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Massive irrigation across eastern China (EC) could reduce extreme heat by altering energy and water budgets. However, the irrigation effect on increasing humidity has often been missed, especially in humid regions, leaving its effect and mechanism on extreme humid heat (EHH) poorly characterized. We analyzed assemblies of observations and performed regional simulations with more detailed irrigation scheme to explore the irrigation impacts and potential mechanisms on EHH. We find that irrigation in EC, despite having a cooling effect of about 0.2–0.6° ${}^{\circ}$C, leads to an increase of about 0.4–0.8° ${}^{\circ}$C in EHH, with a more intense impact on the Middle‐Lower Yangtze Plain (MLYP) by 0.9° ${}^{\circ}$C. Cooling effect induced by increased latent heat fluxes through irrigation contributes to air deposition, which lowers boundary layer height, raises near‐surface moist enthalpy, and ultimately exacerbates the EHH. Results mechanistically emphasized irrigation impacts on EHH and highlighted the necessity of improving irrigation modeling reality. Plain Language Summary: Eastern China (EC) distributes the North China Plain (NCP, semi‐arid climate) and MLYP (humid climate), the first and third largest irrigated areas of China. Large‐scale irrigation mitigates extreme dry heat (EDH) while moistening surface air, which is more dangerous to humans with EDH and high humidity combined. Recently, the advantages of irrigation on summer EDH have been widely explored, whereas the influence of irrigation on compound extreme humid heat (EHH) remains unclear. Hence, we studied the impacts of irrigation on EDH and EHH in EC and its potential driving mechanisms based on in situ observations and simulations of WRF‐Noah model coupled with a subgrid demand‐driven irrigation scheme. The comprehensive analysis supports that although irrigation reduces temperature, it raises the integrated measure of temperature and humidity, exacerbating deadly heat stress. The decline in the height of planetary boundary layer induced by the irrigation cooling effect could have played an important role. We argue that heat wave mitigation measures in MLYP and other regions with dominantly moist climates that ignore the moistening power of irrigation, overestimate irrigation's advantages for EDH but underestimate the risks of tens of millions of outdoor workers in the region experiencing compound EHH. Key Points: Effects of irrigation on summer extreme dry and humid heat stress in eastern China are investigated through observations and simulationsIrrigation decreases summer dry‐bulb temperatures but increases heat index and wet‐bulb temperatures, especially in the Middle‐Lower Yangtze Plain.Reduction in planetary boundary layer height induced by cooling effects of irrigation could contribute to deteriorating humid heat extremes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, high-resolution anthropogenic heat release (AHR) due to energy consumption is considered in Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore possible climatic effects and physical mechanisms due to AHR in eastern China (EC) in boreal summer. The results show that the heating effect of AHR on the lower atmosphere leads to an increase in the temperature difference between land and ocean, causing changes in atmospheric circulation and water vapor transport in EC in boreal summer. AHR affects the lower-troposphere stability and low clouds, impacting the surface energy balance. This will affect the surface temperature and further increase the occurrence of extreme high temperatures. The modeling results show that in the central part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Inner Mongolia regions, the relative humidity increases by more than 1% due to AHR, leading to a decrease in low cloud cover. In the Middle-Lower Yangtze region, low clouds decrease by 2–3%, while the net shortwave radiation flux at the surface increases by approximately 5%. AHR leads to an increase of 0.19 K in the 2 m air temperature in the 25°N-35°N regions of EC on average in boreal summer, which will further impact the summer extreme high temperature in the Middle-Lower Yangtze Region. AHR acts as a non-negligible factor for the extreme high temperature in EC in boreal summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The petroleum industry is often faced with accidental spills and discharges that pollute valuable natural resources such as soil. The purpose of this study was to assess bioremediation potential of an on-site landfarming unit (LU), a highly economical solution that complies with the zero-waste policy, for bioremediation of the contaminated soil after an actual diesel fuel leakage in a fuel depot. The first aim was to evaluate the effects of different climates on hydrocarbon bioremediation. For this reason, a part of the contaminated soil was moved from the initial location with a sub-Mediterranean climate to an LU at another location with a temperate continental climate. Our results demonstrated that remediation in sub-Mediterranean climate is less effective than the remediation in a temperate continental climate. The second aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different plant species on the microbial population during bioremediation. For that purpose, 365-day monitoring of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was performed. Our results support the hypothesis that plant-assisted bioremediation can diminish toxic effects of diesel-polluted soil and that the changes in plant species during bioremediation cause changes in the microbial population. The main objective of this study was to implement a landfarming bioremediation technique after an actual diesel fuel pollution in the sub-Mediterranean climate and diminish toxic effects of pollutants in soil. Since soil bioremediation is performed by soil microorganisms, their communities are primarily affected by the growing vegetation and climatic conditions. For future bioremediation strategies or ex situ approaches, it is crucial to assess the influence of a specific climate on the degradation rate of hydrocarbons in soil and select the most efficient plant species for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic heat release (AHR) is the release of heat generated by anthropogenic energy consumption. The global mean flux of AHR is 0.03 W m−2, while AHR is geographically concentrated and fundamentally correlates with economic activity; furthermore, AHR can reach a level sufficient for impacting regional even large-scale climate. In this study, the impacts of AHR on the summer European heatwaves (EHWs) are examined by using the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1). The results show that in Europe, AHR increases the summer mean 2-m temperature by 0.26 °C and the surface minimum and maximum temperatures by 0.14 °C and 0.41 °C, respectively. AHR exacerbates the extreme high temperatures in the summer in Europe, increasing EHW days by 1–2 days in central and eastern Europe in the summer annually from 1992 to 2013. AHR strengthens the surface wind that flows from the ocean to the land in Europe by increasing the land surface temperatures. AHR decreases the lower-troposphere stability (LTS) and reduces the low-cloud amounts in Europe, which leads to more solar shortwave radiation reaching the surface. AHR affects water vapor and the surface energy balance in Europe, which impacts on European summer heatwaves further. AHR acts as a non-negligible factor for summer extreme high temperature in Europe and a potential factor impacting EHW days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heterogeneous pathogenic stress can shape major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity by influencing the functional plasticity of the immune response. Therefore, MHC diversity could reflect environmental stress, demonstrating its importance in uncovering the mechanisms of adaptive genetic variation. In this study, we combined neutral microsatellite loci, an immune‐related MHC II‐DRB locus, and climatic factors to unravel the mechanisms affecting the diversity and genetic differentiation of MHC genes in the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), a species with a wide geographical distribution that has three distinct genetic lineages in China. First, increased genetic differentiation at the MHC locus among populations compared using microsatellites indicated diversifying selection. Second, the genetic differentiation of MHC and microsatellites were significantly correlated, suggesting that demographic processes exist. However, MHC genetic differentiation was significantly correlated with geographical distance among populations, even after controlling for the neutral markers, suggesting a major effect of selection. Third, although the MHC genetic differentiation was larger than that for microsatellites, there was no significant difference in the genetic differentiation between the two markers among genetic lineages, indicating the effect of balancing selection. Fourth, combined with climatic factors, MHC diversity and supertypes showed significant correlations with temperature and precipitation, but not with the phylogeographic structure of R. ferrumequinum, suggesting an effect of local adaptation driven by climate on MHC diversity. Moreover, the number of MHC supertypes varied between populations and lineages, suggesting regional characteristics and support for local adaptation. Taken together, the results of our study provide insights into the adaptive evolutionary driving forces at different geographic scales in R. ferrumequinum. In addition, climate factors may have played a vital role in driving adaptive evolution in this species.

Heterogeneous pathogenic stress can shape major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity by influencing the functional plasticity of the immune response. Therefore, MHC diversity could reflect environmental stress, demonstrating its importance in uncovering the mechanisms of adaptive genetic variation. In this study, we combined neutral microsatellite loci, an immune‐related MHC II‐DRB locus, and climatic factors to unravel the mechanisms affecting the diversity and genetic differentiation of MHC genes in the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), a species with a wide geographical distribution that has three distinct genetic lineages in China. First, increased genetic differentiation at the MHC locus among populations compared using microsatellites indicated diversifying selection. Second, the genetic differentiation of MHC and microsatellites were significantly correlated, suggesting that demographic processes exist. However, MHC genetic differentiation was significantly correlated with geographical distance among populations, even after controlling for the neutral markers, suggesting a major effect of selection. Third, although the MHC genetic differentiation was larger than that for microsatellites, there was no significant difference in the genetic differentiation between the two markers among genetic lineages, indicating the effect of balancing selection. Fourth, combined with climatic factors, MHC diversity and supertypes showed significant correlations with temperature and precipitation, but not with the phylogeographic structure of R. ferrumequinum, suggesting an effect of local adaptation driven by climate on MHC diversity. Moreover, the number of MHC supertypes varied between populations and lineages, suggesting regional characteristics and support for local adaptation. Taken together, the results of our study provide insights into the adaptive evolutionary driving forces at different geographic scales in R. ferrumequinum. In addition, climate factors may have played a vital role in driving adaptive evolution in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interannual variability (IAV, represented by standard deviation) in net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) is mainly driven by climatic drivers and biotic variations (i.e., the changes in photosynthetic and respiratory responses to climate), the effects of which are referred to as climatic (CE) and biotic effects (BE), respectively. Evaluating the relative contributions of CE and BE to the IAV in carbon (C) fluxes and understanding their controlling mechanisms are critical in projecting ecosystem changes in the future climate. In this study, we applied statistical methods with flux data from 65 sites located in the Northern Hemisphere to address this issue. Our results showed that the relative contribution of BE (CnBE) and CE (CnCE) to the IAV in NEE was 57%±14% and 43%±14%, respectively. The discrepancy in the CnBE among sites could be largely explained by water balance index (WBI). Across water-stressed ecosystems, the CnBE decreased with increasing aridity (slope=0.18%mm−1). In addition, the CnBE tended to increase and the uncertainty reduced as timespan of available data increased from 5 to 15 years. Inter-site variation of the IAV in NEE mainly resulted from the IAV in BE (72%) compared to that in CE (37%). Interestingly, positive correlations between BE and CE occurred in grasslands and dry ecosystems (r>0.45, P

Pinus taeda plantations depend directly on the supply of resources (light, water, and nutrients) available to the stand. However, studies quantifying edaphic and climatic factors in P. taeda stands are scarce. This study aimed to identify the main edaphic, climatic and stand factors that influence the productivity and growth pattern of P. taeda plantations in southern Brazil. A total of 24 stands, ranging between 8 and 10 years old were evaluated. Biometric variables such as height, diameter at breast height (DBH), stem analysis, growth rings, specific gravity, and soil chemical and physical variables were evaluated. Site index (SI), stem biomass, mean annual increment without bark (MAI) and correlations between variables were calculated. We observed that by nine years after planting, none of the plots had reached their maximum growth; and MAI, standing stem biomass and SI ranged from 15 to 35 m³ ha−1 year−1, 56–131 Mg ha−1, and 12–19 m, respectively, with higher values in Três Barras site. Stem biomass were positively related with SI (r = 0.89), and stem production was related with higher available water content (r = 0.41), warm temperatures (r = 0.61), and higher relative air humidity (r = 0.58). The study corroborates the role of nutrients, well-drained soils, mild climatic conditions, and low water deficit to explain the high yields of P. taeda in Brazil compared to other locations around the world. Based on these results, studies on fertilization, genetic material, and more frequent use of stem analysis, associated with X-ray densitometry, are recommended for P. taeda. • MAI and stem biomass of P. taeda were positively related with SI. • Stem production was highly related to available water content in P. taeda plantation. • Potential to increase P. taeda productivity in southern Brazil by fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising temperatures caused by climate change have adverse effects on cattle physiology, welfare, health, and reproduction. Heat stress in cows affects the oocyte and embryo directly through heat shock on cellular function. Fewer data are available on the effect of high temperatures on male fertility. Temperature-humidity index (THI) is a measure for assessing the risk of heat stress that combines the effects of temperature and humidity. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between THI and fresh or frozen–thawed sperm quality of Holstein bulls kept in temperate climates. Bull sperm data of 29,170 ejaculates from 933 bulls collected at 3 Dutch artificial insemination centers between 2015 and 2018 were evaluated. The assessed variables included total sperm motility and morphology of fresh semen, and total sperm motility, morphology, and progressive motility of frozen semen 0 and 3 h after thawing. In addition, 56-d nonreturn rates were analyzed. The assessed effects were season and THI on the day of semen collection and during spermatogenesis (30 d before collection), bull, age of bull, year, and location. Bulls were divided into 2 categories according to their age: young (<36 mo) and older (>36 mo). Overall sperm quality of young bulls improved as age increased. No effect of THI on fresh sperm variables was observed in either young or older bulls. However, high THI at spermatogenesis negatively affected the cryotolerance of sperm cells. Sperm cells from young and older bulls showed a pronounced decrease (14–18%) of the assessed variables 3 h after thawing after the increase of THI during spermatogenesis in autumn. Remarkably, older bulls were more sensitive to THI at spermatogenesis compared with semen collection, showing up to a 3.8 times higher negative effect on frozen sperm quality. However, an elevated THI at semen collection produced a tendency toward decreased 56-d nonreturn rates as the age of the bull increased. Although this decrease was up to 4%, rising temperatures may still cause important economic losses in the future. For the first time, the present study confirmed that climate compromises not only sperm quality, but also dairy bull fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombia is one of the countries characterized for a high spatial-temporal variability of hydroclimatological variables defined by a wide range of macro climatic phenomena. One of this is the Quasi-Biennal oscillation phenomenom, which hasn't been too much studied in the national context. In the survey was evaluated the phenomenom's incidence over the water regime of the tributaires of Betania's reservoir, who is important from the point of view of hydropower production and agricultural activity. It was encountered that the macro climatic event could show itself in a term from 4 to 7 months and its contribution to the year-on-year variability of flows is even of the 13.7%. taking into account that the anthropic interventions in the area affect the levels of the flows where the results are reflected when obtaining the correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Cleistogamy is considered to be an adaptive strategy resulting in plasticity in chasmogamous (CH) and cleistogamous (CL) flower production depending on environmental conditions and plant size. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CH and CL flower production in Portulaca oleracea is genetically differentiated among populations in association with climatic conditions. Methods First, we conducted growth experiments with P. oleracea seedlings from 16 populations under two temperature conditions. Secondly, we sowed seeds originating from the parents in the first experiment and grew the resulting plants to investigate whether flower production is heritable and whether plants in the same population show the same pattern of flower production. Key Results Two types of plants that produced only CH or CL flowers (referred to as CH and CL plants, respectively) were mainly observed, and the growing temperature conditions did not affect flower production. The frequency of CL plants increased with a decrease in the mean temperature in the original population. The CL plants tended to begin reproduction earlier than the CH plants, and the probability that a CH plant would flower decreased under the low growing temperature condition. Thus, CL plants may have some advantages in unfavourable environments in which early reproduction is necessary due to a short growing season and/or when CH flowers cannot open due to low temperatures. The progeny originating from CH and CL plants also produced only CH and CL flowers, respectively, suggesting that there is a genetic basis for the dimorphism in flower production in P. oleracea , represented by CH and CL plants. Conclusions In contrast to the previous hypothesis that the production of both CH and CL flowers would be plastic, the genotypes producing either CH or CL flowers occurred at different frequencies under varying climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal climate and topography influence C3 and C4 grass species aboveground biomass (AGB). Climate change further threatens these grasses AGB, thereby compromising their ability to provide ecosystem goods and services. This emphasises the need to monitor their AGB for well‐informed management. New‐generation sensors, with improved resolution capabilities present an opportunity to explore C3 and C4 AGB. This study therefore investigated the response of remotely sensed C3 and C4 grasses AGB to seasonal climate and topography. Overall, the spatial and temporal responses of AGB due to seasonal climate and topography were observed across the study area. For example, in March, a marked increase in C4 AGB was associated with an increase in rainfall, with the highest significant positive relationship (R2 = 0.82, p < 0.005). Elevation had very significant positive relationship (R2 = 0.84; p < 0.005) with C3 and highest negative (R2 = −0.77; p < 0.005) with C4 AGB. During the winter fall, AGB significantly decreased from averages of 2.592 and 1.101 kg/m2 in winter (May), to 0.718 and 0.469 kg/m2 in August, for C3 and C4 grasses, respectively. These findings provide a key step in monitoring rangelands and assessing management practices to boost productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, two districts of North-East region of Bangladesh; a flood prone area with high temperature and maximum precipitation, respectively, were selected along-with two widely cultivated Boro rice varieties in Bangladesh. Reference evapotranspiration (ETO) during the study period from 1994 to 2010 was estimated with the daily meteorological data utilizing the FAO Penman-Monteith method. A MAKESENS trend model was adopted for the assessment of both Mann-Kendall test and Sen's rate of change over the study period. During the study period, the potential crop water requirement of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute dhan 28 (B28) and BRRI dhan 29 (B29) in Moulvibazar has been declined by -3.953 mm year-1 and -5.182 mm year-1, respectively; whereas it has been raised by 2.483 mm year-1 and 2.387 mm year-1, respectively in Sylhet. The climatic parameters affecting the observed and projected trends in Potential water requirement differed both significantly and insignificantly over the months of the year. For both varieties, maximum water demand was observed in mid-season stage; whereas the development stage, the water demand was found to be minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic heat release (AHR) is the heat generated in global energy consumption, which has not been considered in global climate models generally. The global high-resolution AHR from 1992 to 2013, which is estimated by using the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)/Operational Linescan System (OLS) satellite data, is implemented into the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5). The seasonal climatic effects and possible feedbacks of AHR are examined in this study. The modeling results show that AHR increases the global annual mean surface temperature and land surface temperature by 0.02 ± 0.01 K (1σ uncertainty) and 0.05 ± 0.02 K (1σ uncertainty), respectively. The global climatic effect of AHR varies with season: with a stronger climatic effect in the boreal winter leading to global mean land surface temperature increases by 0.10 ± 0.01 K (1σ uncertainty). In the selected regions (40°N–60°N, 0°E–45°E) of Central and Western Europe the average surface temperature increases by 0.46 K in the boreal summer, and in the selected regions (45°N–75°N, 30°E–140°E) of northern Eurasia the average surface temperature increases by 0.83 K in the boreal winter. AHR changes the height and thermodynamic structure of the global planetary boundary layer, as well as the stability of the lower troposphere, which affects the global atmospheric circulation and low cloud fraction. In addition, at the surface both the shortwave radiation flux in the boreal summer and the down-welling longwave flux in the boreal winter change significantly, as a result of the change in low clouds caused by the effect of AHR. This study suggests a possible new mechanism of AHR effect on global climate through changing the global low-cloud fraction, which is crucial for global energy balance, by modifying the thermodynamic structure and stability of the lower troposphere. Thus this study improves our understanding of the global climate change caused by human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A relatively new hybrid, Pinus elliottii × P. caribaea var. hondurensis (Pexc), for which a taper model does not exist, is being planted commercially in South Africa. This study primarily focused on developing a taper model for Pexc in South Africa. Taper data were collected from a total of 363 trees, in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, using a random sampling method. A subsample was selected to determine if altitude, rainfall, temperature or soil have a significant influence on the taper of Pexc. Only rainfall significantly influenced the overall taper. The Max and Burkhart segmented polynomial taper model, as well as the Kozak88, Kozak01 and Kozak02 variable exponent taper models, were fitted, compared and tested using the statistical analysis system (SAS). The predictive ability of the models was evaluated based on the results from the mean bias, standard deviation, the standard error of prediction and the average percentage deviation. The Kozak02 model had the best fit overall followed by the Max and Burkhart model (MB76). The MB76 model, however, predicted the volumes more accurately than the Kozak02 model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to study and compare outdoor spaces with different cooling devices in the tropical climate of the city campus in the CBD of Bangkok, Thailand. The study aimed to find the most comfortable outdoor space on a green campus, referring to the UI Green Metric World University Ranking indicators, with a case study of Chulalongkorn University, which is a wet, tropical area in the city center. The ratio of the area on campus that is covered with planted vegetation (lawns, gardens) is provided as a percentage of the total site area and is the subject of comparison. In particular, the microclimate seems to be an important criterion of the physical design features of an outdoor space: a) with cooling devices, such as shading and fountains, and b) without cooling devices, such as pavement and open lawn. The cooling effect of these devices, which are evaluated by the thermal comfort measurement results, responded according to the tropical environment of the campus. This study explains the micro/macroclimatic effects of the landscape features. The survey measured the meteorological conditions of the outdoor spaces. The study determined that the shortwave solar radiation and longwave radiation from different materials should play an important role in a new paradigm for green design and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the interannual variability (IAV) and investigating the physical and biological controls on the IAV of evapotranspiration (ET) is fundamental for better simulating the hydrological processes in cropland where ET is the dominant component of water cycle. However, this topic has not been fully studied, although the number of long-term field observations is growing. By using a combination of long-term field observations (10 years) and agro-hydrological modelling, this study attempted to examine the IAV of ET and the physical and biological controls on the IAV of ET in an irrigated cropland in the North China Plain. This study reveals that the IAV of ET was only 7% in the selected dry subhumid area, which was much smaller than that of water supply (i.e., the sum of precipitation and irrigation). Moreover, the water supply was not the primary controlling factor that influenced the IAV of annual ET. Biological factors, including the leaf area index and bulk stomatal conductance, were found to be the dominant contributors to the IAV of annual ET. Irrigation was an essential water source for crop growth, particularly for winter wheat growth, whereas its contribution to the IAV of ET was smaller than that of precipitation because of the sufficient amount of irrigation. This study demonstrates that the variability of biological factors should be adequately represented in eco-hydrological models to accurately simulate the IAV of annual ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indications suggest that anthropic activities have altered the atmospheric composition, causing alterations in elements generating extreme weather events and contributing to what we know today as global warming, through global and local changes in the rain regime and other climatic variables that interact in the hydrological cycle, causing extreme events with greater frequency. It is necessary to know the trends and extreme events of rains in order to have a basis for the adaptation and prevention of natural disasters caused by these macroclimatic phenomena. Through non-parametric tests, we found an increasing trend in rainfall between 5% to 20% average, in comparison with the behavior in the period of 1980 to 1990. Similarly, the influence of the macroclimatic variables in rainfall behavior is null. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Th aim of this study is to investigate spatio-temporal trends of dengue vector breeding and epidemic (disease incidence) influenced by climatic factors. The spatio-temporal (low-, medium-, and high-intensity periods) evaluation of entomological and epidemiological investigations along with climatic factors like rainfall (RF), temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and larval indexing was conducted to develop correlations in the area of Lahore, Pakistan. The vector abundance and disease transmission trend was geo-tagged for spatial insight. The sufficient rainfall events and optimum temperature and relative humidity supported dengue vector breeding with high larval indices for water-related containers (27-37%). Among temporal analysis, the high-intensity period exponentially projected disease incidence followed by post-rainfall impacts. The high larval incidence that was observed in early high-intensity periods effected the dengue incidence. The disease incidence had a strong association with RF ( r = 0.940, α = 0.01). The vector larva occurrence ( r = 0.017, α = 0.05) influenced the disease incidence. Similarly, RH ( r = 0.674, α = 0.05) and average T ( r = 0.307, α = 0.05) also induced impact on the disease incidence. In this study, the vulnerability to dengue fever highly correlates with meteorological factors during high-intensity period. It provides area-specific understanding of vector behavior, key containers, and seasonal patterns of dengue vector breeding and disease transmission which is essential for preparing an effective prevention plan against the vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of climatic conditions on dairy farm productivity using panel data for the state of Wisconsin along with alternative stochastic frontier models. A noteworthy feature of this analysis is that Wisconsin is a major dairy-producing area where winters are typically very cold and snowy and summers are hot and humid. Thus, it is an ideal geographical region for examining the effects of a range of climatic factors on dairy production. We identified the effects of temperature and precipitation, both jointly and separately, on milk output. The analysis showed that increasing temperature in summer or in autumn is harmful for dairy production, whereas warmer winters and warmer springs are beneficial. In contrast, more precipitation had a consistent adverse effect on dairy productivity. Overall, the analysis showed that over the past 17 yr, changes in climatic conditions have had a negative effect on Wisconsin dairy farms. Alternative scenarios predict that climate change would lead to a 5 to 11% reduction in dairy production per year between 2020 and 2039 after controlling for other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever is one of the most widespread vector-borne diseases and has caused more than 50 million infections annually over the world. For the purposes of disease prevention and climate change health impact assessment, it is crucial to understand the weather-disease associations for dengue fever. This study investigated the nonlinear delayed impact of meteorological conditions on the spatiotemporal variations of dengue fever in southern Taiwan during 1998–2011. We present a novel integration of a distributed lag nonlinear model and Markov random fields to assess the nonlinear lagged effects of weather variables on temporal dynamics of dengue fever and to account for the geographical heterogeneity. This study identified the most significant meteorological measures to dengue fever variations, i.e., weekly minimum temperature, and the weekly maximum 24-hour rainfall, by obtaining the relative risk (RR) with respect to disease counts and a continuous 20-week lagged time. Results show that RR increased as minimum temperature increased, especially for the lagged period 5–18 weeks, and also suggest that the time to high disease risks can be decreased. Once the occurrence of maximum 24-hour rainfall is > 50 mm, an associated increased RR lasted for up to 15 weeks. A temporary one-month decrease in the RR of dengue fever is noted following the extreme rain. In addition, the elevated incidence risk is identified in highly populated areas. Our results highlight the high nonlinearity of temporal lagged effects and magnitudes of temperature and rainfall on dengue fever epidemics. The results can be a practical reference for the early warning of dengue fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A natural water hydrochemical investigation was carried out on three watersheds in northern Xinjiang, China to evaluate the climatic, geological and anthropogenic influence on aqueous major element chemistry in an arid environment. Wide spatial variations are observed in the dissolved solids (TDS) and water chemistry. The hydrochemistry is typically carbonate and alkaline in nature, with Ca2+, HCO3 − and SO4 2− dominating the major ion composition. Four major water types, Ca–HCO3, Ca–NDA (non-dominant anion), Ca–SO4 and NDC (non-dominant cation)–NDA or Na–NDA type, are identified in terms of the Piper model. The water chemistry agrees well with the “rock dominance” mechanism, with a TDS value of 80–600mg/L and a Na+/(Na+ +Ca2+) ratio of 0.1–0.6. Correlation analysis suggests that most of the ions derive from multiple sources. Stoichiometric analyses indicate that carbonate weathering is the primary source of dissolved ions, followed by silicate weathering and evaporite dissolution. The effects of local pollution have somewhat greater contribution on the oases and central areas of the Zhungarer watershed. Most parts of the rivers show an increasing trend in the dissolved load toward the lower reaches, which is primarily attributed to an evaporation process control along the water course. Variations in water chemistry show clear correlation with the regional lithological distribution, topography and atmospheric precipitation. Using rainwater as a baseline, contributions from atmospheric precipitation and rock weathering to the tributary chemistry are roughly evaluated to be in the range of 2–39% (average 13%) and 59–98% (average 86%), respectively, implying a high effective control of regional geology on stream chemistry compared with that of atmospheric input. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ectomycorrhizas (EM) are among the most active components of forest soil biomass because they represent the dominant soil carbon efflux from forests. However, temporal patterns of EM biomass in relation to climatic factors and host tree growth remain unclear. We sampled EM and fine roots of pine each month for 6 years (May 2003 to June 2009) in a 40-50-year-old Pinus densiflora forest in Japan. Tree ring width of host pines in the plot was measured to assess the chronological sequence of annual tree growth. EM biomass was not stable during the 6 years of monitoring and seasonal patterns were indistinct. Multiple correlation analyses revealed that the autumn precipitation in the previous year was the most determinative factor of EM biomass in the current year, with a negative correlation. In contrast, tree ring width generally showed a stable annual growth pattern throughout the monitoring period. Clarification of such a carbon allocation pattern is important in understanding forest carbon dynamics under a temperate monsoon climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface changes effect the regional climate due to the complex coupling of land-atmosphere interactions. From 1995 to 2000, a decrease in the vegetation density and an increase in ground-level thermodynamic activity has been documented by multiple data sources in Northwest China, including meteorological, reanalysis from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) satellite remote sensing data. As the ground-level thermodynamic activity increases, humid air from the surrounding regions converge toward desert (and semi-desert) regions, causing areas with high vegetation cover to become gradually more arid. Furthermore, land surface changes in Northwest China are responsible for a decrease in total cloud cover, a decline in the fraction of low and middle clouds, an increase in high cloud cover (due to thermodynamic activity) and other regional climatic adaptations. It is proposed that, beginning in 1995, these cloud cover changes contributed to a “green-house” effect, leading to the rapid air temperature increases and other regional climate impacts that have been observed over Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The economic and social development in Algeria these last years has been needed a continues increasing in demand of electricity, especially in the isolate countryside. Large parts of the electric demand are in the Sahara areas (~80% of the total surface). These regions are characterized by a dispersed population, a very hot climate of strong radiations (~7 kw h/m2/day) and a low consumption of energy. The use of the conventional energy sources is very costs and the extension of electric networks finds enormous problems. The solar energy is adapted for this area and has been satisfactory results promote results for the future. A national program was establish since several years for the photovoltaic solar system installation in order to satisfy the domestic needs in electricity for a lot of villages, pumping of water and other economic activities (rural electrification of 20 village of 1000 habitation has been lanced in 2000). This system photovoltaic meeting many problems of adaptation and to be reliable and competitive (optimizes their cost), studies of their performance are necessary permitting to see the behavior and adaptation in conditions of sites as well as the climatic and social condition effect on the working and the profitability for a long time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aerosol distribution in Beijing and peripheral cities agglomeration (BPCA) and its regional climatic effect are investigated on the basis of the statistical analyses of satellite Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) retrieval aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the meteorological data of sunshine duration, fog days, and low cloud cover, observed at Beijing and its peripheral meteorological stations. The analysis on multi-samples variational correction of the satellite remote sensing Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) AOD under the clear sky and stable weather condition in conjunction with surface observations reveal that there was a "triangle-like" distribution pattern of the high values of aerosols in the southern "valley" of the "U-shape" megarelief of Beijing and its peripheral areas. The distribution pattern suggests that the large-scale transfer and diffusion of city agglomeration pollutants might form a relatively persistent characteristic spatial distribution of city agglomeration pollutants much larger than city-scale. Under the background of the particular megarelief effect of Beijing and peripheral areas, the high value area of TOMS AOD, as well as regional correlation distribution between clear sky sunshine duration and TOMS AOD are also similar to the composite image of MODIS AOD variational fields, that is to say, the effect of atmospheric aerosols was very distinctive in Beijing and peripheral areas. The high value area of the negative correlation between clear sky sunshine duration and TOMS AOD approximately accorded with the significant negative value area of the sunshine duration deviations of the 1980s to the 1990s, and the daily variations of the AOD also showed an anti-phase relation with those of clear sky sunshine duration. The above high correlation area of the urban aerosol impact of Beijing-Tianjin region leant towards south peripheral area, with its "center of gravity" in the south of Beijing-Tianjin agglomeration, and the main body of the high correlation area prolongating southwards, forming an aerosol influence domain of "eccentric ellipse" shape, that is to say, there was an aerosol influence domain of some "radius" in Beijing City and its peripheral areas, within and outside which sunshine duration, low cloud cover, and fog days showed a remarkable difference in interannual variation trend. At the downstream of the city agglomeration there was a significant interdecadal increment area of fog or low cloud cover, which might be associated with the local climatic feature of the regional flow convergent field in the diffusion process of city agglomeration pollutants in the aerosol influence domain, and such a local dynamical convergence feature might lead to the regional exacerbation of aerosol impact downstream of the city agglomeration. The research result reveals that the significant area of interdecadal change rate of low cloud cover within the aerosol influence domain is correlated with the regional strengthening effect of aerosol impact of the local wind structure in the "downstream plume area" of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon isotopic composition of C 3 plant leaf tissue (δ13C C3) provides insights into carbon cycling, climate, and vegetation at various spatiotemporal scales. By disentangling the competing influences of climatic and biological factors, modern δ13C C3 calibrations can offer quantitative constraints on their applications. In this work, we examined the response of δ13C C3 values to rainfall, temperature, and atmospheric CO 2 concentration (p CO 2) across wide range of ecosystem gradients. Towards this, we prepared a global database of bulk (δ13C C3-Bulk , n = 737) and n -alkane (δ13C C3 - C29 , n = 831) δ13C values from species-level C 3 plants for various plant functional types (PFTs). The δ13C C3-Bulk and δ13C C3 - C29 values refer to carbon isotopic composition of total organic carbon and the C 29 homologue of n -alkanes in C 3 plant leaves, respectively. The PFTs were classified according to their leaf senescence (deciduous versus evergreen), seed cover (angiosperm versus gymnosperm), and growth forms (tree, shrub, herb, grass, forb, etc.). Though rainfall is commonly believed to be the major driver of the δ13C C3 variability, our work demonstrated that, at the species level, it only influences δ13C C3-Bulk values of evergreen shrubs (R2 = 0.47, p < 0.05) and grasses (R2 = 0.26, p < 0.05). Across a gradient from 251 to 398 ppm, p CO 2 -effect is apparent only on the δ13C C3-Bulk values of deciduous shrubs (R2 = 0.32, p < 0.05), while δ13C C3 values of other plant types are insensitive to low p CO 2 conditions. For the first time, we showed that both species-level δ13C C3-Bulk and δ13C C3-C29 values of many PFTs are affected by annual temperature. Our meta-analysis provided evidences for a weak yet significant temperature effect on the δ13C C3 values of deciduous herbs (δ13C C3-Bulk : R2 = 0.18, p < 0.05; δ13C C3-C29 : R2 = 0.11, p < 0.05) and evergreen angiosperm trees (δ13C C3-Bulk : R2 = 0.17, p < 0.05; δ13C C3-C29 : R2 = 0.17, p < 0.05). We also observed that combined increase in annual rainfall and temperature can negatively drive the δ13C C3 values of evergreen shrubs (δ13C C3-Bulk : adjusted R2 = 0.61, p < 0.05; δ13C C3-C29 : adjusted R2 = 0.25, p < 0.05) and deciduous angiosperm trees (δ13C C3-Bulk : adjusted R2 = 0.32, p < 0.05; δ13C C3-C29 : adjusted R2 = 0.38, p < 0.05), and δ13C C3-Bulk values of grasses (adjusted R2 = 0.61, p < 0.05). Overall, our results suggest the abiotic stressors (considered in this work) can explain 12–61% and 0–38% of the total variations in the δ13C C3-Bulk and δ13C C3-C29 values, respectively. We propose that using PFT-specific δ13C C3 values-abiotic stressor relationship, instead of a generalized relationship that includes all types of C 3 plants, will add more certainty in paleoenvironment reconstructions and isotope-based PFT model preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between month and climatic factors (ambient temperature, relative humidity, RH, and rainfall) with litter size, conception rate, days from weaning to conception and mortalities at birth and preweaning were studied in large white pigs under research station (RS) and commercial farm (CF) conditions. In RS and CF 868 and 572 farrowing records, respectively, were involved. Litter size was almost evenly distributed in all months of the year, at both farms, despite significant ( P<0.05) negative but low correlations between litter size and maximum ( r=−0.272, RS) and minimum ( r=−0.233, CR) temperatures in the month after conception. There were no significant differences in conception rate between months. However under RS conditions there were significant ( P<0.05) correlations between minimum temperature and conception rate in the months prior to ( r=−0.362) and at conception ( r=−0.221). Days from weaning to conception were bimodally distributed with peak values occurring between January and June and October and December. Significant mortality at birth ( P<0.05) and preweaning was generally highest in the cold rainy months of May to October. However, only under CF conditions were there significant correlations between minimum temperature in the month of birth and percentage mortalities at birth ( r=−0.217) and preweaning ( r=−0.250). Rainfall and RH had no significant ( P>0.05) correlation with birth and preweaning mortalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between month and clinatic factors-rainfall, ambient temperature, relative humidity (RH) and temperature-humidity index (THI)-with time of parturition, litter size, birth weight and preweaning mortality were studied in Djallonke and Dja lonke x Sahelian sheep. Births (4142) occurred all year round although there were significant differences in the number of births per month. Maximum litter size did not coincide with the maximum births. Peak conceptions occurred in the early parts of the major rainy season. There were also significant differences in birth weights and mortalities (%) per month. Maximum and minimum values (of birth weighs and mortalities) occurred in the latter part of the rainy seasons and dry periods respectively. There were significant positive correlations between litter size and cumulative rainfall in the 4th-6th months periods prior to lambing. Birth weights of both males and females were positively and significantly associated with minimum temperature and cumulative rain-fall in the 2- and 3-months period prior to lambing respectively. There were significant positive correlations between mortality and minimum and maximum RH and cumulative rainfall in the 3 months after lambing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of global warming, the world is experiencing many extreme climate events. The temperature fluctuation associated with climate change is often considered as a primary driving force of electricity consumption. To better explore the impact of temperature on electricity consumption, this paper aims to analyze the question from the perspective of income growth, i.e., the moderating effect of income growth on the response of urban residential electricity to temperature changes. Using the unbalanced panel data of 23 cities in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration from 2004 to 2015, we construct the response model of residential electricity consumption to income growth, heating degree days, cooling degree days and their interactions. The results show that heating demand, cooling demand and income growth significantly increase residential energy consumption. However, urban residential disposable income growth weakens the positive effect of heating demand and cooling demand on residential electricity consumption. Because, urban residents have obvious demand for improving indoor heating comfort and cooling comfort, the moderating effect of income is shown as the crowding-out effect. Residents may adjust the structure of heating energy consumption (from electricity to natural gas) and upgrade their electrical equipment to high energy efficiency equipment, thereby reducing residential electricity consumption. This study also indicates that urban residential energy consumption is very sensitive to changes in permanent populations. The main contribution of this study is proposing the hypothesis of the negative moderating effect of income growth on temperature changes and expanding the response model of residential electricity consumption to temperature changes. Finally, this paper also proposes the adaptive strategies and policy implications for climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methyl bromide (MBr) fumigant has been phased out globally honouring 'Montreal Protocol'. However, MBr is still used in India in various commodities for controlling pests as well as international trade requirements. Reports on phosphine fumigant efficacy under different ecological zones in India are scanty. In the present study fumigation trials were conducted in warehouses on 5 Metric-Tons of wheat stacks per replication of a treatment for testing phosphine efficacy against laboratory cultured and warehouse resident population of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Sitophilus oryzae (Lin), and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab). The trials were organized in triplicate including untreated control at FCI warehouses at two locations, Pithoragarh in Uttrakhand and New Delhi, with varying climates. The conventional 56% Aluminium phosphide (AlP) tablet at 2 and 3 tablet/MT, and gas derived from on-site phosphine generator using 77.5% granular formulation at 1.0 and 1.5 g phosphine/m3 was tested at these warehouses against test insects for 7 and 10-days exposure periods for each dosage. Phosphine concentration was monitored every 24 h till end of the exposure periods using gas monitors. No emergence of insects was observed until 60 days after treatment in both the exposure periods using all dosages of phosphine indicating mortality of all life stages of laboratory cultured insects and resident population at both the locations. Phosphine at 1.5 g/m3 was observed as an effective alternative to methyl bromide fumigant for controlling S. oryzae , R. dominica and T castaneum at 250–27 °C and humidity 38–45% with an exposure period of 7-days, with a terminal phosphine concentration of 500–600 ppm. Locational effect was observed for gas loss and phosphine gas concentration. During fumigation, phosphine gas loss was observed to be inversely related with grain moisture and directly related with Ct values. [Display omitted] • Phosphine is effective substitute for MeBr against wheat stored grain insects. • 500–600 ppm PH 3 is effective for insect control until 60 days of curative treatment. • Phosphine gas loss is inversely related to grain moisture and directly to Ct values. • Locational effect was observed in phosphine gas concentration during PH 3 fumigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]