The demographic trend of a species depends on the dynamics of its local populations,which can be compromised by local or by global phenomena.However,the relevance of local and global phenomena has rarely been investig...The demographic trend of a species depends on the dynamics of its local populations,which can be compromised by local or by global phenomena.However,the relevance of local and global phenomena has rarely been investigated simultaneously.Here,we tested whether local phenomena compromised a species'demographic trend using the Eurasian common lizard Zootoca vivipara,the terrestrial reptile exhibiting the widest geographic distribution,as a model species.We analyzed the species'ancient demographic trend using genetic data from its 6 allopatric genetic clades and tested whether its demographic trend mainly depended on single clades or on global phenomena.Zootoca vivipara's effective population size increased since 2.3 million years ago and started to increase steeply and continuously from 0.531 million years ago.Population growth rate exhibited 2 maxima,both occurring during global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere.Effective population size and growth rate were negatively correlated with global surface temperatures,in line with global parameters driving long-term demographic trends.Zootoca vivipara's ancient demography was neither driven by a single clade,nor by the 2 clades that colonized huge geographic areas after the last glaciation.The low importance of local phenomena,suggests that the experimentally demonstrated high sensitivity of this species to short-term ecological changes is a response in order to cope with short-term and local changes.This suggests that what affected its long-term demographic trend the most,were not these local changes/responses,but rather the important and prolonged global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere,including the opening up of the forest by humans.展开更多
The objectives of this study were to demonstrate ethno-scientific elicitation techniques in retrieving indigenous knowledge at village-level, and to document the indigenous soil classification systems of different eth...The objectives of this study were to demonstrate ethno-scientific elicitation techniques in retrieving indigenous knowledge at village-level, and to document the indigenous soil classification systems of different ethnic groups in Luang Prabang province in the Lao PDR. The study area comprised three villages – Nambo, Huaymaha and Thapo, in the Phonxay district of Luang Prabang province. Three ethnic groups were covered by the study – Hmong, Khmu and Lao Loum. All three ethnic groups used soil color as main criteria for soil classification. However, even within the same ethnic group, sometimes different villages have differences in the way they classify soils; this was apparent for the Hmong ethnic group in the villages of Huaymaha and Nambo. A significant difference of the Lao Loum ethnic group from the other two, was the emphasis used in classifying soil types according to their water holding capabilities. In contrast, the Khmu and Hmong classified many soil types in relation to their rock content (‘with rock’ or ‘pure rock’ sometimesbeing used). The results of the study suggest that the ethnic groups classify the soils in relation to their potential for different types of agricultural production.展开更多
The subject of this study is how pre-Islamic poets viewed religious beliefs and how the Arabs dealt with such beliefs in the period that preceded the emergence of Islam, known as the/ahiliyya. The study discusses Arab...The subject of this study is how pre-Islamic poets viewed religious beliefs and how the Arabs dealt with such beliefs in the period that preceded the emergence of Islam, known as the/ahiliyya. The study discusses Arab religious beliefs and rites, which were filled with mythical elements such as idol worship, treating some animals as sacred, and worship of the sun, plants, certain inanimate objects and birds. It describes the various stages through which these beliefs passed, from sanctification of trees and caves, through the worship of the sun and the stars, to idol worship and more. The study then proceeds to inquire into the traces of mythology to be found in Arabic poetry. It shows how humans did not only inherit their forefathers＇ beliefs, but also their ideas, and explains how poets were able to embody reality by means of artistic symbols that reflected such elements of their lives as emotions and objective mental states. Subsequently the study discusses the sanctity which the Arabs ascribed to some animals, and which they worshipped in the hope of obtaining a blessing, maintaining an intimacy with the animal or averting evil. Many Arabs in those days believed in the sanctity of animals, the sun, the moon and Venus, thought that trees and other p｜ants possessed a spirit, and considered some animals to be deities with extraordinary powers, among them the viper, the crocodile, the bull, the gazelle and the goat. Finally, the study shows how pre-lslamic Arabic poetry can serve as a reliable document that reflects the society of the times, and how even the restricted amount of verse that has survived from those times can provide considerable information about mythical elements that go back to the remotest times.展开更多
基金J.L.H.was supported by a Spanish MINECO grant IJCI-2015-23618Project funds were provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science[CGL2012-32459,CGL2016-76918 AEI/FEDER,UE to P.S.F.].
文摘The demographic trend of a species depends on the dynamics of its local populations,which can be compromised by local or by global phenomena.However,the relevance of local and global phenomena has rarely been investigated simultaneously.Here,we tested whether local phenomena compromised a species'demographic trend using the Eurasian common lizard Zootoca vivipara,the terrestrial reptile exhibiting the widest geographic distribution,as a model species.We analyzed the species'ancient demographic trend using genetic data from its 6 allopatric genetic clades and tested whether its demographic trend mainly depended on single clades or on global phenomena.Zootoca vivipara's effective population size increased since 2.3 million years ago and started to increase steeply and continuously from 0.531 million years ago.Population growth rate exhibited 2 maxima,both occurring during global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere.Effective population size and growth rate were negatively correlated with global surface temperatures,in line with global parameters driving long-term demographic trends.Zootoca vivipara's ancient demography was neither driven by a single clade,nor by the 2 clades that colonized huge geographic areas after the last glaciation.The low importance of local phenomena,suggests that the experimentally demonstrated high sensitivity of this species to short-term ecological changes is a response in order to cope with short-term and local changes.This suggests that what affected its long-term demographic trend the most,were not these local changes/responses,but rather the important and prolonged global climatic changes and important vegetation changes on the northern hemisphere,including the opening up of the forest by humans.
文摘The objectives of this study were to demonstrate ethno-scientific elicitation techniques in retrieving indigenous knowledge at village-level, and to document the indigenous soil classification systems of different ethnic groups in Luang Prabang province in the Lao PDR. The study area comprised three villages – Nambo, Huaymaha and Thapo, in the Phonxay district of Luang Prabang province. Three ethnic groups were covered by the study – Hmong, Khmu and Lao Loum. All three ethnic groups used soil color as main criteria for soil classification. However, even within the same ethnic group, sometimes different villages have differences in the way they classify soils; this was apparent for the Hmong ethnic group in the villages of Huaymaha and Nambo. A significant difference of the Lao Loum ethnic group from the other two, was the emphasis used in classifying soil types according to their water holding capabilities. In contrast, the Khmu and Hmong classified many soil types in relation to their rock content (‘with rock’ or ‘pure rock’ sometimesbeing used). The results of the study suggest that the ethnic groups classify the soils in relation to their potential for different types of agricultural production.
文摘The subject of this study is how pre-Islamic poets viewed religious beliefs and how the Arabs dealt with such beliefs in the period that preceded the emergence of Islam, known as the/ahiliyya. The study discusses Arab religious beliefs and rites, which were filled with mythical elements such as idol worship, treating some animals as sacred, and worship of the sun, plants, certain inanimate objects and birds. It describes the various stages through which these beliefs passed, from sanctification of trees and caves, through the worship of the sun and the stars, to idol worship and more. The study then proceeds to inquire into the traces of mythology to be found in Arabic poetry. It shows how humans did not only inherit their forefathers＇ beliefs, but also their ideas, and explains how poets were able to embody reality by means of artistic symbols that reflected such elements of their lives as emotions and objective mental states. Subsequently the study discusses the sanctity which the Arabs ascribed to some animals, and which they worshipped in the hope of obtaining a blessing, maintaining an intimacy with the animal or averting evil. Many Arabs in those days believed in the sanctity of animals, the sun, the moon and Venus, thought that trees and other p｜ants possessed a spirit, and considered some animals to be deities with extraordinary powers, among them the viper, the crocodile, the bull, the gazelle and the goat. Finally, the study shows how pre-lslamic Arabic poetry can serve as a reliable document that reflects the society of the times, and how even the restricted amount of verse that has survived from those times can provide considerable information about mythical elements that go back to the remotest times.
