Extreme Conditions Research Articles

Design considerations for a continuous mussel farm in New England Offshore waters. Part I: Development of environmental conditions for engineering design

Sustainable aquaculture in nearshore waters faces challenges such as stakeholder conflicts, environmental pollution, and spatial constraints. Offshore aquaculture offers a promising solution but requires robust engineering design to withstand extreme weather conditions. This study develops the environmental conditions essential for engineering the design of a continuous mussel dropper system in New England offshore waters. A potential farm location was identified using criteria including water depth, federal boundaries, seafloor suitability, farm size, and proximity to ports, based on bathymetric and sedimentary maps. Historical data from five wave monitoring stations and two current velocity stations were analyzed to model extreme environmental conditions, as waves and currents pose primary threats. The extreme wave and current conditions are modeled using the Weibull distribution, on the annual maximum hourly significant wave height data and the largest 0.3% of current speeds. A newly proposed method combining Spalding’s wall function with a fourth-order polynomial is used to enhance the current profile analysis. Additionally, a joint probability density function was developed for wave height and current velocity at a specific depth, providing insights into wave height, period, and wavelength for various return periods such as 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. The results suggest a 10-yr wave of 8 m significant wave height and a current speed of 1.68 m/s, while a 50-yr values are 9.4 m and 1.96 m/s respectively. These findings offer critical data on extreme wave and current conditions in New England’s offshore waters, providing practical guidance for the engineering design of offshore mussel farms. This research advances offshore mussel farming and benefits the development of all types of offshore aquaculture systems.

Pore-forming aegerolysin and MACPF proteins in extremotolerant or extremophilic fungi.

Aegerolysin proteins are involved in various interactions by recognising a molecular receptor in the target organism. The formation of pores in combination with larger, non-aegerolysin-like protein partners (such as membrane attack complex/perforin proteins [MACPFs]) is one of the possible responses in the presumed competitive exclusion of other organisms from the ecological niche. Bicomponent pairs are already observed at the gene level. Fungi growing under extreme conditions can be divided into ubiquitous and extremotolerant generalists which can compete with mesophilic species and rare, isolated extremophilic and extremotolerant specialists with narrow ecological amplitude that cannot compete. Under extreme conditions, there are fewer competitors, so fungal specialists generally produce less diverse and complicated profiles of specialised molecules. Since extremotolerant and extremophilic fungi have evolved in numerous branches of the fungal tree of life and aegerolysins are unevenly distributed across fungal genomes, we investigated whether aegerolysins, together with their partner proteins, contribute to the extreme survival ecology of generalists and specialists. We compiled a list of 109 thermo-, psihro-, acido-, alkali-, halo-, metallo- and polyextremo-tolerant/-philic fungal species. Several challenges were identified that affected the outcome: renaming fungal species, defining extremotolerant/extremophilic traits, identifying extremotolerant/extremophilic traits as metadata in databases and linking fungal isolates to fungal genomes. The yield of genomes coding aegerolysins or MACPFs appears to be lower in extremotolerant/extremophilic fungi compared to all fungal genomes. No candidates for pore-forming gene pairs were identified in the genomes of extremophilic fungi. Aegerolysin and MACPFs partner pairs were identified in only two of 69 species with sequenced genomes, namely in the ubiquitous metallotolerant generalists Aspergillus niger and A. foetidus. These results support the hypothesised role of these pore-forming proteins in competitive exclusion.

Enhancement of luminescence and thermal stability in Eu3+-doped K3Y(BO2)6 with Li+ and Na+ co-doping

Eu3+-doped and Li+/Na+ co-doped K3Y(BO2)6 (KYBO) phosphors were synthesized through a microwave-assisted sol–gel method, and their structural and photoluminescent (PL) characteristics were examined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement confirm effective dopant incorporation and preservation of the crystalline structure. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicates the maintenance of the borate structure, confirming the structural integrity of the phosphors upon doping. The addition of Li+ and Na+ co-dopants notably enhances luminescent efficiency and thermal stability, making these phosphors promising candidates for solid-state lighting (SSL) applications. PL analysis reveals strong red emission peaks at 612 nm, attributed to the 5Do → 7F2 transition of Eu3+ ions. The study indicates that electric dipole-quadrupole interactions are the primary mechanism for energy migration, with a critical distance of approximately 22.68 Å. This mechanism contributes to concentration quenching at higher doping levels. High temperature PL measurements indicated an activation energy of 0.1389 eV for thermal quenching in the Li+ co-doped sample. Additionally, the Na+ co-doped sample exhibited an abnormal thermal stability behavior, with an even higher activation energy of 0.2536 eV. This suggests that Na+ co-doping significantly enhances the thermal resilience of the phosphor, making it more suitable for high-power light-emitting applications that operate under extreme conditions. CIE chromaticity diagrams highlight the potential for optimizing Eu3+ doping levels, combined with Li+ and Na+ co-doping, to improve luminescent performance and thermal stability for advanced SSL applications.

Rigid polyurethane foam with durable hydrophobicity and flame retardancy endowed by novel functional surfactants

Traditional rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) with flame retardancy might be easily damaged in some moist condition due to its hydrophobicity, which would lead to unsafety. Therefore, novel surfactants with both hydrophobic fluorinated group and flame-retardant phosphorus group were synthesized. With lower surface tension and more hydrogen bonds formed in polyurethane, the mixed surfactants, which were used in the preparation of RPUF, have not only obviously improved the size uniformity and integrity of cells but also enhanced its hydrophobicity, compressive strength and thermal insulating performance. Besides, effective ‘protection’ could be constructed on the surface of RPUF by prepared surfactants, when ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and expandable graphite (EG) were introduced to provide good flame retardancy. As a result, with just 2.8wt% content of those functional surfactants, hydrophobic and flame-retardant RPUF with water contact angle of 126 °, limiting oxygen index of 25%, compressive strength of 1.3MPa and thermal conductivity of 27mW/mK, were finally obtained, which is ahead of other flame-retardant RPUF reported before. It’s worth noting that, this hydrophobic and flame-retardant RPUF exhibits more stable and durable properties when soaking in HCl solution (2mol/L), NaOH solution (2mol/L), NaCl saturated solution and various solvents (THF and EtOH), or under strong fiction for 100 times and high and low temperature cycling test for 20 times. This would provide a novel and effective strategy to endow RPUF with enhanced and durable flame retardancy, hydrophobicity, compressive strength and thermal insulating performance even under extreme conditions.

Plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria for sustainable tomato production

Numerous phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are found in the rhizosphere, benefiting the host plant in different mechanisms and promoting sustainable agriculture. They improve soil fertility with minimum cost requirements using an eco-friendly approach, which is an essential attribute for small-scale farm production. Thus, isolation, characterization, and evaluation of symbiotic effectiveness are hierarchical procedures to develop bioinoculants. Using a dual (plate and liquid medium) screening technique and a greenhouse trial, four potential PSB strains (Mk-1–25, Mk-13–16, Mk-20–7, and Mk-20–20) were selected from tomato rhizosphere soil. All isolates exhibited the following traits: produced colony clear-zone, lowered liquid medium pH, gram-positive, produced urease and IAA, dissolved substantial P from various substrates, symbiotically effective, and improved tomato growth and yield. Taxonomically, they belong to Bacillus and Priestia species (i.e., Mk-1–25 Bacillus halotolerance, Mk-13–16 Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Mk-20–7 Bacillus megaterium, and Mk-20–20 Priestia megaterium). Among the current strains, Bacillus halotolerance recorded higher SI (3.11), was able to grow in extreme conditions (10% salt, up to 45 °C), produced HCN and siderophore, and improved tomatoes’ shoot length and weight, in contrast, Mk-20–20 produced HCN, siderophore, was able to fix nitrogen, improved tomato germination, shoot dry weight, and fruit weight. Various P-supplements (Ca3(PO4)2, bonemeal, FePO4, AlPO4, compost, and DAP fertilizer) were added to induce tomato-strain symbiotic interaction; hence, compost substantially promoted the interaction and resulted in higher symbiotic effectiveness. Ca3(PO4)2 was a good media composite preferred by most PSB strains; consequently, a higher concentration (219 µg/ml) of dissolved P was recorded from the liquid medium after 10 days of incubation than other substrates. Based on the data obtained from laboratory and greenhouse trials, the current strains were found to be potential candidate. Future work should confirm their efficacy at the field level using model host crops at different sites to recommend them as farm inputs and biofertilizer.

Thriving under multiple stressors: performance of drought-tolerant perennials and their suitability for infiltration swales

Infiltration swales are considered an essential and multifunctional component of water-sensitive urban design. To maintain their functionality, a robust planting is required. However, species selection poses a major challenge due to the extreme site conditions. To identify stress-resistant species, container experiments with 60 perennial species native to Germany were used to investigate their performance and responses to multiple stressors typical for urban swales receiving traffic area runoff. As plant performance is more severely affected if multiple stressors occur rather than single ones, test plants were exposed to de-icing salts, cyclic flooding, and drought. Species were selected primarily for their drought tolerance, as it was assumed that their adaption to drought might also be advantageous for the other stressors. The resistance to drought was examined in a reference group and was approved for 90% of the experimental species. With a low mortality rate of < 25%, 72.2% of the species confirmed as drought tolerant also proved robust to the multiple stressors of an infiltration swale and are therefore recommended for use. Considering all experimental species, significant effects of the multiple stressors compared to the reference group were only found in mortality and a visual vitality score. Data on growth height, chlorophyll fluorescence, and phenology (e.g., flowering time) did not differ significantly between the groups. However, there were large species-specific variations to be considered and investigated in further research. The study serves as a basis for a resilient greening of urban infiltration swales with native species. It is essential to their implementation, as more research is needed to date.

Prediction of building cooling load: an innovative design for GA-SVM and IG-SVM system for the estimation of hourly precision and computational fluctuation range

ABSTRACT Anticipating the loads that buildings will bear is a crucial strategy in the pursuit of energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions. In this paper, we introduce an interactive and comprehensive joint prediction model, specifically crafted to elevate the precision of forecasts related to building loads. The resultant Genetic Algorithm-Support Vector Machine (GA-SVM) prediction model is put into action to provide hourly predictions of cooling loads for buildings. In scenarios where the prediction of building cooling load (BCL) fluctuations becomes imperative, especially in the face of extreme weather conditions, the information granulation (IG) method is employed. The findings of this validation process unveil significant improvements. The coefficient of variation of root mean square error (CV-RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) for the GA-SVM model are reduced by 58.85% and 68.04%, respectively, when compared to the conventional SVM model. Furthermore, in a comparative analysis against three widely utilized prediction models, the SVM model demonstrates a reduction in CV-RMSE and MAPE ranging from 2.04% to 68.04%. The application of the joint prediction model showcases impressive results, with R 2 values ranging from 97.27% to 99.68%, MAPE ranging from 2.59% to 2.84%, and CV-RMSE ranging from only 0.0249 to 0.0319.

Strategy towards sustainable energy transition: The effect of policy uncertainty, environmental technology and natural resources rent in the OECD nations

The stupendous increase in environmental pollutants alongside climate alterations are calling for integrated tasks at the global level to meet the Paris Agreements. Energy conversion from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources is an important step to address the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions. This study explores the key contributors of energy transition in the context of the OECD countries during the period 1991 to 2019. To this end the major determinants chosen include natural resources rents, policy uncertainty, environmental technologies, environmental policies, income and globalization. The quantile regression technique is used to explore heterogeneous role of the contributory factors of energy transition across its different levels. This study applies method of moments quantile regression (hereafter MM-QR) by Machado and Silva (2019) that provides evidence on how the covariates affect the integral conditional distributions of energy transition. The study documents interesting findings. (i) Natural resources rents reduce the pace of the progress of sustainable energy transition in OECD economies. (ii) An escalation in the world uncertainty index leads to an improvement in energy transition index. (iii) Environmental technologies support the transition concerning cleaner and more efficient energy sources. (iv) Finally, as natural resources, uncertainty, environmental technologies, and globalization impacts energy transition differently, their effects need to be rationalized with varying environmental policy instruments. The study concludes that energy transition process requires the task of upgrading the quality of implementation of policies related to energy technology.

Dynamic responses of monopile offshore wind turbines under different wind-wave misalignment angles

Wind-wave misalignment is a common occurrence for monopile offshore wind turbines during extreme typhoon conditions. This phenomenon has a significant impact on the structural dynamic response of turbine structures and poses a threat to their structural integrity. In this study, finite element analysis is conducted on 75 sets of working conditions of monopile offshore wind turbines to investigate their dynamic response under different wind turbine operating states, wind-wave misalignment angles, and randomness of wind and wave load conditions. The results of the analysis indicate that the impact of wind-wave misalignment angles on the dynamic response of the monopile offshore wind turbine varies depending on the operational conditions. Furthermore, the study reveals that there are variations in the dynamic response of the monopile offshore wind turbine under different combinations of wind and wave loads. During the parked state and yaw system fault of the monopile offshore wind turbine, the most adverse working conditions need to consider wind-wave misalignment angles of 0° and 180°. In contrast, the most adverse working conditions for operational states emerge when the wind-wave misalignment angle is 90°. These findings highlight the importance of considering wind-wave misalignment angles and the randomness of wind and wave load conditions when assessing the dynamic response and structural integrity of monopile offshore wind turbines.

Phase reversion mediated the dual heterogeneity of grain size and dislocation density in an equiatomic CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy

An ultra-high strain rate (104 s-1) dynamic plastic deformation treatment at liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT-DPD) followed by annealing is carried out to obtain dual heterogeneity of grain size and dislocation density in an equiatomic CrCoNi medium entropy alloy (MEA). Such extreme loading conditions resulted in extensive phase transformation in this MEA. Subsequent annealing at 650°C for 1 h further induced reverse phase transformation and partial recrystallization, forming a complex heterogeneous microstructure characterized by nested trimodal grain sizes and partitioned dislocation density. A superior yield strength of ∼800MPa and a good ductility of ∼40% were simultaneously achieved in this heterogeneous alloy. In order to reveal the effects of grain size and dislocation density distributions on the mechanical property improvements, the underlying deformation mechanisms were systematically discussed. High density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) would be induced in complex heterogeneous structures during tensile deformation due to strain gradients or partitioning between different regions, which would lead to additional strengthening and work hardening. These results provide a novel approach to overcome the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma for FCC-structured MEAs.

Local element segregation-induced cellular structures and dominant dislocation planar slip enable exceptional strength-ductility synergy in an additively-manufactured CoNiV multicomponent alloy with ageing treatment

We proposed an additively manufactured equiatomic CoNiV multicomponent alloy (MCA) using a conventional laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) method, and an exceptional strength-ductility synergy of the alloy was attained through a simple post-ageing treatment. Pronounced hierarchical microstructures were achieved in our printed alloys, including heterogeneous grain structures, and intragranular cellular structures composed of interior domain with limited dislocations and cell walls led by significant vanadium local segregation. Besides the outstanding mechanical properties at room temperature of 298 K, a giga-pascal yielding strength (> 1.1 GP) and over 40% uniform elongation were attained in the aged specimen deformed at a cryogenic temperature of 77 K, predominating the mechanical properties of many alloys reported in previous works. Such exceptional performance of the aged alloy can be mainly ascribed to considerable local chemical orders (LCOs), aggravated elemental fluctuation in the alloy matrix, and intensified vanadium segregation at walls of intragranular cellular structures which can strongly interact with dislocations. As a result, a planar slip array of dislocations with an extremely high density, namely large numbers of slip bands that can sustain and transfer high strains, dominates the deformation microstructures, thus efficiently strengthening and toughening the aged alloy, especially at a low temperature like 77 K. The above post-ageing strategy is readily and low-costly employed on additively manufactured MCAs with relatively high stacking fault energy (SFE) and proved as a feasible method to produce high-performance structural materials for extreme conditions.

Ceramic matrix composites for corrosion-resistant next-generation nuclear reactor systems: A conceptual review of enhancements in durability against molten salt attack

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are emerging as a key material class for enhancing corrosion resistance in next-generation nuclear reactor systems, particularly in high-temperature molten salt environments. These environments, critical for advanced nuclear reactors such as molten salt reactors (MSRs), present severe challenges, including aggressive chemical attacks that degrade traditional structural materials over time. This conceptual review explores the development and application of CMCs to improve the durability and corrosion resistance of nuclear reactors exposed to molten salt attacks. CMCs, which consist of ceramic fibers embedded in a ceramic matrix, offer significant advantages, such as high thermal stability, mechanical strength, and improved corrosion resistance compared to conventional materials. This review examines how CMCs can be tailored to withstand harsh operational conditions, with a focus on the selection of ceramic phases, fiber-matrix interactions, and innovative fabrication techniques that enhance their protective capabilities. Key challenges addressed include the optimization of composite design to resist molten salt corrosion, the effects of temperature on the material properties, and the long-term stability of CMCs under extreme conditions. Advances in surface treatments, coatings, and the development of hybrid CMC systems are also discussed, highlighting their potential to further enhance durability. The review outlines the use of advanced characterization techniques, such as high-temperature corrosion testing and in situ microscopy, to evaluate CMC performance in molten salt environments. Additionally, it identifies knowledge gaps in current research, emphasizing the need for long-term studies on CMC behavior under realistic reactor conditions. This review concludes by proposing future research directions and technological advancements required to integrate CMCs into next-generation nuclear reactor designs, aiming to improve system reliability and operational safety.

Advanced corrosion-resistant materials for enhanced nuclear fuel performance: A conceptual review of innovations in fuel cladding against molten salt degradation

The increasing demand for efficient and sustainable nuclear power has led to the development of advanced corrosion-resistant materials that can significantly enhance nuclear fuel performance. This conceptual review focuses on the innovations in fuel cladding materials designed to resist degradation in molten salt environments, which are crucial for advanced nuclear reactors like molten salt reactors (MSRs). Fuel cladding serves as a critical barrier between the nuclear fuel and the reactor environment, and its ability to withstand extreme temperatures and corrosive conditions is essential for safe and efficient reactor operation. Recent advancements in materials science have introduced novel alloys and coatings that demonstrate superior corrosion resistance in molten salts, which are used as both coolants and fuel solvents in MSRs. These innovations include high-temperature nickel-based alloys, refractory metals, and ceramic coatings, which are engineered to reduce the effects of molten salt corrosion, such as oxidation, pitting, and embrittlement. By enhancing the durability of fuel cladding, these materials contribute to improved fuel performance, longer reactor lifespans, and increased safety. This review explores key developments in corrosion-resistant materials, emphasizing the mechanisms by which these materials mitigate molten salt degradation. Additionally, it highlights the challenges associated with material selection, fabrication, and long-term performance in the highly corrosive environments of advanced nuclear reactors. Ongoing research into these materials offers promising avenues for the future of nuclear energy, particularly in addressing the limitations of current fuel cladding technologies. In conclusion, the use of advanced corrosion-resistant materials represents a significant step toward enhancing the performance and safety of nuclear fuel, ensuring the viability of MSRs and other advanced reactor designs. Continued innovation in this field is essential for the future of nuclear power.

Thermo-adaptive evolution of Corynebacterium glutamicum reveals the regulatory functions of fasR and hrcA in heat tolerance

BackgroundHigh-temperature fermentation technology is promising in improving fermentation speed and product quality, and thereby widely used in various fields such as food, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. However, extreme temperature conditions can disrupt cell membrane structures and interfere with the functionality of biological macromolecules (e.g. proteins and RNA), exerting detrimental effects on cellular viability and fermentation capability.ResultsHerein, a microbial thermotolerance improvement strategy was developed based on adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) for efficient high-temperature fermentation. Employing this strategy, we have successfully obtained Corynebacterium glutamicum strains with superior resistance to high temperatures. Specifically, the genome analysis indicated that the evolved strains harbored 13 missense genetic mutations and 3 same-sense genetic mutations compared to the non-evolved parent strain. Besides, reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis (RT qPCR) of the hrcA-L119P mutant demonstrated that both groEL genes were upregulated under 42 °C, which enabled the construction of robust strains with improved heat tolerance. Furthermore, a significant increase in FAS-IA and FAS-IB expression of the fasR-L102F strain was proved to play a key role in protecting cells against heat stress.ConclusionsThis work systematically reveals the thermotolerance mechanisms of Corynebacterium glutamicum and opens a new avenue for revolutionizing the design of cell factories to boost fermentation efficiency.

Comparative genomic analysis of two putative novel Idiomarina species from hypersaline miocene deposits

BackgroundHypersaline habitats, as extreme environments, are a great source of well-adapted organisms with unique properties as they have evolved various strategies to cope with these extreme conditions. Bioinformatics and genomic mining may shed light on evolutionary relationships among them. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the biodiversity and especially the strategies evolved within the Idiomarina genus, with the primary focus on the taxonomy and genomic adaptations of two novel strains affiliated with Idiomarina genus isolated from unique environment – brines of two Early Miocene salt deposits.ResultsBoth analyzed species belonged to the Idiomarina loihiensis cluster with similarity levels of 16S rRNA gene sequences as high as 99.5% and showed a significant genome size reduction, known characteristic of Idiomarina genomes, though within the genome of Sol25 strain the lowest extent of the carbohydrate utilization genes reduction was observed t among the Idiomarina species. Moreover, the comparative genome analyses indicated that despite both strains being isolated from geographically and geologically similar environments (brines from at least 12 Ma), the species showed higher relatedness to other Idiomarina species than to each other.ConclusionThe present findings highlighted the importance of genomic data in resolving taxonomic uncertainties and understanding of adaptation strategies of extremophiles. Geographic isolation likely contributed to population divergence of the Idiomarina genus, and the recent study offered insights into biogeographic patterns and allopatric speciation of this bacterial group.

Resilience‐oriented load restoration method for power‐gas‐water systems considering public safety impact

AbstractFocusing solely on enhancing the resilience of power systems at a systemic level would lead to a significant underestimation of the actual impact of extreme disasters. Equally vital is the assurance of livelihood security amidst such extreme conditions, which is crucial for the development of a truly resilient power system. Hence, this paper attempts to incorporate quantifiable metrics assessing public safety impacts into resilience enhancement works, thereby guiding the precise allocation of funds. Considering that the residents' intuitive feelings are the most direct reflection of the severity of the disaster, this paper employs the modified prospect theory to formulate functions representing residents' psychological risk perception and risk‐taking willingness to tolerate risks during disruptions in power, gas, and water supplies. Meanwhile, in order to accurately calculate the energy loss duration for each residential customer, a resilience enhancement method for post‐disaster collaborative dispatch of electricity‐gas‐water systems is proposed. With the objective of minimizing the public safety and economic impact of disasters, the optimal multi‐source collaborative emergency restoration strategy is developed. The significant necessity and efficiency of the proposed strategy are verified with exhaustive case studies. Numerical results evince the resilience enhancement by considering the livelihood security in the post‐disaster restoration stage.

High functional vulnerability across the world’s deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities

At the nearly pristine hydrothermal vents of the deep sea, highly endemic animals depend upon bacteria nourished by hydrothermal fluids that emerge as outflows from the seafloor. These animals are remarkable in tolerating extreme conditions, including high heat, toxic reduced sulfide, and low oxygen. Here, we test whether the extreme vent environment has selected for functionally similar species across the world's deep ocean, despite well-established global geographic patterns of high phylogenetic distinctness. High functional redundancy in species pools within regions suggests that the extreme environments select for species with specific traits. Yet, some regions emerge as functional hotspots where species pools with distinct functional trait compositions may represent geological idiosyncrasies of the habitats. Moreover, many species are functionally unique, an outcome of low species richness in a system where the species pool is small at all scales. Given the high proportion of functionally unique species, simulated species extinctions indicate that species losses would rapidly translate to the elimination of functionally irreplaceable species and could tip vent systems to functional collapse. Ocean changes and human-induced threats are expected to significantly impact many vent species as human activities expand in the remote deep sea. The opportunity exists now to take precautionary actions to limit the rates of extinction now ubiquitous in more accessible areas of Earth.

Advancing Knowledge in Forest Water Use Efficiency Under Global Climate Change Through Scientometric Analysis

Forests are critical in regulation of carbon and water cycles and mitigation of climate change. Forest water-use efficiency (WUE) refers to the ratio of biomass produced (or assimilated carbon) to the amount of water used by forests, which indicates how effectively a forest utilizes water to achieve productivity. Climate change and its impact on forest WUE are important research directions that explore the complex relationship between global environmental change and the forest ecosystem dynamics. The global intensification of climate change underscores the need for an inclusive understanding of forest water use and makes it crucial to know how forests balance carbon and water resources, which is essential for effective forest management and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. This study aims to comprehensively and objectively analyze current research trends and future directions related to the response of forest WUE to climate change. Our database included 1755 research papers from the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from 2000 to 2023. Our analysis included cooperative networks of countries, authors, and institutions, as well as the most frequently cited journals and articles, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and a keyword burst analysis. The results showed that the top cooperative country, author, and institution is PR China, Prof. Dr. Jesús Julio Camarero from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. The leading journal in this field is “Global Change Biology”. Critical research hot topics include gas exchange, modeling, altitudinal gradients, tree growth dynamics, net carbon exchange, global change drivers, tropical forests, nitrogen stoichiometry, Northern China plains, and extreme drought conditions. Frontier topics that have emerged in recent years include studies on China’s Loess Plateau, stable isotopes, radial growth, gross primary productivity, and Scots pine. The insights from this analysis are vital for researchers, decision-makers, and forestry professionals aiming to mitigate the impacts of climate change on forest WUE and overall ecosystem health and resilience. This study emphasizes the importance of sustained research efforts and global research collaboration in addressing the intricate challenges posed by climate change to forest ecosystems.

Height Control System for Wind Turbines Based on Critical Wind Speed Calculation

The increasing frequency of wind turbine failures due to extreme weather conditions necessitates the implementation of new solutions to enhance their operational reliability. This paper presents an automatic rotor drop system specifically designed for wind turbines equipped with the Onipko rotor. The system aims to protect turbines from damage caused by critical wind speeds, reducing maintenance costs and extending the equipment’s lifespan. The unique design of the Onipko rotor allows it to operate at wind speeds as low as 0.1 m/s. However, its high drag coefficient and lack of aerodynamic optimization make it susceptible to mechanical stress and structural instability under strong gusts, requiring additional protective measures. The paper presents a calculation of the critical wind speed at which protective measures must be initiated. Through mathematical modeling, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the rotor drop system in ensuring safe operation at wind speeds reaching 23.5 m/s. The optimization of the PI controller parameters provides a rapid response and stability, significantly enhancing the resilience of wind turbines to adverse weather conditions.

A self‐cooling self‐humidifying mosquito carrier backpack for transporting live adult mosquitoes on foot over long distances under challenging field conditions

AbstractIt is often necessary to use motorised transport to move live mosquitoes from distant field collection points into a central insectary, so that their behavioural and/or physiological phenotypes can be assessed under carefully controlled conditions. However, a survey of heritable insecticide susceptibility traits among wild‐caught Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes, collected across an extensive study area composed largely of wilderness in southern Tanzania, necessitated that live mosquitoes were carried on foot over distances up to 25 km per day because most of the area was impassable by car, motorcycle or even bicycle during the rains. A self‐cooling, self‐humidifying carrier backpack was therefore developed that allows live adult mosquito specimens to be transported across rugged miombo woodland and floodplain terrain throughout the year. This wettable backpack was fabricated from stitched Tanzanian kitenge cotton fabric and polyvinyl chloride–coated fibreglass netting that allows easy circulation of air in and out. An outer cover flap made of cotton towelling embedded inside a kitenge envelope overhangs the fibreglass netting upper body of the bag, to protect mosquitoes from direct sunlight, and can be soaked with water to maintain low temperature and high humidity inside. Mean survival of insectary‐reared female An. arabiensis transported through nine different mobile camps inside the 509 km2 Ifakara‐Lupiro‐Mang'ula wildlife management area (ILUMA WMA), over up to 143 km and 25 days, was statistically indistinguishable from those left in the field insectary over the same period. Although considerable variance of survival was observed between different batches of mosquitoes from the insectary and between individual cups of mosquitoes, the different levels and positions inside the backpack had no influence on this outcome. Temperature and humidity inside the backpack were maintained at standard insectary conditions throughout, despite much more extreme conditions immediately outside. When the backpack was used to transport wild An. arabiensis and Anopheles quadriannulatus across a much larger study area of &gt;4000 km2, encompassing the ILUMA WMA, some nearby villages and adjacent parts of Nyerere National Park (NNP), it achieved a mean survival rate of 58.2% (95% confidence interval 47.5–68.2). Encouragingly, no difference in survival was observed between ILUMA WMA and NNP even though transport back from NNP involves much longer distances, sometimes involving lengthy journeys by car or boat. Overall, this mosquito carrier backpack prototype appears to represent a viable and effective method for transporting live wild‐caught mosquitoes on foot across otherwise impassable terrain under challenging weather conditions with minimal detrimental impact on their survival.