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The eastward‐moving large‐scale convective system associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) significantly impact global weather and climate. Recent decades have seen notable changes in the MJO's lifecycle due to non‐uniform tropical ocean warming, with the roles of natural climate variability and anthropogenic influence still requiring quantification. This study examines observed and projected long‐term changes in the MJO phase speed using four twentieth‐century reanalyses and CMIP6 simulations. We find a substantial increase in MJO phase speed in three reanalyses during the twentieth century (0.6–1.2 m s⁻1 century⁻1) and further increase in MJO phase speed during the twenty‐first century (0.3–1.5 m s⁻1 century⁻1), with notable multidecadal fluctuations. We attribute the overall acceleration of the MJO to the global warming‐driven increase in the meridional moisture gradient around the warm pool while attributing the multidecadal variability in the MJO phase speed to changes in the zonal moisture gradient associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Plain Language Summary: The Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a crucial phenomenon in the tropics that impacts weather and climate globally. Although earlier research has discussed the observed changes in the MJO lifecycle due to tropical ocean warming, we still need to understand the role of natural climate variability associated with the MJO lifecycle. This study uses twentieth century reanalyses and future climate model projections to investigate how the speed of the MJO propagation has changed over time. We find that the speed of the MJO's eastward propagation has increased significantly in three of the reanalyses during the twentieth century and continues rising in the twenty‐first century. We believe that the overall increase in MJO speed is due to global warming, which enhances the meridional moisture difference around the warm pool area. We also noted significant multidecadal variation in the MJO propagation speed. The multidecadal changes in MJO speed are linked to variations in the zonal moisture difference influenced by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Key Points: Increasing MJO phase speed is identified in three twentieth‐century reanalysesWe attribute the MJO's eastward acceleration to the long‐term changes in the meridional moisture gradientPacific Decadal Oscillation influences multidecadal variation in the MJO phase speed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) is a common indicator used to measure the efficiency of photosynthesis and growth conditions of plants. In this study, soybeans under different moisture gradients were selected as the research objects. Fourteen vegetation indices (VIS) and five canopy structure characteristics (CSC) (plant height (PH), volume (V), canopy cover (CC), canopy length (L), and canopy width (W)) were obtained using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with three different sensors (visible, multispectral, and LiDAR) at five growth stages of soybeans. Soybean Pn was simultaneously measured manually in the field. The variability of soybean Pn under different conditions and the trend change of CSC under different moisture gradients were analysed. VIS, CSC, and their combinations were used as input features, and four machine learning algorithms (multiple linear regression, random forest, Extreme gradient-boosting tree regression, and ridge regression) were used to perform soybean Pn inversion. The results showed that, compared with the inversion model using VIS or CSC as features alone, the inversion model using the combination of VIS and CSC features showed a significant improvement in the inversion accuracy at all five stages. The highest accuracy (R2 = 0.86, RMSE = 1.73 µmol m−2 s−1, RPD = 2.63) was achieved 63 days after sowing (DAS63). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the moisture content uniformity in kiln-dried wood and preventing large gradients is vital as nonuniformity renders dried timbers susceptible to warpage and degrade. This research uses a gradient-boosting machine learning model to model kiln drying by providing a predictive approach to estimate moisture levels and gradients. A population of 378 western hemlock square timbers was assigned into nine drying batches, each undergoing a different drying schedule. Inputs were four timber attributes, i.e, initial and final moisture, initial weight, and basic density, and three drying parameters, i.e. drying schedule, end-schedule conditioning, and dried timber post-storage. The results revealed that drying schedules and post-storage significantly impacted moisture gradients, while the effect of conditioning was insignificant. All the input parameters were crucial in developing the predictive machine-learning model, where wood attributes had relatively higher importance than drying parameters. Also, outputs highly depend on final moisture after drying. The best training and testing performances were achieved when predicting the shell moisture, followed by the core moisture and moisture gradient. Further research is required to enhance the predictive performance of the moisture gradient predictive model. Future studies could also develop classification models for the moisture gradient beneficial to sawmills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change, the risk of forest fires has increased in Europe, resulting in challenges in the allocation of salvaged wood. We studied the raw material potential for wood products of Norway spruce and Scots pine sawn log trees that remained standing after a large forest fire in Kalajoki, Finland, in July 2021. Eight burned trees, with four reference trees per species, were sampled as standard specimens, and measurements were analyzed with linear mixed models. The effects of fire on the modulus of elasticity and rupture, Brinell hardness, moisture gradient, and color were measured on clear wood specimens of sapwood and heartwood. The wood density, level of fire damage, and height location of a tree were used as additional predictors. The results show some changes in the sapwood material. Spruce wood underwent stronger changes after the fire than pine wood, probably due to spruce wood having a thinner bark and a longer crown. The moisture content decreased in spruce, and the color darkened in both spruce and pine. Changes in the mechanical properties were mostly negligible, but a small increase in the Brinell hardness in spruce and a small decrease in the modulus of rupture in pine were observed. Fresh salvaged wood can be a suitable material for middle-quality and lower-quality wood products. The spread of char and soot into wood and wood processing machinery still limits its usage, especially for spruce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are prevalent in paddy soils, posing potential threats to food safety and public health. The concentrations of soluble ​As and Cd are sensitive to moisture-driven changes in soil pH and Eh, which is rarely described at the critical dry-wet interface. Here, tempo-spatial changes of soluble As and Cd were captured by In-situ Porewater Iterative samplers at the capillary fringe that extended from saturated to unsaturated moisture gradient at the millimeter scale (60 ​mm profile in depth) through two episodic dry-wet cycles (55 days in total). The As and Cd concentrations showed less significant fluctuation in second cycle compared to the initial dry-wet cycle. The study also revealed at the capillary fringe profile (20–40 ​mm), the As concentrations increased from 4.6 μg L−1 in unsaturated soils to 13.5 μg L−1 in saturated soils, while Cd decreased from 3.3 to 0.2 μg L−1. This observed correlation was aligned with the vertical changes in soil Eh (+287 to +381 ​mV) and pH (3.42 to 6.07). This study found a distinct zone characterized by low As and low Cd concentrations, typically situated approximately 10–30 ​mm beneath the capillary fringe. Upon further analysis, it was determined that soil with an Eh of 249 ​mV and a pH of 4.3 potentially serves as an optimal environment for decreasing As and Cd levels in porewater. These findings suggest that it is feasible to reduce As and Cd concentration in the soil by implementing appropriate depth-controlled water management techniques.

Endangered in Canada and the United States, the Poweshiek skipperling's (Oarisma poweshiek (Parker) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)) recovery likely depends on understanding more about its ecology. The characteristics of locations which facilitate various adult activities, such as oviposition and resting, in Manitoba tall grass prairie are unknown. We followed adults in prairie patches to identify locations associated with various behaviours, and subsequently measure vegetative, structural and microclimatic attributes at these microhabitats. Adult skipperlings were observed 34 times resulting in 24 flight tracks and 56 point interactions being recorded. Skipperlings flew almost exclusively in the prairie plant community, with few flights into wetter communities and none in forests. Tracks tended to be tortuous, typical of occupancy in higher-quality habitats. Adult activities appeared to be distributed along a soil moisture gradient: oviposition was associated with the relatively mesic section, resting and/or basking with the drier section, and nectar feeding generally associated with sections throughout the gradient. Adults nectared from a mixture of species during the flight period, consuming nectar from Rudbeckia hirta Linnaeus (Asteraceae) most often. We report previously unknown aspects of O. poweshiek's ecology. Implications for conservation: Our findings describe how adult skipperlings might use sections of prairie with different soil moistures to lay eggs, rest, bask and consume nectar. We visualise approaches to ensure all sections are disturbed during stewardship activities and evaluate the degree to which all facilitative soil moistures are present in candidate (re)introduction sites, for the successful recovery of O. poweshiek. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this paper is the analysis of the influence of laser cutting of oak wood on its drying process. The subject of the research was the comparison of the drying process and the quality of the dried wood in samples cut by classical technology (sawing) and samples cut with the use of laser. The research was carried out on two sets of samples which were subjected to an identical drying process. Continuous moisture loss and final moisture attained, moisture gradients before and after drying, and internal tensions before and after drying were monitored by means of the fork test and the cut-test. The final moisture content at the end of drying was 8.09% for the saw-cut samples and 8.22% for the laser-cut samples, a difference of only 0.13%. The analysis of the individual characteristics observed showed that the influence of the cutting technology did not have a significant effect on the drying process or the quality of the dried oak sawn timber.

Casehardening (σi) is an internal stress-related phenomenon that develops in kiln-dried wood materials, causing shape distortion. This study focuses on the impact of drying schedule and wood parameters (e.g., density, moisture) on σi. Results indicated that the wood's final moisture content level has the highest impact when it is above 15%. However, the wood moisture gradient is the most influential factor when wood's moisture content is below 15%. Drying schedule aggressiveness and post-drying treatments also affect σi; an aggressive drying schedule followed by conditioning remarkably reduces σi occurrence.

This study aimed to investigate how pre-steaming affects the drying times, final moisture contents (final MCs), and prevention of checking during the high-temperature and low-humidity drying process of boxed-heartwood Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) with 20 × 20 cm and with 30 × 30 cm cross sections. Although average final MCs of the larger cross sections were slightly higher than those of smaller cross sections, all were over-dried between 3.3% and 8.1% MC, compared to the in-use moisture content for outdoor building materials. All the pre-steamed samples were only slightly defected by surface checks of 5 mm or less in width. The sample timbers with the 20 × 20 cm cross-sectional size were slightly defected by internal checking, whereas those with the 30 × 30 cm cross-sectional size were severely defected. However, there was no clear impact of pre-steaming time on the prevention of internal checking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moisture content (MC) of wood affects its industrial performance, but it is difficult to monitor spatial variations in MC. Here, a multivariate regression was developed to estimate the MC from near infrared (NIR) spectra and was used to monitor the spatial variation in the MC of wood during air- and oven-drying. The spectra and mass of wood pieces were measured at five stages during drying (at each 20% loss of initial water mass). Wood pieces were dried naturally and oven-dried at 60 °C. Initially, 25 spectra were recorded at equidistant points covering the entire longitudinal × radial surface of the sample. Then, a planing machine was used to access the inside of the wood, and NIR spectra were measured for each new surface, at a total of 100 points spatially distributed within the wood pieces. The wood pieces were analyzed in their original state, and when they had lost 20, 40, 60, and 80% of their initial water mass. An NIR-based regression (R2p = 0.90 and RMSEP = 10.51%) was applied to estimate the MC, and its spatial gradient during drying was then mapped. These analyses revealed the spatial variation in MC within wood pieces during drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the inter- and intraspecific variation in plant functional traits elucidates their environmental adaptation strategies and the mechanisms of community construction. This study selected the desert plant community in the Lake Ebinur watershed as the research object and considered five different traits: plant height (H), diameter at breast height/base diameter (DBH/BD), leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), and leaf thickness (LT). This study used redundancy and correlation analyses to investigate the inter- and intraspecies variation in community-level traits, its relationship with soil physicochemical factors under different soil moisture conditions, and their change laws. We also used variance decomposition to analyze the contribution of inter- and intraspecific variation to community weighting. The results showed the following: (1) the values of the plant community functional traits varied according to the water gradient, and the LL (p = 0.01) and DBH/BD (p = 0.038) varied significantly; (2) for intraspecific variation, the DBH/BD variation was high at a low moisture gradient, LL (p = 0.018) and LT (p = 0.030) variation were high at a high moisture gradient, and the differences were significant; (3) under a high moisture gradient, inter- and intraspecific variation contributed 85.8% and 35.7% to community weighting, respectively, whereas under low moisture gradients, inter- and intraspecific variation contributed 53.3% and 25.1%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hopper bottom semi-trailers (HBST) modified to dry loads of in-shell peanuts would provide several advantages to peanut producers and peanut processing facility operators. Producers who have HBST for transporting grain would have an additional use for their HBST and would reduce harvest delays during peak harvest times when trailer availability is limited from peanut processors. Additionally, smaller processing facilities would gain the economic advantages of semi-trailers without the investment in hydraulic lifts to unload peanut drying van semi-trailers. Before this study, no HBST had been modified to add peanut drying functionality. The objectives of this study were to design, fabricate, and test the performance of drying modifications to a HBST. After review of the functional components needed to dry peanuts and existing structural constrains of the HBST, the components fabricated were an air inlet connection, an enclosed transition space, an air plenum vent, and air exhaust vents on the undersides of the hopper tubs. The number, size, and location of the air exhaust vents were determined using a computational fluid dynamic model. Three test loads of peanuts were dried in the modified HBST during the 2020 peanut harvest season. Measurements were taken at intervals throughout the peanut drying process to assess drying and to monitor air temperature and relative humidity. Results of a test load indicated that the moisture content decreased from 12.9% wet basis (w.b.) to 12.0% w.b. after 8.5 h of drying. Average moisture content was reduced to 11.1% w.b. following an additional 8.6 h without the dryer operating. The sample load official grade moisture content was 9.1% w.b after the rest period. The most important finding was that a moisture gradient persisted in the loads of peanuts after active drying and rest period. The peanuts located at the top of the load had a moisture content of 9% w.b. while those with the highest moisture content of 14% w.b. were at the bottom of the load. The official inspection sampling procedure did not detect the moisture content differences in the test loads. The finding of a persistent moisture gradient will require more investigation and modification of the HBST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surviving the seedling phase is crucial for the establishment of plant individuals and populations. In ecosystems with dynamic water availability such as temperate grasslands, seedlings should adjust their growth strategy not only to match the current conditions but also to secure resource acquisition in the future. Here, we explored evolutionary adaptations determining plant early growth strategies in herbaceous species of temperate grasslands differing in their requirements for soil water availability.We chose 15 plant genera, within which we selected species differing in their Ellenberg indicator values for moisture. We cultivated the seedlings under standard conditions with sufficient water supply for 4 weeks. Subsequently, we measured length‐based and mass‐based shoot:root ratio to investigate seedling growth strategy and its association with species ecological niche. Seed size and content of soil‐borne nutrients were considered as potential covariates affecting this association.Linear mixed‐effect models identified the length‐based shoot:root ratio of seedlings was positively associated with soil moisture requirements in a congeneric species comparison. Nitrogen and phosphorus seed concentrations had an additional negative effect on the shoot:root ratio. Neither of these trends was found for the mass‐based shoot:root ratio.We demonstrated for the first time that there might be a general adaptation modifying the seedling shoot:root ratio according to the species niche position on the soil moisture gradient in temperate grassland species across a broad range of angiosperm phylogeny. This adaptation seems to be affected by seed mineral nutrient reserves and may operate in parallel to the well‐known phenotypic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes that occurred during processing white breads enriched with 5, 7.5, and 10% of medium-polymerized inulin (MPI). Farinographic analysis revealed that enrichment caused the development time and dough stability to increase by up to 69.9% and 62.8%, respectively, when 7.5% of MPI was incorporated into wheat flour. This indicated that the added MPI strengthened the doughs. Conversely, alveographic analysis demonstrated that MPI was harmful to the gluten network. The specific volume and humidity of breads with up to 7.5% MPI were similar to those of the control (MPI-free) bread. During bread storage for 10 days, we noticed that the retrogradation rate increased only for the bread sample with 10% MPI. However, MPI enrichment, regardless of concentration, promoted an increase in the Avrami exponent and affected bread firmness. Bread staling analysis indicated that the moisture difference between crumb and crust was higher for the MPI-enriched breads than for the control. Moreover, we prepared more consistent doughs and fresh breads with MPI contents of up to 7.5%, which presented good quality and were good fiber sources; however, we determined that inulin did not present an anti-staling effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the hypothesis that maritime climatic factors associated with summer fog and low cloud stratus (summer marine layer) help explain the compositional diversity of chaparral in the coast range of central California. We randomly sampled chaparral species composition in 0.1-hectare plots along a coast-to-interior gradient. For each plot, climatic variables were estimated and soil samples were analyzed. We used Cluster Analysis and Principle Components Analysis to objectively categorize plots into climate zone groups. Climate variables, vegetation composition and various diversity measures were compared across climate zone groups using ANOVA and nonmetric multidimensional scaling. Differences in climatic variables that relate to summer moisture availability and winter freeze events explained the majority of variance in measured conditions and coincided with three chaparral assemblages: maritime (lowland coast where the summer marine layer was strongest), transition (upland coast with mild summer marine layer influence and greater winter precipitation), and interior sites that generally lacked late summer water availability from either source. Species turnover (β-diversity) was higher among maritime and transition sites than interior sites. Coastal chaparral differs from interior chaparral in having a higher obligate seeder to facultative seeder (resprouter) ratio and by being dominated by various Arctostaphylos species as opposed to the interior dominant, Adenostoma fasciculatum. The maritime climate influence along the California central coast is associated with patterns of woody plant composition and β-diversity among sites. Summer fog in coastal lowlands and higher winter precipitation in coastal uplands combine to lower late dry season water deficit in coastal chaparral and contribute to longer fire return intervals that are associated with obligate seeders and more local endemism. Soil nutrients are comparatively less important in explaining plant community composition, but heterogeneous azonal soils contribute to local endemism and promote isolated chaparral patches within the dominant forest vegetation along the coast.

The system for analyzing the hydrotropic curvature with a moisture gradient in wild-type Arabidopsis roots was modified. Optimal conditions were determined for detecting a hydrotropic curvature of 90° just after 4 h of stimulation. This system only requires 15 ml of a solution of K2CO3 with a density of 1.48 g·ml-1 to generate a rapid moisture gradient inside a square Petri dish without decreasing root growth. In this, the root growth rate observed in hydrostimulated wild-type and miz1 mutant, utilized as a negative control, increases sixfold compared with those roots examined using the former method.

In wood processing, wood is exposed to an environmental temperature of less than 0 °C for some time, which mainly occurs during the air drying of wood in the winter months, or when lumber is stored in wood piles outdoors before the kiln drying process. In these cases, the wood freezing process increases the degree of freezing of the wood, subsequently significantly affecting the process of its heating during further processing (for example, in the cutting process). The most common method is heating by humid air, during the hot air drying of wood. We analyzed the temperature profiles on a cross-section of wood and moisture losses due to the freezing process and the size of moisture gradients. We compared theoretical calculations of the time required for defrosting and heating of wood with the experimentally measured values. The results show that the moisture content (MC) of wood has a remarkable effect on the wood freezing process. In samples with an average MC of 35.47%, the temperature drop was faster. After 10 h, the temperatures on the entire cross-section of the samples reached the lowest value of −13.2 °C. In samples with an average initial MC of 81.38%, three stages of temperature reduction in the wood were observed. The temperature dropped and the lowest temperature of −20.11 °C was reached after 24 h. The defrosting and heating process of samples with lower MC was significantly easier. The desired temperature of 65 °C in the middle of the samples was reached in 2 h and 20 min. The total time to defrost and heat the second group of samples (MC > FSP) was 3 h 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral thermoregulation is an efficient mechanism to buffer the physiological effects of climate change. Thermal ecology studies have traditionally tested how thermal constraints shape thermoregulatory behaviors without accounting for the potential major effects of landscape structure and water availability. Thus, we lack a general understanding of the multifactorial determinants of thermoregulatory behaviors in natural populations. In this study, we quantified the relative contribution of elevation, thermal gradient, moisture gradient, and landscape structure in explaining geographic variation in thermoregulation strategies of a terrestrial ectotherm species. We measured field‐active body temperature, thermal preferences, and operative environmental temperatures to calculate thermoregulation indices, including thermal quality of the habitat and thermoregulation efficiency for a very large sample of common lizards (Zootoca vivipara) from 21 populations over 3 yr across the Massif Central mountain range in France. We used an information‐theoretic approach to compare eight a priori thermo‐hydroregulation hypotheses predicting how behavioral thermoregulation should respond to environmental conditions. Environmental characteristics exerted little influence on thermal preference with the exception that females from habitats with permanent access to water had lower thermal preferences. Field body temperatures and accuracy of thermoregulation were best predicted by the interaction between air temperature and a moisture index. In mesic environments, field body temperature and thermoregulation accuracy increased with air temperature, but they decreased in drier habitats. Thermoregulation efficiency (difference between thermoregulation inaccuracy and the thermal quality of the habitat) was maximized in cooler and more humid environments and was mostly influenced by the thermal quality of the habitat. Our study highlights complex patterns of variation in thermoregulation strategies, which are mostly explained by the interaction between temperature and water availability, independent of the elevation gradient or thermal heterogeneity. Although changes in landscape structure were expected to be the main driver of extinction rate of temperate zone ectotherms with ongoing global change, we conclude that changes in water availability coupled with rising temperatures might have a drastic impact on the population dynamics of some ectotherm species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moisture power generation (MPG) technology, producing clean and sustainable energy from a humid environment, has drawn significant attention and research efforts in recent years as a means of easing the energy crisis. Despite the rapid progress, MPG technology still faces numerous challenges with the most significant one being the low power-generating performance of individual MPG devices. In this review, we introduce the background and underlying principles of MPG technology while thoroughly explaining how the selection of suitable materials (carbons, polymers, inorganic salts, etc.) and the optimization of the device structure (pore structure, moisture gradient structure, functional group gradient structure, and electrode structure) can address the existing and anticipated challenges. Furthermore, this review highlights the major scientific and engineering hurdles on the way to advancing MPG technology and offers potential insights for the development of high-performance MPG systems.

Aim: Long‐term monitoring of forest understorey species was used to describe changes in native and invasive exotic plant abundances over time within different disturbed or undisturbed forest types. This information was then used to determine the predictive invasion model (passenger/opportunist, driver or back‐seat driver). Location: Cheat Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA. Methods: Understorey vegetation of mature and clear‐cut forests was sampled every 5–6 years for 16 years. Stands were stratified across three land types following a moisture gradient. Invasive plant richness, frequency and abundance were evaluated across land type and disturbance type with general linear mixed models. Change in richness, diversity and abundance of both native and invasive non‐native plants was evaluated as a measure of impact. Results: The mesic mature stands had the greatest invasive plant richness, frequency and abundance. The moderately mesic clear‐cut stands initially showed the greatest invasive plant richness, frequency and abundance, but over time these values became greater for the drier clear‐cuts. The mature forests showed no change in native species abundance in response to invasion. Clear‐cut‐drier stands showed a decrease, while the more mesic stands showed an increase in native plant richness, diversity and abundance in response to invasion. The drier clear‐cuts, with increasing invasions and negative native species impacts, were indicative of the back‐seat driver model. The hitchhiker model, a new term, described increasing plant invasions with no measurable impacts. Main Conclusions: The drier clear‐cut stands exhibit a lack of biotic resistance to invasion, unlike the mesic clear‐cut stands. Increasing invasion in the mature forests suggests that a threshold may be reached that results in impacts on the native vegetation, but with no increase in native plant abundance to help alleviate these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A moisture-heat transfer and stress model of com kernels based on multi-component heterogeneity was developed and verified to predict the stress cracking during hot-air drying. Simulated results showed that the moisture gradient and von Mises stress of each com component simulated by the verified model increased first and then decreased, where the von Mises stress in the outer layer of corn kernels was larger than that in the inner layer. The maximum von Mises stress of each corn component increased with the increase of drying temperature and the decrease of relative humidity. The stress cracks were mainly formed in hard endosperm and soft endosperm, because the maximum von Mises stress of hard endosperm was larger than the yield stress of the two components, which were agreement with statistical results of stress cracks. Therefore, a drying operation with lower temperature and higher relative humidity is beneficial for inhibiting the stress cracking in corn kernels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood is an important element of properly functioning forest ecosystems and plays a very important role in the maintenance of biodiversity, soil fertility, and carbon sequestration. The main aim of the study was to assess the amount of deadwood, its decay rates, carbon and nitrogen stock in deadwood biomass against the background of differently moistened soils. The investigation was carried out in Czarna Rózga Reserve in central Poland. Forty circular plots of 0.1 ha each were established in a regular grid of points (100 × 300 m). The study included the sequence of soil humidity: fresh, moist and wet. All live and dead trees were measured on each test plot. Additionally, samples of wood from different species were taken from lying logs in five decay classes for carbon and nitrogen concentration determination. The highest stocks of deadwood were related with fresh variant. In the wet variant the increase in stock of deadwood can be explained by the slowdown of decay processes during periods of excessive humidity, causing periodic anaerobic conditions. The soil conditions determine the species composition and structure of the stand, which affects the carbon and nitrogen stock in lying dead trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives. On the basis of the experimental, theoretical and field studies, an engineering calculation method was developed for assessing the cracking resistance of external enclosing constructions made of cellular concrete, with the maximum gradient development of moisture and carbonisation forced deformations along their thickness, taking into account the relaxation of the shrinkage stresses. In this regard, the aim of the work is to provide technological measures at the manufacturing stage in order to increase the operational cracking resistance of the construction's outer surface layers by reducing the moisture and carbonation shrinkage of cellular concrete by introducing a large or fine porous aggregate in calculated amounts.Methods. A number of analytical equations were applied to establish the dependence of the shrinkage of heavy concrete of conventional hardness on the amount of aggregate introduced and its elasticity modulus, water-cement ratio and cement consumption, as well as the concrete's moisture content.Results. Knowing the volumes of the structural aggregate and the cellular concrete mass, as well as their modulus of elasticity, the shrinkage reduction factor of the cellular concrete was calculated with the addition of a lightweight porous aggregate. Subsequently, the shrinkage deformations of concrete in the surface layer of the outer enclosing construction, maximising crack resistance due to moisture exchange and carbonation influences under operating conditions, were defined, taking into account the relaxation of tensile stresses due to creep of concrete.Conclusion. Theoretical calculations, based on the recommended method of assessing the cracking resistance of cellular concrete enclosing constructions under moisture exchange and carbonisation processes, taking into account the relaxation of shrinkage stresses, showed that in order to exclude the appearance of cracks in wall panels 280 mm thick made of 700 kg/m3 gas ash concrete with elasticity modulus of 2500 MPa, it is necessary to have 70-80% of keramzite or granulated slag, and 50-60% of stone crumb (granite or marble crushed stone) of the volume of cellular concrete in the surface layer of 30-50 mm.

In wood processing, wood is exposed to an environmental temperature of less than 0 °C for some time, which mainly occurs during the air drying of wood in the winter months, or when lumber is stored in wood piles outdoors before the kiln drying process. In these cases, the wood freezing process increases the degree of freezing of the wood, subsequently significantly affecting the process of its heating during further processing (for example, in the cutting process). The most common method is heating by humid air, during the hot air drying of wood. We analyzed the temperature profiles on a cross-section of wood and moisture losses due to the freezing process and the size of moisture gradients. We compared theoretical calculations of the time required for defrosting and heating of wood with the experimentally measured values. The results show that the moisture content (MC) of wood has a remarkable effect on the wood freezing process. In samples with an average MC of 35.47%, the temperature drop was faster. After 10 h, the temperatures on the entire cross-section of the samples reached the lowest value of −13.2 °C. In samples with an average initial MC of 81.38%, three stages of temperature reduction in the wood were observed. The temperature dropped and the lowest temperature of −20.11 °C was reached after 24 h. The defrosting and heating process of samples with lower MC was significantly easier. The desired temperature of 65 °C in the middle of the samples was reached in 2 h and 20 min. The total time to defrost and heat the second group of samples (MC > FSP) was 3 h 30 min.

Oribatid mites make up a dominant group of soil mesofauna. These microarthropods are quite rarely researched in heavy clay soils, and their seasonal dynamics has never been studied thoroughly during the year in such an environment. The research was conducted in 1994–1995 at three sites along a small-scale moisture gradient, with the aim of describing the influence of different moisture conditions on this soil mesofaunal group and evaluating their seasonal dynamics regarding temperature and soil humidity fluctuations. The study area was characterized by a land depression in a field with clay soil, where waterlogged periods occurred, in the Eastern Slovak Lowland (Slovakia). The investigations were based on 24,890 oribatid adults from 72 species. The mean abundance and total species richness of Oribatida increased with increasing soil moisture towards the lower part of the land depression. The abundance and number of species reached a maximum at the bottom site (ca. 8000 ind.m−2 and 59 species) and was two-fold greater than at the summit site. The mean oribatid abundance and the mean species richness between the sites were compared, and significant differences were found on almost all sampling occasions, but the patterns of changes along the moisture gradient differed between study years. The seasonal fluctuations of oribatid abundance within the sites showed a pattern with spring and autumn maxima and a summer minimum only at moist depression bottom. Seasonal changes in the oribatid community composition were more pronounced at sites with lower soil moisture. Specific communities consisting of hygrophilous or eurytopic species and located at the bottom and slope sites of the depression clearly differed from those of the summit site, where xerotolerant species predominated. Ordination analysis confirmed the influence of temperature and precipitation on the species community composition. The bottom and slope site communities were dominated by the species combination of hygrophilous Microppia minus, Oxyoppia europaea and hygrotolerant Oppiella nova, while at the summit site these mites were replaced by more xerotolerant species: Ramusella insculpta, Oppiella obsoleta and Tectocepheus velatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of the article propose a method of convective dehydration of fish products, which has an intermittent nature of implementation. The dehydration process consists of the continuous initial phase and following combined periods consisting of phases of drying and relaxation of dehydrated surface layer of the raw material. The necessity of applying relaxation is due to the fact that during the drying process the surface layers that have lost some of the moisture are significantly densified. The size of the capillaries for moisture passing through the surface layers is reduced. Near the surface a layer is formed, which lacks the significant mass of moisture and has low diffusion properties. As a result, the dehydration process of the entire sample slows down. The rational use of relaxation leads to restoring the moisture-conducting properties of the surface layer of fish. The supply of electrical energy to the heating elements is stopped during the relaxation. The minimum circulation rate of the drying agent is maintained in the drying installation. Fresh air with a lower temperature and higher relative humidity than the drying agent is supplied to the drying agent. The conditions in the drying installation restrain external mass transfer and facilitate to the relaxation of the dehydrated surface layer, that is, to the redistribution of moisture in the thickness of the fish. The proposed method of dehydration of fish raw material reduces the cost of electric energy in the production of dried products and provides more rational coolant usage. The final fish products have more attractive appearance due to reduction of tissue deformation as a result of applying the relaxation of dehydrated surface layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot air drying is one of the most widely used techniques in large-scale processing of grain. However, the existing problem of grain hot air drying is the high cracking rate, which directly reduces the product grade and storage-transportation performance. It is generally believed that the formation of grain cracks is closely related to the wet stress and thermal stress during hot air drying, since the temperature gradient and moisture gradient often lead to uneven shrinkage, which induces the formation of drying stress. According to von Mises yield criterion, when the von Mises stress is larger than its yield limit, the material will fracture or develop cracks. In this paper, corn kernels were selected as the research object due to their high cracking rate dried by hot air. In order to accurately model the changes of drying stress and predict the formation of stress cracks in corn kernels during hot air drying. Firstly, the edge contour and size parameters of corn kernel were extracted by image processing technology and used to reconstruct its three-dimensional geometric model. Then, the information of temperature, moisture and stress in corn kernels was obtained by the stress mathematical model coupled with the heat-mass transfer. Finally, the stress cracking characteristics of corn grain were predicted by comparing their von Mises stress with yield stress. The results showed that: 1) The moisture content and temperature data determined by the hot air drying experiments were good agreement with the results simulated by the heat and mass transfer mathematical model with the maximum deviation 7.28% and 9.64% respectively, which indicated that the drying model can be used to further explore the changes of temperature and moisture in corn kernels during hot air drying. 2) The simulated results showed that the temperature gradient and moisture gradient in the outer layer of corn kernels were larger than those in the inner layer during drying. The same distribution trend was also found for the wet stress, thermal stress and total stress. The average wet stress and total stress increased first and then decreased, while the thermal stress showed the opposite trend. What’s more, the thermal stress of corn kernels was obviously smaller, so corn kernels were mainly affected by wet stress during drying. 3) The simulated results of corn drying with different drying conditions (hot air temperature 40-80℃, relative humidity 12%-52%) suggested that the maximum stress of corn kernels decreased gradually during drying, which increased with the increase of hot air temperature and decreased with the increase of relative humidity at the same time. The maximum stress of corn kernels was larger than its yield stress in the early stage of drying, the stress cracking of corn kernels could be inhibited by lower hot air temperature and higher relative humidity. Accordingly, it was significant to adopt the subsection drying technology or increase tempering times in the early stage of drying. The result provide a better understanding for the evolution of drying stress and the formation of stress cracks in corn kernels during hot air drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluxes of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from two rice varieties, Huayou 14 and Hanyou 8, were monitored using closed chamber/gas chromatography method. Huayou 14 is a commonly grown variety of rice whereas Hanyou 8 is a water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR) variety. Low soil volumetric water content (VWC) existed in the treatments on the slope (W5 < W4 < W3 < W2). On the slope, rice yields of Hanyou 8 decreased by 12–39%, and Huayou 14 by 11–46% as compared to the plots on the flat. The total compatible solutes in Hanyou 8 had a greater variational range than Huayou 14. Compared to W1, CH4 emissions from W2–W5 decreased by 58–86% in Hanyou 8 and 38–86% in Huayou 14, whereas those of N2O increased by 26–121% in Hanyou 8 and 49–189% in Huayou 14 across both two seasons, which was mainly because the VWC varied in W2–W5 treatment. Under the treatments in the slope (W2, W3, W4, and W5), the global warming potential (GWP) was dominated by N2O emissions, which accounted for 69–90% of the GWP. Hanyou 8 had greater tolerance for water stress than Huayou 14 did, as evident from the smaller reductions in rice yield and greater variational range of total compatible solutes content. Water stress could reduce CH4 emissions but decrease N2O emissions for both rice varieties. This results suggest that planting WDR varieties under water shortage irrigation (such as W4, W5) will be able to maintain rice yields and reduce the GWP with less water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Studies of termite mound building have considered the mud they prepare, its properties and its composition. Here we consider the behaviors of the mound building termites Macrotermes michaelseni, (Sjostedt), in the presence of the viscous boundary layer (VBL), which spontaneously forms over any surface that air passes over. We looked how soil moisture and air vapor are coupled to form a feedback loop and a spatiotemporal precursor to worker termites in the presence of mound material. We explored residency and activities of workers when presented with a VBL and either varying substrate temperature gradients or a soil moisture transition within the soil substrate. We report the emergence of a 'vapor conveyor', which forms around a neutral evaporative equilibrium point (NEEP) at the soil/air interface, where the soil-borne moisture temperature (along the gradient) and the 100% saturated air-borne vapor temperature coincide within the VBL, forming a bubble of neutral mass transfer which, we propose, worker termites are sensitive to as viscosity changes within. We found, on average, that 67% (std. dev 27%) of behavioral events (clustering, excavation, and deposition) occurred within 1 °C either side of the NEEP. We found negative correlation (− 0.78) between the substrate temperature gradient (0.1–0.9 °C mm−1) and the extents of behavioral activity, suggesting coupling between soil-borne moisture and air-borne vapor advection within the VBL. We recorded unique behaviors relating to interaction with the viscosity of vapor-saturated air at this scale. We speculate that workers may exploit the VBL to overcome a classic trade-off, i.e., how to push activities forward into potentially desiccating environments while conserving moisture in both the termites and the soil they build with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Non-uniform shrinkage of concrete provides approximate 40% restraint. • Crack initiates at outer surface and propagates towards inner surface of a ring. • Under uniform shrinkage assumption, external restraint is overestimated. • With increasing of concrete strength, the proportion of self-restraint increases. Abstract The non-uniform shrinkage caused by moisture gradient in concrete provides self-restraint, which has a significant effect on the assessment of cracking potential of concrete through the restrained shrinkage ring test. Furthermore, moisture gradient in concrete would be also affected by concrete strength because concretes designed for different strength grades usually have different water to cement ratio. In this paper, three series of circular and elliptical concrete rings with a 37.5 mm thick wall and three distinguished concrete strength grades of C30, C50 and C80 were tested to investigate the effect of the moisture gradient on crack initiation and propagation in restrained concrete rings. An integrative model based on the nonlinear diffusion theory is introduced to calculate the moisture distributions in concrete rings, and the fictitious temperature fields are derived for the simulation of the shrinkage effect in concrete. Meanwhile, a fracture mechanics-based numerical method is proposed to analyze the crack initiation and propagation in a concrete ring in the restrained ring test. The effects of ring geometry, concrete strength and uniform/non-uniform shrinkage assumption on the cracking initiation and propagation process are elaborated. The results indicate that the non-uniform shrinkage in concrete provides driving energy for concrete cracking, which is approximately 40% of the total driving energy. Accordingly, it significantly affects the crack initiation position and propagation direction, occurring at the outer surface and propagating toward the inner surface of the concrete ring. With the increase of concrete strength, the cracking potential of restrained concrete ring increases and the proportion of the self-restraint caused by the non-uniform shrinkage in the total restraint decreases because of the reduced moisture distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under global change, drought is a threat of increasing importance to plant growth and nutrition. We employed isotopic labeling on potted tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum , cv. 'Micro Tom') to investigate the role of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF – Rhizophagus irregularis) in plant uptake of nitrogen (N) from either inorganic (15NH 4 Cl) or organic source (15N-labeled clover biomass) along a soil moisture gradient. 15N was provided into root-excluding mesh bags inserted in pots with mycorrhizal (M) and nonmycorrhizal (NM) plants. After labeling, a substrate moisture gradient ranging from ample moisture to the wilting point was maintained for the terminal 4 weeks. M plants acquired strikingly more 15N derived from either the inorganic or organic source than their NM counterparts. The advantage of M plants in 15N uptake was manifested across the entire moisture range, although a declining trend was observed toward the drought extreme. M plants exploited up to threefold more 15N if it was provided in the inorganic form than in the organic form, probably due to faster availability of ammonium dissolved from 15NH 4 Cl and adsorbed on soil particles as compared to ammonium ions derived from clover biomass via mineralization. Interestingly, NM plants received more 15N from the organic than from the inorganic source. Mycorrhiza caused a fourfold increase in N acquisition from mineral sources but only by twofold from organic sources. We speculate that this was partly caused by higher rates of N transformation of ammonium ions released by mineralization to more mobile forms (nitrification) that happened inside mesh bags with the clover biomass, and we discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such increased mobility. • Dwarf tomato plants were inoculated or not with Rhizophagus irregularis. • 15N labeled nitrogen (N) was provided to root-free zone in mineral or organic forms. • Plant N uptake was improved by mycorrhiza mainly under ample substrate moisture. • Greater mycorrhizal N uptake benefits (up to fourfold) noted for mineral N source. • A maximum of twofold N uptake improvement due to mycorrhiza from organic source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the changes in the properties of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) after intense drying. Beech wood with false red heartwood was selected as the test specimen. The test samples had dimensions of 50 mm thickness, 180 mm width, and 350 mm length. The specimens were divided into two groups, false red heartwood and sapwood. These specimens were selected with different angles of the growth rings (radial and tangential). The results showed that samples with red heartwood, in comparison to samples with sapwood content, had a remarkable effect in covering. Observation of specimens with false red heartwood and sapwood before and after drying process revealed significant differences in color changes and measured values during the covering-slicing test, but not between samples with different growth ring angles.

Drying time reduction has always been a major concern in the drying process and is achievable by increasing the temperature of the surrounding air. To optimize the quality of the resulting material, drying conditions must be enhanced to reach a balanced correlation between the drying time and quality of the dried timber. This paper analyses the high-temperature drying of wood and the optimization of this process, as well as the effect that drying temperature and thickness of beech timber specimens has on the drying process. The high-temperature drying of beech wood was carried out by means of hot air in a laboratory drier for maximum 33 hours at maximum temperatures of 130 and 150 °C. The initial moisture content of samples was approximately 70%. The resulting drying times were short in comparison to conventional warm-air drying, which is caused by the high intensity of drying during the removal of bound water. Finally, it can be concluded that the thickness of the dried specimens is a significant factor in the process of high-temperature drying of beech wood.

Given the habitat moisture (air humidity or soil moisture) preferences of many forest bryophytes, we explored whether the depth-to-water (DTW) index, derived from remotely sensed Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, was related to fine-scale patterns of spatial variation in bryophyte abundance, diversity, and composition. The goal was to assess the utility of the topographic DTW index as a tool to decipher trends in bryophyte assemblages along a site wetness gradient in the boreal mixedwood forest. Discrete Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data were acquired over the entire Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) experimental site located in northwestern Alberta, Canada (56° 46′ 13″ N, 118° 22′ 28″ W), based on which we calculated a mathematical index of approximate depth to water at or below the soil surface at 1 m resolution using the Wet-Areas Mapping model. Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) were sampled in permanent sample plots in unmanaged forest stands of varying dominant canopy tree composition. The relationships between DTW and bryophyte cover, richness, diversity, and composition in broadleaf (deciduous)-, mixed, and conifer-dominated boreal forest stands were analyzed using linear mixed-effect models and multivariate analyses. Bryophyte cover was highest in conifer-dominated forest, which occupied the wetter end of the DTW gradient, followed by mixed forest, whereas broadleaf forest, which occupied the drier end of the DTW gradient, had the lowest cover but highest bryophyte diversity. Bryophyte cover in conifer-dominated forests was positively related to site moisture (negatively related to the DTW index). In contrast, bryophyte species richness and diversity were negatively related to site moisture (increased at higher DTW values) in all forest types. DTW explained significant variation in bryophyte species composition in mixed forests, while indicator species analysis identified species with preferences for wet, moist, and dry site conditions in each forest type. Our results corroborate the importance of site moisture as a driver of bryophyte assemblages but, interestingly, there were important differences among forest types, which themselves are distributed across a gradient of site moisture. Our study demonstrates the utility of the topographic DTW index for understanding fine-scale (plot-level) variation in bryophyte assemblages in forested landscapes.

Given the habitat moisture (air humidity or soil moisture) preferences of many forest bryophytes, we explored whether the depth-to-water (DTW) index, derived from remotely sensed Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, was related to fine-scale patterns of spatial variation in bryophyte abundance, diversity, and composition. The goal was to assess the utility of the topographic DTW index as a tool to decipher trends in bryophyte assemblages along a site wetness gradient in the boreal mixedwood forest. Discrete Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data were acquired over the entire Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) experimental site located in northwestern Alberta, Canada (56° 46′ 13″ N, 118° 22′ 28″ W), based on which we calculated a mathematical index of approximate depth to water at or below the soil surface at 1 m resolution using the Wet-Areas Mapping model. Bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) were sampled in permanent sample plots in unmanaged forest stands of varying dominant canopy tree composition. The relationships between DTW and bryophyte cover, richness, diversity, and composition in broadleaf (deciduous)-, mixed, and conifer-dominated boreal forest stands were analyzed using linear mixed-effect models and multivariate analyses. Bryophyte cover was highest in conifer-dominated forest, which occupied the wetter end of the DTW gradient, followed by mixed forest, whereas broadleaf forest, which occupied the drier end of the DTW gradient, had the lowest cover but highest bryophyte diversity. Bryophyte cover in conifer-dominated forests was positively related to site moisture (negatively related to the DTW index). In contrast, bryophyte species richness and diversity were negatively related to site moisture (increased at higher DTW values) in all forest types. DTW explained significant variation in bryophyte species composition in mixed forests, while indicator species analysis identified species with preferences for wet, moist, and dry site conditions in each forest type. Our results corroborate the importance of site moisture as a driver of bryophyte assemblages but, interestingly, there were important differences among forest types, which themselves are distributed across a gradient of site moisture. Our study demonstrates the utility of the topographic DTW index for understanding fine-scale (plot-level) variation in bryophyte assemblages in forested landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical niche partitioning theory posits increased competition for and partitioning of the most limiting resource among coexisting species. Coexisting plant species may vary in rooting depth, reflecting niche partitioning in water source use. Our goal was to assess the soil water partitioning of woody plant communities across northern Arizona along an elevational moisture gradient using stem and soil water isotopes from two sampling periods to estimate the use of different water sources. We hypothesized that niche overlap of water sources would be higher and monsoon precipitation uptake would be lower at sites with higher moisture availability. Pairwise niche overlap of coexisting species was calculated using mixing model estimates of proportional water use for three sources. Across the moisture gradient, niche overlap increased with site moisture index (precipitation/potential evapotranspiration) across seasons, and site moisture index explained 37% of the variation in niche overlap of intermediate and deeper sources of water. Desert trees utilized more winter source water than desert shrubs, suggesting the partitioning of water sources between functional groups. However, seasonal differences in surface water use were primarily found at intermediate levels of site moisture availability. Our findings support classical niche partitioning theory in that plants exhibit higher overlap of water sources when water is not a limiting resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moisture is recognized as a key factor shaping the structure of soil microbial community and its function in soil ecosystem. However, the temporal response patterns of soil microbes under various moisture regimes remain poorly understood. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to reveal how moisture regulates prokaryotic community structure, diversity, phylogenetic structure and finally how moisture regulates greenhouse gas emissions, as an indicator of microbial community function. We monitored prokaryotic community in soil incubated under an artificial moisture gradient for three months. We observed robust effects of both moisture gradient and incubation time on increased greenhouse gas emissions (methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide). Furthermore, the moisture gradient as well as the incubation time exerted significant effects on species turnover of the soil prokaryotic community. In contrast, the artificial moisture gradient did not show any significant effects on prokaryotic alpha diversity. Alpha diversity of the soil prokaryotic community decreased significantly with incubation time. Different community assembly patterns were observed (based on both the mean nearest relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI)). The mean NRI exhibited the dominance of stochastic factors, while the NTI indicated the dominance of deterministic factors. The prokaryotic communities in soils with less moisture tended to be controlled by stochastic factors, while prokaryotes in soils with higher moisture (60%) were controlled by deterministic factors. Relative abundances of oligotrophs and copiotrophs did not change significantly along the artificial moisture gradient, while the relative abundances of some prokaryotic taxa did vary significantly along the artificial moisture gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkish hazel (Corylus colurna) lumber with a nominal thickness of 5 cm from the Kastamonu region, Turkey, was dried through conventional kiln drying using two different programs, a nonprotective drying schedule and a protective drying schedule. The goal of the study was to obtain a kiln schedule that would maintain wood quality and also save drying time until a final moisture content of 8 ± 2% was reached. The intensity of warping (twisting, bowing, cupping, crooking), superficial, internal and end checks, residual stresses, drying rate and moisture gradient of the dried woods were measured and the results were evaluated according to the classification of the European Drying Group. The results showed a more homogeneous moisture profile, fewer occurrences of superficial checks, and an absence of internal checks when using the protective drying schedule due to low warping values compared with those for the non-protective drying schedule. From the point of view of energy efficiency, by saving 60 h of drying time, the non-protective schedule reduced electricity by 960 KWh and was therefore more profitable by $105,60 in this trial. Therefore, it seems that the protective drying schedule should be recommended as the optimum program for drying Turkish hazel lumber from the Kastamonu region at the commercial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]