Holocene treeline in the northern Andes (Ecuador): new evidence from soil charcoals

Soil charcoals represent a record for palaeoecological studies. For the first time pedoanthracology is applied to northern Andes of Ecuador to study the Holocene treeline. The first results show that the upper treeline was lower than today in the late Pleistocene and in the Middle Holocene. A wide amount of charcoals dated ca. 13000 cal. yr. BP could be caused by fires linked to the first presence of man at these altitudes.

Chromosomal Localization of 18S-28S rDNA and (TTAGGG)n Sequences in Two South African Dormice of the Genus Graphiurus (Rodentia: Gliridae).

Classical cytogenetics and mapping of 18S-28S rDNA and (TTAGGG)<>n sequences by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on Graphiurus platyops (GPL) and Graphiurus ocularis (GOC) metaphases with the aim to characterize the genomes. In both species, inverted DAPI karyotypes showed the same diploid number, 2n = 46, and hybridization of the (TTAGGG)<>n probe revealed interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) at the centromeres of almost all bi-armed chromosomes. FISH with the rDNA probe localized nucleolus organizer regions (NORs), at the terminal ends of the p arms of the telocentric pairs 16 and 17 in both species and detected additional signals on GPL8 and GOC18, 1…

Interspersed telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n distribution in Primates and Tupaia minor (Scandentia)

Soil charcoals as proxies of past vegetation on high northern Andes (Ecuador).