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In order to optimize the performance of exhaust air heat recovery heat pump unit (EAHRHPU), Simulink system simulation and Simulink-M file optimization model were established in this paper to study the performance of the unit in variable outdoor air conditions by combining experiment. Finally, the optimal performance of coefficient and the corresponding optimal bypass fresh air flow rate of the unit in different outdoor temperature was obtained. The results showed that the change trend of the simulation value and the test value of the unit's performance parameters is consistent, and the maximum deviation is controlled within ±7.00% in the standard cooling condition and variable bypass fresh air. The simulation model can correctly reflect the performance changes of the unit during the operation. The operation performance of the unit was affected by the temperature and air flow rate of the bypass fresh air in variable outdoor conditions. The Simulink-M file optimization model can obtain the specific value of the optimal bypass air flow rate in different outdoor temperatures. As the outdoor temperature increases, the optimal bypass fresh air flow rate increases first and then decreases. With the use of variable frequency fans, the unit can achieve better energy utility effect. The research could be considered as the useful reference for improving the operation performance of the EAHRHPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of water-soaked porous wall on the reduction of air temperature and cooled air distribution in adjacent rooms are not yet understood. This paper examines the thermal performance of water-soaked porous wall based on field experiments and analysis of humidified cooled air in adjacent spaces by using a computational fluid dynamic model. The results indicated that two rows of porous pipes are capable of reducing ambient air temperature by 2.2°C with a cooling capacity of 372.5–1792.7 W/m2. The simulation results at a wind velocity of 0.70 m/s showed that cooled air is distributed in the room up to 3.2 m away from the porous wall and mostly accumulated on the room's floor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photon initiated chemistry, i.e. the interaction of light with chemical species, is a key factor in the evolution of the atmosphere of exoplanets. For planets orbiting stars in UV-rich environments, photodissociation induced by high-energy photons dominates the atmosphere composition and dynamics. The rate of photodissociation can be highly dependent on atmospheric temperature, as increased temperature leads to increased population of vibrational excited states and the consequent lowering of the photodissociation threshold. This paper inaugurates a new series of papers presenting computed temperature-dependent photodissociation cross-sections with rates generated for different stellar fields. Cross-sections calculations are performed by solving the time-independent Schrödinger equation for each electronic state involved in the process. Here, photodissociation cross-sections for hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride are computed for a grid of 34 temperatures between 0 and 10 000 K. Use of different radiation fields shows that for the Sun and cooler stars the photodissociation rate can increase exponentially for molecular temperatures above 1000 K; conversely the photodissociation rates in UV rich fields instead are almost insensitive to the temperature of the molecule. Furthermore, these rates show extreme sensitivity to the radiation model used for cool stars, suggesting that further work on these may be required. The provision of an ExoMol data base of cross-sections is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, medium-temperature chiller with induction air-conditioning system is introduced. Several onsite measurements were carried out on temperature and relative humidity distribution and energy consumption in summer 2020 in order to study the potential performance when applied in hot summer cold winter zone. The performance test results show that (1) the indoor temperature and humidity both comply with the range of design parameters; (2) the corresponding indoor air dew point temperature is much lower than the supply air temperature of air inductive unit, which implies no condensed water or dew on surface of air inductive unit; (3) the performance of the circulation pump, extensive type air handling unit fan; and medium-temperature chiller has exceeded the requirements of national standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case‐crossover analysis is used as a simple but powerful tool for estimating the effect of short‐term environmental factors such as extreme temperatures or poor air quality on mortality. The environment on the day of each death is compared to the one or more "control days" in previous weeks, and higher levels of exposure on death days than control days provide evidence of an effect. Current state‐of‐the‐art methodology and software (integrated nested Laplace approximation [INLA]) cannot be used to fit the most flexible case‐crossover models to large datasets, because the likelihood for case‐crossover models cannot be expressed in a manner compatible with this methodology. In this paper, we develop a flexible and scalable modeling framework for case‐crossover models with linear and semiparametric effects which retains the flexibility and computational advantages of INLA. We apply our method to quantify nonlinear associations between mortality and extreme temperatures in India. An R package implementing our methods is publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compare the chemistry and the emission spectra of nitrogen-dominated cool, warm, and hot ultra-short-period (USP) super-Earth atmospheres in and out of chemical equilibrium at various surface pressure scenarios ranging from 10−1 to 10 bar. We link the one-dimensional vulcan chemical kinetic code, in which thermochemical kinetic and vertical transport and photochemistry are taken into account, to the one-dimensional radiative transfer model, petitradtrans , to predict the emission spectra of these planets. The radiative–convective temperature–pressure profiles were computed with the helios code. Then, using pandexo noise simulator, we explore the observability of the differences produced by disequilibrium processes with the JWST. Our grids show how different surface pressures can significantly affect the temperature profiles, the atmospheric abundances, and consequently the emission spectra of these planets. We find that the divergences due to disequilibrium processes would be possible to observe in cooler planets by targeting HCN, C2H4, and CO, and in warmer planets by targeting CH4 with HCN, using the NIRSpec and MIRI LRS JWST instruments. These species are also found to be sensitive indicators of the existence of surfaces on nitrogen-dominated USP super-Earths, providing information regarding the thickness of these atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an accurate finite difference approach to calculate gradients of the magnetic field at satellite height is developed. Spherical magnetic field grids are transformed to a local coordinate system by parallel transport across the grid points. For a grid spacing of less than 1°, the error caused by the change in the coordinate system is <5 percent and small compared to the uncertainties in lithospheric magnetization. As an application of the finite difference method, sensitivity tests are presented for synthetic gradient data calculated by forward modelling. We use a multi-layer model of the Fennoscandian lithosphere, based on seismic and gravity data, to study the expected signals at satellite height and discuss which measurement procedures are required to resolve the signal adequately. The model is represented by spherical prisms, so-called tesseroids, to enable reliable calculation at satellite height. Depending on the input data, the lateral extension of the tesseroids vary from 0.1 to 1°. Various geological parameters influence the magnetic field and the estimated (not directly measured) gradient tensor at satellite height. Therefore, the sensitivity of the data is analysed with respect to several crustal layers, different scenarios for petrophysical variations and varying depth of the Curie isotherm. The supposed lateral variation in susceptibility in the top crustal layer has a significant effect on gradients at the satellite height, with the same magnitude as the signal caused by geometric variations in the crustal layers. Somewhat surprisingly, the layer from 40 to 60  km depths has a similar strong contribution to the signal at satellite height as the layers from 0 to 10  km depth. Assuming a magnetic upper mantle and applying a susceptibility representative for xenoliths has a very small effect on gradients, whereas a shallow Curie depth and the logical lack of magnetization in the crust at this depth produces detectable signals at satellite height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the notion of climate change emerged over 200 years ago, few speculated as to the impact of rising atmospheric temperatures on biological life. Tens of decades later, research clearly demonstrates that the impact of climate change on life on Earth is enormous, ongoing, and with foreseen effects lasting well into the next century. Responses to climate change have been widely documented. However, the breadth of phenotypic traits involved with evolutionary adaptation to climate change remains unclear. In addition, it is difficult to identify the genetic and/or epigenetic bases of phenotypes adaptive to climate change, in part because it often is not clear whether this change is plastic, genetic, or some combination of the two. Adaptive responses to climate-driven selection also interact with other processes driving genetic changes in general, including demography as well as selection driven by other factors. In this Special Issue, we explore the factors that will impact the overall outcome of climate change adaptation. Our contributions explain that traits involved in climate change adaptation include not only classic phenomena, such as range shifts and environmentally dependent sex determination, but also often overlooked phenomena such as social and sexual conflicts and the expression of stress hormones. We learn how climate-driven selection can be mediated via both natural and sexual selection, effectively influencing key fitness-related traits such as offspring growth and fertility as well as evolutionary potential. Finally, we explore the limits and opportunities for predicting adaptive responses to climate change. This contribution forms the basis of 10 actions that we believe will improve predictions of when and how organisms may adapt genetically to climate change. We anticipate that this Special Issue will inform novel investigations into how the effects of climate change unfold from phenotypes to genotypes, particularly as methodologies increasingly allow researchers to study selection in field experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the sub-millimetre opacity of cold dust components such as H2O ice and others are so far rare in the literature, in particular for solid-state structures different from bulk crystals. In this paper, we present measurements of the extinction coefficient for high-density and low-density amorphous H2O ice, as well as for micron-sized water-ice particles in dense agglomerates for the wavelength range from 300 |$\mu$| m to roughly 1 mm. The temperature range is mainly 80 K up to 120 K, where amorphous phases remain stable, but effects of warming to higher temperature are studied as well. We find that the opacity of high-density amorphous ice is 5–20 times higher than that of bulk crystalline (Ih) ice, depending on the wavelength, while for low-density ice it is about three times lower than for high-density ice. This result is consistent with literature data measured at 11 K temperature at 500 |$\mu$| m wavelength, but indicates a significant temperature dependence at longer wavelengths. Even at 80–120 K, the values are lower than certain extrapolated data that are often used in astrophysical modelling. For the micron-sized ice particles, which consist of about 90  per cent crystalline and 10  per cent amorphous ice we find, after correction with an effective-medium approach, extinction coefficients close to, but systematically higher than that of crystalline hexagonal ice. The extinction can be repeatedly enhanced to about the values characteristic of low-density amorphous ice by applying pressure of 0.5 GPa and restored by thermal annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Air and root zone temperatures are important environmental factors affecting plant growth and yield. Numerous studies have demonstrated that air temperature strongly affects plant growth and development. Despite the extensive literature on air temperature, comprehensive studies on the effects of root zone temperature (RZT) on plant growth, elemental composition, and pigments are limited. In this study, we carefully observed the effects of RZT in red leaf lettuce to understand its effect on lettuce growth and pigment content. Methods Lettuce (Lactuca sativa , red leaf cultivar 'Red Fire') was grown hydroponically in a plant factory with artificial light under three RZT treatments (15, 25, or 35 °C) for 13 days. We investigated the comprehensive effects of RZT on the production of red leaf lettuce by metabolome and ionome analyses. Key Results The 25 °C RZT treatment achieved maximum shoot and root dry weight. The 35 °C RZT decreased plant growth but significantly increased pigment contents (e.g. anthocyanins, carotenoids). In addition, a RZT heating treatment during plant cultivation that changed from 25 to 35 °C RZT for 8 days before harvest significantly increased shoot dry weight compared with the 35 °C RZT and significantly increased pigments compared with the 25 °C RZT. The 15 °C RZT resulted in significantly less pigment content relative to the 35 °C RZT. The 15 °C RZT also resulted in shoot and root dry weights greater than the 35 °C RZT but less than the 25 °C RZT. Conclusions This study demonstrated that plant growth and pigments can be enhanced by adjusting RZT during different stages of plant growth to attain enhanced pigment contents while minimizing yield loss. This suggests that controlling RZT could be a viable method to improve lettuce quality via enhancement of pigment content quality while maintaining acceptable yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The people of three primeval cultures lived naked or nearly naked in regions where they experienced air temperatures of ± 5 degrees Celsius during cold seasons. These were the Australian Aboriginal peoples, the Bushmen of southern Africa, and the Yamana and the Alakaluf of Tierra del Fuego. Recent meta-analyses of data on human metabolic rate and metabolic endurance enable a quantitative demonstration of feasibility: Thermoregulation at winter air temperatures while naked was feasible in the three cultures for significantly longer than 50–180 days per year (sufficient for the duration of winter). Considering the life histories of the people, their estimated, time-averaged daily (24 hours) metabolic rates in winter were 2.6 times basal—similar to the highest daily rates empirically measured in extant peoples. Although the primeval peoples' way of life was metabolically expensive, it was as feasible as the lifestyles of peoples in today's world who live at the upper bound of the metabolically possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to show that droughts are increasing in frequency and intensity in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve and to illustrate the effects of seasonal droughts on carbon gain in a subtropical forest. This is in response to the threat posed by increased droughts due to global climate change. We used four drought indices to accurately determine periods of drought and periods of increased precipitation. Thereafter, the measured eddy flux and soil moisture content data collected from 2003 to 2014 were compared between the droughts and wet periods to determine drought impacts on the ecosystem carbon gain. Drought accounted for about 20% of the 12-year study period, with the highest drought events and severity occurring between 2012 and 2013. The average annual precipitation and air temperature during the study period were 1404.57 ± 43.2 mm and 22.65 ± 0.1 °C, respectively, showing a decrease of 523 mm in precipitation and an increase of 2.55 °C in temperature, compared with the 30-year records (1990–2020). Contrary to most published data for most forest ecosystems globally, Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve recorded significant carbon gain during 60% of the drought period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of rising temperatures for trees will vary between species based on their abilities to acclimate their leaf thermoregulatory traits and photosynthetic thermal tolerances. We tested the hypotheses that adult trees in warmer growing conditions (i) acclimate their thermoregulatory traits to regulate leaf temperatures, (ii) acclimate their thermal tolerances such that tolerances are positively correlated with leaf temperature and (iii) that species with broader thermal niche breadths have greater acclimatory abilities. To test these hypotheses, we measured leaf traits and thermal tolerances of seven focal tree species across steep thermal gradients in Miami's urban heat island. We found that some functional traits varied significantly across air temperatures within species. For example, leaf thickness increased with maximum air temperature in three species, and leaf mass per area and leaf reflectance both increased with air temperature in one species. Only one species was marginally more homeothermic than expected by chance due to acclimation of its thermoregulatory traits, but this acclimation was insufficient to offset elevated air temperatures. Thermal tolerances acclimated to higher maximum air temperatures in two species. As a result of limited acclimation, leaf thermal safety margins (TSMs) were narrower for trees in hotter areas. We found some support for our hypothesis that species with broader thermal niches are better at acclimating to maintain more stable TSMs across the temperature gradients. These findings suggest that trees have limited abilities to acclimate to high temperatures and that thermal niche specialists may be at a heightened risk of thermal stress as global temperatures continue to rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous threats to urban forests are assessed for the conterminous United States, including projected changes in urban tree cover, air temperatures, precipitation, aridity, sea level rise, wildfires, and flooding, as well as threats from hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, and insects and diseases. All potential threats were integrated into a cumulative threat index to illustrate which areas of the United States will likely face the greatest overall threat to their urban forests. Urban forests with the greatest cumulative threat per unit area are in the eastern United States, particularly in some coastal counties. Urban forests that have the greatest cumulative threat proportional to the percent of the county that is urbanized are in the highly urbanized areas along the DC–Boston corridor and in other metro areas (e.g. Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio; Houston, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina). By understanding local urban forest threats, management plans and policies can be enacted to help mitigate the impacts of and adapt to future threats to sustain healthy urban forests and associated benefits. Study Implications: By understanding the magnitude and variation in potential urban forest threats, forest managers can be better prepared to potentially minimize and adapt to future urban forest damage. Threat type and intensities of threats vary by location. Understanding the distribution and intensity of urban forest threats can be used to help direct policies and forest management plans to sustain long-term urban forest health. A tool to assess urban forest threats by county is available in the supplemental materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest and freshwater ecosystems are tightly linked and together provide important ecosystem services, but climate change is affecting their species composition, structure, and function. Research at nine US Long Term Ecological Research sites reveals complex interactions and cascading effects of climate change, some of which feed back into the climate system. Air temperature has increased at all sites, and those in the Northeast have become wetter, whereas sites in the Northwest and Alaska have become slightly drier. These changes have altered streamflow and affected ecosystem processes, including primary production, carbon storage, water and nutrient cycling, and community dynamics. At some sites, the direct effects of climate change are the dominant driver altering ecosystems, whereas at other sites indirect effects or disturbances and stressors unrelated to climate change are more important. Long-term studies are critical for understanding the impacts of climate change on forest and freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine coastal region makes up just 10% of the total area of the global ocean but contributes nearly 20% of its total primary production and over 80% of fisheries landings. Unicellular phytoplankton dominate primary production. Climate variability has had impacts on various marine ecosystems, but most sites are just approaching the age at which ecological responses to longer term, unidirectional climate trends might be distinguished. All five marine pelagic sites in the US Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) network are experiencing warming trends in surface air temperature. The marine physical system is responding at all sites with increasing mixed layer temperatures and decreasing depth and with declining sea ice cover at the two polar sites. Their ecological responses are more varied. Some sites show multiple population or ecosystem changes, whereas, at others, changes have not been detected, either because more time is needed or because they are not being measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low root zone temperatures restrict water and carbon (C) uptake and transport in plants and may contribute to the low temperature limits of tree growth. Here, we quantified the effects of low root temperatures on xylem conductance, photosynthetic C assimilation and phloem C transport in seedlings of four temperate tree species (two broad-leaved and two conifer species) by applying a simultaneous stable isotope labelling of 2H-enriched source water and 13C-enriched atmospheric CO2. Six days before the pulse labelling, the seedlings were transferred to hydroponic tubes and exposed to three different root temperatures (2, 7 and 15 °C), while all seedlings received the same, warm air temperatures (between 18 and 24 °C). Root cooling led to drought-like symptoms with reduced growth, leaf water potentials and stomatal conductance, indicating increasingly adverse conditions for water uptake and transport with decreasing root temperatures. Averaged across all four species, water transport to leaves was reduced by 40% at 7 °C and by 70% at 2 °C root temperature relative to the 15 °C treatment, while photosynthesis was reduced by 20 and 40% at 7 and 2 °C, respectively. The most severe effects were found on the phloem C transport to roots, which was reduced by 60% at 7 °C and almost ceased at 2 °C in comparison with the 15 °C root temperature treatment. This extreme effect on C transport was likely due to a combination of simultaneous reductions of phloem loading, phloem mass flow and root growth. Overall, the dual stable isotope labelling proved to be a useful method to quantify water and C relations in cold-stressed trees and highlighted the potentially important role of hydraulic constraints induced by low soil temperatures as a contributing factor for the climatic distribution limits of temperate tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali metal lines are one of the most important key opacity sources for understanding exoplanetary atmospheres because the Na  i resonance doublets are thought to be the cause of low albedo, as the alkali metal's wide line wings absorb almost all of the incoming stellar irradiation. High-resolution transmission spectroscopy of Na absorption lines can be used to investigate the temperature of the thermosphere of hot Jupiters, which is increased by stellar X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet irradiation. We applied high-resolution transmission spectroscopy to the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76 b with the High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS) on the Subaru 8.2 m telescope. We report the detection of strong Na D excess absorption with line contrasts of |$0.42 \pm 0.03\%$| (D1 at 5895.92 Å) and |$0.38\pm 0.04\%$| (D2 at 5889.95 Å), full width at half maximum values of 1.63 ± 0.13 Å (D1) and 1.87 ± 0.22 Å (D2), and equivalent widths of (7.29 ± 1.43) × 10−3 Å (D1) and (7.56 ± 2.38) × 10−3 Å (D2). These results show that the Na D absorption lines are shallower and broader than those in previous work, whereas the absorption signals over the same passband are consistent with those in previous work. We derive the best-fitting isothermal temperature of 3700 K (without rotation) and 4200 K (with rotation). These results suggest the possibility of the existence of a thermosphere because the derived atmospheric temperature is higher than the equilibrium temperature (∼2160 K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the performances of a walk-in air cooler working with R22 and its substitute R422D are experimentally studied. To define a full comparison on the performance characteristics of R22 and R422D, both an energetic and an exergetic analyses are proposed. The experimental investigation was carried out considering four levels of refrigeration capacity: 920, 1340, 1925 and 2250 W. All tests were run at steady-state conditions and by keeping the value of the external air temperature equal to 22°C. The experimental analysis allowed the determination of the COP, the exergetic efficiency, the exergy flow destroyed in each component and other variables characterizing the working of the plant. The results demonstrated that COP of R422D is, on average, 20% lower than that of R22. Furthermore, for plant whose condenser is air cooled, R422D could lead to increase the fan speed or to adopt bigger blowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microthermal seeing measurement device has been developed in-house to measure the temperature structure function DT(r, h) and the air temperature Tair(h). A pressure sensor, located adjacent to it, measures the average barometric pressure P(h). From the data measured, the temperature structure coefficient $C_T^2(r, h)$ and the refractive index structure constant $C_N^2(h)$ are computed for the five equidistant microthermal seeing layers in the 3–15 m range in the surface layers. A statistical analysis is performed on the local coherence length ro(loc)(h1, h2). Corresponding values of the atmospheric seeing ϵ(loc)(h1, h2) for all 10 microthermal seeing slabs is also computed and plotted, and the data are logged in real time. Because the characterization of the three sites is under way and the best site for the National Large Solar Telescope facility is yet to be determined, in this paper I discuss the preliminary results obtained from the Hanle site. A summary of the first results is as follows: ϵ(loc) (3 m, 6 m) = 0.663 arcsec, ϵ(loc) (6 m, 9 m) = 0.465 arcsec, ϵ(loc) (9 m, 12 m) = 0.363 arcsec and ϵ(loc) (12 m, 15 m) = 0.315 arcsec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought intensity as experienced by plants depends upon soil moisture status and atmospheric variables such as temperature, radiation, and air vapour pressure deficit. Although the role of shoot architecture with these edaphic and atmospheric factors is well characterized, the extent to which shoot and root dynamic interactions as a continuum are controlled by genotypic variation is less well known. Here, we targeted these interactions using a wild emmer wheat introgression line (IL20) with a distinct drought-induced shift in the shoot-to-root ratio and its drought-sensitive recurrent parent Svevo. Using a gravimetric platform, we show that IL20 maintained higher root water influx and gas exchange under drought stress, which supported a greater growth. Interestingly, the advantage of IL20 in root water influx and transpiration was expressed earlier during the daily diurnal cycle under lower vapour pressure deficit and therefore supported higher transpiration efficiency. Application of a structural equation model indicates that under drought, vapour pressure deficit and radiation are antagonistic to transpiration rate, whereas the root water influx operates as a feedback for the higher atmospheric responsiveness of leaves. Collectively, our results suggest that a drought-induced shift in root-to-shoot ratio can improve plant water uptake potential in a short preferable time window during early morning when vapour pressure deficit is low and the light intensity is not a limiting factor for assimilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the maximum possible size of megathrust earthquakes, we calculate the thermal structure along two profiles in west and east Makran subduction zone by solving the steady-state 2-D energy equation. For the western profile, we derive the slab geometry from a recent receiver function study along IASBS (Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences) seismic profile in the onshore part of the Iranian Makran. For the eastern profile, the slab geometry is derived from a recent relocation of seismicity of Makran. Using the improved slab geometry and a force balance establishment in the accretionary wedge, the effective coefficient of friction, |$\mu ^{\prime}$|⁠ , is assumed to be equal to 0.03. We estimate the updip and downdip of the megathrust zone by simultaneously considering the seismicity related to the events with thrust and normal mechanisms and intersection between 100–150 and 350–450 °C isotherms and the subducting slab interface. Along the western profile, the megathrust updip locates ∼95 km north of the deformation front (DF) at the depth of ∼20 km and the downdip locates ∼300 km north of the DF at the depth of ∼35 km. Presence of normal mechanism events at deeper depths indicates that the downdip limit of the megathrust zone is consistent with the 350 °C isotherm. The megathrust width is ∼205 km along the western profile. Along the eastern profile, the megathrust updip locates ∼60 km north of the DF at the depth of ∼15 km and the downdip locates ∼280 km north of the DF at the depth of ∼35 km. The downdip limit of the megathrust zone is closely related to the 350 °C isotherm. The megathrust width is ∼220 km along the eastern profile. Assuming a segmentation of the thrust zone into the western and eastern parts, the areal size of the megathrust zones in west and east Makran is ∼82 000 and 88 000 km2, respectively. We estimate the magnitude of the largest possible megathrust earthquakes in the west and east Makran to be 8.65 ± 0.26 and 8.75 ± 0.26  M w, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's climate has been warming since the 1950s, with surface air temperature increasing at a rate higher than the global average. Changes in climate have exerted substantial impacts on water resources, agriculture, ecosystems and human health. Attributing past changes to causes provides a scientific foundation for national and international climate policies. Here, we review recent progress in attributing the observed climate changes over past decades in China. Anthropogenic forcings, dominated by greenhouse gas emissions, are the main drivers for observed increases in mean and extreme temperatures. Evidence of the effect of anthropogenic forcings on precipitation is emerging. Human influence has increased the probability of extreme heat events, and has likely changed the occurrence probabilities for some heavy precipitation events. The way a specific attribution question is posed and the conditions under which the question is addressed present persistent challenges for appropriately communicating attribution results to non-specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The contribution from the residuals of the foreground can have a significant impact on the temperature maps of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The most powerful residuals of the foreground are found in the Galactic plane. However, in this paper, we will focus on the possible foreground contamination from sources outside the Galactic plane in the CMB maps. We will analyse the correlation between Faraday rotation maps and CMB temperature maps. A map of the Faraday rotation is dependent on the Galactic magnetic field, as well as the thermal electron density, and both may contribute to the measurement of the CMB temperature. We find that the standard deviation for the mean cross-correlation deviates from that of simulations at the 99.9 per cent level. Additionally, a comparison between the CMB temperature extrema and the extremal points of the Galactic Faraday depth is also performed, showing overlap for localized areas. Also, we find that the CMB cold spot is located at an area of strong negative cross-correlation, meaning that it may be explained by a Galactic origin. Further, we investigate nearby supernova remnants in the Galaxy traced by the Galactic radio loops. These supernova remnants are located at high and low Galactic latitudes, and thus well outside the Galactic plane. We find some correlation between the Galactic Faraday depth and the CMB temperature at select radio loops. This indicates that the Galactic foregrounds may affect the measured CMB temperature at high Galactic latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Accurate line lists for three molecules, BeH, MgH and CaH, in their ground electronic states are presented. These line lists are suitable for temperatures relevant to exoplanetary atmospheres and cool stars (up to 2000 K). A combination of empirical and ab initio methods is used. The rovibrational energy levels of BeH, MgH and CaH are computed using the programs level and dpotfit in conjunction with 'spectroscopic' potential energy curves (PECs). The PEC of BeH is taken from the literature, while the PECs of CaH and MgH are generated by fitting to the experimental transition energy levels. Both spin-rotation interactions (except for BeH, for which it is negligible) and non-adiabatic corrections are explicitly taken into account. Accurate line intensities are generated using newly computed ab initio dipole moment curves for each molecule using high levels of theory. Full line lists of rotation-vibration transitions for 9BeH, 24MgH, 25MgH, 26MgH and 40CaH are made available in an electronic form as supporting information to this paper and at www.exomol.com. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The reliability of astronomical observations at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths closely depends on a low vertical content of water vapour as well as on high atmospheric emission stability. Although Concordia station at Dome C (Antarctica) enjoys good observing conditions in this atmospheric spectral windows, as shown by preliminary site-testing campaigns at different bands and in, not always, time overlapped periods, a dedicated instrument able to continuously determine atmospheric performance for a wide spectral range is not yet planned. In the absence of such measurements, in this paper we suggest a semi-empirical approach to perform an analysis of atmospheric transmission and emission at Dome C to compare the performance for seven photometric bands ranging from 100 GHz to 2 THz. Radiosoundings data provided by the Routine Meteorological Observations Research Project at Concordia station are corrected by temperature and humidity errors and dry biases and then employed to feed Atmospheric Transmission at Microwaves ( atm) code to generate synthetic spectra in the wide spectral range from 100 GHz to 2 THz. This approach is attempted for the 2005-2007 data set in order to check its feasibility. To quantify the atmospheric contribution in millimetre and submillimetre observations we are considering several photometric bands, largely explored by ground-based telescopes, in which atmospheric quantities are integrated. The observational capabilities of this site at all the selected spectral bands are analysed considering monthly averaged transmissions joined to the corresponding fluctuations. Transmission and precipitable water vapour statistics at Dome C derived by our semi-empirical approach are consistent with previous works. It is evident the decreasing of the performance at high frequencies. We propose to introduce a new parameter to compare the quality of a site at different spectral bands, in terms of high transmission and emission stability, the site photometric quality ratio. The effect of the instrument filter bandwidth is involved on the estimate of the optical depth performed by the water vapour content knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The radiation from the central regions of active galactic nuclei, including that from the accretion disc surrounding the black hole, is likely to peak in the extreme-ultraviolet ∼13-100 eV. However, due to Galactic absorption, we are limited to constrain the physical properties, i.e. the black hole mass and the accretion rate, from what observations we have below ∼10 eV or above ∼100 eV. In this paper, we predict the thermal and ionization states of warm absorbers as a function of the shape of the unobservable continuum. In particular we model an accretion disc at kTin∼ 10 eV and a soft excess at kTse∼ 150 eV. The warm absorber, which is the highly ionized gas along the line of sight to the continuum, shows signatures in the ∼0.3-2 keV energy range consisting of numerous absorption lines and edges of various ions, some of the prominent ones being H- and He-like oxygen, neon, magnesium and silicon. We find that the properties of the warm absorber are significantly influenced by the changes in the temperature of the accretion disc, as well as by the strength of the soft excess, as they affect the optical depth particularly for iron and oxygen. These trends may help develop a method of characterizing the shape of the unobservable continuum and the occurrence of warm absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In a previous paper we formulated the problem of the formation and evolution of fragments (or cores) in magnetically supported, self-gravitating molecular clouds in axisymmetric geometry, accounting for the effects of ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic dissipation, grain chemistry and dynamics, and radiative transfer. Here, we present results of star formation simulations that accurately track the evolution of a protostellar fragment over 11 orders of magnitude in density (from 300 to ≈ 1014 cm−3), i.e. from the early ambipolar-diffusion-initiated fragmentation phase, through the magnetically supercritical, dynamical-contraction phase and the subsequent magnetic decoupling stage, to the formation of a protostellar core in near hydrostatic equilibrium. As found by Fiedler & Mouschovias, gravitationally-driven ambipolar diffusion leads to the formation and subsequent dynamic contraction of a magnetically supercritical core. Moreover, we find that ambipolar diffusion, not Ohmic dissipation, is responsible for decoupling all the species except the electrons from the magnetic field, by a density of ≈ 3 × 1012 cm−3. Magnetic decoupling precedes the formation of a central stellar object and ultimately gives rise to a concentration of magnetic flux (a 'magnetic wall') outside the hydrostatic core - as also found by Tassis & Mouschovias through a different approach. At approximately the same density at which Ohmic dissipation becomes more important than ambipolar diffusion ( > rsim 7 × 1012 cm−3), the grains carry most of the electric charge as well as the electric current. The prestellar core remains disc like down to radii ∼ 10 au, inside which thermal pressure becomes important. The magnetic flux problem of star formation is resolved for at least strongly magnetic newborn stars by this stage of the evolution, i.e. by a central density ≈ 1014 cm−3. The hydrostatic core has radius ≈ 2 au, density ≈ 1014 cm−3, temperature ≈ 300 K, magnetic field strength ≈ 0.2 G, magnetic flux ≈ 5 × 1026 Mx, luminosity ∼ 10−3 L⊙ and mass ∼ 10−2 M⊙. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheres of substellar objects contain clouds of oxides, iron, silicates and other refractory condensates. Water clouds are expected in the coolest objects. The opacity of these ‘dust’ clouds strongly affects both the atmospheric temperature–pressure profile and the emergent flux. Thus, any attempt to model the spectra of these atmospheres must incorporate a cloud model. However, the diversity of cloud models in atmospheric simulations is large and it is not always clear how the underlying physics of the various models compare. Likewise, the observational consequences of different modelling approaches can be masked by other model differences, making objective comparisons challenging. In order to clarify the current state of the modelling approaches, this paper compares five different cloud models in two sets of tests. Test case 1 tests the dust cloud models for a prescribed L-, L-T and T-dwarf atmospheric (temperature T, pressure p, convective velocity vconv) structures. Test case 2 compares complete model atmosphere results for given (effective temperature Teff, surface gravity ). All models agree on the global cloud structure but differ in opacity relevant details such as grain size, amount of dust, dust and gas-phase composition. These models can loosely be grouped into high- and low-altitude cloud models whereas the first appears generally redder in near-infrared colours than the latter. Comparisons of synthetic photometric fluxes translate into a modelling uncertainty in apparent magnitudes for our L-dwarf (T-dwarf) test case of ), taking into account the Two-Micron All Sky Survey, the UKIRT WFCAM, the Spitzer IRAC and VLT VISIR filters with UKIRT WFCAM being the most challenging for the models. Future developments will need closer links with laboratory astrophysics, and a consistent treatment of the cloud chemistry and turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review recent trends and projected future physical and chemical changes under climate change in transition zones between Arctic and Subarctic regions with a focus on the two major inflow gateways to the Arctic, one in the Pacific (i.e. Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and the Chukchi Sea) and the other in the Atlantic (i.e. Fram Strait and the Barents Sea). Sea-ice coverage in the gateways has been disappearing during the last few decades. Projected higher air and sea temperatures in these gateways in the future will further reduce sea ice, and cause its later formation and earlier retreat. An intensification of the hydrological cycle will result in less snow, more rain, and increased river runoff. Ocean temperatures are projected to increase, leading to higher heat fluxes through the gateways. Increased upwelling at the Arctic continental shelf is expected as sea ice retreats. The pH of the water will decline as more atmospheric CO2 is absorbed. Long-term surface nutrient levels in the gateways will likely decrease due to increased stratification and reduced vertical mixing. Some effects of these environmental changes on humans in Arctic coastal communities are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and the global economy impose new challenges in the management of food-producing trees and require studying how to model plant physiological responses, namely growth dynamics and phenology. Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is a multi-stemmed forest species domesticated for nut production and now widely spread across different continents. However, information on stem growth and its synchronization with leaf and reproductive phenology is extremely limited. This study aimed at (i) defining the sequencing of radial growth phases in hazelnut (onset, maximum growth and cessation) and the specific temperature triggering stem growth; and (ii) combining the stem growth phases with leaf and fruit phenology. Point dendrometers were installed on 20 hazelnut trees across eight orchards distributed in the Northern and Southern hemisphere during a period of three growing seasons between 2015 and 2018. The radial growth variations and climatic parameters were averaged and recorded every 15 min. Leaf and reproductive phenology were collected weekly at each site. Results showed that stem radial growth started from day of year 84 to 134 in relation to site and year but within a relatively narrow range of temperature (from 13 to 16.5 °C). However, we observed a temperature-related acclimation in the cultivar Tonda di Giffoni. Maximum growth always occurred well before the summer solstice (on average 35 days) and before the maximum annual air temperatures. Xylogenesis developed rapidly since the time interval between onset and maximum growth rate was about 3 weeks. Importantly, the species showed an evident delay of stem growth onset with respect to leaf emergence (on average 4–6 weeks) rarely observed in tree species. These findings represent the first global analysis of radial growth dynamics in hazelnut, which is an essential step for developing models on orchard functioning and management on different continents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is the most renewable energy widely spread on the globe with several applications such as power generation and thermal comfort amelioration inside buildings. In the present study, one of the multiple solar energy techniques is discussed. New, simple and low-cost solar chimney (SC) made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube with internal PVC obstacles was investigated experimentally. Heat transfer of air passing through the new device were studied and results show SC ability of increasing air temperature from 25°C to 48°C and reducing relative humidity from 40% to 10%. Internal PVC obstacles were responsible for increasing outlet air temperature by more than 7°C in 63% of compared cases with simple PVC tube SC without internal obstacles. In the last part of the study, the new system was compared with three conventional square glazed SCs found in the literature. The new system outlet's air temperature was higher by 12°C than the first two models and 2°C with the third model, which increase the kinetic energy of air leaving the building and increase the internal airflow, ameliorating the air quality and reducing the age of air inside the dwellings. Obtained results encourage building designers and people to widely use SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) is a promising tool to estimate photosynthesis across scales; however, there has been limited research done at the leaf level to investigate the relationship between SIF and photosynthesis. To help bridge this gap, a LI-COR LI-6800 gas exchange instrument was modified with a visible-near-infrared (VIS-NIR) spectrometer to measure active and passive fluorescence simultaneously. The system was adapted by drilling a hole into the bottom plate of the leaf chamber and inserting a fibre-optic to measure passive steady-state fluorescence (F t , λ , analogous to SIF) from the abaxial surface of a leaf. This new modification can concurrently measure gas exchange, passive fluorescence and active fluorescence over the same leaf area and will allow researchers to measure leaf-level F t , λ in the field to validate tower-based and satellite measurements. To test the modified instrument, measurements were performed on leaves of well-watered and water-stressed walnut plants at three light levels and a constant air temperature. Measurements on these same plants were also conducted using a similarly modified Walz GFS-3000 gas exchange instrument to compare results. We found a positive linear correlation between F t , λ measurements from the modified LI-6800 and GFS-3000 instruments. We also report a positive linear relationship between F t , λ and normalized steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (F t / F o ) from the pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometer of the LI-6800 system. Accordingly, this modification will inform the link between spectrally resolved F t , λ and gas exchange—leading to improved interpretation of how remotely sensed SIF tracks changes in the light reactions of photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wintergreen fern Polystichum acrostichoides has fronds that are photosynthetically active year-round, despite diurnal and seasonal changes in soil moisture, air temperature and light availability. This species can fix much of its annual carbon during periods when the deciduous canopy is open. Yet, remaining photosynthetically active year-round requires the maintenance of photosynthetic and hydraulic systems that are vulnerable to freeze–thaw cycles. We aimed to determine the anatomical and physiological strategies P. acrostichoides uses to maintain positive carbon gain, and the coordination between the hydraulic and photosynthetic systems. We found that the first night below 0 °C led to 25 % loss of conductivity (PLC) in stipes, suggesting that winter-induced embolism occurred. Maximum photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence declined during winter but recovered by spring, despite PLC remaining high; the remaining hydraulic capacity was sufficient to supply the leaves with water. The onset of colder temperatures coincided with the development of a necrotic hinge zone at the stipe base, allowing fronds to overwinter lying prostrate and maintain a favourable leaf temperature. Our conductivity data show that the hinge zone did not affect leaf hydraulics because of the flexibility of the vasculature. Collectively, these strategies help P. acrostichoides to survive in northeastern forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the environmental quality of urban regions and outdoor spaces has turn out to be one of the main issues facing both climatologists and designers, which could be identified through their research outcomes. It is argued that the urban configuration affects the micro-climate of the urban outdoor spaces. The street's orientation form was identified as an element, which impacts the urban environment with regards of receiving passive solar, solar radiation and reflection against urban absorption, wind flow and the possible urban cooling techniques. The key purpose of this study is to look into the urban configuration factors affecting the human thermal outdoor comfort in Jeddah city as an example of hot humid climate regions. To accomplish its aim, the research is divided to two sections. The first one illustrates the problem of the research, then generally reviews the literature associated with the outdoor human thermal comfort; in addition, it discusses the relationship between street orientation and micro-climate. The second section highlight the assessments carried out between four different orientations of urban streets from two different districts in Jeddah city, using ENVI-met software. The research adopts three environmental variables to be examined, namely air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity together with pedestrian thermal comfort as indicators for predicted mean vote, during summer and winter seasons. The outcomes of the comparison assist to identify decisions related street networks to achieve the desirable human outdoor thermal comfort in such an urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of Chinese chives is reduced throughout China due to a root-feeding dipteran pest Bradysia odoriphaga Yang et Zhang (Diptera: Sciaridae), therefore deciphering the conditions influencing its growth and development are important in developing ecological control strategies. A study was conducted from 2014 to 2017 to determine the relationship between the abundance of B. odoriphaga and temperature (atmospheric and soil), soil water content, and atmospheric humidity in a Chinese chive field in Beijing City, China. Numbers of adults peaked in March and October to November and were lowest in July to August and December to next February; numbers of larvae were highest in December to next February and lowest in July to August. From 2014 to 2017, the numbers of adults and larvae were significantly correlated with monthly mean atmospheric temperatures and soil temperatures, but were not significantly correlated with monthly mean atmospheric relative humidity and soil water content. However, for both adults and larvae, numbers were significantly greater with high soil water contents compared with drought treatment. The results of this study suggest that the very low soil water contents, high atmospheric temperatures, and high soil temperatures were critical for regulating field populations of B. odoriphaga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snapshot assessments of species, which live for a number of years, are often misleading if they are conducted at an inappropriately short temporal scale. Densities of the trochid gastropods Steromphala umbilicalis (da Costa, 1778) and S. cineraria (Linnaeus, 1758) fluctuated widely between 1996 and 2014 at ten rocky-shore sites within Lough Hyne, southwest Ireland. Between 2014 and 2019, the abundance of S. cineraria decreased to levels not seen in the previous two decades. This significant reduction was possibly in response to extreme dissolved oxygen fluctuations related to eutrophication of the semi-enclosed lough. Steromphala umbilicalis showed low density in 2018 and 2019, but this was within the limits of interannual fluctuations. The Lusitanian trochid Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) was first recorded by us in the lough in the early 2000s, just as it was establishing a flourishing population with densities of c. 6 snails/0.25 m2. Although this native trochid survived the cold winters of 2009–2012, the population suffered high adult mortality and little recruitment. Between 2013 and 2019, the population increased and the population density stabilized. The increase in P. lineatus reflects its position high on the shore, where air temperatures have risen over the last two decades. It may, therefore, be a sentinel species to detect the effects of climate change. By contrast, the decrease in S. cineraria was related to its shallow subtidal habitat where hypoxia and superoxia have recently become marked in the lough. This trochid, therefore, offers potential as an indicator of eutrophication-associated stress. These temporal variations in trochid species emphasize the need for longer term assessments when estimating the importance of any one species to the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effects of slightly elevated temperature and ozone (O3) on leaf structural characteristics of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), saplings of four clonal genotypes of this species were exposed to elevated temperature (ambient air temperature +0.8–1.0 °C) and elevated O3 (1.3–1.4× ambient O3), alone and in combination, in an open-air exposure field over two growing seasons (2007 and 2008). So far, the impacts of moderate elevation of temperature or the combination of elevated temperature and O3 on leaf structure of silver birch have not been intensively studied, thus showing the urgent need for this type of studies. Elevated temperature significantly increased leaf size, reduced non-glandular trichome density, decreased epidermis thickness and increased plastoglobuli size in birch leaves during one or both growing seasons. During the second growing season, O3 elevation reduced leaf size, increased palisade layer thickness and decreased the number of plastoglobuli in spongy cells. Certain leaf structural changes observed under a single treatment of elevated temperature or O3, such as increase in the amount of chloroplasts or vacuole, were no longer detected at the combined treatment. Leaf structural responses to O3 and rising temperature may also depend on timing of the exposure during the plant and leaf development as indicated by the distinct changes in leaf structure along the experiment. Genotype-dependent cellular responses to the treatments were detected particularly in the palisade cells. Overall, this study showed that even a slight but realistic elevation in ambient temperature can notably modify leaf structure of silver birch saplings. Leaf structure, in turn, influences leaf function, thus potentially affecting acclimation capacity under changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of the filamentous chlorophyte Oedogonium in municipal wastewater effluent is known to improve water quality and yield lipid- and protein-rich biomass for industrial applications. Chlorophyte celluloses, whose molecular organization and physical traits differ from those of plants, represent yet another valuable extractive, and algal oxygen production is of economic value in wastewater treatment. Consequently, we explored cellulose and oxygen production from Oedogonium biomass batch-cultivated in treated secondary municipal wastewater effluent. We compared biomass, cellulose, and oxygen production outside and within an adjacent greenhouse, under differing dissolved CO2 and pH conditions, and during temperate-zone seasonal change from summer through fall. Overall production did not differ within or outside the greenhouse, but outside production was higher in summer and lower in fall as air temperatures declined. Batch cultivation offered advantages, but high levels of mixing and CO2 were essential to maintain neutral pH for optimal algal growth and oxygen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer printing, as an important assembly technique, has attracted much attention due to its valuable merits to develop novel forms of electronics such as stretchable inorganic electronics requiring the heterogeneous integration of inorganic materials with soft elastomers. Here, we report on a laser-driven programmable non-contact transfer printing technique via a simple yet robust design of active elastomeric microstructured stamp that features cavities filled with air and embedded under the contacting surface, a micro-patterned surface membrane that encapsulates the air cavities and a metal layer on the inner-cavity surfaces serving as the laser-absorbing layer. The micro-patterned surface membrane can be inflated dynamically to control the interfacial adhesion, which can be switched from strong state to weak state by more than three orders of magnitude by local laser heating of the air in the cavity with a temperature increase below 100°C. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal the fundamental aspects of the design and fabrication of the active elastomeric microstructured stamp and the operation of non-contact transfer printing. Demonstrations in the programmable transfer printing of micro-scale silicon platelets and micro-scale LED chips onto various challenging receivers illustrate the extraordinary capabilities for deterministic assembly that are difficult to address by existing printing schemes, thereby creating engineering opportunities in areas requiring the heterogeneous integration of diverse materials such as curvilinear electronics and MicroLED displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are romance movies more desirable when people are cold? Building on research on (bodily) feeling-as-information and embodied cognition, we hypothesize that physical coldness activates a need for psychological warmth, which in turn leads to an increased liking for romance movies. Four laboratory experiments and an analysis of online movie rental data provide support for our hypothesis. Specifically, studies 1A and 1B show that physical coldness increases the liking of and willingness to pay for romance movies. Study 2 shows that the effect of physical coldness on liking of romance movies only occurs for people who associate romance movies with psychological warmth. Study 3 shows that people correct for the influence of physical coldness on their liking of romance movies when physical coldness is made salient. In study 4, using data on online movie rentals and historical temperature, we found a negative relationship between weather temperature and preference for romance movies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a global biodiversity hotspot, the subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest (SEBF) in southern China is strongly influenced by the humid monsoon climate, with distinct hot-wet and cool-dry seasons. However, the hydraulic strategies of this forest are not well understood. Branch and leaf hydraulic safety margins (HSMbranch and HSMleaf, respectively), as well as seasonal changes in predawn and midday leaf water potential (Ψpd and Ψmd), stomatal conductance (G s), leaf to sapwood area ratio (A L/ A S) and turgor loss point (Ψtlp), were examined for woody species in a mature SEBF. For comparison, we compiled these traits of tropical dry forests (TDFs) and Mediterranean-type woodlands (MWs) from the literature because they experience a hot-dry season. We found that on average, SEBF showed larger HSMbranch and HSMleaf than TDF and MW. During the dry season, TDF and MW species displayed a significant decrease in Ψpd and Ψmd. However, SEBF species showed a slight decrease in Ψpd but an increase in Ψmd. Similar to TDF and MW species, G s was substantially lower in the dry season for SEBF species, but this might be primarily because of the low atmospheric temperature (low vapor pressure deficit). On the other hand, A L/ A S and Ψtlp were not significant different between seasons for any SEBF species. Most SEBF species had leaves that were more resistant to cavitation than branches. Additionally, species with stronger leaf-to-branch vulnerability segmentation tended to have smaller HSMleaf but larger HSMbranch. Our results suggest that SEBF is at low hydraulic risk under the current climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air temperatures and precipitation are predicted to increase in the future, especially at high latitudes and particularly so during winter. In contrast to air temperatures, changes in soil temperatures are more difficult to predict, as the fate of the insulating snow cover is crucial in this respect. Soil conditions can also be affected by rain-on-snow events and warm spells during winter, resulting in freeze–thaw cycles, compacted snow, ice encasement and local flooding. These adverse conditions during winter could counteract the otherwise positive effects of climate change on forest growth and productivity. For studying the effects of different winter and snow conditions on young Downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) seedlings, we carried out a laboratory experiment with birch seedlings subjected to four different winter scenarios: snow covering the seedlings (SNOW), compressed snow and ice encasement (ICE), flooded and frozen soil (FLOOD) and no snow at all (NO SNOW). After the winter treatments we simulated a spring and early summer period of 9.5 weeks, and monitored the growth by measuring shoot and root biomass of the seedlings, and starch and soluble sugar concentrations. We also assessed the stress experienced by the seedlings by measuring leaf chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange. Although no difference in mortality was observed between the treatments, the seedlings in the SNOW and ICE treatments had significantly higher shoot and root biomass compared with those in the FLOOD and NO SNOW treatments. We found higher starch concentrations in roots of the seedlings in the SNOW and ICE treatments, compared with those in the FLOOD and NO SNOW treatments, although photosynthesis did not differ. Our results suggest a malfunction of carbohydrate distribution in the seedlings of the FLOOD and NO SNOW treatments, probably resulting from decreased sinks. The results underline the importance of an insulating and protecting snow cover for small tree seedlings, and that future winters with changed snow pattern might affect the growth of tree seedlings and thus possibly species composition and forest productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature regimes have multiple spatial and temporal dimensions that have different impacts on biodiversity. Signatures of warming across these dimensions may contribute uniquely to the large-scale species redistributions and abundance changes that underpin community dynamics. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that 86% of studies were focused on community responses to temperature aggregated over spatial or temporal dimensions (e.g. mean, median, or extremes). Therefore, the effects of temperature variation in space and time on biodiversity remain generally unquantified. In the present article, we argue that this focus on aggregated temperature measures may limit advancing our understanding of how communities are being altered by climate change. In light of this, we map the cause-and-effect pathways between the different dimensions of temperature change and communities in space and time. A broadened focus, shifted toward a multidimensional perspective of temperature, will allow better interpretation and prediction of biodiversity change and more robust management and conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humidity control of indoor space using the conventional air conditioning system is energy intensive. The liquid desiccant dehumidifier, which operates on low grade energy sources, is one of the energy efficient alternatives for humidity control. Membrane dehumidifiers avoid the desiccant carryover and hence are preferred over the packed bed dehumidifiers. However, their performance is lower due to the additional resistance in the membrane. Internal cooling is one way to improve the performance of the membrane dehumidifier and the present study experimentally investigates such a dehumidifier. The operating parameters considered are specific humidity, mass flow rate, temperature and of inlet air. The performances of the adiabatic and internally cooled dehumidifiers are presented in terms of moisture removal rate and latent effectiveness. It is found that these are higher by 60 and 50%, respectively, for the internally cooled dehumidifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric temperature increases along with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. This is a major concern for agroecosystems. Although the impact of an elevated temperature or increased CO2 has been widely reported, there are few studies investigating the combined effect of these two environmental factors on plant–insect interactions. In this study, plant responses (phenological traits, defensive enzyme activity, secondary compounds, defense-related gene expression and phytohormone) of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) -susceptible and resistant rice under various conditions (environment, soil type, variety, C. medinalis infestation) were used to examine the rice– C. medinalis interaction. The results showed that leaf chlorophyll content and trichome density in rice were variety-dependent. Plant defensive enzyme activities were affected environment, variety, or C. medinalis infestation. In addition, total phenolic content of rice leaves was decreased by elevated CO2 and temperature and C. medinalis infestation. Defense-related gene expression patterns were affected by environment, soil type, or C. medinalis infestation. Abscisic acid and salicylic acid content were decreased by C. medinalis infestation. However, jasmonic acid content was increased by C. medinalis infestation. Furthermore, under elevated CO2 and temperature, rice plants had higher abscisic acid content than plants under ambient conditions. The adult morphological traits of C. medinalis also were affected by environment. Under elevated CO2 and temperature, C. medinalis adults had greater body length in the second and third generations. Taken together these results indicated that elevated CO2 and temperature not only affects plants but also the specialized insects that feed on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future sustainable management of fisheries will require resilience to the effects of environmental variability and climate change on stock productivity. In this study, we examined relationships between sea surface temperature (SST) in the region between Taiwan and the Sea of Japan, and annual recruitment of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis : PBF) over the past 35 years. Spatial correlation maps showed that warmer SSTs south of Shikoku, in the East China Sea and in the Sea of Japan from summer to late fall were associated with above average recruitment. SST anomalies near larval and juvenile habitats were most strongly correlated with local air temperatures. Generalized Additive Models predicting annual PBF recruitment from SST fields suggested that the influence of SST on recruitment was stronger than that of spawning stock biomass. Correlations between SST and recruitment likely reflect biological processes relevant to early juvenile habitat suitability. The influence of late fall SSTs could also be a result of varying availability of age-0 fish to the troll fishery; however, the relative importance of these processes was not clear. Despite these knowledge gaps, the strong predictive power of SST on PBF recruitment can allow more proactive management of this species under varying environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malpica-Tuy complex (MTC) in northwestern Spain is a key area for the understanding of geodynamic processes related to the early collision of Gondwana and Laurussia. To better understand this collisional situation in Variscan times, we deciphered mass-flow paths in terms of pressure (P) and temperature (T) for five samples (three eclogites, a glaucophanite and a tonalitic gneiss) occurring in a large eclogite body at the 'La Pioza' site in the central MTC. The following three contrasting P-T paths resulted from the application of P-T pseudosections, calculated with PERPLE_X, and Zr-in-rutile geothermometry. (1) Two eclogites and the gneiss yielded a similar anticlockwise P-T path. In particular, one of these eclogites recorded an extended prograde path from about 8·5 kbar at 575°C to peak pressures of ~24·5 kbar at 630°C. The retrograde path passed through P-T conditions of ~17·5 kbar and 650°C. (2) A clockwise P-T loop was derived for an eclogite starting at ~18 kbar at 580°C to peak pressures of ~23 kbar at 620°C. (3) The clockwise P-T path of the glaucophanite is characterized by a temperature increase from 610 to 680°C at nearly constant pressure around 19 kbar. The peak P of rocks in the eclogite body is much higher than that of the surrounding gneisses (≤13 kbar). Major and trace element geochemical features demonstrate that the protoliths of one eclogite and the glaucophanite were calc-alkaline igneous rocks. The other two eclogites have a tholeiitic affinity. The tonalitic gneiss is characterized by a subalkaline affinity. All the mafic rocks are characterized by a Nb anomaly. The protoliths of the eclogite with calc-alkaline affinity and the gneiss can be assigned to a continental magmatic arc formed in Late Cambrian times according to previous age dating results. The protoliths of the eclogites with tholeiitic affinity were related to basalt/gabbro of thickened oceanic crust (island arc in the Rheic Ocean). The contrasting P-T paths and different nature of the protoliths are explained by different upwardsdirected mass flows and, thus, mixing of various types of rocks in a subduction channel. Our findings also support the hypothesis that the MTC represents subduction-related rocks embedded in high-pressure orthogneisses from the downgoing tip of a continental plate during initial continent-continent collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed local horn fly (Haematobia irritans L.) and face fly (Musca autumnalis De Geer) communities on cattle in 2012 and 2013 relative to vegetation and climate data to understand how parasitism of cattle is influenced by change in climate and vegetation structure. We compared heterogeneity management using spatially and temporally discrete fires (i.e., patch-burning one-third of a pasture annually) to homogeneity management (i.e., burning entire pasture in 2012 then no burning in 2013), with cattle grazing all years in both treatments. Predicted emergence of horn flies and face flies was 24 and 34 d earlier in 2012 associated with earlier spring warming, a significant deviation from the five-year mean. Intraannual horn fly dynamics were explained by concurrent high ambient air temperature the day of observations, but face flies were explained by low ambient air temperatures and dry conditions 3 wk before observations. Importance values of information for the theoretic models including fire treatments ranged from 0.89 to 1, indicating that both horn flies and face flies are sensitive to habitat alterations and fire-driven animal movements. Ordination indicates herds on unburned pastures were dissimilar to herds on pastures burned with patchy fires or pastures burned completely and species-specific fly responses to different vegetation structure metrics. For example, horn flies were correlated with vegetation visual obstruction, and face flies were correlated with woody plant cover. Vegetation structure may be as important as climate in driving the dynamics of fly parasites of cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]