Annual Life Cycle Research Articles

Techno-economic assessment of an industrial prosumer with biomass investment and time varying tariffs: An Australian case study

This paper investigates the potential for a value chain framework to deliver impact through innovation across the timber manufacturing process. A new and efficient combustion technology that converts timber waste to energy is considered for this study. The framework to estimate the new energy costs and savings derived from the new technology, compared with current supply and demand scenarios, as well as the value generated by waste streams. The opportunity of selling excess energy to the grid or local area has been investigated. Two alternatives of time-varying tariffs and time-varying tariffs with biomass, are used for assessing the costs. According to the numerical results, tariff 3, with 25,000 tonnes of biomass feedstock per year, is the best option for the mill. The price efficiency index is reduced by approximately 40% compared to this option’s usual business. In addition, the investor can save the whole energy bill compared to the current business as usual. The investor could make a profit of $460,401 per year by selling energy to the grid. The annual saving is around six times higher than the savings gained using a time-varying tariff alone. However, this option requires $1,811,635 as annual life cycle cost, with a payback period of ten years. The lowest levelised cost of energy of 0.14 c/kWh is also obtained for this option.

Transcriptomic data support phylogenetic congruence and reveal genomic changes associated with the repeated evolution of annualism in aplocheiloid killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes)

Repeated evolution of novel life histories that are correlated with ecological variables offers opportunities to study convergence in genetic, developmental, and metabolic features. Nearly half of the 800 species of Aplocheiloid killifishes, a clade of teleost fishes with a circumtropical distribution, are “annual” or seasonal species that survive in ephemeral bodies of water that desiccate and are unfeasible for growth, reproduction, or survival for weeks to months every year. But the repeated evolution of adaptations that are key features of the annual life history among these fishes remains poorly known without a robust phylogenetic framework. We present a large-scale phylogenomic reconstruction of aplocheiloid killifishes evolution using newly sequenced transcriptomes obtained from a diversity of killifish lineages representing putative independent origins of annualism. Ancestral state estimation shows that developmental dormancy (diapause), a key trait of the killifish annual life cycle, may have originated up to seven times independently among African and South American lineages. To further explore the genetic basis of this unique trait, we measure changes in evolutionary rates among orthologous genes across the killifish tree of life by quantifying codon evolution using dN/dS ratios. We show that some genes have higher dN/dS ratios in lineages leading to species with annual life history. Many of them constitute key developmental genes or nuclear-encoded metabolic genes that control oxidative phosphorylation. Lastly, we compare these genes with higher ω to genes previously associated to developmental dormancy and metabolic shifts in killifishes and other vertebrates, and thereby identify molecular evolutionary signatures of repeated transitions to extreme environments.

Tracking Existing Factors Directly Affecting the Reproduction of Bumblebees: Current Knowledge.

Bumblebees are primary social insects and a vital class of pollinating insects. Their distinctive reproductive mode is characterized by the independent initiation and construction of the nest by the queen and the subsequent production of sufficient workers, males, and gynes following colony development. After successful mating, the queen transitions to the first phase of its annual life cycle. The reproductive processes are directly influenced by environmental factors, including floral resources and pesticides. Moreover, the reproductive level is regulated by biological factors, particularly the role of workers, who participate in egg laying and pass on their genetic material to the next generation of queens. Successful reproduction can only be achieved by maintaining colony development under natural or artificial breeding conditions. Consequently, understanding the known factors that influence bumblebee reproduction is essential for developing conservation strategies for wild bumblebees and for successfully breeding diverse bumblebee species. Breeding various bumblebee species is crucial for in-depth research into known factors and for further exploration of other potential factors, which will also help to meet the demand for pollination in agricultural facilities globally.

Weed phytosociology survey in a Brazilian native pineapple, variety Turiaçu

The native pineapple variety Turiaçu holds significant market value and substantial export potential in comparison to other traditional pineapple varieties. Despite its economic importance, there is limited research on weed management for pineapple Turiaçu. Weed interference poses a threat to various crops at different phenological stages. This study had two primary objectives: (1) to assess the dynamics of weeds in a Turiaçu pineapple orchard across different climatic seasons and (2) to determine the critical control phase for weed management. We conducted weed phytosociological surveys during the dry, transition, and rainy seasons. Conventional methods were employed in 20 samples per season, evaluating relative density, relative frequency, relative abundance, importance value index, and Soresen's similarity index. Our findings revealed the presence of 32 weed species, spanning 24 genera and 12 botanical families, predominantly eudicotyledonous (78%), with an annual life cycle (50%) and sexual reproduction (78%). Seasonal variations significantly influenced the weed community, with a 500% increase in the number of species during the rainy season compared to the dry season. Based on our observations, we recommend implementing soil cover methods for controlling the weed seed bank. This approach is crucial in all seasons, with particular emphasis on the transition season, characterized by a relatively short and latent weed community that is more easily manageable.

Enhanced resilience in urban stormwater management through model predictive control and optimal layout schemes under extreme rainfall events

Optimizing the layout of urban stormwater management systems is an effective method for mitigating the risk of urban flooding under extreme storms. However, traditional approaches that consider only economic costs or annual runoff control rates cannot dynamically respond to the uncertainties of extreme weather, making it difficult to completely avoid large accumulations of water and flooding in a short period. This study proposes an integrated method combining system layout optimization and Model Predictive Control(MPC)to enhance the system's resilience and effectiveness in flood control. An optimization framework was initially built to identify optimal system layouts, balancing annual average life cycle cost (AALCC) and resilience index. The MPC was then applied to the optimal layout selected using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method, aiming to alleviate inundation cost-effectively. The adaptability of MPC to varying sets of control horizons and its efficacy in managing the hydrograph and flood dynamics of urban drainage system were examined. Conducted in Yubei, Chongqing, this study revealed patterns in optimal layout fronts among various extreme design rainfalls, showing that peak position rate and return period significantly influence system resilience. The contribution of MPC to the optimal system layout was particularly notable, resulting in improved instantaneous and overall flood mitigation. The application of MPC increased the resilience index by an average of 0.0485 and offered cost savings of 0.0514 million yuan in AALCC. Besides, our findings highlighted the importance of selecting an optimal set of control horizons for MPC, which could reduce maximum flood depth from 0.43m to 0.19m and decrease conduit peak flow by up to 14% at a flood-prone downstream location.

Agrivoltaics system for sustainable agriculture and green energy in Bangladesh

Solar photovoltaic generation has become the dominant global method of producing renewable electricity around the globe. However, solar PV farms require a considerable amount of land. Agrivoltaics has been a promising field of interest recently as this system maximizes the land's utilization by producing crops beneath the photovoltaics panels. This paper proposes a new agrivoltaics system that simultaneously produces crops and electrical power by installing PV panels on agricultural land in such a way that the production of regular crops does not get curtailed and can still grow around and beneath the panels, avoiding any reduction in crop yield. The architectural design of the proposed mounting structure and the installation method are discussed, ensuring full utilization of the land area under the panel with no crop limitations. Bangladesh is considered a case study location as its economy is mostly dependent on agriculture. The country started allocating enormous amounts of farmland for solar photovoltaic farms to mitigate the energy crisis. After a preliminary survey, an agrivoltaics system was designed, developed and installed in the Chuadanga District of Bangladesh. Then a detailed techno-economic analysis was performed to evaluate the feasibility and economic viability of the implemented agrivoltaics project. A comparative analysis of seven different scenarios is demonstrated in terms of equity payback, internal rate of return, modified internal rate of return, net present value, annual life cycle savings, and benefit-cost ratio to determine the optimum agrivoltaics approach as well as to showcase the superiority of the proposed system. The results demonstrate that the proposed agrivoltaics system achieves full land utilization, by producing crops along with electricity generation with the lowest payback period, highest profit margin, and highest benefit-cost ratio over the project lifetime.

A new scheme for low-carbon recycling of urban and rural organic waste based on carbon footprint assessment: A case study in China

Organic waste treatment is a major driver of global carbon emissions, thus its low-carbon utilization is essential yet unclear. Through a life cycle assessment of organic waste data from 34 provincial-level regions in China, we have determined that the synergistic and integrated utilization scheme (URIRP) with organic fertilizer and biochar as the primary products can reduce the annual life cycle carbon emissions from 6.9 Mt CO2e to 2.83 Mt CO2e. This reduction can offset 6% of the carbon emissions from the electricity industry mainly through carbon sequestration by application of biochar-based fertilizer, and fossil fuel displacement by bio-energy. Moreover, URIRP can promote the recycling of N and P, reduce annual emission of air pollutants by 866 Mt, and increase topsoil organic matter content by 0.25‰ and economic efficiency by 135%. These findings indicate that URIRP could realize sustainable management of UROSW with significant environmental and economic benefits, and contribute to the realization of China’s carbon neutrality goal.

Transcritical CO2 system with two-stage throttling for supermarkets: Field tests, energy and emission performance assessment in China

Transcritical CO2 system is eco-friendly for the application of refrigeration and cooling in supermarket. To evaluate the applicability of transcritical CO2 supermarket refrigeration system in China with different climate regions, this study focuses on the field tests of a transcritical CO2 two-stage throttling system in a supermarket in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Furthermore, based on the tested data, the system energy and emissions performance models of four system configurations are also developed and validated, including the system integrated with an internal heat exchanger, a parallel compression, and mechanically assisted subcooling. In order to improve the usability of the system in different climatic zones, 40 cities were selected for calculation in China. Five representative cities (Beijing, Harbin, Xiamen, Chongqing, and Kunming) located in different climate regions of China are selected, and the annual performance factor and life cycle climate performance (LCCP) are determined to evaluate the application potential of the CO2 refrigeration systems in different climate conditions. The tested results show the operation mode of transcritical and subcritical changes occurs at an ambient temperature of about 27 °C, at which the coefficient of performance (COP), compressor discharge pressure and discharge temperature change dramatically. The simulation results demonstrate that the mechanical subcooling system shows the best performance. The annual performance factor can be improved by 18.69 % when the mechanical subcooling is adopted. For the case of the system used in Xiamen by using mechanical subcooling, the carbon emissions can be reduced by 19.3 %.

Rooting for growth: Meta-analyzing the role of Endophytic fungi in plant growth

Endophytic fungi are a polyphyletic group of fungi that colonize inter or intracellular spaces of plants establishing mutually beneficial relationship with plants. As they present a high potential for plant growth, they are often objective of biotechnological development, especially for their use in agriculture. However, a broader perspective of its effect remains unclear. So, this study aimed to analyze, through a meta-analytical review, the general effects of these organisms as plant growth promoters. The Scopus database was used, with the terms ((endophy* AND fung*) AND ("plant growth" OR "plant development" OR bioinoculant OR "biological inoculant")). The documents were filtered to keep only thos e relevant to the study, and statistical data was collected and analyzed using MetaWin software. Fifty-eight studies with 1004 tests were found. The effects were generally positive, i.e., the endophytic fungi could stimulate plant productivity in the tested plants (Effect size: +0.2784). It was possible to see that the endophytes had the best results when used in the soil, on plants in the monocot group, and on those with an annual life cycle. Fungi from the Saccharomycetes class performed best, especially regarding increasing plant height. Thus, endophytic fungi are promising candidates for plant growth, and further studies are required to understand the patterns with the best results.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Off-Grid PV Solar System for Residential Building Load: A Case Study in Baidoa, Somalia

Currently, the majority of the Somali population does not have access to a regular source of power. The country does not have a national grid, relying on outdated, costly and inefficient diesel generators. The energy consumption in Somalia is dependent on firewood and charcoal, dependencies that rely on deforestation and desertification, which negatively influence the agricultural sector and also the environment. In this work, the potential of solar power in Somalia is assessed while estimating the cost of solar panels per household. This study aims to assess the cost, ecological and economic efficiency of the off-grid PV home system in residential buildings in Baidoa, Somalia. A stand-alone solar home system of 1.98kW PV capacity with battery backup is designed by using HOMER software. The daily primary load considered is 7.530 kWh, with a peak of the nominal power of 1.60 kW. The results show that renewable energy sources can replace conventional energy sources and that they would be a viable solution for generating electrical energy in residential houses in Baidoa with a reasonable investment. It was also found that the amount of power produced by solar panels is 7,400kWh/year. With an initial investment of $5580, the annualized life cycle cost of the system is $0.483, the payback period of initial investment is 2 years and 7 months period, and the net present cost (NPC) of the project is $18,684.

The complete genome sequence of the protogynous hermaphrodite North American annual killifish Millerichthys robustus (Rivulidae, Cyprinodontiformes).

The Mexican Rivulus, Millerichthys robustus, is an enigmatic species of seasonal killifish endemic of the Southeast Mexico that has changed paradigms on the evolution of annualism in killifishes. This species survives in ephemeral environments that experience a period of seasonal drought that causes the death of all adult fish. However, populations persist due to their drought-resistant embryos capable of arresting their development in diapause until the next the rainy season. Millerichthys evolved unique characteristics within annual killifishes as a functional sequential hermaphroditism, in which females change to males (protogynous) under perceived conditions of mate competition. Also, M. robustus express different color phenotypes in both sexes: five-color phenotypes continuously distributed in various perceptual units between yellow and red in males, and different number of ocelli disposed in caudal peduncle in females. The phylogenetic relationships of M. robustus revealed that it is a sister clade to two non-annual species found exclusively in Cuba (Rivulus cylindraceus and Rivulus berovidesi), indicating that the annual life cycle, through the acquisition of embryonic diapause, has evolved independently in this species. Here, we present the complete genome sequences for the North American annual killifish Millerichthys robustus. The raw data and assembled genome are available in GeneBank.

Economic optimization of exterior wall insulation in Chinese office buildings by coupling artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

Envelope insulation is an essential measure to reduce building energy consumption and is the focus of many building energy codes. In China, the current standard (GB 55015-2021) only specified limit values for the thermal conductivity (U) of the exterior walls, and it ignored variations in building characteristics and internal parameters. Therefore, it is difficult for architects to quickly determine the exterior wall U-value in building design and retrofit. To address this issue, the exterior wall U-values of office buildings in China were economically optimized by TRNSYS, ANN, and GA. To begin with, the effect of enhancing exterior wall insulation on the heating and cooling energy consumption of office buildings was investigated by TRNSYS software, taking into account variations in building characteristics. Moreover, the exterior wall U-values of office buildings were optimized by coupling ANN and GA. The results showed that the design values of the GB 55015-2021 did not achieve the optimal results in China, and the most economical exterior wall U-value was 0.24 W/(m2·K) in Harbin, 0.24 W/(m2·K) in Beijing, 0.42 W/(m2·K) in Changsha, 1.82 W/(m2·K) in Guangzhou, 0.66 W/(m2·K) in Kunming. Compared with the pre-optimization, the annual life cycle cost of building heating and cooling reduced by 0.96 % in Harbin, 2.07 % in Beijing, 1.44 % in Changsha, 1.68 % in Guangzhou, and 7.37 % in Kunming. In addition, variations in building parameters should be considered in the design phase of new buildings or in the renovation of old buildings, such as internal heat gain, which may lead to different optimal results.

Agricultural habitat use and selection by a sedentary bird over its annual life cycle in a crop-depredation context

BackgroundModern agriculture has undoubtedly led to increasing wildlife-human conflicts, notably concerning bird damage in productive and attractive crops during some parts of the annual cycle. This issue requires utmost attention for sedentary birds that may impact agricultural crops at any stage of their annual life cycle. Reducing bird-human conflicts requires a better understanding of the relationship between bird foraging activity and the characteristics of agricultural areas, notably with respect to changes in food-resource availability and crop sensitivity across the year.MethodsWe explored how GPS-tagged adult male western jackdaws– sedentary corvids– utilize agricultural areas throughout their annual cycle, in a context of crop depredation. More precisely, we described their daily occurrence distribution and the extent of habitat use and selection consistency with respect to landscape composition across time.ResultsJackdaws moved in the close agricultural surroundings of their urban nesting place over the year (< 2.5 km from the nest, on average). Daily occurrence distributions were restricted (< 2.2 km2), relatively centered on the nesting locality (distance between the daily occurrence centroid and the nest < 0.9 km), and rather spatially stable during each annual life-cycle period (overlap range: 63.4–76.1%). Their foraging patterns highlighted that they fed mainly in grasslands all year round, and foraged complementarily and opportunistically in maize (during sowing– coinciding with the first stages of the birds’ breeding period) and cereal crops (during harvesting– their post-fledging period).ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate the very limited space use by breeding male jackdaws which foraged preferentially in grasslands. We call for future investigations in other agricultural contexts and also considering non-breeders for extrapolation purposes.

An independent origin of an annual life cycle in a North American killifish species

Abstract An annual life cycle is characterized by short-lived adults that exploit seasonally productive but temporary habitats, paired with a hardy embryo stage that survives unfavourable environmental conditions, such as winter or the dry season. This life cycle is rare amongst vertebrates but has evolved independently several times in African and South American killifishes adapted to life in seasonally ephemeral aquatic pools. A single species of North American annual killifish, with a limited geographical distribution in Mexico, also exhibits this seasonal life cycle. This enigmatic species, Millerichthys robustus, is geographically separated from the nearest South American annual killifish species by &amp;gt;2000 km. Millerichthys robustus exhibits morphological features that have led to several competing phylogenetic hypotheses. To date, its phylogenetic relationships are unclear because no molecular data have been available. Here, we sequence the mitochondrial genome of Millerichthys robustus and generate a molecular phylogeny of killifishes that includes this species. Our results indicate that, rather than being most closely related to South American annual killifishes, this species is sister to two non-annual killifish species from Cuba (Rivulus cylindraceus and Rivulus berovidesi). Ancestral state reconstruction strongly supports an independent origin of an annual life cycle and embryonic diapause in Millerichthys robustus.

Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)

The decline of the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America has motivated research on the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change and climate variability on monarch habitat and population dynamics. We investigated spring and fall trends in LULC, milkweed and nectar resources over a 20-year period, and ~ 30 years of climate variables in Mexico and Texas, U.S. This region supports spring breeding, and spring and fall migration during the annual life cycle of the monarch. We estimated a − 2.9% decline in milkweed in Texas, but little to no change in Mexico. Fall and spring nectar resources declined < 1% in both study extents. Vegetation greenness increased in the fall and spring in Mexico while the other climate variables did not change in both Mexico and Texas. Monarch habitat in Mexico and Texas appears relatively more intact than in the midwestern, agricultural landscapes of the U.S. Given the relatively modest observed changes in nectar and milkweed, the relatively stable climate conditions, and increased vegetation greenness in Mexico, it seems unlikely that habitat loss (quantity or quality) in Mexico and Texas has caused large declines in population size or survival during migration.

Optimization of solar-air source heat pump heating system with phase change heat storage

The optimization of heating system has always been of much concern, among which the annual life cycle cost (ALCC) was widely used as an optimization method, while the non-guaranteed hours were often overlooked. This study proposed the elasticity-economy (E-E) objective function as an optimizing indicator, and demonstrated it taking a solar assisted heat pump heating system with phase change material (SC-ASHP-PCM) as an example. Firstly, the single variation impact was analyzed. After optimizing the thermal performance of sub-systems, the proportion of heat supplied by solar collector (SC) and phase change material (PCM) sub-systems increased by 5.4 % and 3.4 %, respectively. Subsequently, the Hooke-Jeeves algorithm was developed to optimize multi-factors, hence minimizing the E-E objective function. The optimal solution was achieved when the non-guaranteed rate was 5 % and the penalty factor was 150 CNY/h. Compared with the baseline situation, the system energy consumption (156.8 × 103 kW‧h) was reduced by 30 %, and the E-E objective function was reduced by 24 %. Furthermore, the minimum operating cost was 18.3 CNY/m2, saving up to 46 % compared to traditional heating systems. The method is generalized to obtain the optimal energy saving potential under different non-guaranteed hours, which provides guidance for the heating systems' design and operation.

Legume (Fabaceae) and seed beetle (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) species of Europe: distribution and host specialization

The paper investigates the distributions of legumes (Fabaceae) and their associated seed beetle species (Bruchinae) across vegetation zones and regions of Europe and evaluates the host range and specialization of seed beetles. 1584 legume species/subspecies/varieties were included in the study and ca. 16% of these serve as known hosts by the 175 seed beetle species found in Europe. Both plant and seed beetle species richness increased from the Boreal to Mediterranean zones/regions. 717 legume species occurred only in single zones/regions and only 4.7% of these (34 species) were hosts for 38 bruchine species specific to a zone/region. Europe has 664 native legume species and 381 of these are Eu-endemics. There were 52 alien legume species found. Similarities in plant species composition by the Sørensen index were pronounced between the Central-European and the Mediterranean, between the Transcaucasian and Mediterranean, and between the Colchis-Caucasian and the Pontic-Caspian areas. The most species-rich genus is Astragalus L. with 334 species and 16 subspecies. Of the two major pre-dispersal seed predator genera, Bruchidius Schilsky species are sensu lato oligophagous, using a wide range of leguminous tribes as hosts, but restricted to few host species within a tribe. In contrast, members of the Bruchus L. genus are sensu stricto oligophagous species and, despite being constrained to the Fabeae tribe, most of them feed on several Lathyrus L. and Vicia L. species. The ways annual and perennial life cycles as well as chemical constituents of legumes might affect the colonization success of the seed beetles are discussed.

Survival and Development Strategies of Cyanobacteria through Akinete Formation and Germination in the Life Cycle

Eutrophic freshwater ecosystems are vulnerable to toxin-producing cyanobacteria growth or harmful algal blooms. Cyanobacteria belonging to the Nostocales order form akinetes that are similar to the seeds of vascular plants, which are resting cells surrounded by a thick membrane. They overwinter in sediment and germinate when conditions become favorable, eventually developing into vegetative cells and causing blooms. This review covers the cyanobacterial akinete of the Nostocales order and summarizes the environmental triggers and cellular responses involved in akinete germination and formation based on data from the literature. It also emphasizes the intimate and dynamic relationship that exists between the germination and formation of akinete in the annual life cycle of cyanobacteria. After comparing many published data, it is found that the tolerance ranges for factors affecting both akinete germination and formation do not differ significantly and are broadly consistent with the tolerance ranges for vegetative cell growth. However, the optimal range varies with different species and strains of cyanobacteria. The life cycle of cyanobacteria, as a result of akinete germination and formation, has a seasonal periodicity and spatial connectivity between the water column and the sediment. However, during the summer growing season, intimate coupling between akinete formation and germination can occur in the water column, and this can contribute to high population densities being maintained in the water column. During this time, shallow sediment could also provide suitable conditions for akinete germination, thereby contributing to the establishment of water column populations. The information summarized in this review is expected to help improve our shared understanding of the life cycle of the Nostocales cyanobacteria while also providing insights into the monitoring and management of harmful algal blooms.

Warm places, warm years, and warm seasons increase parasitizing of moose by winter ticks

AbstractObserved links between parasites, such as ticks, and climate change have aroused concern for human health, wildlife population dynamics, and broader ecosystem effects. The one‐host life history of the winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) links each annual cohort to environmental conditions during three specific time periods when they are predictably vulnerable: spring detachment from hosts, summer larval stage, and fall questing for hosts. We used mixed‐effects generalized linear models to investigate the drivers of tick loads carried by moose (Alces alces) relative to these time periods and across 750 moose, 10 years, and 16 study areas in the western United States. We tested for the effects of biotic factors (moose density, shared winter range, vegetation, migratory behavior) and weather conditions (temperature, snow, humidity) during each seasonal period when ticks are vulnerable and off‐host. We found that warm climatic regions, warm seasonal periods across multiple partitions of the annual tick life cycle, and warm years relative to long‐term averages each contributed to increased tick loads. We also found important effects of snow and other biotic factors such as host density and vegetation. Tick loads in the western United States were, on average, lower than those where tick‐related die‐offs in moose populations have occurred recently, but loads carried by some individuals may be sufficient to cause mortality. Lastly, we found interannual variation in tick loads to be most correlated with spring snowpack, suggesting this environmental component may have the highest potential to induce change in tick load dynamics in the immediate future of this region.

Adaptive Blood Cell Variability in the Annual Life Cycle of the Ground Squirrel Urocitellus undulatus

Adaptive Blood Cell Variability in the Annual Life Cycle of the Ground Squirrel Urocitellus undulatus