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The vegetation in an area of the ombrotrophic bog Skagershultsmossen, South-Central Sweden, was mapped in 2010. The same area was previously surveyed in 1907 and 1970. Only small changes were found in 1970, in contrast to the situation in 2010, when a large shift in the vegetation was observed. The previously dominating vegetation type, lawns dominated by Eriophorum vaginatum, had more or less disappeared and was replaced by carpet vegetation dominated by Rhynchospora alba, Sphagnum tenellum and S. balticum. Also, the carpets dominated by Scheuchzeria palustris had decreased to a large extent. There are several possible climatic explanations behind the changes, and we suggest that increased frost action linked to the reduction in snow cover may be important. The shift in the vegetation has most certainly led to a decrease in peat productivity and, hence, a reduction in carbon sequestration by the bog is assumed. Skagershultsmossen is an important reference site for future studies of long-term vegetation changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Climatología is the property of Revista de Climatologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Climatología is the property of Revista de Climatologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology. Social Sciences Edition / Haerbin Gongye Daxue Xuebao. Shehui Kexue Ban is the property of Harbin Institute of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Climate warming is driving an advance of leaf unfolding date in temperate deciduous forests, promoting longer growing seasons and higher carbon gains. However, an earlier leaf phenology also increases the risk of late frost defoliation (LFD) events. Compiling the spatiotemporal patterns of defoliations caused by spring frost events is critical to unveil whether the balance between the current advance in leaf unfolding dates and the frequency of LFD occurrence is changing and represents a threaten for the future viability and persistence of deciduous forests. We combined satellite imagery with machine learning techniques to reconstruct the spatiotemporal patterns of LFD events for the 2003–2018 period in the Iberian range of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), at the drier distribution edge of the species. We used MODIS Vegetation Index Products to generate a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series for each 250 × 250 m pixel in a total area of 1,013 km2 (16,218 pixels). A semi‐supervised approach was used to train a machine learning model, in which a binary classifier called Support Vector Machine with Global Alignment Kernel was used to differentiate between late frost and non‐late frost pixels. We verified the obtained estimates with photointerpretation and existing beech tree‐ring chronologies to iteratively improve the model. Then, we used the model output to identify topographical and climatic factors that determined the spatial incidence of LFD. During the study period, LFD was a low recurrence phenomenon that occurred every 15.2 yr on average and showed high spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Most LFD events were condensed in 5 yr and clustered in western forests (86.5% in one‐fifth of the pixels) located at high elevation with lower than average precipitation. Elevation and longitude were the major LFD risk factors, followed by annual precipitation. The synergistic effects of increasing drought intensity and rising temperature combined with more frequent late frost events may determine the future performance and distribution of beech forests. This interaction might be critical at the beech drier range edge, where the concentration of LFD at high elevations could constrain beech altitudinal shifts and/or favor species with higher resistance to late frosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology & History is the property of University of Nis, Serbia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and objectives: Lentil (Lens culinaris M.) is a high value, highly nutritional grain which originated in Middle‐East. More recently lentil has gained favor in Western countries due to the high value in production and the benefits they provide agronomically; however, growing lentil in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States is not without its challenges. One is the high probability of damage due to radiant frost either before flowering or during pod‐filling. The effects of which is most noticeable in the appearance of the seed reduce the value and usability of crops. On the other hand, a generation of well informed, health‐conscious, and environmentally concerned consumers has driven the demand for affordable and healthy food alternatives. Such demand has resulted in a growing industry for protein extraction and novel food production. If used for protein extraction or novel food production, the visual appearance of seeds is no longer an important quality trait. Lentil seeds damaged through frost that still retain a high nutritional composition may be the perfect candidate for a low‐cost substrate in novel food production while improving the outcomes for growers and industry alike. Findings: This study used as a model extrusion technology to investigate the use of flour derived from Grade 1 (premium quality) and downgraded frost‐damaged lentil and to monitor compositional changes during extrusion. The study concentrated on how total protein, individual carbohydrates, and phenolic acids changed through high‐temperature, high‐pressure extrusion. Overall flours made from composite lentil–wheat flour had significantly higher concentrations of protein and carbohydrates than the base wheat flour. No significant differences were observed for total protein or carbohydrates between Grade 1 and frost‐damaged flours; however, extrusion significantly reduced total protein concentration as well as maltose and glucose concentration but did not alter the concentration of fructose, sucrose, or the raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs). As expected, phenolic acids, procyanidin, kaempferol glycoside, and kaempferol trihexoside were detected in lentil–wheat composites but not in wheat. All phenolic acids significantly increased with increasing concentrations of lentil flour in composite; however, their concentration decreased as a result of the extrusion process. Differences in concentrations of procyanidin and kaempferol glycoside were detected between Grade 1 and frost‐affected lentil in both the composite flour and the extrudate. Conclusions: The extrusion process has the effect of altering the composition of the raw material. This was evident by a decrease in protein percentage phenolic compounds and to a lesser effect the water‐soluble carbohydrates. No changes in RFOs was observed. The complete loss of glucose and a significant reduction in maltose provide a healthier carbohydrate profile as the carbohydrates are low fermentable sugars. The reduction in phenolic acids a result of extrusion may help to reduce the antinutritional activity particularly in grains where the concentration of phenolic acids is high. This study found that functionality of downgraded lentil is similar to the premium grade, and more expensive raw material. This knowledge may assist in reducing the increasing issue of food waste where often downgraded products are not used in the production of food. Significants and novelty: In order to meet world food security needs, it is predicted that global food production will need to increase by at least 70% by 2050. Therefore, the utilization of all possible protein sources including downgraded pulses, such as lentil, will become increasingly more important. Furthermore, due to climate change increasingly more variable weather conditions will result in the production of below optimum grains. Understanding how to best utilize both premium and downgraded grains is a desirable outcome to minimize food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media outlets, commentators, and even comedians have begun to question the way people are experiencing governance. Many bemoan the current state of affairs, stating that institutions are under assault, that this is a brand-new threat to democracy, or some new challenge to bureaucratic function. Using the poem by Robert Frost and the case of southern border immigration in the United States, the article helps identify some consistent, arguably postmodern, cogent expressions of power being wielded to influence many facets of American society. More generally, it highlights how instrumental and constitutive approaches to public administration remain essentially contested concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent achievements in real world applications, being able to learn cause-effect has been expected as a new aim of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). As a preliminary attempt, causal modelling has been proposed for capturing relation between past observation of environment factors and future event of frost. This article continues explore methods of modelling and learning cause-effect relation in frost forecast. It first argues that the relation between environment factors and frost event is of cause-effect more than correlation, then discusses the involvement of time in modelling such cause-effect. Methods of modelling are discussed with their assumptions and rational behind. Performance comparison is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Lentil (Lens culinaris M.) is a high‐value grain used traditionally as a minimally processed product. Lentil crops are well‐suited to Mediterranean‐type climates with mild winters and hot dry summers which results in the production of high‐value grain. However, extreme weather conditions, such as frost, can impact the lentil seed, for example, a darkened seed color and distorted seed shape resulting in a downgrade of its market value. The quality parameters of lentil when milled as wholemeal flour is not reliant on visual or physical seed traits such as seed size and color which impact on the market value in traditional market specifications. Instead, quality parameters such as those applied in the assessment of wheat, these include flour yield and color would be appropriate parameters to determine the value of lentil flour. It is proposed that flour, even from down‐graded lentil could be supplemented with wheat flour and used to enhance the quality profile of baked products including breads, pastas, and cookies. Findings: This study investigated the use of premium and frost‐damaged lentil flour in cookie making. Overall cookies made from wheat–lentil composite blends resulted in flatter and wider cookies that were darker than the cookies made from 100% wheat flour. Cookies made by incorporating lentil and wheat flour resulted in a significant increase in total protein, insoluble fiber, and oligosaccharides (p <.05). In addition, the phenolic acids kaempferol and procyanidin were detected in cookies made using wheat–lentil contributing to an increase in antioxidant activity (p <.05). These phenolic acids were not detected in cookies made from 100% wheat flour. Our results show that using concentrations of up to 25% lentil flour resulted in cookies that had expectable hardness and color characteristics in comparison with a 100% wheat biscuit. Conclusion: This research showed that the nutritional value and functional properties of cookies can be significantly enhanced by using either premium or down‐graded lentil and the quality of the cookies was not impacted by the market‐grade of the raw material. Significance and novelty: Investigations into the use of pulse flours such as lentil in novel food products including pasta and snack foods are gaining popularity particularly by the health‐conscious consumer. The visual appearance of lentil is not critical when utilized in such products. Lentil that has been visually or physically affected by adverse weather conditions, but its nutritional and functional values have not been compromised may prove a viable inclusion in the creation of highly nutritious food alternatives. The use of down‐graded lentil as flour in novel food production could ultimately add value to pulse grain affected by adverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance and resilience to multiple stresses depend on competition among trees, thus they can be improved by means of silvicultural practices reducing stand density. However, we often ignore whether thinning is an appropriate practice to increase the resistance and resilience to late-spring frosts. These climatic events can damage tree species, especially when leaf emergence is advanced by warmer springs. Here, we compared the effect of a late-spring frost on crown damage and stem radial growth in beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) from areas thinned and not thinned. The study area is a mixed forest of F. sylvatica , Quercus petraea and Q. pyrenaica , and is located in central Spain, near the southern limit of beech distribution. The proportion of trees damaged by frost was not significantly different in thinned vs non-thinned areas. However, severely damaged trees in non-thinned areas showed higher growth reductions and a longer legacy effect than severely damaged trees in thinned plots. Severely damaged trees were those with earlier leaf and stem growth phenology in the frost year. These trees, compared to slightly damaged trees, delayed growth cessation and had a longer growth period in the frost year, and the year afterwards in non-thinned areas. Growth recovery was size-dependent in non-thinned areas, in which bigger trees recovered growth faster. The positive effect of thinning in attenuating frost impact on growth and accelerating growth recovery adds up to other beneficial effects of thinning for stress tolerance. Similar results could occur in other deciduous species highly sensitive to spring temperatures, which are likely to increase with global warming. • Frost damage results in reduced growth for two consecutive years. • Thinning reduces the frost impact on growth and shortens the legacy effect. • Thinning had no effect on the proportion of frost-damaged trees. • Frost-damaged trees were those with earlier leaf and stem growth phenology. • Damaged trees had longer growth period in the frost year and the year afterwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two, Cook and Morgan are the authors of recent monographs on Brisbane ( I A River with a City Problem i , 2019) and Perth ( I Running Out? Cook, Lionel Frost, Andrea Gaynor, Jenny Gregory, Ruth A. Morgan, Martin Shanahan and Peter Spearritt, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022, 320 pp., $AU141.95 (hbk), IBSN 978-1-1088-3158-1, Publisher's websitehttps://www.cambridge.org/ Of the book's seven authors, three come from Perth, two from Brisbane, and one each from Adelaide and Melbourne. [Extracted from the article]

The paper presents an optimization of temperature control system for the refrigeration unit. Basic technological limits, which have influence on a control quality are also described. From a technological point of view the considered refrigeration unit operates in two modes. It allows the temperature stabilization inside the chamber despite the layer of frost growing up on the surface of evaporator. It is the main reason of changes dynamic parameters of the refrigeration unit. Authors analysed other technological factors, which may disturb a temperature inside of the cold chamber. The main idea was to find robust control algorithms for the temperature control, which makes a process stable in any working point. At the final part of paper the selected real time experiments were presented. It shows typical working modes of the refrigeration unit and proof robustness of developed and implemented control algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively protect plants from frost damage, an early alarm of frost can be helpful for growers. Frost is a localized phenomenon and can be quite variable across a small area, so predictive models developed with local data are preferred. As a climate phenomenon the occurrence of frost is closely related to multiple environment factors including temperature, humidity, radiation and more. This article proposes construction of predictive models using support vector machine approach to capture possible causal relation between these factors and frost. Such models trained with specific local data are expected to help frost forecast in a few hours ahead in the local area. Problem analysis, modeling methodology, and model ensemble are discussed, and experiments with real data are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What I'm getting from the paintings encourages a measured response, to the settings and scale of the works; from the small pieces to very large statements. Volts No 22 2008, Acrylic on aluminium (and wood support) Each 30 x 46 x 46 x 2.5 cm Courtesy of Beaux Arts (London) Cv/VAR Did you study down here? I then worked for Peter Freeman, who made a LED installation in Stratford, London. James Turrell was down here and that was the first time I'd seen his work, a huge building with a sky space; he also did an installation at the old Newlyn Gallery. [Extracted from the article]

Frost is a major threat to crop productivity in the Kenyan highlands. With agriculture being central to the Kenyan economy, every effort needs to be taken to alleviate losses especially on high value crops like tea, the leading foreign exchange earner. Current frost mapping efforts by SERVIR, a joint initiative between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and its hub institution in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), utilizes Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) to probabilistically map areas that have been affected by frost. In this paper, we assessed the accuracy of these frost maps by testing the performance of MYD11A1 MODIS product in indicating areas affected by frost. MODIS derived LST values corresponding to frost and no frost observation locations and dates were reclassified according to 6 predetermined categories representing frost severity levels. The overall accuracy of each threshold category as LST cutoff separating frost and no frost affected areas was determined. An overall performance measure was then estimated using a Receiver Operating Characteristics curve (ROC). Overall accuracies of 67.3%–71.9% among the thresholds were obtained. An area under the ROC curve of 0.69 was obtained, indicating a poor performance of MODIS LST to distinguish frost from no frost areas. This shows that although MODIS derived LST can be used to identify frost-affected areas, it is not on its own sufficient in discriminating these areas with high levels of accuracy. Revision of temperature thresholds is recommended, in addition to improved characterization of frost occurrence in the region to include other factors that may be affecting frost occurrence. These results stand to better prepare the agricultural sector for damaging weather-related events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the contact wire frosting phenomena, we analyzed meteorological conditions under which the frost was observed. As a result, probability of the frosting generation was high, when the following conditions occurred at the same time: air temperature was less than 0.5°C humidity was more than 80 %, wind velocity was less than 1 ms -1 and net radiation was -120~ -70 Wm -2. It was ascertained that the water vapor concentration was supersaturated in the neighborhood of the contact wire surface in such conditions and water vapor concentration was almost same through the night on the day of typical contact wire frosting. Based on the observed climatic conditions and generation mechanism of the frost, we examined a predicting method of generation of the contact wire frosting by using air temperature and humidity in the evening, and the forecasted weather condition and the minimum temperature in the next morning. We confirmed that hit rates by this method were high. When using this method to frost-remove train service determination, it was expected that efficient operation would be possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the lack of labor and the mechanization of planting work, seedlings should be planted during the entire period of unfrozen soil, from early spring to late autumn. In experimental studies, it is difficult to investigate all the risk factors related to different planting windows. In Finland, the winter of 2015–2016 was harsh for seedlings. First temperatures were above zero, then they suddenly dropped to <−30 °C without any protective snow cover. These conditions offered a good opportunity to study the success of autumn plantings and clarify which factors best predict the field performance of autumn planted conifer seedlings. In the survey, 22 regeneration sites planted with Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) and 71 with Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were inventoried in the summer of 2016. Scots pine seedlings were more sensitive, and the regeneration result was good only in a few sites. With Norway spruce, the results were better although both good and poor results were found. For Norway spruce, we modeled the probability of severe damage and leader growth damage separately for summer (July and August), September and October plantings. The most important factors affecting the probability of damage was the quality of the planting and the planting spot as well as the soil type. If a planting hole was open or a seedling was planted in a planting spot other than a mineral-covered mound, the risk of damage was high. In fine and course textured soils, as well as medium coarse soils with a high risk of frost heaving, the probability of damage was also high. Low precipitation after planting and during the following spring also increased the probability of leader growth damage. Planting in the summer and early September exposed seedlings to leader growth damage, especially when the seedlings were planted in sites with a high risk of frost damage in autumn and spring. The results indicate that the planting of Scots pine seedlings in the autumn should be avoided. Norway spruce seedlings can be planted even in October when the work quality is good and suitable sites are selected for plantings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lichen woodland (LW) is an open-crown subarctic forest distributed principally in North America where it extends from Newfoundland in Atlantic Canada to the Yukon and Alaska. It is the main tree ecosystem of the LW zone north of the closed-crown boreal forest zone, and south of the forest-tundra zone where its cover diminishes progressively toward the Arctic tree line. Growth and development of LWs are closely dependent on dry-mesic, nutrient-poor podzolic soil environments largely distributed on the Canadian Precambrian Shield. The sun-exposed open structure and dominance of lichen species on the dry-mesic soils of LWs determine many of their functions. A diversified cryptogamic flora is thriving in LWs due to reduced competition from vascular plants unable to grow and survive on dry, nutrient-poor soils. Because of the reduced greenhouse effect caused by the open structure and dominance of pale-color lichen mats inducing a greater albedo, LWs exerts a negative microclimatic impact on the environment culminating in the reduction of the frost-free growth season and increase and intensity of frost events. A suite of common, often recurrent, sometime compounding, fine- and large-scale disturbances (including climate change) activates the successional dynamics of LWs and also their historical and present expansion and contraction across the boreal biome. Post-disturbance chronosequences induced by fire, wind and caribou trampling and grazing are producing similar seral communities converging toward the self-maintenance of the LW ecosystem. Long-term succession in southernmost LW sites possibly converges toward the closing of tree canopy and recovery of closed-crown conifer forests (CCCF) in absence of fire. The creation of LW occurred repeatedly during the late Holocene, as well as its extirpation from the northernmost sites (forest-tundra zone) with wildfire as the principal triggering mechanism. LWs are presently unable to transgress the tree line, except for minor advances in small confined sites. Current evidence of the dual distribution of LWs and CCCF in eastern Canada shows that the LW zone is expanding southward into the CCCF zone, where compound disturbances associated with epidemics followed by small to extensive fires are transforming dense forest stands to LWs, a process most likely independent of climate. In terms of ecosystem management, there are concerns about the maintenance of the southernmost LWs within the CCCF zone as poor carbon sinks. Projects involving LW plantation sites in the CCCF zone in eastern Canada are proposed to offset the increased emission of atmospheric gases and thus mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paulownia sp. is spread worldwide, being recognized as a 'precious tree' due to its high economic and ecological value. The products obtained from the leaves, skin, branches and flowers of Paulownia sp. are used in various forms of therapy both internally and externally, in countries such as China or Japan this plant bearing special significance since ancient times. At present, Paulownia sp. bears a particular economic importance, the demand for wood being very high. Its cultivation is highly advantageous in comparison with other crops as it can be used in its entirety, from root to seed. However, few consumers are aware of the real energetic, therapeutic and economic importance of Paulownia sp. This is a high productivity crop and the selling price across European markets is highly attractive. In addition, this tree contributes to the preservation of ecological balance and the environment. The paper is a research paper and presents the results of research conducted worldwide on the demands of Paulownia sp. crops in regard to the pedoclimatic factors, its uses as an energetic plant and the ecologic benefits of its cultivation, i.e. the phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and salt soils, as well as its use in agroforestry systems. The paper contains data regarding the history and situation of Paulownia sp. crops in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees have evolved to time flowering to maximize outcrossing, minimize exposure to damaging frosts, and synchronize development with soil moisture and nutrient availability. Understanding the environmental cues that influence the timing of reproductive budburst will be important for predicting how flowering phenology of trees will change with a changing climate, and aid in the time-sensitive management of seed orchards. We examined how temperature influenced the timing of female flowering of coastal Douglas-fir with over 4500 flowering observations of trees from 12 sites across western Oregon and Washington. We predicted flowering dates by modifying chilling and forcing effectiveness functions from a model of vegetative budburst of Douglas-fir. We also examined whether genetic variation in Douglas-fir influenced the relationships between chilling and forcing accumulations using flowering observations from two common-garden experiments with trees from 60 populations from a diverse range of climates. Our reproductive budburst model predicted the day of flowering within an average of five days of the observed flowering dates across all sites and years. Fewer hours of forcing temperatures were required for flowering on sites that had experienced high chilling. Warmer temperatures in the future will likely result in earlier flowering on sites which currently have high chilling; however, sites which currently experience low chilling may display no change or possibly even a delay in flowering. Douglas-fir genotypes from different geographic regions flowered in the same order from year to year in common gardens, indicating that both temperature and genetic variation influence flowering. Genetic variation in flowering dates was more strongly related to summer drought of seed source locations than to cold winters. Knowledge of the environmental cues and genetic variation in timing of flowering can help predict how future changes in temperature under various climate models could change flowering time across the range of coastal Douglas-fir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Batch effects in GBS give strong signals in genetic parameter estimates. • Large variation in fecundity across years and genotypes. • Frost tolerance is reflected by parental origin but to a smaller degree than expected. Extensive gene flow can be detrimental to local adaptation and similarly, forestry seed sources such as seed orchards can be heavily influenced by external pollination, especially if the orchard material has been translocated a great distance. Here we conducted a coordinated genotyping-phenotyping study to examine how external pollination events and fecundity variation in a Pinus sylvestris seed orchard influence the genetic composition and the seed-lots' autumn frost hardiness when genetic material had been translocated 630 km south. The results were then compared to those of a in situ established seed orchard. We genotyped and phenotype >1000 seedlings from these orchards, and constructed their pedigrees and scored their autumn frost tolerance in a controlled climate chamber environment. The hardiness scores were compared with a reference of nine natural stands along a latitudinal cline. We find substantial variation in fecundity and external pollination over crop years, thus unpredictable genetic composition because the contribution of some orchard clones is high in one crop but low in another. We observed that seedlings produced by mating among orchard genotypes were less hardy than expected (corresponding to an origin of −0.6°N) but the opposite in externally pollinated seedlings (+0.3 to +0.7°N). The freeze damage levels reflect the origin of parental genotypes, but to a smaller degree than expected (13% lower than expected damage levels for externally pollinate seedlings and 21% greater damage levels for internally pollinates seedlings). These results suggest that orchard parents' origins, mating composition and orchard local environment could all affect the seed crops' quality and their climate adaptation. Seed orchard crops are the key to realize the gain in forestry from breeding efforts. However, genetic monitoring of seed crops is necessary to improve the performance of seed orchards further and adjust deployment areas of seed crops in a timely manner for a more dynamic forestry, considering climate change and biodiversity demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Warm spells reduced frost hardiness in January and March, but not in the late fall. • Buds were more vulnerable to warm spells than needles. • Needles were able to reacclimate from November to January, buds also in March. • Timing of a short-day treatment affected ability of needles to reacclimate in March. • Winter survival of seedlings may be improved by adjusting nursery practices. Warm spells during the late fall and winter are expected to become more frequent in boreal areas due to climate change. The aims of our study were to investigate whether warm spells in the late fall and winter cause deacclimation of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings, whether the seedlings are capable of reacclimating in response to a subsequent cold period, and whether a short-day (SD) treatment applied in a nursery affects seedlings' responses to warm and cold spells during the non-growing season (hereafter off-season). During the preceding growing season, the seedlings were treated either with a SD treatment (SD1: June 29 – July 20 or SD2: July 20 – August 10) or were grown in a natural photoperiod. The seedlings were artificially exposed to a 7-day warm spell, followed by a 7-day cold spell on four occasions (late fall: October and November; winter: January and March). The frost hardiness of the needles and the probability of bud damage were determined before and after the warm spell and after the cold spell. The dormancy status of the seedlings was also determined. Warm spells reduced the frost hardiness in needles and increased the probability of bud damage in January and March, but not in October and November. Needles were able to reacclimate from November to January, and buds also in early March. Our results indicate that in boreal areas, warm spells followed by low temperatures may predispose Norway spruce seedlings to freezing damage later in the winter, but not in the late fall. The seedlings that received SD2 treatment retained an ability to reacclimate after a warm spell in March, unlike the seedlings in the other photoperiod treatments, indicating that the responses of seedlings to the fluctuating temperature conditions in winter are affected by the growth conditions during the previous growing season. Therefore, the use and timing of SD treatment may affect survival of fall-planted seedlings and seedlings that overwinter outdoors in nurseries, especially during snowless winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of International Social Research is the property of Journal of International Social Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A system has been developed to electronically tag and track test tubes used in biorepositories. The system is based on a light-activated microtransponder, also known as a 'p-Chip.' One of the pressing problems with storing and retrieving biological samples at low temperatures is the difficulty of reliably reading the identification (ID) number that links each storage tube with the database containing sample details. Commonly used barcodes are not always reliable at low temperatures because of poor adhesion of the label to the test tube and problems with reading under conditions of frost and ice accumulation. Traditional radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are not cost effective and are too large for this application. The system described herein consists of the p-Chip, p-Chip-tagged test tubes, two ID readers (for single tubes or for racks of tubes), and software. We also describe a robot that is configured for retrofitting legacy test tubes in biorepositories with p-Chips while maintaining the temperature of the sample below −50°C at all times. The main benefits of the p-Chip over other RFID devices are its small size (600 × 600 × 100 μm) that allows even very small tubes or vials to be tagged, low cost due to the chip's unitary construction, durability, and the ability to read the ID through frost and ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a constitutive model has been developed to describe the mechanical behaviour of frozen soil as a function of temperature, all the way to the unfrozen state, and vice versa [1] . The model has been implemented as a user-defined soil model (UDSM) in the geotechnical finite element code PLAXIS 2D and applied in practical thermo-hydro-mechanical boundary value problems. One of the problems with the use of a model for frozen / unfrozen soil is that it involves several parameters of which quite a few are not very common to geotechnical engineers. Hence, one of the goals of this study is to provide more information on the meaning and the determination of the model parameters. As an example of the use of the constitutive model and its implementation, one application is presented: it is a chilled pipeline causing a drop in the ground temperature leading to frost heave. Its results show that the model can simulate frost heave in a qualitative manner, and that the robustness of the numerical implementation is still sensitive to the choice of boundary conditions, temperature gradients, and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost heave is a well-known phenomenon in cold regions. It may happen in the wet clayey ground during winter in seasonally frozen regions and during autumn to winter in active layers in permafrost regions. The railway track upheaval, which happens in cold regions, is generally understood as due to frost heaving in subgrade layers. However, it has been confirmed that the upheaval due to frost heaving sometimes happens in the ballast layers. This understanding has been acquired by observing active railway tracks in northern Japan. Samples have been collected from ballast and subgrade layers and have been examined their frost heave susceptibilities along with mineral compositions with X-ray diffraction analysis. The results confirmed that fine materials in the ballast layers consist of clayey minerals and crushed rock-forming minerals of ballast. Those fine minerals have confirmed to be frost heave susceptible with frost heave tests. A series of frost heave tests has conducted using crushed rock and fine material, i.e. Kaolinite, mixture and confirmed that the mixtures frost heave. The frost heave susceptibility of the mixture is almost proportional to the saturation ratio of the fine materials in its voids, even if the voids of the crushed rock are not saturated with fine materials. This has been understood that initially crushed rocks support the overburden and the fine materials in voids does not have to support overburden. Then the high heave ratio is expected in the fine materials until the voids are filled with fine materials and ice lenses. After the voids are filled with the fine materials and ice lenses, segregating ice lens starts to push up the overburden, 1.e. ballast layer, and cause macroscopic upheaval due to frost heaving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research concerned moisture and frost resistance of asphalt mixes for binder course produced with foamed bitumen with variable amount of synthetic wax was conducted. The wax was added to the bitumen in amounts of 1.0% to 2.5% in relation to the mass of bitumen and four concentrations of the binder were investigated: 4.3%, 4.5%, 4.8% and 5.1%. In total, 16 different bituminous mixtures were prepared and compacted at 95 °C, therefore falling into warm-mix asphalt category. The obtained results were used as a base for a multivariable optimization, i.e. assessing the foamed bitumen and synthetic wax contents that would result in a bituminous mixture resistant to adverse climatic conditions. The optimized variables included: indirect tensile strength retained ITSR, indirect tensile strength at -2 °C in accordance to PANK 4302 and modified AASHTO T283 method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the results of the studies of the pore structure, strength properties, biocidal properties and frost resistance of the cement composition samples with the additives of a synthetic water repellent polyethylhydrosiloxane and a natural aminopolysaccharide 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-D-glucan – chitosan. It is shown that an application of the chitosan additive does not reduce strength characteristics of the cement compositions in comparison with a synthetic polymer additive on the basis of polyethylhydrosiloxane. An introduction of the chitosan into the cement compositions allows to reduce total pore volume and has a positive effect over the character of their distribution, and also increases frost resistance and biostability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of winter injury to 45 new Romanian grapevine cultivars for table grapes and for white and red wines was performed as a result of the severe winter 2014-2015, with minimum air temperature of -20.8 °C (on the 8 th of January). There were used 9 widespread varieties in Romania as controls. The research was performed in the plantation - collection of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest (44°46’N, 26°06’E, 91 m). There was determined the viability of primary and secondary buds in winter eye. In relation to these low temperatures, a better resistance, assessed on the basis of the percentage of primary and secondary viable buds, proved the varieties: Napoca, Milcov, Greaca, Xenia, Şarba, Crâmpoşie selecţionată, Columna, Novac; as well as controls: Chasselas doré, Muscat de Hamburg, Riesling italian, Fetească albă, Cabernet Sauvignon. Varieties Călina, Transilvania, Triumf, Victoria, Blasius and Selena, proved to be sensitive to low temperatures. It is necessary to have a territorial distribution of cultivars according to their resistance to frost and the application of differentiated pruning to compensate the losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]