East-west Pattern Research Articles

Change in Fractional Vegetation Cover and Its Prediction during the Growing Season Based on Machine Learning in Southwest China

Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) is a crucial indicator for measuring the growth of surface vegetation. The changes and predictions of FVC significantly impact biodiversity conservation, ecosystem health and stability, and climate change response and prediction. Southwest China (SWC) is characterized by complex topography, diverse climate types, and rich vegetation types. This study first analyzed the spatiotemporal variation of FVC at various timescales in SWC from 2000 to 2020 using FVC values derived from pixel dichotomy model. Next, we constructed four machine learning models—light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), support vector regression (SVR), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and ridge regression (RR)—along with a weighted average heterogeneous ensemble model (WAHEM) to predict growing-season FVC in SWC from 2000 to 2023. Finally, the performance of the different ML models was comprehensively evaluated using tenfold cross-validation and multiple performance metrics. The results indicated that the overall FVC in SWC predominantly increased from 2000 to 2020. Over the 21 years, the FVC spatial distribution in SWC generally showed a high east and low west pattern, with extremely low FVC in the western plateau of Tibet and higher FVC in parts of eastern Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan. The determination coefficient R2 scores from tenfold cross-validation for the four ML models indicated that LightGBM had the strongest predictive ability whereas RR had the weakest. WAHEM and LightGBM models performed the best overall in the training, validation, and test sets, with RR performing the worst. The predicted spatial change trends were consistent with the MODIS-MOD13A3-FVC and FY3D-MERSI-FVC, although the predicted FVC values were slightly higher but closer to the MODIS-MOD13A3-FVC. The feature importance scores from the LightGBM model indicated that digital elevation model (DEM) had the most significant influence on FVC among the six input features. In contrast, soil surface water retention capacity (SSWRC) was the most influential climate factor. The results of this study provided valuable insights and references for monitoring and predicting the vegetation cover in regions with complex topography, diverse climate types, and rich vegetation. Additionally, they offered guidance for selecting remote sensing products for vegetation cover and optimizing different ML models.

Refining the genomic profiles of North African sheep breeds through meta-analysis of worldwide genomic SNP data.

The development of reproducible tools for the rapid genotyping of thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) has promoted cross border collaboration in the study of sheep genetic diversity on a global scale. In this study, we collected a comprehensive dataset of 239 African and Eurasian sheep breeds genotyped at 37,638 filtered SNP markers, with the aim of understanding the genetic structure of 22 North African (NA) sheep breeds within a global context. We revealed asubstantial enrichment of the gene pool between the north and south shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which corroborates the importance of the maritime route in the history of livestock. The genetic structure of North African breeds mirrors the differential composition of genetic backgrounds following the breed history. Indeed, Maghrebin sheep stocks constitute a geographically and historically coherent unit with any breed-level genetic distinctness among them due to considerable gene flow. We detected a broad east-west pattern describing the most important trend in NA fat-tailed populations, exhibited by the genetic closeness of Egyptian and Libyan fat-tailed sheep to Middle Eastern breeds rather than Maghrebin ones. A Bayesian FST scan analysis revealed a set of genes with potentially key adaptive roles in lipid metabolism (BMP2, PDGFD VEGFA, TBX15, and WARS2), coat pigmentation (SOX10, PICK1, PDGFRA, MC1R, and MTIF) and horn morphology RXFP2) in Tunisian sheep. The local ancestry method detected a Merino signature in Tunisian Noire de Thibar sheep near the SULF1gene introgressed by Merino's European breeds. This study will contribute to the general picture of worldwide sheep genetic diversity.

Is there an East–West divide on democracy in the European Union? Evidence from democratic backsliding and attitudes towards rule of law interventions

ABSTRACT Perceptions of an East–West divide in the European Union (EU) with regard to democracy have led to re-evaluations of EU eastern enlargement as a policy failure and militate against further enlargement. This article examines the accuracy of narratives of an intra-EU East–West divide on democracy, in which the western member states outperform the eastern members, and in which the former support, and the latter oppose, rule of law (RoL) interventions by the EU in member states engaged in democratic backsliding. The article considers two aspects of a potential democracy divide: the quality of democracy and attitudes towards RoL interventions. It draws on several quantitative indicators for a more comprehensive assessment of intra-EU democracy divides and uses set-theory to identify different in- and out-groups that demarcate such intra-EU divides. Although different indicators and different conceptions of set-membership reveal to varying extents East–West patterns, none fit with a clear regional divide. It is more fruitful to conceive of these differences as a continuum, with (currently) a small group of (western) member states at one end and a small group of (eastern) members at the other, and most member states in distinctive sub-groups in-between.

Change and attribution of frost days and frost‐free periods in China

AbstractFrost events are a climatic phenomenon of great severity, exerting profound impacts on agricultural production and human endeavours. From 1961 to 2017, China experienced a reduction in frost days (FDs) and elongation of frost‐free periods (FFPs) across most regions. Many factors contribute to the variation of frost events, highlighting the urgent need to scrutinize the intrinsic factors driving these climatic frost events' inter‐annual and interdecadal fluctuations. This work analysed the temporal and spatial attributes of FDs and FFPs, using statistical methods to dissect daily minimum temperature data collected from ground observation stations from 1961 to 2017. The results reveal a declining trajectory in annual FDs and an ascending trend in FFPs. However, the interannual and interdecadal variations do not consistently align with the climatological course. The spatial distribution of the first four modes of EOF exhibits a persistent variation, north–south, monopole and east–west pattern for FDs and FFPs. In comparison, the modes of FFPs exhibit many complexities and diversities. Moreover, this study considers geographical location, altitude and proximity to the ocean, as well as atmospheric circulation factors, including circulation indices, ocean indices and other relevant indices, to elucidate their influence on frost events. In conjunction with the role of greenhouse gases in propelling global warming, we elucidate that the intensity of the Atlantic–European polar vortex, the area of the Indian Ocean warm pool, and the spatial positioning and extent of the subtropical high emerge as preeminent internal oscillations instigating interdecadal shifts in frost events. This study provides valuable scientific insights into the formation mechanisms and evolving patterns of frost events.

CryoSat Long-Term Ocean Data Analysis and Validation: Final Words on GOP Baseline-C

ESA’s Earth explorer mission CryoSat-2 has an ice-monitoring objective, but it has proven to also be a valuable source of observations for measuring impacts of climate change over oceans. In this paper, we report on our long-term ocean data analysis and validation and give our final words on CryoSat-2’s Geophysical Ocean Products (GOP) Baseline-C. The validation is based on a cross comparison with concurrent altimetry and with in situ tide gauges. The highlights of our findings include GOP Baseline-C showing issues with the ionosphere and pole tide correction. The latter gives rise to an east–west pattern in range bias. Between Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Low-Resolution Mode (LRM), a 1.4 cm jump in range bias is explained by a 0.5 cm jump in sea state bias, which relates to a significant wave height SAR-LRM jump of 10.5 cm. The remaining 0.9 cm is due to a range bias between ascending and descending passes, exhibiting a clear north–south pattern and ascribed to a timing bias of +0.367 ms, affecting both time-tag and elevation. The overall range bias of GOP Baseline-C is established at −2.9 cm, referenced to all calibrated concurrent altimeter missions. The bias drift does not exceed 0.2 mm/yr, leading to the conclusion that GOP Baseline-C is substantially stable and measures up to the altimeter reference missions. This is confirmed by tide gauge comparison with a selected set of 309 PSMSL tide gauges over 2010–2022: we determined a correlation of R = 0.82, a mean standard deviation of σ=5.7 cm (common reference and GIA corrected), and a drift of 0.17 mm/yr. In conclusion, the quality, continuity, and reference of GOP Baseline-C is exceptionally good and stable over time, and no proof of any deterioration or platform aging has been found. Any improvements for the next CryoSat-2 Baselines could come from sea state bias optimization, ionosphere and pole tide correction improvement, and applying a calibrated value for any timing biases.

Identifying and optimizing ecological spatial patterns based on the bird distribution in the Yellow River Basin, China

In the Yellow River Basin (YRB), there exists a rich biodiversity of species that has been shaped by its unique geography, climate, and human activities. However, the high speed of economic development has resulted in the fragmentation and loss of habitats that are crucial for the survival of these species. To address this problem, constructing ecological networks has emerged as a promising approach for biodiversity preservation. In the study, we centered on the YRB and employed bird communities as an indicator species to identify ecological sources by combining bioclimatic variables and land use data with the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) models. We generated a resistance surface using various data such as Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), nighttime light, road density, railway density, and waterway density. So, we then simulated ecological corridors applying the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model and constructed a bird diversity protection network. The results we found suggested that bird hotspots were predominantly clustered upstream and downstream in the YRB. We identified 475 sources covering a total area of 65,088 km2, 681 corridors with a total length of 11,495.05 km. This network served as a critical ecological facility to sustain and protect biodiversity. The bird ecological corridors in the YRB showed that a dense east-west pattern in the central area, with a short length in the west and east and a long length in the central area. Although the central region lacked ecological sources, the east and west were still connected as a tight whole. Two scenarios showed adding ecological stepping stones had a better optimization effect than enhancing ecological connectivity.

Rus ve İsrailli Oryantalistlerin Çalışmaları Etrafında Oryantalizm Tarifi: ‘el-İstişrâk el-Rûsîyeh dirâseh târîkhîyeh şâmileh’ ile ‘el-İstişrâk el-İsraili fî el-maṣâdir el-ʻIbrīyyeh’ Kitapları Örneği

The definition of Orientalism has gained momentum in more than one area until today and has become controversial in the dimension of a common definition. This study aims to contribute to this definition. Orientalists with the same aim give a new identity to the definition of Orientalism with their work in the East, not in a Western way. Another aim is to examine the loss of meaning of the concepts of "East and West" as regional definitions. The study basically aims to find answers to two important questions. First; Was the definition of Orientalism made only by Western orientalists? Latter; Can an author from an Eastern nation be considered an Orientalist? It is hoped that some titles of works copyrighted in this way will also benefit this discussion. The first of these books ''al-Istishrāq al-Rūsīyah dirāsah tārīkhīyah shāmilah'' (Russian Orientalism- General Historical Study-) which, was published by Prof. Dr. Sadun Mahmud As- Saamuk in 2003 in Jordan. It raises the question of whether Russian orientalism can be seen from Western orientalist studies. However, there is the book'' al-Istishrāq al-Israili fī al-maṣādir al-ʻIbrīyah''(Israel Orientalism in The Hebrew Sources) that was published by Mahmud Cela Idris in 1995 in Egypt, It has brought to mind the question of whether Israeli Orientalism should be reduced to the West, and will form the center of the definition to be described. Working in this way has a comparative method in terms of method. As a result of this study, Orientalism is on the verge of being redefined within the framework of the studies of orientalists who are far from the East-West (Regional) patterns it has, leaving the portrait of the nation and the state, for the same purpose. For this purpose, the ideas, suspicions, and claims of Russian and Israeli orientalists around Islam and Muslims will nullify the definition of Orientalism, which is indexed to the West. Now the East will start a tradition of Orientalism within itself. The globalizing world will have continued the state logic of Israeli orientalists with the help of Israeli orientalists. However, the work of Russian Orientalists will be similar to the work of Israeli Orientalists. In addition, Russian orientalists will reveal the logic of the notion of Islamic Arab History. Under this heading, Islam and Muslims will be targeted.

Effects of the Trends in Spring Sensible Heating over the Tibetan Plateau during Different Stages on Precipitation in China

The spring sensible heating (SSH) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which can significantly affect the precipitation in China, has experienced three different stages of change, showing significant increasing (1961–1979, Stage I), decreasing (1980–2002, Stage II), and increasing (2003–2014, Stage III) trends. In this study, the impact of these different trends in TP SSH on spring precipitation (SPR) in China and their possible mechanisms are investigated, based on observations and the reanalysis product. In Stage I, the SPR represents a contrasting north-south pattern associated with the increasing TP SSH, showing increasing trends over southern China and decreasing trends over central and northern China. Further, the spatial distribution of SPR trends shows a contrasting east-west pattern in Stage II. That is, persistent weakening TP SSH plays a more crucial role in increasing and decreasing SPR over southwestern and southern China, respectively. However, compared with the significant trend in SPR in Stage III, the regulation of TP SSH on SPR weakens significantly. Dynamically, the increasing TP SSH in Stage I can strengthen the subtropical westerly jet in the upper layer, simultaneously configured with an anomalous cyclone in northeastern China, which deepens the East Asian trough. Thus, anomalous convergence in the upper layer occurs over central and northern China, favoring the downdraft. It then causes more cold and dry air to move southward in the lower troposphere, which then encounters the warm and wet southwest airflows, boosting the updraft over southern China. In Stage II, regression analysis shows that if the TP SSH increases, an anomalous cyclone in the middle and upper troposphere occurs over the western TP, causing the downdraft and less precipitation over southwestern China, while a cyclone in the lower troposphere occurs over the western North Pacific and extends to southern China, promoting the ascending motions and more precipitation in southern China. However, in this stage, TP SSH actually weakens, thus contributing to more precipitation over southwestern China and less precipitation over southern China.

Study on the differences in economic development among cities in Jiangxi Province

Since the reform and opening-up policy, China has shown a clear east-west economic pattern. Jiangxi Province is one of the underdeveloped provinces. Based on the backward, the economy of Jiangxi Province has been developing at a fast pace entering the 21st century. However, while the overall economy has increased, it has also led to increasing inequality in the economy within itself. This paper evaluates the economic development of different cities in Jiangxi Province through various evaluation methods like location quotient and principal component analysis. The results show that: ① The economic gap between cities is widening. ② Jiangxi Province presents a development situation of strong north but weak south ③ The dominant position of the secondary industry is declining, and tertiary industry is rising. ④ Each city should combine its actual strengths and complement its weaknesses for comprehensive development.

Modern Pyromes: Biogeographical Patterns of Fire Characteristics across the Contiguous United States

In recent decades, wildfires in many areas of the United States (U.S.) have become larger and more frequent with increasing anthropogenic pressure, including interactions between climate, land-use change, and human ignitions. We aimed to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of contemporary fire characteristics across the contiguous United States (CONUS). We derived fire variables based on frequency, fire radiative power (FRP), event size, burned area, and season length from satellite-derived fire products and a government records database on a 50 km grid (1984–2020). We used k-means clustering to create a hierarchical classification scheme of areas with relatively homogeneous fire characteristics, or modern ‘pyromes,’ and report on the model with eight major pyromes. Human ignition pressure provides a key explanation for the East-West patterns of fire characteristics. Human-dominated pyromes (85% mean anthropogenic ignitions), with moderate fire size, area burned, and intensity, covered 59% of CONUS, primarily in the East and East Central. Physically dominated pyromes (47% mean anthropogenic ignitions) characterized by relatively large (average 439 mean annual ha per 50 km pixel) and intense (average 75 mean annual megawatts/pixel) fires occurred in 14% of CONUS, primarily in the West and West Central. The percent of anthropogenic ignitions increased over time in all pyromes (0.5–1.7% annually). Higher fire frequency was related to smaller events and lower FRP, and these relationships were moderated by vegetation, climate, and ignition type. Notably, a spatial mismatch between our derived modern pyromes and both ecoregions and historical fire regimes suggests other major drivers for modern U.S. fire patterns than vegetation-based classification systems. This effort to delineate modern U.S. pyromes based on fire observations provides a national-scale framework of contemporary fire regions and may help elucidate patterns of change in an uncertain future.

Post-Graduate Geographical Education in China: Can Talents Meet the Need of Sustainable Development?

As widely acknowledged and targeted in Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, talents education and training is an important measure to systematically solve the problem of economically, societally, resource, and environmentally sustainable development, and so as the post-graduate geographical talents education and training. Whether post-graduate geographical talents education and training can meet the need of sustainable development is an increasingly significant issue in geography science. Therefore, from the perspective of population scale, education quality, and education input, taking Chinese post-graduate geographical education as an example, the paper empirically investigated the spatial differentiation and talents production mechanism. With the support of spatial analysis tools by ArcGIS and GeoDa software, the strong inter-regional differentiation and imbalance characteristics of post-graduate geographical talents education were detected, outlining a general east-west geographical pattern in China. Moreover, the spatial production mechanism of post-graduate geographical talents has its own global and national scale, regional comprehensive and province-related characteristics, and production of the talents education and training in human geography, physical geography, and cartography. GIS also has its own focuses and demands.

Population and Landscape Genetics Provide Insights Into Species Conservation of Two Evergreen Oaks in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Adjacent Regions.

The combination of population and landscape genetics can facilitate the understanding of conservation strategy under the changing climate. Here, we focused on the two most diverse and ecologically important evergreen oaks: Quercus aquifolioides and Quercus spinosa in Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which is considered as world’s biodiversity hotspot. We genotyped 1,657 individuals of 106 populations at 15 nuclear microsatellite loci throughout the species distribution range. Spatial patterns of genetic diversity were identified by mapping the allelic richness (AR) and locally common alleles (LCA) according to the circular neighborhood methodology. Migration routes from QTP were detected by historical gene flow estimation. The response pattern of genetic variation to environmental gradient was assessed by the genotype–environment association (GEA) analysis. The overall genetic structure showed a high level of intra-species genetic divergence of a strong west-east pattern. The West-to-East migration route indicated the complex demographic history of two oak species. We found evidence of isolation by the environment in Q. aqu-East and Q. spi-West lineage but not in Q. aqu-West and Q. spi-East lineage. Furthermore, priority for conservation should be given to populations that retain higher spatial genetic diversity or isolated at the edge of the distribution range. Our findings indicate that knowledge of spatial diversity and migration route can provide valuable information for the conservation of existing populations. This study provides an important guide for species conservation for two oak species by the integration of population and landscape genetic methods.

Climate Change Characteristics of Coastal Wind Energy Resources in Zhejiang Province Based on ERA-Interim Data

The reanalysis of sea surface wind speed is compared with the measured wind speed of five offshore wind towers in Zhejiang, China. The applicability of reanalysis data in the Zhejiang coastal sea surface and the climatic characteristics of sea surface wind power density is analyzed. Results show that the reanalysis of wind field data at the height of 10 m can well capture the wind field characteristics of the actual sea surface wind field. The sea surface wind power density effective hours increases from west to east and north to south. Then Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) is used to analyze the sea surface wind power density anomaly field, and the first mode is a consistent pattern, the second mode is a North-South dipole pattern, the third mode is an East-West dipole pattern respectively. The stability of wind energy resources grows more stable with increasing distance from the coast, and the northern sea area which is far away from the coastal sea is more stable than that of the southern sea area. The yearly linear trend of sea surface wind power density is in an East-West dipole pattern respectively. The wind energy resources are more stable farther from the coast, and the wind energy resources in the northern sea are more stable than that of the southern sea. The yearly linear trend of sea surface wind power density is the East-West dipole type, the seasonal linear trend is a significant downward trend from West to East in spring, and on the contrary in summer, a non-significant trend in autumn and winter. The monthly change index shows that the linear trend near the entrance of Hangzhou Bay in Northern Zhejiang is of weak increase or decrease, which is good for wind energy development. When the wind power density is between 0 and 150 W·m−2, its frequency mainly shows the distribution trend of high in the West and low in the East, but the wind power density is between 150 and 600 W·m−2, its distribution is the opposite.

Patterns of Cryptic Diversity and Phylogeography in Four Freshwater Copepod Crustaceans in European Lakes

Comparative phylogeography has become a powerful approach in exploring hidden or cryptic diversity within widespread species and understanding how historical and biogeographical factors shape the modern patterns of their distribution. Most comparative phylogeographic studies so far focus on terrestrial and vertebrate taxa, while aquatic invertebrates (and especially freshwater invertebrates) remain unstudied. In this article, we explore and compare the patterns of molecular diversity and phylogeographic structure of four widespread freshwater copepod crustaceans in European water bodies: the harpacticoids Attheyella crassa, Canthocamptus staphylinus and Nitokra hibernica, and the cyclopoid Eucyclops serrulatus, using sequence data from mtDNA COI and nuclear ITS/18S rRNA genes. The three taxa A. crassa, C. staphylinus and E. serrulatus each consist of deeply diverged clusters and are deemed to represent complexes of species with largely (but not completely) non-overlapping distributions, while in N. hibernica only little differentiation was found, which may however reflect the geographically more restricted sampling. However, the geographical patterns of subdivision differ. The divisions in A. crassa and E. serrulatus follow an east–west pattern in Northern Europe whereas that in C. staphylinus has more of a north–south pattern, with a distinct Fennoscandian clade. The deep mitochondrial splits among populations of A. crassa, C. staphylinus and E. serrulatus (model-corrected distances 26–36%) suggest that divergence of the lineages predate the Pleistocene glaciations. This study provides an insight into cryptic diversity and biogeographic distribution of freshwater copepods.

Weak spatial-genetic structure in a native invasive, the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), across the eastern United States.

The southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis, is a native pest of pine trees that has recently expanded its range into the northeastern United States. Understanding its colonization, dispersal, and connectivity will be critical for mitigating negative economic and ecological impacts in the newly invaded areas. Characterization of spatial-genetic structure can contribute to this; however, previous studies have reached different conclusions about regional population genetic structure, with one study reporting a weak east-west pattern, and the most recent reporting an absence of structure. Here we systematically assessed several explanations for the absence of spatial-genetic structure. To do this, we developed nine new microsatellite markers and combined them with an existing 24-locus data matrix for the same individuals. We then reanalyzed this full dataset alongside datasets in which certain loci were omitted with the goal of creating more favorable signal to noise ratios. We also partitioned the data based on the sex of D. frontalis individuals, and then employed a broad suite of genotypic clustering and isolation-by-distance (IBD) analyses. We found that neither inadequate information content in the molecular marker set, nor unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio, nor insensitivity of the analytical approaches could explain the absence of structure. Regardless of dataset composition, there was little evidence for clusters (i.e., distinct geo-genetic groups) or clines (i.e., gradients of increasing allele frequency differences over larger geographic distances), with one exception: significant IBD was repeatedly detected using an individual-based measure of relatedness whenever datasets included males (but not for female-only datasets). This is strongly indicative of broad-scale female-biased dispersal, which has not previously been reported for D. frontalis, in part owing to logistical limitations of direct approaches (e.g., capture-mark-recapture). Weak spatial-genetic structure suggests long-distance connectivity and that gene flow is high, but additional research is needed to understand range expansion and outbreak dynamics in this species using alternate approaches.

Combining Geospatial Analysis with HIV Care Continuum to Identify Differential HIV/AIDS Treatment Indicators in Uganda

To control the HIV epidemic at the population level, a 90–90–90 target has been proposed for sub-Saharan Africa, whereby 90 percent of people living with HIV (PLH) should know their HIV status, 90 percent of those diagnosed should be receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90 percent of those on ART should achieve viral suppression (VS). VS occurs when ART reduces the viral load of PLH to an undetectable level with minimal risk of new infections. We present a two-pronged interdisciplinary analysis, combining geospatial and HIV care continuum techniques, to guide treatment interventions toward achieving the 90–90–90 target in Uganda. We conducted spatiotemporal analysis of VS and constructed HIV care continuums for districts using publicly available data from a centralized laboratory of the Ministry of Health, Uganda. Spatial patterns of VS revealed a distinct east–west pattern of low rates and a north–south pattern of high rates with statistically significant clusters of districts with high and low rates in southwestern and eastern Uganda, respectively. VS rates, calculated in a sequential care continuum framework, revealed local variability as well as a significant gap from the 90–90–90 target by districts. Such evident local variability of VS might indicate the importance of regionally targeted interventions for bringing the HIV epidemic to an end.

Spatial patterns in regional life expectancy trends in the European Union between 1990 and 2018

Abstract Background A substantial life expectancy gap exists at the regional level in the European Union (EU). It has consistently followed an east-west pattern since 1990. The spatial pattern in the rate of change of regional life expectancy is less well established. Understanding both patterns is necessary to guide regional cohesion and health inequalities policy in the EU. Our aim was to investigate whether there are distinct spatial patterns in regional life expectancy trends in the EU since 1990. Methods Using Eurostat's regional life expectancy database, we constructed a panel of sex-specific period life expectancy at birth (PLE) for 201 EU NUTS2 regions between 1990 and 2018. Regions with populations less than a hundred thousand and with more than ten years of missing data were excluded. We clustered the regions based on the similarity of the shapes in PLE trends for each sex using a bootstrap version of the K-means algorithm. The optimal numbers of clusters were determined based on a majority of five empirical criteria. Finally, we used a bootstrap version of the join count test to assess the degree of the spatial association of the identified clusters. Results Preliminary results of clustering on PLE trends support a two-cluster model for women (high and moderate rate of PLE improvement) and a three-cluster model for men (very high, high, and moderate rate of PLE improvement). The clusters do not correspond to EU macro-regions or the year of EU accession. The female high rate and male very high rate of PLE improvement clusters overlap in northern Portugal, northern Italy, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Austria, the Budapest region, and Slovenia. The join count tests reject a random spatial patterning of clusters. Conclusions EU regional life expectancy trends since 1990 exhibit a spatial pattern that does not correspond to EU macro-regions or recent EU accession. Analysing spatial patterns in regional lifespan disparity trends would be an interesting next step. Key messages Subnational EU life expectancy trends exhibit a spatial pattern that undermines the prevailing east-west divide narrative as eastern European regions are among the best performing since 1990. National differences in health may not reflect the experience of European citizens in their regions. Subnational and dynamic perspectives are key for future health disparities research in the EU.

The opportunity for outcrossing varies across the geographic range of the primarily selfing Clarkia xantiana ssp. parviflora.

The timing of self-fertilization has potentially important consequences for the trajectory of mating system evolution, the opportunity for outcrossing, and the maintenance of genetic variation in populations. For primarily selfing taxa, it remains poorly understood as to how floral variation influences the opportunity for outcrossing and whether those attributes vary among populations across geographic ranges. We examined variation in floral traits (herkogamy, protandry, flower size, stigma stage at anthesis, timing of stigma receptivity) in seven populations of Clarkia xantiana ssp. parviflora, a primarily selfing taxon, spanning from the western to eastern margins of its distribution. We also performed experimental emasculations and pollinations (followed by stigma severing) to quantify the extent of opportunities for outcrossing across flower development. There was marked among-population variation in all floral traits, particularly between far eastern and western populations. Emasculation experiments showed that the eastern populations had minimal autonomous selfing, but western populations had high rates of selfing within 24 h after anthesis. Population variation in autofertility was significantly predicted by floral trait variation, especially protandry and petal size. Greater protandry both extended the time over which outcrossing could potentially occur and reduced the probability of autonomous selfing, suggesting that there may be a tradeoff that results in fitness loss when pollinator visits are not common. The east-west pattern of differentiation in some floral traits parallels that of postglacial range expansion, suggesting that selection on the mating system may have been strong in the process of range expansion.

Sea Level Variability in the Red Sea: A Persistent East–West Pattern

Based on 26 years of satellite altimetry, this study reveals the presence of a persistent east–west pattern in the sea level of the Red Sea, which is visible throughout the years when considering the east–west difference in sea level. This eastern–western (EW) difference is positive during winter when a higher sea level is observed at the eastern coast of the Red Sea and the opposite occurs during summer. May and October are transition months that show a mixed pattern in the sea level difference. The EW difference in the southern Red Sea has a slightly higher range compared to that of the northern region during summer, by an average of 0.2 cm. Wavelet analysis shows a significant annual cycle along with other signals of lower magnitude for both the northern and southern Red Sea. Removing the annual cycle reveals two energy peaks with periodicities of <12 months and 3–7 years, representing the intraseasonal and El Nino—Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signals, respectively. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis shows that EOF1 corresponds to 98% of total variability, EOF2 to 1.3%, and EOF3 to 0.4%. The remote response of ENSO is evident in the variability in the atmospheric bridge, while that of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is weak. Three physical mechanisms are responsible for the occurrence of this EW difference phenomenon, namely wind, buoyancy, and the polarity of eddies.

Birds of a feather don’t always flock together: variation in molt origins and movement patterns of winter finches in Ontario

For irruptive or facultative migrants in the subfamily Carduelinae, the winter finches, seasonal movements are extensive but have been poorly described in North America. We used stable hydrogen isotope measurements of feathers (δ2Hf) collected in three regions in Ontario, Canada, during the winters of 2014–15 and 2015–16 to infer potential breeding origins of four species. We also deployed color bands to better understand migratory movements within and across winters. Values of δ2Hf differed by age, sex, and capture location both within and among species. Predicted breeding origins of wintering evening grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) and pine grosbeaks (Pinicola enucleator) were largely from northwestern North America, suggesting a predominately west–east pattern of seasonal movements. Common redpolls (Acanthis flammea) and hoary redpolls (A. hornemanni) largely originated from the High Arctic or western Canada, suggesting predominantly north–south seasonal movements. Grosbeaks were most often recaptured or re-sighted at the same capture location between winters. Recaptures and observations of color-banded redpolls only occurred within a winter and mostly at the same capture location. Our results document the first linkages between potential breeding and wintering sites for a large number of individual winter finches during two successive winters. Observed variation in breeding origins and movement patterns suggests each species employs a different migration strategy; therefore, future research and conservation efforts might be more beneficial if directed at individual species of winter finch.