Below-average Temperatures Research Articles

Life history strategy of Tubastraea spp. corals in an upwelling area on the Southwest Atlantic: growth, fecundity, settlement, and recruitment.

Over the past few decades, corals of the genus Tubastraea have spread globally, revealing themselves to be organisms of great invasive capacity. Their constant expansion on the Brazilian coast highlights the need for studies to monitor the invasion process. The growth, fecundity, settlement, and data on the coverage area of three co-occurring Tubastraea species in the 2015-2016 period were related to temperature variation and light irradiance on the rocky shores of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro. Hence, this study sought to understand and compare the current invasion scenario and characteristics of the life history strategy of sun coral species based on environmental variables, considering the uniqueness of this upwelling area in the southwestern Atlantic. For that, we evaluate the fecundity, settlement, and growth rates of corals by carrying out comparative studies between species over time and correlating them with the variables temperature and irradiance, according to seasonality. Field growth of colonies was measured every two months during a sample year. Monthly collections were performed to count reproductive oocytes to assess fecundity. Also, quadrats were scrapped from an area near a large patch of sun coral to count newly attached coral larvae and used years later to assess diversity and percentage coverage. Results showed that corals presented greater growth during periods of high thermal amplitude and in months with below-average temperatures. Only Tubastraea sp. had greater growth and polyp increase in areas with higher light incidence, showing a greater increase in total area compared to all the other species analyzed. Despite the observed affinity with high temperatures, settlement rates were also higher during the same periods. Months with low thermal amplitude and higher temperature averages presented high fecundity. While higher water temperature averages showed an affinity with greater coral reproductive activity, growth has been shown to be inversely proportional to reproduction. Our study recorded the most significant coral growth for the region, an increase in niche, high annual reproductive activity, and large area coverage, showing the ongoing adaptation of the invasion process in the region. However, lower temperatures in the region affect these corals' reproductive activity and growth, slowing down the process of introduction into the region. To better understand the advantages of these invasion strategies in the environment, we must understand the relationships between them and the local community that may be acting to slow down this colonization process.

PSXI-2 Preliminary Investigations into Developmental Origins of Pulmonary Arterial Pressure in Beef Cattle

Abstract High pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) is a predisposing factor in the development of high mountain disease in cattle. Since PAP testing is often used to prevent disease, a better understanding of the genotype X environmental interactions that drive PAP may lead to the development of additional management and selection strategies. Hypoxia during gestation promotes adaptive fetal programming, a hallmark of which is altered cardiovascular development and disease. However, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the link between maternal gestational environment and offspring cardiovascular performance as indicated by PAP score. Thus, the objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of temperature during gestation on yearling PAP in offspring from cattle residing at high altitudes. Yearling PAP data from Colorado State University’s Beef Improvement Center located near Saratoga, Wyoming (7,200 m elevation) was used in the analysis. Data were collected on individual Angus animals born from 1993 to 2021. There were 8,080 individuals with PAP phenotypes averaging 42.23 ± 9.59 mmHg. PAP testing was performed in individuals at an average age of 338.1 ± 46.4 d. Local historical temperature data from September to March, representing the time frame of middle to late gestation, were collected from the [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) database] and averaged. This historical average was compared with the yearly mid- to late gestational average temperatures to classify whether an individual animal went through gestation in an above or below-average temperature year. To determine the influence of temperature during gestation on PAP, a single trait linear regression model was used to regress PAP on age at PAP, sex, and temperature classification. The effects of age (P < 0.005), sex (P < 0.0005), and temperature classification (P < 0.05) all accounted for a significant amount of variation in PAP. The least-square means for temperature classification were 42.8 ± 0.51 and 42.3 ± 0.17 for above and below-average temperatures, respectively, which suggests that cows experiencing colder temperatures during gestation produce calves with lower yearling PAPs versus those from cows experiencing warmer temperatures. The internalization of maternal blood during cold temperatures may protect fetal oxygen and nutrient delivery, promoting normal heart development in a high-altitude environment.

A Decade of the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME): Research, Application, and Future Directions

Abstract Ten years, 16 fully coupled global models, and hundreds of research papers later, the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) monthly-to-seasonal prediction system is looking ahead to its second decade. The NMME comprises both real-time, initialized predictions and a substantial research database; both retrospective and real-time forecasts are archived and freely available for research and development. Many U.S.-based and international entities, both private and public, use NMME data for regional or otherwise tailored forecasts. The system’s built-in evolution, with new models gradually replacing older ones, has been demonstrated to gradually improve the skill of 2-m temperature and sea surface temperature, although precipitation prediction remains a difficult problem. This paper reviews some of the NMME-based contributions to seasonal climate prediction research and applications, progress on scientific understanding of seasonal prediction and multimodel ensembles, and new techniques. Several prediction-oriented aspects are explored, including model representation of observed trends and the underprediction of below-average temperature. We discuss potential new directions, such as higher-resolution models, hybrid statistical–dynamical techniques, or prediction of environmental hazards such as coastal flooding and the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.

The influence of the large-scale circulation patterns on temperature in Serbia

In this study, the influence of the large-scale circulation patterns on temperature in Europe and Serbia is examined. Among the large-scale circulation patterns in the Northern Hemisphere, less attention has been paid to the impact of the East Atlantic/West Russia pattern (EA/WR). The relationship between the EA/WR pattern and geopotential height at 500 hPa is investigated using reanalysis data from National Centres for Environmental Prediction – National Centre for Atmospheric Research. Temperature anomalies have been explored in relation to strong positive and negative phases of the EA/WR pattern for all months.Analyzing the correlation between the EA/WR index (EA/WRI) and geopotential height at 500 hPa, a centre with negative correlation has been found throughout the year over Russia, north of the Caspian Sea. Positive (negative) temperature anomalies prevailed over Eastern (Western) Europe for the strong negative EA/WR phase (EA/WRI < −1). The temperature anomalies associated with the strong positive phase of the EA/WR pattern (EA/WRI > 1) reflect below-average temperatures over Eastern Europe. In addition, we explored the combined effects of positive and negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) or East Atlantic (EA) pattern with the EA/WR pattern on temperature variations in Europe and Serbia. We find that the effect of the EA/WR pattern on temperature changes is dependent of the EA phase but not of the NAO phase over Serbia. When the EA/WRI is negative and EA pattern or NAO are in positive phase, the positive temperature anomalies prevailed over most of Europe, including Serbia. The highest values of temperature anomalies exist over Serbia for EA/WRI < −1 and EA index > 1. It is found that this case appears more frequently in the last 20 years, contributing to the warming in Europe and Serbia.

An Exceptional Summer during the South Pole Race of 1911/12

Abstract The meteorological conditions during the Amundsen and Scott South Pole expeditions in 1911/12 are examined using a combination of observations collected during the expeditions as well as modern reanalysis and reconstructed pressure datasets. It is found that over much of this austral summer, pressures were exceptionally high (more than two standard deviations above the climatological mean) at both main bases, as well as along the sledging journeys, especially in December 1911. In conjunction with the anomalously high pressures, Amundsen and his crew experienced temperatures that peaked above –16°C on the polar plateau on 6 December 1911, which is extremely warm for this region. While Scott also encountered unusually warm conditions at this time, the above-average temperatures were accompanied by a wet snowstorm that slowed his progress across the Ross Ice Shelf. Although January 1912 was marked with slightly below-average temperatures and pressure, high temperatures and good conditions were observed in early February 1912, when Scott and his companions were at the top of the Beardmore Glacier. When compared to the anomalously cold temperatures experienced by the Scott polar party in late February and March 1912, the temperature change is in the top 3% based on more than 35 years of reanalysis data. Scott and his companions therefore faced an exceptional decrease in temperature when transiting to the Ross Ice Shelf in February and March 1912, which likely made the persistent cold spell they experienced on the Ross Ice Shelf seem even more intense by comparison.

Increased variance in temperature and lag effects alter phenological responses to rapid warming in a subarctic plant community.

Summer temperature on the Cape Churchill Peninsula (Manitoba, Canada) has increased rapidly over the past 75years, and flowering phenology of the plant community is advanced in years with warmer temperatures (higher cumulative growing degree days). Despite this, there has been no overall shift in flowering phenology over this period. However, climate change has also resulted in increased interannual variation in temperature; if relationships between phenology and temperature are not linear, an increase in temperature variance may interact with an increase in the mean to alter how community phenology changes over time. In our system, the relationship between phenology and temperature was log-linear, resulting in a steeper slope at the cold end of the temperature spectrum than at the warm end. Because below-average temperatures had a greater impact on phenology than above-average temperatures, the long-term advance in phenology was reduced. In addition, flowering phenology in a given year was delayed if summer temperatures were high the previous year or 2 years earlier (lag effects), further reducing the expected advance over time. Phenology of early-flowering plants was negatively affected only by temperatures in the previous year, and that of late-flowering plants primarily by temperatures 2 years earlier. Subarctic plants develop leaf primordia one or more years prior to flowering (preformation); these results suggest that temperature affects the development of flower primordia during this preformation period. Together, increased variance in temperature and lag effects interacted with a changing mean to reduce the expected phenological advance by 94%, a magnitude large enough to account for our inability to detect a significant advance over time. We conclude that changes in temperature variability and lag effects can alter trends in plant responses to a warming climate and that predictions for changes in plant phenology under future warming scenarios should incorporate such effects.

Previous growing season climate controls the occurrence of black spruce growth anomalies in boreal forests of Eastern Canada

To better understand climatic origins of annual tree-growth anomalies in boreal forests, we analysed 895 black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) tree-growth series from 46 xeric sites situated along three latitudinal transects in Eastern Canada. We identified interannual (based on comparison with previous year growth) and multidecadal (based on the entire tree-ring width distribution) growth anomalies between 1901 and 2001 at site and transect levels. Growth anomalies occurred mainly at site level and seldom at larger spatial scales. Both positive interannual and multidecadal growth anomalies were strongly associated with below-average temperatures and above-average precipitation during the previous growing season (Junet–1 – Augustt–1). The climatic signature of negative interannual and multidecadal growth anomalies was more complex and mainly associated with current-year climatic anomalies. Between the early and late 20th century, only negative multidecadal anomalies became more frequent. Our results highlight the role of previous growing season climate in controlling tree growth processes and suggest a positive association between climate warming and increases in the frequency of negative multidecadal growth anomalies. Projected climate change may further favour the occurrence of tree-growth anomalies and enhance the role of site conditions as modifiers of tree response to regional climate change.

Evaluation of the effect of Siberia’s high pressure extension on daily minimum temperature changes in Iran

One of the climatic phenomena that affects low temperatures in Iran is the penetration of tongues of high pressures from Siberia during the cold period of the year. Therefore, in order to investigate the effect of Siberia’s high pressure on the occurrence of low temperatures in Iran, air pressure at sea level for the region from 45 to 125°E and 25 to 65°N within the time range of one day and the location range of 2.5°, 561 grids for the month of December from the years 1948 to 2010 was extracted from the NOAA website and evaluated. It is necessary to explain that all pressure data for the studied range were classified into clusters using statistical analysis. Seven of these clusters were chosen as dominant. Of these, three prominent, important patterns, including clusters 3, 4, and 6, together account for 62.26 % our records in during December. In these three patterns, the effect of Siberia’s high pressure on the occurrence of low temperatures in Iran during December is more visible compared to the other patterns. On the other hand, simultaneous with the occurrence of the fourth cluster, with 99 % of Iran’s entire area, the maximum area of the country experiences below-average temperatures, and simultaneous with the occurrence of the second cluster, only 3 % of the entire area of Iran experiences below-average temperatures during December. In addition, we discovered a significant trend of increasing temperatures for most of the clusters in Iran, which can be attributed to global warming.

Late summer/early fall phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) in the eastern Bering Sea: Spatial and temporal variations and factors affecting chlorophyll a concentrations

The spatial and temporal variability of late summer/early fall phytoplankton biomass estimated from in situ chlorophyll a (Chla) concentrations was investigated over a 10-year time period from 2003–2012 in the eastern Bering Sea, encompassing both warm (2003–2005) and cold (2007–2012) temperature regimes. Warm temperature regimes were characterized by above average water temperatures and low seasonal sea-ice extent and by below-average temperatures and high seasonal sea-ice extent. The highest phytoplankton Chla was observed near the Pribilof Islands and the southeastern shelf break where nutrient concentrations were high due to onshore flow from Pribilof and Bering Canyons. The lowest Chla was observed on the northeastern middle and inner shelf, north of Nunivak and St. Matthew Islands and south of St. Lawrence Island (~61–63°N). Stations north of St Matthew Island (61°N) did not show significant variations in Chla between temperature regimes. To the south, total phytoplankton Chla was significantly higher in warm compared to cold years on the south-outer shelf and on portions of the middle shelf. Large phytoplankton Chla was higher in warm years over most of the southern middle-shelf. For the entire southeastern Bering Sea shelf (~30–200m bathymetry, south of Nunivak Island), the highest Chla was seen in 2005 and lowest in 2007 and 2008. On the south-middle shelf, wind mixing and temperature below the pycnocline had strong positive associations with Chla (total and large-size fraction) integrated over the top 50m, explaining 85% of the variability in mean Chla. This indicates that Chla in summer and early fall is positively affected by wind-induced upwelling of nutrients to the surface and possibly by other bottom up effects such as temperature-mediated growth. Higher bottom temperature is related to reductions in sea-ice extent, which may elicit ecosystem responses such as reduced biomass of large crustacean zooplankton grazers, potentially due to the removal of ice algae, an important food resource for zooplankton in early spring. This, in turn, could reduce or alter the grazing pressure on phytoplankton later in the growing season. Overall, spatial and temporal variations in phytoplankton Chla are due to a combination of factors, from local inputs of nutrients related to mixing or advection, up to large-scale ecosystem effects.

Temperature alters food web body-size structure.

The increased temperature associated with climate change may have important effects on body size and predator-prey interactions. The consequences of these effects for food web structure are unclear because the relationships between temperature and aspects of food web structure such as predator-prey body-size relationships are unknown. Here, we use the largest reported dataset for marine predator-prey interactions to assess how temperature affects predator-prey body-size relationships among different habitats ranging from the tropics to the poles. We found that prey size selection depends on predator body size, temperature and the interaction between the two. Our results indicate that (i) predator-prey body-size ratios decrease with predator size at below-average temperatures and increase with predator size at above-average temperatures, and (ii) that the effect of temperature on predator-prey body-size structure will be stronger at small and large body sizes and relatively weak at intermediate sizes. This systematic interaction may help to simplify forecasting the potentially complex consequences of warming on interaction strengths and food web stability.

Climate variability and outbreaks of infectious diseases in Europe.

Several studies provide evidence of a link between vector-borne disease outbreaks and El Niño driven climate anomalies. Less investigated are the effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Here, we test its impact on outbreak occurrences of 13 infectious diseases over Europe during the last fifty years, controlling for potential bias due to increased surveillance and detection. NAO variation statistically influenced the outbreak occurrence of eleven of the infectious diseases. Seven diseases were associated with winter NAO positive phases in northern Europe, and therefore with above-average temperatures and precipitation. Two diseases were associated with the summer or spring NAO negative phases in northern Europe, and therefore with below-average temperatures and precipitation. Two diseases were associated with summer positive or negative NAO phases in southern Mediterranean countries. These findings suggest that there is potential for developing early warning systems, based on climatic variation information, for improved outbreak control and management.

Climatic and Environmental Trends Observed During Epidemic and Non-epidemic Years of Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome in Iowa

Soybean yield losses due to sudden death syndrome (SDS) have varied from year to year in Iowa since the disease was first reported in 1993. An SDS epidemic in 2010 resulted in significant yield losses and raised numerous concerns by farmers and agronomists regarding the potential for future outbreaks. Since infection and SDS development is highly dependent on temperature and soil moisture, our hypothesis was that SDS epidemics occur in years with above-average rainfall and below-average temperatures. To test this hypothesis, environmental conditions in southeast and central Iowa were compared among epidemic and non-epidemic years. Mean total precipitation and number of days with precipitation during each month of the growing season (April through August) tended to be greater in epidemic years (10.4 to 26.3 inches, 10 to 15 days) than non-epidemic years (8.9 to 15.4 inches, 9 to 12 days). Soil temperatures in April through July averaged less in epidemic years (9.0 to 24.7°C) than non-epidemic years (10.4 to 26.6°C). The widespread 2010 SDS epidemic in Iowa likely resulted from the concurrence of several weather conditions that were particularly favorable for disease. To reduce risk of yield losses in future years, soybean farmers should use an integrated disease management for SDS, focusing on using resistant varieties, avoiding soil compaction, and avoiding planting in cool wet soils. Accepted for publication 31 January 2013. Published 29 May 2013.

Biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p in soybean (Glycine max)

Miller, R. T., Soltani, N., Robinson, D. E., Kraus, T. E. and Sikkema, P. H. 2012. Biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid- in soybean (Glycine max). Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 517–531. A total of five field studies were conducted over a 2-yr period (2009, 2010) at three Ontario locations to determine the biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p applied preemergence (PRE) for the control of annual weeds in soybean. The rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p required for the control of annual weeds was influenced by environmental conditions. With adequate moisture and above-average temperatures in 2010, between 224 and 374 g a.i. ha-1 of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p was required for 80% control of common ragweed, common lamb's quarters, and green foxtail 4 wk after treatment (WAT). In contrast, below-average temperatures and excessive moisture in 2009 resulted in higher rates of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p being necessary for the same level of weed control. Pigweed species were l...

Biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p in soybean (Glycine max)

Miller, R. T., Soltani, N., Robinson, D. E., Kraus, T. E. and Sikkema, P. H. 2012. Biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid- in soybean ( Glycine max ). Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 517–531. A total of five field studies were conducted over a 2-yr period (2009, 2010) at three Ontario locations to determine the biologically effective rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p applied preemergence (PRE) for the control of annual weeds in soybean. The rate of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p required for the control of annual weeds was influenced by environmental conditions. With adequate moisture and above-average temperatures in 2010, between 224 and 374 g a.i. ha−1 of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p was required for 80% control of common ragweed, common lamb's quarters, and green foxtail 4 wk after treatment (WAT). In contrast, below-average temperatures and excessive moisture in 2009 resulted in higher rates of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p being necessary for the same level of weed control. Pigweed species were least affected by environmental conditions after application at 4 WAT with only 245 g a.i. ha−1 required for 80% control in both years. By 11 WAT, 320 g a.i. ha−1 or less of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p was required to achieve 80% control of these species in 2010, while 845 g a.i. ha−1 or more was needed in 2009 for equivalent control. The potential of saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p as a set-up treatment prior to a postemergence (POST) glyphosate application was also examined. Excellent full season control of all weed species was achieved with saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p applied PRE followed by glyphosate POST. However, there was no difference in yield when saflufenacil/dimethenamid-p was followed by glyphosate POST compared with a single glyphosate POST application.

Temperature variability at Dürres Maar, Germany during the Migration Period and at High Medieval Times, inferred from stable carbon isotopes of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Sphagnum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; cellulose

Abstract. This paper presents a high resolution reconstruction of local growing season temperature (GST) anomalies at Dürres Maar, Germany, spanning the last two millennia. The GST anomalies were derived from a stable carbon isotope time series of cellulose chemically extracted from Sphagnum leaves (δ13Ccellulose) separated from a kettle-hole peat deposit of several metres thickness. The temperature reconstruction is based on the Sphagnum δ13Ccellulose/temperature dependency observed in calibration studies. Reconstructed GST anomalies show considerable centennial and decadal scale variability. A cold and presumably wet phase with below-average temperature is reconstructed between the 4th and 7th century AD which is in accordance with the so called European Migration Period, marking the transition from the Late Roman Period to the Early Middle Ages. At High Medieval Times, the amplitude in the reconstructed temperature variability is most likely overestimated; nevertheless, above-average temperatures are obvious during this time span, which are followed by a temperature decrease. On the contrary, a pronounced Late Roman Climate Optimum, often described as similarly warm or even warmer as medieval times, could not be detected. The temperature signal of the Little Ice Age (LIA) is not preserved in Dürres Maar due to considerable peat cutting that takes place in the first half of the 19th century. The local GST anomalies show a remarkable agreement to northern hemispheric temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring datasets and are also in accordance with climate reconstructions on the basis of lake sediments, glacier advances and retreats, and historical datasets. Most notably, e.g., during the Early Middle Ages and at High Medieval Times, temperatures were neither low nor high in general. Rather high frequency temperature variability with multiple narrow intervals of below- and above-average temperatures at maximum lasting a few decades are reconstructed. Especially the agreements between our estimated GST anomalies and temperature reconstructions derived from tree-ring chronologies indicate the great potential of Sphagnum δ13Ccellulose time series from peat deposits for palaeoclimate research. This is particularly the case, given that a quantitative δ13Ccellulose/temperature relationship has been found for several Sphagnum species. Although the time resolution of Sphagnum δ13Ccellulose datasets certainly wouldn't reach the annual resolution of tree-ring data, reconstructions of past temperature variability on the basis of this proxy hold one particular advantage: often due to relatively high peat accumulation rates, especially in kettle-hole bogs accumulated on temperate latitudes over periods of up to several millennia, they allow extending temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring series into the past to enhance our knowledge of natural climate variability during the Holocene.

Mantle reflectivity structure beneath oceanic hotspots

This study applies high-resolution Radon transform to a large set of SS precursors and explores the mantle reflectivity structure beneath 17 potentially ‘deep-rooted’ hotspots. The combined reduced time (τ) and ray parameter (p) information effectively constrains the depth, spatial distribution and sharpness of upper-/mid-mantle reflectors. The olivine to wadsleyite phase boundary is deeper than the ocean and global averages and produces a dominant τ–p domain signal. Laterally coherent observations of the deep 410-km seismic discontinuity, thin upper mantle transition zone and weak/absent 520-km reflector beneath hotspots make compelling arguments for large-scale, hot thermal anomalies in the top 400–600 km of the mantle. On the other hand, a relatively ‘flat’ and weak reflector at ∼653 km is inconsistent with ringwoodite to silicate perovskite + magnesiowüstite transformation at temperatures greater than 2000 K. The lack of a negative correlation between topography and temperature implies (1) average or below-average temperatures at 600–700 km depths or (2) high temperatures and a dominating majorite garnet to Ca perovskite phase transformation. The proper choice between these two scenarios will directly impact the origin and depth of mantle plumes beneath hotspots. We further identify lower-mantle reflectors at 800–950 and 1100–1350 km depths beneath a number of the hotspots. Their presence implies that the chemistry and thermodynamics of the mid-mantle may be more complex than suggested by seismic tomography.

The semi-annual oscillation and Antarctic climate. Part 2: recent changes

Following a weakening of the semi-annual oscillation (SAO) since the mid-1970s, the half-yearly pressure wave in the Southern Hemisphere has become less significant. As a result, May/June temperatures have decreased in East Antarctica, which has moderated Antarctic warming. Spectral analysis of 87 years of pressure data at Orcadas suggest that the recent weakening of the SAO is part of the natural variability of the Southern Hemisphere circulation on decadal timescales. We interpret the time series of composite Antarctic temperature in terms of the historical strengthening and weakening of the SAO. If the dominant oscillations that occurred in the past prove to be persistent, an accelerated East Antarctic warming trend is expected for the coming decades. There are indications that the strength of the SAO is linked to the Southern Oscillation, in the sense that warm phases of the Southern Oscillation coincide with strong westerlies, a weakly developed SAO and below-average temperatures in East Antarctica. Temperatures on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula show strongly deviant patterns, which can not be explained by the same mechanism that applies to East Antarctica.

Characteristics and vertical distribution of Atlantic cod (&lt;I&gt;Gadus morhua&lt;/I&gt;) eggs in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the possible effect of cold water temperature on recruitment

In early May from 1993 to 1995 the water column in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence was weakly stratified, with cold water (<2°C) extending from ca. 125 m to the surface. Cod (Gadus morhua) eggs were distributed throughout the water column, but higher densities were observed in the cold intermediate layer. The vertical distribution of cod eggs was determined by egg size and organic (lipids, proteins) composition. Stage I egg density estimates in May 1994 ranged from 25.0 to 26.0 kg · m-3, which is higher than the water density of the upper mixed layer. Between 1980 and 1989, there was a weak positive relationship between the cold intermediate layer temperature anomalies and cod year-class strength (i.e., abundance of 3-year-old cod). However, it is unlikely that low recruitment levels caused by below-average temperature of the cold intermediate layer alone had a major impact on the recent collapse of the northern Gulf stock. Nevertheless, the poor state of the spawning stock (low abundance, poor fish condition, and less buoyant eggs) and harsh late winter and early spring conditions in the northern Gulf can limit the potential for high recruitment and rapid recovery of the northern Gulf cod stock.

Characteristics and vertical distribution of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) eggs in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the possible effect of cold water temperature on recruitment

In early May from 1993 to 1995 the water column in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence was weakly stratified, with cold water (&lt;2°C) extending from ca. 125 m to the surface. Cod (Gadus morhua) eggs were distributed throughout the water column, but higher densities were observed in the cold intermediate layer. The vertical distribution of cod eggs was determined by egg size and organic (lipids, proteins) composition. Stage I egg density estimates in May 1994 ranged from 25.0 to 26.0 kg · m-3, which is higher than the water density of the upper mixed layer. Between 1980 and 1989, there was a weak positive relationship between the cold intermediate layer temperature anomalies and cod year-class strength (i.e., abundance of 3-year-old cod). However, it is unlikely that low recruitment levels caused by below-average temperature of the cold intermediate layer alone had a major impact on the recent collapse of the northern Gulf stock. Nevertheless, the poor state of the spawning stock (low abundance, poor fish condition, and less buoyant eggs) and harsh late winter and early spring conditions in the northern Gulf can limit the potential for high recruitment and rapid recovery of the northern Gulf cod stock.

A 3620-Year Temperature Record from Fitzroya cupressoides Tree Rings in Southern South America

A tree-ring width chronology of alerce trees (Fitzroya cupressoides) from southern Chile was used to produce an annually resolved 3622-year reconstruction of departures from mean summer temperatures (December to March) for southern South America. The longest interval with above-average temperatures was from 80 B.C. to A.D. 160. Long intervals with below-average temperatures were recorded from A.D. 300 to 470 and from A.D. 1490 to 1700. Neither this proxy temperature record nor instrumental data for southern South America for latitudes between 35 degrees and 44 degrees S provide evidence of a warming trend during the last decades of this century that could be related to anthropogenic causes. The data also indicate that alerce is the second longest living tree after the bristlecone pine (Pinus Iongaeva).