Late Season Research Articles

Responses of Lotus pedunculatus to sulphur fertiliser and defioliation regime in acid soils at low temperature

The potential for Lotus pedunculatus is greatest in acid soils on hill and high country, but requires establishment success, nutrient supply and grazing management. This work investigated the role of sulphur fertiliser and the influence of defoliation regime on production of Lotus in low pH, high aluminium soils. Yields measured in year one were positively related to soil sulphate but not phosphorus. Sulphur, applied at two sites (low or high productivity) at 0, 24 or 78 kg S/ha, failed to alter yield over three years. The site, at 1000 m a.s.l., had base vegetation of unimproved tussock, low soil pH and P (4.8 and 7 respectively) and high Al (30-40 ppm). Yields ranged between 1900 and 3200 kg DM/ha/annum and was reduced when initial plant numbers were lower. Lotus contributed 65- 85% of the herbage for grazing (excluding tussocks). Yields were maximised by defoliation to 2 cm height each season or once in autumn. Establishing high plant numbers increased productivity. Single, late season grazing promoted rhizome development and resulted in the highest yields by year 3. Grazing to 2 or 5 cm residual once a season produced similar herbage, but lower rhizome development.

Spore dispersal patterns of the ascomycete fungus Ramularia collo-cygni and their influence on disease epidemics

Ramularia leaf spot is a major economic disease of barley caused by the dothidiomycete fungus Ramularia collo-cygni. The fungus has a complex life cycle which includes extensive late season spore release events and a seed-borne phase. Predicting disease epidemics during the growing season remains a difficult challenge. To better understand the interaction between spore movement and disease epidemics, spore samplers were set up in Germany (2 sites over 4 years), Poland (7 sites over 2 years) and the UK (2 sites over 9 years), where the disease has been observed. Spore concentrations were determined using a real-time PCR assay, and meteorological data were obtained from co-located automatic stations. Spore release events were seen to peak in June on mainland Europe and July in the UK. The pattern of spore release was broadly similar across countries with earlier peaks in mainland Europe. A relationship was observed in the UK between July spore levels and disease in following winter barley crops. Rainfall and temperature were proposed as significant drivers of spore release in these months. The major environmental parameter associated with spore release across the two UK sites was crop surface wetness, although some site-specific interactions were noted for rainfall and wind movement. Regression analysis of spore patterns and disease epidemics indicates a relationship between spore levels 75 and 105 days pre-harvest and final disease levels in UK winter barley crops. This relationship was not observed in spring barley. The implications on risk forecasts are discussed.

Seasonal Pattern of Advertisement Calling and Physiology in Prolonged Breeding Anurans, Japanese Tree Frog (Dryophytes japonicus).

The calling behavior of anurans should be studied in detail as it greatly influences their physiology and immunity, particularly in prolonged breeding species. The effect can be further complicated by the emergence timing in the breeding season. We conducted a study comparing the physiology and calling behavior of the Japanese tree frog (Dryophytes japonicus), a prolonged breeder species, according to the breeding timing. During the middle of the breeding season, a high chorus size appeared, indicating a breeding peak. However, chorus size did not dominate physiology and calling behavior. In the early breeding season, frogs had a high energy storage state and immunity. In the middle of the breeding season, individuals from the early breeding season were considered to have exhausted their energy stores and had low immunity. Towards the end of the breeding season, frogs appeared to have newly introduced, at which time energy stores and immunity were as high as in the beginning. However, unlike the physiology, the pattern of calling constantly varied as the breeding season progressed. Frogs from the early season conserved energy used for calling, and frogs from the late season showed a breeding spurt for mating. Our results can help in understanding the energy metabolism of calling behavior, physiology, and disease epidemiology in prolonged breeder species. They also suggest that individuals coordinate their participation in the breeding season and that the timing of their appearance at breeding sites may not be random.

138 Investigation of Supplementation Rates for Extruded 100% DDGS Cube on Native Range in Northwest Oklahoma

Abstract A 2-year trial was conducted at the USDA ARS- Southern Plains Experimental Range (SPER), near Fort Supply, Oklahoma to test the effects of supplementing 100% DDGS cubes at different rates to steers on native range during the summer grazing period. The purpose of these trials was to analyze the effect that increased levels of supplementation have on performance and supplemental efficiency. In both 2021 and 2022, steers (294 ± 32 kg, n=118) were allocated to 4 season-long supplementation (Mid-May until Late September) treatments, 1) Negative Control, (NC), no supplement with ad libitum access to lose mineral, 2) Light Supplement, (LS), 0.91 kg∙animal-1∙day-1, 3) Medium Supplement, (MS), 1.81 kg∙animal-1∙day-1, and 4) High Supplement, (HS), 2.72 kg∙animal-1∙day-1. All pastures (n = 12) were stocked at 2.02 ha/animal, forage biomass data and nutritive value data were collected at the beginning middle and end of the summer. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED and linear and quadratic contrasts were made using PROC GLM in SAS 9.4. Early season ADG followed a linear pattern (R2 = 0.47, P = 0.0009) for HS, MS, and LS which was 0.55, 0.48, and 0.37 ± 0.06 kg/d greater (P < 0.001) than NC, respectively. Early season supplemental efficiency for LS was 0.18 ± 0.016 kg of added gain per kg of supplement but decreased in a quadratic pattern (R2 = 0.79, P < 0.001) with increased rates of supplementation. Early season supplemental efficiency for MS and HS were 0.12 and 0.09 ± 0.02 kg of added gain/kg of supplement. Late season ADG for HS, MS, and LS was 0.25, 0.13, and 0.11 ± 0.05 kg greater (P ≤ 0.03) than NC, respectively. Late season supplemental efficiency for HS, MS, and LS decreased linearly (R2 = 0.43, P = 0.0048) was 0.07, 0.04, and 0.06 ± 0.01 kg of added gain per kg of supplement. Overall ADG was greatest for HS steers, with 0.41, 0.16, and 0.09 ± 0.03 kg/d greater (P ≤ 0.01) than NC, LS, and MS, respectively. Supplemental efficiency over the entire grazing season followed a quadratic pattern (R2 = 0.91, P < 0.0001), with increased supplementation we saw a decrease in supplemental efficiency. These data suggest that increased supplementation rates with a 100% DDGS cubes increases performance but decreases supplemental efficiency when forage quality is greater. However, as forage quality declines and becomes less palatable in the later summer, increased supplementation levels appear to supply energy and protein lacking in the forage to continue to promote increased performance and increase the efficiency of the supplement.

128 Effects of Cottonseed Meal Supplementation Strategy to Stocker Calves Grazing Late Season Summer Forage

Abstract Summer stocker calves grazing perennial warm-season grasses may benefit from protein supplementation due to the low protein content typically observed in these forages. Cottonseed meal (CSM) is an excellent protein supplement that is readily available in the south and is competitively priced per unit of protein in early summer. However, research regarding the effects of CSM supplementation level and frequency on calf gain and composition of gain is limited. It was hypothesized that supplementing CSM to grazing heifers would improve ADG and perhaps alter composition of gain when compared with non-supplemented heifers. Objectives for this experiment were to 1) compare gain and composition of gain between calves supplemented with CSM to non-supplemented calves, and 2) compare the effect of daily vs. alternating days of CSM supplementation. A total of 27 commercial Angus beef heifers weighing 234.1 ± 4.18 kg were blocked by BW (light, medium, and heavy) and allocated to 9 paddocks of W.W. B-Dahl Bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) for 67 d. The experimental was designed as a RCBD with 3×3 factorial arrangement of 3 treatments and 3 weight blocks. Heifers were supplemented daily with a mineral mix and either no cottonseed meal (CON), 454 g/animal of CSM daily (CSM1), or 909 g/animal of CSM every other day (CSM2). Initial and final shrunk BW was measured, and total gain, ADG, and percent of BW gained were calculated. Ultrasound of initial and final longissimus muscle area (LMA), backfat (BF), and intramuscular fat (IMF) were measured. There were no treatment by block interactions for any measured variable. Treatment significantly affected total gain and ADG (P = 0.0156), as well as percent of BW gain (P = 0.029). Heifers receiving CSM1 treatment gained 28.3% more total BW than heifers receiving CON (47.27 vs. 36.82 kg, respectively) and CSM2 was intermediate (42.73 kg). Likewise, percent of BW gained was greatest for CSM1 and least for CON (16.9 vs.3.8% of initial BW), with CSM2 not differing (15.5% of initial BW). Treatment did not affect the composition of gain (P ≥ 0.190); however, block tended (P = 0.0812) to affect LMA % gain, with light heifers being greater than medium and heavy heifers (12.00% vs. 7.35% and 5.09% increase, respectively). As expected, heifers grazing late summer W.W. B-Dahl Bluestem forage who received 454 g of CSM daily had significantly greater ADG than heifers not receiving CSM. Heifers receiving 909 g of CSM every other day tended to gain more than heifers not receiving CSM, but replication of this experiment is needed for validation of this specific supplementation strategy. In conclusion, supplementation of CSM to calves grazing low protein summer forage within a limited period may have positive measurable effects on gain.

Combining corn N recommendation tools for an improved economical optimal nitrogen rate estimation

AbstractImproving corn (Zea mays L.) nitrogen (N) rate fertilizer recommendation tools can improve farmers’ profits and mitigate N pollution. Numerous approaches have been tested to improve these tools, but to date improvements for predicting economically optimum N rate (EONR) have been modest. This work's objective was to use ensemble learning to improve our estimation of EONR (for a single at‐planting and split N application timing) by combining multiple corn N recommendation tools. The evaluation was conducted using 49 corn N response trials from eight states in the US Corn Belt and three growing seasons (2014–2016). Elastic net and decision tree approaches regressed EONR against three unique tools for each N application timing. Tools used in various combinations included a yield goal method, two soil nitrate tests (pre‐plant and late season), a computer simulation crop model (Maize‐N), and canopy reflectance sensing. Any combination of two or three N recommendation tools improved or maintained performance metrics (R2, root‐mean square error , and number of sites close to EONR). The best results for a single at‐planting recommendation occurred when combining the three at‐planting N recommendation tools (including interactions) with an elastic net regression model. This combined recommendation tool had a significant linear relationship with EONR (R2 = 0.46), an increase of 0.27 over the best tool evaluated alone. Combining multiple tools increased the implementation cost, but it did not reduce profitability and, sometimes, improved profitability. These results show tools can be combined to better match EONR, and thus could aid farmers in improving N management.

Livestock feed markets across agro-ecological zones of Burkina Faso: feed provenance, price and quality

Livestock form a major means of livelihood in Burkina Faso where almost 80% of the rural population keep sheep and goats. However, the major constraint to livestock productivity is seasonal feed scarcity. To bridge the increasing feed gap, particularly in the dry season, livestock keepers are increasingly turning to purchase of feeds from markets, which has led to emergence of feed markets in peri-urban towns and cities in the Sahel. To characterize the dynamics of these livestock feed markets, to inform and guide the development of efficient feeding systems in peri-urban livestock production, we conducted surveys in feed markets in four major towns and cities of Burkina Faso across all the agro-ecological zones. Results from this study showed that the feed types on sale included browse, bush hay, bran of maize, millet, sorghum, rice and wheat, legume residues, cereal straw and agro-industrial by-products such as cottonseed cake and concentrate feed for ruminants. The average number of feeds sold per vendor ranged from 1.5 ± 0.1 in early dry season to 3.5 ± 0.4 in late dry season. More than 80% of the feed sellers in each location reported that generation of additional income for the household was the principal reason for feed sale. The price of livestock feeds sold at different locations in Burkina Faso varied significantly with season, market location and feed type. Cottonseed cake had the highest crude protein content in all locations and across seasons ranging from an average of 16.3 to 31.9% while cereal straw (millet, maize and sorghum straw) had the lowest crude protein content of 3.5%. The results also showed a lack of a clear trend in terms of relationship between price and nutritional quality which confirms the absence of quality standardization for feeds on sale in our study sites. In developing feed industry in the region, the issue of quality standardization needs to be addressed to facilitate establishment of nutritive value-based pricing and to ensure that consumers pay a premium for quality products.

PRODUCTIVITY OF CORN HYBRIDS DEPENDS ON GROWING TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS

The main methods of growing new corn hybrids of different maturity groups in the forest-steppe remain insufficiently studied, and there are also few studies on the development and adaptation to specific soil and climatic conditions of integral technological systems, which would be based on the use of the biological potential of the culture and the application of resource-saving measures; to scientifically justify the principles of hybrid selection for specific subzones of the Forest Steppe and to theoretically argue the directions of resource saving in varietal technologies for growing different biotypes. The article presents the results of studies on the influence of sowing dates on the grain productivity of various corn hybrids in the conditions of the right-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine. Research has established that sowing dates affect the passage of phenological phases in corn. Late sowing times contribute to the shortening of the growing season and grain ripening period. The vegetation period of corn hybrids at the early sowing period varied between 117-134 days, medium - 115-136 days, and late - 113-132 days. A delay in sowing corn hybrids led to a decrease in yield, but this trend was not followed for all studied hybrids. So, in particular, in hybrid P 9619, early sowing led to a decrease in productivity. Therefore, it must be sown later in order to obtain high productivity. On the basis of two-year observations, it was established that the highest grain yield was formed on variants with mid-early hybrids: P 8904 – 15,1 t/ha, 10,7 and 13,4 t/ha; P 8666 – 14,5 t/ha, 12,6 and 13.0 t/ha, respectively, when sowing in the early, middle and late season. The realization of the genetic potential of its productivity in the conditions of the right-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine depends on the selection of a corn hybrid of a certain maturity group with the available zoning and sowing dates.

Hydrological response of a headwater catchment in Southeast Brazil—Threshold patterns of stormflow response

AbstractHeadwater catchments are essential water sources for sustaining low flow in downstream rivers. The montane region of Serra da Mantiqueira in Southeast Brazil is the largest water supplier for the densely populated area of São Paulo, where we investigated the hydrological response of a subtropical catchment and four of its sub‐catchments. We discussed the relationships between rainfall, streamflow, baseflow, stormflow, soil moisture, and water table depth using high‐frequency field observations over 4 years. Baseflow accounted for most of the streamflow during the dry season and for half of streamflow in the wet season. In contrast, the variations in soil moisture were dampened, with increases in the early wet season preceding the increase in streamflow and decreases in the late wet season following the decrease in streamflow. The mean runoff coefficient and baseflow index varied from 23% to 37% and from 62% to 75% across the catchments, respectively. At the event scale, all catchments had a pronounced threshold behaviour, where stormflow increased sharply when event precipitation reached ≃10 mm, soil moisture reached ≃51% and water table depth decreased to ≃135 cm. The event stormflow coefficient was highly variable, with a maximum of 25%. The temporally integrated stormflow coefficient was low for conditions below a soil moisture threshold (≃3%–10%) and high above a soil moisture threshold (≃8%–15%). Our estimates of flows and threshold behaviours were consistent across the various study catchments, improving our understanding of runoff generation at a catchment scale. This information should help improve the management of water resources focused on water and food security in a context of climate change.

Hydrochemical Assessment of the Rivers Adada and Obinna in Enugu, Nigeria, for Irrigational Application

Waters from Rivers Obinna and Adada, located in Enugu, Nigeria, were assessed for their potential for irrigational purposes. Forty-eight water samples were collected from four sampling points during the early dry season and late dry seasons (when these river waters are used for irrigation) from both rivers. Physicochemical parameters were analyzed using standard methods, and seven irrigation water quality indices were applied in ascertaining the suitability of the river waters for irrigation. Mean pH results revealed that the river waters were slightly acidic (6.7). All physicochemical parameters analyzed were within the international standard irrigational water limits, indicating the suitability of the river waters for irrigation. The cations and anions analyzed in the river water were observed to follow the trend Ca2+>Mg2+>K+>Na+ and Cl−>SO42−>NO3−>PO43−>HCO3−>CO3−, respectively. Results showed calcium and chloride ions as the most dominant cation and anions, respectively. Piper plots of the anions and cations showed that alkaline earth metals surpassed alkali metal, whereas the weak acids also exceeded the strong acids, with the exception of one sample, which showed dominance of strong acids over weak acids. The observed prevalence of the Ca2+−HCO3− facies was attributed to the large presence of carbonate rocks such as dolomite and calcite, a good indicator of the occurrence of freshwater in both rivers. Positive correlations among the physicochemical parameters was reported, indicating the likelihood of ion exchange between the river waters and surrounding soils. All irrigational water quality indices revealed the suitability of Adada and Obinna Rivers for irrigation applications.

Assessment of Pollution Status of River Ajali in Enugu State Using water quality index

The physico-chemical and microbial examination of Ajali River in Ezeagu Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, South-eastern Nigeria, were carried out to assess the characteristics of the water for potability. Water samples were collected from three sampling points, including the one close to the brewery effluent discharge into the river and two different points that were affected by non-point sources. Altogether, eighteen samples were collected for two years during the dry, early and late rainy seasons. The physico-chemical, as well as microbial analyses of the samples, were determined following the standard methods. Significant spatial and seasonal variations (p<0.05) were clear for some physico-chemical parameters such as pH, phosphate, and sodium. Mean values of the Water Quality Index (WQI) were: dry season (104.23±9.75); early rainy season (113.22±8.78) and the late rainy season (102.58 ± 11.15). All the values are above 100 showing that the calculated WQI in all the seasons is not good however after the addition of lime, boiling and filtering to increase the quality.

Long-term trends of precipitation and erosivity over Northeast China during 1961–2020

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the vital commercial grain bases in China and it has suffered from soil erosion due to prolonged cultivation and lack of protection. To determine long-term trends of precipitation and rainfall erosivity over NEC during the latest decades, daily precipitation for the entire year during 1961–2020 and hourly precipitation for the warm season (May to September) during 1971–2020 were collected for 192 and 126 stations, respectively. Three seasons, including the cold season (October to April), early warm season (May to June), and late warm season (July to September) were divided according to the combination of precipitation and vegetation. Results demonstrate: (1) Daily precipitation reveals total precipitation and rainfall erosivity in the cold season and early warm season increase significantly at relative rates of 3.1% ∼ 6.1% compared with the average during 1961–2020, and those in the late warm season decrease insignificantly. (2) Hourly precipitation reveals storms occurring in the early and late warm seasons have undergone significant increasing changes, which shift towards longer storm duration, larger amount, peak intensity, kinetic energy, and rainfall erosivity during 1971–2020. Moreover, the frequency of extreme storms increased. (3) Rainfall erosivities estimated from daily precipitation during 1971–2020 increase insignificantly for the early and late warm season, whereas those from hourly precipitation increase significantly (6.1% and 5.5%, respectively), which indicates daily precipitation may not be able to capture the trend fully under the warming background, and precipitation at higher resolutions than the daily scale is necessary to detect trends of rainfall erosivity more accurately.

Suitable stocking density of fish in paddy field contributes positively to 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline synthesis in grain and improves rice quality.

Fragrant rice is increasingly popular with the public owing to its fresh aroma, and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) is the main characteristic component of the aroma in fragrant rice. Rice-fish co-culture is an environmentally friendly practice in sustainable agriculture. However, the effect of rice-fish co-culture on 2-AP in grains has received little study. A conventional fragrant rice (Meixiangzhan 2) was used, and a related field experiment during three rice growing seasons was conducted to investigate the effects of rice-fish co-culture on 2-AP, as well as the rice quality, yield, plant nutrients, and precursors and enzyme activities of 2-AP biosynthesis in leaves. This study involved three stocking density treatments (i.e. 9,000 (D1), 15,000 (D2), and 21,000 (D3) fish fry per hectare) and rice mono-cropping. Rice-fish co-culture increased the 2-AP content in grains by 2.5%~49.4% over that of the mono-cropping, with significant increases in the early and late rice seasons of 2020. Rice-fish co-culture treatments significantly promoted seed-setting rates by 3.39%~7.65%, improved leaf nutrients and rice quality. Notably, the D2 treatment significantly increased leaf total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) contents and the head rice rate at maturity stage, while significantly decreased chalkiness degree. There were no significant difference in rice yield. Rice-fish co-culture had positive effects on 2-AP synthesis, rice quality, seed-setting rates, and plant nutrient contents. The better stocking density of field fish for rice-fish co-culture in this study was 15,000 fish/ha. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Native and introduced pollinators vary in their seasonal floral resource visitation and selection between native and exotic plant species

Abstract Anthropogenic pressures on native ecosystems have resulted in numerous functional and compositional changes, creating novel ecosystems with new interactions between native and exotic species. How native species utilize these resources is crucial for their management in altered landscapes and the promotion of their essential ecosystem services. We compared seasonal floral selection between European honey bees and their most phylogenetically similar native component in our study region, bumble bees, in North American grasslands with high densities of exotic plant species. Additionally, we determined whether floral species richness, total flowering density, native floral density or exotic floral density best explained the abundance of both groups. Selection analyses revealed that honey bees and native bumble bees differed in selection between native and non‐native floral resource availability, with any significant selection of honey bees being for exotic plants while native bumble bees selected for native plants. Native forb presence and floral richness best explained the variation in bumble bee abundance, while honey bee abundance was associated with flowering densities in the early and mid‐seasons and floral richness in both the early and late seasons. Despite their generalist diets, we emphasize the importance of native floral availability for bumble bee foraging in novel grassland landscapes and the importance of exotic plants to support honey bee production. Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that pollinator forage management should differ for non‐native and native species, despite morphological and life‐history similarities. However, greater floral diversity provides a common management focus that can benefit honey bees and bumble bees in particular seasonal periods. Our results suggest that management actions promoting resource diversity can benefit functionally different species. In grasslands, implementing disturbance processes that can favour floral expression (e.g. fire; grazing) can support bumble bees of conservation concern and agriculturally important bees simultaneously.

Influence of biostimulants on growth and productivity of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) genotypes

A field experiment was carried out at AHRS, Bavikere, Karnataka during late kharif season of 2021to find out the “Influence of biostimulants on growth and productivity of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) genotypes’’. The field trial was laid out in split plot design with 12 treatment combinations. The study involves three genotypes in the main plot viz., SiA-3156 (G1), HMT-100-1 (G2) and DHFt-109-3 (G3). Foliar application of biostimulants in sub plots viz., 0.1 % humic acid (F1), 3 % panchagavya (F2), 0.1 % humic acid and 3 %panchagavya (F3) at 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) as control (F4). Genotypes and Foliar application of biostimulants exhibited significant variation in growth and yield components of foxtail millet. Among the different genotypes, HMT-100-1 recorded significantly higher plant height (142.00 cm), number of tillers per meter (81.87) and leaf area (18.40 dm2/plant) at harvest and also yield components like panicle length (16.60 cm), grain weight per panicle (4.02 g) and grain yield (1701.0 kg/ha) compared to DHFt-109-3 and SiA -3156. In biostimulants, Foliar application of 0.1 % humic acid and 3 % panchagavya recorded significantly higher plant height (142.32 cm), number of tillers per metre (83.75) and leaf area (18.51 dm2/plant) at harvest and also yield components like panicle length (16.99 cm), grain weight per panicle (4.33 g) and grain yield (1781.2 kg/ha). While, they were found to be at their lowest with application of RDF alone. Interaction between genotypes and biostimulants was also found to be significant in which combination of HMT-100-1 with foliar application of 0.1 % humic acid and 3 %panchagavya recorded significantly higher growth and yield compared to other treatment combinations.

Disease incidence, larval parameters and mortality of mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. effected by bed disinfectants

With an aim to find out an effective bed disinfectant regulating disease incidence, larval growth parameters and mortality of mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. revealed a positive influence on the disease incidence, and larval growth of mulberry silkworm race, (CSR6 × CSR26) × (CSR2 × CSR27). The commercial bed disinfectant, Ankush manifested better result in terms of reduction in disease incidence (1.833 %) and larval parameters (larval duration, 21.888 days; full grown larval weight, 4.596 g; silk gland weight, 0.889 g and 24.181% SGTSI) compared to the control (22.667 days, 3.976 g, 0.817 g and 20.726 %, respectively) followed by Sericillin and Turmeric rhizome powder alone or in combinations. However, a combination of bed disinfectants viz., Ankush + Sericillin, Ankush + Turmeric rhizome powder and Sericillin + Turmeric rhizome powder recorded better results compared to Turmeric rhizome powder alone. Though bed disinfectants did not show any significant effect on mortality percentage but Ankush resulted highest reduction of mortality over control (46.933 %). The performance of all the bed disinfectants was found to be better during the late spring season.

Large‐scale long‐term passive‐acoustic monitoring reveals spatio‐temporal activity patterns of boreal bats

The distribution ranges and spatio‐temporal patterns in the occurrence and activity of boreal bats are yet largely unknown due to their cryptic lifestyle and lack of suitable and efficient study methods. We approached the issue by establishing a permanent passive‐acoustic sampling setup spanning the area of Finland to gain an understanding on how latitude affects bat species composition and activity patterns in northern Europe. The recorded bat calls were semi‐automatically identified for three target taxa; Myotis spp., Eptesicus nilssonii or Pipistrellus nathusii and the seasonal activity patterns were modeled for each taxa across the seven sampling years (2015–2021). We found an increase in activity since 2015 for E. nilssonii and Myotis spp. For E. nilssonii and Myotis spp. we found significant latitude ‐dependent seasonal activity patterns, where seasonal variation in patterns appeared stronger in the north. Over the years, activity of P. nathusii increased during activity peak in June and late season but decreased in mid season. We found the passive‐acoustic monitoring network to be an effective and cost‐efficient method for gathering bat activity data to analyze spatio‐temporal patterns. Long‐term data on the composition and dynamics of bat communities facilitates better estimates of abundances and population trend directions for conservation purposes and predicting the effects of climate change.

Lichen biomonitoring of seasonal outdoor air quality at schools in an industrial city in Thailand

Poor air quality in school environments causes adverse health effects in children and decreases their academic performance. The main objective of this study was to use lichens as a biomonitoring tool for assessing outdoor air quality at schools in the industrial area of Laem Chabang municipality in Thailand. Thalli of the lichen Parmotrema tinctorum were transplanted from an unpolluted area to nine schools in the industrial area and to a control site. The lichens were exposed for four periods in the dry, hot, early rainy, and late rainy seasons, for 90days each. The concentrations of 14 elements, including As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, V, and Zn, were determined using inductively coupled plasma‒mass spectrometry (ICP‒MS), and 8 physiological parameters were measured. The concentrations of all 14 investigated elements were clearly higher at the schools than at the control site. The contamination factors (CFs) suggested that 9 out of the 14 elements, including As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Ti, heavily contaminated the school environments, especially Pb, the concentration of which was 3 to 11 times higher than at the control site. The most polluted time was the hot season as evidenced by the investigated elements, and the least polluted time was the late rainy season. The pollution load indices (PLIs) demonstrated that schools in the inner and middle zones clearly had higher pollution loads than the schools in the outer zone during the rainy seasons, while the hot and dry seasons showed similar pollution levels in all zones. The vitality indices (VIs) showed that the lower lichen vitalities at most schools were observed during the dry season and at the schools in the inner and middle zones. Accordingly, the air performance indices (APIs) revealed that poorer air quality at most schools was found during the dry season and at the schools in the inner and middle zones. This study clearly showed that the transplanted lichen P. tinctorum was an effective bioindicator of air quality in school environments. The results illustrated that all studied schools were contaminated by air pollutants; therefore, improving air quality at the schools is crucial and should be an urgent issue for maintaining good health and may benefit children's academic achievements and careers in the long run.

Varying genesis and landfall locations for North Atlantic tropical cyclones in a warmer climate

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the most dangerous hazards that threaten U.S. coastlines. They can be particularly damaging when they occur in densely populated areas, such as the U.S. Northeast. Here, we investigate seasonal-scale variations in TC genesis and subsequent first landfall locations of > 37,000 synthetic TCs that impact the U.S. Northeast from the pre-industrial era (prior to 1800) through a very high emissions future (RCP8.5; 2080–2100). TC genesis in the Main Development Region decreases across all parts of the season from the pre-industrial to the future, with the greatest decreases in the proportion of genesis (up to 80.49%) occurring in the early and late seasons. Conversely, TC genesis in a region near the U.S. southeast coast increases across all parts of the season from the pre-industrial to the future, with the greatest increases in the proportion of genesis (up to 286.45%) also occurring in the early and late seasons. Impacts of changing TC genesis locations are highlighted by variations in where TCs make their first landfall over the same time periods, with an increase in landfalls along the mid-Atlantic seaboard from Delaware to North Carolina during all parts of the season from the pre-industrial to the future.

Proximate Composition of Sarotherodon melanotheron and Socio-Economic Analyses of Cast Net Among Artisanal Fishers in Lagos Lagoon (Nigeria)

Abstract Proximate composition of the wild-caught Sarotherodon melanotheron and the socioeconomic analyses of cast net among artisanal fishers in Lagos Lagoon (Nigeria), were examined in the dry season of 2021 and 2022. No significant (P &lt; 0.05) variation was found in the proximate content of the fish. The protein content ranged from 61.74 ± 3.20 g/100 g to 63.13 ± 0.64 g/100 g in 2021 and from 53.13 ± 3.27 g/100 g to 58.38 ± 0.47 g/100 g in 2022, with highest value in November 2021 and decreased thereafter till late dry season (April). Lipid content showed the opposite trend (except in February), increasing from early to late dry season. The return on investment averaged at 10.72, with lowest being ‒0.60 and highest found to be 24.00. The use of cast nets fishing gear is profitable.