October January Research Articles

The Second Endourological Society Census Report.

As part of the Endourological Society's initiative to continuously enhance the field of endourology, the second annual census was circulated after the World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology 2022 (WCET22). An anonymous survey was created using Qualtrics XM and was disseminated via email to all Endourological Society (ES) members (n=1,502) between October 4th, 2022, and January 26th, 2023. A total of 46 questions were included in the survey and covered different aspects including demographics, practice patterns, satisfaction, impact of COVID, WCET22 attendance, and future opportunities. A total of 404 (26.9%) ES members (91.8% male and 8.2% female), representing 63 different countries participated in the survey. Fellowship-trained endourologists constituted 58.9% of respondents, and the most common practice setting was academic (55.2%). The most common practice scope was complex retrograde endoscopy (83.4%), followed by percutaneous nephrolithotomy (79.5%) and medical management of urolithiasis (72.5%). Work schedules were variable with 51.1% working 40-60 hours/week and 35.3% working >60 hours/week. More than 80% were satisfied with their practice; however, 42.4% indicated that COVID made satisfaction worse. Of the participants, 49.5% were satisfied with their compensation, and 7.3% plan to retire within the next 5 years. When asked about the future of endourology, 92.9% had a positive outlook. Of the respondents, only 36.8% attended WCET22, with the most chosen reason for attendance being an interest in learning new research and technology. For lack of attendance, cost of travel and lodging was reported as a determining factor by 45.4%. These survey results report important trends within the field of endourology and demonstrate the robust outlook of ES members for the future. By demonstrating important practice patterns and member needs, this information can be used to improve the responsiveness of its members and to continually strengthen the ES.

Organization of abdominal emergency surgical care across healthcare services in Senegal: a cross-sectional nationwide survey

IntroductionStudying surgical services and the workforce in sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for enhancing access to quality surgical care in the region. Despite many recommendations to produce evidence based on reliable data on this subject to guide policymakers, there is still a knowledge gap on this topic. The aim of this nationwide survey was to describe the organization of abdominal emergency surgical care across healthcare services in Senegal.MethodologyThis was a cross-sectional nationwide survey. The study period was between October 1st, 2023, and January 20th, 2024. The target population included all registered healthcare facilities in Senegal offering emergency surgical services. A structured questionnaire was designed to gather infrastructure-related data, surgical activities, and human resources.ResultsAll 33 identified healthcare facilities responded to the survey (100%). Emergency abdominal surgery services were available for 96.7% of the surveyed structures. The teams were mainly composed of surgeons and residents (45.2%) or surgeons and medical trainees (48.8%). The average bed capacity of the services was 21.9, with a standard deviation of 13.9. The absence of a dedicated hospitalization section for patients requiring special monitoring was found in 69.6% of the facilities. Operating rooms dedicated to emergency abdominal digestive surgery were present in 54.6% of the services. On average, the services performed 17.6 scheduled surgical interventions with a standard deviation of 11.5 and 29.7 emergency surgical interventions with a standard deviation of 16.8 per month. Morbidity and mortality conferences were not routinely held in the majority of departments (only 27.3%). Professional development programmes were present only in 24.2% of departments. Most of the departments did not have adequate human resources (69.6%). A total of 70 surgeons were identified, resulting in a national ratio of 0.39 general surgeons per 100,000 inhabitants. The strategies employed to address staff shortages included additional working hour by staff (54.5%), temporary workers (30.3%) or the use of trainee doctors or nurses (12.1%).ConclusionThis research shows that significant deficiencies are present in the essential physical and human resources needed to conduct fundamental life-saving surgical procedures. These findings suggest potential areas for improvement in the delivery of emergency surgical care in the region.

Effectiveness of respiratory face masks in reducing acute PM2.5 pollution exposure during peak pollution period in Delhi

The cities of North India, such as Delhi, face a significant public health threat from severe air pollution. Between October 2021 and January 2022, 79 % of Delhi's daily average PM2.5 (Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) values exceeded 100 μg/m3 (the permissible level being 60 μg/m3 as per Indian standards). In response to this acute exposure, using Respiratory Face Masks (RFMs) is a cost-effective solution to reduce immediate health risks while policymakers develop long-term emission control plans. Our research focuses on the health and economic benefits of using RFMs to prevent acute exposure to PM2.5 pollution in Delhi for different age groups. Our findings indicate that, among the fifty chosen RFMs, M50 has greatest potential to prevent short-term excess mortality (908 in age ranges 5–44), followed by M49 (745) and M48 (568). These RFMs resulted in estimated economic benefits of 500.6 (46 %), 411.1 (37 %), and 313.4 (29 %) million Indian Rupee (INR), respectively during October–January 2021–22. By wearing RFMs such as M50, M49, and M48 during episodes of bad air quality, it is estimated that 13 % of short-term excess mortality and associated costs could be saved if at least 30 % of Delhi residents followed an alert issued by an operational Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) developed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Our research suggests that RFMs can notably decrease health and economic burdens amid peak PM2.5 pollution in post-monsoon and winter seasons until long-term emission reduction strategies are adopted. It is suggested that an advisory may be crafted in collaboration with statutory bodies and should be disseminated to assist the vulnerable population in using RFMs during winter. The analysis presented in this research is purely science based and outcomes of study are in no way to be construed as endorsement of product.

Adaptation of trend analysis over a small-scale region for assessing climate change parameters

ABSTRACT Several natural and anthropogenic activities mainly escalate the demand for water and food and develop implications for their availability. Hence, it is necessary to analyse the natural and man-made changes for managing resources precisely. This study focuses on assessing the trends of climatic factors such as rainfall and temperature using the Mann–Kendall (MK) test and innovative trend analysis (ITA) for the agricultural cropping seasons. The findings revealed that a statistically insignificant increasing trend in rainfall is observed for all three cropping seasons (i.e.) Kuruvai/Samba (June–September), Thaladi/Navarai (October–January), and Sornavari (February–May), while the mean temperature shows a significantly increasing trend for all three cropping seasons. The results obtained using the MK test are compared with those of the ITA test to identify the reliable trend technique for climatic factor analysis of small regions. To manage the impacts of climate change and develop sustainable conditions in agriculture, this micro-level study assists the decision makers to prefer suitable trend analysis techniques and helps in identifying the climate change adaptation strategies for small regions. Also, this study is helpful for rural farmers to increase their adaptability conditions with regard to the climate change impacts as they are the frontline victims of climate change.

Study on Variability and Character Association Analysis in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a legume crop belonging to the family Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Therefore, a better insight to the association of yield with its component traits can be helpful in improving the chickpea yield. The present study was conducted with 25 chickpea genotype to understand the magnitude of variability, heritability, genetic advance and the association of various yield components and their direct and indirect effect on yield of chickpea based on twelve traits at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during October–January 2022. ANOVA revealed significant variation existed for most of the trait. High GCV, PCV, heritability and genetic advance recorded by harvest index, seed yield, number of pod per plant, number of seed per pod. Seed yield per plant shows highly significant and positive association with harvest index, number of pod per plant. Harvest index number of pod per plant and biological yield per plant showed highest direct effect on seed yield per plant.

Effect of Sowing Environment and Varieties on Growth Attributes of Rain-fed Wheat under Sub-tropical Foothills of Jammu

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm Advanced Centre for Rain-fed Agriculture (ACRA), Rakh-Dhiansar of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications at during Rabi season of 2018-19 to study the effect of six dates of sowing (31st October, 15th November, 30th November, 15th December, 30th December and 14th January) on growth attributes of two wheat varieties (PBW-175 and JAUW-598). The sowing of rain-fed was done at spacing of 20 cm in sandy loam soil. The observations were recorded on plant height, total dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate and relative crop growth rate of wheat crop. Growth of wheat in terms of plant height, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate and relative growth rate at periodic intervals revealed that at all the growth stages, the growth characters of wheat showed a pronounced improvement with varieties and sowing environments. The data showed significant effects of different sowing time on plant height, total dry matter and crop growth rate while relative crop growth rate found to be non-significant. Among varieties total dry matter found to be significant at 90, 120 DAS and at harvest as well as CGR at 60-90 DAS and 90-120 DAS while plant height and RGR showed to be non-significant at periodic intervals. In addition, the interaction effects were significant in some of observations.

Transgenerational plasticity as a mechanism of response to marine heatwaves in the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Kelp forests of the California Current System have experienced prolonged marine heatwave (MHW) events that overlap in time with the phenology of life history events (e.g., gametogenesis and spawning) of many benthic marine invertebrates. To study the effect of thermal stress from MHWs during gametogenesis in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) and further, whether MHWs might induce transgenerational plasticity (TGP) in thermal tolerance of progeny, adult urchins were acclimated to two conditions in the laboratory – a MHW temperature of 18°C and a non-MHW temperature of 13°C. Following a four-month long acclimation period (October–January), adults were spawned and offspring from each parental condition were reared at MHW (18°C) and non-MHW temperatures (13°C), creating a total of four embryo treatment groups. To assess transgenerational effects for each of the four groups, we measured thermal tolerance of hatched blastula embryos in acute thermal tolerance trials. Embryos from MHW-acclimated females were more thermally tolerant with higher LT50 values as compared to progeny from non-MHW-acclimated females. Additionally, there was an effect of female acclimation state on offspring body size at two stages of embryonic development - early gastrulae and prism, an early stage echinopluteus larvae. To assess maternal provisioning as means to also alter embryo performance, we assessed gamete traits from the differentially acclimated females, by measuring size and biochemical composition of eggs. MHW-acclimated females had eggs with higher protein concentrations, while egg size and lipid content showed no differences. Our results indicate that TGP plays a role in altering the performance of progeny as a function of the thermal history of the female, especially when thermal stress coincides with gametogenesis. In addition, the data on egg provisioning show that maternal experience can influence embryo traits via egg protein content. Although this is a laboratory-based study, the results suggest that TGP may play a role in the resistance and tolerance of S. purpuratus early stages in the natural kelp forest setting.

Exploitation of Castor Genotypes for Enhanced Eri Silk Production and the Prospects for its Promotion among the Farming Community

The present study was conducted at the research farm of Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Palem, Telangana State, India during rabi (October–January) seasons of 2012–13 and 2013–14 to exploit the high yielding castor genotypes with respect to scientific ericulture and to know the prospects for its rate of adoption. Amid the eight genotypes of castor, highest 10th day larval weight of 0.645 g, 0.651 g and 0.639 and highest mature larval weight of 6.012 g, 5.982 and 5.948 g was recorded in the eri silkworm reared on PCH-111, PCH-222 and GCH-4 respectively. Enhancement in shell weight (0.981 g) was obtained in the eri silkworm fed on PCH-111 followed by GCH-4 (0.778 g). Significantly highest ERR was recorded in the eri silkworm reared on PCH-111 (92.7%) genotype and PCH-222 (92.23%) with no significant difference among them. The mortality rate of the eri silkworms reared on different castor genotypes ranged between 3.3%–12.08%. Significantly the highest survival rate of 96.15% was recorded in the eri silkworms reared on Haritha genotype followed by PCH-222 (94.06%). The study revealed that nearly 61.25% of the eri rearers exhibited medium level of extent of adoption, followed by 21.25% with low level of extent of adoption, while about 17.50% of the rearers exhibited high adoption respectively with respect to scientific method of ericulture practices. The perusal of the data revealed that out of nine dependent variables, six variables viz, age, educational qualification, size of land holding, family annual income, risk bearing of the rearers and knowledge gained through training were positively and significantly related with the extent of adoption.

Variations in global zonal wind from 18 to 100 km due to solar activity and the quasi-biennial oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation during 2002–2019

Abstract. Variations of global wind are important in changing the atmospheric structure and circulation, in coupling of atmospheric layers, and in influencing the wave propagations. Due to the difficulty of directly measuring zonal wind from the stratosphere to the lower thermosphere, we derived a global balance wind (BU) dataset from 50∘ S to 50∘ N and during 2002–2019 using the gradient wind theory and SABER temperatures and modified by meteor radar observations at the Equator. The dataset captures the main feature of global monthly mean zonal wind and can be used to study the variations (i.e., annual, semi-annual, ter-annual, and linear) of zonal wind and the responses of zonal wind to quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and solar activity (F10.7). The same procedure is performed on the MERRA-2 zonal wind (MerU) to validate BU and its responses below 70 km. The annual, semi-annual, and ter-annual oscillations of BU and MerU have similar amplitudes and phases. The semi-annual oscillation of BU has peaks around 80 km, which are stronger in the southern tropical region and coincide with previous satellite observations. As the increasing of the values representing QBO wind, both values of representing BU and MerU (short for BU and MerU) change from increasing to decreasing with the increasing height and extend from the Equator to higher latitudes. Both BU and MerU increase with the increasing of the values of multivariate ENSO index (MEI) and decrease with increasing F10.7​​​​​​​ in the southern stratospheric polar jet region below 70 km. The responses of winds to ENSO and F10.7 exhibit hemispheric asymmetry and are more significant in the southern polar jet region. While above 70 km, BU increases with the increasing of MEI and F10.7. The negative linear changes of BU at 50∘ N are absent in MerU during October–January. The discussions on the possible influences of the temporal intervals and sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) on the variations and responses of BU illustrate the following: (1) the seasonal variations and the responses to QBO are almost independent on the temporal intervals selected; (2) the responses to ENSO and F10.7 are robust but slightly depend on the temporal intervals; (3) the linear changes of both BU and MerU depend strongly on the temporal intervals; (4) SSWs affect the magnitudes but do not affect the hemispheric asymmetry of the variations and responses of BU at least in the monthly mean sense. The variations and responses of global zonal wind to various factors are based on BU, which is derived from observations, and thus provide a good complement to model studies and ground-based observations.

Effect of Soil Acidity Amelioration on Soil Properties and Yield of French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under Rainfed Condition in Arunachal Pradesh

Under rainfed conditions yield potential of French bean reduced in the acid soil of Arunachal Pradesh due to low fertility and metal toxicity. Therefore, the current experiment was conducted in ICAR, Basar, Research Farm during rabi season (October–January) of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to study the effect of soil amelioration using organic amendments combined with inorganic fertilizer on the yield of French bean and important soil properties. The soil amendment treatments i.e., control, vermicompost (Vc), vermicompost+lime (Vc+lime), 50% RDF (Recommended dose of fertilizer), 50% RDF+lime, 50% RDF+Vc, 75% RDF, 75% RDF+lime, 75% RDF+Vc, 100% RDF were laid in randomized block design with three replications. The doses of vermicompost, lime and RDF were 2.5 t ha-1, 400 kg ha-1 and 50-50-50 NPK kg ha-1. Results showed soil pH recorded maximum and exchangeable aluminum, exchangeable acidity and total acidity recorded minimum in 75%RDF+lime. The soil organic carbon, soil cation exchangeable capacity, soil moisture content and soil available nutrients (N, P, K, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) recorded maximum and soil bulk density recorded minimum in 75%RDF+Vc. Vermicompost along with 75%RDF was most effective in increasing the yield (4.85 t ha-1). The study indicates soil acidity amelioration using vermicompost and/or lime along with inorganic nutrients reduced soil acidity and improved the soil fertility making the soil environment favorable to achieve an optimum yield of French bean in acid soils of Arunachal Pradesh.

Quantification of moisture flux from the wall surface in contact with the ground in a semi-underground space based on measurements and hygrothermal analysis

Relative humidity tends to be high in underground spaces. One possible cause for this is the moisture flux from the ground, whose effects have rarely been explicitly evaluated. To quantify the influence of moisture flux from the ground on indoor humidity, we performed a year-round field measurement of an unoccupied semi-underground apartment and developed a whole-building hygrothermal analysis of the target room and the surrounding ground. The larger measured annual average indoor absolute humidity than that of outdoor air indicated that the moisture transferred from the ground increased indoor humidity. Furthermore, the calculation results reproducing the measured indoor humidity confirmed the significant influence of moisture flux from the ground on indoor climate by comparing the results of a model in which the moisture flux from the ground was hypothetically masked out. The calculated indoor air moisture balance showed that the moisture flux from the envelopes in contact with the ground was more dominant than that from other envelopes or outdoor air, and that it accounted for more than 80% of the total indoor moisture gain, except in July. The moisture flux was highest in winter (October–January) because the higher temperature of the walls in contact with the ground accelerated moisture evaporation owing to the heat capacity of the ground. This study quantitatively demonstrated the influence of the moisture flux from the ground in a real, uninhabited underground room and the mechanism of its seasonal variations. The findings will contribute to developing countermeasures against high humidity in underground spaces.

Groundwater recharge in northern New England: Meteorological drivers and relations with low streamflow

AbstractMeteorological drivers of groundwater recharge for spring (February–June), fall (October–January), and recharge‐year (October–June) recharge seasons were evaluated for northern New England and upstate New York from 1989 to 2018. Monthly groundwater recharge was computed at 21 observation wells by subtracting the water levels at the end of each month from the level of the previous month; only positive monthly values were used to compute seasonal recharge. Precipitation, temperature, sea‐level pressure, 500‐mb geopotential heights, and various teleconnection indices were tested as explanatory variables for the interannual variability of recharge using random forest machine learning models. Precipitation within recharge seasons was positively correlated with groundwater recharge for most wells in all seasons. In general, whilst groundwater recharge in the study area was generally highest during the months of March and April, October precipitation was an important month for explaining the interannual groundwater recharge variability. This is likely because the variability in recharge in October may be high or low for given years. Sea‐level pressure and 500‐mb heights were typically inversely correlated with groundwater recharge during the recharge‐year and fall recharge seasons, as higher sea‐level pressure and heights are usually associated with clearer skies and less precipitation. The North Atlantic Oscillation, Pacific‐North American pattern, and Pacific Decadal Oscillation teleconnections affected groundwater recharge differently by well and season. The influence of groundwater recharge on minimum daily streamflows during the subsequent summer/fall was also analysed. Summer precipitation was the most important explanatory variable for study streams whilst groundwater recharge and summer air temperature were significant variables for a few streams.

MODIS-derived green Noctiluca blooms in the upper Gulf of Thailand: Algorithm development and seasonal variation mapping

In recent decades, red tides of non-toxic harmful algal blooms have frequently occurred in monsoon-influenced tropical areas, particularly the green form of Noctiluca scintillans (hereafter green Noctiluca). However, our understanding of the mechanism of red tide formation is hindered by spatial and temporal constraints of field data. In this study, we used moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) ocean color data along with a locally developed algal-bloom classification algorithm to investigate the seasonal variability of dominant red tides across the upper Gulf of Thailand (uGoT). During our July 2018 observation, a super green Noctiluca bloom with extraordinarily high chl-a (>1,469 mg m-3) displayed a distinct spectral reflectance characteristic among red tides in blue-to-green and red-to-near infrared wavelengths. According to the distinctive in situ hyperspectral characteristics of uGoT algal blooms, we developed a classification algorithm for MODIS normalized at 488, 531, and 667 nm, which successfully discriminated green Noctiluca in three levels of blooms, namely, super (100%), strong (>80%), and weak (>40%), from other algal blooms (i.e., dinoflagellates, diatoms, cyanobacteria, and mixed red tide species) as well as non-bloom oceanic and coastal waters using MODIS data, as confirmed by uGoT red tide reports. Monthly MODIS-based discrimination composites from 2003 to 2021 revealed seasonal variability in the surface distribution and bloom frequency of green Noctiluca and other red tides according to the Asian monsoon seasons: the southwest monsoon (May–September) and the northeast monsoon (October–January of the following year). Green Noctiluca blooms occurred farther from the shore and estuaries than other red tides (dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria), and were much more frequent than other red tides between the Tha Chin and Chao Phraya River mouths during the non-monsoon period (February to April). The frequency and distribution of green Noctiluca blooms, as well as other algal blooms, varied with the monsoon season. By comparing MODIS-derived algal blooms to monsoon-induced factors (i.e., sea surface winds, precipitation, and river discharge), we present an unprecedented overview of the spatial and temporal dynamics of red tides throughout the uGoT under Asian monsoon conditions. This research contributes to our understanding of the impact of climate change on phytoplankton dynamics.

Combined oceanic and atmospheric forcing of the 2013/14 marine heatwave in the northeast Pacific

An unprecedented warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly event, namely, the Blob, occurred in the northeast Pacific during the winter (October–January) of 2013/2014, causing substantial economic and ecological impacts. Here, we explore the driving forces of the Blob from both atmospheric and oceanic perspectives and show that the Blob primarily resulted from weak wintertime cooling due to the reduced air-sea heat flux transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere and the reduced horizontal advection of cold water in the upper ocean. Both mechanisms were attributed to an anomalous high-pressure system over the study region. Specifically, the anomalous air-sea heat flux, which was dominated by turbulent heat flux anomalies, was mainly induced by the increased air temperature (i.e., with a contribution of approximately 70%) and the weakened wind speed associated with the high-pressure system. The reduced horizontal heat advection was mainly due to the weakened winds acting on the ocean temperature meridional gradient. Using a regional ocean numerical model with different experimental runs, we evaluated the contributions of air temperature and wind drivers to the Blob at both the surface and subsurface of the ocean. The Blob was absent when the model was forced by climatology-air-temperature. Both the SST and integrated ocean heat content (OHC, 0–150 m) decreased, and the mixed layer depth (MLD) was deeper than that in the control run forced by real atmospheric conditions. In the climatology-winds experiment, obvious warm anomalies still existed, which were similar to but weaker than the control run. The SST (OHC) and MLD values in the climatology-winds run were between those of the climatology-air-temperature run and the control run. Compared to former studies that attribute the formation of the Blob to an anomalous air-sea heat flux and horizontal advection mainly induced by reduced winds, our study demonstrates that anomalous warm air temperatures played a more important role in its formation.

Chemodynamics of Mercury (Hg) in a Southern Reservoir Lake (Cane Creek Lake, Cookeville, TN, USA): I—Estimation of the Kinetics of Photochemical Reduction of Aquatic Hg(II) Using Field-Measured Data of Hg Water/Air Exchange and Dissolved Gaseous Hg

An alternative, independent estimation of the kinetics of aquatic Hg(II) photochemical reduction featuring dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) emission from water in consideration was obtained by using a mass balance box model. An interactive Excel spreadsheet was constructed to implement the model equations to yield the rate constants and the rates of the Hg(II) photoreduction. The model calculations used field-measured data of DGM paired with its emission flux coupled with the corresponding field sampling times. This data set came from a previous, separate, year-long field study conducted at a southern reservoir lake (Cane Creek Lake, Cookeville, Putnam County, TN). The mean value of the model-calculated rate constants (kDGM) of the Hg(II) photoreduction for the warm season (June–August) (4.5 fM h−1/pg L−1) is higher than that for the cold season (October–January) (2.2 fM h−1/pg L−1). The rate constants were found to be the highest (22.5 fM h−1/pg L−1) in August whereas the lowest (0.03 fM h−1/pg L−1) in January. The model-calculated rate constants are clearly higher in value than but comparable in order of magnitude to the published kinetic data. The model-calculated rates (rDGM) of the Hg(II) photoreduction are significantly higher, by one order of magnitude (102 vs. 101) than the apparent rates calculated using the same field DGM data without consideration of the Hg emission from the water. A sensitivity analysis of the model parameters points to a high sensitivity of Hg emission flux to the rate constant under modeled realistic environmental conditions. The initial Hg(II) concentration is also a sensitive model parameter under certain conditions. The results of our model study support the conclusion that DGM emission from water has a strong impact on the kinetics of aquatic Hg(II) photoreduction and the model calculation can provide an independent, valuable approach for estimating the kinetics of aquatic Hg(II) photoreduction.

Effect of Nutrient Management Options on Production and Profitability of French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Acid Soil of Arunachal Pradesh

The present study was designed for the standardization of soil nutrient management in increasing the production and profitability of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in acid soils of Arunachal Pradesh. A field experiment was carried out in randomized block design with three replications during the rabi season (October–January 2018–2021). The treatment consisted of two French bean cultivars (selection-9 and changlabi local) and 10 nutrient levels [control, vermicompost (Vc), vermicompost+lime (Vc+lime), 50% RDF (Recommended dose of fertilizer), 50% RDF+lime, 50% RDF+Vc, 75% RDF, 75% RDF+lime, 75% RDF+Vc, 100% RDF]. The doses of vermicompost, lime and RDF were 2.5 t ha-1, 400 kg ha-1 and 50-50-50 NPK kg ha-1. The results observed among the soil nutrient management, treatment 75% RDF+Vc recorded minimum values of 50% days to flowering (41.7 DOS) and maximum values of pod length (14.8 cm), the number of pod plant-1 (7.17) and yield (4,654 kg ha-1). This treatment also recorded maximum gross and production efficiency. The B:C ratio of 75% RDF+Vc and 75% RDF+lime treatment was recorded above 1.50, irrespective of the cultivar. Between the cultivar, selection-9 obtained higher values of yield attributes, yield, gross return, production efficiency and B:C ratio than changlabi local. Thus, based on French bean crop yield and yield attributes, 75% RDF along with Vc @ 2.5 t ha-1 was superior, irrespective of cultivar and between the cultivars, selection-9 was superior.

Spatial-Coherent Dynamics and Climatic Signals in the Radial Growth of Siberian Stone Pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) in Subalpine Stands along the Western Sayan Mountains

Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) is one of the keystone conifers in Siberian taiga, but its radial growth is complacent and thus rarely investigated. We studied its growth in subalpine stands near the upper timberline along the Western Sayan Mountains, Southern Siberia, because climatic responses of trees growing on the boundaries of species distribution help us better understand their performance and prospects under climate change. We performed dendroclimatic analysis for six tree-ring width chronologies with significant between-site correlations at distances up to 270 km (r = 0.57–0.84, p < 0.05). We used ERA-20C (European Reanalysis of the Twentieth Century) daily climatic series to reveal weak but spatially coherent responses of tree growth to temperature and precipitation. Temperature stably stimulated growth during the period from the previous July–August to current August, except for an adverse effect in April. Precipitation suppressed growth during periods from the previous July–September to December (with reaction gradually strengthening) and from the current April to August (weakening), while the snowfall impact in January–March was neutral or positive. Weather extremes probably caused formation of wide tree rings in 1968 and 2002, but narrow rings in 1938, 1947, 1967, 1988, and 1997. A subtle increase in the climatic sensitivity of mature trees was observed for all significant seasonal climatic variables except for the temperature in the previous October–January. The current winter warming trend is supposedly advantageous for young pine trees based on their climatic response and observed elevational advance.

Integrated water availability modelling to assess sustainable agricultural intensification options in the Meki catchment, Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The Meki catchment in the Central Rift Valley basin of Ethiopia is currently experiencing irrigation expansion and water scarcity challenges. The objective of this study is to understand the basin’s current and future water availability for agricultural intensification. This was done by simulating scenarios through an integrated SWAT-MODFLOW model to assess the water balance. The scenarios were co-developed with communities who expressed their aspirations for agricultural intensification in conjunction with projected climate change. The results show that with the present land use and climate, the catchment is already water stressed and communities cannot meet their irrigation water demand, particularly in the first irrigation season (October–January). However, in the second irrigation season (February–May) water resource availability is better and increasing irrigated area by 50% from the present extent is possible. With a climate change scenario that favours more rainfall and shallow groundwater use, agricultural intensification is feasible to some extent.

Ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange and water use efficiency in a triple-cropping rice paddy in Southern India: A two-year field observation

The lowland tropical triple-cropping rice system has unique characteristics that affect the hydrological, nutrient, and atmospheric environments. To better understand the ecosystem carbon and water dynamics of a triple-cropping rice paddy from the perspective of sustainability, ecosystem-level CO2 flux and ecosystem water use efficiency (eWUE) were observed using eddy covariance over 2 years (2016–2018) at an experimental field site in southern India, and gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (RE) were derived using the flux partitioning technique. Results showed that among the three crop seasons per year, GPP and RE were higher (887.2 and 570.2 g C m−2, respectively) in Thaladi (October–January: wet season) than in Kuruvai (June–September: dry season; 773.4 and 568.9 g C m−2, respectively) and summer rice (February–May; 694.0 and 499.7 g C m−2, respectively) owing to the longer growing season. Triple-cropping meant that the quasi-annual GPP of 2598 g C m−2 (i.e., the total value for the three consecutive seasons, including the corresponding fallow periods) was much greater than the quasi-annual RE of 1974 g C m−2. Consequently, the net ecosystem production value was positive (624 g C m−2). Evapotranspiration was also high on the annual scale (1681 mm); that is, 48 % greater than mean annual precipitation (1139 mm). Analysis revealed that Thaladi had higher eWUE (2.21 g C (kg H2O)−1) than that of Kuruvai (1.46 g C (kg H2O)−1) and summer rice (1.57 g C (kg H2O)−1) owing to decreased water loss in cloudy weather. Intense solar radiation is generally recognized as advantageous for crop growth in most regions, but not for Kuruvai and summer rice, when too strong solar radiation increases loss of water unused for photosynthesis. The findings indicate that water-saving techniques should be targeted on the Kuruvai and summer rice seasons.

Drought may severely reduce the ability of wild Asian Elephants Elephas maximus (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) to resist opportunistic infections

The present study was conducted to assess the microbial quality of water in forest waterholes in different seasons and its possible impact on wild animals, at Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve forests in the state of Karnataka, India, during the year 2012 which evidenced drought, and the year 2014 which witnessed normal rainfall in these forests. The forests recorded the death of 39 wild elephants during April and May of 2012. One ailing elephant was confirmed to have high fever, diarrhoea, leucocytosis, and symptoms of colic. Water samples collected from major waterholes during the peak drought showed higher numbers of coliforms and several species of opportunistic bacteria including species of Vibrio and Campylobacter. In the year 2014–15, with normal rainfall, the death of less than 10 wild elephants was documented during April to May, 2015. We collected water samples from 20 major waterholes every month from June 2014 to May 2015 and assessed the water quality. We found that the microbial water quality improved in rainy season (June–September), started deterioration in winter (October–January) and became poor in summer (February–May). Though, the water during the summer of 2014–15 was equally of poor microbial quality as seen during peaks of droughts, the elephant deaths were relatively lower, signifying the role of normal rainfall in forests which provides the availability of fodder and water, which determines the general body condition and ability to resist opportunistic infections. We discuss the measures suggested and implemented from this study and their utilities at ground level.