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We use digital elevation models ana satellite imagery data completed with field observations to develop an integrated morphotectonic analysis of the anomalous topography of the Central Cordillera of Patagonia between 46[degrees]S and 48[degrees]S, in a region overlying subducted segments of the Chile Spreading Ridge. This region shows a number of peculiar features, not expected in a normal subduction-related belt located away from a buried spreading center. First, it is characterized by overall short-wavelength topography and highly contrasted reliefs, typical of deeply incised young mountain belts, but surprisingly, also by an average very low elevation of ~900 m. Second, the Cordillera lacks central high reliefs; instead, there is a central, depressed domain with average low slope gradients including the deepest point of the study area (300 m below sea level in the bottom of Lake General Carrera/Buenos Aires). This depressed area is flanked by western and eastern regions of higher elevation having opposite general slope dips. To the east, the central Patagonian Cordillera is now separated from the flat plains of the Pampean domain (representing its former piedmont) and several elevated basaltic plateaus (mesetas) by 160[degrees]N-180[degrees]N trending morphotectonic corridors and the western border scarps of the mesetas. These scarps correspond to neotectonic features controlled by recent vertical faults, mostly active after 3 Ma. Remnants of a former peneplain, the Avellanos surface, are widespread within the entire Cordilleran region. From geological evidence, this peneplain formed between 15 and 4 Ma and was connected originally with the mesetas domain and now is dissected by these corridors. It is shown that a negative inversion related to extensional and strike-slip faulting occurred in the frontal region of the Cordillera at 3 Ma synchronously with the emplacement of magmatic products. Timing of the extensional deformation in central Patagonia is concomitant with the migration at depth of different segments of the South Chile Ridge, which entered the trench at 6 and 3 Ma, respectively, and the consequent opening of a slab window allows asthenospheric hot mantle to reach lithospheric regions. Finally, migration of segments of the Chile Spreading Ridge since 6 Ma triggered regional uplift of the Cordillera followed by limited extension in relation with increased thermal weakening of the crust. doi: 10.1029/2009TC002453

Research has been conducted on the macaque species in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The hybridization and population genetics of these species has been investigated via molecular markers from the mitochondrial, autosomal and Y-chromosome DNA and the results indicate that the hybridization among the species has led to different molecular variation distribution in both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.

Research has been conducted on noninvasive genotyping. The authors describe genotyping reliability via the use of collection, extraction and amplification protocols from elephant dung by comparing dung-extracted DNA results to those from blood-extracted DNA.

The rapid advance in technical ability to examine genetic structures, their function, and their variation has opened a new and easily accessible window on a wide variety of questions. First applied most visibly in the sequencing of the human genome, this technology now allows powerful new insights into the origin of humans and relatedness of other species. At a workshop held at the National Science Foundation (USA) in May, 2000, a panel met to assess the need for creating a resource of biological samples, e.g., cell lines, tissues, DNA, RNA, cDNA samples, and genomic resources such as BAC or cDNA libraries, for primate conservation, evolution and population research. In anticipating future needs, the consensus was to develop a collection of primate biomaterials with several components: extensive sampling across species and intensive sampling of a few species for developmental and comparative genomic studies. For these purposes, high-quality, well characterized samples with extensive data will be assembled and provided inexpensively for non-commercial use to investigators to meet diverse scientific and conservation goals. It is anticipated that the long term impact of a comprehensive primate biomaterials resource will extend to the preservation of a valuable record of the biological and genetic diversity of endangered species. We welcome discussions from the scientific community about the establishment of this resource.