Fluctuations in the aerial density of Anisopus fenestralis Scop. (Diptera) above sewage bacteria beds

Climate affects litter decomposition directly through temperature and moisture, determining the ecosystem potential decomposition, and indirectly through its effect on plant community composition and litter quality, determining litter potential decomposition. It would be expected that both the direct and indirect effects of climate on decomposition act in the same direction along gradients of actual evapotranspiration (AET). However, studies from semiarid ecosystems challenge this idea, suggesting that the climatic conditions that favour decomposition activity, and the consequent ecosystem potential decomposition, do not necessarily lead to litter being easier to decompose. We explored the decomposition patterns of four arid to subhumid native ecosystems with different AET in central‐western Argentina and we analysed if ecosystem potential decomposition (climatic direct effect), nutrient availability and leaf litter potential decomposition (climatic indirect effect) all increased with AET. In general, the direct effect of climate (AET) on decomposition (i.e. ecosystem potential decomposition), showed a similar pattern to nutrient availability in soils (higher for xerophytic and mountain woodlands and lower for the other ecosystems), but different from the pattern of leaf litter potential decomposition. However, the range of variation in the ecosystem potential decomposition was much higher than the range of variation in litter potential decomposition, indicating that the direct effect of climate on decomposition was far stronger than the indirect effect through litter quality. Our results provide additional experimental evidence supporting the direct control of climate over decomposition, and therefore nutrient cycling. For the ecosystems considered, those with the highest AET are the ecosystems with the highest potential decomposition. But what is more interesting is that our results suggest that the indirect control of climate over decomposition through vegetation characteristics and decomposability does not follow the same trend as the direct effect of climate. This finding has important implications in the prediction of the effects of climate change on semiarid ecosystems.

The investigation was carried out at the Instructional Farm, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University (N.A.U.), Navsari, Gujarat, India during 2021-2022. The leaf webber, leafhopper, fruit fly, shoot borer, and thrips were found abundant, whereas the mealybug and stone weevils were very less. The leaf webber population exhibited a significant negative correlation with minimum temperature (r= -0.488*) and evaporation (r=-0.483*). The leafhopper population had a highly significant positive correlation with wind velocity (r= 0.577**) and rainfall (r= 0.823**) and a significant negative correlation with minimum temperature (r=-0.495*) and morning relative humidity (r= -0.414*). Fruit fly population exhibited a highly significant positive correlation with minimum temperature (r= 0.761**), wind velocity (r= 0.646**), and evaporation (r= 0.524**). There was a significant negative correlation of shoot borer population with minimum temperature (r= -0.804**), evening relative humidity (r= -0.467*), and wind velocity (r= -0.437*). Thrips population had a highly significant negative correlation with minimum temperature (r= -0.690**), evening relative humidity (r= -0.879**), wind velocity (r= -0.567**), and rainfall (r= - 0.541**) and a significant positive correlation with sunshine hours (r= 0.684**) and maximum temperature (r= 0.438*). Among natural enemies, ants, mantids, spiders, and chrysopa were found in the orchard and none of the parasitoids were reported.

Field experiments were undertaken to determine the effect of sowing dates and weather parameters on the disease progression or severity of Alternaria blight of rapeseed mustard and their impact on yield for the two consecutive years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. Disease severity gradually increased with delay in sowing irrespective of three different varieties (Binoy, Seeta and Bhagirathi). The crop sowing from 20th October to 5th November recorded significantly less disease severity with the highest seed yield irrespective of varieties and enhanced in subsequent sowing dates. Bhagirathi showed significantly less disease severity with maximum yield followed by Binoy and Seeta on leaf and siliqua infection on all sowing dates. 90 days old plants showed highest disease severity. From 20th October to 5th November, sowing only minimum temperature (9.69 to 12.04°C) had significant negative correlation, while minimum relative humidity (44.9 to 60.2% RH), wind velocity (during morning) (0.55 km to 1.04 km/h.) and total rainfall (5.74 mm) had positive significant correlation with disease progression upto 59%. Whereas in 20th November sowing minimum temperature (9.69 to 15.74°C, minimum(39 to 88%) and maximum (96 to 99%) relative humidity, wind velocity (during morning)(0.4 to 1.29 km/h), bright sunshine hours (3.8 to 9.0 h) and total rainfall (69.6 mm) had positive significant correlation and vapour pressure (noon, morning)(9.7-29.2 mb and 9.2-14.2 mb respectively), wind velocity (evening) (0.4 to 1.3 km/h) had negative significant correlation on disease progression upto 62%. In 5th December sowing, vapour pressure (noon)(9.7 to 17.5 mb), bright sunshine hours (3.8 to 9.2 h), total rainfall (73.7 mm) and minimum temperature(9.7-18.2°C) had positive significant correlation on disease progression upto 73%. In the West Bengal condition the suitable sowing date of mustard will be last week of October with tolerant variety Bagirathi could be cultivated to avoid loss from Alterania blight and increase the seed yield. Key words: Alternaria blight, mustard, sowing date, variety, weather, yield.

Climate is a major driver of species diversity. However, its effect can be either direct due to species physiological tolerances or indirect, whereby wetter climates facilitate more complex vegetation and consequently higher diversity due to greater resource availability. Yet, studies quantifying both direct and indirect effects of climate on multiple dimensions of diversity are rare. We used extensive data on species distributions, morphological and ecological traits, and vegetation across Australia to quantify both direct (water availability) and indirect (habitat diversity and canopy height) effects of climate on the species richness (SR), phylogenetic diversity (PD), and functional diversity (FD) of 536 species of birds. Path analyses revealed that SR increased with wetter climates through both direct and indirect effects, lending support for the influence of both physiological tolerance and vegetation complexity. However, residual PD and residual FD (adjusted for SR by null models) were poorly predicted by environmental conditions. Thus, the FD and PD of Australian birds mostly evolved in concert with SR, with the possible exception of the higher-than-expected accumulation of avian lineages in wetter and more productive areas in northern and eastern Australia (with high residual PD), permitted probably by older biome age.

AimThe stratification of organisms along elevational gradients is widely reported, with montane communities characterized by species occurring in relatively small and isolated populations; these species are of considerable interest to ecologists and conservationists. This stratification is generally attributed to climatic zonation. Evidence that species are shifting upward in elevation has fuelled speculation that species are tracking their climatic niches in response to climate change. Uncertainty regarding the degree to which climate directly influences species abundance versus the degree to which climate has an indirect influence via vegetation represents a key impediment to understanding the ecology of montane species; here, we evaluate these direct and indirect effects.LocationWhite Mountains, New Hampshire, USA.MethodsWe used N‐mixture models to correct for imperfect detection of species, principal component analysis to represent gradients in vegetation structure and composition and structural equation models to assign variation to the direct and indirect effects of climate upon birds.ResultsAnalysis of 13 species revealed that climate exerts direct influences on bird abundance and indirect influences mediated by vegetation composition and structure. All species exhibited indirect effects of climate via forest habitat, with 77% exhibiting both direct and indirect effects and 53% exhibiting stronger indirect effects.Main conclusionsWe provide insight into the mechanistic pathways of how climate influences the distribution of species along elevational gradients, underscoring the complex vulnerability of species to climate change. Our results reveal that the majority of species experience both direct and indirect effects of climate, implying that forests play a key role in mediating climate effects. For species that are primarily influenced by climate directly, typical climate envelope models may continue to be informative, but for the majority of the species included in this study, we show that distribution models should also include measures of habitat.

ABSTRACTMicroclimates play important roles in controlling water budgets and water vapor transportation, as well as vegetation growth characteristics. In order to understand the differences in meteorological parameters under different vegetation cover (VC) and terrain conditions, wind velocity, air temperature, relative humidity (RH), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and solar radiation were simultaneously monitored on shifting, semi-fixed and fixed sandy lands, and an oasis. The air temperature and RH differences among the four landscape types were obvious in the period from May to October. It was found that the higher elevations of semi-fixed sandy land can influence PAR and solar radiation during sand-blowing weather. The differences of air temperature and RH among the four sites during the dust-storm and rainy days were not obvious, but their differences during sand-blowing weather were greater than during rainy weather and less than during floating-dust and sunny weather. The differences of PAR and solar radiation among the four landscape types were most obvious during the dust-storm event. During most of the weather types studied, significant positive correlations were found between wind velocity and temperature, PAR, and solar radiation, as well as between temperature and PAR, and solar radiation. Meanwhile, significant negative correlations were found between RH and wind velocity, temperature, PAR, and solar radiation. VC and topography were found to be the main factors influencing the changes in meteorological parameters between desert–oasis ecotone and oasis.

Daily Right activity of Culicoides furens and C. Hollensis was monitored during peak seasonal abundance near salt marsh breeding sites by hourly collections with suction traps. Both species had 2 crepuscular peaks of activity. C. furens was mostly nocturnal, with a large peak of activity immediately after sunset; C. Hollensis was mostly diurnal with a large morning peak. Males accounted for only 9% of the C. furens and 3% of the C. Hollensis total catches. Wind (velocity and direction) and temperature were continuously measured during the hours of suction trap operation and correlated with insect capture. C. furens activity was correlated with wind velocity. C. Hollensis activity was correlated with wind direction and temperature. Many more C. furens specimens were trapped in the marsh than in the adjacent wooded area; C. Hollensis adults were trapped about equally in the 2 areas. C. furens remained active throughout the day in the wooded area but not in the marsh.

Air pollution by solid and liquid aerosol particles suspended in the air is one of the major concerns in developed countries because of potential health impact of increasing numbers of nano-particles in particular from diesel engines (see, e.g., [2002] and [2004]), as well as in developing countries with their high particle concentrations in the air. Furthermore, windblown dust can also act as carrier for long-range transport of diseases, e.g., from the Sahara to the Caribbean or Western Europe [Pohl, 2003], or even around the globe [Prospero et al., 2002]. Also well known in principle are direct (by reflecting light back to space) and several indirect (e.g., by acting as cloud condensation nuclei) climate effects of aerosols, although large uncertainties exist in the exact values of the forcing [IPCC, 2007]. Finally, the highly variable atmospheric aerosol load has a major impact on satellite observations of the Earth’s surface that need to be atmospherically corrected for quantitative analysis and on the solar irradiance which is exploited in solar energy applications (aerosols are the determining factor in clear-sky conditions). In all these cases an estimation of the type of aerosols is required for an accurate quantitative assessment. For example, [2002] point out, that the absorption behavior of particles (mainly soot and minerals) needs to be known in order to assess their total direct and indirect climate effects. This is because strongly absorbing particles can regionally reverse the sign of the aerosol direct forcing from cooling to heating or suppress cloud formation. Therefore, attempts have been made to extend satellite aerosol retrieval beyond observation of the spatial-temporal distribution patterns to estimate the type of aerosols.

Climate and soils determine aboveground biomass indirectly via species diversity and stand structural complexity in tropical forests

Litter decomposition, a key component of the global carbon cycle, is greatly affected by climate. Our current understanding of climate change effects on decomposition stems from (1) spatial observational studies along climate gradients, where direct and indirect effects of climate on litter decomposition are confounded; (2) reciprocal litter translocations and common garden experiments, where biotic interactions are disrupted; or (3) manipulation experiments, which can be less realistic than observational studies. Experimental studies combining all of the above mentioned methods can separate indirect from direct climate effects on decomposition, as the confounding effects of one method can be explained with another method. Additionally, this setup can directly test if observations along a spatial gradient can predict responses to climate change, that is the validity of the space‐for‐time approach. However, studies combining the different methods are still scarce. We combined a pronounced climate gradient, large‐ and small‐scale reciprocal litter translocations (local litter and standard litter, i.e. tea), and in situ precipitation manipulation for studying soil moisture effects on litter decomposition. All our experiments (translocation of litter and tea across the gradient, slope comparisons within sites and rainfall exclusions) indicated positive direct effects of climate on litter decomposition. However, as local litter quality decreased with increasing precipitation, litter from species of the drier sites decomposed quicker than litter from species of the wetter sites across the gradient. In other words, while the direct effects of climate favoured litter decomposition in wetter sites, its indirect effect (i.e. litter quality) favoured the decomposition of litter from species of the drier sites within each site. Synthesis : Our results highlight the need for experimental evidence from reciprocal translocations and climate manipulations in litter decomposition studies as they indicate that space cannot always substitute for time. Such evidence would improve predictions of models of the global carbon cycle that include interactions between climate and vegetation.

TOWARD A FUNCTIONAL NEUROMARKER FOR PRECLINICAL AD: EIGENVECTOR CENTRALITY REVEALS PRECLINICAL DIFFERENCES OF FUNCTIONAL INFORMATION FLOW IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS, PRECUNEUS, CEREBELLUM AND INFERIOR PARIETAL LOBULE

Climate change can influence consumer populations both directly, by affecting survival and reproduction, and indirectly, by altering resources. However, little is known about the relative importance of direct and indirect effects, particularly for species important to ecosystem functioning, like pollinators. We used structural equationmodelling to test the importance of direct and indirect (via floral resources) climate effects on the interannual abundance of three subalpine bumble bee species. In addition, we used long-term data to examine how climate and floral resources have changed over time. Over 8years, bee abundances were driven primarily by the indirect effects of climate on the temporal distribution of floral resources. Over 43years, aspects of floral phenology changed in ways that indicate species-specific effects on bees. Our study suggests that climate-driven alterations in floral resource phenology can play a critical role in governing bee population responses to global change.

In this study, for determining the influence of different life style on the serum alpha hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase activity (alpha HBD), we carried out surveys and laboratory studies on the relationships of the nutritional intake, physical activity, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption of young females with their serum alpha HBD activity. There are significant positive correlation between alpha HBD and GOT, GPT, LDH, CPK, phospholipids, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol, and significant negative correlation between alpha HBD/LDH and GOT, GPT, and gamma GTP. There are significant positive or negative correlation between alpha HBD and systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, cardiac index, stoke volume and total periperal resistance, and significant negative correlation between alpha HBD/LDH and vital capacity in young females. The serum alpha HBD activity levels of nonsmokers was significant higher than those of smokers (p < 0.05). There are significant positive correlations between serum alpha HBD activity and beverage consumption, and between alpha HBD/LDH and protein, calcium, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, pulses, vegetables and milk in young females. The finding shows that the group of serum alpha HBD activity level of 240 or more units exhibited higher level of rate of those who exercised sometimes+usually than the other group in young females. However, the serum alpha HBD activity level did not show significant correlation with energy expenditures per day. Exercise at 50 and 70% VO2 max may produce a significant increase in their serum alpha HBD activity. There is a possibility that serum alpha HBD activity may serve as an indicator for ones health condition. It is undeniable that observation of variation of serum alpha HBD activity is highly significant in health maintenance.

ABSTRACT. Although changes in the mean arrival and breeding dates of some species are expected in response to climate change, other species may respond to direct or indirect climate effects by modifying the duration of their breeding period. We used a 20-year database for two closely related species that breed in sympatry in Europe, the short-distance migrant Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) and the long-distance migrant Great White Pelican (P. onocrotalus), to test for changes in breeding phenology over the past two decades. Median laying dates of the species covaried over time, indicating that the same or similar environmental factors probably influenced both species at their breeding sites. However, direct climate effects were revealed only for the short-distance migrant species, which showed a rapid advancement in its median laying dates (1.4 days year-1). This shift was associated with (1) an increase in population size and (2) weather variation following warmer and wetter winters. Earlier breed...

AimWe aimed to dissect the spatial variation of the direct and indirect effects of climate and productivity on global species richness of terrestrial tetrapods.LocationGlobal.Time periodPresent.Major taxa studiedTerrestrial tetrapods.MethodsWe used a geographically weighted path analysis to estimate and map the direct and indirect effects of temperature, precipitation and primary productivity on species richness of terrestrial tetrapods across the globe.ResultsWe found that all relationships shift in magnitude, and even in direction, among taxonomic groups, geographical regions and connecting paths. Direct effects of temperature and precipitation are generally stronger than both indirect effects mediated by productivity and direct effects of productivity.Main conclusionsRichness gradients seem to be driven primarily by effects of climate on organismal physiological limits and metabolic rates rather than by the amount of productive energy. Reptiles have the most distinct relationships across tetrapods, with a clear latitudinal pattern in the importance of temperature versus water.