Previous Summers Research Articles

Impacts of an extreme Changjiang flood on variations in carbon cycle components in the Changjiang Estuary and adjacent East China sea

River flooding is expected to increase in frequency and severity under climate change. However, the impact of extreme river flooding on the coastal carbon cycle has rarely been studied. A severe Changjiang flood occurred in the summer of 2020, which was the largest Changjiang flood in the last 20 years since 2000. This extreme flood resulted in the export of great amounts of nitrate (6.4 × 108 mol d−1), silicate (7.1 × 108 mol d−1), phosphate (5.1 × 106 mol d−1), dissolved organic carbon (DOC; 13.9 × 109 g C d−1), and inorganic carbon (DIC; 145.5 × 109 g C d−1) from Changjiang to the Changjiang Estuary, which were considerably higher (by ∼8–178%) compared to those observed in previous summers since 2006. The increase in nutrient loads, including a considerable increase in PO43− concentrations due to the flood, has triggered the development of severe algal blooms in the East China Sea. Consequently, the production of DOC and removal of DIC were observed in the offshore region during the flood. Moreover, the increase in NH4+ concentrations likely indicated enhanced organic material remineralization in flood-influenced coastal waters. The decrease in CO2 fluxes across the air-sea interface (FCO2) has been observed in the offshore region, while an increase in FCO2 was found in the nearshore region during the flood compared to the non-flood condition in July 2018. These findings provide valuable references for assessing the impact of the extreme Changjiang flood on the coastal carbon cycle.

Temporal Shift of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Epidemic Peak for the Years 2020-2023 in Marseille, Southern France.

Respiratory syncytial virus is among the most common causes of respiratory infections. Typically, this viral infection has a seasonality during the cold months but with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic this has been considerably modified. Here, we studied the epidemiology of this virus in university hospitals of Marseille, South of France, over the period 2020 to 2023. We tested in our laboratory from July 2020 to October 2021 16,516 nasopharyngeal swabs from 16,468 patients for RSV infection using different qPCR assays. We then analyzed data from previous and subsequent winters (from 2018 to 2023) and previous summers (from 2015 to 2021). A total of 676 patients were RSV-positive; their mean age was 3 years and 91 were under 5 years of age. We observed a delay of 4 months of the RSV epidemic's onset compared to other years with an epidemic that peaked in March 2021. We had significantly more RSV-positive cases during summer 2021 compared to previous summers, whereas the incidence of RSV infections was not significantly higher during winter 2022 versus previous winters. Moreover, 494 patients were diagnosed as RSV-positive in the emergency unit and 181 were subsequently hospitalized, and 34 patients were diagnosed RSV-positive while already in the intensive care unit. Over all the study periods, 38 patients diagnosed as RSV-positive died, the majority of whom (23/28) were over 65 years of age. These data show an atypical evolution of the incidence of RSV infections in our city and is another example of the unpredictability of infectious disease epidemiology.

The Birds Are Gone

The Birds Are Gone Julia Purks (bio) When we were fourteen, my friend Aaron and I made an agreement to kiss each other on October 1 if we hadn’t kissed anyone by then. The plan was straightforward and understood, and it was never meant to be romantic, never meant to be repeated. It was August of our freshman year in high school, and we needed tangible evidence of being wanted by someone to ward off a fate of ugliness and loneliness. It was mutually sacrificial, tit for tat, an act falling backwards into intimacy and surrendering to the humid grasp of sexuality. It was something to be done for each other, not with each other. Nine years later, we sat together with Tom in the piano bar in Provincetown, Massachusetts. We had been there many times over the previous few summers, and every night we went, it was exactly the same, like watching the same film over again. The bald man with Parkinson’s shaking over the piano keys, singing into the dark room crowded with wet-eyed gay men. His piano playing is not slow or drawn out or smooth in any sense, but rather a series of chords banged out in quick, shaking beats as he sings with squinted eyes into the microphone. The chairs are full of plump bellies and gray beards, plaid button-ups cuffed at the wrist, faded tee-shirts and dark jeans, tattooed forearms and tiny silver hoops in hanging earlobes, salt-and-pepper [End Page 91] buzz cuts and the smell of aftershave, golden tan skin covering the backs of soft palms, wiry tufts of dark hair spilling out of unbuttoned polo shirts and combat boots, soft leather loafers, pastels, and sweat and drinks clinking, every word of “Moon River” silently mouthed with gentle lips, an entire room speaking a language that was never taught. Except for me, because I don’t know the words. I know a different language (Tig Notaro, 4 Non Blondes). Hands resting on shoulders, on thighs, on hands, on drinks, bodies swaying slightly from side to side, the shaking bald man singing, Can I have this dance for the rest of my life? Growing up, I would sit for many hours on the floor of my mom’s bathroom, the bathroom attached to my parents’ bedroom. My dad was not allowed to go in there. There was a heater in the wall about a foot above the floor, and I would turn it on and sit in front of it nearly every day until I was red and sweaty. My dad would beg for me to quit the ritual, his face pained at the thought of electricity bills and maybe the thought that I might wilt and die. Sometimes he would open the door just a crack, reach his arm in, turn the heater off, and then retract his arm, close the door, leaving me thawed out and in silence. My mom taped a map of the world onto the wall, just above the heater, to give me something to look at. While a girlfriend was breaking up with me, I accidentally lit her toaster oven on fire trying to warm up a cupcake for breakfast. Before that girlfriend and I broke up, we went on a road trip to the west coast. Our tent got rained on while we were camping in Oregon, and when we got to California, she dropped me off at a beach while she visited some aunts in the area. I was supposed to sit with the tent on the beach and dry it out in the sun. I didn’t bring any water and the beach didn’t have a snack stand, and after a few hours passed by, I began to grow thirsty and tired/fearful of the relentless sun. I dragged the tent to the edge of the beach, rolled it up and carried it with me as I walked down the shoulder of a stretch of California highway. It was hot. She wasn’t answering my calls, and I didn’t know when she would come back for me. I eventually showed up to a gas station and...

Divergent response of Pinus pumila growth to climate warming at different latitudes and in different simulation predictions

Understanding the responses of shrub growth to climate changes is key to accurately predicting the dynamic changes in the boreal forest ecosystem. A shrub-ring network based on 12 sites was established to explore the response of Pinus pumila growth to climate change in northeastern China. The sampling sites are distributed along the latitudinal gradient of 44.10° to 52.58° and were divided into three regions: south, central, and north. The results show that there have been significant differences in P. pumila growth trends at different latitudes in recent decades. From 1950 to 1980, P. pumila in the southern and central regions grew faster than in the northern region. From 1981 to 2014, however, the growth of P. pumila increased in the north but slowed in the south and central regions. The temperatures of the previous winter and current spring are the main factors limiting the growth of P. pumila in the north and south. In the central and southern regions, the growth of P. pumila is negatively correlated with precipitation of the previous and current summers. In the north, summer temperatures from 1981 to 2014 gradually inhibit the growth of P. pumila, while summer precipitation has a positive impact on growth. Our model indicates that the radial growth trend of P. pumila in the north is likely to decline as the climate warms. Surprisingly, the growth of P. pumila in the south is predicted to benefit from warming under the RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5 scenarios. Therefore, P. pumila may not expand northward in the context of climate warming.

Temperate climate malaria in nineteenth century Denmark

BackgroundPlasmodium vivax was endemic in northern Europe until the early twentieth century. Considering climate change and the recent emergence of other vector borne diseases in Europe, historical insight into the relationship between malaria and environmental factors in northern Europe is needed. This article describes malaria epidemiology in late-nineteenth century Denmark.MethodsWe described the seasonality and spatial patterns of malaria, and the relationship of the disease with environmental factors such as soil types, clay content and elevation for the period 1862–1914. We studied demographic and seasonal patterns and malaria mortality in the high-morbidity period of 1862–1880. Finally, we studied the relationship between malaria seasonality and temperature and precipitation using a Spearman correlation test.ResultsWe found that the highest incidence occurred in eastern Denmark. Lolland-Falster medical region experienced the highest incidence (14.5 cases per 1000 pop.) and Bornholm medical region experienced the lowest incidence (0.57 cases per 1000 pop.). Areas with high malaria incidence also had high soil clay content, high agricultural production, and Lolland-Falster furthermore has a low elevation. Malaria incidence typically peaked in May and was associated with high temperatures in July and August of the previous year but not with precipitation. The case fatality rate was 0.17%, and the disease affected both sexes and all age groups except for infants. In 1873, a large epidemic occurred following flooding from a storm surge in November 1872.ConclusionsMalaria gradually declined in Denmark during our study period and had essentially disappeared by 1900. The high adult and low child morbidity in 1862–1880 indicates that malaria was not highly endemic in this period, as malaria is most frequent among children in highly endemic areas today. The association of high malaria incidence in spring with warmer temperatures in the previous summer suggests that transmission took place in the previous summers. The close geographical connection between malaria and soil types, agricultural production and elevation suggests that these factors are detrimental to sustain endemic malaria. Our findings of a close connection between malaria and environmental factors such as climate and geography provides insights to address potential reintroduction of malaria in temperate climates.

Heat-Health Behavior Change During Summer 2020 in African American Alabama Residents.

To investigate how heat-health behaviors changed in summer 2020 compared with previous summers, our community-academic partnership conducted telephone surveys to collect data on cooling behaviors, safety concerns, and preferences for cooling alternatives for 101 participants living in Alabama. Participants indicating they would visit cooling centers declined from 23% in previous summers to 10% in summer 2020. The use of cooling centers and other public spaces may be less effective in reducing heat-related illness because of safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic and police brutality.

What Will Summer Look Like? Summer Learning Loss and COVID-19 Learning Gaps

Summer 2021 will likely look much different than previous summers due to the impact of the now more than one-year-long pandemic.Here we share research about summer learning loss and overlap that with emerging studies illustrating how COVID-19 closures and remote learning have compounded learning loss, all of which disproportionately impacts Black children, indigenous children, children of color, and all children who live in poverty.

239 Changes in Children’s Schoolyear and Summer Sleep during the COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionIn spring 2020, elementary schools closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Questionnaire data suggest children’s sleep was impacted during the pandemic, yet device-based data (i.e. accelerometry) on this topic is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine children’s sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. spring and summer 2020) compared to previous data collected from the same children during each of the two previous years (spring and summer 2018 and 2019).Methods68 children (age = 9.9±1.2 years, 56% Black, 53% male) previously recruited for an observational cohort study wore a Fitbit Charge 2 on their wrist during the spring and summer from 2018-2020 (i.e. six 30-day measurement periods). We used multilevel mixed models to examine how children’s sleep patterns changed during the pandemic accounting for previous trajectory (i.e. 2018 to 2019). Models included age, sex, and race as covariates.ResultsChildren had an average of 84 nights of sleep data across all six 30-day measurement periods. In the spring of the pandemic, children slept 24.6 minutes more (95%CI = 11.6, 37.5) compared to previous springs. During the pandemic summer, they slept 40.0 minutes more (95%CI = 24.6, 58.5) compared to previous summers. Sleep midpoint was 117.1 minutes later (95%CI = 103.6, 130.6) in the spring during the pandemic and 46.0 minutes later (95% CI = 26.9, 65.2) in the summer during the pandemic compared to previous years. Sleep efficiency improved slightly by 1.3% (95% CI = 0.7, 1.9) and 3.6% (95% CI = 2.7, 4.5) in spring and summer, respectively, during the pandemic compared to previous years.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, children slept longer after accounting for previous developmental trends. Notably, the shift in sleep timing during the pandemic was nearly two hours later in the spring compared to previous years, potentially due to the lack of structure usually provided by school. Later sleep timing is independently associated with poor health behaviors (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, screen time). Future studies should examine if these changes in sleep persist over time and have potential long-term effects on children’s health.Support (if any)R21HD095164 (PI Weaver) & UofSC COVID-19 Research Initiative Grant (PI Armstrong)

Impact of COVID-19 social-distancing on sleep timing and duration during a university semester.

Social-distancing directives to contain community transmission of the COVID-19 virus can be expected to affect sleep timing, duration or quality. Remote work or school may increase time available for sleep, with benefits for immune function and mental health, particularly in those individuals who obtain less sleep than age-adjusted recommendations. Young adults are thought to regularly carry significant sleep debt related in part to misalignment between endogenous circadian clock time and social time. We examined the impact of social-distancing measures on sleep in young adults by comparing sleep self-studies submitted by students enrolled in a university course during the 2020 summer session (entirely remote instruction, N = 80) with self-studies submitted by students enrolled in the same course during previous summer semesters (on-campus instruction, N = 452; cross-sectional study design). Self-studies included 2–8 week sleep diaries, two chronotype questionnaires, written reports, and sleep tracker (Fitbit) data from a subsample. Students in the 2020 remote instruction semester slept later, less efficiently, less at night and more in the day, but did not sleep more overall despite online, asynchronous classes and ~44% fewer work days compared to students in previous summers. Subjectively, the net impact on sleep was judged as positive or negative in equal numbers of students, with students identifying as evening types significantly more likely to report a positive impact, and morning types a negative impact. Several features of the data suggest that the average amount of sleep reported by students in this summer course, historically and during the 2020 remote school semester, represents a homeostatic balance, rather than a chronic deficit. Regardless of the interpretation, the results provide additional evidence that social-distancing measures affect sleep in heterogeneous ways.

The 32-year record-high surface melt in 2019/2020 on the northern George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract. In the 2019/2020 austral summer, the surface melt duration and extent on the northern George VI Ice Shelf (GVIIS) was exceptional compared to the 31 previous summers of distinctly lower melt. This finding is based on analysis of near-continuous 41-year satellite microwave radiometer and scatterometer data, which are sensitive to meltwater on the ice shelf surface and in the near-surface snow. Using optical satellite imagery from Landsat 8 (2013 to 2020) and Sentinel-2 (2017 to 2020), record volumes of surface meltwater ponding were also observed on the northern GVIIS in 2019/2020, with 23 % of the surface area covered by 0.62 km3 of ponded meltwater on 19 January. These exceptional melt and surface ponding conditions in 2019/2020 were driven by sustained air temperatures ≥0 ∘C for anomalously long periods (55 to 90 h) from late November onwards, which limited meltwater refreezing. The sustained warm periods were likely driven by warm, low-speed (≤7.5 m s−1) northwesterly and northeasterly winds and not by foehn wind conditions, which were only present for 9 h total in the 2019/2020 melt season. Increased surface ponding on ice shelves may threaten their stability through increased potential for hydrofracture initiation; a risk that may increase due to firn air content depletion in response to near-surface melting.

Xylem anatomy of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Quercus robur L. is differently affected by climate in a temperate alluvial forest

Xylem hydraulic traits of native Quercus robur are more sensitive to previous-summer drought than those of alien Robinia pseudoacacia. The latter modulates vessel traits and ring porosity to cope with inter-annual climate variability, and is less affected by extreme events. This suggests that R. pseudoacacia might be more competitive under future drier conditions. Forest management strategies require knowledge on how co-occurring native and alien species respond to unprecedented climate conditions, which can severely affect xylem conductivity and tree performance. We aimed at quantitatively comparing xylem anatomical traits of co-occurring native Quercus robur and alien Robinia pseudoacacia and assessing similarities and differences in their response to climate variability. We analyzed tree-ring anatomy and built chronologies of several parameters related to vessel number, size, and theoretical conductivity. Mean chronologies for each parameter were correlated to monthly temperature and precipitation data for the period 1954–2005 and within 30-year moving windows. We also assessed responses to extreme conditions in 2003. Quercus robur showed typical ring-porous vessel distribution, while R. pseudoacacia modulated vessel size and number year by year, frequently showing semi-ring porous appearance. Previous rainy summers increased size of large vessels in Q. robur, and number of large vessels in R. pseudoacacia. In winter, R. pseudoacacia was sensitive to water excess. High temperature in March increased vessel size in Q. robur, but reduced it in R. pseudoacacia. The 2003 summer heatwave strongly reduced vessel size and number in the following year in Q. robur, but had much less effect on R. pseudoacacia. Quercus robur xylem traits are more influenced by both inter-annual climate variability and extreme events than those of R. pseudoacacia. Lower performance under dry conditions might reduce competitiveness of Q. robur in the future, slowing down the natural replacement of the invasive pioneer R. pseudoacacia by later-stage Q. robur.

Reflections on Freeman Dyson, Coronavirus, and Pseudoscience . . . While Listening to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Reflections on Freeman Dyson, Coronavirus, and Pseudoscience . . . While Listening to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Peter V. Paul, Editor This is a summer editorial, which joins all others with strange but meaningful titles composed during previous summers. Yes, I have been listening periodically to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor while composing this editorial. (Of course, I have to listen to this a number of times since the version I have is only about 10 minutes long.) It is a great, complicated piece that fits the mood for composing an editorial that ranges from a discussion of Freeman Dyson to issues related to the coronavirus to—horrors—some of the dangers of pseudoscience. Actually, these constructs are or can be interrelated. Let's begin with Freeman Dyson, who died on February 28 at the age of 96. Reviews of his life are available online from, among other sources, The Guardian (Radford, 2020) and the New York Times ("Freeman Dyson, Math Genius," 2020). Dyson's scholarly career provides an excellent backdrop for combating and minimizing the negative effects of the pseudoscience that seems to have proliferated as a result of the current coronavirus pandemic. Well, insane proponents of pseudoscience have always been with us, and the corona-virus is not departing anytime soon. Dyson was a resident at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton for more than 60 years. It might come as a surprise, but he did not earn a PhD degree via a program of study at a university, though he received several honorary degrees as well as a fellowship in the Royal Society. He was nonetheless often referred to as "Dr. Dyson." There is little doubt that he deserved these honors. As is noted in his New York Times obituary, one of his papers, written during his graduate student days at Cornell University, "deepened the understanding of how light interacts with matter to produce the palpable world. The theory the paper advanced, called quantum electrodynamics, or QED, ranks among the great achievements of modern science" ("Freeman Dyson, Math Genius," 2020). My interest in Dyson stems from my understanding of his popular works (e.g., Dyson, 1997) or, at least, of someone's interpretation of Dyson's scholarly products. Clearly, his serious stuff is beyond my ken. What grabbed me most was Dyson's approach to doing science and his fearless demeanor. Here was a person who cherished and invited controversy—consider his unbelievable, but well-reasoned, skepticism toward accepted scientific views on climate change (see, e.g., Lemonick, 2009). Dyson preferred to be wrong rather than vague, and desired to be outlandish and acknowledged rather than timid and ignored. It is nearly impossible to disregard his ideas and comments. More important, Dyson was slow—slower than a moving turtle—in [End Page 303] accepting a consensus, even if there appeared to be an overwhelming amount of evidence proffered by many members of the scientific community. Like Dyson, sometimes I would like to take a screwdriver (or an ice pick, in Dyson's case) and jab persistently at a consensus forming like ice hardening on a near-frozen lake during the winter (Paul, 2011). The point: Never stop questioning or researching an issue even if you are a lone voice in the wild. Nothing is sacrosanct or even final; ideas need to be refined continually. In fact, there may be no absolute final truth—or, perhaps, there can never be a final resolution to deep problems in life. I recall reading a quip about a philosopher who remarked that God could put the "absolute truth" in his clenched left hand and the "relentless pursuit of the truth" in his right fist. The philosopher continued by asserting that his left hand would be permanently clenched and perhaps unusable or impaired. However, he said that the joy from opening the right fist and embarking on that adventure would endure until the end of his days. The relentless pursuit of knowledge and wisdom means engaging in the process of refinement. According to my understanding of Dyson, refinement requires the application of an objective methodology and a keen, imaginative, inquiring mind. In essence, the mind needs...

Impact of the warm summer 2015 on emergency hospital admissions in Switzerland

BackgroundOnly a few studies have examined the impact of a particular heat event on morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the warm summer 2015 on emergency hospital admissions (EHA) in Switzerland. The summer 2015 ranks as the second hottest after 2003 in the history of temperature observation in Switzerland.MethodsDaily counts of EHA for various disease categories during summer 2015 were analyzed in relation to previous summers in Switzerland. Excess EHA for non-external causes during summer 2015 (June–August) were estimated by age group, gender, geographic region and disease category by comparing observed and expected cases. The latter were predicted from strata-specific quasi-Poisson regression models fitted to the daily counts of EHA for years 2012–2014.ResultsOver the three summer months in 2015, an estimated 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6–3.2%) increase in EHA (non-external causes) occurred corresponding to 2,768 excess cases. Highest excess EHA estimates were found in the warmest regions (Ticino [8.4%, 95% CI 5.1–11.7%] and the Lake Geneva region [4.8%, 95% CI 3.0–6.7%]) and among the elderly population aged ≥75 years (5.1%, 95% CI 3.7–6.5%). Increased EHA during days with most extreme temperatures were observed for influenza and pneumonia, certain infectious diseases and diseases of the genitourinary system.ConclusionsSummer 2015 had a considerable impact on EHA in Switzerland. The daily number of EHA mainly increased due to diseases not commonly linked to heat-related mortality. No excess morbidity was found for cardiovascular and most respiratory diseases. This suggests that current public health interventions should be reevaluated to prevent both heat-related illness and deaths.

First direct evidence of reproductive behaviour of the white grouper, Epinephelus aeneus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817)

This study describes the first ever reported direct observation of a pair spawning event and the reproductive liveries of the white grouper, Epinephelus aeneus. Spawning took place on a rocky bank located in the Marine Protected Area (MPA) of Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo (NE Sardinia, Italy), in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In the evening of August 4th, 2018, the spawning of two large-sized individuals (~90 cm total length), displaying distinct colour patterns, was observed using SCUBA diving. This direct observation is the first record of E. aeneus male reproductive livery, characterized by a darker coloration on the head, the dorsal part of the body and the caudal fin. In addition, information on the environmental conditions in which reproduction occurred was collected. At the study site, relatively high seawater temperatures were recorded at the time of the E. aeneus spawning (24 °C at 24.7 m), as well as over the 2018 summer months (July-September), even in deep waters (>35 m), compared to previous summers. The spawning event occurred in a coralligenous-dominated seascape where fishing is prohibited, while diving activities are allowed. The site hosts abundant populations of ecologically and commercially valuable fish species (e.g., groupers, sparid fishes), with significant proportions of large-sized individuals (i.e. reproducers). Further studies are needed to advance our knowledge of the white grouper, with a particular emphasis on reproduction and the importance of implementing effective protection measures. Prioritizing management actions at key reproductive sites, such as rocky banks, is essential for ensuring the protection and/or recovery of over-exploited species.

Return of warm conditions in the southeastern Bering Sea: Physics to fluorescence.

From 2007 to 2013, the southeastern Bering Sea was dominated by extensive sea ice and below-average ocean temperatures. In 2014 there was a shift to reduced sea ice on the southern shelf and above-average ocean temperatures. These conditions continued in 2015 and 2016. During these three years, the spring bloom at mooring site M4 (57.9°N, 168.9°W) occurred primarily in May, which is typical of years without sea ice. At mooring site M2 (56.9°N, 164.1°W) the spring bloom occurred earlier especially in 2016. Higher chlorophyll fluorescence was observed at M4 than at M2. In addition, these three warm years continued the pattern near St. Matthew Island of high concentrations (>1 μM) of nitrite occurring during summer in warm years. Historically, the dominant parameters controlling sea-ice extent are winds and air temperature, with the persistence of frigid, northerly winds in winter and spring resulting in extensive ice. After mid-March 2014 and 2016 there were no cold northerly or northeasterly winds. Cold northerly winds persisted into mid-April in 2015, but did not result in extensive sea ice south of 58°N. The apparent mechanism that helped limit ice on the southeastern shelf was the strong advection of warm water from the Gulf of Alaska through Unimak Pass. This pattern has been uncommon, occurring in only one other year (2003) in a 37-year record of estimated transport through Unimak Pass. During years with no sea ice on the southern shelf (e.g. 2001–2005, 2014–2016), the depth-averaged temperature there was correlated to the previous summers ocean temperature.

Spatial patterns and broad-scale weather cues of beech mast seeding in Europe.

Mast seeding is a crucial population process in many tree species, but its spatio-temporal patterns and drivers at the continental scale remain unknown . Using a large dataset (8000 masting observations across Europe for years 1950-2014) we analysed the spatial pattern of masting across the entire geographical range of European beech, how it is influenced by precipitation, temperature and drought, and the temporal and spatial stability of masting-weather correlations. Beech masting exhibited a general distance-dependent synchronicity and a pattern structured in three broad geographical groups consistent with continental climate regimes. Spearman's correlations and logistic regression revealed a general pattern of beech masting correlating negatively with temperature in the summer 2yr before masting, and positively with summer temperature 1yr before masting (i.e. 2T model). The temperature difference between the two previous summers (DeltaT model) was also a good predictor. Moving correlation analysis applied to the longest eight chronologies (74-114yr) revealed stable correlations between temperature and masting, confirming consistency in weather cues across space and time. These results confirm widespread dependency of masting on temperature and lend robustness to the attempts to reconstruct and predict mast years using temperature data.

Influencia del Sistema de Enfriamiento sobre la Productividad del Ganado Bovino Lechero en el Valle de Huaura, Perú

Se determinó la influencia de un sistema de enfriamiento (ventilación continua y aspersión intermitente de agua) sobre los niveles productivos, reproductivos y económicos del ganado bovino lechero durante el verano de 2012 en comparación con veranos anteriores donde no se contaba con sistemas de enfriamiento. Se analizaron los registros de 890 vacas en producción de dos establos lecheros del valle de Huaura, Lima, Perú. Se tomaron datos de producción de leche, sólidos totales, tasa de concepción, servicios/concepción y costo-beneficio. El establo 2 logró un incremento sustancial de producción de leche (p<0.05) por efecto del sistema de enfriamiento, en tanto que en el establo 1 se observó un incremento en el porcentaje de sólidos totales pero una merma en la tasa de concepción (p<0.05). Los resultados demuestran que la utilización de un sistema de enfriamiento (ventiladores y aspersores) para combatir el estrés calórico en vacas lecheras puede ser efectivo dependiendo de la realidad de cada hato lechero.

Relating coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) incidence to soil moisture conditions.

Coccidioidomycosis (also called Valley fever) is caused by a soilborne fungus, Coccidioides spp., in arid regions of the southwestern United States. Though some who develop infections from this fungus remain asymptomatic, others develop respiratory disease as a consequence. Less commonly, severe illness and death can occur when the infection spreads to other regions of the body. Previous analyses have attempted to connect the incidence of coccidioidomycosis to broadly available climatic measurements, such as precipitation or temperature. However, with the limited availability of long‐term, in situ soil moisture data sets, it has not been feasible to perform a direct analysis of the relationships between soil moisture levels and coccidioidomycosis incidence on a larger temporal and spatial scale. Utilizing in situ soil moisture gauges throughout the southwest from the U.S. Climate Reference Network and a model with which to extend those estimates, this work connects periods of higher and lower soil moisture in Arizona and California between 2002 and 2014 to the reported incidence of coccidioidomycosis. The results indicate that in both states, coccidioidomycosis incidence is related to soil moisture levels from previous summers and falls. Stated differently, a higher number of coccidioidomycosis cases are likely to be reported if previous bands of months have been atypically wet or dry, depending on the location.

Excess mortality during the warm summer of 2015 in Switzerland.

In Switzerland, summer 2015 was the second warmest summer for 150 years (after summer 2003). For summer 2003, a 6.9% excess mortality was estimated for Switzerland, which corresponded to 975 extra deaths. The impact of the heat in summer 2015 in Switzerland has not so far been evaluated. Daily age group-, gender- and region-specific all-cause excess mortality during summer (June-August) 2015 was estimated, based on predictions derived from quasi-Poisson regression models fitted to the daily mortality data for the 10 previous years. Estimates of excess mortality were derived for 1 June to 31 August, at national and regional level, as well as by month and for specific heat episodes identified in summer 2015 by use of seven different definitions. 804 excess deaths (5.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0‒7.9%) were estimated for summer 2015 compared with previous summers, with the highest percentage obtained for July (11.6%, 95% CI 3.7‒19.4%). Seventy-seven percent of deaths occurred in people aged 75 years and older. Ticino (10.3%, 95% CI -1.8‒22.4%), Northwestern Switzerland (9.5%, 95% CI 2.7‒16.3%) and Espace Mittelland (8.9%, 95% CI 3.7‒14.1%) showed highest excess mortality during this three-month period, whereas fewer deaths than expected (-3.3%, 95% CI -9.2‒2.6%) were observed in Eastern Switzerland, the coldest region. The largest excess estimate of 23.7% was obtained during days when both maximum apparent and minimum night-time temperature reached extreme values (+32 and +20 °C, respectively), with 31.0% extra deaths for periods of three days or more. Heat during summer 2015 was associated with an increase in mortality in the warmer regions of Switzerland and it mainly affected older people. Estimates for 2015 were only a little lower compared to those of summer 2003, indicating that mitigation measures to prevent heat-related mortality in Switzerland have not become noticeably effective in the last 10 years.

Influence of aperiodic summer droughts on leaf litter breakdown and macroinvertebrate assemblages: testing the drying memory in a Central Apennines River (Aterno River, Italy)

Climate changes, geomorphologic modifications and the rise in water demand for human uses contribute to “aperiodic summer drought” (ASD) events in Mediterranean-type rivers. ASD results in a reach that flows in one summer, dries in next or more summers, and then flowing again. The ecological structure and function of streams affected by ASD are understudied, especially with respect to permanent and regular intermittent streams. We tested the drying memory in a reach of Aterno River (Italy) disturbed by ASD. Leaf litter breakdown of Phragmites australis and macroinvertebrate assemblages were studied. Discharge was monitored since 2006. The experiment was performed during summer 2010 using the litterbag technique, and was replicated four times. The disturbed site was affected by drought in the three previous summers while the control was always flowing. Taxonomic diversity indices, abundance and structure of macroinvertebrate assemblages varied significantly between sites. Instead, leaf litter breakdown wasn’t influenced by ASD. Therefore ASD events seem to affect the structure of macroinvertebrate assemblages, confirming the role of drying memory of the systems. The resilience of leaf litter breakdown in reach affected by ASD seems to be high, probably depending on the activity of selected microbial communities and macroinvertebrate features like metabolism and biomass.