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Business Equally Commons – Ppp Keeps On Publishing Coexistence Approach Pseudo-Results

In 2016 nosotros published 2 papers demonstrating that the so-called Coexistence Approach (CA) to reconstruct past times climates is fundamentally flawed, theoretically together with inward practise. As number at that topographic point was a drop-down inward CA papers disseminated, exclusively, past times members of NECLIME, a Germany-centred scientific consortium promoting this pseudo-statistic (and pseudo-scientific) method. But 1 mag remains faithful. And has naught to fright thank yous to peer review confidentiality.

In an upcoming number of Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, an Elsevier mag on ... well, encounter title, 2 Polish palynologists volition let on a newspaper entitled "Upper Eocene palynoflora from Łukowa (SE Poland) together with its palaeoenvironmental context". It is a lite microscopy study of the a fossil pollen assemblage, which – using the Coexistence Approach – allows estimating a "... hateful annual temperature of 17.2–23.1 °C ..." Two years after nosotros showed that the Coexistence Approach tin never operate (Grimm & Potts 2016).

The newspaper demonstrates that the editorial board of PPP remains ignorant of our critiques (see Postscriptum) together with puts blind religious belief into really biased peers (leading members of the NECLIME syndicate) for their confidential (to tertiary parties, at least) reviews. This 2018 study is but some other instance demonstrating the fundamental flaws of the Coexistence Approach outlined inward Grimm & Potts (2016 [open access/discussion paper]) together with Grimm et al. (2016) [peer review should live transparent together with non confidential.

The study

From a full general dot of view, it's non a bad study. The pollen plates are nice, the lineament of the fossil cloth seems to live really good. (I'm non a palynologist, hence, cannot say anything well-nigh the reliability of the determination, together with association amongst modern-day genera together with families). But, the authors force but a unmarried fossil pollen flora, together with force a lot of conclusions from their taxon list. So, 1 should take hold genuinely used SEM imaging for the pollen, which
  1. provides unremarkably much to a greater extent than pollen morphs, and 
  2. allows amend identification of the pollen morphs.
Thus, getting a to a greater extent than comprehensive film of past times floral diversity. Thanks to the classic works of Praglowski together with co-workers together with the to a greater extent than recent operate of my (former) colleagues inward Vienna (Grímsson @ GoogleScholar; Zetter @ GoogleScholar) together with others, at that topographic point is a lot of comparative literature regarding SEM micrographs of fossil together with modern pollen on the taxa identified past times Worobiec together with Gedl. Which would live crucial, when nosotros are well-nigh to force conclusions well-nigh past times climate province of affairs based on flora assemblages using an actuo-palaeontological approach, inward which the modern-day sitatution is used to reconstruct the past.

Notably, the authors take a broader stand upwards than found inward core-NECLIME studies, which typically revolve exclusively but about the pseudo-quantitative results of the Coexistence Approach. Nonetheless, their abstract gives as original final result "... a hateful annual temperature of 17.2–23.1 °C."

"Mean annual temperature" refers to the yearly average temperature Tann inward climate literature/databases, typically calculated as the arithmetics hateful of the average monthly temperatures. The final result does non say a lot, it points to a subtropical setting. The climate station information nosotros used for our firstly validation newspaper (Grimm & Denk 2012; Northern Hemisphere only) includes 352 stations falling inward this arrive at (out of a total of 2625).

Climates at northern hemispheric climate stations amongst Tann between 17 together with 23 °C.

Worobiec together with Gedl conclude (p. 11): "The presence of frequent pollen together with spores of the genera growing forthwith nether tropical together with subtropical climatic weather together with presence of several taxa feature for swamps betoken that the climate during deposition of the sediments studied was warm together with humid." – well, according to their reconstruced intervals, nosotros tin fairly exclude a tropical setting (see pie chart). And "Nevertheless, the MAT estimated for the studied Łukowa seccion is inward full general understanding amongst other upper Eocene localities from primal Europe." – MAT's estimated amongst the same flawed method, together with published inward NECLIME studies, all of which take hold plainly non been critically reviewed; together with none of which documented whatever primary data.

The phenomenon of pseudocoexistence. The species cannot coexist, but would inform (pseudo-) precise "coexistence intervals" (Grimm & Potts 2016).
Nevertheless, a humid subtropical climate is a proficient guess for the Eocene of Europe, however, this has been inferred long before whatever quantitative method was established. But the long ongoing word is whether it was non (nearly) tropical, which the pseudo-quantitative results of Worobiec together with Gedl exclude as possibility; although they flagged nine fossil pollen taxa as exclusively tropical (their tabular array 1) together with 22 as exclusively temperate (labelled as "warm-temperate" inward contrary to "subtropical" together with [cool] "temperate"; confusion regarding Köppen's original climate classification, who coined together with defined the warm-temperate zone, together with Trewartha's modification, recognition of a subtropical zone inside the warm-temperate zone, is a common fault inward palaeoclimate literature). So 31 taxa that cannot coexist, but they observe a 100% overlap for the tolerances of the nearest-living relatives.

But: We showed (and 1 of our papers is cited) that all good sampled fossil floras volition inevitably converge on a humid subtropical climate as good as random samples. Because this is the climate all plants tin thrive in, hence, theoretically tin coexist. And pollen tin live transported across large distances. What CA studies do for forthwith to a greater extent than than 2 decades is to force trivial results past times pseudo-quantitative estimates, patch a) non documenting the used information together with b) ignoring all sources of fault together with bias. Characteristics of a pseudo-science. The peer review should ensure that such is non published, but inward the instance of PPP it does just the opposite. It keeps a demonstrated, flawed method alive. It was an thought to pursue twenty years ago, but it was shortly realised that it is likewise unsmooth together with likewise instable, together with the CA-advocators take hold never tried to surpass fifty-fifty the most basic problems such as that climate niches are non rectangular together with the demand to discern betwixt actual coexistence together with pseudocoexistence (pollen tin live transported over large distances).


What is the Coexistence Approach?

In short, an a-statistical actuo-palaeontological approach amongst many pseudo-scientific attributes when it comes to application, advocated past times the NECLIME syndicate together with published uncritically inward PPP together with a few other outlets amongst lower impact and confidential peer review. Studies inward "big" journals are summaries that never bargain amongst actual data, but but amount upwards results of primary publications, results published by together with large inward PPP facing footling scrutiny during review and plainly unchecked past times the peers working for the higher-ranking journals (otherwise they would greenback things similar an alleged temperature slope of xv °C on Republic of Iceland during the Miocene based on "proxy data"). The probable argue for this do-whatever-you-want bargain may live the over 10,000 citations (most within-syndicate), the Coexistence Approach generated for PPP since 1997, when the method was launched (Mosbrugger & Utescher 1997 inward PPP; I'd dear to encounter the original review reports).

Dissimination platforms of papers citing the original Coexistence Approach study Mosbrugger & Utescher (1997). Includes papers that but rear it, together with a few negative citations that discussed it as flawed. CA-papers are a notable concern for PPP (R-based analysis done terminate of 2014 past times my co-author Alastair Potts using Web of Science literature database)

The Coexistence Approach had a bumpy start: the firstly actual application newspaper was published inward 1999, inward PPP, naturally. In the same twelvemonth the Tübinger Mikropaläontologische Arbeiten published a Ph.D. study supervised past times Volker Mosbrugger showing that the Coexistence Approach performed worst of diverse tested alternatives (Klotz 1999). Mosbrugger was non only 1 of the 2 initiators of the Coexistence Approach but also of NECLIME (currently caput of the famous Senckenberg institute together with society). NECLIME is based on a elementary deal: the Germans take the money together with the others the needed skills. The CA-results of Klotz were never re-published inward an accessible journal, together with it has been a mutual sport inward the get-go to cite this thesis for the contrary (e.g. Bruch & Zhilin 2007 inward the PPP-special issue, guest-edited past times leading NECLIMErs).

The basic regulation of unweighted mutual climate arrive at approaches such as the Coexistence Approach (Grimm & Potts 2016).

The argue for dropping to a greater extent than promising methods was that the coexistence approach is really elementary to apply, yous don't demand whatever mathematical or computational skills, or a proficient information basis. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 listing of fossil taxa (here: by together with large artificial pollen taxa used for stratigraphic purposes) is translated into a listing of modern-day analogues, so-called 'nearest-living relatives'. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 database providing minimum together with maximum tolerances for those nearest-living relatives is together with so used to found the "coexistence interval", the parameter overlap arrive at (mutual climatic range) at which all or most of the nearest-living relatives tin coexist.

How the Coexistence Approach works. A. Standard interval, the tolerance of all NLR take hold an overlap (this is a mutual clilmate arrive at approach). B. The cherry-red together with dark take hold no overlap, the CA infers 2 possible intervals. C. The 2 cherry-red exotics eliminate the dark NLR as "climatic outlier", the coexistence interval is really precise together with unrepresentative for the flora. B together with C do non fufil the requirements of an unweighted MCR (Grimm et al. 2016).
The "coexistence interval" is defined past times the twain of the 2 least-tolerant nearest-living relatives for a climatic parameter. Any (modern-day) ecologist or vegetation scientist confronted amongst the method's working, shows 1 of the next reactions
  • bursts out inward laughter;
  • insane-looking caput shaking (western style, non eastern where it way yes, yes);
  • comments the method using political incorrect, but scientifically right language.
But the palaeoclimatic community doesn't bother. Not inward the opened upwards (behind curtains, at that topographic point was a lot of bullshitting well-nigh it since the beginning). At least, it's a method using fossils. Literally least, there's no to a greater extent than positive affair to say well-nigh it (ill-conceived together with sloppy to fraudulently applied). And fossils are likewise oft overlooked. The philosophy is: amend to used them inward a fraudulent way than to non work them at all. Die together with allow die, but inward peace!

In most papers the nearest-living relative tolerances come upwards from the silent by together with large obscure Palaeoflora Database, which has been much updated inward the in conclusion years (according Utescher et al. 2014; no assessment/ evidence produced together with so or later); plainly next our "fundamentally flawed" (Utescher inward Hoorn et al. 2012) [here's the total story], firstly critique (Denk Grimm 2012).

[Trivia: Torsten Utescher was a quite unsuccesful palynologist inward Bonn (see his pre-1997 publication list) until he teamed upwards amongst Mosbrugger, together with forthwith acts as the Archmage of the Coexistence Approach. He's the human being who knows how to work the 8-week opened upwards word phase to comment, although I send all of them a postal service inviting them to do so. They also refused to review the Grimm et al. (2016) paper. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fine illustration of scientific discourse, when 1 cannot cover behind the Impermeable Fog.]

In 2012 (well 2010/2011, actually), nosotros looked at the CA/Palaeoflora "MAT" tolerances ("mean annual temperature", the average temperature across the year), the only freely accessible information at the fourth dimension — yous logged-in amongst a faux email address such as asdf@stupid.com, search a taxon yell (genus) together with and so re-create & glue the information into a spread-sheet file. We showed that "MAT" tolerances tin live nigh-erroneous, peculiarly inward instance of nearest-living relatives crucial for published reconstructions. And the method cannot capture obvious climatic gradients. In his review of our 2012 paper, Utescher stated all our critique are naught because nosotros overlooked that East Asian trees together with bushes grow today outside their natural climatic niche [PDF of his review together with our rebuttal] inward the mountains of China. Implying that all fossil floras are low-land assemblages. So much for actuo-palaeontological approach, Utescher seems to a greater extent than to yell upwards of a palaeo-actualistic approach.

Related side note: As a novel slap into the human face of opened upwards information together with minimum requirements regarding documentation of used data, yous are forthwith re-routed to the corresponding Pangaea site, a site to shop together with let on geological together with palaeoclimatological data. I didn't attempt all the links, but wishing yous proficient luck to observe what is promised on NECLIME's entry page (and inward the diverse published papers referring to Pangaea or cited the Palaeoflora Database) together with should live there: the used tolerance information for the reconstructions.

This is what yous larn when yous click on "data base" inward NECLIME's navigation bar these days. Earlier, yous would take "Search the Palaeoflora Database", together with could access ("outdated", Utescher, inward his 2012 review) "MAT" tolerances. For a small fourth dimension access to other parameters was promised, but non provided. Now the link has been replaced past times a link to the Pangaea site, where yous observe a lot of results but no primary information on the used climatic tolerances to larn these results. Not documenting the information used to create (and allowing to re-produce) results is some other feature of pseudo-science.


The original flaw of the Coexistence Approach (in this case)

Let lonely the ridiculous insistence of Coexistence Approach papers similar the fresh-from-the-press Polish newspaper to written report pseudo-precise estimates such as 17.2–23.1 °C as original final result (see their abstract). It is technically impossible to define bioclimatic brackets, tolerance intervals, amongst a precision of a 10th of a centigrade, something fifty-fifty Utescher et al. (2014) realised, patch ignoring it inward exercise (e.g. Utescher et al. 2009 providing a fine-scale example; Quan et al. 2012, encounter Grimm et al. 2016 for the existent results). And non meaningful to propagate them into the past; inward the instance of Worobiec & Gedl: some 35 Ma. Ironically, the Coexistence Approach or unweighted mutual climate arrive at methods inward general, performed worst already for the most-recent past, i.e. the Pleistocene (see Klotz 1999; Thompson et al. 2012) together with when using realistic tolerance data.

The ultimate most of import job of the Coexistence Approach, inward theory (Grimm & Potts 2016) together with exercise (Grimm & Denk 2012; Grimm et al. 2016) is that the most exotic elements inward a flora – the to the lowest degree tolerant taxon pair  – define the reconstructed past times climate. This is item a problem, when these most exotic elements are relicts: Plant species/genera/families that today only occupy a really express range, but were much to a greater extent than widespread inward the past. Even the Masters of CA disencourage using such taxa. According protocol (e.g. Mosbrugger & Utescher 1997), but non exercise (see all Coexistence Approach papers co-authored past times Utescher).

[More trivia: You may observe it interesting that at that topographic point are only really relatively few Coexistence Approach papers co-authored only past times Mosbrugger together with non also past times Utescher. One argue is that Utescher is the High Curator of the Palaeoflora Database. Another argue may be, that Mosbrugger knows that it is flawed, why he advised me inward 1998 (!) to take a phylogenetic topic for my Diplom thesis (Grimm, 1999, online version, inward German) together with non to locomote inward the reason of palaeoclimate reconstruction. Quote: "You are likewise intelligent for palaeoclimate research". Not sure well-nigh "too intelligent", but I am definitely likewise perceptive regarding information incoherence. Why I shortly dealt inward networks, non trees.]

In general, it is really risky to assume that the climatic niche hasn't changed, which nosotros do when nosotros create upwards one's heed on a yearly average temperature of 17–23 °C inward the Eocene based on the arrive at occupied past times a 2 modern-day potential relatives.

Shifting climate niches: an inevitable job of all nearest-living relative methods. The only solution is to observe way to at to the lowest degree qualitatively assess this effect (see Grimm & Potts 2016, together with literature cited therein). The Coexistence Approach solution to the job is to ignore it.

Naturally, it becomes riskier amongst every meg of years nosotros locomote back. However, this has never been a job for authors, editors together with probable NECLIME-affiliated "anonymous" peers of PPP, which published 2 special issues, guest-edited past times leading NECLIMErs together with probable reviewed internally (in monastic enjoin words: non at all). And it's trivial that yous take hold no thought how the climatic niche looks similar (not fifty-fifty roughly), when your nearest-living relative is the in conclusion surviving species of a 1 time widespread lineage.

Which brings us to the newspaper of Worobiec & Gedl, together with why it could only locomote past times the peer review inward a mag applying a strict non-transparency policy; for the peer review procedure together with regarding information documentation.


The single-blind, confidential peer review process.Join #FightTheFog at change.org


Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 High German saying: "One swallow does non betoken summertime has come" (not a few of us are silent waiting for winter's coming, could yous please, J. R. R. Martin, before yous die?) But inward the Wonderous World of Coexistence Magic, 1 relict tin (and will).

In contrast to most NECLIME coexistence approach papers, Worobiec & Gedl present the bar nautical chart for their original climate parameter, the yearly average temperature (called "mean annual temperature" "MAT" inward Coexistence Approach literature), inward their fig. 3 amongst a revealing title: "Attempt at an application of the Coexistence Approach method to the palynoflora studied" together with a tabular array of the bracketing nearest-living relatives inward their tabular array 3: "Results of palaeoclimate calculations amongst the Coexistence Approach together with listing of taxa defining the palaeoclimate coexistence intervals (lower together with upper limit). No outliers." Attempt would take hold been also hither the to a greater extent than plumbing fixtures word, together with a failed one.

The most critical fossil pollen taxon for 3 of the half dozen parameters is Fususpollinites fusus. Worobiec together with Gedl chose as nearest-living relative "Trigonobalanus s.l." next the Palaeoflora Database. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 quondam genus inside the beech tree identify unit of measurement (quite a old stub on Wikipedia), the Fagaceae, that has been dissolved into 3 genera, Colombobalanus in Columbia, Formanodendron and Trigonobalanus in East Asia.
A synoptical time-scaled phylogenetic system for the Fagaceae, the beech tree identify unit of measurement (Grímsson et al. 2016). Worobiec & Gedl's Fusupollinites is considered to shape part of the trigonobalanoids; the Upper Eocene is highlighted past times colouring cloth (cyan).

All 3 genera comprise a unmarried species together with are express inward their geographic ranges; 2 are subtropical mid-altitude trees, Trigonobalanus goes into the Malayan tropics. Genetically, the split upwards makes sense: the 3 species are really distinct together with reverberate an ancient (Paleocene or earlier) difference inside the Fagaceae, the beech tree family, that also includes the well-known oaks.

Let lonely that no-one has ever published a decent distribution map of these 3 species, at that topographic point is no dubiousness that they are unrepresentative relicts. Trigonobalanoid pollen is non only frequent but also widespread inward the Palaeogene of the Northern Hemipshere, which fits to the branch-lengths seen inward molecular trees. They are 1 of the pollen morphs yous would expression to observe inward whatever properly studied Eocene, but also the substantially colder Oligocene, fossil flora inward Europe.

Any reviewer, fifty-fifty those faithful to the Coexistence Approach, would take hold had to dot out to the authors that this nearest-living relative has to live removed. But when yous do this, together with take away other relicts amongst as dubious modern-day intervals, the coexistence intervals larn likewise large to say anything. A classic job of the Coexistence Approach: realistic tolerances together with properly determined together with assigned fossil taxa atomic number 82 to scientific nirwana.

The documentation, i.e. the full general lack of it

Another evidence that this newspaper was non critically reviewed, or properly done reviews were ignored past times the editor, is the documentation. The authors written report to take hold used 3 datasets of climatic tolerance data, which tin live quite different. To demonstrate the utility of their method, Utescher et al. (2014) did non present whatever graph based on their data, the Palaeoflora Database, but a fraction of the much to a greater extent than reliable information of Thompson et al. (1999–2012a). Data, nosotros used inward our 2012 critique to proof the Palaeflora Database wrong together with until together with so (or later) were never used (cited) past times whatever newspaper published nether NECLIME aegis (too large tolerances for many critical nearest-living relatives).

Not requiring that the used tolerances are documented says a lot regarding scientific sincerity together with lineament of confidential peer review imposed past times PPP. The method together with primary information remains unvalidated together with largely undocumented past times the restricted CA community. Although nosotros provided freely accessible check-up floral lists inward our 2012 newspaper [8 MB/reduced 3 MB archive], which they could work to demonstrate the capacity of their method to capture unlike climate conditions. For North America, Thompson et al. (2012) did a test, together with came to the conclusion that unweighted mutual climate arrive at methods such as the Coexistence Approach are pretty useless. Guess how oft this newspaper is cited inward PPP publications promoting the Coexistence Approach published since then? Worobiec & Gedl claim to take hold used Thompson et al.'s tolerances together with cite their 2015 atlas, but seem to take hold missed this of import application assay of that data.

Given the many "uncertainties" well-nigh the tolerance information (preferred terminology inward Utescher et al., 2014, when addressing fault sources), it would be obligatory to listing the used tolerances, and non only the used nearest-living relatives (Worobiec & Gedl's tabular array 1, a fine tabular array compared to the criterion of NECLIME-syndicate papers published inward PPP). So, an informed reviewer could dot out obvious deficits — yous can't determine the modern-day tolerance amongst an accuracy together with precision of 0.1 °C or mm of monthly precipitation; together with the less obvious such as unrepresentative tolerance data. We outlined minimum necessary documentation already inward our 2012 paper, together with Utescher et al. (2014) took it upwards as their ain thought (see Grimm et al. 2016, tabular array 1). Needless to say, PPP did non inquire whatever of us to review the 2014 newspaper of Utescher et al. as they were asked to review or comment on all of our method critiques. Clearly, nosotros cannot live as objective as a NECLIME Inner Circle acolythe.

The beauty of confidential peer review: no-one tin inquire questions well-nigh the process. Everything that happened remained inward the dark.

Another minimum requirement is to document the material, so informed reviewers may dot yous to misidentified or taxonomically problematic fossil taxa. Also inward this respect, Worobiec & Gedl surpass past times large the full general miserable lineament of other Coexistence Papers published inward PPP. They render high-quality light-microscopy plates of their pollen taxa, a neccesary but really rare feat.

But 1 is missing: Fususpollinites fusus. Exactly the pollen that defines 3 lower boundaries of the coexistence intervals, yearly average temperature ("MAT"; >17.2°C), annual atmospheric precipitation ("MAP": 1217–1724 mm), together with "MPWet" (254–424 mm), the "mean atmospheric precipitation of the wetter month" — whatever that means.

Ranges the Coexistence Approach e'er finds when to a greater extent than than 10, xv nearest-living relatives are used, because they frame a climate province of affairs beneficial for whatever flora taxon: comfy together with wet, inward other words humid subtropical (Universal coexistence — all roads atomic number 82 to North Carolina inward Grimm & Denk 2012, but Yunnan is likely, likewise in Grimm et al. 2016).

As expected. Worobiec & Gedl's "coexistence intervals" (red bars) compared to "center values", the mid-point of the "coexistence interval" of random subsamples of the tolerance information provided inward Quan et al. (2012; Grimm et al. 2016).



And either because they are genuinely wary (a bit) of the methodological pitfalls, or 1 of the other reviewers pointed them to it, Worobiec & Gedl reason (p.10 inward the advance online version): "Taking into consideration the inward a higher identify mentioned remarks together with the critical analysis of the Palaeoflora database together with the Coexistence Approach for palaeoclimate reconstruction (Grimm et al., 2016; Zaborac-Reed together with Leopold, 2016), nosotros realise that this final result is an estimation together with represents an average value over diverse habitats together with regional settings." — an euphemism, together with wrong inward essence. We showed that the Coexistence Approach cannot average over diverse habitats, but volition e'er final result inward a subtropical humid setting, when elements of diverse habitats together with climate zones are mixed (altitudinal gradients).

They proceed: "Nevertheless, climatic ranges of all taxa included inward the analysis present overlapping. This way that a consistent reconstruction of the past times climatic province of affairs is obtained (cf. Utescher et al., 2014)" — No. It does not. Quite the opposite! If the climate ranges are non overlapping yous know that your taxon listing has a severe problem, a first-level fault (the "uncertainties" inward Mosbrugger & Utescher 1997 together with Utescher et al. 2014). But overlap lonely does non hateful your tolerances are meaningful or do render whatever back upwards for the final result of the coexistence interval. Only large, undecisive intervals give credibility to the reconstruction. We showed this, from a theorical dot of thought together with using Quan et al.'s Palaeflora Database excerpt, whereas Utescher et al. (2014) but repeated the unproven 1997 claim that the percent of potentially coexisting nearest-living relatives has whatever meaning.

How to avoid bad or fraudulent science

The study of Worobiec & Gedl demonstrate why the peer review must live transparent, next the illustration of PeerJ and a few other journals. In improver to Utescher, some other reviewer, a existent palynologist together with junior co-author of Grimm et al. (2016), signed his report, together with hangs amongst the deficits together with errors inward the published paper. I contacted him together with he wrote me that he provided aid together with hints as best as he could, but what tin yous do if the authors ignore yous together with the editors dorsum them. But the experience makes yous re-consider whether yous should take hold whatever farther invitation to review, since it's only done pro-forma. And, encourages yous to struggle the Impermeable Fog. Third parties should take hold the right to know what the reviewers said, together with at to the lowest degree fathom how the editor decided. Otherwise the lineament of a newspaper together with its original results cannot live assessed past times most of the reviewers.

I take hold no access to the submitted version or the reviewer reports to assess the lineament together with objectivity of the peer review process, together with cannot larn whatever legal access to them. And fifty-fifty if I would take hold been a peer (God beware...), together with the authors together with editor would take hold ignored everything I pointed out because the Great Archmage Utescher feels otherwise, I cannot brand this populace because that would live breaking the sacro-sanct review confidentiality. And my enquiry career would take hold a nasty stinch to bargain amongst (Thank God, I'm non a scientist anymore!)

Pseudo-science similar the Coexistence Approach tin only thrive thank yous to the shadiness of the confidential peer review. When exposed to the lite of opened upwards scientific discourse, it crumbles to dust. And Coexistence Approach results should non live published until it has been assessed what they tin present (see in conclusion department inward Grimm & Potts 2016, added next the proposition of 1 reviewer, Anonymous 2016, to give our newspaper a positive-constructive touch; or a reviewer collective, the in conclusion job inward the written report said "We recommend that the corrections should live reviewed").

The editors of PPP have proven inward the past times that they are reluctant to do anything against the CA-clique inward their allegedly peer-reviewed journal, together with put their heads inward the sand whenever the Archmages of the Coexistence Approach locomote past times through. The treatment editor of these papers is non mentioned, hence, no-one has to take the responsibleness for publishing pseudo-scientific results. But, the NECLIME syndicate produces but likewise much acquit on for the journal, likewise much for a mid-tier mag struggling to maintain its acquit on factor > 2 to halt riding the dead Equus caballus (see Wisdom of the Dakota Tribe, inward German).

As in conclusion consequence, a potentially proficient together with informative newspaper disqualified itself scientifically. PPP's confidential peer review together with documentation policy ensures that "estimates" (house numbers) of unknown lineament locomote past times as proper research. To work the magnificient words of a really intelligent man, mayhap fifty-fifty to a greater extent than intelligent than Utescher, together with certainly to a greater extent than intelligent than me.

So sad! 

Maybe, when The Donald is dorsum to a normal life (and does non locomote past times away inward office, fifty-fifty his salubrious orangish pare colouring cloth starts to fade), PPP can hire him as the side past times side Editor-in-Chief to #MaPaPaPaGA ... from faux word to faux science.



Postscriptum. Although I cannot do anything against the publication of CA studies similar the 1 of Worobiec together with Gedl, I'm on it, of course. Don Grimxote charges whatever windmill! E-mail has been sent yesterday afternoon, together with my asking to encounter the reports has been ignored so far. But 1 of the addressed editors, Thomas Algeo, replied promptly that he tin "... non know whether [my] criticism of the Coexistence Approach method has validity." — interesting disputation for an editor of the original dissimention platform of CA papers. But he is "... happy to entertain either (1) a Comment from [me] regarding a specific Palaeo-3 paper, or (2) a full-length enquiry article inward which [I] address the number inward a trend built but about your ain original research", which volition locomote through "... the normal review process". In instance of PPP, option (1) tin hateful that yous submit a Comment, which is together with so ignored for half dozen months past times the editor together with yous larn a overnice email afterwards informing yous that forthwith the reports are finally there, but unfortunately your reply cannot live considered anymore because it is likewise belatedly to let on (needs to live done inside half dozen months). Option (2) ... good such papers are published, at that topographic point is naught to add.
I told Algeo, I'm happy to write a comment to Worobiec & Gedl, provided that
  1. the authors (playing dead so far) send me the tolerance information they used, and 
  2. at to the lowest degree my review procedure volition live made transparent.
Let's encounter what happens. The in conclusion fourth dimension I made this counter-offer, I never heard 1 time to a greater extent than from the editor (or the authors). And published a (well-received) post on "How non to brand a phylogeographic study". Science can live so much fun, when yous left the Impermeable Fog behind you.



References
Anonymous. 2016. Interactive Comment on "Fallacies together with fantasies: the theoretical underpinnings of the Coexistence Approach for palaeoclimate reconstruction" past times G. W. Grimm together with A. Potts. Climates of the Past Discussions 11:C2884–C2888. www.clim-past-discuss.net/11/C2884/2016
Bruch AA, Zhilin SG. 2007. Early Miocene climate of Central Eurasia — Evidence from Aquitanian floras of Kazakhstan. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 248:32-48.
Grimm GW, Bouchal JM, Denk T, Potts AJ. 2015. Fables together with foibles: a critical analysis of the Palaeoflora database together with the Coexistence Approach for palaeoclimate reconstruction. bioRxiv doi:10.1101/016378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/016378
Grimm GW, Bouchal JM, Denk T, Potts AJ. 2016. Fables together with foibles: a critical analysis of the Palaeoflora database together with the Coexistence Approach for palaeoclimate reconstruction. Review of Palaeobotany together with Palynology 233:216–235. 
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Hoorn C, Straathof J, Abels HA, Xu Y, Utescher T, Dupont-Nivet G. 2012. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 belatedly Eocene palynological tape of climate alter together with Tibetan Plateau uplift (Xining Basin, China). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 344–345:16–38.
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