Pronounced Seasonality Research Articles

STRATEGIES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FOR UKRAINE IN THE CONDITIONS OF MILITARY OPERATIONS AND THE POST-WAR PERIOD

The article examines the current features of the tourism sector in Ukraine. The role of external factors in the process of ensuring the effective development of the tourism industry is noted. The author highlights the main factors that contributed to the growth of outbound tourism in Ukraine: the introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU countries, the expansion of air travel and the opening of direct flights, the growth of low-cost tours, the growth of purchasing power of Ukrainians, and the strengthening of the national currency. However, quarantine restrictions closed airports, emptied hotels, and reduced demand for travel agency services. And as soon as the industry began to recover from the coronavirus, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine again dealt a severe blow to the travel business. It is proved that an important feature of the tourism business is its dependence on sharp seasonal fluctuations in demand for the tourism product. The research results show that outbound tourism in Ukraine has a pronounced seasonality. Further growth in demand for outbound tourism is noted, which in the future will ensure an even greater outflow of foreign currency, which will negatively affect the country's balance of payments and gross domestic product. The main trends in the context of the impact of the level of population income on the development of outbound tourism are identified. The full-scale Russian invasion has had a negative impact on all sectors of the economy. The Ukrainian tourism sector has suffered the most. The closed skies, restrictions on men traveling abroad, and the forced relocation of a large part of the population have certainly limited the ability to travel. As a result of the negative impact of external factors, there has been a drop in demand for foreign tourism and the willingness of a significant proportion of the population to reorient to the consumption of recreational services in Ukraine. Under these conditions, it is of particular importance to study issues related to improving the efficiency of this industry, as well as expanding the range and range of services provided. It is worth noting the growing impact of the tourism industry on the nature of socio-economic processes within urban and rural communities. The growing demand for green and ethnic tourism opens up broad prospects for development for family businesses, as these areas do not require significant material costs as stratum capital. At the same time, there is a question of the proper qualification level of persons planning to realize themselves in the hospitality business, and there is a need for proper organizational and informational support in this area. This, in turn, necessitates the optimization of the theoretical and methodological framework and methodological tools.

VARIATIONS OF δ18О AND δ2H VALUES OF PRECIPITATION IN MOSCOW FROM 2017 TO 2019

To reveal variations in the iso topic composition of O and H in the atmospheric precipitation in Moscow and the processes influencing the isotope composition, all events of precipitation in 2017-2019 were sampled at the Meteorological Observatory of the Moscow State University: 158 samples in 2017, 119 samples in 2018 and 143 samples in 2019. The study is a prolongation of continuous measurements of the isotope composition of precipitation, started by authors in 2014. The study of the isotope composition of precipitation at the MSU Meteorological Observatory was supported by the IAEA and became a part of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) database. It has been found that the intra-annual variability of the isotop e composition of precipitation has a pronounced seasonality. The most isotopically heavy precipitation falls from May to August, and the most isotop ically light precipitation at December-February, mainly due to seasonal air temperature variations. The ratio of the average monthly δ18O values in precipitation and air temperature for the study period varied from 0.34 to 0.39‰/°C, which is consistent with the previously obtained data for precipitation in Moscow. The δ2H-δ18O ratio in precipitation was clos e to that of the Global Meteoric Water Line, pointing to the equilibrium conditions during precipitation formation. It was established that in the summer months isotopic composition is significantly influenced by undercloud evaporation. The deuterium excess va lues in precipitation are not markedly seasonal; however, lower dexc values (below the 3-year average of 11‰) are typical for the summer months (July-August). It is most likely due to undercloud evaporation in conditions of low relative humidity and high air temperatures. Higher dexc values (above 11‰) prevailed from October to April.

Paleoecology and paleobiogeography of the latest Miocene site of Shuitangba, Zhaotong, China

Apart from northern and central China, the fossil record of the latest Miocene and Early Pliocene of Asia is not well documented and the record of South China during this interval is especially poor. Shuitangba, a site in Yunnan Province, offers a rare window into the paleoenvironment of the latest Miocene in southwestern China. Over 2400 vertebrate and macrobotanical specimens have been recovered from the site. The faunal assemblage is dominated by aquatic avian taxa and many of the mammalian taxa are those that indicate densely vegetated, water-margin habitats. Pollen and carpological remains indicate a temperate to subtropical, broad-leaved/coniferous forest around standing water, with more open areas containing grasses and herbs. Analyses of clay minerals, chemical weathering, and enamel stable isotopes suggest that Shuitangba was warmer and more humid than today, possibly with more pronounced seasonality. Results of community structure analysis indicate that the Shuitangba mammalian community was different from those of other Late Miocene Chinese sites in the high proportions of aquatic-dependent mammalian taxa. While Shuitangba shared mammalian faunal elements with other Late Miocene sites in Yunnan, it was still faunally distinct. Further, Shuitangba was depauperate in its mammalian fauna, which may have been a result of the depositional setting rather than a true reflection of regional faunal diversity.

Air-soil cycling of oxygenated, nitrated and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in source and receptor areas

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygenated and nitrated derivatives, OPAHs and NPAHs, are semivolatile air pollutants which are distributed and cycling regionally. Subsequent to atmospheric deposition to and accumulation in soils they may re-volatilise, a secondary source which is understudied.We studied the direction of air-soil mass exchange fluxes of 12 OPAHs, 17 NPAHs, 25 PAHs and one alkylated PAH in two rural environments being influenced by the pollutant concentrations in soil and air, by season, and by land cover. The OPAHs and NPAHs in samples of topsoil, of ambient air particulate and gas phases and in the gas-phase equilibrated with soil were analysed by GC-APCI-MS/MS. The pollutants soil burdens show a pronounced seasonality, a winter maximum for NPAHs and PAHs and a summer maximum for OPAHs. One order of magnitude more OPAH and parent PAH are found stored in forest soil than in nearby grassland soil. Among a number of 3–4 ring PAHs, the OPAHs benzanthrone and 6H-benzo(c,d)pyren-6-one, and the NPAHs 1- and 2-nitronaphthalene, 9-nitrophenanthrene and 7-nitrobenz(a)anthracene are found to re-volatilise from soils at a rural background site in central Europe in summer. At a receptor site in northern Europe, net deposition of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) prevails and re-volatilisation occurs only sporadic.Re-volatilisation of a number of PACs, including strong mutagens, from soils in summer and even in winter indicates that long-range atmospheric transport of primary PAC emissions from central Europe to receptor areas might be enhanced by secondary emissions from soils.

Morphodynamic Response of Open and Embayed Beaches to Winter Conditions: Two Case Studies from the North Atlantic Iberian Coast

The morphological responses of two mesotidal beaches located in different coastal settings (embayed and open sandy beaches) on the northwestern Iberian coast were monitored during the winter of 2018/19. The offshore wave time series analysis is related to high-resolution topo-bathymetric measurements to explore spatial-temporal morphological variability at monthly to seasonal scales. Both locations are subjected to the North Atlantic wave climate which exhibits a pronounced seasonality. Throughout the last decade (2010–2020), significant wave heights reached values of up to Hs~9 m during winters and up to Hs~6 m during summers. On average, approximately 12 storms occurred annually in this region. The results clearly reveal divergent morphological responses and sediment transport behaviors at the upper beach and the intertidal zone during the winter for each location. In the embayed beach (Patos), sediment transport in the nearshore is governed by cross-shore processes between the beach berm and a submerged sandbar. In contrast, the open beach (Mira) showed dynamic sediment exchanges and three-dimensional morphologies alternating between accumulation and erosion zones. Overall, both beaches exhibited an erosional trend after the winter, particularly concerning berm erosion and the subaerial beach volume/shoreline retreat. This study highlights the contrasting morphodynamic response on open and embayed beaches to winter conditions, integrating both the subaerial and submerged zones. Local geological and environmental factors, as well as the coastal management strategies applied, will influence how the beach responds to winter wave events. Monitoring and understanding these responses are essential for effective coastal management and adaptation to changing climate.

Forming and developing the regional market of cereals under the influence of substitutes

The paper examines the cereal market of the Republic of Crimea, which is characterized by the lack of testing of scientific approaches to assessing the regional market in terms of influence on substitutes’ demand and by pronounced seasonality of sales. The methodology is based on economic and statistical methods using correlation and regression analysis tools. The article determines the state of the Crimean market for goods based on official statistics, explores the dynamics of changes in production volumes of grain crops and their processing into cereals, and assesses the prices for goods of the group under study, presented in the retail trade network as well as the indicators characterizing the regional market of cereal products. The authors identify major Crimean manufacturers whose products are represented in the distribution network, and consider the factors influencing the development of the cereal regional market. Based on the results of the study, the study identifies the groups of substitutes that form the structure of consumer demand, including pasta and fresh vegetables. Drawing on correlation analysis, the authors establish the dependence of sales volumes of cereals on the prices of substitutes. Using regression analysis, the authors present the forecast for further development of the regional cereals market. The novelty of the study lies in determining the degree of dependence of consumer demand when purchasing cereal products on the prices of seasonal substitute goods. Finally, the study shows a direct effect of the demand for cereals on the prices of fresh vegetables, with a positive sales growth trend in the region, where sustainable economic and political situation will affect the prices for socially important food products.

The concentration of anti-muller hormone in the blood serum of reindeer depends on the level of sex hormones

Reindeer husbandry is the leading branch of agriculture for the regions of the Far North. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) remains poorly studied from the point of view of genetics and reproduction, which hinders the intensification of development of the industry. Research is being actively conduct in the field of genetics of the productive qualities of reindeer, but the formation and functioning of its reproductive system has been little study. Hormonal regulation of the reproductive process and the formation of hormonal status at key stages of the reproductive cycle is a significant aspect of animal reproduction. Reindeer are characterized by a pronounced seasonality of reproduction, and the study of hormonal regulation of the reproductive cycle is the main aspect of the further use of assisted reproductive technologies. The work is devoted to the analysis of the level of anti-Mullerian hormone in females during the breeding season. The studies were carried out on reindeer farms of the MAU “Directorate of the Territory of Traditional Natural Resources Management of Soyots”, Buryatia, (female, n=29). The dependence of the concentration of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which is a generally accepted indicator of the female ovarian reserve, on the concentration of sex hormones (progesterone, estradiol, testosterone and luteinizing hormone) in the blood serum of females was study. Hormone levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay. A higher content of sex hormones - testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and luteinizing hormone was revealed in the group of women with an AMH concentration of >1 ng/ml than in the group of women with an AMH concentration of <1 ng/ml. The significance of the differences in progesterone was p<0.05, and in estradiol – p<0.001. A low concentration of AMH (<1 ng/ml), characterizing a reduced ovarian reserve of female reindeer, corresponds to a reduced concentration of sex hormones that support reproductive function, and, conversely, a high concentration of AMH (>1 ng/ml), and, accordingly, a high ovarian reserve the reserve corresponds to an increased concentration of sex hormones - testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and luteinizing hormone.

Polymorphism of the MTNR1A Melatonin Receptor Gene in Goat Breeds of Northern Italy.

Melatonin receptor MT1, encoded by the MTNR1A gene, is the main one involved in the seasonal regulation of reproductive activity. A correlation between this gene polymorphism and reproductive performance has been demonstrated in sheep. To date, no data about MTNR1A gene polymorphism are available regarding Italian goat breeds other than the Sarda goat. This study aimed to detect any PCR-RFLP polymorphic sites of MTNR1A using MnlI and RsaI enzymes in Northern Italian goat breeds, which are characterized by a pronounced reproductive seasonality. One-hundred-eight adult female goats belonging to four different breeds were included in the study (i.e., Frisa Valtellinese, n = 29; Orobica, n = 23; Lariana, n = 29; Camosciata delle Alpi, n = 27). Blood was sampled from each goat. Genomic DNA was extracted from each sample and the main part of exon II of MTNR1A gene was amplified by PCR and digested with MnlI and RsaI enzymes. Unexpectedly, none of the fragments were found to be polymorphic. The absence of polymorphism may be linked to the macro group of goat breeds that evolved during human migrations. Breeds of the Alpine-European strain would appear to show no polymorphism, as confirmed by our study, whereas breeds belonging to the Mediterranean-African or Asian-Middle Eastern strains do.

Aeolian dust and hydro-biological characteristics: Decoding dust storm impacts on phytoplankton in the northern Arabian Gulf

Aeolian dust is an essential source of growth-limiting nutrients for marine phytoplankton. Despite being at the core of the Global Dust Belt, the response of the Arabian Gulf ecosystem to such atmospheric forcing is rarely documented. Here, the hydro-biological effect of mineral dust was studied in the northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) off Kuwait through monthly water sampling (December 2020 to December 2021), dust-storm follow-up sampling, and mineral dust and nutrient addition in-situ experiments. The multivariate analysis of oceanographic data revealed pronounced hydro-biological seasonality. The mineral dust deposition during two severe dust storm events in March and June 2021 showed a spatially varying effect of dust on coastal waters. The dust storms elevated the surface dissolved iron levels by several magnitudes, increased the dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous levels, changed their stoichiometry, and offset the hydrobiological seasonality. In the microcosms, dust input temporarily reduced phytoplankton phosphorous limitation in a dose-dependent manner when mesozooplankton (copepods) grazing was minimal. The microphytoplankton response to mineral dust inputs was comparable to that with nitrogen and phosphorous treatment. While Both treatments increased diatom size structure and biomass, the abundance of single-celled diatoms was comparatively higher in dust treatment. Multivariate analysis indicated that dust deposition alters the hydrographical properties of the surface ocean during dust storm events. The effects, though transient, were traceable for 3–16 days post-storm in coastal waters. The response of the summer phytoplankton to these changes, if delayed or muted, should be interpreted with caution given the summer water column stratification, the high nitrogen: phosphorous ratio and the low phosphorous solubility of aerosol dust, and the complex pelagic microbial food web interactions in the NAG. This study thus underlines the importance of a multivariate approach in documenting the ecological implications of Aeolian dust storms on marine environments closer to the dust source regions.

Spatiotemporal variability in population demography and morphology of the habitat-forming macroalga Saccorhiza polyschides in the Western English Channel.

Large brown macroalgae serve as foundation organisms along temperate and polar coastlines, providing a range of ecosystem services. Saccorhiza polyschides is a warm-temperate kelp-like species found in the northeast Atlantic, which is suggested to have proliferated in recent decades across the southern UK, possibly in response to increasing temperatures, physical disturbance and reduced competition. However, little is known about S. polyschides with regard to ecological functioning and population dynamics across its geographical range. Here we examined the population demography of S. polyschides populations in southwest UK, located within the species' range centre, to address a regional knowledge gap and to provide a baseline against which to detect future changes. Intertidal surveys were conducted during spring low tides at three sites along a gradient of wave exposure in Plymouth Sound (Western English Channel) over a period of 15 months. Density, cover, age, biomass and morphology of S. polyschides were quantified. Additionally, less frequent sampling of shallow subtidal reefs was conducted to compare intertidal and subtidal populations. We recorded pronounced seasonality, with fairly consistent demographic patterns across sites and depths. By late summer, S. polyschides was a dominant habitat-former on both intertidal and subtidal reefs, with maximum standing stock exceeding 13 000 g wet weight m-2. Saccorhiza polyschides is a conspicuous and abundant member of rocky reef assemblages in the region, providing complex and abundant biogenic habitat for associated organisms and high rates of primary productivity. However, its short-lived pseudo-annual life strategy is in stark contrast to dominant long-lived perennial laminarian kelps. As such, any replacement or reconfiguration of habitat-forming macroalgae due to ocean warming will probably have implications for local biodiversity and community composition. More broadly, our study demonstrates the importance of high-resolution cross-habitat surveys to generate robust baselines of kelp population demography, against which the ecological impacts of climate change and other stressors can be reliably detected.

Near Real-Time Mapping of Tropical Forest Disturbance Using SAR and Semantic Segmentation in Google Earth Engine

Satellite-based forest alert systems are an important tool for ecosystem monitoring, planning conservation, and increasing public awareness of forest cover change. Continuous monitoring in tropical regions, such as those experiencing pronounced monsoon seasons, can be complicated by spatially extensive and persistent cloud cover. One solution is to use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery acquired by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1A and B satellites. The Sentinel 1A and B satellites acquire C-band radar data that penetrates cloud cover and can be acquired during the day or night. One challenge associated with operational use of radar imagery is that the speckle associated with the backscatter values can complicate traditional pixel-based analysis approaches. A potential solution is to use deep learning semantic segmentation models that can capture predictive features that are more robust to pixel-level noise. In this analysis, we present a prototype SAR-based forest alert system that utilizes deep learning classifiers, deployed using the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform, to identify forest cover change with near real-time classification over two Cambodian wildlife sanctuaries. By leveraging a pre-existing forest cover change dataset derived from multispectral Landsat imagery, we present a method for efficiently developing a SAR-based semantic segmentation dataset. In practice, the proposed framework achieved good performance comparable to an existing forest alert system while offering more flexibility and ease of development from an operational standpoint.

The association between acute otitis externa-related emergency department visits and extreme weather events in a temperate continental climate

BackgroundClimate change is a global challenge that is resulting in an increased occurrence of extreme weather events. Extreme weather events have been shown to negatively impact various health conditions, leading to an overall increase in morbidity and mortality. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) emergencies are among the most common reasons for emergency department visits (EV). Acute otitis externa (AOE), an inflammatory external auditory canal skin infection, is the second most common condition for ENT-related emergency admissions. Previously, AOE has been associated with higher temperatures during summer; However, no data exists on extreme weather events’ immediate and delayed effects on AOE-related EVs. Identifying these relationships could help predict EVs, optimize health resources, and relieve its significant burden on healthcare systems. ObjectiveThis study aimed to associate the effects of extreme weather events with the immediate and delayed risk of AOE-related EVs. MethodsA total of 1522 AOE-related EVs from the ENT outpatient clinic of the Vienna General Hospital between 2015 and 2018 were analyzed. Meteorological data for the same study period was obtained from the Austrian Central Institution for Meteorology and Geodynamics for Vienna and a distributed lag non-linear model used to associate extreme weather events with the total number of AOE-related EVs. Relative risk (RR) and cumulative RR were analyzed over a period of 14 days. ResultsAOE-related EVs showed a pronounced seasonality, with the highest occurrence in summer. The RR for AOE-related EVs was significantly increased one day after high-temperature events for seven days, to a maximum of 1.95 [1.04–3.65]. Low and high relative humidity significantly reduced the same-day occurrence of AOE-related EVs to 0.65 [0.46–0.92] and 0.74 [0.58–0.95]. Increased precipitation and wind speed significantly decreased the RR of AOE-related EVs four and seven days after occurrence. After one day, low atmospheric pressure events showed an increased RR of 1.42 [1.02–1.98] in AOE-related EVs. ConclusionsExtreme weather events significantly impact AOE-related EVs. While high mean temperatures were positively correlated with AOE-related EVs, low humidity was found to have a negative same-day effect, supporting the idea of multiple factors being involved in increasing the susceptibility for AOE. Knowledge of the pattern of events could allow the implementation of time-optimized prevention strategies to reduce the incidence of AOE, the frequency of EVs, and the burden on health care systems.

The effects of anthropogenic disturbance and seasonality on the ant communities of Lang Tengah Island.

Anthropogenic disturbances and seasonal changes significantly impact diversity and community composition of ants, but their effects are often intertwined. We investigated these drivers on Lang Tengah Island, a location with a pronounced monsoon season and three resorts that close during this period. We surveyed four sites, two disturbed and two undisturbed, before and after the monsoon season, using pitfall traps to sample epigaeic ant communities. Undisturbed habitats had higher species diversity, but both habitats (undisturbed and disturbed sites) have a high proportion of ants with characteristics of being encroached by generalist and invasive/tramp ant species. Post-monsoon sampling yielded an increase in species richness and diversity. Seasonal changes, such as monsoonal rains, can temporarily alter ant interactions and resource distribution, potentially maintaining diversity. Future studies should validate these findings for ant communities under similar pressures, using ant composition and functional roles for conservation and management purposes.

Leaf and wood functional traits explain the strategies developed by Byrsonima sericea (Malpighiaceae) to survive in Atlantic Forest ecosystems under water and light variations

The Atlantic Forest is a heterogeneous biome comprised of different phytophysiognomies with contrasting microclimatic and edaphic characteristics, such as sandbanks and forests. Sandbanks are ecosystems with low water availability and high irradiance, requiring leaf and wood specific adjustments from species to survive. On the other hand, tropical rain forests lack a pronounced dry season, providing enough resources to allow competition from light-demanding trees and sustaining a spectrum of shade tolerance for understory species. To better understand how functional traits are determined, it is necessary to evaluate variables that are site-specific, i.e. that are displayed within an organism in different environments. We aimed to assess how does variation in the functional traits of the leaf and wood of Byrsonima sericea influence the survival abilities of this species to thrive under contrasting scenarios of light and water availability. Also, which set of morpho-anatomical and physiological traits are considered to be site-specific responses that are affecting positively the capacity of the species to adapt in these contrasting scenarios of the Atlantic Forest? The high irradiance in sandbank shaped functional traits of B. sericea leaves that allowed an allocation strategy of the available resources, with investment in leaf mass rather than in trunk biomechanics and hydraulic efficiency. The higher leaf density through smaller and numerous cells along with higher stomatal density and area, facilitating CO2 diffusion, were associated with a greater photosynthetic capacity and greater intrinsic water use efficiency. As in the forest, light is a limiting factor for species to grow, the fluctuating light over a short timescale can influence whole plant performance, thus requiring an investment in trunk biomechanics. Additionally, a set of wood traits in the forest was related to water availability favoring wider vessel elements with thicker walls, increasing the theoretical hydraulic conductivity, even though it implicated a higher vulnerability to cavitation. Our study has demonstrated that variation of traits of different plant structures, such as the leaf and wood, within a species has direct implications in the survival strategies at each environmental conditions of light and water availability. It is also stated that there are different sets of functional traits which are responsible for allocation strategies, leading to specific trade-offs that allow the species to display site-specific responses in order to survive.

АНАЛИЗ ЗАБОЛЕВАЕМОСТИ ГРИППА, ОРВИ И КОРОНА-ВИРУСНОЙ ИНФЕКЦИИ В КЫРГЫЗСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКЕ

Acute respiratory viral infections in the Kyrgyz Republic occupy a high proportion among the overall structure of infectious morbidity, over 61.0%. The purpose of this work is to study the epidemiological features of influenza, SARS and coronavirus infections in different climatogeographic regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. The materials were the reporting data of the republican headquarters for the fight against coronavirus infection, DDPSSES and E-health center. The incidence of influenza and SARS have a pronounced seasonality. During the analyzed period from 2014 to 2022 in the republic, it was noted that the highest incidence of influenza and SARS is recorded in the period from November to February and the indicators vary from 371.2 to 702.1 per 100 000 population. In the dynamics of morbidity during a pandemic of coronavirus infection, the traditional seasonality, as with influenza and SARS, is not traced. The incidence of influenza, SARS and coronavirus infection in different climatogeographic regions have differences, which is associated with population density, average annual atmospheric air temperature and the level of migration of the population. The dynamics of the coronavirus pandemic has shown that the rise in incidence is associated with the level of population immunity and compliance with preventive measures.

Which month to give a birth? The analysis on birth seasonality of China

A series of medical and biological studies have identified a strong link between the season during which a child is born and early childhood development and adult health. While providing an explanation for the seasonal determinants of birth remains one of the key challenges for demographers, understanding seasonal birth peaks and troughs can inform both public health planning and efforts to prevent childhood diseases. The seasonality of births varies across and within countries. Nonetheless, there has been scant research into the seasonality of births in China. This study takes an in depth look at the seasonal fluctuations in China’s births since 1960 and investigates the effects on seasonality of several key factors such as parity, residence (urban or rural area), and changes to fertility policies. Traditionally, winter has been the peak season of births in China, while spring and summer have been lean seasons, a pattern which is quite different than patterns in Europe and the United States. After 1990, the sweeping implementation of one-child policy and the wider use of modern contraceptives among Chinese women prompted a fundamental shift in the seasonality of births, with the deviation of births from month to month gradually diminishing over time. People's self-control may serve as a key determinant accounting for such seasonal changes. First births exhibit pronounced and steady seasonality, while second and subsequent births follow a vague seasonal pattern, suggesting that later births are more likely affected by self-choice and self-intervention. The analysis also reveals that the monthly distribution pattern of second births experienced a dramatic change following the roll-out of the selective-two-child policy and the Universal Two-child Policy in 2014 and 2016, changes that reflects the adjustments people made to achieve their fertility plans under the new policy.

Weak seasonality in benthic food web structure within an Arctic inflow shelf region

The Arctic Ocean is characterized by pronounced seasonality in the quantity and quality of organic matter exported from the surface ocean. While it is well established that changes in food availability can alter the abundance, biomass and function of benthic organisms, the impact on food web structure is not well studied. We used bulk carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis to assess the quantity and quality of sediment organic matter and structure of the benthic food web in four seasons within the Northern Barents Sea (76°N − 82 °C). Despite a highly seasonal vertical flux, we found that the organic carbon and chlorophyll-a content of surface sediments was seasonally stable, suggesting a lack of seasonality in food availability at the seafloor. However, organic biomarkers indicate that the quality of sediment organic matter increased to a maximum in August and December, up to 6 months after the spring bloom. The seasonal stability of food quantity was mirrored in food-web structure (e.g., total isotopic range, number of trophic levels) which did not change significantly across sampling periods. We expected that suspension and deposit feeders would respond more readily to seasonal changes in food quality compared to predators. However, we observed no significant seasonal changes in the trophic levels or isotopic niche areas of benthic functional groups. The centroids of isotopic niches of all benthic functional groups shifted seasonally by <2 ‰ along the δ13C-axis, suggesting minimal shifts in carbon resource use. Because the northern Barents Sea experiences significant changes in seasonal sea ice cover, we expected that stable-isotope ratios of benthic organisms would show an increased consumption of sympagic-derived organic matter through less negative δ13C values in early spring and summer. However, only two taxa (the soft coral Gersemia spp. and bivalves in the family Yoldiidae) showed 13C-enrichment in spring or summer consistent with the assimilation of sympagic-derived organic matter, despite previous evidence suggesting widespread use of this carbon source. Overall, our results show that there is an apparent de-coupling in time between pelagic processes and benthic food-webs in which the accumulation and assimilation of high-quality organic matter occurs for benthos during the fall and early winter months when there is little to no fresh organic matter generated at the surface. This temporal mismatch highlights the importance of considering the timescales over which components of the marine ecosystem respond to short-term environmental changes and the methods employed to assess seasonality.

Flow paths and wetness conditions explain spatiotemporal variation of nitrogen retention for a temperate, humid catchment

Excess use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has threatened the quality of drinking water and destroyed the structure and functions of aquatic ecosystems. The N retention is defined as a catchment’s capacity to withhold nitrogen from entering surface water bodies during a certain period. Previous studies have focused on N retention in response to catchment characteristics and different climates. However, little has been done to explore the spatiotemporal variation of N retention within a catchment. This study is aimed to explore the spatiotemporal variation of the N retention and the effect of the external N input heterogeneity on the retention capacity and the N export in a small temperate, humid catchment in central Germany. A spatially distributed model was built using the fully coupled surface–subsurface model HydroGeoSphere to simulate the flow and transport of nitrate. Three scenarios considering the external N input heterogeneity, which represent different land-use patterns, were created: (i) the input was uniformly distributed over the catchment, (ii) high input was associated with high retention regions (e.g. near the hillslope top), and (iii) high input was associated with low retention regions (e.g. near the stream). The results showed that N retention exhibits strong spatial heterogeneity, which is controlled by the lengths of flow paths connecting the regions and surface water body and regional wetness conditions within a catchment. N retention showed pronounced seasonality in temperate and humid climates, being higher in wetting, drying and dry periods, but lower in wet periods. The pattern is driven by distinct shifts in the dominance of deeper flow paths and fast shallow flow paths determined by the climate seasonality. Highest denitrification, lowest export fluxes and in-stream nitrate concentration were found in scenario (ii) among the scenarios. Therefore, it was suggested that agricultural activities may avoid regions near surface water bodies to improve the surface water quality. The results of this study provide insights into the nitrogen dynamics and can guide the management of surface water quality.

Quality of routine data for monitoring nutrition and diarrhoea indicators of children under 5 in Mozambique: an ecological study over a 5-year period

BackgroundUndernutrition and diarrhoea have a high burden in children under 5 in low/middle-income countries. Having data-driven quality health services for these two diseases is key in order to address the...

Epidemic and Epizootic Situation on Brucellosis in the Kyrgyz Republic

The aim of the study was to perform the epidemiological and epizootic analysis of the situation on brucellosis in the Kyrgyz Republic. Materials and methods. When assessing the incidence of brucellosis in the Kyrgyz Republic over the period between 1983 and 2021, official data of the Republican Center of Quarantine and Particularly Dangerous Infections, the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, the State Inspectorate for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Safety of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic were used. The obtained materials were processed applying Microsoft Excel 2010. Results and discussion. It is shown that the adverse situation on brucellosis among the population persists in the country: during the study period, the average incidence rate was 29.3 cases per 100 000 of the population. It is associated with constantly occurring epizootics among farm animals, especially small ruminants, which are the main source of human infection. A pronounced summer seasonality of brucellosis cases is noted, due to the participation of people in lambing and calving of animals. Since 2008, there has been a gradual decrease in the incidence of brucellosis among people, after the start of systematic mass vaccination against brucellosis in small ruminants. It is necessary to carry out the entire complex of anti-brucellosis measures and social mobilization of the population to stabilize the epidemic and epizootic situation in the country. The realization of the task will be facilitated by the development of the State Program to combat brucellosis for the interdepartmental integration of all efforts to prevent this dangerous infectious disease.