Spring Months Research Articles

Comparative deterministic and probabilistic approaches for assessing the aquatic ecological risk of pesticides in a mixed land use basin: A case study in Uruguay

Environmental concentrations of 25 pesticides in superficial water were employed to conduct an ecological risk assessment (ERA) in a mixed land-use basin utilized as a drinking water source. A deterministic risk assessment (RQ) was utilized to evaluate the chronic risk to aquatic biota, while a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) approach was applied to assess the acute and chronic risk in the most sensitive species and at the community level. A high risk was identified for insecticides (pyrethroids, organophosphates and organochlorines). RQs ranged from 4.0e−4 (2,4-D) to 105.3 (ethion) considering median concentrations and from 8.0e−4 (2,4-D) to 230 (p,p’-DDT) considering extreme concentrations. Temporal variation in ΣRQs showed the highest risk during spring and summer months, which is related to the crop calendar and land use in the Laguna del Cisne basin. For PRA, the probability of exceeding the hazardous concentration HC5 (5th percentile) was higher for the most sensitive species in chronic exposure, especially for cypermethrin (38.9 %), permethrin (25.6 %), and chlorpyrifos (16.6 %). In the case of acute exposures, the probability of surpassing HC5 was higher for the entire freshwater biota, with the highest values observed for bifenthrin (28.3 %), cypermethrin (25.5 %), permethrin (11.75 %), and ethion (11.1 %). The advantages and disadvantages of PRA for assessing pesticide ecological risk were compared with the conventional deterministic RQs approach, highlighting that PRA offers improvements over the deterministic risk assessment, especially for organophosphate pesticides. Additionally, PRA provides a more comprehensive evaluation of risk for both short and long-term exposure, has the potential to incorporate others available toxicity data (e.g., LD50, Daily Intake), and utilizes different hazardous concentrations, such as HC5, HC10, and HC50. Our findings emphasize the urgent need to establish a national regulatory framework to evaluate and mitigate pesticide risks in aquatic ecosystems, especially in drinking water source like Laguna del Cisne.

Water Physico-Chemical Indicators and Metal Assessment of Teceu Lake and the Adjacent Groundwater Located in a Natura 2000 Protected Area, NW of Romania

This study closely analyzes the water quality dynamics of Teceu Lake, situated in a Natura 2000 protected area in Romania. The research investigates seasonal variations and interconnections with groundwater, assessing various ecological impacts. The main physico-chemical indicators of water, such as electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), oxygen saturation (OS), temperature, pH, turbidity, ammonium concentration (NH4+), nitrates (NO3−), nitrites (NO2−), orthophosphates (PO43−), water hardness, alkalinity (A), and chlorides (Cl−), were measured over the January–December 2022 period. Metal concentrations for both major metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Al) and trace metals (Li, Ga, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Ti, Mo, Sr, Ba) were assessed. The evolution of the physico-chemical indicators revealed an increase in nutrient compounds (ammonium and phosphates) during the spring and autumn months. The EC values ranged from 180–444 μS/cm for the lake and 1575–2480 μS/cm for groundwater. The pH values (7.12–7.96) indicated a slightly alkaline environment. DO levels (6.79–11.21 mg/L) indicated good water quality. Chlorides exceeded levels in drinking water in some instances. Water hardness varied due to pH, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Metal composition revealed diverse levels of aluminum, barium, nickel, copper, zinc, and manganese, which carries implications for environmental and human health. The water quality index (WQI) score, which is based on major ions, indicated that 93% of the groundwater samples were classified as excellent and good for drinking. WQI, based on the main physico-chemical indicators, revealed that 79.17% of the Teceu Lake-water samples and 41.66% of the groundwater samples gathered were classified as good quality; the difference indicated poor quality, especially in autumn. Q- and R-mode cluster analyses revealed distinct clusters for seasonal months and sampling points, suggesting shared sources and geological influences. Notable connections between physico-chemical indicators and metal content were identified, emphasizing the need for a tailored conservation strategy. Correlation analyses highlighted both positive and negative relationships between metal pairs. Understanding these parameters is vital for water resource management and preserving biodiversity in the region. The results of this study are important for monitoring pollution in Lake Teceu and might prompt local communities and authorities to take measures to reduce and prevent pollution.

Bee Assemblage in the Southern Chihuahuan Desert: The Role of Season, Year, and Trap Color in Abundance.

Recognizing how populations fluctuate over time is a crucial factor in determining the environmental elements affecting population persistence. However, the limited information on wild bee populations complicates the estimation of the impact of anthropogenic threats leading to changes in population size. To address this, we conducted a study capturing and monitoring nine species of wild bees through monthly samplings over four years. Tray traps were placed in permanent plots, and capture records were used to determine population size (N) and density (D). A generalized linear model (GLM) was employed to determine how the use of traps affected bee species captures. The families Apidae and Halictidae represented the most captures. Apis mellifera, the Lasioglossum (Dialictus spp.) complex, and Macrotera sinaloana exhibited the largest number of captures and highest population density. Most species (77.7%) showed a tendency to remain constant over the years and to have a higher number of captures in the spring months. Moreover, yellow traps were the most effective in capturing bee individuals. We suggest that the availability of essential resources and the reduction in environmental stressors positively affected the capture of wild bee populations.

Ignition of Various Lubricating Oil Compositions Using a Shock Tube

Abstract With new restrictions imposed on gas turbine efficiencies and power outputs, lubricating oils are used at higher temperatures and harsher conditions leading to potential, unintended combustion. To establish an understanding of lubricating oil's resistance to combustion, a new spray injector system was utilized in the High-Pressure Shock Tube (HPST) Facility at the TEES Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M University. Two gas turbine oils (Mobil DTE 732 and Castrol Perfecto X32), a base mineral oil, and a surrogate (n-hexadecane) were tested at postreflected shock conditions at equivalence ratios near 2.5. Castrol Perfecto X32 was also characterized at an equivalence ratio near 1.2. All of the lubricating oils displayed ignition between temperatures of 1152 and 1383 K and near atmospheric pressures. To characterize combustion, two different definitions of ignition delay time (IDT) were considered: sidewall OH* chemiluminescence and sidewall pressure. Both definitions were used to create temperature-dependent correlations for each of the lubricating oils. In general, both definitions provided similar results within the accuracy of the measurements. One trend from the data herein is that the brand-name oils (Mobil DTE 732 and Castrol Perfecto X32) provided ignition delay times that were similar to each other but slightly larger than the corresponding mineral oil and n-hexadecane results. This difference could be attributed to the additives that are present in the brand-name oils.

Gothenburg Digital Twin. Modelling and communicating the effect of temperature change scenarios on building demand

The article presents the first prototype of a web-based City Digital Twin (CDT) viewer developed for the city of Gothenburg to promote the understanding of the interrelation between the spatial, energy and climate change domain related to building stocks and to support stakeholders’ collaboration. The focus is on the development process of the viewer and decisions taken to target the users. 3d spatial data about the current city combined with building energy demand modelling following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios provide the basis that potentially allows local actors to take informed decisions about decarbonization measures in a long-term perspective. First, future climate conditions are modelled for Gothenburg following the IPCC pathways 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 for the year 2050. Second, a Building Stock Model is employed to simulate the energy use of buildings by using the climate scenarios as climate boundary conditions. Finally, results are visualized in the CDT viewer showing that future climate conditions contribute to an overall decrease in final energy demand up to 18% in spring and autumn months and an increase up to 1.5% in summer months.

Modelling the historical and future evolution of six ice masses in the Tien Shan, Central Asia, using a 3D ice-flow model

Abstract. In the Tien Shan, few modelling studies exist that examine in detail how individual ice bodies are responding to climate change. Nonetheless, earlier research demonstrated that the glacier response to climate change in this mountain range is heterogeneous. Here, we use several measurements and reconstructions of the ice thickness, surface elevation, surface mass balance, and ice temperature to model in depth six different ice bodies in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan: five valley glaciers and one ice cap. The selected ice masses are located in different sub-regions of the Tien Shan with different climatic and topographic settings, and they are all characterized by detailed recent glaciological measurements. A three-dimensional higher-order thermomechanical ice-flow model is calibrated and applied to simulate the evolution of the ice masses since the end of the Little Ice Age (1850) and to make a prognosis of the future evolution up to 2100 under different Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) climate scenarios. The results reveal a strong retreat of most of the ice masses under all climate scenarios, albeit with notable variations in both timing and magnitude. These can be related to the specific climate regime of each of the ice bodies and their geometry. Under a moderate warming scenario, the ice masses characterized by a limited elevation range undergo complete disappearance, whereas the glaciers with a larger elevation range manage to preserve some ice at the highest altitudes. Additionally, our findings indicate that glaciers that primarily receive precipitation during the late spring and summer months exhibit a more rapid retreat in response to climate change, while the glaciers experiencing higher precipitation levels or more winter precipitation remain for a longer duration. Projections concerning the overall glacier runoff reveal that the maximum water discharge from the ice masses is expected to occur around or prior to the middle of the 21st century and that the magnitude of this peak is contingent upon the climate scenario, with a higher warming scenario resulting in a higher peak.

Technological solutions for effective production on beef cattle breeding farms in the conditions of Ukraine

Beef cattle breeding in Ukraine is considered to be a promising and socially important livestock sector, which is experiencing a systemic decline in production. The purpose of the study was to find the most effective options for organizing production in beef cattle breeding. The analysis was based on the production data of an agricultural enterprise with more than 4.5 thousand heads of meat cattle, including more than 1.7 thousand cows. Taking into account the company's development strategy, which provided for the expanded reproduction and sale of bull-calves and culled breeding stock, the production indicators of the farm's operation under the cow-calf system and the complete cycle with the rearing of young animals to slaughter conditions were analysed. The analysis of these production options was carried out for the conditions of using year-round and seasonal (from February to April) calving on the farm. It was found that when calving throughout the year, the number of cattle places in the premises and pens will be relatively constant. In the case of seasonal calving, the structure of the herd changes significantly during the year. Sales of finished products during seasonal calving should take place in relatively short periods of time and in large groups. In particular, the monthly sales of bull-calves for fattening in the cow-calf system during seasonal calving will be on average 11 times higher than during year-round reproduction in the herd. With a full breeding cycle, the batches of bull-calves for slaughter will differ less, but will occur only in the spring months. Seasonal calving during the complete production cycle resulted in a 1% reduction in silage and 3% reduction in hay consumption and a 10% increase in pasture grass consumption. The full cycle of raising bull-calves for meat makes it possible to increase the total live weight of cattle sold by 59%, increase sales revenue by 54% and reduce total feed costs per 1 tonne of live weight by 20%. The practical significance of this study is to obtain results that can be used in the Ukrainian beef cattle industry to plan efficient production organization

Shifts in sage-grouse arthropod food sources across grazing and environmental gradients in upland meadow communities

Groundwater dependent systems are extremely important habitats for a wide variety of taxa in the Great Basin of North America. The impacts of grazing on these habitats cause shifts in resources and subsequent change in species composition. The Greater sage-grouse, a keystone species of Great Basin ecosystems, rear offspring in these areas during spring and summer months using forbs and arthropods. To examine the impact of grazing on arthropod abundance in these ecosystems, seven meadows, each made up of three unique vegetative communities, were grazed at three intensities across two years (2019–2020) and monitored for environmental variables and abundance of arthropods during peak sage-grouse utilization periods. Additionally, the relationship of field measurements and near-surface digital cameras (phenocams) was examined to better understand how remote sensing technologies can be used to monitor these insect abundance shifts on larger scales. Arthropod taxa abundance responded differently to grazing management and environmental variables. Coleoptera abundance during peak sage-grouse usage periods increased roughly 50% in some meadows with increased grazing intensity. For year-to-year environmental variability in precipitation, Lepidoptera abundance was 114% higher in the drier year, while Coleoptera was 39% lower. Near-surface cameras had varied success with predicting peak insect abundance levels. Lepidoptera and Coleoptera capture rates had strong correlations with phenological indices derived from phenocams, while Formicidae had much weaker relationships.

The covariability between temperature inversions and aerosol vertical distribution over China

Temperature inversions (TI) have a unique impact on the regulation of aerosol distribution. However, it remains unclear the covariability of TI and aerosol vertical distribution. To address this issue, ten years CALIPSO observations and the fifth-generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis system (ERA5) data from January 2008 to December 2017 across China were collected. The aim was to explore the relationship between TI and the aerosol vertical distribution. The characteristics of TI and aerosol vertical distribution have been analysed in the Taklimakan Desert (TD), North China (NC), South China (SC) and Sichuan Basin (SB). The results demonstrate that the frequency of TI, inversion strength (ΔT), and TI height (TIH) follow a similar seasonal pattern across the four areas. Specifically, they are highest in winter, followed by spring and autumn, and the least in summer. Notably, NC exhibits a significantly higher average frequency (10.3%) of TI during summertime compared to the other regions. This may be a result of the heating effect of the elevated black carbon aerosol on the upper atmosphere. Moreover, the observations demonstrate that aerosol optical depth (AOD) above the TIH in the four areas is greater during spring and summer months compared to autumn and winter. It indicates that there is an obvious aerosol high-level transport over the Chinese mainland in spring and summer. In winter months, most of the aerosols are located below the TIH. This phenomenon occurs due to the influence of a strong inversion layer and adverse atmospheric ventilation conditions. In addition, the average AOD below TIH increases with the ΔT increased in TD region, supporting the hypothesis that a strong inversion can suppress surface aerosols below the TI. Conversely, in NC and SC regions, the average AOD below (above) TIH decreases (increases) as the ΔT increases. It indicates that the strong atmospheric stability forms a more effective transmission channel, resulting in the accumulation of aerosols above TIH. These findings have important support for studying aerosol transport.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Northern Jordan: Seasonal Morbidity and Characteristics of Patients.

This study aimed to characterize adult patients admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in northern Jordan. The study examined medical records of patients diagnosed with DKA from January 2015 to April 2018. Variables analyzed included diabetes type, precipitating illness, admission month, hospital length of stay, and biochemical markers. Out of 232 admissions with DKA, 70% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and 56% were females. 12% of admissions had a new diagnosis of diabetes, of which 51% had type 2 diabetes. Sepsis (48%), Non-adherence (26%), and diabetic foot infections (18%) were the most encountered precipitating factors for DKA in T1DM. As for T2DM, sepsis (52%), acute coronary syndrome (12%), and pancreatitis (8%) were the most precipitating factors for DKA. High urea levels, high creatinine levels, low phosphorous levels, low hemoglobin levels, and high platelet counts were associated with a longer hospital stay for type 1 diabetes. For type 2 diabetes, low pH on admission, old age, and high Hb A1c within 6 months of admission were factors associated with a prolonged hospital stay. The study found a significant peak of admissions for DKA in both type 1 and type 2 patients in the winter and spring months (Pearson P-value= 0.0013). The results of the present study highlight the seasonal variation in the frequency of DKA hospitalizations. It also highlights sepsis as the most frequent precipitating factor of DKA in both type 1 and type 2 DM patients.

Динамика и оценка метеоусловий всесезонного туристско-рекреационного комплекса «Мамисон»

Introduction. By Decree of the Government of Russia dated September 25, 2019 No. 1248, a decision was made to create an all-season tourist and recreational complex “Mamison” on the territory of the Alagirsky district of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, in the upper reaches of the Ardon River, the valleys of the Mamikh-Don and Zemegon-Don rivers. One of the most favorable areas is the high-mountain gorge Mamison, where the Zemegon-Don and Kozydon-Don rivers merge, which, downstream, form the Mamikh-Don river. To date, the territory of the Mamison ATRC has been poorly studied in meteorological and hydrological terms. There are practically no studies of the physical properties of snow; the peculiarities of changes in the weight of the snow cover depending on the absolute height have not been identified, as, for example, at the Elbrus ATRC in Kabardino-Balkaria. The work is devoted to the analysis of the dynamics of the average seasonal values of outdoor air temperature, snow cover depth and the amount of precipitation during the cold period (October – May) from 1981 to 2022. On the territory of the Mamison All-Season Tourist and Recreational Complex. Research methods and materials. The work carried out a mathematical and statistical analysis of the meteorological parameters on which the snow avalanche regime depends to the greatest extent. To analyze the average seasonal values of snow depth, air temperatures and total (for the season) amount of precipitation, the work used weather data for the cold period (October – May) obtained at the snow avalanche station (SLS) Roki Pass (from 1981 to 2022). Research results. Mathematical analysis showed that the mid-season snow depth changes linearly, the trend is negative. Mid-season air temperature changes linearly, the trend is also positive. The trend in changes in the seasonal total values of the amount of solid precipitation is positive, the highest amount of precipitation occurs in the spring months – March, April, May (3396 mm, 4809 mm, 4910 mm, respectively). Discussion of research results. The observed changes were manifested in a decrease in the depth of snow cover, a change in precipitation patterns, and an increase in the average seasonal characteristics of the temperature regime. In view of these changes, we can say that the decrease in avalanche activity in the Roki Pass area is associated with interannual changes in the depth of snow cover, which is the main factor in avalanche formation. Conclusions. It was found that from 1981 to 2022, the average annual snow depth decreased by 0.56 cm per year. An expression for the time variation of snow cover height is obtained. Suggestions for practical applications and future research directions. The results obtained have practical significance in the development of mountainous territories and should be taken into account when designing infrastructure facilities of the Mamison ATRC.

Description of Meteorological Indices Presented Based on Long-Term Yields of Winter Wheat in Southern Germany

This study had three main objectives. First, weather indices were listed and their derivations were described to show which weather parameters could be used to describe the influence on agricultural yields. Second, farmers and agricultural scientists should be given the opportunity to evaluate the weather of the observation years in the study region. Furthermore, significant fluctuations in winter wheat yields were compared with weather events. As weather variables, 45 meteorological indices were used, such as precipitation-, temperature-, precipitation-temperature-, growing-period-, and radiation-related indices. In the case of winter wheat, heat waves and dry periods were the most important factors that affected the yields. For the past 20 years, in particular, there have been recurrent spring and summer months with low precipitation and, in some cases, significantly too warm periods, such as in 2003 and 2018 (April to October 2003: +16% °C, 2018: +27% °C, 2003: −38% mm, 2018: −12% mm in relation to 1978 to 2020), which were associated with particularly high yield losses. The qualitative assessments illustrate that in the observation period, years with reduced yield compared with the multiannual trend were frequently well explainable by extreme weather events.

ŽEMĖS DIENOS RENGINIAI: TVARUMO IDĖJOS IKIMOKYKLINUKAMS

As environmental issues become more relevant, more attention is paid to sustainability. Sweden's long-term experience shows that including sustainability topics in preschool education programs allows children to feel like they are masters of their planet, responsible for its future. The article shares the experience of how environmental issues were discussed in a group of four-year-old children during the month-long educational activities dedicated to Earth Day. With the help of the teacher, the children explained which human activities in nature are appropriate and which are not. They looked for evidence of such activities in the environment and shared their experiences. In Lithuanian, the spring months are named after birds. Children got to know rook, dove and cuckoo. They looked for signs of spring in the school yard. While performing a creative task, children shared their thoughts on how they can contribute to protecting the nature of the planet. In other activities, children learned about our planet, its continents and oceans. After planting vegetable and flower seeds, they watched how the plants grew and developed. The peppered "continents" allowed the children to imagine that our planet is green and beautiful when many animals breed on it. So we have to preserve it as green and we are all responsible for its future. By researching and performing practical activities, children improved initiative and perseverance, knowledge of the environment, research, and problem solving skills. Keywords: educational activities, problem solving skills, preschool education, education for sustainability

Every little helps: exploring meat and animal product consumption in the Tesco 1.0 dataset

The production and consumption of meat and animal products have been associated with an array of ethical, health, and environmental issues. While social scientists have increasingly focused on meat reduction and the promotion of meat alternatives in recent years, and have identified a number of regional, seasonal, and sociodemographic variations in consumption, empirical work is often based on self-reported data. To build a greater understanding of actual dietary habits, we seek to provide analysis based on real food purchase data by aggregating data from different sources. To this end, we explore the consumption of meat and animal products in the Tesco 1.0 dataset, an Open Access dataset representing 420 million food item purchases made by 1.6 million loyalty card users at 411 Tesco stores across Greater London in 2015. The data is aggregated most granularly at the level of monthly purchase of 11 broad food categories in 4833 lower super output areas (LSOA—the smallest geographic area). We represented the consumption of meat and animal products graphically for each month of the year and for each of 33 London boroughs. In general, we found that the spring and summer months had the highest consumption of meat and animal products, including poultry, and this decreased in autumn. We also combined the Tesco 1.0 dataset with datasets from the London Datastore (a free and open data-sharing portal that provides over a thousand datasets to understand the city and develop solutions to its problems), and identified several demographic factors as predictors for the meat consumption. Contrary to our hypothesis, areas with older, lower education, and more conservative populations had a lower proportion of meat consumed. In line with our hypotheses, a lower proportion of meat consumed could be observed in areas with higher population density, better health, and more Hindus. The purpose of this paper is to add to knowledge on regional, seasonal, and sociodemographic variations in animal product consumption, as well as provide a valuable overview of animal product consumption using a novel data source that comprises actual purchase data rather than self-reported consumption.

Diagnosing the relationship between the Madden–Julian Oscillation and United States severe convective weather outbreaks

AbstractThe Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the leading intraseasonal mode of tropical variability and has been connected to influences in extratropical weather. Recently, the MJO has been gaining traction as a useful teleconnection for extending severe weather outbreak forecast lead time. However, the MJO's intraseasonal, planetary‐scale is far from the meso‐ or micro‐scale severe weather phenomena, making identifying links between the two more difficult. In our study, we use severe weather outbreaks comprising all three main hazards (wind, hail and tornadoes), which are typically linked to a synoptic‐scale system. Outbreaks are devised using kernel density estimation and were used to determine spatial shifts for each of the eight phases of the MJO in each month. A total of 15 months/phases indicated a significant spatial shift. In the spring and summer months (March–August), southerly shifts are more likely to occur in MJO phases 7–8 and 1–3, while northerly shifts are more likely in phases 4–6. In the cool season (September–February), only 3 month/phase groups indicated significant shifts, two shifting west and one north. Composite analysis showed the likely link between the MJO and these outbreak shifts was rooted in Rossby wave breaking and generation of a Rossby wave source induced by the barotropic vorticity advection from the MJO convection. These resulting wave breaks and wave trains led to changes in the storm track (amplitude and location) that resulted in a more favourable synoptic‐scale pattern for severe weather over the United States that deviated from the climatologically favourable region.

Mechanical forest restoration treatments stimulate understory plants in the Colorado Front Range

Restoration efforts are underway in dry conifer forests across the western United States to increase their resilience to wildfire and other disturbances. Because such treatments typically decrease overstory density and homogeneity, they can also drive changes in the understory plant community. Past studies of post-treatment changes in understories have found variable results over short time frames and across regions, highlighting the need to study longer-term, region-specific responses. We investigated whether mechanical restoration treatments benefited understory plants in dry conifer forests of the Colorado Front Range, and what biotic and abiotic variables modified understory plant responses in treated areas. We analyzed data collected 1–2 years pre-treatment, 1–2 years post-treatment, and 4–6 years post-treatment in 168 plots, which were distributed across 8 sites and 16 pairs of treated and nearby untreated areas. Treatments were implemented by removing trees with heavy machinery or hand tools (i.e., thinning). By the time treatments were 4–6 years old, native understory plant cover was 1.7 times higher in treated compared to untreated plots, and native richness was 1.1 times higher. Heightened cover and richness values in treated plots were not driven by a single native plant functional group, but by a large portion of the native community; long-lived, graminoid, vegetatively spreading, and non-vegetatively spreading plants all had higher cover in treated plots, while short-lived, long-lived, forb, graminoid, and non-vegetatively spreading plants had higher richness in treated plots. Non-native plants showed 3.1 times higher cover and 4.4 times higher richness in treated compared to untreated plots at 4–6 years post-treatment, but were present at very low levels (e.g., ≤ 0.5% mean cover in either treatment). Greater native plant cover and richness at 4–6 years post-treatment were associated with lower overstory basal areas that resembled 19th-century forest structural conditions for the landscape. Contrary to expectations, a long-term measure of moisture availability (i.e., 30-year average climatic water deficit) was not a strong predictor of native cover or richness in treated plots 4–6 years post-treatment; rather, they were better predicted by moisture availability during the spring months prior to sampling. Overall, the consistent and enduring stimulation of cover and richness of native understory plants after mechanical treatments, with only limited invasion from non-native species, illustrates the important benefits of ongoing restoration activities in dry conifer forests of the Colorado Front Range.

Patchy and Pink: Dynamics of a Chlainomonas sp. (Chlamydomonadales, chlorophyta) algal bloom on Bagley Lake, North Cascades, WA.

Snow algal blooms frequently occur throughout alpine and polar environments during spring and summer months; however, our understanding of bloom dynamics is limited. We tracked a recurrent bloom of Chlainomonas sp. on Upper Bagley Lake in the North Cascade Mountains, USA, to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics in bloom color intensity, community photophysiology, and community composition over eight weeks. We found that the algae biomass had a dynamic patchy distribution over space and time, which was decoupled from changes in community composition and life-cycle progress averaged across the bloom. The proportional representation of Chlainomonas sp. remained consistent throughout the study while the overall community composition shows a progression through the bloom. We found that community photophysiology, measured by the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), decreased on average throughout the bloom. These findings suggest that the Chlainomonas sp. community on Bagley Lake is not simply an algal bloom with rapid increase in biomass followed by a population crash, as is often seen in aquatic systems, though there is a physiological trajectory and sensitivity to environmental stress. These results contribute to our understanding of the biology of Chlainomonas sp. and its response to environmental stress, specifically an extreme warming event.

Development of flower meadows in an urbanized environment

Abstract With increasing urbanization, it is necessary to create green infrastructure in cities and urban areas to improve not only the quality of life for residents, but also the health and sustainability of local ecosystems. One effective way to create green spaces is by establishing meadows filled with diverse plant species. These meadows can provide numerous benefits, such as aiding pollinator conservation, improving air and water quality, and increasing biodiversity. Therefore, creating these meadows is an important component of urban ecology. Seven types of flower meadow mixtures from a Czech company were sown in 12 plots within the Hliník Urban Park in Nové Zámky, Slovak Republic. The development of the vegetation and the impact of maintenance management and climatic factors were monitored during the vegetation period of 2021‒2022, and the plots are still being monitored. The results of the flower meadow research in 2021 showed that improper maintenance and insufficient precipitation negatively influenced the vegetation’s development. Grasses were most prevalent during the summer months, while legumes were more common in the spring months. The analysis of the plots revealed that four out of 12 plots were dominated by annuals and grasses, which were the most abundant throughout the entire vegetation period. In 2022, it was observed that grasses were most prevalent in May, legumes in June and July, and annuals occurred sporadically in all plots. Insufficient precipitation and high temperatures in 2022 created unfavorable conditions for the thriving of the flower meadow vegetation, resulting in a high proportion of opportunistic species. Due to the impact of stress factors, the vegetation in the plots dried up.

Husbandry practices of livestock farming in the Drâa-Tafilalet region of Morocco

The study was aimed to determine the husbandry practices of livestock farmers in the Drâa-Tafilalet region of Morocco. Five sites in the region were selected. Three to five rural districts, each with one to eight breeders of each livestock species, were randomly selected at each site. A survey consisting total 305 farmers was conducted in 21 districts with 60, 105, 71, 21, 35, 13 farmers of cattle, sheep, goats, camels, poultry and rabbits, respectively. For identification, 31.9% of breeders used ear tags, and 26.3% used notch or fire marks. The study found that 55.4% of breeders kept their animals in barns, 40.2% in "zriba" and 4.38% in open fields. All cattle breeders reported milking their cows, but only 4.72%, 72.1% and 88.9% milked their ewes, does and she-camels (cows), respectively. There were 2.38% of breeders who practiced castration, including 33.3% of sheep breeders, 16.7% of goat breeders, and 50% of camel breeders. In this study, it was found that cattle breeders did not practice castration at all. Natural pasture was used by 19.1% of breeders, especially during the spring and summer months, 21.4% used crop residues, 31.3% straw, 27.2% forages, mainly alfalfa, and 3.09% silage. A total of 83.5% of rangeland breeders kept their herds separate from those of other breeders to prevent mating males from other herds, while 16.5% mixed their herds with those of neighbors. Animals were given water once a day (60.8%), twice a day (25%), once every two days (9.8%), once every three days (0.98%) and 2.94% had access to water all the time. Among the most common diseases were respiratory diseases (30.2%), reproductive tract diseases (10.9%), mastitis (16%), bloat (9.06%), diarrhea (16.3%) and mange/moth (12.4%). Among cattle breeders, 64.9% sold animals, 3.51% sold milk, and 31.6% both sold animals and milk. Breeders of sheep, goats, and camels and rabbits sold 91.3%, 92.5% and 100% of their animals, respectively, whereas chicken breeders sold eggs (26.9%), birds (15.4%) and both eggs and birds (57.7%). According to the study, despite the traditional husbandry practices in the region, successful management programs should consider them.

Seasonal AMH variability implies a positive effect of UV exposure on the deterioration of ovarian follicles

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced exclusively by granulosa cells of ovarian follicles and is an indicator of ovarian reserve which declines with age. Seasonality in AMH levels have been reported to be correlated with variations in Vitamin D levels, which is dependent on sunlight exposure. However, the effects of age and its association with solar radiation intensity with respect to AMH was never studied before. In this study, we investigated the relationship between AMH levels with season and with solar radiation intensity in a cohort of 2235 women aged 19–40 years undergoing hormonal work-up over a four-year period. Our findings revealed that among women aged 20–29 years, there was no significant association between AMH levels and either season or solar radiation intensity. However, for women aged 30–40 years, a seasonal pattern was observed, with higher AMH levels during spring and autumn months characterized by moderate solar radiation intensity. Women in their declining ovarian reserve age were found to be more sensitive to the effects of moderate solar radiation. Moderate solar radiation exposure positively impacted AMH levels, whereas low and high intensity exposure had a negative effect. Our findings indicate that age and solar radiation intensity must be considered when assessing AMH levels and provide valuable insights into the intricate relationship between AMH, seasonality, and UVB exposure in the context of reproductive health.