% RDF and 100% RDF) in a split plot design replicated thrice. The results have clearly indicated that the performance of rice fallow sesame was poor under zero till conditions as the sesame crop is poorly adapted leading to a yield penalty up to 68%. A total of 75% RDF has yielded statistically similar yield to that of 100% RDF to the rice fallow sesame. Further, neither the oil content nor the fatty acid composition was modified by tillage and nutrient management regimes.

Catastrophic outburst floods along the middle Yarlung Tsangpo River: Responses to coupled fault and glacial activity on the Southern Tibetan Plateau

The immense outburst floods that have occurred on the Tibetan Plateau during the Late Quaternary are closely linked to tectonic and climatic factors. These floods likely induced very rapid, short-term geomorphic impacts on the evolution of mountain drainage systems and patterns of sedimentary movement. In this study, four glacially-dammed lake outburst flood events that occurred along the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River since the Middle Pleistocene were reconstructed by combining comprehensive geomorphic, stratigraphic and geochronologic investigations. The most recent outburst flood sequence occurred at ∼10.5 ka, with a peak discharge of ∼5 × 105 m3/s. The tilted uplift of the Cona Normal Fault has resulted in localized topographic lift and the formation of river knickpoints, contributing to the development and stabilization of glacial dams. River damming and outburst events have also been influenced by glacial-interglacial climate fluctuations since the Middle Pleistocene. The focused erosion and extensive mobilization of sediment by these low-frequency, high-energy floods have resulted in a repeated pattern of material transport and deposition from the Tibetan Plateau interior to its exterior. Coupled with glacial activity, the primary factor impacting the sustained stability of knickpoints on the Yarlung Tsangpo River along the Tibetan plateau's southern margin has been differential rock uplift, which results in a distinct geomorphic pattern characterized by knickpoints, glacial dams and alternating wide valleys and deep gorges.

Lake-centred sedentary lifestyle of early Tibetan Plateau Indigenous populations at high elevation 4,400 years ago.

The onset of sedentism on the Tibetan Plateau is often presumed to be associated with the dispersal of agriculture or farmers from archaeological sites located in the low elevation margins of the plateau. Previous studies of the plateau assumed that all foragers were probably mobile, but few systematic excavations at forager sites have been conducted to inform us about their settlement patterns. Here we report the world's highest elevation sedentary way of living exhibited by the Mabu Co site at 4,446 metres above sea level, deep in the interior of the Tibetan Plateau 4,400-4,000 years ago. Our interdisciplinary study indicates that the site was occupied by Indigenous inhabitants of the plateau, representing the earliest known DNA evidence of foragers who predominantly harbour the southern plateau ancestry. The evidence shows that they had a sedentary lifestyle primarily supported by fishing at nearby lakes, supplemented by mammal and bird hunting, as well as small-scale exchanges of millet and rice crops.

Miocene radiolarian assemblages from the submarine Vityaz Ridge, Northwest Pacific: Biostratigraphy and paleoceanography

This study presents the first data on radiolarian fauna from Miocene deposits of the submarine Vityaz Ridge (SVR) and paraxial zone of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. Twenty-two dredge samples were studied, and 214 radiolarian taxa were identified. Taxonomic composition allowed their assignment to Miocene assemblage zones, including Lipmanella japonica conica-Gondwanaria dogieli, Pentactinosphaera hokurikuensis, Dendrospyris sakaii, Eucyrtidium inflatum Subzone a, Lychnocanoma magnacornuta, and Lychnocanoma parallelipes zones. These radiolarian assemblages correlate with studied sequences of many deep-sea cores in the northern Pacific and some sections of onshore Japan. As a result, we designed a biostratigraphic scheme of Miocene radiolarians for the SVR and reconstructed the environmental conditions in this area. In particular, two Miocene climatic optima that were previously established in the northern Pacific were identified in the Middle and Upper Miocene sediments of the southern plateau and Middle Miocene sediments of the northern plateau of the SVR.

Agricultural drought risk assessment in Southern Plateau and Hills using multi threshold run theory

Agricultural drought in this study is characterized and assessed using the Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSMI). Employing run theory with three thresholds, SSMI identifies grid-wise drought events, quantifying them in terms of peak, frequency, duration and intensity. To evaluate SSMI's performance in assessing drought risk, a comparison is made with the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Spatially, frequency aligns with duration for both indices, indicating regions with longer drought events also experience more frequent occurrences. Meteorological droughts in SPH from 1991 to 2020 are found to be more intense, frequent, longer-lasting, but less severe. Spatially heterogeneous drought events are identified by both indices, with SSMI proving a reliable indicator of drought risk, similar to SPEI. Archimedean copula functions reveal high joint occurrences of various drought characteristics, suggesting significant correlations. The results show that the joint occurrences of duration and peak, intensity and frequency, and duration and peak are all high. This insight is crucial for enhancing drought risk management and developing more effective warning systems.

Species diversity and distribution-pattern determinants of African rivulines (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) in rainforest streams of southern Cameroon

Understanding the community structure and ecology of fish populations in rainforest streams is a prerequisite for any actions towards their exploitation, management or conservation. We examined the community structure and species diversity of nothobranchiids (African rivulines) in rainforest streams of Cameroon’s southern plateau and part of the coastal plain, using data on 19 environmental variables for ecological indices and multivariate analyses. In total, 1 019 individual cyprinodontiforms assigned to 14 species (largely species of Aphyosemion) were collected, for a global sampling effort of 78.6%. The presence of nothobranchiids in the study area was associated with several local environmental factors common to all sampling sites, mainly canopy cover above the watercourse and physicochemical characteristics of the stream habitat. Distribution of the species was strongly spatially structured, driven by the site’s elevation and the water temperature, and influenced primarily by the riparian vegetation, substrate type, water conductivity and flow velocity. However, fish species richness did not differ significantly between the five sectors sampled and by elevation. The nothobranchiid communities were highly diverse (Shannon’s H′ = 2.28 ± 0.05; Pielou’s J = 0.87) and the species evenly distributed. Seven species were exclusive to a single sector, others were prevalent in multiple sectors, and no species was common to all sectors. Affinities between species were relatively few, though there were exceptions, and most species tended to exclude each other. These findings highlight nothobranchiids as local fish assemblages having high biotic integrity and responsiveness to environmental degradation. In tropical Africa, these fishes often occupy fragile habitats influenced by anthropogenic activities. A better understanding of the unifying role of habitat in ecology will assist management efforts to promote biodiversity conservation.

НОВЫЕ ИЗОТОПНО-ГЕОХИМИЧЕСКИЕ ДАННЫЕ ПО КАЙНОЗОЙСКОМУ ВУЛКАНИЗМУ И ГЕОДИНАМИКЕ ПОДВОДНОГО ХРЕБТА ВИТЯЗЯ (ТИХООКЕАНСКИЙ СКЛОН КУРИЛЬСКОЙ ОСТРОВНОЙ ДУГИ)

Original analytical data on rare elements and radiogenic Nd and Pb isotopes in volcanic rocks of the Southern and southwestern part of the Northern Plateau of the underwater Vityaz Ridge are presented. Interpretation of these data and a comparative analysis with published materials on volcanic rocks from the southern and northern parts of the Kuril Island Arc (KOD), which formed on two basement blocks of different genetic nature, allow us to draw the following conclusions. The tholeiite varieties of volcanic rocks of the Southern Plateau and the southern part of the KOD have similar isotope-geochemical features, which point at the general geodynamic conditions of formation and the identical degree of influence of low-temperature fluid on magma-generating processes. The geochemistry of the volcanic rocks of the Northern Plateau, which are mainly represented by subalkaline varieties, indicates a more pronounced participation of the mantle component in magmagenesis and a greater degree of influence of high-temperature melt compared to the rocks of the Southern Plateau, but less compared to the rocks of the northern part of the arc. The volcanics of both plateaus are derivatives of a single mantle source, the MORB of the Indian Ocean (Indian MORB), and were formed together with the rocks of the southern part of the KOD within the lithospheric block transformed by tectonomagmatic processes that accompanied the opening of the Kuril Basin.

Loess Strata Distribution Characteristics and Paleoclimate Spatial Pattern during the Last Interglacial in the Luohe River Basin

Paleoclimate studies of loess in China have focused mostly on the time series of a single borehole or profile. However, research on loess strata and regional paleoenvironmental patterns could facilitate a deeper understanding of loess as a paleoenvironmental indicator and provide new insights into interpreting loess in sedimentary records of the paleoclimate. In this study, we determined the spatial pattern and regional characteristics of the paleoclimate during the Last Interglacial period in the Luohe River Basin, Shaanxi Province, China. We selected four representative boreholes in the study area (ZK04, ZK18, ZK13, and ZK19) from different landforms and zones, distributed from the northwest to the southeast, as well as three classic profiles (JB, JD, and LC). From north to south, comparative analyses were conducted of the loess strata, magnetic susceptibility, and grain size, and we analyzed the distribution characteristics of loess and paleosols in different geomorphological regions. The results showed that both the thickness and the sedimentation rate of loess in this river basin decreased from north to south. There were few paleosol horizons in the northern Liangmao area, but numerous such horizons in the southern plateau, and the degree of paleosol development increased from north to south. The magnetic susceptibility increased, whereas the particle composition tended to become thinner from north to south. The climate fluctuations of the Last Glacial recorded by the loess and paleosols in different regions were inconsistent.

Indian plate blocked by the thickened Eurasian crust in the middle of the continental collision zone of southern Tibet

The relationship of the crustal contact between the Indian and Eurasian plates is a key issue in understanding crustal thickening and the subduction of the Indian lithosphere beneath the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Across the middle of the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture (YZS), we deployed an ∼450-km-long SN-trending wide-angle reflection/refraction profile to observe the P-wave velocity (vP) structure beneath the northern Himalaya and the southern plateau. Our results show that, 1. the high vP (∼7.1 ​km/s) indicates that the Indian lower crust extends no more than 50 ​km north of the YZS. 2. The lower crust beneath the southern part of the plateau features an extremely low vP (<6.7 ​± ​0.2 ​km/s). 3. Compared with the velocities of several typical crustal lithologies in different temperature regimes, the low vP in the lower crust can be explained by felsic-intermediate granulite, which has prevented the lower crust from further eclogitization. We propose that the dip angle of the Indian lithospheric slab beneath the YZS is partly controlled by the composition of the lower crust of the plateau. In the northern middle YZS, the crust of the southern plateau is too thick and blocks the northward advancement of the Indian lower crust, resulting in the subduction of the Indian lithospheric slab into the upper mantle. The lower crust in western and eastern Lhasa is dominated by a mafic composition, and it was delaminated after eclogitization before the Miocene. The void zone generated by delamination favors the flattening and underthrusting of the Indian lower crust.

Crustal structure of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas revealed from ambient noise tomography

How the Tibetan Plateau deformed in the Indian-Eurasian continental collision has been long debated, more specifically, over the relationship between the deep processes and surface structural complexity. Here, we use ambient noise tomography to obtain a high-resolution crustal S-wave velocity model beneath the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas involving a comprehensive dataset from over 500 stations. Our images reveal that the crustal flow should be in a limited scale according to the intermittent low-velocity zones (LVZs) observed in the middle crust at 20–40-km depth of the Tibetan Plateau. The distributions and strengths of LVZs further imply that different deep processes promote the surface deformation in various regions of the Tibetan Plateau. The LVZs in the northern plateau, collocated potassic magmatism and low velocity anomalies in the upper mantle, should be originated from the lithospheric delamination. However, in the southern plateau, the S-wave velocity showed an apparent lateral segmentation feature correlated with the north–south trending rifts. The feature indicates that the LVZs were likely controlled by the lateral tearing of the subducted Indian mantle lithosphere, which promotes the rifting deformation. Moreover, the LVZ in the central Tibet should have contributed to the formation of the conjugate strike-slip fault system. In the Tarim Basin, our model showed a high-velocity anomaly in the lower crust that may be related to ancient mantle plume activity.

Gully erosion model of the archaeological site of Eridu Ziggurat in the southern plateau of Iraq using RS-GIS technology

The metamorphic processes represented by the process of erosion of the grooves by rainwater is one of the most important processes that affect the structure of the archaeological hills, including the site of Zaqra Eridu. This worked on the activity of rain erosion operations during the rainy season of the year. The problem of the research is whether rain erosion leaves grooves that distort the facades or remnants of the Eridu ziggurat area, and can the severity and degree of erosion erosion be measured within the site of the study area using GIS technology, and is it possible to provide means of protection and maintenance of the archaeological site from the processes of gully erosion. The spatial analytical approach will be adopted and the mathematical quantitative approach based on the extrapolation and analysis of geographical data will be adopted, as well as the use of the descriptive approach. In order to achieve this goal, a field survey will be postponed to discover the site of the Eridu Ziggurat by observing and observing the grooves that the region was exposed to, preparing a digital spatial database for the region and building The digital elevation model, as well as building a gully erosion model, its degree and intensity for the location of the study area. GIS technology, in addition to providing a practical study and a spatial database, the results of which benefit from the General Authority for Antiquities of Dhi Qar Governorate. The study shows that the ziggurat of Arduwa is located within a range of a complex drainage network that reaches the sixth rank, and it is also guaranteed that it penetrates with a network of high density (340-580 m / km 2) according to the classification of the density of the river beds, and therefore it suffered from being cut by grooves that showed its buried features under the surface of the earth on one side Its outer walls were smashed on the other hand, that is, it is within the range of high erosion within the category (1501-2700) according to the degrees of erosion of Berkisma. This study seeks to preserve archaeological sites by following planning standards for their maintenance and restoration and exploitation of the attractions of archaeological tourism.

Comparative Analysis of Statistical and Machine Learning Techniques for Rice Yield Forecasting for Chhattisgarh, India

Crop yield forecasting before harvesting is critical for the creation, implementation, and optimization of policies related to food safety as well as for agro-product storage and marketing. Crop growth and development are influenced by the weather. Therefore, models using weather variables can provide reliable predictions of crop yields. It can be tough to select the best crop production forecasting model. Therefore, in this study, five alternative models, viz., stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR), an artificial neural network (ANN), the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), an elastic net (ELNET), and ridge regression, were compared in order to discover the best model for rice yield prediction. The outputs from individual models were used to build ensemble models using the generalized linear model (GLM), random forest (RF), cubist and ELNET methods. For the previous 21 years, historical rice yield statistics and meteorological data were collected for three districts under three separate agro-climatic zones of Chhattisgarh, viz., Raipur in the Chhattisgarh plains, Surguja in the northern hills, and Bastar in the southern plateau. The models were calibrated using 80% of these datasets, and the remaining 20% was used for the validation of models. The present study concluded that for rice crop yield forecasting, the performance of the ANN was good for the Raipur (Rcal2 = 1, Rval2= 1 and RMSEcal = 0.002, RMSEval = 0.003) and Surguja (Rcal2 = 1, Rval2= 0.99 and RMSEcal = 0.004, RMSEval = 0.214) districts as compared to the other models, whereas for Bastar, ELNET (Rcal2 = 90, Rval2= 0.48) and LASSO (Rcal2 = 93, Rval2= 0.568) performed better. The performance of the ensemble model was better compared to the individual models. For Raipur and Surguja, the performance of all the ensemble methods was comparable, whereas for Bastar, random forest (RF) performed better, with R2 = 0.85 and 0.81 for calibration and validation, respectively, as compared to the GLM, cubist, and ELNET approach.

Rinorea spongiocarpa and Rinorea dimakoensis (Violaceae), new threatened species of forest trees from East and South Regions of Cameroon and Gabon

SummaryTwo tree species are described as new to science: Rinorea spongiocarpa Achound. sp. nov. (placed in Rinorea [unranked] Brachypetalae) and R. dimakoensis Achound. sp. nov. (placed in Rinorea [unranked] Ilicifolieae). Both species occur in Cameroon, south of the Sanaga river, the first from South and East Regions, occurring in evergreen forest from Ngovayang and Lolodorf across the southern plateau to the Dja forest. The second extends also to Gabon, occurring in Cameroon in the northern part of East Region in semi-deciduous forest towards the interface with woodland habitats in the Dimako-Bertoua area. The two species are mapped and illustrated, and their affinities and conservation status according to the 2012 IUCN categories and criteria are discussed. Both R. spongiocarpa and R. dimakoensis are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction, both are assessed as Vulnerable.

Assessment of Seed Yielding Potential of Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea) under Southern Plateau Zone of India

Background: Sunnhemp is an important bast fibre crop suitable for diversified uses. Recently, its cultivation has started expanding considerably throughout the world particularly for its potential usage in sustainable farming and in reducing use of synthetic fertilizers from agricultural system. Seed production and fibre production are mutually exclusive in sunnhemp because of different photo-period requirements for these purposes and destructive fibre extraction process. The major limitation in sunnhemp popularization cultivation is availability of seed. In this context, present study was undertaken to identify proper sowing time and suitable cultivars, and find correlation of seed yield with weather parameters for Telangana state of India. Methods: Three dates of sowing and six cultivars were tested in split-plot design over two years i.e., 2019-20 and 2020-21. Pooled data over two years were analyzed for important seed yield related traits. Result: The analysis of variance revealed significant influences of sowing dates, cultivars and their interaction on majority of the traits. Among three sowing dates, 2nd week of September was the best suited for seed yield and related traits. The cultivar SUIN 037 recorded maximum seed yield followed by SUIN 053. Among different combinations of treatment, the cultivars SUIN 037 and SH 4 sown during 2nd week of September resulted in maximum and comparable seed yield. The correlation and regression studies showed that the weather parameters had significant influences on yield attributes of sunnhemp.

The Hill Cumorah: Restoring a Sacred Site

The Hill Cumorah: Restoring a Sacred Site

New Entities ofPaspalumand a Synopsis of the Dilatata Group

Abstract—New entities in the allopolyploid Dilatata complex ofPaspalumare formally described and illustrated. Three sexual tetraploids formerly subsumed underPaspalum dilatatumare recognized as discrete taxonomic entities:P. plurinerveandP. vacarianumare described as new species, andP. dilatatumsubsp.flavescensis upgraded to species rank asP. flavescens.BothP. vacarianumandP. plurinerveare distributed in the Brazilian southern Plateau (Planalto Meridional), in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the first one in the eastern region and the second one in the western region including adjacent areas of NE Argentina.Paspalum flavescensis distributed in southeastern Uruguay and the provinces of Buenos Aires and Córdoba (Argentina). The apomictic allohexaploidP. torrense, distributed along the coastal areas of the Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná, and adjacent regions along the edge of the southern Plateau, also deserves specific status, whereas two further hexaploid biotypes are differentiated from the pentaploidP. dilatatumvar.dilatatumand described asPaspalum dilatatumvar.chiruandP. dilatatumvar.uruguaianense.Paspalum dilatatumvar.chiruis restricted to a small area around the locality of Molles Grande, in the department of Paysandú, Uruguay; whereasP. dilatatumvar.uruguaianenseis distributed in the SW of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and northern Uruguay. The Dilatata group ofPaspalumis thus comprised of 8 species and 3 varieties, which are summarized here and for which an identification key is provided.

A new species of Diplatys (Insecta, Dermaptera, Diplatyidae) earwig from the Western Ghats of India.

To explore diversity of earwigs (Dermaptera) in different agricultural ecosystems of South India, an extensive taxonomic survey was conducted in 2020 during which an undescribed species of Diplatys was collected. Twenty-one species of the genus Diplatys (Diplatyidae, Diplatyinae) have been reported to date from India, of which six species are known from Karnataka, South India. Based on a male specimen collected from a sugarcane field in Karnataka, a new species, Diplatyssahyadriensissp. nov., is described as the twenty-second species of this genus from India. A revised key to the males of Diplatys species from India and Sri Lanka is provided. This new record adds to the known species diversity in the Sahyadri Ranges of the Western Ghats in Shivamogga District, Karnataka, part of the Southern Plateau and Hills agro-climatic region of India.

New chronological constraints on the Plio-Pleistocene uplift of the Guizhou Plateau, SE margin of the Tibetan Plateau

The Guizhou Plateau represents a geomorphic transition between the Tibetan Plateau and the Yangtze River Plain. It likely formed in response to the propagation of surface uplift in southeastern Tibet during India-Eurasia continental collision. However, the uplift history of the region is unclear largely due to a lack of datable material. The bedrock geology is dominated by carbonate rocks, which contains numerous multi-level caves in the main river valleys that are linked to the river incision history. Cosmogenic 26 Al and 10 Be burial dating of sediments in caves and river terraces from the northwestern and southern plateau reveals the fluvial chronology and provides the first direct determination of long-term river incision rates. The caves and terraces on the Liuchong River in NW Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.41 ± 0.12 Ma and 2.85 ± 0.21 Ma, indicating an average incision rate of 57 ± 3 m/Ma. Four level caves at Libo in southern Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.56 ± 0.16 Ma and 3.54 (+0.25/-0.22) Ma, indicating slightly slower incision rate (47 ± 5 m/Ma). These new results imply that the high elevation of the Guizhou Plateau had developed before the Late Pliocene, and that surface uplift during the Late Cenozoic was largely uniform across the region.