Degrees Of Latitude Research Articles

Geological age and environments shape reef habitat structure

AbstractAimHabitat complexity plays an important role in the structure and function of ecosystems worldwide. On coral reefs, habitat complexity influences ecosystem services such as harvestable fish biomass and attenuation of wave energy. Here, we test how three descriptors of surface complexity—rugosity, fractal dimension, and height range—trend with the geological age of reefs (0.2–5.1 million years old), depth (1–25 m), wave exposure (1–306 kW/m), coral cover (0–80%), and three habitat types (aggregated reef, rock and boulder, and pavement).LocationWe surveyed across 234 sites and 4 degrees of latitude in the eight main Hawaiian Islands.Time PeriodApril 2019 – July 2019.Major Taxa StudiedReef building corals.MethodsWe estimate three surface descriptors (rugosity, fractal dimension and height range) using structure‐from‐motion photogrammetry. We evaluate hypothesized relationships between these descriptors and geological reef age, depth, wave exposure, coral cover and reef habitat type using generalized linear models that account for survey design.ResultsThe rugosity of reef habitats decreased with geological reef age; fractal dimension (and coral cover) decreased with wave exposure; and height range decreased with depth. Variations in these patterns were explained by the different habitat types and the way they are formed over time. Nonetheless, the three surface descriptors were geometrically constrained across all habitat types, and so habitats occupied distinctly different regions of habitat complexity space.Main ConclusionsThis study showed how broad environmental characteristics influence the structural complexity of habitats, and therefore geodiversity, which is an important first step toward understanding the communities supported by these habitats and their ecosystem services.

A Comparison of the Statistical Downscaling and Long-Short-Term-Memory Artificial Neural Network Models for Long-Term Temperature and Precipitations Forecasting

General circulation models (GCMs) run at regional resolution or at a continental scale. Therefore, these results cannot be used directly for local temperatures and precipitation prediction. Downscaling techniques are required to calibrate GCMs. Statistical downscaling models (SDSM) are the most widely used for bias correction of GCMs. However, few studies have compared SDSM with multi-layer perceptron artificial neural networks and in most of these studies, results indicate that SDSM outperform other approaches. This paper investigates an alternative architecture of neural networks, namely the long-short-term memory (LSTM), to forecast two critical climate variables, namely temperature and precipitation, with an application to five climate gauging stations in the Lake Chad Basin. Lake Chad is a data scarce area which has been impacted by severe drought, where water resources have been influenced by climate change and recent agricultural expansion. SDSM was used as the benchmark in this paper for temperature and precipitation downscaling for monthly time–scales weather prediction, using grid resolution GCM output at a 5 degrees latitude × 5 degrees longitude global grid. Three performance indicators were used in this study, namely the root mean square error (RMSE), to measure the sensitivity of the model to outliers, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), to estimate the overall performance of the predictions, as well as the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), which is a standard measure used in the field of climate forecasting. Results on the validation set for SDSM and test set for LSTM indicated that LSTM produced better accuracy on average compared to SDSM. For precipitation forecasting, the average RMSE and MAPE for LSTM were 33.21 mm and 24.82% respectively, while the average RMSE and MAPE for SDSM were 53.32 mm and 34.62% respectively. In terms of three year ahead minimum temperature forecasts, LSTM presents an average RMSE of 4.96 degree celsius and an average MAPE of 27.16%, while SDSM presents an average RMSE of 8.58 degree celsius and an average MAPE of 12.83%. For maximum temperatures forecast, LSTM presents an average RMSE of 4.27 degree celsius and an average MAPE of 11.09 percent, while SDSM presents an average RMSE of 9.93 degree celsius and an average RMSE of 12.07%. Given the results, LSTM may be a suitable alternative approach to downscale global climate simulation models’ output, to improve water management and long-term temperature and precipitations forecasting at local level.

Partial reuse of circadian clock genes along parallel clines of diapause in two moth species.

Understanding the molecular basis of repeated evolution improves our ability to predict evolution across the tree of life. Only since the last decade has high-throughput sequencing enabled comparative genome scans to thoroughly examine the repeatability of genetic changes driving repeated phenotypic evolution. The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), and the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), are two closely related moths displaying repeatable phenological adaptation to a wide range of climates on two separate continents, largely manifesting as changes in the timing of diapause induction and termination across latitude. Candidate genes underlying diapause variation in North American ECB have been previously identified. Here, we sampled seven ACB populations across 23 degrees of latitude in China to elucidate the genetic basis of diapause variation and evolutionary mechanisms driving parallel clinal responses in the two species. Using pooled whole-genome sequencing (Pool-seq) data, population genomic analyses revealed hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) whose allele frequencies covaried with mean diapause phenotypes along the cline. Genes involved in circadian rhythm were over-represented among candidate genes with strong signatures of spatially varying selection. Only one of two circadian clock genes associated with diapause evolution in ECB showed evidence of reuse in ACB (period [per]), but per alleles were not shared between species nor with their outgroup, implicating independent mutational paths. Nonetheless, evidence of adaptive introgression was discovered at putative diapause loci located elsewhere in the genome, suggesting that de novo mutations and introgression might both underlie the repeated phenological evolution.

Peculiarities of joint influence of navigation intensification and climate change on fast ice distribution in the Ob’ Bay

All year–round navigation in the Ob’Bay has been operating for more than ten years. In recent years it has been performed most actively at three points: the port terminals Sabetta and «Utrenniy» (on the opposite coasts in the northern part of the bay) and the oil loading terminal «Vorota Arktiki» (in the southern part of the bay, off cape Kamenny). Regular winter navigation to Sabetta began in 2013 and to cape Kamenny in 2015. In recent years, the number of vessels in November–May has already risen to about 380 per season. The winter navigation in the fast ice is performed along ice channels, which should impact on the fast ice stability. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of navigation on the fast ice distribution in the Ob’Bay in terms of climate changes. To analyze navigation impact on the fast ice distribution in the Ob’Bay, data on air temperature, ice conditions and number of vessels in the winter period were used in the work. The sum of the freezing degree days (FDD) was chosen as a parameter of winter conditions severity. The mean location of the south boundary of the flaw polynya per season was a parameter of the fast ice stability. Such an approach reduced the influence of short–term fluctuations of temperature and ice conditions. The data analysis carried out over the last 25 years has confirmed a significant influence of navigation on the fast ice distribution. It has been found that for the range from mean to mild winter conditions (an estimate using FDD), the dislocation of the flaw polynya boundary in the south direction amounted to 0.4–0.8 degrees of latitude (25–50 miles) because of winter navigation intensification. Winter conditions more severe than mean have not been recorded in the region over recent years. Therefore, such estimates were not obtained for them. The discovered changes of ice conditions are significant for the region. The transfer from fast ice to drifting ice of different types, forms and concentration will lead to the corresponding restructuring of other natural processes (water dynamics, litho-dynamic regime, etc). Subsequently the impact of hydrometeorological factors on engineering facilities can change, affecting the navigation conditions, scenarios of loading on the hydraulic structures, absolute loading values, etc. This is a factor to consider in the economic development of the region.

Temporal oceanographic variation using satellite imagery data in the central Mexican Pacific convergence zone

The oceanographic variation of the central Mexican Pacific (CMP) is mainly driven by the California Current and the Mexican Coastal Current, which generate a convergence zone. Little information is available regarding changes in oceanographic variables at the mesoscale level in the CMP. Therefore, this study characterized 6 oceanographic variables (sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration [Chl], primary productivity [PP], diffuse attenuation coefficient [K490], and particulate inorganic/organic carbon concentration [PIC, POC]) in the CMP from 2010 to 2017 and their relationships with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The variables were standardized to monthly pixel values of 0.08 latitude degrees, and the study area covered 48,846.48 km2. Friedman tests were used to compare the temporal variation in the variables, while Spearman correlations were used to evaluate the relationship between each variable and the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI). A cross-correlation analysis was performed to determine the temporal lag between the oceanographic variables and the MEI. The cyclicity of the variation in the CMP was determined by spectral analysis. All variables showed significant differences between months and years. Two seasons defined by temperature were also detected: a cold season (December–June), in which high values of these variables were observed, and a warm season (July–November), in which low values of these variables were observed. No variables were correlated with the MEI; however, a 4-month time lag was identified between the variables and the MEI. The cyclicity of the variables corresponded to the cold and warm seasons. The cold phase of ENSO increased the values of PP, Chl, and K490 up to 4 times compared to those of other years. Taken together, the observed variation in oceanographic conditions makes the CMP one of the most dynamic coastal regions of the Mexican Pacific.

Functional diversity patterns of reef fish, corals and algae in the Brazilian biogeographical province

AbstractAimFunctional diversity encapsulates whole‐community responses to environmental gradients mediated by species traits. Under trait convergence, similar responses may cause distantly related taxa to exhibit spatially correlated functional diversity. We investigated whether similar responses of reef fish, coral and algal functional richness and disparity to the environment produce spatially correlated functional diversity patterns.LocationBrazilian marine biogeographical province.TaxonReef fish, corals, algae.MethodsWe analysed data from 40 coastal and oceanic sites distributed across 27 degrees of latitude in the Brazilian province. Using traits, we measured functional richness (FRic) and disparity (Rao's Q) and calculated Pearson's correlation () between pairs of metrics and taxa. We used Bayesian multivariate linear models to model taxa functional richness and disparity relative to sea surface temperature (SST), turbidity, salinity, species richness and region, and to estimate the residual correlation () between metrics after accounting for these variables.ResultsThe best fitted model contained SST, species richness and region, and explained about 56% of the variation in FRic and Rao's Q across taxa. Yet, FRic and Rao's Q of fish, algae and corals responded differently to environmental variables. Functional diversity metrics were less correlated between algae and corals than compared to fish. Observed correlations of FRic and Rao's Q were low to intermediate across taxa (average = 0.14), and residual correlations were even lower (average = 0.02).Main conclusionsSST, species richness and region had a widespread role in determining spatially congruent functional diversity offish, algae and corals across Brazilian reefs, despite their fundamentally different evolutionary histories. Low residual spatial correlations suggest that other mechanisms might also contribute to functional diversity patterns of reef taxa independently. Given the role of SST, species richness and region, the functional structure of these reefs might be compromised by climate change, pollution and overfishing.

Organization of planktonic Tintinnina assemblages in the Atlantic Ocean

Marine plankton have different biogeographical distribution patterns. However, it is not clear how the entire plankton assemblage is composed of these species with distinct biogeographical patterns. Tintinnina (tintinnids) is single-celled planktonic protozoa commonly used as model organisms in planktonic studies. In this research, we investigated the organization of Tintinnina assemblages along the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) spanning over 90 degrees of latitude during the 29th AMT cruise (2019). Tintinnina with high frequency of occurrence was classified into four biogeographic distribution patterns (equatorial, gyre, frontal, and deep Chl a maximum) according to their vertical and horizontal distribution. All species falling within each distribution pattern formed a sub-assemblage. Equatorial sub-assemblage dominated in upper waters of the equatorial zone and gyre centres. Equatorial and frontal sub-assemblages co-dominated in upper waters of the frontal zones. Deep Chlorophyll a maximum Layer (DCM) sub-assemblage dominated in the DCM waters. Some Tintinnina species with high abundance could be used as indicator species of sub-assemblages. The Tintinnina assemblages in the northern and southern hemispheres exhibited asymmetry in terms of species composition. The latitudinal gradient of Tintinnina species richness was bimodal, which was shaped by the superposition of the species number of the four sub-assemblages with latitude. The result of this study contributes to the understanding of Tintinnina assemblage in the equatorial zone and subtropical gyres of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. It is also valuable for predicting the influence of global warming on changes in Tintinnina distribution and species richness.

Geographic Variation in Survival and Growth of Atlantic White-Cedar (Chamaecyparis Thyoides [L.] B.S.P.): Implications for Artificial Regeneration of a Declining Species

Abstract Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides [L.] B.S.P.; AWC), a wetland tree species native to the eastern United States, is declining rangewide. This decline has stimulated interest in restoring AWC in parts of its range. However, restoration could benefit from more research on this species, especially that focus on where to source seedlings for artificial reforestation. This study presents results out to years 18–20 from a southern New Jersey common garden established in the early 2000s as part of the first rangewide provenance planting of AWC. The goal of this research was to expand our understanding of intraspecific variation in AWC linked to the geographic origin of genetic sources. Results indicated that genotype performance was linked to their geographic origin and that local sources were among the top performers when taking all metrics into consideration (e.g., survival, height, basal area). Top-performing provenances were sourced within plus or minus two decimal degrees latitude of the planting site. Although local sources remain suitable for artificial regeneration of this species in southern New Jersey, nearby southern sources could be deployed to achieve out-planting success and conservation of this imperiled species in a warming climate. We hope this work will inform AWC restoration efforts and bring visibility to this declining wetland species.

Genetic variation in four maturity genes and photoperiod insensitivity effects on the yield components and on the growth duration periods of soybean

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a typical short-day and thermophilic crop. Absence of or low sensitivity to photoperiod is necessary for short-day crops to adapt to high latitudes. Photoperiod insensitivity in soybeans is controlled by two genetic systems and involves three important maturity genes: E1, a repressor for two soybean orthologs of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T, and E3 and E4, which are phytochrome A genes. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of four maturity genes (E1 through E4) on the yield components, seed quality and on phasic development of near isogenic by E genes lines of soybean: short-day (SD) lines with genotype e1E2E3E4e5E7, e1E2E3e4e5E7, E1e2e3E4e5E7 and photoperiodic insensitive (PPI) lines with genotype e1e2E3E4e5E7, e1e2e3E4e5E7 under a long photoperiod (the natural day length of 50 latitude) conditions and short day conditions. The results of the study showed that soybean development processes under conditions of different day lengths depend on the dominant/recessive state of the main maturity genes. In addition, the response to the photoperiod depends on certain combinations of genes. SD lines began flowering on average 16.9% later under the conditions of a natural long photoperiod. Dominant alleles of genes E1 and E3 extended the pre- and post-flowering phases under conditions of exposure to long and short photoperiods. The dominant allele of the E1 gene delayed the onset of flowering by an average of 26.9%, and the period of full maturity by 39.8% compared to the recessive e1. The dominant allele of the E3 gene, compared to the recessive e3, lengthened the transition to flowering by an average of 16.1%, and the period of full ripeness by 27.1%. The dominant allele of the E2 gene lengthened the duration of the vegetative phase by 20% under the conditions of a long photoperiod. No significant influence of the dominant E4 allele on the duration of the vegetative and generative phases of soybean development was found in our study. PPI lines begin flowering under the conditions of a long and short photoperiod at the same time, but the phases of flowering and full seed maturity in the line with genotype e1e2e3E4e5E7 occurred earlier, due to the loss of the photoperiod sensitivity of the E3 gene. PPI line with genotype e1e2e3E4e5E7 proved to be the most insensitive line to the effect of different photoperiod durations among the studied lines. It was shown that the dominant alleles of E1–E4 maturity genes reduced the parameters of seed weight per plant and the weight of 1000 seeds under the conditions of a natural long photoperiod in comparison with recessive alleles of these genes. The maximum weight of seeds per plant and the weight of 1000 seeds were recorded in the PPI line with genotype e1e2e3E4e5E7. It should be noted that the dominant alleles E1 and E3 increased yield under conditions of a short photoperiod. Maturity genes had different effects on the biochemical composition of seeds. It was shown that soybean lines with dominant E1, E2 and E4 genes showed a higher content of starch and a lower content of total nitrogen and oil in seeds under natural photoperiod conditions compared to lines with recessive alleles of these genes. The dominant E3 allele reduced the oil content and did not affect the starch and total nitrogen content of seeds under long day conditions compared to the recessive e3 allele. The analysis of the effect of photoperiod on the timing of phenophases, yield structure indicators and biochemical composition of seeds in soybean plants with different sensitivity to photoperiod showed that the PPI line with the genotype e1e2e3E4e5E7 was the most adapted to the natural conditions of 50 degrees latitude. The PPI line with the genotype e1e2e3E4e5E7 was characterized by the shortest phases of days from sowing to flowering and full maturity. As a result, this line had the shortest growing season without reducing the yield and seed quality. Clearly, photoperiod had strong effects on all stages of plant reproduction and often acted indirectly, as shown by delayed responses expressed in later phases of development. The obtained results can be useful for the selection of soybean cultivars adapted to the climatic conditions of cultivation of Kharkiv region.

Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world.

Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world.

Large and transient positive temperature anomalies in Washington's coastal nearshore waters during the 2013-2015 northeast Pacific marine heatwave.

The northern portion of Washington's outer coast-known locally as the Olympic coast-is a dynamic region characterized by seasonal upwelling that predominates during summer interrupted by occasional periods of downwelling. We examined spring-to-fall water temperature records collected along this coast from 2001-2015 from April to October at four nearshore locations (Cape Elizabeth to Makah Bay) that span one degree of latitude and are located within 15 km of the shore. When compared against a long-term climatology created for 2001-2013, seven-day smoothed temperature anomalies of up to 4.5°C at 40 m depth during 2014 and 2015 show short-term warm events lasting 10-20 days. These periods of warming occurred within the well documented marine heatwave in the Northeast Pacific and were about twice the seasonal temperature range in the climatology at that depth. These warm events were strongly correlated with periods of northward long-shore winds and upper ocean currents, consistent with what is expected for the response to downwelling-favorable winds. While our focus a priori was on 2014 and 2015, we also found large positive temperature events in 2013, which were potentially related to the early stage of the marine heatwave, and in 2011, which did not have a documented marine heatwave. This indicates that near-shore short-term warm events occur during periods of large-scale offshore marine heatwave events, but also can occur in the absence of a large-scale marine heatwave event when downwelling-favorable winds occur during the summer/early fall.

Effectiveness of acoustic indices as indicators of vertebrate biodiversity

Effective monitoring tools are key for tracking biodiversity loss and informing management intervention strategies. Passive acoustic monitoring promises to provide a cheap and effective way to monitor biodiversity across large spatial and temporal scales, however, extracting useful information from long-duration audio recordings still proves challenging. Recently, a range of acoustic indices have been developed, which capture different aspects of the soundscape, and may provide a way to estimate traditional biodiversity measures. Here we investigated the relationship between 13 acoustic indices obtained from passive acoustic monitoring and biodiversity estimates of various vertebrate taxonomic groupings obtained from manual surveys at six sites spanning over 20 degrees of latitude along the Australian east coast. We found a number of individual acoustic indices that correlated well with species richness, Shannon’s diversity index, and total individual count estimates obtained from traditional survey methods. Correlations were typically greater for avian and total vertebrate biodiversity than for anuran and non-avian vertebrate biodiversity. Acoustic indices also correlated better with species richness and total individual count than with Shannon’s diversity index. Random forest models incorporating multiple acoustic indices provided more accurate predictions than single indices alone. Out of the acoustic indices tested, cluster count, mid-frequency cover and spectral density contributed the greatest predictive ability to models. Our results suggest that models incorporating multiple acoustic indices could be a useful tool for monitoring certain vertebrate groups. Further work is required to understand how site-specific variables can be incorporated into models to improve predictive capabilities and how to improve the monitoring of taxa besides avians, particularly anurans.

Spring phenology is advancing at a faster rate than arrival times of Common Starling

Climate change poses significant impact on most migratory species, altering their breeding and non-breeding distributions, migration distances, and phenology. The ability of a population to track and adjust to the changing environmental conditions is a vital prerequisite for its persistence. In this study, we describe changes in spring arrival phenology of a short-distance migrant, the Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris, in Northeastern Europe and their relation to changes in the onset of meteorological spring during the last century. Phenological data were obtained from an open access database Chronicles of Nature Calendar that held 4291 usable records of the 1st spring observation date of Starlings from 171 phenological network sites between 1922 and 2017. Air temperature data were downloaded from the European Climate Assessment and Dataset database. We found that spring arrival time of Starlings was positively correlated with the onset of spring on a local and broad scale. Spring arrival progression followed a northeast gradient at an average rate of 1.6 days per one degree of latitude (ca. 71 km day−1) and 0.4 days per one degree of longitude (152 km day−1). During the 96-year long period, Starlings on average advanced their spring arrival time by 4.7 days at a rate of 0.05 days per year. However, changes in the onset of spring occurred more rapidly with an average rate of change of 0.18 days per year over the study period. These findings imply broad-scale adjustments in migratory patterns of a short-distance migrant that result from climate change-induced shifts in spring phenology. However, adaptations in bird migration phenology are not occurring fast enough to track and compensate for the rapid increase in air temperature, thus disrupting the earlier matching between bird arrival and spring onset.

От ретроспективы к системе реального времени – прогноз землетрясений методом LURR на Сахалине (2019–2022 гг.)

The results of an experiment on the implementation of operational analysis of Sakhalin seismicity by the LURR method of medium-term earthquake prediction are presented. Monitoring began in 2022 on the basis of the LURR parameter calculations based on 2019–2021 seismic data. The island territory is divided into 36 calculated areas, which evenly cover it in increments of 0.5 degree in latitude and longitude. Prediction zones for this period are constructed, including those calculated areas in which anomalies of the LURR parameter have been detected. During 2022, information about new anomalies and prediction zones was added quarterly. The main objective of the experiment is to test the work with data in quasi-real time mode and to check the quality of solving the procedural issues related to prediction from the approval stage to the completion one. In the period of 2019–2022, 25 anomalies of the prediction parameter were detected. In the retrospective database (from 2019 to 2021), two prediction zones were identified in 2020 (consisting of 9 and 4 calculation areas, respectively). Two more prediction zones were formed in 2022 (3 and 6 calculation areas). Predictions with the definition of time, place and strength were approved for three prediction zones at the meetings of the Sakhalin Branch of the Russian Expert Council on Emergency Situations (SB REC). During 2022, two out of three predictions were recognized as realized. In the fourth zone, the prediction was realized, but an earthquake with the required parameters has occurred after the definition of the zone within a quarter, i.e. both the prediction zone and its implementation were simultaneously recorded, already after the fact (data processing is carried out once a quarter). In this case, the forecast is not recognized as either a missed goal or realized in real time (retrospectively, this is a successful forecast), but it is procedurally defined as a technical omission. As of the beginning of 2023, there is one active prediction zone in the north of the island. The experiment continues.

Экологическая оценка ареала вавиловии прекрасной (Vavilovia formosa, Fabaceae) в Республике Дагестан (Северный Кавказ): новые геосистемные технологии

The article suggests the original method for ecological suitability evaluation of the habitat for local populations of Vavilovia formosa (Steven) Al.Fed. in the Republic of Dagestan (Northern Caucasus). Particular attention is paid to the development of methodological issues of studying the state of rare species local populations. The improvement of the methodology for constructing predictive ranges and the expert evaluation procedure of the obtained results is illustrated by the example of the eastern range fragment detailed analysis of V. formosa in the North Caucasus. The research has identified the limiting factors complexes that determine the patterns of local populations spatial distribution on slopes of different exposure, steepness and absolute height in models of different spatial resolution. For the first time, the translation of the initial probability values into a new habitat suitability index has been proposed and implemented. This index allows working with probability values in the form of natural numbers, which greatly facilitated their comparison. Evaluation of predictors by their contribution to predictive models of different spatial resolution convincingly shows the need to build a full-term series of models that will include the entire range of available spatial resolutions – from 1/6 to 1/120 degrees. Only such an approach will allow the researcher to obtain the most meaningful information base for a correct assessment of the contribution of predictors, taking into account the levels of spatial climate data generalization. A promising direction for further research can be considered dis-cretization of predictive values of the habitat suitability index by dividing small climatic areas into even smaller ones, for example, with a dimension of 1/360 degrees in longitude and latitude.

파리협정 6.2조 협력적 접근 하 우리나라 자체적 국제 탄소시장 메커니즘에 대한 환경건전성 개념 적용 방향 고찰

Under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, parties can engage in cooperative approaches that involve internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) to achieve targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). In cooperative approaches, environmental integrity as a principle should be ensured. Although there is a certain degree of latitude in the definitions of environmental integrity, under the Paris Agreement, it is defined as no net increase in global aggregate greenhouse gas emissions after international transfers of ITMOs within and between NDC implementation periods. In 2022, Korea began to establish a ‘bilateral cooperation framework’ with its own specific rules and guidelines for cooperative approaches. Because environmental integrity is a principled concept, it is crucial to reflect environmental integrity in the design of bilateral cooperation framework. This paper questions i) what elements best reflect environmental integrity and ii) what specific rules should be chosen in each element for environmental integrity. To answer these questions, this paper extracts the elements that influence environmental integrity from previous literature and policy discussions. These elements are classified into four categories: i) ITMO generation, ii) ITMO transfer, iii) ITMO cancellation, and iv) ITMO proceeds. This paper utilizes the existing and upcoming carbon offset systems of the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism, the Japan-led Joint Crediting Mechanism, and the Swiss-led ITMO purchase agreement to identify and compare rules regarding these elements of environmental integrity. Then, this paper explores Korea’s position on appropriate rule-setting in the institutional design of a bilateral cooperation framework. This paper concludes by summarizing policy implications for the appropriate paths forward considering Korea’s application of the principle of environmental integrity in its own global carbon market system.

Germplasm Resources of Oaks (Quercus L.) in China: Utilization and Prospects.

Oaks exhibit unique biological characteristics and high adaptability to complex climatic and soil conditions. They are widely distributed across various regions, spanning 40 degrees latitude and 75 degrees longitude. The total area of oak forest in China is 16.72 million hm2. There are 60 lineages of Quercus in China, including 49 species, seven varieties, and four subgenera. Archaeological data indicate that oaks were already widely distributed in ancient times, and they are dominant trees in vast regions of China's forests. In addition, the acorn was an important food for ancestral humans, and it has accompanied human civilization since the early Paleolithic. Diverse oak species are widely distributed and have great functional value, such as for greening, carbon sequestration, industrial and medicinal uses, and insect rearing. Long-term deforestation, fire, diseases, and pests have led to a continuous decline in oak resources. This study discusses the Quercus species and their distribution in China, ecological adaptation, and the threats facing the propagation and growth of oaks in a changing world. This will give us a better understanding of Quercus resources, and provide guidance on how to protect and better utilize germplasm resources in China. The breeding of new varieties, pest control, and chemical and molecular research also need to be strengthened in future studies.

Contrasting phytoplankton composition and primary productivity in multiple mesoscale eddies along the East Australian coast

Mesoscale eddies drive variability in phytoplankton functional trait composition and primary productivity (PP) relative to adjacent waters. Offshore waters in southeast Australia are subject to substantial mesoscale eddies that form when the East Australian Current (EAC) travels poleward along the coast, forming distinctive habitats in the upper ocean. Eddies provide an important enrichment mechanism in the nitrogen-limited waters of the Tasman Sea, yet there is limited knowledge of PP within cold- and warm-core eddies in the region and how physico-chemical and biological factors affect phytoplankton communities in this variable environment. We addressed the scarcity of observations by quantifying net PP using 13C isotopic enrichment incubations of surface waters over 10 degrees of latitude, comparing phytoplankton species composition in five different environments: a coastal shelf station, an oceanic cold and warm-core eddy, and a coastal dipole. Cold-core (cyclonic) eddies were significantly more productive than their warm-core (anticyclonic) counterparts (∼35 versus 0 mg C m−3 d−1), with centric diatoms the most prominent phytoplankton group, with a relatively high centric:pennate ratio. The diffuse attenuation coefficient, Kd (PAR), and silicate were the best overall predictors of phytoplankton composition, explaining 88% of variation based on pigment analysis and size fractionation. Variance in net PP did not correlate significantly with physico-chemical parameters frequently used in PP models (temperature, Kd [PAR], Chl a), yet inclusion of size-fractionated Chl a generated substantial improvement in our statistical model (from 36 to 77%). We show that cold-core eddies play a key role in regulating PP in eastern Australian waters and highlight a need for eddy-resolving models to incorporate descriptors of phytoplankton size structure to improve the accuracy of PP forecasts in eddy intensive regions.

Phenology and morphology of the invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus along a latitudinal gradient in Europe

Plant phenology, i. e. the timing of life cycle events, is related to individual fitness and species distribution ranges. Temperature is one of the most important drivers of plant phenology together with day length. The adaptation of their phenology may be important for the success of invasive plant species. The present study aims at understanding how the performance and the phenology of the invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus vary with latitude. We sampled data across a >2000 km latitudinal gradient from Central to Northern Europe. We quantified variation in phenology of flowering and fruiting of L. polyphyllus using >1600 digital photos of inflorescences from 220 individual plants observed weekly at 22 sites. The day of the year at which different phenological phases were reached, increased 1.3–1.8 days per degree latitude, whereas the growing degree days (gdd) required for these phenological phases decreased 5–16 gdd per degree latitude. However, this difference disappeared, when the day length of each day included in the calculation of gdd was considered. The day of the year of the earliest and the latest climatic zone to reach any of the three studied phenological phases differed by 23–30 days and temperature requirements to reach these stages differed between 62 and 236 gdd. Probably, the invasion of this species will further increase in the northern part of Europe over the next decades due to climate warming. For invasive species control, our results suggest that in countries with a large latitudinal extent, the mowing date should shift by ca. one week per 500 km at sites with similar elevations.

Stochastic perturbation of tendencies and parameters of parameterizations in the global ensemble prediction system based on the SL-AV model

AbstractAlgorithms for stochastic perturbation of parameters and tendencies of physical parameterizations for subgrid-scale processes are implemented into the ensemble prediction system. This system is based on the global semi-Lagrangian atmospheric model SL-AV with the resolution of 0.9 × 0.72 degrees in longitude and latitude, respectively, 96 vertical levels, and our implementation of the Local Ensemble Tranform Kalman Filter (LETKF). The use of stochastically perturbed parameterizations allows to generate ensembles with a significantly larger spread compared to one obtained with the method of static parameter perturbation. An improvement in the probabilistic estimates of the ensemble forecast for different seasons is shown.