An inventory of arthropods was carried out at locations in the desert area of Touggourt, southeast Algeria. Samples were collected from two diverse habitats, a palm grove (agricultural habitat) and dunes (natural habitat). Using the Barber pitfall trap, 1100 specimens, divided into four classes, 15 orders, 44 families and 99 species were obtained. In the palm grove, 660 arthropods were trapped, belonging to four classes and 12 orders. Of these four classes, Insecta dominated followed by Crustacea, Arachnida and Entognata. Insecta accounted for 59.49% of the total capture and was dominated by two orders: Hymenoptera (41.81%) and Amphipoda (34.55%). In the Hymenoptera, Cataglyphis sp. was the most abundant (38.2%), followed by Pheidole pallidula (2.3%). In the dunes, 440 individuals were trapped. Insecta was the most abundant (90.69%), and Crustacea and Arachnida were scarce. Of the dominance by insects, Hymenoptera was most abundant (68.15%), and within that order, Cataglyphis bombycina (35.5%) was the most abundant followed by Monomorium subopacum (8.9%). In the palm grove, 42 species were recorded, compared to 57 in the dunes. The Shannon–Weaver index and equitability varied in both stations. In the palm grove, the diversity was 2.6, and the equitability was 0.5. By contrast in the dunes, the diversity was equal to 4 and the Equitability equal to 0.7. The differences in vegetation between the two sites reflect the differences in species diversity.

Extensive coastal dunes occur in the Great Lakes region of North America, including northwestern Michigan where some are perched on high (~ 100 m) bluffs. This study focuses on such a system at Arcadia Dunes and is the first to systematically generate optical ages from stratigraphic sections containing buried soils. Dune growth began ca. 4.5 ka during the Nipissing high lake stand and continued episodically thereafter, with periods of increased sand supply at ca. 3.5 ka and ca. 1.7 ka. The most volumetrically dominant phase of dune growth began ca. 1.0 ka and continued intermittently for about 500 years. It may have begun due to the combined effects of a high lake phase, potential changes in lake hydrodynamics with final isostatic separation of Lake Superior from Lakes Michigan and Huron, and increased drought and hydrologic variability associated with the Medieval Warm Period. Thus, this latest eolian phase likely reflects multiple processes associated with Great Lakes water level and climate variability that may also explain older eolian depositional events. Comparison of Arcadia ages and calendar corrected 14C ages from previous studies indicate broad chronological agreement between events at all sites, although it appears that dune growth began later at Arcadia.

Eolian sand dunes and sand sheets are extensive in the semiarid regions of northern-central China. Previous studies indicated that these eolian sands mainly formed during historical times. However, the sand sources and their reworking processes have not been well studied, and even the reasons for their occurrence are still controversial. Field investigation and sedimentary evidence indicate that both the inner Mu Us Desert and its southern marginal region, both sources of modern eolian sand, are largely associated with reworking of sands of the last glaciation. Based on geological, documentary, and archaeological data, three phases of land cultivation during the past 2300 years, together with historical droughts, high wind energy, and the easily reworked sand sources, largely account for the occurrence of active sand dunes and sand sheets in the Mu Us Desert.

It is widely accepted that between the beginning of the Early Neolithic period and the end of the Early Bronze Age different regions of Britain were connected to one another by sea, but little is known about the nature of maritime contacts before plank-built boats developed during the 2nd millennium bc. This paper considers a series of coastal sites, some of which were first settled from Mesolithic times. From the early 4th millennium they were also associated with artefact production and the use of imported objects and raw materials. Their distribution focuses on the region of isostatic uplift in northern Britain where the ancient shoreline still survives. It is considered in relation to a new model of coastal change which suggests that these locations were characterised by natural havens sheltered behind islands or bars. The sites can be compared with the ‘landing places’ and ‘beach markets’ discussed by historical archaeologists in recent years.

Small isolated dune fields in the northern Mojave Desert are important centers of biodiversity and archaeological occupation sites. Currently dunes at Ash Meadows, Nevada, are stabilized by vegetation and are experiencing erosion of their upwind margins, indicating a negative sediment budget. New OSL ages from dunes at Ash Meadows indicate continuous eolian accumulation from 1.5 to 0.8 ka, with further accumulation around 0.2 ka. Prior studies (e.g., Mehringer and Warren, 1976) indicate periods of dune accumulation prior to 3.3 ka; 1.9–1 ka; and after 0.9 ka. These periods of eolian accumulation are largely synchronous with those identified elsewhere in the Mojave Desert. The composition of the Ash Meadows dunes indicates their derivation from regional fluvial sources, most likely during periods when axial washes were active as a result of enhanced winter precipitation.

Lecanora sorediomarginata Rodrigues, Terrón & Elix sp. nov., described as new to science from Portugal, is characterized morphologically by a crustose whitish-grey to greenish thallus developing soralia from small, marginal warts and chemically by the presence of 3,5-dichloro-2′-O-methylnorstenosporic acid [major], 3,5-dichloro-2′-O-methylanziaic acid [minor], 3,5-dichloro-2′-O-methylnordivaricatic acid [minor], 5-chloro-2′-O-methylanziaic acid [trace], atranorin [minor], chloroatranorin [minor], and usnic acid [trace]. It is chemically similar to L. lividocinerea, to which it shows phylogenetic affinities based on ITS rDNA sequence analysis, and to L. sulphurella. Lecanora sorediomarginata is epiphytic on Pinus pinaster and P. pinea, in pine forests on sand dunes along the Portuguese coast.

The effect of fluctuations in temperature and moisture supply on hard seeds of nine tropical coastal sand dune legumes, including herbs (Schrankia atiadrivalvis, Macropiilium atropurpureum and Canavalia rosea), and shrubs (Acacia farncsiana, A. macracantha, Mimosa chaetocarpa, Indigoftra sujjruticosa, Crolalaria incana and Chamaecrista chamaecrutoides), has been studied under laboratory and field conditions. Using a fluctuating temperature gradient bar seeds buried in sand were exposed to various amplitudes of diurnal temperature fluctuation over an extended period of time and seed germinability was examined at intervals. Germination percentage increased considerably in most species as a consequence of treatment with marked effects occurring at temperature fluctuations greater than 20°C and becoming detectable after 45 days. In several species the effect of applying wetting and drying cycles was to lower the amplitude of temperature fluctuation necessary to soften the seeds. Species can be grouped into physiological groups on the basis of differences in seed response to temperature fluctuations. It is suggested that these differences may help to explain the mechanisms distinguishing the different colonization patterns observed in tropical sand dune systems.

The Çukurova Deltas on the southern coast of Turkey, with their high biodiversity, are one of the most important wetland and RAMSAR sites in the eastern Mediterranean basin. The total native flora comprises 600 plant taxa, including many endemic and threatened taxa. In an examination of this flora, 62 taxa (31 endemic and 31 rare taxa for Turkey) were categorized as having restricted distributions and being under threat of extinction. To assess the conservation status of the threatened flora, the IUCN Red List categories and criteria were applied at both a regional and global scale. The distribution of threatened flora in the study area was analysed in relation to four principle habitats: sand dunes (mobile or fixed) and sandy beaches (with 64.5% of all taxa), salt flats and salt water marshes (16.1%), river banks and fresh water marshes (9.7%), and field margins and roadsides (9.7%). Sand dunes and sandy beaches were identified as the most threatened habitats, being both sensitive to disturbance and heavily affected by humans. This Red Data List is a first step towards the recognition of conservation problems in the Çukurova Deltas and the need for more effective conservation of their flora.