Browsing by study line "Paleontologi och global förändring"

Evolution can lead to changes in body size among mammals and when that occurs, organs usually scale along. Teeth are an organ that scale along with body size and therefore, investigating how the teeth are getting along when a mammal is subjected to a rapid reduction of body size is of value. During human evolution, body size has generally increased but jaw and teeth size has decreased. As of recent, human evolution witness a potential decrease of body size, due to the discovery of island-living hominins; Homo floresiensis and Homo luzonensis. The phenomenon of decreasing body size among large animals and increasing body size among small animals in an insular setting is so well-known that it has its own ecological rule, called the island rule or Foster’s rule. However, this phenomenon has not really been studied from the perspective of teeth. In this thesis I focus on the effects of body size decrease on teeth in the context of relatively rapid body size reduction. Researching the effect that a reduction of body size has on teeth is relevant for understanding morphological changes related to island dwarfism and the origins of island forms among humans. Dogs (Canis familiaris) provide an extreme example of rapid and large reduction of both body- and teeth size. Comparing dog molars to molars of their closest ancestor, the wolf (Canis lupus), can shed light on how the teeth behave when scaling down in size. This reduction in body size may be comparable to insular dwarfing as selective breeding of pure breed dogs is limiting the availability of mating partners in a similar way that a secluded island limits the availability of mating partners for insular animals. To answer my research questions, I measure and photograph dog molars and compare the results with data of wolf molars. Furthermore, if any patterns emerge, data of human molar is compared to the canid data to investigate if any similarities can be found. The results show that dog molars are overall smaller in size than wolf molars and that both species follow a pattern where m1 > m2 > m3. Furthermore, small dogs are more likely to have an absent m3 than big dogs and wolves. Moreover, the results show that the size relation between dog m1-m2 is a continuum of wolf m1-m2 relation. However, dogs have enlarged their m3 and therefore the m2-m3 size relation is not a continuum of wolf molar relation. When comparing the human data to the results of dog/wolf m1-m2 and m2-m3 size relation, the results show that Homo floresiensis molars are on the same trajectory as Homo erectus molars. This implies that dogs have done adjustments to their molars that diverge from their ancestors’ molars and that the change has happened during a short period of time. Therefore, dog molars cannot be seen as simply scaled down version of wolf molars, as far as size is concerned. The information gained from this thesis can be used to further investigate if molars of other rapidly dwarfed species may have behaved in a similar manner. It is however too early to say if dogs can be seen as an island rule simulation or if they can shed light on the origins of hominin island forms. More research, such as comparing the number of cusps between dog and wolf molars or investigating the upper carnassial and the following molars, needs to be done to be able to draw any further conclusions.

Ongoing climate change alters Northern marine ecosystems, where annual sea-ice cover has a significant role. Changes caused by climate change, such as sea surface temperature and sea-ice season, affect the composition of the community of primary producers. Primary producers have an important role in the ecosystems and biological and geological cycle, and a slight change in their community can have a significant impact on the marine system. Past environments provide important information on the effects of future changes in the environment and climate as well as tools to control them. Diatoms are commonly used in micropaleontology and paleoecology as an indicator for past environmental conditions and are therefore important proxies for paleoenvironments and climates. To better understand the past and future changes in the environment and climate, it is important to study not only microfossils in the sediments but also the relationship of modern diatoms to environmental factors. In the Baltic Sea, seasons strongly regulate the environmental conditions, which are reflected in the diatom community. Different seasons are represented by diatoms adapted to different conditions, which could lead to misrepresentation of environmental conditions if seasonal patterns are not recognized. In this master’s thesis, modern diatom seasonal succession is studied, as well as the role of environmental factors on diatom species over one year period. A sediment trap was used to monitor seasonal diatom succession and sediment vertical flux in Tvärminne Storfjärden, Gulf of Finland between 2012–2013. New information was discovered on the ecology and succession of common diatom species in the Baltic Sea. Data shows a clear succession according to the season as diatom community evolved to represent winter and early spring community, late spring community and autumn community. In winter the diatom community consists mainly of sea-ice species such as Pauliella taeniata and cold-water species Thalassiosira levanderi. The role of Pauliella taeniata was smaller than expected, possibly due to long-term decreasing trend associated with changing environment. Other central species were sea-ice related Stauroneis radissonii and a species belonging to Chaetoceros group. Sea-ice species formed a bloom around sea-ice melt and again during the spring bloom. In contrast to sea-ice species Thalassiosira levanderi formed a bloom only in the early spring, although it was present throughout the year. The bloom was probably initiated by optimal environmental conditions and lack of competition. Dominant species during spring bloom were common spring species in the Baltic Sea Skeletonema marinoi and Diatoma moniliformis. The latter occurs in benthic and planktic environments that were discovered blooming in planktic on spring blooms in May of 2013. In summer diatoms were relatively scarce, but a group of small centric species (including Cyclotella Choctawhatcheeana, Cyclotella atomus, Minidiscus proschkinae) formed massive autumn blooms as turbidity and nutrient concentrations increased in September and August.

Peatlands are complex ecosystems that not only respond to external changes but also influence their environment. Permafrost peatlands have an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle as they store about 200 Pg of C. As permafrost thaws this C can be released either as methane (CH4) or carbon dioxide (CO2). In addition to these peatlands also emit nitrous oxide (N2O). Climate warming may change this sink-source balance of peatlands. Hydrological conditions are an important factor in peatland C dynamics. As permafrost thaws it can shift these ecosystems towards wetter or dryer conditions. Peat decomposition under dry conditions can have a strong positive feedback to climate change due CO2 emissions. Though wetter conditions can increase CH4 emissions. Through topography and hydrology, permafrost also affects vegetation dynamics. In this thesis I am examining peat profiles collected from two subarctic permafrost peatlands located in Kevo, Finland and Karlebotn, Norway. The profiles included an un-frozen active layer profile and a permafrost sample collected from inside a palsa mound. These samples were analysed for vegetation composition and peat properties (C and N content, C/N ratio and bulk density), they were also 14C dated and incubated. The purpose was to simulate a warmer climate to which these ecosystems will be exposed to in the future and observe how they will respond. The observations focused on the three most common GHGs of peatlands, CH4, CO2 and N2O. The permafrost samples showed potential for CH4 and CO2 emissions, whereas the active layer only emitted CO2. The CH4 emissions were interpreted to represent old CH4, whereas the CO2 was interpreted to be produced by the peat.