Changes In Seasonal Patterns Research Articles

Low-degree gravity field coefficients based on inverse GNSS method: insights into hydrological and ice mass change studies

The relative displacements of stations from a global network of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sites provide information on global mass transport. In this study, we use 19 years of global GNSS station displacements from the 3rd International GNSS Service reprocessing campaign to estimate the coefficients of the spherical harmonics of the Earth’s gravity field up to degree and order 8 using the inverse GNSS method based on elastic loading theory. The results indicate that the C30 coefficient can be derived based on GNSS station displacements as an alternative to solutions provided by Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). GNSS may support GRACE solutions that face the problems of deriving C30, which has fundamental meaning in estimating ice mass changes in polar regions. The recovery of Antarctic ice sheet mass change from January 2007 to December 2020 based on coefficients replaced by GNSS estimates results in a linear trend of − 152 ± 4 Gt/year, in comparison to − 149 ± 2 Gt/year for the replacement based on SLR from GRACE Technical Note #14. The results indicate that the spatial and seasonal patterns of terrestrial water storage changes derived from GNSS are consistent with those estimated using GRACE/GRACE Follow-On and SLR at a few-millimeter level in the Amazon and Brahmaputra River basin regions.

A century of medical records reveal earlier onset of the malaria season in Haut-Katanga induced by climate change

BackgroundDespite worldwide efforts to eradicate malaria over the past century, the disease remains a significant challenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today. Climate change is even anticipated...

Seasonal changes in altitudinal patterns of bird species richness in a temperate low-elevation mountain

Mountain environments change rapidly over short distances along altitudinal gradients, providing an ideal system for exploring the mechanisms that shape biodiversity gradients. Species richness is the most studied diversity metric in mountains, and altitudinal patterns and their shaping mechanisms have been investigated worldwide. Although the altitudinal patterns of species richness in breeding bird assemblages have been extensively studied, less attention has been paid to seasonal changes in patterns between winter and summer. Furthermore, the effects of severe climate in high-elevation areas on seasonal changes in the altitudinal pattern of species richness in insular mountains remain unclear. We investigated changes in the pattern between the breeding and wintering seasons using field and literature surveys in Mount Tsukuba (877 m a.s.l.), central Japan. Temperatures at the middle elevations of the slope are relatively higher than those at the foot of the mountain in winter. The mountain is covered with forests up to its summit. We found that the altitudinal pattern of species richness was the low-plateau during the wintering season. Low-elevation areas were havens for wintering species, whereas high-elevation areas were impoverished in wintering species. Conversely, there was no association between elevation and species richness during the breeding season. Our study suggests that the relaxation of severe climates in high-elevation areas during winter and verdant forests in the highlands during summer are critical mechanisms driving seasonal changes in the altitudinal pattern of species richness. Furthermore, we highlight that comprehensive monitoring, including wintering seasons, is essential for detecting the changes in the diversity patterns of mountain bird assemblages due to the shift in the peak of wintering species richness under ongoing climate change.

Impacts of AMOC Collapse on Monsoon Rainfall: A Multi‐Model Comparison

AbstractA collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) would have substantial impacts on global precipitation patterns, especially in the vulnerable tropical monsoon regions. We assess these impacts in experiments that apply the same freshwater hosing to four state‐of‐the‐art climate models with bistable AMOC. As opposed to previous results, we find that the spatial and seasonal patterns of precipitation change are remarkably consistent across models. We focus on the South American Monsoon (SAM), the West African Monsoon (WAM), the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM). Models consistently suggest substantial disruptions for WAM, ISM, and EASM with shorter wet and longer dry seasons (−29.07%, −18.76%, and −3.78% ensemble mean annual rainfall change, respectively). Models also agree on changes for the SAM, suggesting rainfall increases overall, in contrast to previous studies. These are more pronounced in the southern Amazon (+43.79%), accompanied by decreasing dry‐season length. Consistently across models, our results suggest a robust and major rearranging of all tropical monsoon systems in response to an AMOC collapse.

Climate Change Adaptation and Economic Vulnerability of Small Scale Fishermen in the Spermonde Islands, Indonesia

The general objectives of the research are: 1) To investigates the economic hardships faced by fishermen households in the Spermonde Islands due to climate change., and 2) To examine the adoption of diversified livelihoods as a tactic for confronting and adjusting to climate change among fishermen in the Spermonde Islands. Meanwhile, the specific objectives of the research are: 1) Calculating the economic vulnerability of fishermen to climate change, 2) Determining the adaptive capacity index (ACI), 3) Determining possible scenarios taken by fishermen in making decisions related to the impact of climate change on fishermen's income and 4) Determine co-development scenarios for adaptation to climate change. The research method uses in-depth interviews with small-scale fishermen on four islands in Makassar City (Barrang Lompo Island and Kodingareng Lompo) and Pangkep Regency (Ballang Lompo and Badi Islands) and data analysis to understand the impact of climate change on fishermen's livelihoods and the factors that influence vulnerability. their economy. The research results show that fishermen in the Spermonde Islands face various challenges due to climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, changes in seasonal patterns, and rising sea levels. This impact negatively impacts their production and income, and threatens the sustainability of their livelihoods. A factor that most influenced the economic vulnerability of fishing households in the Spermonde Archipelago was the existence an alternative income for a fishermen.

Seasonal Variability in the Relationship between the Volume-Scattering Function at 180° and the Backscattering Coefficient Observed from Spaceborne Lidar and Biogeochemical Argo (BGC-Argo) Floats

The derivation of the particulate-backscattering coefficient (bbp) from Lidar signals is highly influenced by the parameter χp(π), which is defined by χp(π) = bbp/(2πβp(π)). This parameter facilitates the correlation of the particulate-volume-scattering function at 180°, denoted βp(π), with bbp. However, studies exploring the global and seasonal fluctuations of χp(π) remain sparse, largely due to measurement difficulties of βp(π) in the field conditions. This study pioneers the global data collection for χp(π), integrating bbp observations from Biogeochemical Argo (BGC-Argo) floats and βp(π) data from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) spaceborne lidar. Our findings indicate that χp(π) experiences significant seasonal differences globally, peaking during summer and nadiring in winter. The global average χp(π) was calculated as 0.40, 0.48, 0.43, and 0.35 during spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The daytime values of χp(π) slightly exceeded those registered at night. To illuminate the seasonal variations in χp(π) in 26 sea regions worldwide, we deployed passive ocean color data MODIS bbp and active remote sensing data CALIOP βp(π), distinguishing three primary seasonal change patterns—the “summer peak”, the “decline”, and the “autumn pole”—with the “summer peak” typology being the most common. Post recalibration of the CALIOP bbp product considering seasonal χp(π) variations, we observed substantial statistical improvements. Specifically, the coefficient of determination (R2) markedly improved from 0.84 to 0.89, while the root mean square error (RMSE) declined from 4.0 × 10−4 m−1 to 3.0 × 10−4 m−1. Concurrently, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) also dropped significantly, from 31.48% to 25.27%.

The role of atmospheric CO2 in controlling sea surface temperature change during the Pliocene

Abstract. We present the role of CO2 forcing in controlling Late Pliocene sea surface temperature (SST) change using six models from Phase 2 of the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP2) and palaeoclimate proxy data from the PlioVAR working group. At a global scale, SST change in the Late Pliocene relative to the pre-industrial is predominantly driven by CO2 forcing in the low and mid-latitudes and non-CO2 forcing in the high latitudes. We find that CO2 is the dominant driver of SST change at the vast majority of proxy data sites assessed (17 out of 19), but the relative dominance of this forcing varies between all proxy sites, with CO2 forcing accounting for between 27 % and 82 % of the total change seen. The dearth of proxy data sites in the high latitudes means that only two sites assessed here are predominantly forced by non-CO2 forcing (such as changes to ice sheets and orography), both of which are in the North Atlantic Ocean. We extend the analysis to show the seasonal patterns of SST change and its drivers at a global scale and at a site-specific level for three chosen proxy data sites. We also present a new estimate of Late Pliocene climate sensitivity using site-specific proxy data values. This is the first assessment of site-specific drivers of SST change in the Late Pliocene and highlights the strengths of using palaeoclimate proxy data alongside model outputs to further develop our understanding of the Late Pliocene. We use the best available proxy and model data, but the sample sizes remain limited, and the confidence in our results would be improved with greater data availability.

Seasonality in Crotalus durissus venom

Rattlesnakes belonging to the genus Crotalus are widely distributed throughout the Americas. In Brazil, symptoms commonly associated with envenomation by Crotalus durissus collilineatus include myalgia, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, neurotoxicity, and progressive paralysis, which are related to the protein composition of this venom. Snake venom composition exhibits compositional variability that may reflect geographic distribution, age, captivity, diet, sex, and even individual genetics. Although seasonality is also considered a possible source of variation, there are few reports of such variability in snake venom. In this work, venoms of the same eight C. durissus collilineatus were extracted every three months for two years, to analyze seasonal changes in composition and activities. To this end, venom composition was analyzed by protein quantification, SDS-PAGE, and HPLC, and the LAAO, PLA2 and coagulant activities were measured. Venoms of these C. d. collilineatus showed minor seasonal differences in venom activities and no composition differences were found. LAAO and coagulant activities displayed a pattern of seasonal change, while PLA2 activity seemed to have no seasonality tendency. Also, there are sexual differences, in which males seem to be more stable than females in regard to some activities. Individual variability occurs even in seasonal variation of activities, highlighting the importance of controlling circumstances of venom extraction before comparing results between groups of snakes.

VARIABILITY OF EQUIVALENT WATER HEIGHT (EWH) IN INDONESIA DURING 14 YEARS OF GRACE GRAVITY SATELLITE MISSION

GRACE Satellite (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) is a gravity monitoring satellite, that is very sensitive to mass changes, especially the signals that produce by redistribution of water masses. Data from this satellite can be used to observe water distribution in the form of spherical harmonic coefficients. Water mass variations are presented as Equivalent Water Height (EWH). The results of GRACE processing showed that the largest EWH was 27.298 cm in January 2015 and the smallest EWH was 29.816 cm in June 2004 in Sumatera Island. The positive trend occurred in Sumatra island and the negative trend occurred in eastern Indonesia. Generally, the trend of Indonesian rainfall throughout 2002 to 2016 was constant. However, there was a change in seasonal patterns in 2014. This research also use Mascon data from GRACE satellite to determine the radius of the gaussian filter and TRMM satellite’s data to observe rainfall data to be compared with the EWH variability from GRACE.

Month-to-month all-cause mortality forecasting: a method allowing for changes in seasonal patterns.

Forecasting of seasonal mortality patterns can provide useful information for planning health-care demand and capacity. Timely mortality forecasts are needed during severe winter spikes and/or pandemic waves to guide policy-making and public health decisions. In this article, we propose a flexible method for forecasting all-cause mortality in real time considering short-term changes in seasonal patterns within an epidemiologic year. All-cause mortality data have the advantage of being available with less delay than cause-specific mortality data. In this study, we use all-cause monthly death counts obtained from the national statistical offices of Denmark, France, Spain, and Sweden from epidemic seasons 2012-2013 through 2021-2022 to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach. The method forecasts deaths 1 month ahead, based on their expected ratio to the next month. Prediction intervals are obtained via bootstrapping. The forecasts accurately predict the winter mortality peaks before the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the method predicts mortality less accurately during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it captures the aspects of later waves better than other traditional methods. The method is attractive for health researchers and governmental offices for aiding public health responses because it uses minimal input data, makes simple and intuitive assumptions, and provides accurate forecasts both during seasonal influenza epidemics and during novel virus pandemics.

Seasonal variation in dragonfly assemblage colouration suggests a link between thermal melanism and phenology

Phenology, the seasonal timing of life events, is an essential component of diversity patterns. However, the mechanisms involved are complex and understudied. Body colour may be an important factor, because dark-bodied species absorb more solar radiation, which is predicted by the Thermal Melanism Hypothesis to enable them to thermoregulate successfully in cooler temperatures. Here we show that colour lightness of dragonfly assemblages varies in response to seasonal changes in solar radiation, with darker early- and late-season assemblages and lighter mid-season assemblages. This finding suggests a link between colour-based thermoregulation and insect phenology. We also show that the phenological pattern of dragonfly colour lightness advanced over the last decades. We suggest that changing seasonal temperature patterns due to global warming together with the static nature of solar radiation may drive dragonfly flight periods to suboptimal seasonal conditions. Our findings open a research avenue for a more mechanistic understanding of phenology and spatio-phenological impacts of climate warming on insects.

Earth observation satellite data-based assessment of wetland dynamics in the Kashmir Himalaya.

Earth observation (EO) technology offers enormous opportunities to assess the magnitude and patterns of spatial variability in wetlands over time. This study aims to assessthe spatial and temporalchanges in the wetlands of the Kashmir valley using multiple remote sensing satellite data products, Geographic Information System (GIS), and field observations. Moreover, role of major factors operating at different time scales including regional geology, climate, and human activities in driving the wetland change is presented. The dynamics of the wetlands are illustrated in the occurrence, seasonality, and recurrence of surface water, land cover transitions and loss patterns particularly for the period from 1984 to 2021. Constituting about 3% (495 Km2) of the total area, substantial and variable patterns of seasonal and annual changes are exhibited by the wetlands. The main transitions of the water surface reveal that 2% of the area has changed from permanent to seasonal; 8% is lost; 15% is new seasonal; 0.12% is permanently lost; and 0.3% is new permanent. About 22% of the area reveals increase in the intensity of water surface occurrence, whereas 44% shows no change, and 34% exhibits decrease. Bathymetric analysis suggests that the average depth of the wetlands ranges between 0.6 and 16.6m. In general, alpine wetlands are relatively deeper and mostly static in their structure whereas those in the floodplain are shallow, fragmented, and showing signs of depletion during the assessment period. The results of this assessment will inform the policy on conservation and sustainability of wetlands in the Kashmir Himalaya.

Seasonal patterns of changes in antioxidant and microelement parameters of milk from black-and-white cows

Studying the antioxidant status of cow's milk can provide information both on the physiological state of the productive animal and on the resulting product in terms of its functional value, taste and characteristics affecting storage. The purpose of the work is to study milk samples from Holstein cows of the black-and-white breed with different periods of lactation (up to 30-60 days, 60-90, 90-180, more than 180 days) for the activity of antioxidant protection factors during a number of months of autumn, winter and spring periods. The total amount of water-soluble antioxidants (TAWSA) of milk was determined by the amperometric method, the activity of ceruloplasmin by the modified Ravin method, the microelement composition by the method of atomic adsorption spectrometry, the concentration of vitamin C by the titrimetric method, and the catalase number by the permanganatometry method. Patterns have been identified between the seasonal dynamics of zinc and catalase in milk: in January, in a group of animals with a lactation period of 30-300 days, catalase activity and zinc content are higher by 21.6 and 17.4 % , respectively, than in cows with a lactation period of 15-30 days; in February, on the contrary, these indicators are higher in the group of animals with a lactation period of 15-30 days (by 29.6 and 30.4 %, respectively); in March, in the group of animals with a lactation period of 15-30 days, catalase activity and zinc levels are lower (by 26.3 and 10.6 %) than in cows with a lactation period of more than 30 days. There is a decrease in TAWSA with an increase in the number of lactation days. The concentration of TCWA in the milk of cows lactating for more than 180 days decreased in November and March, by 25.9 and 13.5 %, respectively, compared with a lactation period of 30-60 days, in February – by 18.8 % compared with animals lactating 60-90 days. The obtained data on TAWSA are directly proportional to changes in vitamin C and inversely proportional to ceruloplasmin. The data obtained can serve as important guidelines in determining “reference indicators” for cows’ milk.

Climate change impacts on spatial and seasonal meteorological drought characteristics for the island of Ireland

AbstractUnderstanding how climate change is likely to impact on meteorological droughts is key to informing adaptation planning. For Ireland, little research has examined how droughts are likely to change in future. Here we examine changes in the monthly climate water balance, aridity index and changes in magnitude, frequency and duration of droughts using standardized drought indices for the island of Ireland derived from bias‐adjusted CORDEX simulations for the 2080s (2070–2099), forced with a high (RCP8.5) and moderate (RCP4.5) emissions pathway. Findings highlight that increases in potential evapotranspiration, driven by increasing temperature, together with changing seasonal rainfall patterns increase aridity in summer with water deficits extending into spring months, especially in the east and midlands by the end of the century. Increases in drought frequency and magnitude are also evident, with greatest increases for RCP8.5. Critically, increases are considerably greater for the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) than for the standardized precipitation index (SPI), emphasizing the importance of using metrics that capture potential evapotranspiration in monitoring and assessing future drought risk. Summer and spring show the greatest increase in drought magnitude and frequency, most marked in the east of the island. By contrast, multiseasonal droughts, assessed using 6‐month accumulation periods show more modest changes in magnitude and duration. The resultant impacts of climate change on drought for Ireland would require considerable adaptation given the vulnerabilities exposed by the 2018 drought.

Wild bee surveys across 60 years reveal remarkable reduction of bee abundance in urban green areas in northern Japan

AbstractLong‐term monitoring of wild bee communities at fixed locations using a consistent sampling procedure has been rare, although declines in their diversity and abundance due to anthropogenic impacts are a major concern. At two sites in urban green areas in Sapporo city, northern Japan, where wild bee surveys were conducted in 1959, 1979, 1989, 2018, and 2019, the number of individuals of bee genera was recorded. Patterns of seasonal changes in bee abundance collected at weekly censuses differed between 1979–1989 and 2018–2019. The total bee abundance collected in annual surveys consisting of standardized censuses demonstrated 50% and 41% declines at the two sites from 1959–1989 to 2018–2019. Among the 16 genera found in the surveys, 3 abundant genera, Andrena, Lasioglossum, and Ceratina, always exhibited lower abundance in 2018–2019 than in 1959–1989 at both sites. The remarkable declines in wild bee abundance should be examined in relation to various possible factors of anthropogenic impacts.

Vulnerable Women of Northern Bangladesh can Adapt to Climate Change through Sustainable Livelihoods

Climate change has made the people of Bangladesh vulnerable environmentally, culturally, and socially. The northern areas of the country have also been affected by climate change and different types of climatic impacts like floods, changes in seasonal pattern and effects on agricultural products have been visible in recent times.

Adaptation of organic vegetable farmers to climate change: An exploratory study in the Paris region

CONTEXTClimate change is challenging vegetable production worldwide. But no study has investigated adaptation at the farm level in the Global North. OBJECTIVEWe aimed to answer the following questions: (i) How do vegetable farmers perceive climate change and its impacts on farms? (ii) What responses have they already implemented in response to climate change? (iii) What are their adaptation plans for the future? And, (iv) To what extent are adaptation responses and plans related to farm or farmer characteristics? METHODSWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 organic farmers in the Paris region of France. Interview content was processed using qualitative analysis and multiple correspondence analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONVegetable farmers perceived climate change in seasonal patterns (e.g. temperature, frost, wind) and in extreme events (e.g. droughts, heat waves). They related it to negative impacts on (i) vegetables (e.g. increased pressure from arthropods, metabolic disorders, decrease in crop yield and quality), (ii) farm management (e.g. increased and more difficult labour, more complex crop planning), and (iii) profitability (e.g. production losses, increased labour and equipment costs), despite some positive impacts (e.g. potential to extend the growing season or grow tunnel crops outside). Farmers mentioned a wide range of adaptation responses and plans (e.g. cover crops, mulching, agroforestry, diversification, changes in crop planning, equipment to control or mitigate climate conditions in tunnels, efficient irrigation systems). Younger farmers more often expressed the need to acquire knowledge for adaptation plans because they will have to adapt throughout their entire farming career. Although the vegetable area and the age of the farm may have influenced specific adaptation responses, most adaptations that farmers had already implemented did not appear to be related to the farm or farmer characteristics explored. Compared to other types of farming systems in the Global North, vegetable farms may be more exposed and sensitive to climate change but also have more adaptive capacity. Future studies should investigate the influence that vegetable farm characteristics have on their vulnerability compared to those of other types of farming systems in a given soil and climate context. SIGNIFICANCETo our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate vegetable farmers' perspectives of adaptations to climate change in Europe. The current study corroborates and enriches studies of the Global South. A preliminary understanding of farmers' perceptions, responses, and plans provides a solid basis for supporting collective action and developing adaptation plans at the regional level.

Mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling reveals functional seasonal shifts in the metabolome of Zygophyllum dumosum Boiss and its relation to environmental conditions

Main conclusionA multi-year study of perennial Z. dumosum shows a consistent seasonal pattern in the changes of petiole metabolism, involving mainly organic acids, polyols, phenylpropanoids, sulfate conjugates, and piperazines.GC–MS and UPLC–QTOF-MS-based metabolite profiling was performed on the petioles of the perennial desert shrub Zygophyllum dumosum Boiss (Zygophyllaceae). The petioles, which are physiologically functional throughout the year and, thus, exposed to seasonal rhythms, were collected every month for 3 years from their natural ecosystem on a southeast-facing slope. Results showed a clear multi-year pattern following seasonal successions, despite different climate conditions, i.e., rainy and drought years, throughout the research period. The metabolic pattern of change encompassed an increase in the central metabolites, including most polyols, e.g., stress-related D-pinitol, organic and sugar acids, and in the dominant specialized metabolites, which were tentatively identified as sulfate, flavonoid, and piperazine conjugates during the summer–autumn period, while significantly high levels of free amino acids were detected during the winter–spring period. In parallel, the levels of most sugars (including glucose and fructose) increased in the petioles at the flowering stage at the beginning of the spring, while most of the di- and tri-saccharides accumulated at the beginning of seed development (May–June). Analysis of the conserved seasonal metabolite pattern of change shows that metabolic events are mostly related to the stage of plant development and its interaction with the environment and less to environmental conditions per se.

Air quality characteristics during 2016–2020 in Wuhan, China

Implementation of a clean air policy in China has high national importance. Here, we analyzed tempo-spatial characteristics of the concentrations of PM2.5 (PM2.5_C), PM10 (PM10_C), SO2 (SO2 _C), NO2 (NO2 _C), CO (CO _C), and maximum 8-h average O3 (O3_8h_C), monitored at 22 stations throughout the mega-city of Wuhan from January 2016 to December 2020, and their correlations with the meteorological and socio-economic factors. PM2.5_C, PM10_C, SO2 _C, NO2 _C, and CO _C showed similar monthly and seasonal trends, with minimum value in summer and maximum value in winter. However, O3_8h_C showed an opposite monthly and seasonal change pattern. In 2020, compared to the other years, the annual average PM2.5_C, PM10_C, SO2 _C, NO2 _C, and CO _C were lower. PM2.5_C and PM10_C were higher in urban and industrial sites and lower in the control site. The SO2_C was higher in industrial sites. The NO2_C was lower, and O3_8h_C was higher in suburban sites, while CO showed no spatial differences in their concentrations. PM2.5 _C, PM10 _C, SO2 _C, NO2 _C, and CO _C had positive correlations with each other, while O3_8h_C showed more complex correlations with the other pollutants. PM2.5_C, PM10_C, SO2 _C, and CO _C presented a significantly negative association with temperature and precipitation, while O3 was significantly positively associated with temperature and negatively associated with relative air humidity. There was no significant correlation between air pollutants and wind speed. Gross domestic product, population, number of automobiles, and energy consumption play an important role in the dynamics of air quality concentrations. These all provided important information for the decision and policy-makers to effectively control the air pollution in Wuhan.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular diseases hospitalization, management and mortality in Switzerland

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in hospital admissions and intervention for other diseases in many countries. Purpose We aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalizations, management and mortality in Switzerland. Methods Swiss hospital discharge and mortality data for period 2017-2020. CVD hospitalizations, CVD interventions and CVD mortality were assessed before (2017-2019) and during (2020) the pandemic. Results Compared to 2017-2019, 2020 was characterized by a reduction of CVD admissions in age groups 65-84 and ≥85 by approximately 3,700 and 1,700 cases, respectively, and by an increase in the percentage of admissions with a Charlson Index >8. The total number of CVD-related deaths decreased from 21,042 in 2017 to 19,901 in 2019, and increased to 20,511 in 2020, with an estimated excess of 1,181 deaths. This increase was due to out-of-hospital deaths (+1400), while the number of in-hospital deaths decreased from 5030 in 2019 to 4796 in 2020. The total number of cardiovascular interventions increased from 55,181 in 2017 to 57,864 in 2019, and decreased in 2020, with an estimated reduction of 4,472 interventions; PTCA was the exception, as the number and percentage of emergency PTCA increased. The preventive measures applied against COVID-19 inverted the seasonal pattern of CVD admissions, the highest number of admissions being found in summer and the lowest in winter. Preventive measures were also followed by a decrease in CVD admission (figure). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in CVD hospital admissions, planned CVD interventions, an increase in total and out-of-hospital mortality, and a change in seasonal patterns.