Annual Dry Season Research Articles

Thermal tolerance in an extremophile fish from Mexico is not affected by environmental hypoxia.

The thermal ecology of ectotherm animals has gained considerable attention in the face of human-induced climate change. Particularly in aquatic species, the experimental assessment of critical thermal limits (CTmin and CTmax) may help to predict possible effects of global warming on habitat suitability and ultimately species survival. Here we present data on the thermal limits of two endemic and endangered extremophile fish species, inhabiting a geothermally heated and sulfur-rich spring system in southern Mexico: The sulfur molly (Poecilia sulphuraria) and the widemouth gambusia (Gambusia eurystoma). Besides physiological challenges induced by toxic hydrogen sulfide and related severe hypoxia during the day, water temperatures have been previously reported to exceed those of nearby clearwater streams. We now present temperature data for various locations and years in the sulfur spring complex and conducted laboratory thermal tolerance tests (CTmin and CTmax) both under normoxic and severe hypoxic conditions in both species. Average CTmax limits did not differ between species when dissolved oxygen was present. However, critical temperature (CTmax=43.2°C) in P. sulphuraria did not change when tested under hypoxic conditions, while G. eurystoma on average had a lower CTmax when oxygen was absent. Based on this data we calculated both species' thermal safety margins and used a TDT (thermal death time) model framework to relate our experimental data to observed temperatures in the natural habitat. Our findings suggest that both species live near their thermal limits during the annual dry season and are locally already exposed to temperatures above their critical thermal limits. We discuss these findings in the light of possible physiological adaptions of the sulfur-adapted fish species and the anthropogenic threats for this unique system.

Zooplankton biodiversity and temporal dynamics (2005-2015) in a coastal station in western Portugal (Northeastern Atlantic Ocean).

Long-term monitoring of zooplankton assemblages provides essential knowledge to assess key factors impacting marine ecosystems. Despite the importance of this type of data, monitoring stations worldwide are spatially and temporally limited due to the difficulty of maintaining them. In the northeastern Atlantic area, Cascais-Watch is one monitoring site operating since 2005, despite some constraints throughout the years, and has allowed the collection of important data on the zooplankton communities of the area. The present work summarizes the knowledge collected until 2015 on the biodiversity and dynamics of zooplankton in the site. The results showed a year-round high productivity of the zooplankton abundance, biomass and diversity for the area, with no significant general trends or periodicity, despite the relatively lower winter and higher spring values. The results revealed two main transition periods with marked changes in species composition and dominance of the most abundant taxa. This shift was tentatively attributed to the extended annual dry season verified in Portugal after 2011, the low values of upwelling and precipitation, and the warmer waters. The zooplankton abundance presented an interannual increase for spring periods, and the proportion of Copepoda, the dominant taxa, was lower during summer months, corresponding to increased abundances of Mollusca, Diplostraca (Cladocera) and Cnidaria. In particular, the study shows an increasing abundance of the gelatinous species (particularly Cnidaria) for spring/summer months in recent years, suggesting changes in primary production and prey dynamics. Other relevant tendencies were the higher abundance of meroplankton, such as Bivalvia and fish larvae/eggs, and the decreasing trend in the abundance of the meroplanktonic coastal crustaceans, Decapoda and Cirripedia taxa, highlighting possible changes in the benthic coastal populations in the study region. The present study highlights probable changes and trends in the zooplankton community that should be monitored in the following years.

Ancient Maya reservoirs, constructed wetlands, and future water needs

The Classic Maya (c. 250 to 900 CE) in the tropical southern lowlands of Central America dealt with water scarcity during annual dry seasons and periods of climate instability via sophisticated urban reservoir systems they relied on for over a thousand years. Surface water is limited because typically rain percolates through the karstic terrain. I posit that Maya reservoirs functioned as do constructed wetlands (CWs) at present. Still-water systems like CWs and Maya reservoirs can become stagnant and nonpotable due to the build-up of nutrients that promote algal growth. Stagnant waters also serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread endemic diseases. CWs keep water clean via certain aquatic plants since all plants uptake nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) and decomposing plant matter supports microbial biofilms that break down nutrients. CWs also support diverse zooplankton that prey on pathogens and bacteria that assist to denitrify water. CWs do not require the use of chemicals or fossil fuels and after the initial labor-intensive output become self-cleaning and self-sufficient with some maintenance. I posit that the Maya used a diverse array of aquatic plants and other biota to keep water clean in the same manner as do CWs, which I demonstrate using evidence from excavations and settlement maps, sediment cores and current wetlands, and the iconographic and hieroglyphic records. The next step is to combine what we know about ancient Maya reservoirs in conjunction with what is currently known about CWs to better address future water needs.

Nanocrystal-induced chronic tubular-nephropathy in tropical countries: diagnosis, mitigation, and eradication

In tropical countries, a mysterious tubulo-interstitial chronic renal disease (CKD), unrelated to diabetes, hypertension, and immunological causes, manifested four decades ago. Approximately 25,000 primarily middle-aged male farmers succumb annually to this crystal-tubular nephropathy (CTN). Without any known causative factors, it was identified as CKD of unknown aetiology (CKDu). Because multiple factors contribute to causing it later, was changed to CKD of multi-factorial (CKDmfo). Despite no evidence, it was hypothesised to cause by agrochemicals or heavy metals in food or drinking contaminated water. However, current data suggest that the CKD-CTN is due to natural geogenic water contamination. Consumption of concentrated stagnant groundwater from deep-dug wells and tube wells containing hard water and fluoride, overdecades is necessary for its clinical manifestations. In all affected countries have prolonged annual dry seasons that led to the evopo-concentration of ions and minerals in groundwater, making hard water even more unpalatable, thus, peasants consume lesser amounts of water. They develop chronic dehydration from daily exposure to hot climatic conditions aggravated by regular alcohol intake. These conditions provide a highly conducive environment—a perfect storm for calcium phosphate (CaPO4) crystal formation in renal tissues. Our recent histological and preliminary electron microscopic data reveal deposition of CaPO4 crystals and nano-tubes in kidneys. While CaPO4 nano-minerals are unstable, the presence of fluoride ions stabilises and allows their growth. This new concept paves the path for highly cost-effective, straightforward local solutions to protect farm workers and eliminate the disease, without embarking on expensive medications, interventions, or building hospitals. Chronic dehydration-associated CKD–CTN is preventable by increased consumption of potable water. Increasing clean water consumption reduces CKD–CTN incidence, and associated morbidities and premature deaths. However, the damage becomes irreversible when the disease advances beyond CKD stage IIIB. The incidence of this deadly renal failure can be prevented by its education, lifestyle changes, and increased water consumption, not by treating the renal disease or expanding dialysis centres/hospitals, or transplantation services. Eradication of CKD-CTN cost significantly less than the current approach of treating affected persons and unnecessarily expanding health infrastructure. Since the manifestation of CKD-CTN is due to consuming naturally contaminated drinking water (with calcium containing hard water and fluoride), it is not difficult to remove these to prevent CKD-CTN: thus, international assistance is unwarranted for its eradication. The straightforward approaches described here will prevent CKD–CTN and save thousands of lives in affected farming communities.

SOWING PERIOD AND ESTIMATED MAIZE PRODUCTION FOR SILAGE UNDER TROPICAL CONDITIONS

In Brazil, livestock activity is affected by the seasonality of forage supply, which depends on the distribution of rainfall. The use of silage is one of the strategies to solve the problem during the annual dry season. The objective of this study was to use modeling to assess the productivity and quality of the maize silage in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The CSM-CERES-Maize model was used to simulate maize silage production in 18 counties, at 52 sowing dates distributed throughout the year, with and without the use of irrigation. Absence of rainfall during the harvest period was also used as criterion to define the best sowing date in each county. In general, the best sowing dates were concentrated in October and February, respectively, for rainfed water supply and irrigated condition. The maize silage productivity under rainfed condition presented greater interannual variability and lower quality in comparison to that obtained under irrigated conditions. Under optimal soil-water conditions, climatic factors such as temperature and solar radiation are determinant to crop performance.

The genome of Shorea leprosula (Dipterocarpaceae) highlights the ecological relevance of drought in aseasonal tropical rainforests

Hyperdiverse tropical rainforests, such as the aseasonal forests in Southeast Asia, are supported by high annual rainfall. Its canopy is dominated by the species-rich tree family of Dipterocarpaceae (Asian dipterocarps), which has both ecological (e.g., supports flora and fauna) and economical (e.g., timber production) importance. Recent ecological studies suggested that rare irregular drought events may be an environmental stress and signal for the tropical trees. We assembled the genome of a widespread but near threatened dipterocarp, Shorea leprosula, and analyzed the transcriptome sequences of ten dipterocarp species representing seven genera. Comparative genomic and molecular dating analyses suggested a whole-genome duplication close to the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event followed by the diversification of major dipterocarp lineages (i.e. Dipterocarpoideae). Interestingly, the retained duplicated genes were enriched for genes upregulated by no-irrigation treatment. These findings provide molecular support for the relevance of drought for tropical trees despite the lack of an annual dry season.

Effectiveness Analysis of Canal Blocking in Sub-peatland Hydrological Unit 5 and 6 Kahayan Sebangau, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

The height of canal blocking has a significant influence on re-wetting peatland, depending on the canal’s distance. An effective canal in good condition has to raise the groundwater table to -0.4 m below ground level according to the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MENLHK). The effectiveness of different canal blockings was modeled by Freewat software with variation of canal distance (200 m, 250 m, 300 m, 350 m, and 400 m) and blocking height (0.2 m, 0.3 m, 0.4 m, 0.5 m, 0.6 m). This simulation was carried out using recharge and evapotranspiration data covering 20 years. The input of the conductivity value was done using 50 m/day according to the calibration. From the modeling, 0.6 m high canal blockings give a satisfactory result at every canal distance. The study took place during the annual dry season, when recharge was almost zero and average evapotranspiration was 6 mm/day. Adjusting the canal blocking to a maximum of 0.6 m and the canal distance to 400 m, the groundwater table slowly rose 0.38 m and it took 30 days to reach full-re-wetting capacity. This study revealed that the effectiveness of canal blocking is directly related to evapotranspiration and recharge, which has a positive correlation with the groundwater rise and the re-wetting period.

The aquatic species Pontederia azurea and P. crassipes (Pontederiaceae) in the Pantanal, Brazil: evidence of how plant structure can simultaneously reflect phylogeny and ecology

Hydric fluctuations in the Pantanal comprise annual dry and wet seasons that modify local diversity and plant morphology and anatomy. Widespread in this wetland are the sympatric Pontederia azurea and P. crassipes, which, although primarily aquatic, can also develop in non-flooded environments. This study undertook a comparative investigation of the qualitative and quantitative phenotypic responses and strategies of these two species (regarding life-form and leaf morpho-anatomy) in moderately dry and aquatic environments in the Pantanal. Field observations, conventional methods in plant anatomy, and leaf biometry were performed, followed by statistical analyses. Phenotypic responses, such as the decreased size of lacunae, increased lignification of vessel elements, and storage of starch granules, are the most prominent responses associated with moderately dry environments. The ability of petioles to elongate and inflate seems to be closely related to specific morphological patterns of each species. In contrast, petiole length, leaf blade dimensions, size of lacunae, and lignification rates seem to be somewhat associated with water level fluctuations. Our results provide evidence of how plant structure can simultaneously reflect phylogeny and ecology, thus supporting further investigations into phenotypic plasticity.

Landsat-7 ETM+ Based Remote Sensing as a Tool for Assessing Lakes Water Quality Characteristics

The article describes a new method using remote sensing techniques to set the mathematical models that allow the estimation of the most relevant parameters for water quality monitored in Laguna de Sonso lake, Valle del Cauca, determined using Landsat-7 ETM+ multispectral images. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and Total Phosphorus (P) are the parameters chosen for this study. The annual dry and wet seasons were defined, from 2010 to 2017, with a total of 70 images. It was necessary to carry out a process of masking the water Buchón (Eichhornia crassipes) and replacing pixels using the statistical average of the two established annual seasons. For the case of Chl-a, the NDI ratio between the red and near-infrared (NIR) bands was the best correlated with an ; for turbidity, a regression with the red band, with an ; for DO, the ratio with the highest correlation was a simple ratio (SR) between the green and blue bands, with an ; and for P, a regression of the NIR band was enough, presenting an . Finally, the adjusted mathematical models were obtained for each established parameter, allowing the estimation of each parameter to monitor the lagoon water quality using images from the ETM+ sensor.

Diurnal Variations in Water Potential and Gas Exchanges in Two-Hybrid Oil Palms Under Water Deficit

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) presents considerable sensitivity to water deficit and the identification of stress-tolerant hybrids is a strategy to improve the adaptation and growth of plants throughout the annual dry seasons. For this reason, we examined possible differences in water deficit tolerance in two oil palm hybrids (BRS Manicoré and BRS C 2501) subjected to moderate drought conditions. The comparison of hybrids was performed using diurnal curves of leaf water potential (Ψw), gas exchanges, and biochemical variables, such as chloroplast pigments and enzymes analysis. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 2 × 2 × 13 factorial scheme resulting from the combination of two hybrids versus two water regimes, and thirteen evaluation schedules. Regardless of the water regime, the maximum average value of net assimilation rates of CO2 (A), stomatal conductance to water vapor (gs), and water use efficiency (A/E) in both hybrids was registered at 8 h. Peaks of A, gs, and A/E coincided with milder climatic conditions during the morning. While decreases in these variables were observed with increases in air temperature and vapor pressure deficit between leaf and atmosphere throughout the day. The water deficit induced significant increases in the total carotenoids levels of BRS C 2501 (62%) and BRS Manicoré (220%), while chlorophyll a content was significantly reduced only in BRS C 2501 (36%) and chlorophyll b only in Manicoré (34%). It also mediated significant increases in the activities of glycolate and catalase oxidase in both hybrids; however, such increases were more expressive in BRS C 2501 than in BRS Manicoré. In conclusion, it can be inferred that BRS Manicoré presents more favorable physiological and biochemical responses to the water deficit imposed compared to BRS C 2501.

Annual and interannual complementarities of renewable energy sources in Colombia

The Colombian power sector is highly dependent on hydroelectricity, making it vulnerable to both annual dry seasons and the droughts brought by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). One efficient way to reduce such vulnerabilities is by introducing renewable energies that may complement the availability of hydroelectricity. This paper explores the degree of complementarity between solar and wind resources in Colombia and the country's hydropower sector, on both annual and interannual scales. Various correlation analyses are performed over four climatic variables: water inputs (runoff), precipitation, solar radiation, and wind speed, plus the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), which helps to characterize ENSO events. The analysis is carried out over different geographic locations and seasons. The results indicate that solar and wind resources, particularly those in the Caribbean Coast and the central Andes regions, complement the hydropower sector during both the dry seasons of the annual climatological cycle and ENSO's warm and cold phases. Also, they show that complementarity varies, not just with the type of sources and location, but also with the seasons of the year and ENSO's stage of development. This paper provides an enhanced perspective on the behavior of renewables and offers an alternative viewpoint for designing the future expansion of power systems.

Bark water vapour conductance is associated with drought performance in tropical trees

Bark water vapour conductance (gbark) is a rarely considered functional trait. However, for the few tree species measured to date, it appears high enough to create stem water deficits associated with mortality during droughts, when access to water is limited. I tested whether gbark correlates with stem water deficit during drought conditions in two datasets of tropical trees: one of saplings in forest understories during an annual dry season and one of potted saplings in a shadehouse during extreme drought conditions. Among all 14 populations of eight species measured, gbark varied more than 10-fold (0.86-12.98 mmol m-2 s-1). In the forest understories, gbark was highly correlated with stem water deficit among four deciduous species, but not among evergreen species that likely maintained access to soil water. In the shadehouse, gbark was positively correlated with stem water deficit and mortality among all six species. Overall, tree species with higher gbark suffer higher stem water deficit when soil water is unavailable. Incorporating gbark into soil-plant-atmosphere hydrodynamic models may improve projections of plant mortality under drought conditions.

An angiosperm woodland in the Javelina Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Big Bend National Park, Texas, U.S.A.

Part of a paleo-forest comprised of eight in situ permineralized tree stumps is preserved in the Javelina Formation (middle Maastrichtian, c. 69 Ma) near Alamo Creek in western Big Bend National Park. The stumps are rooted in an immature organic-rich paleosol resembling a modernday Aquept, developed in a landscape depression subject to gleization with a shallow fluctuating groundwater table. Seven of the stumps pertain to the dicotyledonous angiosperm Metcalfeoxylon, and one is a cuppressoid/podocarpoid conifer, indicating that is part of a mixed conifer-dicot forest. The site exhibits a woodland architecture, with stands of closely spaced trees separated on average by 10 m, and open gaps over 100 m in between. Trunk diameters vary from 33 to 97 cm, with estimated crown heights from 23 to 48 m, and represent trees of varied ages in a mature forest. Irregular growth rings are developed in the conifer wood, but absent in the Metcalfeoxylon woods. The local climate may have had one or more annual dry seasons, and the conifers were either more susceptible to moisture stress, or genetically predisposed to express growth rings more markedly than the contemporaneous dicots. Metcalfeoxylon is also the dominant tree type at another paleo-forest preserved near McKinney Spring in the underlying Aguja Formation (late Campanian, c. 75 Ma). Metcalfeoxylon may have grown preferentially in low-lying riparian environments subject to flooding and burial by alluvial overbank deposits, thus favorable to preservation of the stumps in situ. A deficiency of precipitation, along perhaps with browsing pressure exerted by dinosaur herbivores, may have been responsible for maintaining the open woodland physiognomy evident at both sites.

Does variable channel morphology lead to dynamic salmon habitat?

AbstractStream channel morphology forms the template upon which hydraulic aspects of aquatic habitat are created, yet spatial and temporal variability in habitat imposed by changing morphology is not well understood. This paper presents a conceptual model linking sediment supply patterns to spatial and temporal variability in channel form and aquatic habitat. To evaluate this model, change over time in three habitat variables is quantified using a 2D hydrodynamic modeling approach. A 45‐year record of topographic data from Carnation Creek, a catchment in coastal British Columbia, is used for the flow modeling. Using the Nays2DH modeling platform, water depths and velocities are simulated in eight channel segments located at different positions relative to locations of historical colluvial input using seven flow levels ranging from 3% to 400% of mean annual discharge (0.02 to 3.31 m s ). Results indicate that habitat availability changes through time as a result of sediment supply‐driven changes to channel morphology and wood loads, but patterns in habitat vary as a function of dominant channel segment morphology. Spatial and temporal variability in morphology also influences the relationship between habitat availability and river discharge, leading to non‐stationary habitat‐discharge rating curves. When habitat areas are predicted by applying these curves to daily flow series spanning annual dry seasons, over 50% of the variance in cumulative seasonal habitat area can be explained by year‐to‐year changes in channel morphology and wood loading, indicating that changing morphology is an important factor for driving temporal habitat variability. This variance is related to the morphological variability of a channel segment, which in turn is associated with the segment position relative to zones of colluvial input. Collectively, these results suggest that variability in habitat is impacted by channel morphology, and can be evaluated partly on the basis of a channel's sediment supply regime. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PENENTUAN TINGKAT BAHAYA EROSI DALAM RANGKA MENENTUKAN PRIORITAS REHABILITASI LAHAN DI BUKIT TANGKILING, KALIMANTAN TENGAH (The Erosion Levels in Order to Determine the Rehabilitation Priority in Bukit Tangkiling, Central Kalimantan)

ABSTRACTThe Nature Recreation Parks of Bukit Tangkiling is placed at the Bukit Batu Sub-District, Palangka Raya City, it has the variation of topography that dominated by vegetables (agriculture crops), scrub, bushes, and secondary forest. Its site must be managed carefully in order to totality conservation of biodiversity and its landscape. The aim of this research is to calculate the erosions at the each site of the Bukit Tangkiling Nature Recreation Parks and also it make the distribution map of erosion. The research using USLE method (Wishmeier dan Smith, 1978). Research result showed that vegetables at the site consist of string bean, eggplant, cassava, etc. There were wild-grassland and critical lands that be caused by annual dry-season. The mean annual precipitation namely 27.453 cm, with its maximal at the December namely 45.73 cm; and its minimal at the August, namely 12.08 cm. The mean rains namely 16.9479 days per month with its maximal at the December, namely 24.87 day per month; and its minimum at the September, namely 8.75 day per month. The high value of length and slope is 3.389867 that resulted by vegetable of string bean whereas the lowest value is 1.796597 that resulted by the critical land. The value of management plants and conservation action are 0.7 to 1.
 Keywords: Erosion, conservation, Bukit Tangkiling, vegetables

Spectral mixture analysis in Google Earth Engine to model and delineate fire scars over a large extent and a long time-series in a rainforest-savanna transition zone

Fire is used worldwide to clear natural vegetation areas for economic activities and to manage the regeneration of already opened sites. In Brazil, fire has been traditionally used to convert natural vegetation areas to agricultural lands (slash and burn) and to manage pastures for livestock. We developed the Burned Area Spectral Mixture Analysis (BASMA) algorithm in Google Earth Engine, which is designed to process Landsat data to produce a multi-temporal fire scar database representing annual burned area for an extent of 362,000 km2 in the transition zone between the Amazon forest and the Cerrado biome. This region is considered a conservation hotspot, given its high deforestation rates over the last four decades. We digitally processed a 32-year time-series (1985 to 2017) of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper+, and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager data to map fire scars based on sub-pixel char fraction, aiming to generate a consistent burned area product at a finer scale and covering a longer period than those currently available for the region. Manually interpreted reference burned area polygons for each annual mosaic was used to guide the definition of the best fire scar endmember and its fraction threshold. To assess our BASMA-delineated fire scar, they were compared to independent datasets of manually delineated burned area produced by visual analysis of finer spatial resolution imagery, returning an average Dice Coefficient value of 0.86. Accuracy was also measured against the 30-meter Burned Area product available at the ‘Queimadas’ data portal. A total of 11,106,258 ha was mapped as having been affected by fire during the annual dry season over the 32 years, which represents 30.7% of the study region. Results showed a decreasing trend in the annual amount of burned area over the time-series. It reflects a similar pattern shown in the deforestation rate for the Legal Amazon, measured by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research - INPE. Moreover, the Cerrado biome subset of the study region consistently showed higher burned area when compared to the Amazon forest subset. Our findings provide robust evidence that our approach is a consistent method to identify and delineate fire scars for large areas over a long time-series in a very efficient fashion, given the digital processing power of Google Earth Engine, which reduces the time necessary to analyze such big amount of data.

Climate change lengthens southeastern USA lightning-ignited fire seasons.

Trends in average annual or seasonal precipitation are insufficient for detecting changes in the climatic fire season, especially in regions where the fire season is defined by wet-dry seasonal cycles and lightning activity. Using an extensive dataset (1897-2017) in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States, we examined changes in annual dry season length, total precipitation, and (since 1945) the seasonal distribution of thunder-days as a correlate of lightning activity. We found that across the entire region, the dry season has lengthened by as much as 156days (130% over 120years), both starting earlier and ending later with less total precipitation. Less rainfall over a longer dry season, with no change in seasonal thunderstorm patterns, likely increases both the potential for lightning-ignited wildfires and fire severity. Global climate change could be having a hitherto undetected influence on fire regimes by altering the synchrony of climatic seasonal parameters.

Modelling surface runoff using the soil conservation service-curve number method in a drought prone agro-ecological zone in Rwanda

Runoff farming is reported to improve land productivity and crop yields in hot and dry climates. This study was conducted to assess the available rainwater that can be harvested in a conserved catchment in a drought prone agro-ecological zone. The study was carried out in the Cyili sub-catchment, southern province of Rwanda, which has an irregular rainfall pattern and unexploited runoff water. Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number method (SCS-CN), CROPWAT model version 8 and Hazen model with an average daily rainfall data recorded from 1971 to 2016 were applied to estimate the runoff and water requirements in the study area. Findings of the study revealed that more than half rainfall water received in the catchment was lost through runoff (229.8 mm) and effective rainfall was lower (246.9 mm) than the actual crop water requirement for maize (330 mm). The expected seasonal surface runoff volume to be harvested by the farmers was 3008 m3 ha−1 per season and 1.29 × 106 m3 per season for the entire whole sub-catchment (430 ha). Based on Hazen model, the return period of low rainfall (dry spell) event would be expected every 2 years with a 98% probability of occurrence. Cyili sub-catchment has higher potential runoff volume to stabilize the deficit of water demand in the period of short rainy season. This suggests that rainwater harvesting through supplementary irrigation is an option to improve the crop yield in the dry period as well as in the annual dry season.

Designing topographic heterogeneity for tidal wetland restoration

Topographic heterogeneity affects abiotic and biotic components of vegetated ecosystems and has the potential to provide functions and services such as promoting floral and faunal biodiversity. Yet, few studies have documented the design, implementation, and outcomes of mound-type features in estuarine and tidal freshwater wetland restoration projects. Here we report data from a synoptic survey of soil temperature and moisture on mounds at tidal wetland restoration sites in the Pacific Northwest, together with the results of a literature review, and the insights of regional restoration practitioners regarding ecological and practical considerations for mound construction. Few papers reviewed addressed conditions for plant establishment on mounds, such as soil moisture, which is important in climates with annual dry seasons, like the Pacific Northwest. We report 2015 data on soil moisture and temperature for the tops, sides, and toes of 15 mounds constructed between 2001 and 2013 of fill dirt, or dirt and logs, at 5 tidal wetland restoration sites. Two of the restoration projects studied are located in the lower Columbia River and estuary, one is in the Puget Sound, and two are in outer Pacific coastal estuaries in Oregon. The heights of mounds ranged from 0.5 m to 1.5 m above the marsh plain, and the area of individual mounds ranged from 21 m2 to 5185 m2, while most published information treated somewhat smaller topographic features (termed mounds, hummocks, tussocks, ridges, levees, fans, or terraces). Differences in the minimum and maximum values of moisture between the toe and the top of mound in summer ranged from 2.9% to 40%. Statistical analysis strongly suggested stratification of soil moisture by elevation. Analysis of soil temperature was less conclusive, but temperature appeared to be positively correlated with elevation. Soil moisture relative to mound aspect (cardinal direction) was significant in some cases, but inconsistent between mounds. We also report our observations from a third recent restoration project on the tidal Columbia River, and observations made by other practitioners who have designed and installed mounds from San Francisco Bay to northern Puget Sound. Our findings will support design of wetland restoration sites where topographic heterogeneity is an objective.

Groundwater recharge indicator as tool for decision makers to increase socio-hydrological resilience to seasonal drought

Communities in regions with seasonal rainfall face annual dry seasons, during which water shortages and conflicts between different water use sectors may erupt. These difficulties increase following wet seasons with low rainfall, such as in relation to El Niño events in the wet-dry tropics of Central America. Hydrologic data are typically scarce in this region, making the development of drought adaptation strategies challenging. Many communities in the region depend on groundwater as their primary water source. For instance in the Province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica, groundwater supplied 78% of the total domestic water demand in 2015 and groundwater recharge from the wet season provides the primary water supply for the subsequent dry season. In this research we present a ‘groundwater recharge indicator’ that can support water managers in preparing for seasonal droughts. We developed this tool for an aquifer in northwestern Costa Rica where we conducted hydrological monitoring of streams and groundwater levels for 2.5 years, obtained further hydrological data (groundwater levels from 2005 to 2016), and worked with communities to assemble water use data. We combined these datasets in a hydrologic model (the Water Evaluation And Planning system, WEAP) and modelled groundwater recharge from 2005 to 2016, permitting a characterization of the relationship between rainfall and groundwater recharge. The groundwater recharge indicator is based on this relationship, and allows estimating total groundwater recharge for a wet season from cumulative rainfall measured to date. The indicator permits water managers to assess if the current year will likely fall into a low recharge category prior to the end of the wet season. This information can then be used to trigger short-term adaptation strategies with the goal to ‘bank’ groundwater while surface water sources are still available in the wet season. This indicator-based tool was refined through feedback provided in local stakeholder workshops. We also assessed the overall accuracy of predicting end-of-wet-season groundwater recharge with cumulative rainfall to date, and found that after the first 2–3 months of the wet season, prediction accuracies are high, leaving 5–6 months of wet season to respond adaptively to the prediction. The indicator can help water managers to plan ahead, and communicate the need for water conservation (demand management) and consideration of other water sources such as rain and surface water (supply management). This idea is transferable to other communities in regions with seasonal rainfall, and can support decision makers in increasing the socio-hydrological resilience of communities to seasonal droughts.