Local Environmental Conditions Research Articles

GIS-based non-grain cultivated land susceptibility prediction using data mining methods

The purpose of the present study is to predict and draw up non-grain cultivated land (NCL) susceptibility map based on optimized Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) metaheuristic algorithm. In order to, a total of 184 NCL areas were identified based on historical records, and a total of 16 NCL susceptibility conditioning factors (NCLSCFs) were considered, based on both a systematic literature survey and local environmental conditions. The results showed that the XGBoost model optimized by PSO performed well in comparison to other machine learning algorithms; the values of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC are 0.93, 0.89, 0.88, 0.93, and 0.96, respectively. Slope, rainfall, fault density, distance from fault and drainage density are most important variables. According to the results of this study, the use of meta-innovative algorithms such as PSO can greatly enhance the ability of machine learning models.

Local adaptive variation in a highly migratory fish: The smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena

Populations of highly mobile species that undertake long distance migrations are typically considered to be panmictic. Nonetheless, mechanisms related to behavior or local environmental conditions promote genetic isolation in the absence of physical barriers. Highly migratory shark species exhibit varying levels of fidelity to specific regions, shaping the genetic architecture of different populations and resulting in geographically based genetic variation with potential adaptive value. An understanding of the genetic variation of highly migratory species is needed to develop effective conservation strategies. This study aimed to assess the neutral and adaptive variation of the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) in the northern Mexican Pacific (NMP) via single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We analyzed 1480 SNPs in 92 individuals from four geographic regions in the NMP, of which 1469 SNPs were neutral loci (n-SNP), and 11 were putatively under selection (o-SNP) using four genoma scan methods. Genetic diversity was geographically similar among regions (Ho = 0.275). The neutral variation showed panmixia (n-SNPs; FST = 0.0012, p = 0.44), which may be associated with the high dispersal capacity of S. zygaena. A pattern of adaptive variation between individuals from the Gulf of California and Pacific coast was revealed using o-SNPs FST-based methods (24 oSNPs; FST = 0.061, p < 0.001), which may be promoted by individual preferences based on physiological limitations. The estimated effective population size (Ne) of S. zygaena was 1390 individuals, which is theoretically optimal for the population to persist over time.

Risk analysis for preventive conservation of heritage collections in Mediterranean museums: case study of the museum of fine arts in Alexandria (Egypt)

The impacts of climate change on heritage collections in Mediterranean museums are serious and lead to accelerated material degradation, loss of value, increasing conservation costs and climatisation. Climate change scenarios and simulation models have been developed to predict the extreme and average future environmental conditions and to assess the future long-term risks caused by global warming for museum buildings and their collections in Mediterranean countries, with Egypt being particularly at risk. This paper presents the results of the risk analysis of the indoor and outdoor environments in Alexandria Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in Egypt to provide an overview of the current situation of conservation and museum management and to provide evidence-based data to support decision-making regarding preventive conservation given the museum's limited funding, capacity and resources. Unfortunately, the air quality in the museum cannot be considered satisfactory and specific measures need to be taken to improve the level of air quality and museum and building management. The results enabled an assessment of indoor air quality and provided information on potential risks to the museum building and collections, including variations in temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), concentrations of NO2, SO2, O3, CO2, acetic and formic acid and lighting conditions, as well as the location and management of the museum. The results necessitate the development of a preventive conservation plan to address the challenges associated with high T/RH fluctuations and pollution pressure. This requires more regular use of the HVAC system within certain T/RH set points as well as minimising light exposure and the use of UV-filtering glazing. Care should be taken to ensure that housekeeping and emergency preparedness reduce the damping and salt florescence in the museum building. However, dealing with the impact of climate change on indoor and outdoor environments and museum collections in Mediterranean museums requires a holistic and adaptive approach that includes joint collaboration, research, training and strategic planning to ensure the long-term preservation of valuable cultural heritage collections in different climates with customised adaptations based on local environmental conditions, resources and needs. Resilience planning should be region-specific and take into account the potential impacts of extreme weather events, sea level rise and other climate-related challenges.

Anthropogenic structure emplacement and sediment transport at King Herod's harbour, Israel: ED-μXRF (Itrax) data and foraminifer Pararotalia calcariformata as proxies of coastal development over millennia

The construction of harbours along high energy nearshore environments, which commonly include the emplacement of hard structures both as central features (e.g., piers, jetties) as well as protective measures (e.g., wave breakers, coastal armouring), can alter coastlines in a multitude of ways. These include reconfiguring the coast's morphology, introducing or redistributing exogenous and endogenous materials, and changing localized environmental substrate and structural conditions; and, as a result, impact the associated ecological communities. With growing coastal populations and associated coastal development, concerns over the long-term consequences of such projects are of global interest. Caesarea Maritima, a large-scale, artificially constructed ancient harbour built between 21 and 10 BCE, provides a rare opportunity to address these impacts and investigate its fingerprint on the landscape over 2000 years. To approach this, representative sediment samples were isolated and analyzed from two sediment cores (C1, C2), an excavated trench (W), and a sample of ancient harbour construction material (aeolianite sandstone and hydraulic concrete; COF). Geochemical (Itrax μXRF, magnetic susceptibility) and foraminifera analyses were conducted and results from both methods were statistically grouped into significantly similar clusters. Results demonstrated the increased presence of aeolianite-associated elemental contributions only after the construction of Caesarea as well as in particularly high concentrations following previously proposed tsunami events, during which shallower and deeper materials would have been transported and redeposited. The foraminifera data shows the appearance and eventual abundance dominance of Pararotalia calcariformata as an indicator of coastal hardening. Results suggest that they are an especially well-suited species to demonstrate changing environmental conditions existing today. In previous studies, this species was mistakenly presented as a recent Lessepsian arrival from the Red Sea, when in fact it has had a long history as an epiphyte living on hardgrounds in the Mediterranean and co-existencing with humans and their harbour-building habits. Specimens of P. calcariformata, therefore, are useful indicators for the timing of harbour construction at Caesarea and may be used as rapid and cost-effective biostratigraphic indicators on sandy nearshore coastline in future geoarchaeological studies. This has implications for future studies along the Israeli coast, including both paleoenvironmental and modern ecological assessments.

Water footprints and crop water use of 175 individual crops for 1990–2019 simulated with a global crop model

The water footprint of a crop (WF) is a common metric for assessing agricultural water consumption and productivity. To provide an update and methodological enhancement of existing WF datasets, we apply a global process-based crop model to quantify consumptive WFs of 175 individual crops at a 5 arcminute resolution over the 1990–2019 period. This model simulates the daily crop growth and vertical water balance considering local environmental conditions, crop characteristics, and farm management. We partition WFs into green (water from precipitation) and blue (from irrigation or capillary rise), and differentiate between rainfed and irrigated production systems. The outputs include gridded datasets and national averages for unit water footprints (expressed in m3 t−1 yr−1), water footprints of production (m3 yr−1), and crop water use (mm yr−1). We compare our estimates to other global studies covering different historical periods and methodological approaches. Provided outputs can offer insights into spatial and temporal patterns of agricultural water consumption and serve as inputs for further virtual water trade studies, life cycle and water footprint assessments.

Local habitat composition and complexity outweigh seascape effects on fish distributions across a tropical seascape

ContextThe distribution of animals is influenced by a complex interplay of landscape, environmental, habitat, and anthropogenic factors. While the effects of each of these forces on fish assemblages have been studied in isolation, the implications of their combined influence within a seascape remain equivocal.ObjectivesWe assessed the importance of local habitat composition, seascape configuration, and environmental conditions for determining the abundance, diversity, and functional composition of fish assemblages across a tropical seascape.MethodsWe quantified fish abundance in coral, macroalgal, mangrove, and sand habitats throughout the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. A full-subsets modelling approach was used that incorporated data from benthic habitat maps, a hydrodynamic model, in situ measures of habitat composition, and remotely sensed environmental data to evaluate the relative influence of biophysical drivers on fish assemblages.ResultsMeasures of habitat complexity were the strongest predictors of fish abundance, diversity, and assemblage composition in coral and macroalgal habitats, with seascape effects playing a secondary role for some functional groups. Proximity to potential nursery habitats appeared to have minimal influence on coral reef fish assemblages. Consequently, coral, macroalgal, and mangrove habitats contained distinct fish assemblages that contributed to the overall diversity of fish within the seascape.ConclusionsOur findings underscore the importance of structural complexity for supporting diverse and abundant fish populations and suggest that the value of structural connectivity between habitats depends on local environmental context. Our results support management approaches that prioritise the preservation of habitat complexity, and that incorporate the full range of habitats comprising tropical seascapes.

Innovative high-strength, high-permeability concrete for large-scale applications in permeable subgrade of highway tunnel

The durability of concrete roads in mountainous regions may be reduced due to underground water infiltration and surface water erosion within highway tunnels. A promising solution is the use of pervious concrete as a drainage subgrade layer to drain away the water, and then to prevent water-induced pavement damage of pavement. For pervious concrete to be an ideal drainage layer for high-traffic loads, it must have compressive strength and permeability coefficient exceeding 25 MPa and 15 mm/s, simultaneously. However, traditional pervious concrete tends to emphasize either in high-strength or high-permeability, depending on its porosity. This study introduces an innovative proportion design method of pervious concrete, which enables higher compressive strength and permeability coefficient by adjusting its skeleton structure, and thus catering to high-traffic load applications. In addition, the workability and setting time of pervious concrete were optimized according to the local environmental conditions, facilitating large-scale and efficient paving of the drainage subgrade. As a result, a drainage subgrade layer with a 28-day compressive strength of 26.43 MPa and permeability coefficient of 18.86 mm/s was successfully applied in a highway tunnel. This study provides a theoretical framework and technical support for widespread application of pervious concrete in drainage subgrade of high-traffic load road.

Genetic diversity of SNPs associated with candidate genes for heat stress in Coreño Creole cattle in Mexico.

Mexican Coreño Creole cattle are an important genetic resource adapted to local environmental conditions, so the study of their genetic diversity is essential to know their status and implement conservation programs and their use for crossbreeding. This study evaluated the genetic diversity of heat stress tolerance characteristics of Coreño Creole cattle, and a gene ontology enrichment was performed to know the biological processes in which candidate genes are involved. A total of 48 samples from three localities of Nayarit were genotyped using 777K Illumina BovineHD BeadChip and 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with candidate genes were selected. Genetic diversity was analyzed using allelic frequencies, expected heterozygosity (He), and Wright's fixation index (FST) using PLINK v1.9 software. Candidate genes were uploaded to the open-source GOnet for pathway analysis and linkage to biological processes. Coreño Creole cattle showed low genetic diversity (He = 0.35), the average FST obtained was 0.044, and only eight markers had allele frequencies higher than 0.80 in the three locations. We found that the genes GOT1 and NCAD are related in the biological processes of stress response, cell differentiation, and homeostatic process. The results revealed that Coreño Creole cattle have low genetic diversity; this could be due to the isolation of these populations.

Population genetics, demography and conservation of Mediterranean brown trout from Sardinia

Abstract Brown trout is a species complex (Salmo trutta complex, L., 1758) including both widespread invasive (non‐native hatchery strains) lineages and endangered local‐endemic lineages, among which is the Sardinian trout, the only native salmonid present in Sardinia. Multiple stressors (e.g. the spread of stocked brown trout of Atlantic origin, habitat alteration and climate change) combine to seriously threaten the persistence of wild native populations. In this study, the origin, population genetics and demography of wild Sardinian brown trout populations were extensively investigated. A total of 274 trout individuals collected from 12 hydro‐geographical basins were analysed using both mitochondrial (control region) and nuclear (LDH‐C1* locus and 10 microsatellites) markers. Although stocking activities have altered the native genetic makeup of some populations in the study area, several (almost) uncontaminated populations showing strong genetic structure were detected. Eroded intra‐population diversity, as well as small effective population size, sometimes associated with a bottleneck signal was also found. The genetic characteristics of Sardinian trout populations described in this study are probably due, at least partly, to the peculiarity of local environmental conditions at the margin of the ecological niche for salmonids. Based on the results of this study, the need for urgent measures of conservation aimed to ensure the near future viability of the last wild Sardinian trout populations was discussed.

Investigating the outcomes of a threatened gorgonian in situ transplantation: Survival and microbiome diversity in Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1827)

Gorgonian octocorals are threatened by global and local stressors that can act synergistically to affect their health. In recent years, mass mortality events triggered by marine heatwaves have caused demographic declines in Mediterranean gorgonian populations that may lead to their collapse. Potential changes in microbiome composition under stressful conditions may further increase the susceptibility of the gorgonian holobiont to disease. Given the low recovery capacity of gorgonians, restoration approaches using transplantation are becoming an increasingly attractive option to counteract their decline. Here, we compared the survival and microbiome diversity of Paramuricea clavata colonies transplanted to sites differing in depth and local environmental conditions. Gorgonians sampled at a greater depth than the transplantation site were more likely to suffer necrosis after 1 year of monitoring. Gorgonian transplantation into environments disturbed by an anthropogenic source of pollution resulted in an imbalance of the microbiome with potential consequences on the success of restoration initiatives.

New geographic location data on the occurrence and abundance of carrion insects of forensic interest.

The world's forensic entomologists have much in common. They face similar research challenges, apply the same scientific methodology, study the same kinds of evidence, and access global research databases. Nevertheless, some regional heterogeneity inevitably exists. For most countries, and particularly those that have complex and diverse ecosystems, the current priority is to stimulate use of forensic entomology by establishing open access databases with time series data using standardised protocols for occurrence, abundance, distribution, niche preferences, life cycle, and identification characteristics for the key regional species that may be encountered in forensic entomology cases. Even in countries where forensic entomology is routinely used as a tool in reconstructing the history of corpses found on crime scenes in accordance with principles found in the rapidly developing body of literature, there is still much to learn about forensically useful insects. Examples of regional gaps include the taxonomy of lesser-known carrion insect species, seasonal occurrence of carrion species in the country's various geographical regions, and rates of development of the local species modeled in the many site situations of forensic interest. The first published study of carrion insects found in Athens, Greece published in this journal is an example of entomologists in a region taking the necessary first step towards establishing baseline data about native and introduced species and hence, physiological and behavioural responses to local environmental conditions, including life cycles and likelihood of occurrence or absence in the region.

Emergence and spread of the barley net blotch pathogen coincided with crop domestication and cultivation history.

Fungal pathogens cause devastating disease in crops. Understanding the evolutionary origin of pathogens is essential to the prediction of future disease emergence and the potential of pathogens to disperse. The fungus Pyrenophora teres f. teres causes net form net blotch (NFNB), an economically significant disease of barley. In this study, we have used 104 P. teres f. teres genomes from four continents to explore the population structure and demographic history of the fungal pathogen. We showed that P. teres f. teres is structured into populations that tend to be geographically restricted to different regions. Using Multiple Sequentially Markovian Coalescent and machine learning approaches we demonstrated that the demographic history of the pathogen correlates with the history of barley, highlighting the importance of human migration and trade in spreading the pathogen. Exploring signatures of natural selection, we identified several population-specific selective sweeps that colocalized with genomic regions enriched in putative virulence genes, and loci previously identified as determinants of virulence specificities by quantitative trait locus analyses. This reflects rapid adaptation to local hosts and environmental conditions of P. teres f. teres as it spread with barley. Our research highlights how human activities can contribute to the spread of pathogens that significantly impact the productivity of field crops.

Review of sheep breeding and genetic research in Türkiye

The livestock industry in Türkiye is vital to the country’s agricultural sector and economy. In particular, sheep products are an important source of income and livelihood for many Turkish smallholder farmers in semi-arid and highland areas. Türkiye is one of the largest sheep producers in the world and its sheep production system is heavily dependent on indigenous breeds. Given the importance of the sheep industry in Türkiye, a systematic literature review on sheep breeding and genetic improvement in the country is needed for the development and optimization of sheep breeding programs using modern approaches, such as genomic selection. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive literature review on the current characteristics of sheep populations and farms based on the most up-to-date census data and breeding and genetic studies obtained from scientific articles. The number of sheep has increased in recent years, mainly due to the state’s policy of supporting livestock farming and the increase in consumer demand for sheep dairy products with high nutritional and health benefits. Most of the genetic studies on indigenous Turkish sheep have been limited to specific traits and breeds. The use of genomics was found to be incipient, with genomic analysis applied to only two major breeds for heritability or genome-wide association studies. The scope of heritability and genome-wide association studies should be expanded to include traits and breeds that have received little or no attention. It is also worth revisiting genetic diversity studies using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Although there was no report of genomic selection in Turkish sheep to date, genomics could contribute to overcoming the difficulties of implementing traditional pedigree-based breeding programs that require accurate pedigree recording. As indigenous sheep breeds are better adapted to the local environmental conditions, the proper use of breeding strategies will contribute to increased income, food security, and reduced environmental footprint in a sustainable manner.

The relationship of plant leaf δ13Cn-alkanes and salinity in coastal ecosystems applied to palaeobotany: Case study from the Cenomanian of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Czechia

Stable carbon isotopes in fossil leaf cuticles (n-alkanes, δ13Cn−alkanes) extracted from the sediment are widely used for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. This approach relies on a series of assumptions (such as the plant-group-specific isotopic range, or the atmospheric CO2 being the major factor for the isotopic values) and leaves out the complexity of the carbon isotope fractionation within the plant through time, space, and different environments. The leaf cuticle is a unique archive of local environmental conditions, which has the potential to constrain individual plant habitat. To explore the applicability of the information gained from the δ13Cn−alkanes from fossil plants, a fossil coastal environment was studied.During the Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma), the basal part of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, including locality Pecínov (Czechia), was formed as a result of sea transgression to the Palaeozoic Bohemian Massif triggered by the Alpine orogenesis. Coastal halophytic vegetation growing in this zone of prograding sea has no extant equivalent, and there are uncertainties associated with vegetation distribution or individual taxa habitat.Therefore, we examine the relationship between δ13Cn−alkanes extracted from individual leaves of coastal C3 plants (fossil and modern) and osmotic stress (salinity and drought) to reconstruct the individual plant habitat, thus, vegetation distribution in the coastal zone. We investigated modern mangrove and salt marsh vegetation in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, respectively, as well as transition zones (mangrove invading original salt marshes) for δ13C, soil moisture and salinity to build a calibration of the relationship, which is then applied to the Cenomanian fossil leaves from the locality of Pecínov.We found a positive correlation between water stress (caused by salinity or drought) and the δ13C values of n‐C25, n‐C27, n‐C29 and n‐C31 alkanes when combining all species from all modern localities. However, the absence of a strong correlation within individual species suggests a combination of several factors controlling the carbon isotopic composition. Nevertheless, the general response of δ13C to osmotic stress can be applied to compare the habitat of modern and fossil coastal plants. Thus, by using this relationship, we reconstructed the relative salinity and water stress of individual species of the Cenomanian plants by relating them to modern species-specific ranges of n‐C29 isotopic signatures.We showed that the δ13Cn−alkanes of fossil plant cuticles/leaves can be a valuable tool in the reconstruction of plant habitat and help us understand evolution of fossil environments in time and space. Additionally, our data further confirm that the δ13C acquired from plants should be used with caution when reconstructing global atmospheric CO2 because the osmotic stress can shift the δ13C in plants growing in terrestrial environments, particularly in coastal sea-influenced ecosystems.

Using synthetic data to benchmark correction methods for low-cost air quality sensor networks

A benchmark was performed, comparing the results of three different methodologies proposed by three institutions to calibrate a network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors, on an hourly basis, using synthetically generated real concentrations and sensor measurements. The objective of the network calibrations was to correct the 2000+ sensor measurements in the Netherlands for the sensitivity to (local) environmental conditions. The option to use real measurements was dropped because the number of low-cost sensors sufficiently close to the 40 reference measurement locations was assessed to be spatially insufficient to benchmark the proposed approaches. Instead, synthetic real concentrations were generated to enable validation at all sensor locations. Hourly actual sensor and actual fixed concentrations, as well as interpolated concentration maps, were used as underlying data to generate the synthetic data sets for the period of 1 month. The synthetic sensor measurement errors were constructed by sampling from a collection of differences between actual sensor values and actual measurements. Of the three tested calibration methods, two follow a similar approach, although having differences in, e.g., outlier analyses and method of grouping sensors, leading also to comparable corrections to the raw sensor measurements. A third method uses significantly stricter rules in outlier selection, discarding considerably more sensors because of insufficient quality. Differences between the methods become most apparent when analyzing data at a smaller time scale. It is shown that two network calibration methods are better at correcting the hourly/daily bias.

The shape of reactive nitrogen losses from intensive farmland in China

Reactive nitrogen (Nr) pollution has changed radically accompanied by severe intensive farming. This pollution further contributes to ecological degradation and climate warming. Despite this recognition, little is known about the spatial pattern of various Nr loss from croplands and corresponding environmental costs. Here, we identified the major pathway of Nr loss based on provincial estimates in 2008 and 2018, and validated by synchronous observation of ammonia volatilization, N runoff and N leaching using historical literature synthesis. We also evaluated environmental costs at provincial scale and detected the influence factors that dominating the pollution swapping among different Nr forms. Our results show that the total Nr loss was 6.28 ± 1.81 and 5.56 ± 2.30 Tg N yr−1 for Chinese croplands in 2008 and 2018. Ammonia volatilization, which accounted for more than half of the total Nr at the national scale, was proven to be the major Nr loss for two-thirds of the provinces and 80 % of the field observations. The contribution of runoff, which is dominant by precipitation, soil clay content and CEC, was gradually smaller than that of leaching from southeast to northwest. Ammonia and nitrous oxide contributed of 59.3 % ∼ 65.4 % of TNr but 80.9 % ∼ 81.5 % of total environmental damage caused by Nr in China. The use of nitrification inhibitors and straw return indicated pollution swapping among various Nr forms. This study emphasizes that the future practices to reduce total Nr loss need to account for local environmental conditions and have pollution swapping in sights.

Neolithisation through bone: Stable isotope analysis of human and faunal remains from Syltholm II, Lolland, Denmark

Despite an increasing number of studies, the application of stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis to prehistoric bone collagen remains in its infancy. Conventionally, stable sulfur isotope compositions reflect coastal proximity and the interaction between humans and animals. Here, we undertook stable carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N) and sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis of human and faunal bone collagen. To understand the local environmental conditions as well as the husbandry regime employed by the first farmers, and investigate where the animals were raised or hunted in non-specific terms, we sampled 50 faunal, including wild and domestic taxa, and human remains from the Late Mesolithic to Early-Middle Neolithic (c. 4860–2310 cal BC) site of Syltholm II on the island of Lolland, Denmark. We show that the wild animals were obtained from multiple locations surrounding the prehistoric Syltholm Fjord, including forested and open landscapes, areas impacted by sea spray and saltmarshes. In contrast, the domestic taxa, especially cattle, were tightly managed for the majority of their lives based on their δ13C and δ15N isotope compositions, though were likely raised in multiple locations, including sea spray-affected areas, saltmarshes and wetlands, based on their δ34S values. The domestic dogs had a broad range of δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values, reflecting the consumption of varying degrees of marine foodstuffs, including animals that were sulfide-derived. Overall, our results contribute to a growing body of evidence for possible cultural and animal husbandry duality during the earliest Neolithic in southern Scandinavia.

Relationship between indoor environmental quality and residential mobility: implications for student housing design and management in Northern Ghana

PurposeThis study aims to establish the relationship between indoor environmental quality and residential mobility in student housing in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachUsing multiple regression and exploratory factor analysis through post occupancy evaluation, 26 indoor environmental quality (IEQ) indicators were explored among 1,912 students living in Purpose-Built off-campus university housing in Northern Ghana.FindingsThe study established a negative relationship between indoor environmental quality and residential mobility among student housing in Northern Ghana. Residential mobility is primarily attributed to the dissatisfaction with thermal and indoor air quality.Practical implicationsThe negative relationship affects vacancy and rental cashflows for property investors. Also, understanding local environmental conditions can influence future student housing design and enhance thermal and indoor air quality.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to studies on indoor environmental quality in student housing. In addition, establishing the relationship between indoor environmental quality and residential mobility in tropical African regions is novel.

An Eulerian perspective on habitat models of striped bass occurrence in an offshore wind development area

Abstract Offshore wind energy development, including along the US Atlantic coast, frequently occurs within important multispecies migration corridors; however, assessing the regional factors influencing the local Eulerian occurrence of these species poses a significant challenge. We used generalized models incorporating lagged variables and hierarchical formulations to account for temporal dependencies and hierarchical structure that occur outside the narrower frame of a sampled project area. Acoustically tagged striped bass, the most frequently detected species regionally, were sampled using a gridded acoustic telemetry array in the Maryland Wind Energy Area of the US Mid-Atlantic Bight. The daily occurrence of striped bass was better explained by broad-scale sea surface temperature warming patterns than by local concurrent environmental conditions, demonstrating the importance of drivers that occur across the wider spatial scales of migration. Weekly residency patterns were similar between tagging origin groups, suggesting that Chesapeake Bay, Hudson River, Delaware Bay, and other Northwest Atlantic populations migrate synchronously through the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight and are similarly influenced by sea surface temperature. Our study demonstrates that adapting an Eulerian approach to include lagged variables can improve regional assessments of fish on the move until richer Lagrangian insights become possible through future coordination of telemetry arrays throughout the Mid-Atlantic flyway.

No effect of snow on shrub xylem traits: Insights from a snow-manipulation experiment on Disko Island, Greenland

Widespread shrubification across the Arctic has been generally attributed to increasing air temperatures, but responses vary across species and sites. Wood structures related to the plant hydraulic architecture may respond to local environmental conditions and potentially impact shrub growth, but these relationships remain understudied. Using methods of dendroanatomy, we analysed shrub ring width (RW) and xylem anatomical traits of 80 individuals of Salix glauca L. and Betula nana L. at a snow manipulation experiment in Western Greenland. We assessed how their responses differed between treatments (increased versus ambient snow depth) and soil moisture regimes (wet and dry). Despite an increase in snow depth due to snow fences (28–39 %), neither RW nor anatomical traits in either species showed significant responses to this increase. In contrast, irrespective of the snow treatment, the xylem specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and earlywood vessel size (LA95) for the study period were larger in S. glauca (p < 0.1, p < 0.01) and B. nana (p < 0.01, p < 0.001) at the wet than the dry site, while both species had larger vessel groups at the dry than the wet site (p < 0.01). RW of B. nana was higher at the wet site (p < 0.01), but no differences were observed for S. glauca. Additionally, B. nana Ks and LA95 showed different trends over the study period, with decreases observed at the dry site (p < 0.001), while for other responses no difference was observed. Our results indicate that, taking into account ontogenetic and allometric trends, hydraulic related xylem traits of both species, along with B. nana growth, were influenced by soil moisture. These findings suggest that soil moisture regime, but not snow cover, may determine xylem responses to future climate change and thus add to the heterogeneity of Arctic shrub dynamics, though more long-term species- and site- specific studies are needed.