Assessing the Role of Plant Seasonalities on the Regional Organisation of the Tapajó Society

Summary A total of 966 cichlids, Cichlasoma urophthalmus, was sampled from three karstic water bodies (cenotes) in the Yucatan Peninsula. Sex ratio was not different from 1. Specimens with ripe eggs were found during the dry and rainy seasons in the inland cenote and during the dry, rainy, and north winds seasons in the two wetland cenotes. With respect to relative fecundity, data show the C. urophthalmus inland population as two- to three-fold greater (53.1 ± 27.7) than the wetland populations (15.7 ± 5.1 and 18.2 ± 3.1). This is attributable to the different breeding strategies of C. urophthalmus populations inhabiting these two types of cenotes. In particular, the ichthyofauna from the two wetlands showed not only higher species richness (17 and 16 species) but also a higher number of potential predators (nine and eight species) as compared to the inland cenote (six species; two potential predators). It is hypothesized that C. urophthalmus adjusts its clutch size and extends its breeding periods as a response to riskier sites as compared to more secure ones; a higher competition for breeding sites and to increased fishing mortality.

The estuarine wetland of Luoshijiang River, which flows into Erhai Lake in Yunnan province, was regarded as the typical research object. Sediment samples in the estuarine wetland of Luoshijiang River were collected by the cylindrical sediment sampler and the samples were from surface layer (0-10cm), middle layer (10-30 cm), and bottom layer (30-60 cm). The vertical distribution of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total organic material in dry and rainy season was analyzed and contamination risk assessment of sediment was accomplished. The results showed that: ① In dry season, average concentrations of total nitrogen in sediment on surface, middle and bottom layer at estuarine wetland of Luoshijiang River were respectively 1.734, 1.453 and 1.255 g·kg-1, the average concentrations of total phosphorus were respectively 1.085, 1.034 and 0.992 g·kg-1, the average concentrations of organic material were respectively 59.051, 47.730 and 42.133 g·kg-1. In rainy season, average concentrations of total nitrogen in sediment on surface, middle and bottom layer at estuarine wetland of Luoshijiang River were respectively 1.147, 0.948 and 0.895 g·kg-1, the average concentrations of total phosphorus were respectively 0.599, 0.523 and 0.519 g·kg-1, the average concentrations of organic material were respectively 53.098, 46.897 and 43.395 g·kg-1. ② Single factor pollution index, organic nitrogen and organic index assessment were used to evaluate the contamination level of sediment, the assessment results showed that: In dry season, the contamination level of nitrogen and phosphorus in sediment was on severe level, organic material contamination was on medium level. In rainy season, the contamination levels of ON and OI were medium, and that of PI was mild. Generally, the contamination levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic material in sediment tendency were as follows: dry season>rainy season, and the pollution index of each layer followed the sequence of surface layer > middle layer > bottom layer, and the most extraordinary contamination of them on surface layer was uncovered whatever the season was. ③ Pollution origin of estuarine wetland of Luoshijiang River in dry and wet season had great differences, it was mainly the exogenous source in dry season, but it was the internal source in wet season; The potential risk of release of nutrient salt of sediment in dry season was higher than the wet, and the risk in the surface layer was the highest.

The aim of this study was to compare testosterone concentration, body weight, scrotal circumference and age to penis detachment from days 30 to 240 in young Boer goat males (n = 22) born during the dry (n = 11) and the rainy (n = 11) seasons. In the dry season the parameters varied as follows: body weight from 3.7 ± 1.1 to 34.0 ± 4.7 kg, scrotal circumference from 7.9 ± 0.8 to 25.7 ± 2 cm, and testosterone concentration from 259.4 ± 172.4 to 4613.4 ± 2892 pc/mL. In the rainy season parameters varied as follows: body weight from 9.7 ± 2.3 to 28.1 ± 6.9 kg, scrotal circumference from 9.5 ± 1.5 to 22.0 ± 3.0 cm and testosterone from 521.9 ± 311.3 to 3417.9 ± 2021.8 pc/mL. At three months of age, 70% of animals born during the rainy season presented with penis detachment, compared to 67.6% of animals born during the dry season at five months of age. Penis detachment occurred in all males at four and seven months for animals born in the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. There was a positive correlation between testosterone concentration and body weight in the dry (r = 0.30) and rainy (r = 0.43) seasons, between testosterone and scrotal circumference in the dry (r = 0.42) and rainy (r = 0.52) seasons, and between body weight and scrotal circumference in the dry (r = 0.93) and rainy (r = 0.88) seasons. The animals born during the rainy season showed earlier development in all the evaluated parameters than animals born during the dry season. It was found that scrotal circumference is directly correlated to body weight and testosterone concentration. Keywords : Scrotal circumference, testosterone, young male goats, puberty, sexual maturity

Physicochemical parameters of surface water collected from six different points (P1 to P6) on River Sokoto were analysed during January (Dry Season) and August (Rainy Season), 2014 to determine its water quality using standard methods. The highest temperature of 25.6&#176C was recorded by P1 in dry season while P5 recorded the highest value of 29.2&#176C in rainy season. All the water samples were alkaline in dry season with the highest pH value of 8.50 in P5 and the least value of 8.02 in P6 whereas in rainy season, P1, P2 and P3 were slightly acidic while P5 and P6 were slightly neutral and P4 alkaline. The highest values of 510 μS/cm and 850.3 mg/l were recorded from P4 for electrical conductance and hardness respectively in the rainy season whereas in dry season, P5 and P4 had the highest values of 321 μS/cm and 282.8 mg/l respectively. The highest DO and BOD levels in dry season were 1.7 mg/l and 0.7 mg/l respectively in P1 and the least values were 0.7 mg/l and 0.2 mg/l respectively in P5. But in the rainy season, P6 recorded the highest DO value of 0.1 mg/l while P2 and P5 recorded the least value of 0.07 mg/l. For BOD, P5 had the highest value (2.13 mg/l) while P3 had the least value (0.20 mg/l). For COD, the highest value (230 mg/l) was found in P4 and P6 and the least value (30 mg/l) was found in P1 in dry season while in the rainy season, P2 had the highest COD value (1008 mg/l) and P4 had the least value of 32 mg/l. TDS and TSS values generally were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season due to higher amount of floating particles in the rainy season. While P1 and P6 recorded the highest values (800 mg/l and 700 mg/l respectively) in the rainy season, P4 recorded the least value of 100 mg/l in both seasons. The highest Chloride level was found in P4 in the dry (100 mg/l) and rainy (180 mg/l) seasons with the least level in P2 (35 mg/l) in dry season and in P1 and P2 with the least level of 60 mg/l in the rainy season. The highest concentration of Sulphate in P1 (220 mg/l) in dry season was far above the highest concentration (124 mg/l) in the rainy season whereas highest concentration of Nitrate in dry season in P1 (19.7 mg/l) was somehow below the highest concentration in rainy season in P4 (28.1 mg/l). Phosphate and Ammonia had the highest values of 1.77 mg/l and 0.84 mg/l respectively in P5 in dry season while in rainy season, P6 and P4 had the highest values of 0.22 mg/l and 1.20 mg/l respectively. There was significant seasonal variation in some physicochemical parameters and most of the parameters were within permissible limits, thus, making the water suitable for irrigation purposes.

Acid sulfate soil is one of the most serious regional environmental problems after destruction of the peat layer over pyrite-containing sediment after agricultural land development and deforestation. Sulfuric acid discharged from acid sulfate soil causes acidification of river water. In pyrite distributing areas within the lower basin of the Sebangau and Kahayan rivers in Central Kalimantan, the water of the mainstream of the rivers as well as water discharged from canals into the mainstream in the rainy season show much higher acidity and a higher concentration of sulfate ions than in the dry season. The objective of the present study was to obtain information on utilization of natural water from local inhabitants in the basin with water pollution including sulfuric acid contamination. We held interviews with local inhabitants in sulfuric acid polluted areas in Paduran and Pangkoh as well as areas around Sigi village concerning the sources of water and evaluation of water quality in their habitat. Inhabitants around Sigi mostly depended on well water both in the rainy and dry seasons, whereas the sources of drinking water for inhabitants in Paduran and Pangkoh differed significantly between dry and rainy seasons. River water chemistry showed little difference between the dry season and the rainy season in the Sigi area, whereas river and canal water in the rainy season in Paduran and Pangkoh showed lower pH than in the dry season due to a high concentration of sulfuric acid in the rainy season. Accordingly, river and canal water in the rainy season in polluted areas was not available as drinking or cooking water and thus they avoided using river water for drinking or cooking in the rainy season. Although sulfuric acid concentration in river water both in Pangkoh and Paduran were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season, people in Pangkoh evaluated that water in the rainy season to be better than that in the dry season, whereas people in Paduran evaluated that water in the dry season to be better than that in the rainy season. Paduran people would evaluate water quality by SO42- concentration, whereas Pangkoh people would evaluate water quality by salt concentration because of the lower concentration of SO42- of water in Pangkoh in the rainy season than that in Paduran. Pangkoh people recognized that water contaminated with sulfuric acid was much preferable than water contaminated with sea salt, but they avoided using water contaminated with sulfuric acid in the rainy season. More than 70% of the Paduran people answered that river water presents a high risk for drinking and swimming, whereas only 11% or less of the Pangkoh people knew about the risk of sulfuric acid for human health. The Pangkoh people avoided using river water contaminated with sulfuric acid, but the knowledge about sulfuric acid’s effects on human health was not sufficient. Thus we concluded that although selectivity of water was similar for the local inhabitants of the two villages in polluted area, awareness about the risks of sulfuric acid pollution for human health proved to be quite different between the two villages.

ABSTRACTThe seasonal characterization and discrimination of savannahs in Brazil are still challenging due to the high spatial variability of the vegetation cover and the spectral similarity between some physiognomies. As a preparatory study for future hyperspectral missions that will operate with large swath width and better signal-to-noise ratio than the current orbital sensors, we evaluated six Hyperion images acquired over the Estação Ecológica de Águas Emendadas, a protected area in central Brazil. We studied the seasonal variations in spectral response of the savannah physiognomies and tested their discrimination in the rainy and dry seasons using distinct sets of hyperspectral metrics. Floristic and structural attributes were inventoried in the field. We considered three sets of metrics in the data analysis: the reflectance of 146 Hyperion bands, 22 narrowband vegetation indices (VIs), and 24 absorption band parameters. The VIs were selected to represent vegetation structure, biochemistry, and physiology. The depth, area, width, and asymmetry of the major absorption bands centred at 680 nm (chlorophyll), 980, and 1200 nm (leaf water) and 1700, 2100, and 2300 nm (lignin-cellulose) were calculated on a per-pixel basis using the continuum removal method. Using feature selection and multiple discriminant analysis (MDA), we tested the discriminatory capability of these metrics and of their combined use for vegetation discrimination in the rainy and dry seasons. The results showed that the spectral modifications with seasonality were stronger with the savannah woodland-grassland gradient represented by decreasing tree height, basal area, tree density and biomass and by increasing canopy openness. We observed a reflectance increase in the red, red edge, and shortwave (SWIR) intervals towards the dry season. In the near-infrared, the reflectance differences between the physiognomies were smaller in the dry season than in the rainy season. From the 22 VIs, the visible atmospherically resistant index (VARI), visible green index (VIg), and normalized difference infrared index (NDII) were the most sensitive indices to water stress and vegetation cover, presenting the largest rates of changes between the rainy (March) and dry (August) seasons in shrub and grassland areas. Absorption band parameters associated with the lignin-cellulose spectral features in the SWIR increased towards the dry season with great amounts of non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV) in the herbaceous stratum. The opposite was observed for the 680 nm chlorophyll absorption band and the 980 and 1200 nm leaf water features. In general, the number of selected metrics necessary for vegetation discrimination was lower in the dry season than in the rainy season. The best MDA-classification accuracy was obtained in the dry season using nine VIs (79.5%). The combination of different hyperspectral metrics increased the classification accuracy to 81.4% in the rainy season and to 84.2% in the dry season. This combination added a gain higher than 10% for the classification of shrub savannah, open woodland savannah and wooded savannah.

Income and Production Risk of Pacar Air (Impatiens balsamina Linn) Farm in Rainy and Dry Season in Saradan Subak, Sibang Gede Village, Abiansemal, Badung RegencyFlower use rate in Bali equals to farmer’s interest to produce flowers. Thisphenomenon becomes the reason for Subak Saradan’s farmer trying changing thehalf of their field in rainy and dry season to plant impatiens flower in order to fulfilthe needs of market of their products.The aims of this research is to know which season are best to plant impatiensflowerobserved from the differences in income and risk in rainy and dry season. Variablesin this research are farming analysis and Subak Saradan’s risk level. These variablesare analysed using quantitative method.The result of this research shows that impatiens flower farming in dry season isbetter than in the rainy season. The income of the farmers in this season is Rp532,287,522. More than total income in rainy season that isRp 388,338,689. Indicator that is used to measure the risk level in rainy and dryseason in this research is variation coefficient with each values are 0.57 and 0.50.The value of the coefficient in rainy season is higher than the dry season. Hence, therisk of failing is higher in this season.This research also projecting the income of the farmers that are burdened withproduction risk level in the planting season. The average value of respondent’sincome based on their land size and risk of the seasons areRp 1,574,044.33 and Rp 3,601,044.01. In some condition with the highest risk, couldmake 20,9 % respondents in rainy season and 14,5 % respondents in dry season maysuffer loss.

The research was aimed to determine the effect of season on feed quantity and quality, and growth performance of male Bali cattle fattened in smallholder farms. Observation from January to March for rainy season and June to August for dry season. Feed quantity and quality were observed covering all feedstuff used farmers in fattening. Cattle used for rainy season was 50 heads aged 1.5 – 4.0 years with initial body weight (BW) 188.03±31.85 kg. In dry season, observation was continued for the same cattle as many as 35 heads aged 2.0 – 4.5 years and initial BW was 261.80±38.46 kg. Data were analyzed by quantitative descriptiption for feed quantity and quality, while growth performance were analyzed by independent T-Test. Results of study showed the dominant type of feedstuff used during rainy and dry season were L.leucocephala (56.00 vs 33.14%), Zea mays fresh straw 18.44% (rainy season), natural grass (13.00 vs 22.25%), P.purpuroides (3.68 vs 3.99%) and G.sepium (1.36 vs 29.69%). Crude protein (CP) of L.leucocephala and G.sepium higher during the dry season, while S. grandiflora, natural grass, and P.purpuroides higher in rainy season. The DMD (%) of L. leucocephala and S. grandiflora in rainy and dry seasons were almost the same, but G.sepium had DMD higher in dry season. The OMD L.leucocephala and G. sepium higher during the dry season, while the S.grandiflora had higher during the rainy season. Natural grass and P.purpuroides had DMD and OMD higher during the rainy season. Dry matter intake (kg/head/day) of cattle during dry season was higher (P<0.01), but rainy season ADG and FCR was higher (P<0.01). It can be concluded the feed used by farmers during the rainy season was more varied, with better quality. As a result, the performance of Bali cattle fattened was higher in the rainy season than in the dry season.

Differentiation analysis of VOCs in Kunming during rainy and dry seasons based on monitoring high temporal resolution

Climate and detritus influence soil organic carbon (SOC) and labile SOC fractions by affecting soil microbial communities. However, it is not clear how, or to what extent, different detritus treatments affect soil microbial communities and SOC content in karst landscapes during different seasons. Plots in a karst landscape were treated with different detritus input regimes (control, no litter, no roots, no litter or roots, and double litter), and samples were collected during the dry and rainy seasons. We used Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA to examine shifts in the diversity and composition of the associated soil microbial communities. Additionally, labile SOC fractions, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), along with soil physicochemical properties and C-degrading enzyme activities, were analyzed. The results revealed that the responses of soil properties and labile SOC fractions to detritus treatments were more pronounced during the rainy season than during the dry season, which mainly reflected that the levels of available potassium (AK), DOC, and MBC were significantly increased during the rainy season. Moreover, SOC and total nitrogen (TN) demonstrated significant changes with the double litter (DL) treatment during the rainy season. The responses of soil microbial communities to detritus treatments varied with the season, as reflected primarily in changes in the relative abundance of Ascomycota, unclassified_K_fungi, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteriota. Climate, detritus treatments, and their interactions had significant effects on the species richness of soil bacterial communities, but did not influence fungal community diversity. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that the soil bacterial composition had the largest total effects on SOC, DOC, and MBC. In addition to directly influencing SOC, DOC, and MBC, soil properties (TN, AK, and pH) indirectly affected SOC, DOC, and MBC by altering C-degrading enzyme activity and the microbial community. We conclude that detritus treatments affect the soil microbial community and labile carbon fractions during both the rainy and dry seasons. Relationships among SOC, labile SOC fractions, enzyme activities, microbial communities, and function differed between seasons and among treatment types. This research advances our knowledge of how variation in detritus treatments affects biogeochemical cycling in karst soils during the rainy and dry seasons.

ObjectiveIn this study, the dry-wet seasonal variation characteristics of sap flow of the two afforestation poplar species in semi-arid Lhasa river valley, and the environmental impact factors were investigated in order to provide a theoretical base for species selection for vegetation reconstruction in the river valley. MethodThe Granier's thermal dissipation probe was employed to continuously measure the stem sap flow of Populus beijingensis and Populus szechuanica during the wet and dry seasons. At the same time, environmental factors, such as solar radiation (Q), air temperature (Ta), soil water content (SWC), and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), were recorded. ResultsThe main meteorological factors in the Lhasa river valley were quite different in wet and dry seasons. The Q, Ta, SWC, and VPD values during the wet season were higher than that in the dry season, and the average of them in the dry season wrer around 60% of those in wet season. In both seasons, the sap flow velocity in P. beijingensis was lower than that in P. szechuanica.The sap flux density of P. beijingensis was 71% and 58% lower than those of P. szechuanica during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. During the dry season, the sap flux density of two poplars declined by 65% and 76% compared with that in wet season. The main environmental factors of Q and VPD had less influence on the stem sap flow of P. beijingensisthan on that of P. szechuanica. ConclusionIn the Lhasa river valley area between dry and rainy season, the sap flux density of two poplar species all had obvious circadian rhythm. However, there were significant differences in peak value, daily average value, start-up time and the impact environmental factors between the two species, especially in the dry season.P. szechuanica, as native tree species, showed a stronger adaptability.

Context In the tropics, there is a substantial demand for a broader understanding of the impact of supplementation strategies on animal growth. Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concantrate supplementation strategies during the dry, rainy, or both seasons on intake, digestibility, performance, and carcass weight of young Nellore bulls. Methods Twenty-eight young Nellore bulls with an initial average liveweight (LW) of 327 ± 4.2 kg of were used. Animals had ad libitum access to a Urochloa brizantha pasture and a mineral mixture sequentially in dry and rainy seasons. Treatments consisted of the following four concentrate supplementation strategies: (1) no concentrate supplementation (−/−); (2) 8 g/kg LW in rainy season (−/+); (3) 8 g/kg LW in dry season (+/−); and (4) 8 g/kg LW in both dry and rainy seasons (+/+). Key results Forage intake was lesser (P < 0.05) in cattle fed +/+ when contrasted against all other supplementation strategies. In the dry season, concentrate supplementation increased (P < 0.04) LW gain from 0.40 to 0.74 kg/animal.day. Considering performance in both the dry and rainy seasons, all supplementation strategies increased (P < 0.05) total LW gain, hot carcass weight, carcass fat and muscle when compared with the negative control treatment −/−. Bulls receiving +/+ had greater (P < 0.05) total LW gains and hot carcass weights than did −/+ and +/− treatments. Directly contrasting −/+ and +/−, supplementation in the rainy season tended (P < 0.10) to increase total LW gain and hot carcass weights. Conclusions Under the conditions of this experiment, concentrate supplementation decreased forage intake but increased LW gain, hot carcass weight and carcass quality. Concentrate supplementation in both the dry and rainy seasons provided greater LW gain and hot carcass weights than did concentrate supplementation during only the dry or rainy seasons. Concentrate supplementation only during the rainy season produced greater hot carcass weights and LW gains than did concentrate supplementation only during the dry season. Implications To achieve maximum LW gains and hot carcass weights, concentrate supplementation should be provided during both dry and rainy seasons. If supplementation costs are a limiting factor, concentrate supplementation during the rainy season is likely to provide greater LW gains and carcass weights than does concentrate supplementation only during the dry season. However, pasture nutritive value, carcass prices and supplement costs must be evaluated before selecting a supplementation strategy.

The impact of seasonal variation on anemia and nutritional status with associated factors in 6–12 years Ghanaian school age children in peri-urban communities

This study investigates the profitability of trade in Moringa oleifera (Lam) Fresh Leaves and also examine the Socio-economic characteristics of Traders in Taraba State, between June, 2018 and May, 2019. Applying a multistage Sampling approach, 342 and 97 traders were randomly selected and administered with questionnaire in the wet and dry seasons respectively, to elicit data, which were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results on the socio-economic variables showed that female traders (94.7%), age class 31-40 (36.3%), Married (65.5%), Household size of 8 members and above (69.6%) and non-formal education (51.8%) featured dominantly in moringa fresh leaves trade. Furthermore, Gross Margin (GM) analysis showed that the monthly income from Moringa oleifera (Lam) fresh leaves was highest (N372.50 ± 125.15) in Ibi Local Government Area (LGA), while Bali LGA had the least GM of (N 88.83 ± 91.40) in the wet season. In the dry season, Gashaka LGA had the highest GM of N 228.00 (± 78.55), while Jalingo LGA was the least with GM of N 57.50 (± 86.68). The comparison of GM and Quantity of leaves sold (QLS) in the dry and rainy seasons were not significantly different. The Rate of Returns on Investment (RORI), Gross Margin Index (GMI) and Unit Price (UP) in the rainy and dry seasons were significantly at 0.05 level of probability. It is therefore recommended that Government and Non-government organisations (NGOs) should educate the traders on the marketing of Moringa oleifera leaves; Government and NGOs should also make loans available at one-digit rate; Government should put in place a security outfit to curtail the incessant crisis in Taraba; and traders should form cooperative society to access loans with the Bank of Industry through the Anchor Borrower scheme.

Cocoa is a sensitive plant to availability of soil water. The availability of water affects the formation of cocoa pods and beans. The aim of this research was to determine the genetic diversity and the influence of season on the diversity of cocoa beans quality as well as determining the pattern of genotype and season interaction on the quality of physical physiology of cacao beans. The research was conducted in Kaliwining Experimental Station, Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute, Jember during dry season (2015) and rainy season (2016). This study used a complete randomized block design 2 x 12 factorial and three replicates as blocks. The first factor was the season consisting of two levels namely, dry season and rainy season. The second factor was cocoa clones, TSH 858, KW 084, KEE 2, Sulawesi 1, Sulawesi 2, BAL 209, KW 215, JTC 5A, JTC 5B, KC 2, KKM 22,and KJ 2. Observation variables included pod diameter, pod length, pod weight, dry bean weight, number of good beans/pod, number of empty beans/pod, numberof beans, and number of pods/tree/season. Data was analyzed using ANOVA fixedfactor. The bean dry weight characteristics possesed a low genetic diversity (0.27%) whereas the physical quality character of other beans, i.e bean count had moderategenetic diversity (14.20%). Meanwhile, the real difference was shown on the dry weight of bean characteristics. The best dry bean weight was observed during the dry season. Clones KW 215 and Sulawesi 1 in the dry season was catego-rized in grade A, while the lowest quality JTC 5A with grade D. The interaction of genotype (clone) with the environment (season) resulted in a significant effect onpod diameter character, pod weight, bean count, dry bean weight, and numberof pods/tree. Based on the biplot AMMI graph it was known that the TSH 858 clone showed genetic stability in bean count character. As for the character ofthe number of pods/tree, clones KKM 22, BAL 209, and KW 084 had the stability of the number of pods in rainy and dry seasons. Clones KJ 2 and Sulawesi 2 showed season-specific in the dry season for the number of pods/tree characters.