Stable Climatic Conditions Research Articles

Daya Tahan Sektor Rumah Tangga Dalam Rangka Menjaga Stabilitas Sistem Keuangan

The crisis in 1997 is the image of the high rise in inflation in Indonesia. The phenomenon of inflation when it reached 82.40% (Anas, 2006). The early mid-1998 also experienced a weakening of the rupiah against the dollar. Condition stable economy is the desire of each country in comparison with the state of the economy has always fluctuated. Economic stability will create an atmosphere conducive economy. stable climatic conditions in the expected level of welfare is the purpose in each country. One of the efforts to maintain economic stability is through monetary policy. For example, with economic growth, maintain price stability (inflation), the achievement of the balance of payments and the reduction of unemployment (Natsir, 2008). The stability of the financial system of a country of which reflected their price stability, in the sense that there are a great price that can be harmful to society, both consumers and manufacturers that will damage the joints of the economy. However, the implementation of the policy, Bank Indonesia as the monetary authority uses monetary variables such as interest rates and the money supply to cope with economic shocks such as inflation. Besides the need for the government’s role in maintaining the rupiah to avoid turmoil in the economy. The importance of inflation control based on the consideration that the high inflation and unstable negative impact on socio-economic conditions of society. Among the high inflation will cause a decline in the real income of the community so that the standard of living of the people down and eventually make everyone, especially the poor get poorer. From one of the effects of inflation are so wide will impact people’s demands to meet the needs of more and more difficult. Their continuousprice increases being offset by rising income of the communities, it can make sure the Indonesian state would worsen. As a result many people’s needs can not be met, so many things that must be met by way of credit. The number of community needs that must be met will cause world of opportunities for banks to offer credit readily available to meet the needs. The third object of research above (inflation, poverty, and credit) does affect the stability of the financial system? In this study using secondary data from the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) and Bank Indonesia (BI) with time series data from the years 2007-2015. The process of data analysis was performed using OLS regression with Eviews 8.0. Based on research, if only partial test of the poverty variable significantly affect the stability of the financial system amounted to 2,023 with α = 10%. Meanwhile, two other variables (inflation and poverty) is not significant to the stability of the financial systemMeanwhile, two other variables (inflation and poverty) is not significant to the stability of the financial system. While the value of R-Square (0.629900), indicating that the three independent variables / free consisting of inflation, poverty and credit simultaneously have the effect that make the stabilization of the financial system increases or decreases. That is jointly independent variables (inflation, poverty and loans) contributed / effect of 62.9% against the stability of the financial system. The rest is the influence of other factors beyond the three independent variables studied.

Glacial–interglacial changes and Holocene variations in Arabian Sea denitrification

Abstract. At present, the Arabian Sea has a permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) at water depths between about 100 and 1200 m. Active denitrification in the upper part of the OMZ is recorded by enhanced δ15N values in the sediments. Sediment cores show a δ15N increase during the middle and late Holocene, which is contrary to the trend in the other two regions of water column denitrification in the eastern tropical North and South Pacific. We calculated composite sea surface temperature (SST) and δ15N ratios in time slices of 1000 years of the last 25 kyr to better understand the reasons for the establishment of the Arabian Sea OMZ and its response to changes in the Asian monsoon system. Low δ15N values of 4–7 ‰ during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and stadials (Younger Dryas and Heinrich events) suggest that denitrification was inactive or weak during Pleistocene cold phases, while warm interstadials (ISs) had elevated δ15N. Fast changes in upwelling intensities and OMZ ventilation from the Antarctic were responsible for these strong millennial-scale variations during the glacial. During the entire Holocene δ15N values > 6 ‰ indicate a relatively stable OMZ with enhanced denitrification. The OMZ develops parallel to the strengthening of the SW monsoon and monsoonal upwelling after the LGM. Despite the relatively stable climatic conditions of the Holocene, the δ15N records show regionally different trends in the Arabian Sea. In the upwelling areas in the western part of the basin, δ15N values are lower during the mid-Holocene (4.2–8.2 ka BP) compared to the late Holocene (< 4.2 ka BP) due to stronger ventilation of the OMZ during the period of the most intense southwest monsoonal upwelling. In contrast, δ15N values in the northern and eastern Arabian Sea rose during the last 8 kyr. The displacement of the core of the OMZ from the region of maximum productivity in the western Arabian Sea to its present position in the northeast was established during the middle and late Holocene. This was probably caused by (i) reduced ventilation due to a longer residence time of OMZ waters and (ii) augmented by rising oxygen consumption due to enhanced northeast-monsoon-driven biological productivity. This concurs with the results of the Kiel Climate Model, which show an increase in OMZ volume during the last 9 kyr related to the increasing age of the OMZ water mass.

Strategy for Multidimensional Peatland Ecosystem Analysis in the Context of the Atmospheric Properties

There is the need of integration of atmospheric and ecosystem research in order to assess the habitats reaction in the future since the recent climate changes. Peatlands due to their vulnerability are important ecosystems since their strong interaction with the climate system. In stable climatic conditions, they are atmospheric carbon sinks. The study of the atmosphere properties in the context of peatlands productivity requires the application of the multidimensional strategy of field measurements. These kind of measurements are conducted using the following sensors: sun photometer, cloud radar, Raman lidar and eddy covariance (EC) system. They are located and operated at the Rzecin peatland in the framework of the POLIMOS project. So far, aerosols presence in the air was found as a factor that increases the peatland production. This presents the novel strategy of extensive atmospheric studies in order to identify the selected particles type impact on peatlands carbon uptake capabilities.

Comparing the effect of climate condition on tourism calendar in arid and humid cities using Holiday Climate Index (HCI) (Case Study: Isfahan and Rasht)

Climatic conditions have a major influence in attracting tourists to a city in different months. In this study, the potential of Isfahan and Rasht as arid and humid cities, respectively, was investigated in terms of attracting tourists during a year. For this purpose, the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), which has been designed based on daily climate information, was used. The results showed that in Isfahan, with rising air temperature and reducing air humidity in March, April and May, the mean value of HCI is more than 69 and climatic condition is very good. Also, from September 14, the value of HCI reaches above 69 and shows very good condition and this condition continues until the end of October. Therefore, these two periods are the best times for presence of tourists in Isfahan. In Rasht, in April and May, because of climate variables suitability (sunshine hours, cloudiness, and weather temperature) in comparison to other months, the mean value of HCI is equal to 66 (acceptable). It seems that the stable climate condition and therefore HCI value provide a suitable period for tourism in Rasht. In other months, because of high humidity and precipitation, the value of HCI is less than 60.

Simulating the Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Crop Varietal Diversity in Mali (West-Africa) Using Agent-Based Modeling Approach

This paper presents a generic, agent-based model that simulates the dynamics of crop varietal diversity at the village level in Mali under different socio-economic, environmental and policy scenarios. The model is designed to integrate social, economic, environmental, and policy factors . A participatory approach with scientists, farmers and policy makers has been implemented to achieve this goal. This approach combines role playing games with agent-based modelling. A set of scenarios are elaborated to evaluate the possible impacts of policy interventions and climate change on agrobiodiversity dynamics. Simulations showed how farmers manage crop varietal diversity to cope with the local climate variability for their annual crop production. The portfolio of varieties increases under stable and good climate condition and decrease under less favourable and variable climate conditions. In addition, depending on the climate condition, farmers allocate preferentially land to varieties with higher yields.

Palynomorph evidence for tropical climate stability in the Gulf of Papua, Papua New Guinea, over the latest marine transgression and highstand (14,500 years BP to today)

Three sediment cores (MV-41, MV-46, and MD-50) from the Gulf of Papua (GoP), Papua New Guinea, were analyzed to assess changes in climatic, oceanographic, and sedimentological conditions over the last 14.5 kyr. Palynomorphs, which were isolated from sediment core samples, were collected at approximately 0.5-m intervals using a strong acid and oxidant (MD-50)/non-oxidant (MV-41, MV-46) procedure. Radiocarbon (14C) stable isotope geochronology, magnetic susceptibility, stable isotope analysis (MD-50 only; Oxygen-18 [18O] and Carbon-13 [13C]), and clay mineral maturity analysis were also completed for each core. Palynological data indicate that climatic conditions at sea level have remained warm, wet, and stable for the past 14.5 kyr with sea surface temperatures in the GoP above 14 °C. Potential decreases in vegetative cover marked the Younger Dryas interval (12.5–11.5 kyr BP), as indicated by reduced pollen and spore recovery. The end of the latest marine transgression (and the subsequent return to eustatic sea level highstand) is clearly delineated by increases in marine palynomorph recovery and decreases in mangrove pollen at approximately 5 kyr BP. An increase in seasonality and potential El Niño Southern Oscillation variability is observed in MD-50's oxygen isotope results at ∼5 kyr BP. This is not supported by the palynomorph record, likely because of the sampling interval and dilution by tropical pollen flora, which indicates stable climatic conditions throughout the last 14.5 kyr. Sediment transport pathways in the GoP remained fairly constant throughout the time interval, which is supported by the lack of major changes in palynomorph assemblage composition.

Acclimatization patterns in tropical reptiles: uncoupling temperature and energetics.

The physiological compensation of animals in changing environments through acclimatization has long been considered to be of minor importance in tropical ectotherms due to more stable climatic conditions compared to temperate regions. Contrasting this assumption are reports about a range of metabolic adjustments in tropical species, especially during the last two decades from field acclimatized animals. Metabolic rates are strongly linked to temperature in ectotherms but they also reflect energetic requirements and restrictions. We therefore postulate that the observed variety of acclimatization patterns in tropical reptiles results from an interaction of multiple influences, including food and water availability, rather than from thermal constraints alone. We present new data from two sympatric Malagasy lizards with contrasting acclimatization patterns and, complemented with an extensive literature search, discuss the variety of acclimatization patterns in tropical reptiles with regard to thermal and energetic influences. This broad consideration of constraints allows a rearrangement of apparently controversial patterns into a scheme of decreasing metabolic costs, including two new categories for selective and selective inverse acclimatization, where metabolic shifts are restricted to body temperatures below those preferred during activity.

Measurement of the environmental temperature using the sol-air thermometer

Heat flow measurement with a heat flow meter is a standardized method (ISO 9869-1) to estimate thermal transmittance (U-value) of a building element. The heat flow meter is a thin plate mounted on top of the surface of the element, and measures the heat flux q through the plate. The measured q is the product of the difference in temperatures between exterior and interior environment, and the U-value. The heat transferred from the element is based on the radiant and the convective heat transfer.ISO 9869-1 specifies that the environment temperature Te “is a notional temperature" and it "cannot be measured directly” (section A.3.1). The air temperature Ta is proposed as a reasonable approximation for the indoor environment, while overcast conditions and absence of significant solar radiation are specified conditions for replacing Te with Ta for the exterior environment.The sol-air thermometer (SAT) measures the sol-air temperature Tsa, i.e. the equivalent temperature of the convective and the radiative environment. In the absence of solar radiation, Te = Tsa. SAT is a sensor consisting of a thin flat solid plate, of high thermal conductivity. The front side of the sensor is exposed to the environment, whose Tsa is to be measured, and the backside is thermally insulated. The temperature of the SAT-plate equals Tsa.In this work we propose introduction of the measured Te in the existing standard (ISO 9869-1). The method for measurement of Tsa, using the SAT, has been demonstrated experimentally for different periods, without solar radiation present and under stable climatic conditions.

Regional response to drought during the formation and decline of Preclassic Maya societies

The earliest complex societies and a distinctive set of pan-regional social, political, and economic institutions appeared in the southern Maya lowlands during the Preclassic period (ca. 1200/1100 cal BCE–cal 300 CE). The timing of these cultural changes was variably influenced by local developments, interaction with other regions of Mesoamerica, and climate change. We present a high-resolution radiocarbon chronology for the growth of the early polity of Cahal Pech, Belize, one of the first permanent settlements in the southern Maya lowlands. We compare our results to a database containing over 1190 radiocarbon dates from cultural contexts reported from five major regions of the southern lowlands to interpret the expansion and decline of emerging complex social groups during the Preclassic. Comparisons to paleoclimate proxy datasets suggest that fluctuating climate regimes may have promoted alternating integration and fragmentation of early hierarchically organized societies. Stable climatic conditions during the Middle Preclassic (1000/900-300 cal BCE) fostered the centralization of populations and the formation of large regional polities across the southern lowlands. An extended drought at the end of the Late Preclassic (cal 150–300 CE) likely contributed to the decline of some major polities in the central Petén, but smaller sites located in productive environments were more resilient and persisted in to the Classic period. This research provides a framework for understanding the complex social and environmental factors that influenced localized adaptations to climate change and the episodic growth and decline of early complex societies in prehistory.

Did Sea-Level Changes Affect the Brazilian Amazon Forest during the Holocene?

ABSTRACTIn order to contribute to the discussion of Holocene climate changes, four sediment cores were collected from the northern Brazilian Amazonia lowland. These cores were studied through pollen analysis and sedimentary features, and the results were discussed within a chronological framework provided by radiocarbon dating. The cores were sampled from fluvial terraces representative of channel, floodplain/lake and crevasse splay deposits formed since the mid-Holocene. The pollen samples derive from floodplain/lake deposits and the pollen grains are mainly composed by families Moraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, Melastomataceae, Combretaceae, Sapindaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Aizoaceae, Apiaceae and genusSebastiana. The pollen data suggest no significant vegetation changes in the study area for the past 4808–4886 cal yr BP. This led to proposing stable climatic conditions since at least the middle Holocene. Such a finding is contrary to the occurrence of a dry period during the middle Holocene. The stabilization of the relative sea level about 6000 cal yr BP along the northern Brazilian littoral may have influenced the water table, and favored the establishment and maintenance of Amazonian lowland forest during the mid- and late Holocene. In addition, this process may have attenuated the impact of that dry period in areas under most fluvial influence.

Basin‐axial progradation of a sediment supply driven distributive fluvial system in the Late Cretaceous southern Utah foreland

AbstractThe Turonian‐Coniacian Smoky Hollow Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation in the Kaiparowits basin of southern Utah records a stratigraphic transition from isolated fluvial channel bodies to increasingly amalgamated channel belts capped by the Calico bed, a sheet‐like sand‐gravel unit. Characteristics of the Smoky Hollow Member are consistent with a prograding distributive fluvial system including: up‐section increases in average grain size, bed thickness, channel‐body amalgamation, a fan‐shaped planform morphology and a downstream increase in channel sinuosity. The system prograded to the northeast based on thickness and facies patterns, and palaeocurrent indicators. This basin‐axial sediment‐dispersal trend, which was approximately parallel to the fold‐thrust belt at this latitude, is supported by provenance data including detrital zircons and modal sandstone compositions indicating sediment derivation mainly from the Mogollon Highlands and Cordilleran magmatic arc to the southwest, with episodic input from the more proximal Sevier fold‐thrust belt to the west. Progradation occurred during a eustatic still‐stand, relatively stable climatic conditions, and continuous tectonic subsidence, thus suggesting increased extrabasinal sediment supply as a primary control on basin‐fill. Progradation of the Smoky Hollow Member fluvial system culminated in a ~2–3 My hiatus at the top of the lower Calico bed. Correlation with the Notom delta of the Ferron Sandstone, 80 km northeast in the Henry basin, is proposed on the basis of facies relationships and geochronology. The Calico bed unconformity is linked to regional tectonically driven tilting and erosion observed in both basins.

Design and Simulation of Automatic Room Temperature by Using Fuzzy Control

In air conditioning system, efficient operation of air conditioning equipment to suit the user demand is important and to achieve that, Fuzzy Logic controller can play a key role in formulating the next generation of control technology for the traditional air conditioning equipment. The target of this research is to develop a fuzzy logic control which will allow less usage of energy by optimum operation of air conditioning which would also promote Conservation of Energy. The control system in this study also would need to achieve a Stable Climate Condition in the room within the limits of control set points and promote convenient to the users by automatic control. The control strategy proposed in this thesis work is fuzzy logic controller (FLC). A MATLAB fuzzy program tool is used to develop a fuzzy logic controller to achieve within the comfort parameters of temperature and artificial lighting as well as energy savings. Simulink program in MATLAB will also be used to simulate the fuzzy logic in this Thesis work. Based on the findings observed on the case study described in this Thesis Report, the savings achieved by the Fuzzy Logic Air Conditioning System is about 66%.With these results, it can be concluded that the objective of this Thesis work has been full filled)

The first evidence for Late Pleistocene hominin populations on the southern Caspian Sea coast

The southern shore of the Caspian Sea is well known for its great potential in relation to sites of Mesolithic date (e.g. Coon 1951; Jayez & Vahdati Nasab 2016). Situated between two major geographic barriers—the Alborz Mountains to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the north—this area has been considered one of the major hominin dispersal corridors during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition (Vahdati Nasab et al. 2013). Furthermore, the relatively stable and mild climatic conditions, vast and lush temperate forests, and abundance of fauna and water resources have all made this region an attractive niche for human settlement.

Food web structure shaped by habitat size and climate across a latitudinal gradient.

Habitat size and climate are known to affect the trophic structure and dynamics of communities, but their interactive effects are poorly understood. Organisms from different trophic levels vary in terms of metabolic requirements and heat dissipation. Indeed, larger species such as keystone predators require more stable climatic conditions than their prey. Likewise, habitat size disproportionally affects large-sized predators, which require larger home ranges and are thus restricted to larger habitats. Therefore, food web structure in patchy ecosystems is expected to be shaped by habitat size and climate variations. Here we investigate this prediction using natural aquatic microcosm (bromeliad phytotelmata) food webs composed of litter resources (mainly detritus), detritivores, mesopredators, and top predators (damselflies). We surveyed 240 bromeliads of varying sizes (water retention capacity) across 12 open restingas in SE Brazil spread across a wide range of tropical latitudes (-12.6° to -27.6°, ca. 2,000km) and climates (Δ mean annual temperature=5.3°C). We found a strong increase in predator-to-detritivore mass ratio with habitat size, which was representative of a typical inverted trophic pyramid in larger ecosystems. However, this relationship was contingent among the restingas; slopes of linear models were steeper in more stable and favorable climates, leading to inverted trophic pyramids (and top-down control) being more pronounced in environments with more favorable climatic conditions. By contrast, detritivore-resource and mesopredator-detritivore mass ratios were not affected by habitat size or climate variations across latitudes. Our results highlight that the combined effects of habitat size, climate and predator composition are pivotal to understanding the impacts of multiple environmental factors on food web structure and dynamics.

Climate and landscape reconstruction of the Arroyo Chijuillita Member of the Nacimiento Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico: Providing environmental context to early Paleocene mammal evolution

The sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and paleopedologic attributes of a laterally continuous outcrop exposure of the basal portion of the lower Paleocene Arroyo Chijuillita Member of the Nacimiento Formation located in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area was examined to provide paleoenvironmental context for the Puercan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA) terrestrial ecosystems of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. The studied outcrop spans the middle and late Puercan (Pu2-Pu3) NALMA, and thus is an ideal location to assess the potential causes of faunal turnover between Pu2 and Pu3. The stratal succession consists of fluvial channel and laterally continuous sandstone and associated fine-grained floodplain deposits, including paleosols that document variability in drainage and maturity. Quantitative and qualitative reconstructions of paleoclimate from paleosols, supplemented by analyses of fossil floras, indicate no change in climate through the studied interval. Further, there is no evidence that regional tectonics relate to changes in depositional environments. Given the lack of evidence for climate change or regional tectonics, and the characteristics of the fluvial facies and the paleosols across the study locality, we interpret the spatial and temporal variability in paleopedologic and sedimentologic characteristics to be the result of autocyclic channel avulsion and migration. Additionally, the stable climatic conditions and lack of tectonic influence between the Pu2 and Pu3 biozones suggest that mammalian turnover is unlikely to have been caused by extrinsic environmental changes (i.e. climate or tectonics) and is instead probably the result of rapid evolution following the K-Pg boundary and/or competition from the migration of new mammalian species into the basin.

Elevational Distribution of Flightless Ground Beetles in the Tropical Rainforests of North-Eastern Australia.

Understanding how the environment influences patterns of diversity is vital for effective conservation management, especially in a changing global climate. While assemblage structure and species richness patterns are often correlated with current environmental factors, historical influences may also be considerable, especially for taxa with poor dispersal abilities. Mountain-top regions throughout tropical rainforests can act as important refugia for taxa characterised by low dispersal capacities such as flightless ground beetles (Carabidae), an ecologically significant predatory group. We surveyed flightless ground beetles along elevational gradients in five different subregions within the Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area to investigate (1) whether the diversity and composition of flightless ground beetles are elevationally stratified, and, if so, (2) what environmental factors (other than elevation per se) are associated with these patterns. Generalised linear models and model averaging techniques were used to relate patterns of diversity to environmental factors. Unlike most taxonomic groups, flightless ground beetles increased in species richness and abundance with elevation. Additionally, each subregion consisted of relatively distinct assemblages containing a high level of regional endemic species. Species richness was most strongly and positively associated with historical and current climatic stabilities and negatively associated with severity of recent disturbance (treefalls). Assemblage composition was associated with latitude and historical and current climatic conditions. Although the results need to be interpreted carefully due to inter-correlation between historical and current climatic variables, our study is in agreement with the hypothesis that upland refugia provided stable climatic conditions since the last glacial maximum, and supported a diverse fauna of flightless beetle species. These findings are important for conservation management as upland habitats become increasingly threatened by climate change.

Effect of climate changes on the soil freezing depth in the Volga River basin

It is established that the climate warming leads to decrease in depth of soil freezing in the whole area basin of the River Volga. This effect is observed since 1978. Depths of soil freezing averaged over the whole basin decreased relative to values measured during the period of stable climate conditions by 34 cm, i.e. from 92 up to 58 cm, or by 37%. In the Northern part of the basin, the depths have decreased by 49%, in the Western, Eastern, and Southern areas – 39, 24 and 38%, respectively. The spatial variability of the depths is estimated by the example of the river Vyatka, the large tributary of the Volga with area of 124 000 km2 and the site «Log Usadjevsky» with area of 2.0 km2 (a part of experimental polygon of the Valdai waterbalance station). It is shown that the coefficient of variation of the freezing depth decreases when the depth increases. When the depth becomes smaller 60 cm plots of thawed soil appear that significantly increases the infiltration ability of the basin. The technique of estimating the soil freezing depth under change of climate characteristics is proposed.

Cyanobacteria in a eutrophicated reservoir in a semi-arid region in Brazil: dominance and microcystin events of blooms

In semi-arid regions, eutrophic waters and stable climatic conditions favor the dominance of cyanobacteria, with frequent blooms. In this study, we hypothesized that the biomass of cyanobacteria will be higher during the dry period and assessed toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the Argemiro de Figueiredo Reservoir (Paraiba, Brazil). We conducted 22 samplings between August 2007 and July 2009 at three sites (PC, confluence of tributaries; PNC, net cages; and PD, dam site). Significant seasonal and spatial differences were not observed for abiotic variables; however, reduction in pH, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, and dissolved oxygen occurred only during overflow events in the reservoir. Filamentous cyanobacteria were dominant mainly in the dry period, accounting for 90 % of the total biomass; six of eight dominant or co-dominant species of cyanobacteria were observed to be potential producers of toxins. Planktothrix agardhii (Gomont) Anagnostidis & Komarek was dominant at PC, PNC, and PD and formed perennial blooms, and microcystin-LR was identified in 14 of 16 blooming events. Thus, we suggest that stable conditions, availability of nutrients, and a reduced light regime during the dry period favors blooms of cyanobacteria.

Ancient lipids document continuity in the use of early hunter–gatherer pottery through 9,000 years of Japanese prehistory

The earliest pots in the world are from East Asia and date to the Late Pleistocene. However, ceramic vessels were only produced in large numbers during the warmer and more stable climatic conditions of the Holocene. It has long been assumed that the expansion of pottery was linked with increased sedentism and exploitation of new resources that became available with the ameliorated climate, but this hypothesis has never been tested. Through chemical analysis of their contents, we herein investigate the use of pottery across an exceptionally long 9,000-y sequence from the Jōmon site of Torihama in western Japan, intermittently occupied from the Late Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene. Molecular and isotopic analyses of lipids from 143 vessels provides clear evidence that pottery across this sequence was predominantly used for cooking marine and freshwater resources, with evidence for diversification in the range of aquatic products processed during the Holocene. Conversely, there is little indication that ruminant animals or plants were processed in pottery, although it is evident from the faunal and macrobotanical remains that these foods were heavily exploited. Supported by other residue analysis data from Japan, our results show that the link between pottery and fishing was established in the Late Paleolithic and lasted well into the Holocene, despite environmental and socio-economic change. Cooking aquatic products in pottery represents an enduring social aspect of East Asian hunter-gatherers, a tradition based on a dependable technology for exploiting a sustainable resource in an uncertain and changing world.

High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas.

Ecological communities that experience stable climate conditions have been speculated to preserve more specialized interspecific associations and have higher proportions of smaller ranged species (SRS). Thus, areas with disproportionally large numbers of SRS are expected to coincide geographically with a high degree of community-level ecological specialization, but this suggestion remains poorly supported with empirical evidence. Here, we analysed data for hummingbird resource specialization, range size, contemporary climate, and Late Quaternary climate stability for 46 hummingbird-plant mutualistic networks distributed across the Americas, representing 130 hummingbird species (ca 40% of all hummingbird species). We demonstrate a positive relationship between the proportion of SRS of hummingbirds and community-level specialization, i.e. the division of the floral niche among coexisting hummingbird species. This relationship remained strong even when accounting for climate, furthermore, the effect of SRS on specialization was far stronger than the effect of specialization on SRS, suggesting that climate largely influences specialization through species' range-size dynamics. Irrespective of the exact mechanism involved, our results indicate that communities consisting of higher proportions of SRS may be vulnerable to disturbance not only because of their small geographical ranges, but also because of their high degree of specialization.