Southern Forest Research Articles

Revealing the mismatch in the response to warm-wetting climate of vegetation greenness and primary productivity using MODIS GPP/LAI in Nepal

Abstract The increasingly warm-wetting climate has gradually promoted vegetation greenness on the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding region, yet the specific mechanisms driving this change in high-altitude mountainous areas remain unclear. This study, using Nepal as a case study, investigated the spatial and temporal impacts of hydro-climatic factors on leaf area index (LAI) and gross primary productivity (GPP), as well as the coupling degree of GPP-LAI expressed as the correlation coefficient (R 2) of these trends from 2003 to 2020. The results indicated both GPP and LAI increased significantly more during the dry season than the rainy season in Nepal, but the coupling degree of GPP-LAI in Nepal showed distinct seasonal and elevational differences. Relative to low coupling degree in high and low elevation regions, a higher yet gradually decreasing coupling degree was demonstrated in the mid high regions of central Nepal. By analyzing the effects of elevational profiles, this study revealed that temperature and solar radiation exhibited significant negative correlations with GPP in the southern and central forests at mid elevation, while suggesting a positive correlation in the high mountain alpine forests, which mitigated the limiting effects of precipitation constraints on GPP during the dry season. And the decreased temperature and precipitation had negative impacts on treeline deviation, which led to spatial variations in treeline deviation and coupling degree on either side of the 83°E in the Nepalese Himalayan alpine forests. Additionally, trends of shrubland in GPP and LAI growth reflected adaptations to a warmer and wetter climate. The study about spatio-temporal variation in response to warm-wetting climate, affected by seasons and elevations, offers a scientific basis for the adaptation and conservation of alpine vegetation in Nepal.

Comparison of shortwave radiation dynamics between boreal forest and open peatland pairs in southern and northern Finland

Comparison of shortwave radiation dynamics between boreal forest and open peatland pairs in southern and northern Finland

Productivity of fodder grasses in the conditions of the Southern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Productivity of fodder grasses in the conditions of the Southern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Productivity of varieties of spring vetch (Vicia sativa L.) in the conditions of the Southern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Productivity of varieties of spring vetch (Vicia sativa L.) in the conditions of the Southern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

The Impact of Imported Timber Price Fluctuations on the Margins of Wood Forest Product Exports: Empirical Evidence from Provincial-Level Data in China

This paper adopts a comprehensive approach to integrating the wood forest product trade of China's provinces with the global market, utilizing over four million records of trade data from the Chinese Customs database and the United Nations Trade and Commerce database, creating a three-dimensional panel dataset structured by year—province—importing country. The paper decomposes the export trade share into extensive margin, quantity margin, and price margin, collectively referred to as the ternary margins of export, to analyze the impact of imported timber price fluctuations on these export margins of wood forest products. The findings indicate that fluctuations in imported timber prices increase uncertainty, thereby suppressing the growth of China's wood forest product export share, extensive margin, and quantity margin while increasing the price margin. Heterogeneity tests further reveal that the impact of imported timber price fluctuations is more pronounced for southern forest regions, labor-intensive wood products, and countries without a free trade agreement. Mechanism tests suggest that increasing forestry fixed asset investment intensity and enhancing timber supply capacity can help mitigate the uncertainty effects associated with imported timber price fluctuations. The paper proposes policy implications, including enhancing local timber supply resilience, strengthening government support for forestry, and reinforcing the supply chain.

Амулеты-натуралии именьковской культуры (III–VII вв.)

This article examines animal bone amulets, a distinct category of artifacts from the Imenkovo culture (3rd–7th centuries CE) in the Middle Volga region. These amulets, minimally modified beyond perforation, were crafted from the bones of both wild and domesticated animals. Wild animal bone amulets were likely linked to hunting magic rituals, while astragali from domesticated animals (cattle, sheep/goat, and pig) may have served as divination tools or gaming pieces (knucklebones). The species composition of wild animals used for amulets likely reflects specific cultural preferences. During the early Middle Ages, amulets made from beaver talus bones and bear canines were widespread across the forest zone from the Urals to the Baltic. In contrast, marten mandibles were predominantly found in the Ural region, while hare limb bones appeared in steppe nomadic burials. The Imenkovo people utilized all these amulet types in roughly equal proportions, highlighting cultural interactions between groups in the southern forest and forest-steppe zones of the Volga region during the Migration Period.

Distinct responses of climate-growth and iWUE in Fagus sylvatica L. at two low elevation sites in southern Italy

In this study, using a dendrological and isotopic approaches, we investigated the responses to climate of two pure Fagus sylvatica L. stands (Campobraca and Falode) in the southernmost part of the distribution range in southern Italy. The δ13C data were used for calculating the intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) as a proxy of the balance between the water and carbon cycles. The results showed that the iWUE of both stands was sensitive to the amount of precipitation during the summer months (negative, significant effect) and to atmospheric CO2 concentration. Growth was sensitive to climate only in the Campo Braca site; the most influential variables were the VPD (vapour pressure deficit) and precipitation of the summer months that had a negative and a positive effect, respectively. The iWUE showed a negative correlation with growth in Campo Braca and a non-significant one in Falode. Water availability was the most influential variable on F. sylvatica growth and physiology. The iWUE increase was mainly driven by atmospheric CO2 concentration, and by decreased precipitation, as a response of the trees to drought. Our results highlight the importance of understanding the hydrological changes due to climate change for forecasting/modelling forest responses. CO2 increase does not compensate for the effect of adverse climate on F. sylvatica in the forests of southern Italy, while local conditions play an important role in determining tree growth.

MOLYBDENUM AND COPPER IN THE SOYBEAN FERTILIZER SYSTEM

Background. In modern agriculture, the improvement of zonal technology for cultivating crops, including soybeans, taking into account new knowledge in the field of agrochemistry is of urgent importance. Purpose. To study the effect of presowing treatment of seeds with molybdenum and copper on the yield and quality of soybean seeds. Materials and methods. The research was carried out in 2022-2023 on the experimental field of the Laboratory of agrochemistry of the Omsk Agricultural Research Center in a long-term stationary experiment based on grain-steam crop rotation. Two–factor experience: factor A - fertilizer application options: 1) without fertilizers; 2) pre-sowing seed treatment (POS) with ammonium molybdate (Mo); 3) POS Mo + Cu; 4) POS Mo + inoculation of seeds with Rhizotorphin; 5) POS Mo + Cu + inoculation. Factor B is the main application of mineral fertilizers: 1) Without fertilizers (background 0); 2) fertilization (background N30P30). The soil of the experimental site is meadow-chernozem medium-humus medium-thick heavy loamy, the content of mobile phosphorus is average, exchangeable potassium is high (according to Chirikov), the availability of available forms of molybdenum is average, copper is low. The photosynthetic productivity of crops and the symbiotic ability of soybean plants, as well as the protein and fat content in seeds, and crop productivity were empirically determined depending on the factors studied. Results. It was found that the maximum yield of soybeans was obtained by sowing it with seeds treated with risotrophin (strain 835) and molybdenum against the background of N30P30 application – 2.75 t/ha. Pre-sowing treatment of seeds with molybdenum has a significant effect on the photosynthetic productivity of crops (FPP), the foliage of plants increased by 30%. Intensification of leaf surface growth was determined by crop productivity, the dependence of yield on area and FPP was described by a polynomial dependence equation with a close correlation of features (r=0.74). For the conditions of the southern forest–steppe of Western Siberia, it was revealed that the maximum limit of the leaf area is 45 m2 thousand/ha, further increase in the leaf surface led to a decrease in crop productivity. The use of Rhizotorphin, even in the presence of spontaneous symbiotic microflora in the soil, is quite effective. The weight and number of nodules on soybean roots increased by 24; 41%, respectively. Conclusion. Studies have shown that when cultivating soybeans in the meadow-chernozem soil of the forest-steppe zone of the Omsk Irtysh region, sowing it with treated seeds with molybdenum and Rhizotorphin in combination with the main application of macro fertilizers is most effective.

Влияние абиотических факторов на продуктивность тростника Phragmites australis в озёрах юга Западной Сибири

The article presents the results of studying phytomass, stem height and density of thickets (herbage) of Phragmites australis, one of the most common aerial-aquatic plant in the south of Western Siberia. This region is distinguished by a rare combination of chloride, sulfate and soda lakes in a relatively small space. As an eurybiont, reed is highly resistant to water and soil salinity, but high salinity adversely affects its growth and development. The aim of the work was to assess the degree of abiotic factors (pH, mineralization) effect on the quantitative characteristics of reed growing in water bodies with different water mineralization: from 0.005 to 387.6 g/L. In total, we studied 59 freshwater, brackish-water (oligo-, meso- and polyhaline) and hypersaline water bodies, located in various natural zones (southern taiga, forest, forest-steppe, steppe and dry-steppe) in the south of Western Siberia. The studies were carried out in late July – early August from 2012 to 2020 during the period of maximum vegetation of plants. As a result of the studies, it is shown that the optimal for reed growth and development is water mineralization from 0.5 to 5.0 g/L, when the highest values of biomass and plant height are observed. A model based on redundancy analysis (RDA) was built and a correlation analysis was carried out to assess the dependence of phytomass, shoot height and herbage density on abiotic factors. We took into account pH, salinity, and Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, K+, HCO3-, Cl- and SO42- content. We found that pH and determined by Ca2+ water hardness are the limiting factors in freshwater lakes. In brackish-water meso- and polyhaline, as well as in saline hyperhaline water bodies reed phytomass is affected by a whole range of factors, while shoot height is affected by pH, chlorides, and water hardness, and grass stand density is affected by chlorides and sulfates.

The effect of habitat fragmentation on Malay tapir abundances in Thailand’s protected areas

Habitat loss and fragmentation in tropical regions are major threats to the persistence of endangered Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus). The Malay tapir distribution is largely constrained to fragmented habitats inside protected areas. However, it is unclear how the spatial patterns of habitat fragmentation affect its relative abundance. Here, we investigated the effects of habitat fragmentation on Malay tapir relative abundance in Thailand. We first quantified the spatial patterns of habitat fragmentation within nine of Thailand’s protected areas. Second, we assessed the relationship of fragmentation metrics and relative abundance of Malay tapirs. Third, we identified the relative importance of the fragmentation metrics in explaining relative abundance. We found that tapir abundance remained unexpectedly high in the Southern forest complex despite the fact that tapir habitats were significantly more fragmented there than in the protected area in the western forest complex (p < 0.05). Additionally, we found a significantly negative relation with clumpiness index (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.05). This suggests that other factors may also be influencing their populations, so that the Southern protected areas provide preferred habitat with higher relative proportions of moist evergreen forest, large habitat patch size, precipitation, and elevation. It highlights the importance of interconnected habitat for tapirs, and the benefit of conservation efforts in small, less recognized protected areas.

Is there variation in ten woody species reproductive phenology within the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot?

ABSTRACT Understanding reproductive phenology in tropical and subtropical forests is challenging. Thus, there are scarce large-scale phenological studies for those forests. Digitized herbarium collections can provide valuable information for understanding biological rhythms, e.g. timing of reproduction. Our aim was to verify the geographical variability of flowering and fruiting patterns and the effects of local climate on the reproductive phenology of woody species in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot. We used herbarium records compiled from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility – GBIF, speciesLink, JABOT, and the “Portal de Datos de Biodiversidad Argentina” as a main source of data to assess differences in reproductive phenology for 10 species with wide geographical distribution in the Atlantic Forest. Contrary to our expectations, we observed a non-seasonal reproductive phenology of all species and relations with temperature in the northern forests and to precipitation in the southern forests. When considered individually, there was no obvious relationship between phenophases and climatic factors. We expected that species occurring in a broad geographic distribution would change their biological rhythms related to local environmental factors, but it is likely that widely distributed species are abundant exactly because they are less dependent on biophysical characteristics of the environment. This is the first study comparing species located in the northern and southern regions of the Atlantic Forest using herbarium data, highlighting its importance to understand large scale ecological rhythms in tropical biomes.

Snails of ‘sky islands’ above an equatorial desert: Terrestrial molluscs on four isolated mountain ranges in northern Kenya

AbstractThe mountains of northern Kenya (Ndoto, Nyiro, Kulal and Marsabit) are separated by semi‐arid plains uninhabitable for most terrestrial molluscs (snails and slugs). Nevertheless, each “sky island” supports a little‐known forest mollusc fauna. The diversity and endemism of these faunas are addressed here based on surveys and the limited records available in the literature. In total 75 forest mollusc species and subspecies were found, including six previously undescribed Streptaxidae and many first records. Most previously recorded taxa were refound. The richness of faunas is broadly comparable to that of other Kenyan forests surveyed using similar methods (Ndoto 41 taxa, Nyiro 40, Kulal 33, Marsabit 34). A large proportion of the forest taxa (24 taxa, 29%) are endemic to Kenya north of the Mathews Range. More than half of these (14 taxa, 17% of the total) are known only from a single mountain range. At Nyiro, where different forest types were compared, fewer endemic species were found in Juniper forest than in other forest types. Moving northwards along the Ndoto‐Nyiro‐Kulal chain, diversity declines while endemism increases, perhaps reflecting increasing isolation from the southern forests, but the trends are not significant when Marsabit is included. Across the four ranges, neither diversity nor endemism is clearly linked to the isolation, maximum elevation, forest cover or geological origin of each range (Kulal and Marsabit are volcanoes, while Nyiro and Ndoto are uplifted basement rock). Instead, the unique circumstances of each range create a distinctive set of isolated faunas.

Forest degradation hinders soil fauna's contribution to litter decomposition and community dynamics in Andean temperate Nothofagus forests

Biodiversity losses driven by human disturbance hinder chief ecosystem functions like litter decomposition, among the most critical processes regulating forest ecosystems' carbon and nutrient cycles. Historical logging, wildfire, and ongoing livestock grazing pressure have degraded most southern temperate Nothofagus forests. Yet, the effect of forest degradation on soil fauna composition and, in turn, litter decomposition and nutrient cycling still need to be determined. This study aims to i) quantify the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition and mineralization of C, N, and P in Nothofagus sp. forest displaying different levels of degradation (mature, secondary, and degraded forests and a newly reforested site) and ii) assess the effect of forest degradation on the temporal composition of soil invertebrates' communities. Decomposition bags with 0.1 and 2 mm mesh were installed in long-term research plots across forest conditions. Litter decomposition and C, N, and P mineralization were estimated monthly for one year. Likewise, meso- and macrofauna's richness, abundance, and diversity were assessed bimonthly during the same period. We found that the contribution of mesofauna to decomposition was the lowest in the newly reforested site and 20 % higher in the degraded forest than in mature and secondary forests. Soil fauna substantially increased C, N, and P mineralization, particularly in the degraded forest. Differences in fauna's contribution to litter decomposition were likely related to changes in the community composition, primarily composed of detritivores in the three forested conditions and phytophagous and predators in the newly reforested site. We concluded that forest degradation modified the invertebrate community composition, and soil fauna enhances litter decomposition and nutrient mineralization in the degraded forests. In addition, our data suggest that forest degradation leads to a loss of invertebrate meso- and macrofauna orders, which alter litter decomposition processes.

Response of soil microorganisms to soil fertility in the process of vegetation rehabilitation of degraded Pinus massoniana forest

AbstractThe rehabilitation of diverse and three‐dimensional forest vegetation patterns is crucial for preventing forest degradation and improving soil fertility. However, the relationship between soil microbial community and soil fertility was not clear. To accurately assess the capability of vegetation restoration measures on the real impact on degraded soil ecosystems. We selected three vegetation rehabilitation models of degraded Pinus massoniana forests in typical soil erosion areas in China as the research objects, with untreated bare land as the control. All three vegetation construction patterns increased the abundance and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi, thereby enhancing the stability of the soil ecosystem. Additionally, the vegetation rehabilitation models also altered the community structure of soil bacteria and fungi in the degraded P. massoniana forests. The pH and soil fertility index (IFI) were the main factors leading to variations in the community structure of the soil bacteria and fungi. Among them, the grass‐planting model showed a significantly greater improvement in the soil fertility of degraded P. massoniana forests than the shrub‐planting and arbor‐planting models. Furthermore, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Glomeromycota exhibited the most significant response to IFI, indicating their potential as indicator microorganisms for soil fertility changes. The improvement in soil fertility in degraded P. massoniana forests was influenced primarily by the increase in urease activity (S‐UE) according to the vegetation rehabilitation models (84.20%, p = 0.000). In conclusion, the grass‐planting system effectively improved the soil ecosystem quality of degraded P. massoniana forests in southern erosion‐prone areas of China and was suitable for further application.

Wild-type Caenorhabditis sinica, a model nematode for speciation and evolution, massively found in Vietnam

Caenorhabditis sinica is a male/female species, in which the genetic diversity is possibly high. Thus, the species is advantageous for the understanding of the mechanisms of diversity, evolution, and adaptation within the nematode genus Caenorhabditis. Previous studies reported the geographic distribution of C. sinica only in China; nonetheless, this should be more convincing for its ecology. We allegedly surveyed the Caenorhabditis species and their diversity in the forests of Vietnam. We found 59 C. sinica strains, and this therefore indicates the vast variation that is 85.88% and 100% identical within isolated wild-type strains. They unequally present in habitats and are enormous in the northern forest, and rarer in the southern forest. The comparison of 18S rDNA barcode sequences from 59 C. sinica isolates by nucleotide sequence alignment showed the consistent diversity among the strains in or off the same ecologies, and all are comparable with the ever-first isolated strain JU727.

Atlas Florae Europaeae notes, 34. Distributions and two conservation profiles of East European species of the Cytisusratisbonensis group (Fabaceae).

The Cytisusratisbonensis group (Fabaceae) includes small shrubs with attractive yellow flowers, used in ornamental cultivation. It is widely distributed in southern forest, forest steppe and steppe zones of Eastern Europe, both in the lowlands and low mountains. This group is notorious for its taxonomic complexity and difficulties in identification, which accounted for incongruent taxonomic treatments and common identification errors, and resulted in a poor understanding of the distribution areas. The increasing availability of herbarium collections and accumulation of human observations through digital resources require their critical taxonomic revision and update in order to provide reliable data for plant species mapping, conservation and analysis of distribution areas. This paper describes a distributional dataset of East European species of the Cytisusratisbonensis group, which was prepared for the pan-European grid mapping project, Atlas Florae Europaeae. The taxonomic revision includes seven species and two interspecific hybrids and is based on the critical evaluation of diagnostic characters, nomenclature and synonymy. The territorial scope of this study is Eastern Europe, but it also includes some data from Central Europe, the Caucasus and the neighbouring territories of Siberia and Kazakhstan, which are included in order to trace eastern and south-eastern limits of the species distributions and to establish reliable synonymy. We report 3699 native occurrence records included in the dataset; these records are based on major herbarium collections which are known to hold specimens from Eastern Europe (DNZ, KRA, KRAM, KW, LE, LW, LWKS, MHA, MSK, MSKH, MSKU, MW), complemented by selected specimens from other herbaria (BUNS, CSAU, H, NNSU, NS, NSK, OXF, PVB, RWBG, TUL). The herbarium collections were examined largely de visu, but partly online. Besides the herbarium specimens, recognisable photographs documenting human observations on online platforms (florafauna.by, iNaturalist, Plantarium, UkrBIN) were also examined and included. All specimen records are accompanied with textual data and georeferences, which were produced for this dataset. Point and contour distribution maps are created for each accepted species. According to the distributional data, the Cytisusratisbonensis group may be classified as temperate lowland and steppic in Eastern Europe. Among European endemic shrubs, C.cinereus (as C.paczoskii) was assessed in 2017 as Near Threatened, whereas its new IUCN protection status is proposed as Least Concern because the new data demonstrated that its distribution area is much greater than previously believed. A species restricted to the Crimea, C.wulffii, is assessed here for the first time as Vulnerable because of its restricted area and small population size (criteria D1,2).

Address Form of Children in Communication (Through the Novel “Southen Forest Land”)

The article focuses on understanding children’s address forms through the novel “Southern Forest Land” from the following aspects: children's address terms to children and children’s address terms to adults. From the survey and classification results, we found that children's address in communication concentrates on two situations (family and community) with six thematic groups associated with two pairs of roles (upper-lower role pair and peer role pair Children's address terms to children have 2 forms of addressing and 5 forms of calling, while children's address terms to adults have 3 forms of addressing and 7 forms of calling. Analysis of the characteristics of address affirms that the language used by children is diverse, reflecting the entire spiritual life, innocence, and simplicity of children. It also reflects the honest, straightforward, warm, generous, and affectionate culture of the people in the Southern region.

Are southern temperate urban natural forests a suitable habitat for beetle diversity? A case study in Chile

Are southern temperate urban natural forests a suitable habitat for beetle diversity? A case study in Chile

Invasive behaviour of oak lace bug in forest ecosystems: a comparative analysis between thermophilous and mesophilous oak forests

Forest ecosystems provide invaluable ecological, economic, and social benefits, making them essential for global well-being. However, these ecosystems face various threats, including biological invasions by alien species. Among these, the oak lace bug (OLB), an invasive North American insect, has rapidly spread in Europe, impacting oak forests and raising concerns about its adaptation to new environments. OLB feeds on the undersides of oak leaves, extracting sap and causing chlorotic discoloration. Severe infestations lead to premature defoliation, increased susceptibility to diseases or pests and can also result in a substantial reduction in photosynthesis activity. This study aims to analyse OLB’s invasive behaviour in Romanian forest ecosystems, with a specific focus on the differences between thermophilous and mesophilous oak forests. The analysis covers 6 years of data and reveals critical insights. In the initial 4 years, OLB predominantly inhabited the extracarpathian regions of Romania, with concentrated presence in the southern, western, and northwestern areas. Forest ecosystems mainly affected between 2017 and 2020 were characterized by thermophilous oak forests in southern and western regions. However, in the last 2 years (2021–2022), OLB presence increased, particularly in lowland ecosystems, albeit with reduced damage intensity. The analysis also unveiled an adaptation and expansion of OLB in mesophilous forest ecosystems. Climatic factors, specifically temperature and precipitation, significantly influenced OLB’s behaviour, points with severe attacks exhibiting specific climatic conditions. In summary, this study provides crucial insights into OLB’s behaviour, emphasizing the role of climatic and environmental factors in its invasive tendencies.

Pleistocene Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823) in the Iberian Peninsula: new evidence and a complete review

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823) is a medium-sized ursid that currently mostly inhabits environments of dense foliage and forests in southern and eastern Asia. This species is currently extinct in Europe, but during the Middle Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene its distribution was wider and reached until Southern Siberia, the Ural Mountains, Caucasus and western Europe. The main objective of this work is to provide a detailed description of all the Ursus thibetanus remains from the Iberian Peninsula, describing for the first time the new remains, and discuss the chronological framework of the presence of this taxon in the largest of the southern European peninsulas. The Iberian Peninsula has yielded paleontological evidence of this taxon in five sites (Bolomor, Koskobilo, La Llanera, Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja), and we present new paleontological evidence from the latter three sites, which is important due to the scarcity of U. thibetanus fossil remains. We compare the morphology of these new remains with both European Pleistocene fossils and recent U. thibetanus. Up until recently, its distribution in Iberia was thought to be restricted to the East of the Iberian Peninsula. But the recent identification of U. thibetanus remains in Koskobilo (Navarre) and in La Llanera (Oviedo) has resulted in a wider distribution of this species than what was previously thought. The dental remains from Koskobilo, La Llanera, Villavieja, Bolomor and Cau d'en Borràs fit well within the Pleistocene U. thibetanus from Europe morphologically and metrically. Some Iberian remains are morphologically similar to previously described U. thibetanus Pleistocene fossil subspecies. A M2 from Bolomor is morphologically closer to U. t. mediterraneus (MIS 7), and a M2 from Koskobilo is similar to U. t. kurteni (MIS 6–7). The postcranial fossil remains from Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja fit well within the recent U. thibetanus range of variation. Except for the remains from Bolomor (MIS 5e and MIS 7), the rest of the Iberian U. thibetanus fossils are difficult to ascribe chronologically. Based on other biochronological proxies, Cau d'en Borràs and Koskobilo can tentatively be assigned to the MIS 7–5 range, Villavieja could be assigned to MIS 13–5, and La Llanera is probably the oldest record of U. thibetanus in Iberia (MIS 15–13). However, until new direct datings are performed on the sites, the proposed chronologies should be regarded with caution.