Change Phenomena Research Articles

Responses of vegetation low-growth to Extreme Climate Events on the Mongolian Plateau

Since the 21st century began, the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events have significantly increased globally, becoming a widely recognized phenomenon of global change. These extreme events, including droughts and heatwaves, have profound impacts on the structure and function of ecosystems. This study focuses on the Mongolian Plateau. It utilizes meteorological and remote sensing vegetation data, combined with consistency and sensitivity analyses. These approaches aim to provide an in-depth understanding of the relationship between various extreme climate events and vegetation low-growth. The study found that extreme drought and extreme heat events are the primary drivers affecting vegetation low-growth on the Mongolian Plateau. The analysis results indicate that the sensitivity of vegetation to these extreme climate events is regulated by regional hydrothermal conditions, with vegetation in long-term drought areas being more susceptible to the suppression of extreme drought, while humid areas exhibit some resistance. As the temperature gradient increases, the sensitivity of vegetation to extreme high temperatures increases, while sensitivity to extreme low temperatures decreases. Furthermore, the study also revealed differences in the responses of different vegetation types to extreme events under the same climatic conditions, highlighting the ecological basis of ecosystem resilience and adaptability. This research not only enhances our understanding of vegetation dynamics under the influence of extreme climate events but also provides scientific evidence for ecological management and climate adaptation in the Mongolian Plateau region.

Physiological and Molecular Responses of Red Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) and Green Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) to Salt Stress

AbstractSalinization, as a serious climate change phenomenon, continues to cause critical issues for soils and crops. Abundance of genetic diversity of plants could contribute in solving the impacts of salinity. However, the relations between physiological and molecular traits of plant species need deep investigation and interpretation. Pot experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to investigate the difference in behavior between two amaranth species when they were beforehand subjected to salinity-stress conditions, specifically on some specific physiological and molecular characteristics. After 45 days from transplanting, salt stress was induced using a 150 mM sodium chloride solution. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design using three replications. After 0, 2, 6, 10, and 24 h, samples were collected to evaluate physiological data as well as diversity of gene expression. The samples were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored in -80⁰ C ultralow temperature refrigerators. Findings revealed that the red amaranth species (Amaranthus cruentus) was more tolerant to saline stress than the green amaranth species (Amaranthus hypochondriacus). Result data revealed that malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the red amaranth increased after 2 h then decreased (after 6 and 10 h) before rising again after 24 h. In the green amaranth, MDA content initially decreased after 2 h before increasing and later decreasing in a zigzag pattern ending in an increase after 24 h. There was an initial steep rise in proline content of green amaranth after 2 h which continued to still rise moderately till 24 h. In the red amaranth the initial rise in proline continued after 2, 6 and 10 h before it stopped. Results also showed that red amaranth gave higher value of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as compared with green amaranth in all tested salinity exposure times. The investigation on the expression of four genes assessed through quantitative PCR indicated the efficiency of red amaranth in increasing the expression of SOS1, HKT1, NHX1, and DGR2 genes, which encode adaptation-related proteins under salinity stress. In summary, the current work demonstrated that red amaranth could be an efficient genetic resource in improving salt-tolerant genotypes belonging to Amaranthus genus.

Adaptive Forecasting of Nuclear Power Plant Operational Status Under Sensor Concept Drift Using a Bridging Distribution Adaptive Network

A large number of sensors are required to collect information during the operation of nuclear power plants to ensure their absolutely safe operation. However, because of the unique nature of nuclear reactions, the physical environment of nuclear power production is prone to changes, leading to concept drift in the data collected by the sensors. Concept drift describes the phenomenon of sample distribution changing over time, which typically negatively impacts the model’s training and inference processes. We found that nongradual distribution changes could be guided by generating transitional intermediary distributions within the distribution, thereby achieving a gradual change process. Based on this, we designed a bridging distribution adaptive network (BDAN), which consisted of identical-depth TDoA (time difference of arrival) homomorphic backbone neural networks on both sides with a latent adaptive bridging module in the middle. By calculating the distribution differences over multiple timesteps, a series of bridge distributions were generated to guide the gradients in the latent space, updating the parameters of the latent adaptive guiding module in a directional manner and enabling the model to perceive nongradual distribution changes in the time domain. Experimental results showed that the BDAN outperformed the previous state-of-the-art benchmark methods by 5.6% in terms of mean squared error in the nuclear power data prediction task under concept drift, achieving the best fault prediction performance.

An Insight from Organizing CLImbing for CLImate GEOspatial School (CLIGEOS-2024) in Mountainous Regions

Abstract. This paper delves into the multifaceted experiences and insights garnered from organizing a short-term training programme aimed at professionals, students, academics, and climate enthusiasts. The programme, named CLImbing for CLImate GEOspatial School (CLIGEOS-2024), was a collaborative effort by the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) and ISPRS Student Consortium (ISPRS-SC) alongside Center for space science and geomatics studies (CSSGS) Pashchimanchal campus, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, Universita’ Degli Studi Di Udine, Italy and LJ University, India aimed at addressing environmental challenges, particularly in hill and mountain regions. Despite facing logistical and communication hurdles due to the geographical dispersion of organizing institutions, the event successfully brought together participants with backgrounds in GIS, remote sensing, agriculture, and forestry. The programme was structured to promote participatory learning and project-based learning methodologies, incorporating classroom teaching, hands-on activities, fieldwork, data collection, short projects, quizzes, and evaluation mechanisms. Through a meticulously planned sequence, participants engaged in theoretical lectures, practical sessions on drone technology, industry expert presentations, and a mountain trek to observe climate change phenomena first-hand. Despite challenges related to infrastructure, including limited internet connectivity and access to data, the programme served as a catalyst for raising awareness about climate change and promoting sustainable practices. Key takeaways highlighted the importance of spatial data analysis, interdisciplinary collaboration, and hands-on learning in advancing solutions for sustainable development. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the programme, providing insights for future initiatives aimed at capacity building and knowledge dissemination.

Mechanical Analysis of the Critical Conditions for Trapping and Detachment of Microscale Air Bubbles on the Pure Water Freezing Front.

Icing is a widespread phase change phenomenon with implications for daily life and industrial production. Air bubbles form on the freezing front of pure water with dissolved air during the icing, which may affect the physical properties of ice. Controlling the behavior of air bubbles will be one method to change the physical properties of ice. To analyze the critical conditions for trapping and detachment of microscale air bubbles on a pure water freezing front, a mathematical model describing the forces on air bubble is developed on the basis of the principle of force equilibrium. Results show that the average accuracy of the present model in predicting the average air bubble detachment radius is about 62%, which is 30% higher than the model with the best prediction accuracy in the literature. Buoyant, temperature gradients, and hydrodynamic forces push air bubbles to detach from the freezing fronts, while adhesion force and gravity impede their detachment. Temperature gradient and adhesion forces are the main factors affecting the detachment of air bubbles from freezing fronts. The temperature gradient has the greatest effect on the air bubble detachment radius, while the tilt angle and liquid density have a lesser effect. When the temperature gradient is increased from 1000 to 10 000 K/m, the air bubble detachment radius decreases by 37.78%. Studying the forces acting on the air bubbles on the pure water freezing front is an important reference for the production of special ice bodies, phase change cold storage, and de-icing technology.

Eu3+@Cs4SnBr6 NCs-doped silicate glass with efficient tunable white light emission via energy transfer and multi-emission photoluminescence properties

Light sources with spectral distributions akin to sunlight are highly desirable. To date, the emulation of solar radiation remains a significant challenge for scientists. In this study, The Cs4SnBr6 NCs were in-situ precipitated from the silicate glass matrix, and the emission spectra were thoroughly investigated. It was found that the coupling of the emission from Cs4SnBr6 NCs with that of Sn2+ resulted in broadband visible light emission. But the emission did not span the entire visible spectrum due to the lack of red emission. Thus, the Eu3+ was introduced into the Cs4SnBr6 NCs-doped silicate glass. By optimizing the concentration of Eu3+ and engineering the energy transfer, broadband emission covering the full visible range with excellent luminescence thermal stability and superior chromatic performance was achieved. A prototype w-LED based Eu3+@Cs4SnBr6 NCs glass exhibits a sunlight-like visible spectrum, with favorable color coordinates (0.31, 0.30), a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 6800 K, and a high color rendering index (CRI) of 91.1. Besides, a unique multi-emission photoluminescence of Eu3+@Cs4SnBr6 NCs glass with color change phenomenon was exhibited by varying the excitation wavelength, offering new avenues for applications in information encryption.

Defect dependent electronic properties of WTe2: a first-principles study

Abstract Tungsten ditelluride (WTe2) possesses fascinating electronic structures and exceptional properties that make it highly suitable for use in cutting-edge devices. Defects in WTe2 can have a significant influence on its properties, both in advantageous and disadvantageous ways. Thus, a precise classification is crucial to fully comprehend the potential impacts. Here we report a thorough investigation of the electronic characteristics of intrinsic defects, including point defects, in monolayer WTe2 using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. Our research suggests that the presence of point defects can cause a notable shift in electronic properties, resulting in a metallic behaviour. This is due to the interesting phenomenon of Fermi-level changing near the band edges. Our research findings indicate that the energy required to form a vacancy in a Te atom is lower compared to that of a vacancy in a W atom. Based on the findings, it appears that Te atom vacancies are more likely to be generated during the synthesis process. Defects like the Te vacancy and Mo substitution in the pristine monolayer of WTe2 result in a subtle reduction in the band gap, while still maintaining its characteristics as a direct band gap semiconductor. Our study reveals that the electronic properties of monolayer WTe2 can be significantly altered by the presence of vacancy defects. This discovery highlights the exciting potential of WTe2 as a promising platform for various electronic applications. Our research is anticipated to have a beneficial impact on the comprehension and control of the characteristics of WTe2, thus expediting the development of nanomaterials in various fields.

Flash evaporation in a superheated liquid pool using water as medium

This paper proposes a fast cooling technology called flash evaporation or flashing to overcome cooling problems. Flashing is a pressure-driven phase change phenomenon widely studied because of its complex physics and numerous applications. An experimental system is fabricated to study the efficiency of the proposed process by considering water as a working fluid. A transparent acrylic column is used as the flash chamber, enabled with a high-speed camera to visualize and capture this fast and complex process. Experiments have been carried out with various initial temperatures from 65 °C to 80 °C, initial vacuum tank pressure ranging from 11.32 kPa to 41.32 kPa, and initial water heights of 80 mm and 140 mm. The flashing phenomenon is divided into two stages based on its effectiveness. From the present study, it becomes apparent that the drop in the temperature increases with the initial temperature and decreases with increasing vacuum tank pressure. The cooling rate is improved by 49.1% by increasing the initial pool temperature by 23%. The present study demonstrates an effective application of the flashing process in areas requiring high cooling rates and rapid vapour generation, such as refrigeration and drying.

The Influence of Curriculum, Accounting Expertise and Lecturer Competence on Student Work Readiness in the VUCA Era

The occurrence of a phenomenon of rapid change in all industries due to the VUCA era and its impact on the demand for workforce work readiness in the hotel industry is the background for this research. This study aims to analyze the work readiness of students at the Hospitality Accounting Management Study Program (Prodi MAH) at the Politeknik Pariwisata Bali based on the influence of curriculum factors, accounting expertise and lecturer competence. This research is quantitative research where data collection is carried out by distributing online questionnaires using Google Forms to all students of the Prodi MAH. Sampling using a census consists of Prodi MAH 8th semester students, as many as 60 people. Furthermore, the data was processed with SEM PLS using smartPLS software version 4.0. The findings indicated that curriculum and accounting expertise positively, significantly and directly impacted work readiness and indirectly affected work readiness through the mediation of lecturer competence.

Burp tax: Regulation and revenue potential in Indonesia

The increasingly urgent phenomenon of climate change requires concrete actions from various sectors, including the livestock sector which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane. This study explores the potential of implementing Burp Tax in Indonesia as a regulatory mechanism to reduce methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle farms. By referring to New Zealand's experience as a Burp Tax pioneer, this study analyzes the policy scheme that includes tax subjects, tax objects, tariffs, and fair and efficient collection mechanisms. In addition, this study identifies various obstacles that may be faced in the implementation of Burp Tax in Indonesia and provides recommendations to support the national commitment in achieving the Zero Emission target in 2045/2060. The research used qualitative methods with literature study data collection techniques. The research concludes that there is great potential for the imposition of Burp Tax, so that in addition to being a form of effort to reduce methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle farms, Burp Tax can also increase the portion of state revenue from the taxation sector. The specific tariff scheme is IDR30/KgCH4 with tax subjects in the beef and dairy cattle farming sector, including individuals with 30 cows and business entities. However, it is important to note that the imposition of Burp Tax may have an economic impact on livestock business actors and affect the price of meat and milk commodities. Therefore, further studies are needed regarding the potential and impact of Burp Tax implications in Indonesia. The results of this study are expected to make a significant contribution to the development of sustainable taxation policies that are responsive to the challenges of climate change.

The Coupled Application of the DB-IWHR Model and the MIKE 21 Model for the Assessment of Dam Failure Risk

The phenomenon of global climate change has led to an increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation events, an acceleration in the melting of glaciers and snow cover, and an elevation of the risk of flooding. In this study, the DB-IWHR model was employed in conjunction with the MIKE 21 hydrodynamic model to develop a simulation system for the dam failure flow process of an earth and rock dam. The study concentrated on the KET reservoir, and 12 dam failure scenarios were devised based on varying design flood criteria. The impact of reservoir failures on flood-risk areas was subjected to detailed analysis, with consideration given to a range of potential failure scenarios and flood sizes. It was determined that under identical inflow frequency conditions, the higher the water level, the more rapid the breakout process and the corresponding increase in flood peak discharge. Conversely, for a given frequency of incoming water, an elevated water level results in a transient breach process, accompanied by a reduction in flood peak flow. Moreover, for a given water level, an increase in water frequency results in a reduction in breaching time, an extension of flood duration, and an increase in flood peak flow. The observed trend of flood spreading is generally north-south, and this process is highly compatible with the topographic and geomorphological features, demonstrating good adaptability.

The role of language and culture in conceptualization of climate change

Climate change communication often occurs in multicultural settings using certain common lingua francas to reach the wide diversity of the linguistic groups that inhabit the globe. The effectiveness of these languages is subject to the diverse cultural contexts of those involved. Different cultural contexts could give rise to various conceptualisations of climate change-related phenomena and, hence, different responses to this pressing global issue. This could have implications for the success of the efforts to grapple with the problems arising from climate change. The paper ponders the question: How do culturally situated meanings of climate factors affect the supposed common understanding of climate change concerns? It reviews literature on culture and communication and samples adages from six languages spoken in Africa and the West. The paper applies insights from the Neo-Whorfian hypothesis to examine the communication barriers in cross-cultural communication. The analysis of the sayings reveals multiple opposing culture-based values on climate issues. This leads to the conclusion that the great diversity of the cultural groups involved, as well as their unique viewpoints on climate causes, pose a substantial obstacle to communication about climate change. This militates against the development of a common understanding of the climate change problem and the quest for solutions. It recommends that culture-specific values and intercultural training be taken into account if a truly common understanding of the climate change phenomenon and its solutions is to be developed.

Temperature sensitivity of soil respiration declines with climate warming in subalpine and alpine grassland soils

AbstractWarming as a climate change phenomenon affects soil organic matter dynamics, especially in high elevation ecosystems. However, our understanding of the controls of soil organic matter mineralization and dynamics remains limited, particularly in alpine (above treeline) and subalpine (below treeline) grassland ecosystems. Here, we investigated how downslope (warming) and upslope (cooling) translocations, in a 5-years reciprocal transplanting experiment, affects soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity (Q10), soil aggregation, and soil organic matter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) composition (C/N ratio). Downslope translocation of the alpine (2440 m a.s.l.) and subalpine (1850 m a.s.l.) to the lowland site (350 m a.s.l.) resulted in a temperature change during the growing seasons of + 4.4K and + 3.3K, respectively. Warming of alpine soils (+ 4.4K) reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 32%, which was accompanied by a significant decrease of soil macroaggregates. Macroaggregate breakdown induced an increased respiration quotient (qCO2) by 27% following warming of alpine soils. The increase in qCO2 respiration was associated with a significant decrease (from 2.84 ± 0.05 to 2.46 ± 0.05) in Q10, and a change in soil organic matter composition (lower C/N ratios). Cooling did not show the opposite patterns to warming, implying that other mechanisms, such as plant and microbial community shifts and adaptation, were involved. This study highlights the important role of SOC degradability in regulating the temperature response of soil organic matter mineralization. To predict the adverse effect of warming on soil CO2 release and, consequently, its negative feedback on climate change, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of C storage and turnover is needed, especially at high elevations in the Alps that are particularly affected by rising temperatures.

A Phase-Field Model for Wet Snow Metamorphism.

The microstructure of snow determines its fundamental properties such as mechanical strength, reflectivity, or thermo-hydraulic properties. Snow undergoes continuous microstructural changes due to local gradients in temperature, humidity, or curvature, in a process known as snow metamorphism. In this work, we focus on wet snow metamorphism, which occurs when the temperature is close to the melting point and involves phase transitions among liquid water, water vapor, and solid ice. We propose a pore-scale phase-field model that simultaneously captures the three relevant phase change phenomena: sublimation (deposition), evaporation (condensation), and melting (solidification). The phase-field formulation allows one to track the temperature evolution among the three phases and the water vapor concentration in the air. Our three-phase model recovers the corresponding two-phase transition model when one phase is not present in the system. 2D simulations of the model unveil the impact of humidity and temperature on the dynamics of wet snow metamorphism at the pore scale. We also explore the role of liquid melt content in controlling the dynamics of snow metamorphism in contrast to the dry regime before percolation onsets. The model can be readily extended to incorporate two-phase flow and may be the basis for investigating other problems involving water phase transitions in a vapor-solid-liquid system, such as airplane icing or thermal spray coating.

A new model framework of laser powder bed fusion by integrating a powder-scale model with a thermodynamic database

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has been increasingly practised in powder-based additive manufacturing industries, yet the fundamentals including multiphase flow and phase change were not well understood. This work develops a powder-scale computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method-volume of fluid (CFD-DEM-VOF) model integrated with a temperature-dependent thermodynamic database to simulate the multiphase flow with phase change in the LPBF process. The integrated model is validated by comparing prediction results with the experimental measurements. Several LPBF cases with different laser powers, track numbers, and hatch distances are numerically studied. The simulation results demonstrate that the model can capture the key phenomena and key features in the LPBF process observed experimentally, including temperature distribution and morphology of molten tracks. The results also show the random configuration of the powders leads to the asymmetrical distribution of the temperature in the molten pool. The laser beam with a lower power density causes pore defects in the transition zone of the laser track because of partially melted particles, causing a rough molten surface. Incorporating an overlap between two molten tracks is crucial for enhancing the surface quality and mitigating issues such as discontinuity and particle adherence along the track edge. This model provides a cost-effective solution for comprehending and optimizing multiphase flow and phase change phenomena within the LPBF process in additive manufacturing.

Visualization experimental study on the boiling characteristics of vapor chamber evaporator surface with different heat sources

The effective functioning of vapor chambers depends on the phase change of the working fluid at the wick surface. Given the prevalent role of vapor chambers in thermal management in the electronics industry, it is critical to study the boiling characteristics and thermal performance of vapor chambers, as well as the effect of heat source conditions. In this work, to observe phase change at the wick surface, the visualization confined chamber with wick (VCCW) is proposed and fabricated, which features a side window and a 2 mm thick wick sintered with aluminum powders. The working fluid used is acetone. The heat source is designed in three different sizes to heat the VCCW in either the middle or right position. The experimental results show that the boiling curve is divided into four stages. In the stage Ⅰ, the boiling curve is linear, and the visualization results reveal that the phase change phenomenon on the wick surface is evaporation. The Ⅱ stage is defined as ONB (Onset of Nucleate Boiling) for the vapor chamber evaporator surface. The boiling curve shows a turning, and bubbles were observed to appear and spread by visualization. In the Ⅲ and Ⅳ stages, the boiling curve remains linear. The stable nucleate boiling and intermittent local dryout is observed before and after the DNB (Departure from Nucleate Boiling). The slope of the boiling curve increases as the size of the heat source enlarges, which contributes to greater superheat and evaporation of the working fluid at smaller heat fluxes. Moreover, the position and size of the heat sources affect the ONB and DNB due to heat diffusion and capillary-driven supply of fluid.

Pengambilan Keputusan Bercerai Tokoh Kinan Pada Web series Layangan Putus Ditinjau Dari Psikologi Dan Hukum Islam

Abstract: The research aims to find out how the decision to divorce the character Kinan in the web series Kite Putus is viewed from psychology and Islamic law. The research method uses a qualitative approach in the study of Cyberliterary Psychology. The research was carried out by watching the web series to be analyzed descriptively and inductively, then created in the form of text and analyzed. Descriptive analysis describes the aspects and characteristics of the message, while inductive analysis is used to understand and examine the meaning. The data source was obtained from the rater through a questionnaire that met the gender requirements of female, Islamic religious education student and early adulthood. Next, the data was validated through an inter-rater test. Kinan's character's psychological decision-making process goes through five stages. First, assess the challenges stemming from the phenomenon of changes in her husband's attitude which gives rise to confusion and suspicion, then encourage her to collect data and information to find the reasons for the change in her husband's attitude. Second, an alternative survey regarding the findings of physical evidence and information originating from Kinan's friends and people around Aris, which leads to proof of her husband's infidelity. Third, consider alternatives by carrying out a negative evaluation of the loss of hope of forming a harmonious family and the opportunity to live a new life while maintaining one's self-esteem. Fourth, declare your commitment, express your stance by suing Aris in court while continuing to consult with friends who are competent in the legal field. Also, keep sharing with friends who can provide in-depth insight into the correct attitude in dealing with developments in family problems. Fifth, survive negative feedback, face her husband's negative attitude by continuing to manage negative emotions and focus on gathering evidence that clarifies her husband's commitment to polygamy. Meanwhile, the Kinan character's decision to divorce in terms of Islamic law is permissible because it meets the requirements for being included in the Fasakh case or not. can be corrected again because Aris' behavior violates Islamic religious law as stated in the Al-Quran surah An-Nur verses 30-31. The problems include infidelity and quarrels which cause her to not be able to get back together with her husband. Keywords: Cybersastra, Decision making, Islamic law, Psychology, Web series.

Understanding the Effect of Climate Risk on Banking Business—A Panel Data Analysis of Indian Firms

The enormous phenomenon of climate change, which is affecting many organisations of different sectors today, has a special impact on the financial sector in terms of credit risk. Awareness and action on environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and climate change impacts have been rapidly increasing worldwide. In this article, we present a firm-level panel data analysis to link ESG ratings and CO2 emissions with the default risk and solvency position of selected companies. We perform various univariate and multivariate analyses on selected top Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) top 200 companies that have disclosures in Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) reports over 5 years (2017–2021). We find strong empirical evidence that a firm’s risk of default is linked to its environmental performance along with the level of carbon emission. Our findings will enable banks to establish a linkage between credit risk and climate change risk. This will assist banks as well as policymakers to adjust borrower-level ratings and align their lending and investments with net zero emissions. JEL Codes: G32, G33, Q2, Q5

Phase-field-based lattice Boltzmann method for containerless freezing.

In this paper we first propose a phase-field model for the containerless freezing problems, in which the volume expansion or shrinkage of the liquid caused by the density change during the phase change process is considered by adding a mass source term to the continuum equation. Then a phase-field-based lattice Boltzmann (LB) method is further developed to simulate solid-liquid phase change phenomena in multiphase systems. We test the developed LB method by the problem of conduction-induced freezing in a semi-infinite space, the three-phase Stefan problem, and the droplet solidification on a cold surface, and the numerical results are in agreement with the analytical and experimental solutions. In addition, the LB method is also used to study the rising bubbles with solidification. The results of the present method not only accurately capture the effect of bubbles on the solidification process, but also are in agreement with the previous work. Finally, a parametric study is carried out to examine the influences of some physical parameters on the sessile droplet solidification, and it is found that the time of droplet solidification increases with the increase of droplet volume and contact angle.

The stony coral Fimbriaphyllia (Euphyllia) ancora’s reproductive strategy involves a sex change every year

A sex change phenomenon was reported in some free-living, non-sessile coral species of the Family Fungiidae. However, there are no reports describing sex change in sessile colonial species. Timing and cellular processes of sex change are also unclear in corals. Here, we report sex change of the colonial coral, Fimbriaphyllia ancora, and its cellular process. Of 26 colonies monitored at Nanwan Bay, southern Taiwan, about 70% changed their sex every year after annual spawning for least 3-4 consecutive years, i.e., colonies that were male two years ago became female last year, and male again this year. The remaining 30% were permanently male or female. Sex-change and non-sex-change colonies grew in close proximity or even side-by-side. No significant differences were found in colony size between sex-change and non-sex-change colonies. Histological analysis showed that, in female-to-male sex change, small oocytes were present up to 3 months in some gonads after spawning and disappeared by 5 months. This suggests that sex change occurred 4-5 months after spawning. In contrast, in male-to-female sex change, oocytes appeared weeks after sperm release and in most gonads by 3 months, suggesting that male-to-female sex change occurred 0–3 months after sperm release.