Climatic Areas Research Articles

Physicochemical properties of Tunisian pomegranate fruits Punica granatum L. grown at different climatic zones of Yunnan, China

The artificial cultivation of Mengzi pomegranate has been conducted on a large area for more than 30 years in Yunnan, China. As the quality of pomegranate cultivars have degraded seriously, new cultivars have gradually been introduced to meet market demand. Comparative quality evaluation of different pomegranate varieties is beneficial to guide cultivar improvement and cultural program modification. The present study investigated the differences of physicochemical characteristics of the introduced Tunisian soft-seed pomegranate in different climate zones in Yunnan, China. Meanwhile, the differences between native cultivars (Tian guan yan (TGY) and Tian lv zi (TLZ)) and introduced cultivar were also compared. It was found that the Tunisian soft-seed pomegranate grown in Huize (Tunisian pomegranate in Huize, TH) in the temperate plateau monsoon climate belt had the highest fruit weight, % of seed, TAC, TPC, TSS, amino acids, and Mn, and had the lowest organic acids and Na. While grown in the subtropical monsoon climate area Shiping (Tunisian pomegranate in Shiping, TS), the Tunisian pomegranate fruits had the highest amounts of Cu. Commonly, there were significant correlations between cultivation climate regions and fruit properties. The contents of the TSS, TAC, TPC, flavor amino acids and organic acids varied with planted climate zones. The introduced Tunisian soft-seed pomegranate has comparable levels of physicochemical characteristics with the local main cultivars in the same planted climate region. Tunisian soft-seed pomegranate of higher quality can be obtained in Huize area. Collectively, the climate difference and cultivar shift have a significant effect on pomegranate production in Yunnan, and pomegranate with good quality can be obtained by using proper cultivars in optimized climate zone.

Environmental Features of Vernacular Architecture: The Case of Cyprus

The sustainability of vernacular dwellings is closely connected with the fulfilment of the daily needs of the inhabitants, as well as the incorporation of multiple environmental features into their design. These environmental features ensure a climate responsive approach and improve the thermal performance of the dwellings. The vernacular architecture of Cyprus follows the main principles of vernacular architecture in the eastern Mediterranean region as a whole, and thus it is considered as a typical case study, suitable for in-depth investigation. The research findings presented here are an overview of systematic research carried out over the last ten years at the University of Cyprus, mainly through two multidisciplinary research programmes. Specifically, various environmental aspects were thoroughly investigated, starting from the selection and investigation of rural and urban settlements in different climatic areas (urban scale), moving to the building scale and to the selection of a representative number of vernacular dwellings for qualitative, as well as quantitative investigation. Following this, the research focuses on the different spaces within the dwellings (such as courtyards, semi-open spaces and subterranean areas), as well as on various passive strategies (such as ventilation and lighting), ending with the investigation of the thermal behaviour of the traditional building materials used for the erection of the aforementioned dwellings. The research reveals the necessity for a qualitative and quantitative assessment of vernacular architecture through a multicriteria process, and indicates a methodology that can be implemented in other similar cases especially around the Mediterranean area.

Performance assessment of the integration of semitransparent solar cells with different geometry of greenhouses under different climate regions

A lack of resources and suitable farming lands, climate change, and a rapidly growing population are some of the main concerns of the societies that pose security challenges to the governments. Creating controlled environments for cultivation, growing plants, and farming, such as greenhouses, may assist in overcoming these challenges. Greenhouses can significantly increase land use efficiency in agriculture by increasing crop yield and harvesting throughout the year, which has long been proven effective. The history of greenhouses for farming dates back to Roman times, and there are different barriers to their applications. An example is the provision of energy to control the cultivation conditions of plants in greenhouses, particularly for heating and cooling hot and cold climate areas. On the other hand, based on the global energy trend, decentralized energy production based on solar energy is highly regarded. In the same way, that households can harvest solar energy, greenhouses can also benefit from solar energy. However, because greenhouses need sunlight to cultivate plants, reducing sunlight using common photovoltaic panels is not logical. By incorporating semitransparent solar cells into these greenhouses, the issue of reduced sunlight could be addressed, and further efficiency gains could be achieved by reducing energy demand in these greenhouses. This research investigates the energy supply system's integration with greenhouses consumption. First, we assess different conventional types of greenhouses in terms of energy demand. Then, we investigate the energy demand with organic photovoltaic (OPV) integration for each type. Finally, the best design of the greenhouse for OPV integration is recommended. Results show that flat arch geometry is the best choice for dry and cold climates, while sawtooth geometry showed better improvements in tropical climates. In both temperate/mesothermal and continental/microthermal climates, A-frame geometry showed superiority in energy saving. Simulations revealed an annual electricity generation for a unit floor area of the greenhouses to be 173.7 kWh/m2 to 247.9 MWh/m2 for the optimum structural geometries that decrease the energy consumption of greenhouses. Additionally, the results show that the installation of the OPV can decrease energy consumption from 15 to 58% based on the greenhouse's location and structural geometry.

Increasing the Biodiversity of the Dendroflora of Sparsely Wooded Regions by Adapted Representatives of the Genus Robinia L.

Purpose of the study: to substantiate the prospects of using various species, varieties and forms of the genus Robinia in protective afforestation and landscaping of settlements in dry-steppe and semi-desert zones of southern Russia. It is established that the main limiting factors affecting the growth, development and condition of representatives of the genus Robinia in the Volgograd region are winter temperatures up to −37 °C, as well as poor moisture availability and uneven distribution of precipitation during the growing season in combination with extremely low temperatures in the autumn–winter period. All representatives of the generic complex belong to the group of plants that start late and finish the vegetative period late. Phenological atypicity is in the lower half of the normal range, with indicators from +1 °C to 0, which indicates a high level of adaptation to the climatic conditions of the region. In the process of long-term acclimatization, many introduced species have developed a number of genotypic adaptations and are currently able to tolerate extreme winter temperatures up to −37 °C. An assessment of potential drought resistance based on the water-retaining ability of the leaves showed that higher rates of water-resistance capacity (76.8% water loss) are typical of R. neomexicana, which has a natural distribution area in the western arid part of the North American continent. R. viscosa var. hartwegii, with a natural distribution in the areas of the monsoon subtropical climate of eastern North America, is distinguished by low indicators (94.1% water loss), as are clonal decorative forms of R. pseudoacacia: f. pyramidalis and f. umbraculifera (97.6–95.8% water loss), which are common only in culture and characterized by a whole complex of low indicators of bioecological stability. The data obtained by us allow us to recommend the following assortment of species and forms of Robinia for protective afforestation and landscaping in the arid territories of southern Russia: R. pseudoacacia, R. neomexicana var. neomexicana, R. neomexicana var. rusbyi and R. pseudoacacia x R. neomexicana.

Поліморфізм мікросателітних локусів хромосоми 5H ячменю (Hordeum vulgare L.) і асоціації алелів з морозостійкістю

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a crop of great economic importance for many countries of the world, including Ukraine. One of the main reason limiting barley production in different regions of Ukraine is low-temperature stress. Prediction of frost resistance in the development and choice of resistant genotypes is one of the main tasks of the breeding. Applying the tools of molecular genetic analysis involves increasing the efficiency of traditional methods of identification and genotype screening with the necessary traits in a specific climatic area. The 5H chromosomal loci are a component of a complex system of genes involved in the formation of resistance to low negative temperatures. The polymorphism and allele distribution of nine microsatellite loci in chromosome 5H, which are localisation in the region of the key NT- resistance genes Fr-H1, Fr-H2 and close to these regions in 35 varieties of the autumn barley collection, were studied. Allelic polymorphism with the presence of two (UMB702) to five (Bmag0223) alleles was detected at the loci Bmag0223, Bmag0323, Bmag0760, GMS061 and UMB702. The frost resistance of 31 varieties with different durations of hardening was evaluated and essential differences between them were noted for this feature. According to the results of the analysis of polymorphism of microsatellite loci and data on evaluation of varieties for frost resistance, the connection of allelic differences of four out of five polymorphic loci with the level of frost resistance and hardening rates was revealed. Reliable associations were established between the presence of alleles Bmag0223, Bmag0323, Bmag0760, GMS061 and indicators of the level of frost resistance. Allelic differences at the UMB702 locus were not associated with differences in any of the traits. Alleles of the microsatellite locus Bmag0223 are recommended for negative choice of less frost-resistant barley genotypes at the early plant breeding stages.

Experimental Study of Envelope Airtightness in New Egyptian Residential Dwellings

In residential buildings, air infiltration impacts energy, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort considerably. While air infiltration in residential buildings has been the focus of many studies, most published field-testing results pertain to developed countries, with little or no data on air infiltration in developing nations. This paper presents the results of one of the first field investigations into envelope infiltration in the residential buildings of the hot-arid climatic area of Egypt. To analyze the air permeability of the building envelope, the fan pressurization method, often known as the blower door test (BDT), is used, following ISO 9772. The study focuses on 20 residential dwellings built with heavy construction materials and subjects them to extensive characterization and testing. The average air leakage and the air permeability rate for the tested sample were 6.14 h−1 and 17.3 m3/(h∙m2), respectively. However, significant variations in airtightness were observed across the dwelling, leading the team to test several building-related parameters statistically to study their impact on airtightness. Fenestration quality appeared to be a critical factor in determining air infiltration, showing a strong correlation with the air change and leakage. A further investigation underscored that the specific aperture factor and the fenestration quality can predict the infiltration rates to a large degree. Thus, we recommend further investigation of these characteristics in heavy construction material building. Finally, we strongly recommend that building codes in developing countries such as Egypt include minimum performance requirements for fenestration.

West Nile Virus diffusion in temperate regions and climate change. A systematic review.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, which was first described in 1937 as neurotropic virus in Uganda in 1937. Subsequently, WNV was identified in the rest of the old-world and from 1999 in North America. Birds are the primary hosts, and WNV is maintained in a bird-mosquito-bird cycle, with pigs as amplifying hosts and humans and horses as incidental hosts. WNV transmission is warranted by mosquitoes, usually of the Culex spp., with a tendency to spill over when mosquitoes' populations build up. Other types of transmissions have been described in endemic areas, as trough transplanted organs and transfused blood, placenta, maternal milk, and in some occupational settings. WNV infections in North America and Europe are generally reported during the summer and autumn. Extreme climate phenomena and soil degradation are important events which contribute to expansion of mosquito population and consequently to the increasing number of infections. Draught plays a pivotal role as it makes foul water standing in city drains and catch basins richer of organic material. The relationship between global warming and WNV in climate areas is depicted by investigations on 16,298 WNV cases observed in the United States during the period 2001-2005 that showed that a 5°C increase in mean maximum weekly temperature was associated with a 32-50% higher incidence of WNV infection. In Europe, during the 2022 season, an increase of WNV cases was observed in Mediterranean countries where 1,041 cases were reported based on ECDC data. This outbreak can be associated to the climate characteristics reported during this period and to the introduction of a new WNV-1 lineage. In conclusion, current climate change is causing an increase of mosquito circulation that supports the widest spread of some vector-borne virus including WNV diffusion in previously non-permissible areas. This warrant public health measures to control vectors circulation to reduce WNV and to screen blood and organ donations.

Gulf Cooperation Council countries' water and climate research to strengthen UN's SDGs 6 and 13

Clean water and sanitation and climate actions represent two of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although challenging, the two goals can be achieved by 2030 through unconventional and innovative solutions. Scientific research related to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) and urgent actions to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13) will help develop new technologies to support the two goals and can bridge the gap between practitioners and academia's to achieve sustainability. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are located in an arid region. Their water and climate research activities and outcomes may provide a good contribution toward achieving the two goals. This study used text mining and bibliometric methods to analyze water and climate research contributions to achieve SDGs 6 and 13 in GCC countries. Results revealed that there is an increase in research publications after 2016 in the areas of water and climate in the GCC countries involving a longstanding international collaboration with developed countries. Research topics were focused on wastewater treatment, contamination, heavy metal, groundwater, and climate change impacts. Under SDG 6, most of the publications were research articles (77.3%), followed by reviews (11.1%), and the rest were book chapters and conference papers. For SDG 13, 75.1% of the publications are research articles, 10.9% are conference papers, and 8% are reviews. The research outcomes in the GCC countries have clearly contributed to the development of water and climate strategies and international collaborations to achieve the two goals.

"The Legacy of Colonialism on Contemporary Climate Governance"

For centuries, colonialism violently remade the world to comport with the emerging global philosophy of white supremacy. This process structured relationships between groups of people and the land around new, interlocking hierarchies of race, gender, class, indigeneity, and epistemology. Today, some six decades after the formal end of colonialism, the relationship between people and the earth is still shaped by this colonial order. As a result, our ability to manage complex global problems like climate change and biodiversity loss is affected by a colonial legacy that continues to limit how we understand and value nature, overexploits the natural environment, and perpetuates violence against marginalized people. Nevertheless, decades of activism by Indigenous and other marginalized people have indicated the possibility of a shift toward just, decolonial governance in climate and other areas.

Soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry reflects microbial metabolic limitations in different desert types of northwestern China

Soil extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) stoichiometry reflects the dynamic balance between microorganism metabolic demands for resources and nutrient availability. However, variations in metabolic limitations and their driving factors in arid desert areas with oligotrophic environments remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated sites in different desert types in western China and measured the activities of two C-acquiring enzymes (β-1,4-glucosidase and β-D-cellobiohydrolase), two N-acquiring enzymes (β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase and L-leucine aminopeptidase), and one organic-P-acquiring enzyme (alkaline phosphatase) to quantify and compare the metabolic limitations of soil microorganisms based on their EEA stoichiometry. The ratios of log-transformed C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzyme activities for all deserts combined were 1:1.1:0.9, which is close to the hypothetical global mean EEA stoichiometry (1:1:1). We quantified the microbial nutrient limitation by means of vector analysis using the proportional EEAs, and found that microbial metabolism was co-limited by soil C and N. For different desert types, the microbial N limitation increased in the following order: gravel desert < sand desert < mud desert < salt desert. Overall, the study area's climate explained the largest proportion of the variation in the microbial limitation (17.9 %), followed by soil abiotic factors (6.6 %) and biological factors (5.1 %). Our results confirmed that the EEA stoichiometry method can be used in microbial resource ecology research in a range of desert types, and that the soil microorganisms maintained community-level nutrient element homeostasis by adjusting enzyme production to increase uptake of scarce nutrients even in extremely oligotrophic environments such as deserts.

Homogenization of trees in urban green spaces along the moisture gradient in China

The species composition of urban green spaces (UGSs) in different climate areas has been found to be homogenized compared with that of rural forests (RFs). However, the homogenization degree in response to moisture as a single ecological factor is still unknown. Here, we used 18 cities in the temperate zone of China to analyse the tree species composition and diversity index of UGSs and compare them with those of RFs. The results showed that (1) a total of 462 tree species were recorded in the UGSs in 18 cities, and 88 species were found in the UGSs of more than 9 cities. Among the 88 species, 47 species occur in UGSs in humid, semiarid and arid areas, including Ginkgo biloba, Salix babylonica, Acer mono, and Pinus tabuliformis. (2) The tree species richness and Simpson index of UGSs tended to converge (CVUGS ≈ 1/2 CVRF) along the moisture gradient (mean annual precipitation 200–800 mm). (3) The similarity of tree species composition among UGSs (J ∼ 0.30) was significantly higher than that among RFs (J ∼ 0.07), revealing homogenization among cities in areas with different humidity conditions. (4) The similarity increased when the difference in moisture and per capita GDP (gross domestic production) of cities decreased, indicating that ecological and economic factors jointly affected the homogenization of UGSs. This study also provides guidance for the management of UGSs.

Response of fruit yield, fruit quality, and water productivity to different irrigation levels for a microsprinkler-irrigated apple orchard (cv. Fuji) growing under Mediterranean conditions

Irrigation management strategies based on soil–plant–climate interactions are the key to improving water productivity and maintaining optimum yield and quality for apple orchards growing under Mediterranean conditions where water availability for irrigation is significantly decreasing. Thus, an experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different irrigation levels on the yield, fruit quality, and water status of microsprinkler-irrigated apple trees (Malus domestica ‘Fuji’) located in a Mediterranean region in the central part of Chile. Four irrigation treatments were applied to a commercial orchard during the 2011/12 and 2013/14 growing seasons as follows: 125%, 100%, 75%, and 50% of actual evapotranspiration (ETa). Fruit yield (Y), crop load (fruits per tree, FP), fruit size (fruit weight (FW) and fruit diameter (FD)), fruit quality (firmness (FF), contents of soluble solids (SS), and starch (ST)), water productivity (WP), midday stem water potential (Ψstem), and water stress integral (WSI) were measured in each growing season. The results indicate that trees at 125% and 100% ETa reached an average Ψstem near − 1.0 MPa, whereas trees at 75% and 50% ETa reached Ψstem ∼ − 1.5 MPa. With the exception of FP, irrigation treatment had significant effects on Y, FW, FD, FF, SS, ST and WP. In this regard, the apple trees irrigated at 50% ETa produced fruits with the highest SS, FF, and WP, but the Y and fruit size (FW and FD) were significantly reduced because of severe water stress (average Ψstem ranged from −1.35 to −1.88 MPa). Apple trees with the 100% and 125% ETa treatments produced higher Y, FW, and FD than those with the 75% ETa treatment. In addition, the irrigation amount for apple trees irrigated at 125% ETa was 15% greater than for those irrigated at 100% ETa, but the yield and fruit quality were similar in both treatments. Finally, this study suggested that irrigation scheduling based on 100% ETa and Ψstem closed to − 1.5 MPa could be a suitable strategy for microsprinkler-irrigated apple (cv. Fuji) orchards growing in Mediterranean climate areas.

Opisthorchis viverrini, Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis felineus liver flukes affect mammalian host microbiome in a species-specific manner.

Opisthorchis felineus, Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis are epidemiologically significant food-borne trematodes endemic to diverse climatic areas. O. viverrini and C. sinensis are both recognized to be 1A group of biological carcinogens to human, whereas O. felineus is not. The mechanisms of carcinogenesis by the liver flukes are studied fragmentarily, the role of host and parasite microbiome is an unexplored aspect. Specific pathogen free Mesocricetus auratus hamsters were infected with C. sinensis, O. viverrini and O. felineus. The microbiota of the adult worms, colon feces and bile from the hamsters was investigated using Illumina-based sequencing targeting the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene. The analysis of 43 libraries revealed 18,830,015 sequences, the bacterial super-kingdom, 16 different phyla, 39 classes, 63 orders, 107 families, 187 genera-level phylotypes. O. viverrini, a fluke with the most pronounced carcinogenic potential, has the strongest impact on the host bile microbiome, changing the abundance of 92 features, including Bifidobacteriaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, [Paraprevotellaceae], Acetobacteraceae, Coriobacteraceae and Corynebacteriaceae bacterial species. All three infections significantly increased Enterobacteriaceae abundance in host bile, reduced the level of commensal bacteria in the gut microbiome (Parabacteroides, Roseburia, and AF12). O. felineus, O. viverrini, and C. sinensis infections cause both general and species-specific qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition of microbiota of bile and colon feces of experimental animals infected with these trematodes. The alterations primarily concern the abundance of individual features and the phylogenetic diversity of microbiomes of infected hamsters.

The Impacts of Energy Efficiency Modelling in Policy Making

Bottom-up energy system models have been used extensively to analyse future energy scenarios, addressing a wide variety of policy questions. This paper focuses on energy efficiency, a key energy, climate, and economic policy area where several examples of energy system model applications can be found in the literature. This paper analyses how different studies implement energy efficiency scenarios in energy system models and explains how the approach taken can affect the results significantly, potentially affecting policy decisions. This analysis contributes to understanding how this type of modelling framework considers energy efficiency policy issues and the extent of insight provided, or not, on different dimensions. With the aim of identifying ‘best practice’ in using energy system models to inform effective analysis of energy efficiency policy, the UK TIMES energy system model is used to implement five different energy efficiency scenarios for residential heating following different modelling approaches and replicating scenarios available in the literature. The study concludes that energy efficiency scenarios, implementing the same target, produce significantly different results in terms of technology mix, energy use, emissions and costs. Additionally, the outcomes show that there is no overall best energy efficiency scenario, as each impacts on different policy targets, which could come into conflict with each other.

The lower labile carbon of surface soils in Chinese semiarid areas

ABSTRACT Hot water extractable organic carbon (HWOC), the labile carbon component, is often used to indicate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Nevertheless, few studies have been carried out in arid climate areas which affects our full understanding of HWOC. Here, we investigated the change in HWOC in the topsoil of different ecosystems in the southern part of the Loess Plateau in the semiarid region of China and compared it with that in other regions. The HWOC concentrations of the study area (0-10 cm) were 0.27 ± 0.12 g C kg−1 and 0.19 ± 0.04 g C kg−1 in the natural and agricultural systems respectively, and the HWOC proportions were 1.38 ± 0.38% and 2.18 ± 0.22%. The HWOC concentration and proportion in the study area were much lower than the reported data in other areas, which may be affected by drought conditions. Irrigation could weaken the difference in HWOC between agricultural systems in different regions. Since HWOC is easily lost due to the impact of the arid climate, the soil carbon balance and carbon sequestration in arid and semiarid areas are relatively unstable, indicating that soil management should be improved in combination with water management.

ASSESSMENT OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF URBAN HEAT ISLANDS (UHI) IN SEMI-ARID CLIMATE

An urban heat island phenomenon has increased in the last decades due to rapid urbanization, resulting in a significant impact on local climate. In this study, remote sensing data was used to analyze Spatiotemporal patterns of Urban Heat Island Intensity (UHII) over a 20 years period in a semi-arid climate area. The relationship between the Land Surface Temperature (LST), vegetation and Land Cover Types (LCTs) were examined. The relation between the UHII and its driving factors (different LCTs and meteorological conditions) was analyzed. Analysis of 8-day daytime and nighttime LST data acquired from MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) shows that Amman has a significant UHII in both daytime and night time. The results show a negative correlation between the LST and vegetation indicators and between the UHII and the wind speed average, indicating a positive correlation between the UHII and temperature. Vegetation has been proven to significantly reduce LST, mainly in the daytime, due to its cooling effect that results from the transpiration process and shadow effect.

How school culture affects teachers’ classroom implementation of learning from professional development

A core element of almost all educational improvement efforts is an intention to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student- and system-level outcomes. To this end, a range of strategies are deployed to facilitate teacher professional learning and development, with great investments of time, financial, and human resources. However, the environments in which teachers learn and their impact on teachers’ implementation of new learning remain underexamined. By considering how the psychosocial learning environments present in schools affect the teacher development process, there is scope to enhance the impacts of professional development. This study explored how aspects of school climate and culture (that is, the learning environments that teachers experience) affect teachers’ classroom implementation of their professional learning. Qualitative data were gathered from 36 teachers in New Zealand through focus groups and analysed via reflexive thematic analysis following a latent inductive approach. Five areas of school climate and culture were identified that, according to the teachers, affected their implementation of new professional learning. These areas were: leadership engagement/actions; the change environment; relationships; beliefs and attitudes related to TPLD; and all being on the same page. Understanding the roles these five areas play provides insights into how school leaders and policymakers can seek to shape the learning environments that surround teachers’ daily classroom practice in order to facilitate learning and improvement for all.

English

Indonesia lies in a tropical climate area and depends on rainfall as the main source of irrigation. Changes in rainfall patterns and air temperature directly impact the water availability for irrigation purposes, including Danda Besar Swamp Irrigation Area (DIR). DIR Danda Besar is a tidal swamp irrigation field, but the tidal power cannot reach several areas, so it needs to use rainwater to supply water demand and becomes rainfed agriculture. The observation of changes in rainfall patterns and air temperature from 2001 to 2020 was conducted using daily TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission) data split into 2 observation periods: Period I from 2001 to 2010 and period II from 2011 to 2020. The data analysis process consists of validation and correction to the TRMM data before it is used for water balance analysis, calculation of effective rainfall for rice and evapotranspiration, and analysis of water availability and demand. From the comparison of water availability discharge between Period I (2001-2010) and Period II (2011-2020), the highest increase in mid-month water availability occured on December 1 and December 2, and the highest decrease in water availability occured on November 1 and November 2. The results of the water balance analysis are based on water demand according to the cropping scenario with two cropping scenarios. Water balance 1 has a deficit in water availability for Periods I and II; water balance 2 is recommended for cropping patterns due to climate change, so the water balance is calculated based on water availability for Period II. No water deficit in Water balance 2.

Optimization of double-layer shaped phase change wallboard in buildings in two typical climate areas in China

Phase change material (PCM) applied in buildings can significantly improve thermal comfort and realize building energy conservation. In recent years, double-layer shaped phase change wallboards (DLSPCWs) that depends on the latent heat absorption and release of two kinds of PCMs can effective control the indoor temperature fluctuation, and have been play an important role in improving the indoor thermal environment. The related researches show that, it is rare but necessary to optimize the DLSPCWs in different typical climate areas in order to further promote the application development of PCMs in buildings for energy conservation. Aimed this, fifty-four different DLSPCWs were constructed in this study by selecting different phase change thermal storage layer from four kinds of form-stable PCMs and changing the thickness of the layer to optimize the structure of DLSPCW in two typical climate areas, including severe cold area (Xining city, China) and hot summer and warm winter area (Haikou city, China) respectively. Comsol Multiphysics was used for heat transfer simulation and calculation of the DLSPCW in order to determine its best structure combination pattern for the two areas, and DesignBuilder for comparing and analyzing the building energy conservation effect when using the optimal DLSPCW in buildings. Compared with the ordinary wall, the optimized DLSPCW saved 14,198.96 kW·h electric energy during the heating period in Xining, while 18,816.62 kW·h electric energy in Haikou during the cooling period. The results proved that the optimum structure of the DLSPCW not only reduced the heating load and the cooling load but realized the maximum utilization of the PCMs.

Comparative Analysis of Ground Source and Air Source Heat Pump Systems under Different Conditions and Scenarios

The current energy context demands the use of environmentally friendly solutions that contribute to the displacement of traditional fossil fuels. In this regard, heat pumps have become an important tool in the decarbonization of the heating and cooling energy system. With the aim of providing new information in the field, this research is conducted to analyze the suitability of a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) and an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) in two different scenarios. Systems are designed to cover the heating needs of a building placed in a cold climate area, characterized by being in a thermally and geologically favorable formation (Case 1), and in a mild climate location where the geology is not so appropriate for the thermal exchange with the ground (Case 2). Results highlight the need to perform an exhaustive study of the subsoil and the external conditions of the area for a reliable selection. In Case 1, the ASHP option is discarded due to the demanding outdoor air requirements that rocket the operating costs of the system. In Case 2, both solutions are viable, with the geothermal alternative preferred if the initial investment can be assumed, providing economic advantages from the 17th year of the system operation.