Biogeographical patterns of amphibians and reptiles in the northernmost coastal montane complex of South America.

We examine, for the first time, biogeographic patterns in a series of tropical montane coastal systems in northern South America. We use amphibians and reptiles, which constitute the most critical communities based upon the prevalence of endemic taxa, to assess the region's biodiversity. The montane coastal system spans an east-west distance of 925 km.

Farmers' preferred tree species and their potential carbon stocks in southern Burkina Faso: Implications for biocarbon initiatives.

The success of terrestrial carbon sequestration projects for rural development in sub-Saharan Africa lies in the (i) involvement of local populations in the selection of woody species, which represent the biological assets they use to meet their daily needs, and (ii) information about the potential of these species to store carbon. Although the latter is a key prerequisite, there is very little information available. To help fill this gap, the present study was undertaken in four pilot villages (Kou, Dao, Vrassan and Cassou) in Ziro Province, south-central Burkina Faso.

Molecular and carbon isotopic composition of leaf wax in vegetation and aerosols in a northern prairie ecosystem.

We measured the molecular and carbon isotopic composition of major leaf wax compound classes in northern mixed mesic prairie species (Agropyron smithii, Stipa viridula, Bouteloua gracilis, Tragopogon dubius) and in selected crops (Triticum aestivum, Brassica napus, Hordeum vulgare, Medicago sativa) of southern Alberta and also in aerosols collected 4 m above the prairie canopy. Our aims were to better constrain the wax biosynthetic carbon isotopic fractionation relative to the plant's carbon isotopic discrimination and to quantitatively assess the correspondence between wax composition in vegetation and in boundary layer aerosols. Wax molecular composition of the C(3)prairie species and bulked vegetation was characterized by high abundance of C(28) n-alkanol and C(31) n-alkane compounds whereas the C(4) species B.

Plant biomarkers in aerosols record isotopic discrimination of terrestrial photosynthesis.

Carbon uptake by the oceans and by the terrestrial biosphere can be partitioned using changes in the (12)C/(13)C isotopic ratio (delta(13)C) of atmospheric carbon dioxide, because terrestrial photosynthesis strongly discriminates against (13)CO(2), whereas ocean uptake does not. This approach depends on accurate estimates of the carbon isotopic discrimination of terrestrial photosynthesis (Delta; ref. 5) at large regional scales, yet terrestrial ecosystem heterogeneity makes such estimates problematic.