Continental Climatic Conditions Research Articles

Relationship between Phytocenotic Diversity of the Northeastern Transbaikal Orobiome and Bioclimatic Parameters

The most important spatial patterns of plant cover of the Northern Transbaikalia, its regional features being represented by the structure of altitudinal zonality of the Northeastern Transbaikal orobiome, have been determined in relationship with the climatic factor. The regional climate assessment of the altitudinal belt structure of the plant cover of the orobiome has been performed for typological subdivisions of the highest hierarchic level (phratries of the classes of plant formations) using the BioClim global climate model. Principal component analysis, discriminant and cluster analysis were used to demonstrate that the summer ombrothermic index, continentality and climate moisture indices and the mean annual rainfall of many years are the most significant bioclimatic parameters determining the spatial structure of plant cover in the mountain taiga, subgoletz, mountain tundra and goletz belts. The background communities of orobiome belts develop under the conditions of continental climate (continentality index from 36 to 50). Heat supply parameters, first of all, in the vegetation period, are crucial for the spatial differentiation of altitudinal subelts, characterizing the change of light forest and dwarf pine communities in the subgoletz belt, larch, larch-pine and dark-coniferous forests in the mountain taiga belt. Moisture supply is related to the regional differences in the typological diversity of the belts, which are manifested in the development of more moisture-demanding fir-spruce forests in the low parts of the Patom Highland (rainfall amount more than 450 mm per year) and pine forests in the intermountain basins of the Stanovoy Highlands, existing under the conditions with the maximum annual temperature amplitude and low rainfall levels (up to 400 mm per year).

Study on distinct quality properties of cashmere from local goat breeds of Mongolia

The research was carried out in 2021 to determine the specific quality properties of local Mongolian breeds of cashmere goats. The research covered 122 herder households from 13 soums in 8 aimags. A total of 4,560 samples were collected from 1,522 goats representing the main factors determining cashmere quality: ecological habitat, various herd management practices, local breeds, age and sex of goats, and cashmere colour. Cashmere fibre diameter (FD), fibre curvature (FC), and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD) were tested in 1,522 samples, and cashmere length was tested in 1,387 samples. The overall mean fibre diameter (MFD) was 16.1 μm, mean length (FL) was 44.9 mm, and fibre curvature (FC) was 61.9°/mm. Cashmere from one-year-old goats was significantly finer than cashmere from older goats (about 1.0 μm, P<0.05). Cashmere from does in the samples tested was significantly finer than cashmere from the bucks. Over the range in mean fibre diameter, from 13.5 to 19.0 µm, fibre curvature declined from 87.8 to 44.2°/mm. Of all cashmere samples, 40.6% belonged to super fine (≤15.5µm), 43.7% and 12.1% had a fibre diameter between 15.51-16.80 and 16.81-17.50 μm, respectively, and were suitable for knitwear. Only 3.6% of samples tested were between 17.51 to 19.00 μm and may only be suitable for weaving. The average CVFD values of cashmere of Mongolian breeds of cashmere goats was 22.5 ± 0.04%, with an individual range of 17.0-26.9%. This shows that it has lesser variation than Alashan white cashmere goats of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, where CVFD ranged from 27.09% to 41.39%. Compared to cashmere from China, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with mean fibre curvature of 46, 46, and 58mm, respectively, the cashmere of local Mongolian breeds of goats would be considered curvier and longer, which makes stronger yarns. Short, higher crimped, softer cashmere may be preferred for woollen-spun yarns, but longer, lower crimped, softer cashmere may be preferred for woven yarn destined for knitwear. Fibre curvature of Mongolian cashmere goats declined an average of 6.1°/mm for a 1µm increase in MFD, which is similar to the 5.8°/mm observed in Chinese Liaoning goats, but less than the 13.6°/mm measured in controlled experiments with Australian goats. Significant differences were found between the cashmere of local Mongolian breeds of goats kept in open, natural rangelands and herded in a nomadic way in distinct ecological conditions of harsh continental climate compared to those breeds of goats kept in intensive farming. This shows the potential to offer distinct quality cashmere from local Mongolian breeds while maintaining proper management and selective breeding.

Screening of potato cv. Florice against potato wart and Fusarium oxysporum using different planting densities based on the weight of the tubers

Potato wart and fusarium diseases are increasing rapidly in the potato producing areas of Turkey and are gradually becoming a cause of concern potato-based Turkish economy. Therefore, taking of early measures against both diseases are of great importance. Seed mini tubers regenerated under in vitro conditions have a significant role to produce disease-free tubers for use as plants. This research was conducted at Ankara province, in the Central Anatolia (hot-humid continental climate conditions (Dsb- as per koppen Geiger climate classification), in 2015-2016 growing seasons for 2 years. The mini tubers were planted in 5 different planting densities (70×10 cm, 70×15 cm, 70×20 cm, 70×25 cm, 70 × 30 cm) by using in vitro regenerated mini tubers belonging to 3 categories (5-10 g, 11-20 g and 21 -30 g) during 2015 and 2016 at Ankara in the Central Anatolia (hot-humid continental climate conditions (Dsb- as per koppen Geiger climate classification), belonging to the cv. Florice. A comparison was made for mean tuber weight per plant (g), number of tubers per plant (number/plant), Total weight of all tubersper plant (g/plant) and yield (kg/ha) at the time of harvest. The findings of the study showed that average tuber weight and number per plant, Total tuber weight per plant increased positively, and yield decreased by increasing the seed tuber weight and row to plant-to-plant distance between plants, when the results of the two years were compared. It was found that the weight changed from tuber weight was 91.3 g and 48.8 g/plant, number of tubers per plant was 5.5 and 5.3, Total tuber weight per plant was and 373.8 and 201.0 g/plant for first and 2nd year respectively without showing any signs of wart and fusarium regardless of the density of the plants. The maximum seed yields per hectare was 32,272 kg and 15,082 kg, during 2015 and 2016, respectively. When the tuber distribution was compared, the maximum of 40% and 39% tubers attained diameter of 35-60 mm and 25-35 mm in the first year and 2nd years in the same order. No wart and fusarium rot was noted on the tubers irrespective of the row to plant to plant distance in each plot. Maximum yield was obtained by planting large tubers (21-30 g) using planting density of 70 ×10 cm. The results recommended use of Ankara as an alternative place for the production of wart and fusarium rot free potato seed production area

Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of a Ground Source Heat Pump System for Water and Space Heating Applications in Kazakhstan

The ground source heat pump heating system is considered as one of the best solutions for the transition towards green heating under the continental climate conditions like Kazakhstan. In this paper, experimental and theoretical investigations were carried out to develop a ground source heat pump-based heating system under the weather conditions in Kazakhstan and to evaluate its thermodynamic performance. The water-to-water heat pump heating system, integrated with a ground source heat exchanger and used refrigerant R134a, was designed to provide hot water to meet the requirements for space heating. The predicted values of the coefficient of performance and the experimental results were found to be in good agreement within 6.2%. The thermodynamic performance of the system was also assessed using various environment-friendly refrigerants, such as R152a, R450A, R513A, R1234yf and R1234ze, as potential replacements for R134a. Although R152a is found to be a good alternative for R134a in terms of coefficient of performance and total equivalent warming impact, its flammability hinders its application. The heating system using refrigerants R450A, R513A, R1234yf and R1234ze shows 2–3% lower coefficient of performance than that of R134a. The highest exergy destruction is found to be attributed to the compressor, followed by the expansion valve, evaporator, and condenser. Considering their low flammability and low environmental impact, R450A, R513A, R1234yf and R1234ze are identified as valuable replacements for R134a.

Data-driven models for atmospheric air temperature forecasting at a continental climate region.

Atmospheric air temperature is the most crucial metrological parameter. Despite its influence on multiple fields such as hydrology, the environment, irrigation, and agriculture, this parameter describes climate change and global warming quite well. Thus, accurate and timely air temperature forecasting is essential because it provides more important information that can be relied on for future planning. In this study, four Data-Driven Approaches, Support Vector Regression (SVR), Regression Tree (RT), Quantile Regression Tree (QRT), ARIMA, Random Forest (RF), and Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR), have been applied to forecast short-, and mid-term air temperature (daily, and weekly) over North America under continental climatic conditions. The time-series data is relatively long (2000 to 2021), 70% of the data are used for model calibration (2000 to 2015), and the rest are used for validation. The autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation functions have been used to select the best input combination for the forecasting models. The quality of predicting models is evaluated using several statistical measures and graphical comparisons. For daily scale, the SVR has generated more accurate estimates than other models, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE = 3.592°C), Correlation Coefficient (R = 0.964), Mean Absolute Error (MAE = 2.745°C), and Thiels' U-statistics (U = 0.127). Besides, the study found that both RT and SVR performed very well in predicting weekly temperature. This study discovered that the duration of the employed data and its dispersion and volatility from month to month substantially influence the predictive models' efficacy. Furthermore, the second scenario is conducted using the randomization method to divide the data into training and testing phases. The study found the performance of the models in the second scenario to be much better than the first one, indicating that climate change affects the temperature pattern of the studied station. The findings offered technical support for generating high-resolution daily and weekly temperature forecasts using Data-Driven Methodologies.

Production and Biological Assessment of VNIISPK Cultivars of Various Ploidy for the Zone of Temperate Continental Climate.

Increasing the reliability of fruit crops in unstable weather conditions of a temperate continental climate has become particularly relevant. This research was carried out based on a bioresource collection from the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK BRC). Apple cultivars (diploids and triploids) of different maturation periods were studied. Triploid cultivars (3×) of summer maturation were developed using diploid gametes of the ‘Papirovka tetraploid’ cultivar as a donor (2-4-4-4×), triploids of winter maturation were developed using 13-6-106 (Suvorovetz: open pollination), and ‘Wealthy tetraploid’ (2-4-4-4×) or ‘Giant Spy’ (2-4-4-4×) were used as donors of diploid gametes. ‘Antonovka’ and ‘Melba’ were taken as control cultivars. The aim of this work was to evaluate the apple breeding cultivars according to the main economic and biological indicators and to determine the threshold of resistance to unfavorable conditions of the winter period for possible cultivation in specific conditions of a temperate continental climate. As a result of using the method of modeling damaging factors, apple cultivars that withstood not only the critical temperatures of January, but also especially dangerous frosts after thaws at the end of winter were identified, with the stability of vital tissues at the level of ‘Antonovka’ (a control cultivar), scab immune cultivars (RVi6) ‘Ivanovskoye’, ‘Zdorovie’ and ‘Pamyati Hitrovo’, and immune triploids (3×) ‘Vavilovskoye’, ‘Aleksandr Boyko’, Rozhdestvenskoye’ and ‘Academic Saveliev’. During the whole winter, the winter resistance of summer scab immune triploids, ‘Zhilinskoye’, ‘Maslovskoye’, ‘Yablochny Spas’ and ‘Spasskoye’, was at the level of ‘Antonovka’, but was higher than ‘Melba’. The high precocity of scab-immune cultivars, ’Afrodita’, ‘Ivanovskoye’, ‘Veniaminovskoye’, and ‘Yubiley Moskvy’, and triploids ‘Patriot’ and ‘Rozhdestvenskoye’, have been identified. Triploid cultivars are superior to diploid cultivars and control ‘Antonovka’ in fruit size. According to the complex of characteristics, promising apple cultivars were identified for planting in intensive orchards of the temperate continental climate zones, namely ‘Avgusta’ and ‘Solnyshko’ (summer cultivars), and ‘Aleksandr Boyko’, ‘Vavilovskoye’, ‘Venyaminovskoye’, ‘Ivanovskoye’ and ‘Rozhdestvenskoye’ (winter cultivars).

Population structure and demographic history of the gastropod Thaisella chocolata (Duclos, 1832) from the Southeast Pacific inferred from mitochondrial DNA analyses.

The present‐day population structure of a species reflects the combination of oceanographic currents, life‐history traits, and historical events. However, little is known about the mechanisms that have shaped the gene lineage distribution of marine species inhabiting the Southeast Pacific. Here, we provide a comprehensive phylogeographical study of a species distributed along the Southeast Pacific coastal region by analyzing the endemic gastropod Thaisella chocolata (Duclos, 1832). Sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and 16S rRNA revealed strikingly high haplotypic nucleotide and genetic diversity but a lack of significant population differentiation within the survey area. In addition, a star‐shaped phylogeny and significantly negative Tajima's D and Fu's Fs tests of neutrality suggested historical occurrence of rapid demographic expansion. Mismatch distributions and Bayesian inference analyses also confirmed T. chocolata to have undergone two ancestral demographic expansions. Calculations suggested that these expansions began in the lower and middle Pleistocene epoch, likely due to continental shelf development and climatic conditions. These findings could help establish a genetic baseline for T. chocolata as the first step toward sustainable spatial management of this species, as well as understand this species’ response to future climate change.

Comparison of farm-level greenhouse gas emissions in transhumance and semi-intensive sheep production systems in continental rangelands

Despite their predominance worldwide, few studies have been conducted to look at the impact of sheep production systems relying on transhumance practices in arid and continental conditions, on farm-level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using Turkey as an example, this paper examines on farm-level GHG emissions calculated for two contrasting sheep production systems under arid and continental climate conditions. Production and management data were obtained through face-to-face interviews carried out on 10 transhumance and 15 semi-intensive meat sheep farms in Turkey. A total of seven GHG emission estimates were then calculated for each farm with the Agricultural Resource Efficiency Calculator (AgRECalc©) tool; i) total Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from energy use (kg CO2e), ii) total Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from methane (kg CO2e), iii) total CO2e from nitrous oxide (kg CO2e), iv) whole farm and enterprise CO2e emissions (kg CO2e), v) net emission from land use (kg CO2e), vi) whole farm CO2e emissions per kg of farm output (kg CO2e/kg output), vii) product CO2e emissions (meat): kg CO2e / kg live weight, and viii) farm output (kg of sheep). Multivariate analyses (using R software) were carried out to compare both farm types and their respective carbon emissions. The total farm output per ewe was lower in the transhumance farms (7.4 kg/ewe) than in the semi-intensive farms (7.7 kg/ewe). The kg CO2e per kg of output was also lower for the transhumance farms (46.2 kg CO2e) than for the semi-intensive ones (56.5 kg CO2e). This trend was similar for the amount of CO2e per kg of live weight produced (20.8 kg and 25.4 kg for the transhumance and the semi-intensive farms, respectively). Despite overall net emissions from land use being greater on average for the transhumance farms, once measured per hectare, they were found to be lower than those for the semi-intensive farms. This study provides a reference point for different sheep production systems’ GHG emission impact in continental rangelands in Turkey.

Development of the project of modular prefabricated buildings

The issues of working design with the construction of modular prefabricated buildings, with the minimization of cold bridges are revealed. Cold bridges are typical for prefabricated buildings with inadequate attention to the design of both load-bearing metal and enclosing structures, as well as their connections. Connections should not pass through its cross section both zero and negative temperatures. As a result, an original project of two modular buildings was developed from easily prefabricated metal structures and wall structures with light mineral wool filling. This project is also intended for sharply continental regional natural and climatic conditions (regardless of the geographical location on the territory of Kazakhstan – south-eastern Kazakhstan, central, eastern or western Kazakhstan. In winter, natural and climatic conditions are similar in these areas). As a result of this study, it was found that the developed project meets the requirements of thermal insulation – at the interface of the supporting and enclosing structures. The thermal insulation requirements of the above structures are important to eliminate the dew point and consequently the formation of moisture and mold in all structures. In turn, mold and other microorganisms, as studies show, adversely affect the health and normal stay of people in the premises, both during the night and during the day. Many developers do not consider these factors in prefabricated buildings. These buildings are intended for various industries. For example, in healthcare, these are mobile hospitals. In military camps – buildings of temporary residence as barracks, etc.

Removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by aboveground biomass of Phragmites australis in Constructed Wetland System under the conditions of temperate continental climate

In this paper, aboveground biomass and basic nutrients removal, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), was analyzed by the use of reed as the main component of Constructed Wetland System (CWS) “Gložan”. In almost ideal conditions of temperate continental climate, with favorable substrate humidity, due to the constant inflow of municipal wastewater, reed populations reach a high density, on average 217 ind/m2. The reed produces significant aboveground biomass, fresh weight (FW) of 144.21 g/plant and dry weight (DW) of 77.04 g/plant, with the largest share being per tree (87.49 g FW/plant, 48.17 g DW/plant), then leaf (49.45 g FW/plant, 24.89 g DW/plant) and the smallest inflorescence (7.27 g FW/plant, 3.99 g DW/plant). The results obtained in this way indicate that the largest amount of nitrogen was removed by leaves, then by stems and, the smallest by inflorescences, 181.07 g/m2, 97.73 g/m2, 23.41 g/m2, respectively. Thus, an average of 302.21 g/m2 of nitrogen was removed by the entire aboveground part of the reed. Also, the largest amount of phosphorus was removed by leaves, then by stems, and the smallest by inflorescences, 5.72 g/m2, 4.82 g/m2 and 2.57 g/m2, respectively, while the entire aboveground part of the reed is on average about 13.11 g/m2.

Effects of Different Forage Pea and Rye Mixtures on Forage Yield and Quality

This study was carried out in the 2018-19 vegetation period to determine the appropriate mixture ratios of forage pea (Pisum sativum L.) and rye (Secale cereale L.) under rainfed conditions of Kırşehir province, Turkey. The layout of the experiment was randomized blocks with three replications and the treatments were pure rye, pure forage pea and four different mixtures of forage pea and mixtures (20% FP + 80% R, 40% FP + 60% P, 60% FP + 40% R, 80% FP + 20% R). The highest green forage yield (2395.1 kg da-1), dry matter yield (833.3 kg da-1) and crude protein yield (71.0 kg da-1) were obtained from pure rye sowings. The highest crude protein ratio (15.6%), the lowest ADF (31.1%) and NDF (39.3%) ratios were obtained from pure forage pea sowings. The increase in the rye ratio of the mixtures increased the yield, while the increase in the forage pea ratio caused an increase in the forage quality. The results revealed that a mixture of pure rye and 20% FP + 80% R can be recommended to obtain high dry matter yield, and 40% FP + 60% R mixture for yield and quality for under continental climate conditions as in Kirsehir province of Turkey.

Improvement of the grapevine gene pool on the basis of agrobiological and physio-biochemical assessment of new genotypes under the unstable moderate continental climate conditions of Southern Russia

Background. Development of table grape cultivars is currently aimed not only at higher vineyard productivity and grape quality but also at enhancing the adaptive potential of plants under the dynamic change in the climate conditions of Southern Russia. Increasing the share of modern Russian cultivars of table grapes will update and improve the assortment. The aim of this study was to evaluate new Russian hybrid grapevine forms according to their agrobiological, physiological and biochemical characteristics in the central agroecological zone of Krasnodar Territory.Materials and methods. Agrobiological characters were assessed using modern methods. Among physio-biochemical characters, the content of photosynthetic pigments was measured as well as the level of stress parameters under drought, such as the total water content in leaves and the content of malondialdehyde. Artificial drought was simulated to identify the most stress-resistant hybrid forms.Results. The highest values of fruitfulness coefficients k1 and k2 in the period of research were recorded for the Akello and Agat Dubovsky hybrid forms. Timoti and Agat Dubovsky had the maximum average yield for two years among the hybrid forms. The Gamlet, Kishmish Dubovsky, Agat Dubovsky and Timoti genotypes significantly exceeded the reference cultivar in the bunch weight. The Akello and Agat Dubovsky hybrids were identified for their physio-biochemical parameters: the highest content of chlorophyll in their leaves, high adaptive potential expressed in a low development level of secondary oxidative processes under stress, and the highest content of carotenoids.Conclusion. The obtained results evidenced that the Agat Dubovsky hybrid form could be identified as the most promising among the studied genotypes for cultivation in Southern Russia.

Modern Pollen Assemblages From Lake Sediments and Soil in East Siberia and Relative Pollen Productivity Estimates for Major Taxa

Modern pollen–vegetation–climate relationships underpin palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate reconstructions from fossil pollen records. East Siberia is an ideal area for investigating the relationships between modern pollen assemblages and near natural vegetation under cold continental climate conditions. Reliable pollen-based quantitative vegetation and climate reconstructions are still scarce due to the limited number of modern pollen datasets. Furthermore, differences in pollen representation of samples from lake sediments and soils are not well understood. Here, we present a new pollen dataset of 48 moss/soil and 24 lake surface-sediment samples collected in Chukotka and central Yakutia in East Siberia. The pollen–vegetation–climate relationships were investigated by ordination analyses. Generally, tundra and taiga vegetation types can be well distinguished in the surface pollen assemblages. Moss/soil and lake samples contain generally similar pollen assemblages as revealed by a Procrustes comparison with some exceptions. Overall, modern pollen assemblages reflect the temperature and precipitation gradients in the study areas as revealed by constrained ordination analysis. We estimate the relative pollen productivity (RPP) of major taxa and the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) for moss/soil samples from Chukotka and central Yakutia using Extended R-Value (ERV) analysis. The RSAP of the tundra-forest transition area in Chukotka and taiga area in central Yakutia are ca. 1300 and 360 m, respectively. For Chukotka, RPPs relative to both Poaceae and Ericaceae were estimated while RPPs for central Yakutia were relative only to Ericaceae. Relative to Ericaceae (reference taxon, RPP = 1), Larix, Betula, Picea, and Pinus are overrepresented while Alnus, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and Salix are underrepresented in the pollen spectra. Our estimates are in general agreement with previously published values and provide the basis for reliable quantitative reconstructions of East Siberian vegetation.

Rapid climatic fluctuations during the Guadalupian-Lopingian transition: Implications from weathering indices recorded in acid-insoluble residues of carbonate rocks, South China

• The acid-insoluble residues of carbonate rocks preserve informations about terrestrial weathering. • Rapid changes of weathering indices imply climatic fluctuations during the GLB . • Two lower CIA corr units correspond to the P3 and P4 glaciations in Australia. • The high CIA corr interval around 260 Ma is related to the eruption of the ELIP . • Climatic fluctuations drive the co-evolution of continent-ocean-biodiversity system. The Guadalupian-Lopingian boundary (GLB) transition was regarded as a gradual warming period with the termination of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA). However, the glacial-nonglacial cycles from Eastern Australia imply that the period was also influenced by climatic fluctuations. We here report on a GLB section of the South China Block confined by the conodont biostratigraphy to constrain weathering intensity and the associated climatic fluctuations during this critical interval. The chemical weathering indices were estimated by analyses of acid-insoluble residues extracted from carbonate rocks. Two weak weathering units (Unit 1 and 3, Early Capitanian and Early Wuchiapingian) and two strong weathering units (Unit 2 and 4, Late Capitanian and Middle Wuchiapingian) are identified. δ 13 C carb generally follow well the variation tracks of weathering indices. Two weak weathering units (Unit 1 and 3) correspond to the P3 glacial and the P4 glacial in high-latitude region of Australia. The CIA-converted land surface temperature and reported seawater temperature reflect the synchronous response of continental climate and marine conditions. The strong weathering duration (Unit 2) is closely related to the eruption of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) which promoted the temperature raising and induced the waning of high-latitude ice sheet accordingly. The climatic fluctuations paced with the onset, surge, and weakening of the ELIP should be responsible for the remarkable continent-ocean-biodiversity system changes and GLB extinction.

Infestation of red currant berries and its varieties by fungi of genus Colletotrichum Sacc. in Russia

Some species of parasitic fungi from the genus Colletotrichum afflict the vegetative organs of a plant, while the others affect the reproductive organs. This results in the deterioration of berry quality and yield and the potential death of a plant. Colletotrichum fungi causing anthracnose in the red currant berry were first isolated in Russia from the fruits of red currant (Ribes rubrum) and its varieties received from the Moscow, Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions and the Mari El Republic. The susceptibility of these crop varieties depended on the infection potential of Colletotrichums pp. in the plantings and weather conditions. Infestation symptoms include wrinkled fruit that develops during berry ripening. Species of this pathogen are preserved within mummy berries and dry clusters on the branches. The flowers were infected under the conditions of the Moscow Region in the first decade of May 2021; under the conditions of continental climate in the Mari El Republic, visual symptoms of the disease were absent within this period; however, the pathogen had already been present in the plantations. Therefore, it can be concluded that the pathogens behave as biotrophs when infecting red currant. The results of morphological and molecular genetic analyses showed that two species of the genus Colletotrichum parasitise on red currant in the Moscow region: Colletotrichum godetiae Neerg., Friesia and Colletotrichum fioriniae Marcelino&Gouli.

Assessment of onshore wind energy potential under temperate continental climate conditions

Using the Weibull distribution function, the study presents a statistical evaluation of wind characteristics and onshore wind power potential under temperate continental climate conditions. Wind energy projects are more expensive to install than conventional energy sources, but they have lower operating and maintenance costs (zero costs for fuel). Because the initial investment is so large, conducting as precise and reliable feasibility studies as possible is critical because they play a significant role in lowering the cost of energy production. As a result, wind speed measurements are critical for conducting accurate feasibility studies. The availability and accuracy of weather data are critical for determining wind potential at a specific location. Wind speed is an important factor to consider when analyzing the wind speed distribution function. The monthly and yearly values of Weibull parameters, and wind power density at the analyzed location, were estimated using wind speed data. The yearly value of the k parameter for the Weibull analysis was 1.153, and for the c parameter was 5.602, respectively. Also, the yearly average wind speed was found to be greater than the maximum wind speed. Another important conclusion is that the maximum energy-producing wind speed, rather than the average or most frequent wind speed, has the greatest influence on wind potential. The final outcome of this study indicate that the location analyzed is adequate for the exploitation of wind energy.

Geraniol and Carvacrol in Essential Oil Bearing Thymus pulegioides: Distribution in Natural Habitats and Phytotoxic Effect.

Phenolic and non-phenolic chemotypes of Thymus pulegioides L. are common in Europe. Essential oils of these chemotypes, as various compositions of allelochemicals, can have different phytotoxic effects on neighboring plants in natural habitats. The aim of this study was to establish the distribution of carvacrol and geraniol in T. pulegioides, growing wild in Lithuania, and compare phytotoxity of essential oils of carvacrol and geraniol chemotypes on selected plant species. In investigating 131 T. pulegioides habitats, essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Phytotoxity of essential oils extracted from carvacrol and geraniol chemotypes transmitted through water and air to selected plants was determined under laboratory conditions. Pharmacologically valuable Hypericum perforatum L. and the important forage grass Phleum pratense L. were respectively selected for experimentation from among 35 medicinal plants and 10 feed Poaceae species, growing in T. pulegioides habitats. Field results showed that carvacrol is common throughout Lithuania’s territory, whereas the geraniol is predominantly located under the continental climatic conditions of the eastern region of the country. In the laboratory experiment, it was established that there was stronger inhibition of P. pratense seed germination by the essential oil of the geraniol chemotype than the carvacrol chemotype. None of the H. perforatum seeds germinated after exposure to the essential oil of the geraniol chemotype. In general, this study builds on previous studies by providing further evidence that different T. pulegioides chemotypes have contrasting phytotoxic effects on neighboring plants within their natural habitats.

The extreme rainfall gradient of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve and its impact on forest bird richness

A natural laboratory is a place supporting the conditions for hypothesis testing under non-anthropogenic settings. Located at the southern end of the Magellanic sub-Antarctic ecoregion in southwestern South America, the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR) has one of the most extreme rainfall gradients in the world. Subject to oceanic climate conditions, it is also characterized by moderate thermal fluctuations throughout the year. This makes it a unique natural laboratory for studying the effects of extreme rainfall variations on forest bird communities. Here, we monitor the bird species richness in the different forest types present in the CHBR. We found that species richness decreased with increasing precipitation, in which an increase of 100 mm in average annual precipitation showed about 1% decrease in species richness. Similar patterns were found among different forest types within the CHBR. These results provide a baseline to investigate the interactions between physical and biotic factors in a subpolar region that climatically contrasts with boreal forests, which is subject to continental climatic conditions. This research highlights the importance of ecological and ornithological long-term studies in the CHBR, which can contribute both to a higher resolution of the heterogeneity of climate changes in different regions of the world, and to orient conservation policies in the Magellanic sub-Antarctic ecoregion in the face of growing development pressures.

The problem of selecting an energy-optimal cooling system using natural refrigerants in a supermarket application in a humid continental and Mediterranean climate conditions

The article presents an original solution to the problem of selecting an energy-optimal refrigeration system for a typical supermarket application. In this optimization problem carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3) have been assumed as natural refrigerants and the objective function is the minimum of the annual electricity demand. In the presented methodology, the refrigeration system is described by a vector whose coordinates are constant parameters and decision variables. A set of acceptable variants was determined using system analysis and matrix calculus as a tool, based on the limiting conditions. The following systems were determined as acceptable variants: classical CO2 booster (1′ generation), 2′ generation CO2 booster - with auxiliary compressors for parallel compression of flash gas from the liquid receiver, a 3′ generation CO2 booster - with multiejectors in cooperation with parallel compression and flooded evaporators, and an indirect expansion (IX) system with ammonia. The objective function was determined from simulation models of the operation of the acceptable systems throughout the year. For the humid continental climate (Poznan, Poland) the energy-optimal variant is the 3′ generation booster system, in relation to which the annual electricity demand for the 1′ and 2′ generation CO2 booster and the ammonia indirect expansion system is higher by 33.4%, 29.0% and 12.9%, respectively. For the Mediterranean climate (Rome, Italy) the energy-optimal system is the indirect expansion ammonia system, in relation to which the annual electricity demand for 1′, 2′ and 3′ generation CO2 booster is higher by 30.4%, 23.1% and 1.4%, respectively.

Numerical and Parametric Analysis for Enhancing Performances of Water Photovoltaic/Thermal System

Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems are innovative cogeneration systems that ensure the cooling of photovoltaic (PV) backside and simultaneous production of electricity and heat. However, an effective cooling of the PV back is still a challenge that affects electrical and thermal performance of the PV/T system. In the present work, a PV/T numerical model is developed to simulate the heat flux based on energy balance implemented in MATLAB software. The numerical model is validated through the comparison of the three-layer PV model with the NOCT model and tested under the operation conditions of continental temperate climate. Moreover, the effect of velocity and water film thickness as important flow parameters on heat exchange and PV/T production is numerically investigated. Results revealed that the PV model is in good agreement with the NOCT one. An efficient heat transfer is obtained while increasing the velocity and water film thickness with optimal values of 0.035 m/s and 7 mm, respectively, at an inlet temperature of 20 °C. The PV/T system ensures a maximum thermal power of 1334.5 W and electrical power of 316.56 W (258.8 W for the PV). Finally, the comparison between the PV and PV/T system under real weather conditions showed the advantage of using the PV/T.