Resilient Response Research Articles

Agricultural adaptation and resilience through climatic shifts in semi-arid India: 2000 years of archaeobotanical evidence from Vadnagar, Gujarat

The relationship between historical climate change and past agricultural production contributes to a better understanding of the impacts of projected climate change by providing empirical data for resilient human responses. This study explores the periods of dynastic transitions and crop production at the urban site of Vadnagar, in semi-arid northwest India through several climate events, generally characterised by weakening summer monsoon precipitation during the Late Holocene. Artefacts from the site present an unbroken sequence of seven successive cultures from the first century BCE to the nineteenth century CE. Archaeobotanical data indicate the sufficient water availability during the Historic and Medieval periods, allowing crop production dominated large-grained cereals (C3 plants). However, during the Post-Medieval period (ca.1300−1850 CE) a resilient crop economy based on small-grained cereals (C4 plants) dominated, representing a human adaptation to prolonged weakening of monsoonal precipitation. Isotopic and phytolith data at the site present a clear signal of changing local environmental conditions over two millennia, consistent with regional palaeoclimate records, providing and interpretive context for agricultural evidence at Vadnagar. Despite long-term reduction in summer humidity, we argue that an adaptable agricultural package coupled with suitable water management systems allowed for the resilience of the urban settlement at Vadnagar.

Strength and resilient modulus characteristics of emulsion-stabilised demolition wastes in pavement structures

The use of bitumen emulsion has commonly been limited to pavement surface treatments or stabilising virgin aggregates. There is a lack of experimental evidence about the resilient modulus responses of bitumen emulsion-stabilised recycled demolition wastes in pavement applications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of bitumen emulsion on the tensile strength and resilient modulus responses of recycled crushed concrete aggregate and crushed brick for pavement base/subbase course applications. A type of slow-set anionic bitumen emulsion was used at different contents of 0, 1, 2, and 3 % by dry weight of aggregates to prepare compacted specimens. The specimens were dried back to 70 and 90 % of the compaction moisture content to simulate the field conditions. Specimens were next investigated through a comprehensive testing program, including indirect tensile strength, indirect tensile modulus, and repeated triaxial loading tests. Results showed that the tensile strength of the mixtures generally increased as the emulsion content increased. The inclusion of 2 % and 3 % bitumen emulsion to RCC and CB provided the highest indirect tensile resilient modulus (ITMr) at 359 and 310 MPa, respectively, for those samples cured for 3 h. The highest ITMr results were obtained from samples cured for 3 days at 40 °C in a dry state with the inclusion of 2 % emulsion. For CB and RCC specimens, the results were 2808 and 3361 MPa, respectively. However, specimens of CB and RCC with 3 % emulsion that were cured for 3 days at 40 °C and then soaked in water at 25 °C exhibited the highest ITMr at 1981 and 2900 MPa, respectively. The resilient modulus in the majority of the specimens peaked at 2 % emulsion content, which was recommended as the optimum emulsion content. Results also indicated an enhanced resistance to moisture damage in demolition wastes through emulsion stabilisation. This study proposes, validates and promotes the sustainable approach of emulsion stabilisation of recycled aggregates used in the construction of pavement structures.

Influence of Different Factors on Permanent Deformation of Hot Asphalt Concrete Mixtures

Abstract The performance of flexible pavements is significantly impacted by the permanent deformation (rutting) of asphalt pavements. The research aims was to evaluate the permanent deformation of asphalt mixtures under different conditions. To achieve this aim, 108 cylindrical specimens have been prepared and tested under repeated loading in uniaxial compression mode. Five factors were considered in this research. They include testing temperature, loading conditions (stress level and duration), and mixture properties (bitumen type and content). The permanent deformation is evaluated in term of the following parameters, permanent micro strain εp, resilient micro strain εr, initial permanent strain (intercept, a), accumulation rate of permanent deformation (slope, b), rate of decrease in permanent deformation α and constant of proportionality between permanent and elastic strains Mu. The test results showed that the εp and a are increased as the testing temperature increased. In addition, the εp value for load duration of 0.4 s is 1.64 times the value for 0.1 s. Finally, the findings showed that the resilient response of the material is comparatively more sensitive to bitumen content than the plastic response. Furthermore, the rutting resistance is highly affected by the variables considered in this research.

Older Black Americans' Perspectives on Structural Racism-Resilience as a Form of Resistance.

The purpose of this study was to develop a deep understanding of the lived experiences of structural racism and discrimination among older Black Americans' and their perceptions of structural racism across their lives. We also considered individual and community resilience capacity and response in the face of systemic racism. In-depth interviews were conducted with Black community-dwelling adults aged 55 and older in and around Baltimore City. The interview guide used nine contexts to explore perceptions and experiences with structural racism over the life course. Two researchers used reflexive thematic analysis to code and analyze the data. Participants endorsed structural racism to varying degrees across contexts of education, employment, neighborhood, healthcare, and income/wealth. Participants who denied structural racism placed blame for Black underachievement on factors such as personal and community deficiencies, unsafe neighborhoods, and institutional indifference. There was broad agreement about the existence of structural racism within the domains of policing and violence but participants were largely ambivalent about other domains such as environment, media, and civics. Resilience factors that helped individuals to resist and rebound from racism emerged as an unexpected and important theme. We used Public Health Critical Race Praxis and the Cells to Society frameworks to contextualize these findings. Due to the ubiquitous nature of racism, individuals may not fully appreciate the impact of structural racism and its impact on Black well-being. This ordinariness of racism is harmful but may simultaneously contribute to resilience within Baltimore's Black community.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Chinas Quarterly Economy Growth Rate: Evidence from ARIMA Model

The COVID-19 pandemic unleashed unprecedented economic turmoil worldwide, with China, as its epicenter, experiencing profound repercussions. This study investigates the pandemic's impact on China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, considering macroeconomic, microeconomic, and societal dimensions. COVID-19 disrupted international trade, manufacturing, and supply chains, causing significant economic contractions. China's resilient response strategies, encompassing fiscal policies, digital transformation, and e-commerce promotion, played a pivotal role in stabilizing the economy. Utilizing ARIMA modeling and credible data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, this research quantitatively assesses the pandemic's effects. It highlights the necessity for adaptable economic models that incorporate dynamic societal changes during crises. Policymakers can draw valuable insights from this study for crafting effective crisis response strategies, while investors can identify sector-specific opportunities in technology and related industries, influenced by shifts in consumer behavior. In summary, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of COVID-19's impact on the growth rate of China's GDP, providing a methodological framework, policy implications, and investment insights. As global economies recover from the pandemic's aftermath, these findings will continue to guide decision-makers in building resilient and adaptable economies for the future.

South African emerging adults' capacity for resilience in the face of COVID-19 stressors.

Little is known about resilience responses to COVID-19 stressors from emerging adults in minority world contexts. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the association between self-reported COVID-19 stressors and capacity for resilience in 351 emerging adults (Meanage = 24.45, SD = 2.57; 68% female) who self-identified as Black African. We were interested in whether age, gender and neighbourhood quality influenced this association. The main findings were that higher pandemic stress was associated with a greater capacity for resilience. Older participants showed higher levels of resilience, while there was no gender difference in this regard. Those who perceived their neighbourhoods as being of a good quality also showed greater capacity for resilience, despite all participants residing in disadvantaged communities. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are considered.

The network structure of psychopathological and resilient responses to the pandemic: A multicountry general population study of depression and anxiety.

Commonly identified patterns of psychological distress in response to adverse events are characterized by resilience (i.e., little to no distress), delayed (i.e., distress that increases over time), recovery (i.e., distress followed by a gradual decrease over time), and sustained (i.e., distress remaining stable over time). This study aimed to examine these response patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety and depressive symptom data collected across four European countries over the first year of the pandemic were analyzed (N = 3,594). Participants were first categorized into groups based on the four described patterns. Network connectivity and symptom clustering were then estimated for each group and compared. Two thirds (63.6%) of the sample displayed a resilience pattern. The sustained distress network (16.3%) showed higher connectivity than the recovery network (10.0%) group, p = .031; however, the resilient network showed higher connectivity than the delayed network (10.1%) group, p = .016. Regarding symptom clustering, more clusters emerged in the recovery network (i.e., three) than the sustained network (i.e., two). These results replicate findings that resilience was the most common mental health pattern over the first pandemic year. Moreover, they suggest that high network connectivity may be indicative of a stable mental health response over time, whereas fewer clusters may be indicative of a sustained distress pattern. Although exploratory, the network perspective provides a useful tool for examining the complexity of psychological responses to adverse events and, if replicated, could be useful in identifying indicators of protection against or vulnerability to future psychological distress.

Identification and formation mechanism of key elements of supply chain resilience: Exploration based on grounded theory and verification of SEM.

Supply chain resilience has garnered significant attention from both scholars and practitioners. However, the complex nature of the topic has resulted in a dearth of research on its key elements and formation mechanisms. To bridge this knowledge gap, we implemented grounded theory and conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 interviewees, which led to the identification of six key elements of supply chain resilience through open coding, axial coding, selective coding, and theoretical model saturation testing. These elements are product supply resilience, resource resilience, partner resilience, information response resilience, capital resilience, and knowledge resilience. Drawing from the key elements and the three phases of supply chain resilience (readiness, response, and recovery), we illustrated its formation mechanism and constructed a theoretical model of the influencing factors and pathways of supply chain resilience. We devised a questionnaire based on the coding results and confirmed its reasonableness and validity with a small sample of 109 questionnaires. Subsequently, a large sample of 409 questionnaires was used to test and validate the theoretical model using structural equation modeling, demonstrating that the identified key elements positively impact supply chain resilience. In sum, our paper enriches the comprehension of supply chain resilience by identifying its key elements and elaborating on its formation mechanism.

Business resilience and growth strategy transformation post crisis

AbstractThe recent crisis world experienced (Covid-19) undoubtedly changed many aspects of business, such as operations, growth, sales, etc. A business needs capability and strategy to survive, and this paper considers resilience and growth suitable for encountering a crisis. Following that, this paper argues that resilience not only results from a crisis, as mentioned in previous studies but is a process. We also argue that growth strategy and its stages differ between regular times and times of crisis. This paper aims to elaborate on changes in business resilience and growth strategies as a reaction to a crisis by building line-by-line coding, patterns, and themes. This study develops a conceptual model for forming business sustainability after a crisis with resilience and growth as pillars. This qualitative study used snowball sampling with 13 case studies and conducted semi-structured interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and observation with dependability, credibility, confirmability, and transferability as the triangulation processes. This inductive study demonstrates resilience and growth steps that can assist entrepreneurs in avoiding misleading strategies. The findings also indicated that digital imperatives could hasten both processes to attain sustainability. This paper draws on organizational resilience theory to discuss the theoretical implications of this research. This study discovers three main stages in the resilience process: resilience awareness, adaptation, and action, and growth stages in crisis time, namely no growth, growth support, growth force, and sustainable growth. On a practical level, the proposed model can also assist entrepreneurs in dealing with a crisis regarding what to do and understanding their conditions. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on how to respond to crisis and provides complete stages in resilience response and growth strategies for a business. For future research, this paper recommends a longitudinal study to understand and analyse the implementation and effectiveness of the models.

Outdoor thermal perception and heatwave adaptation effects in summer – A case study of a humid subtropical city in China

Heatwaves occur more frequently during the summer owing to global warming, which causes excessive heat stress and thermal discomfort. Heat stress increases overheating risk and impacts people's health and outdoor activities. Assessing outdoor thermal risk and clarifying human thermal responses under outdoor high-temperature conditions are of particular importance. However, the effect of thermal adaptation on people's thermal perception during heatwave conditions requires exploration. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of human outdoor thermal perception under non-heatwave and heatwave conditions to obtain adaptation-based outdoor thermal benchmarks to estimate the threshold for thermal discomfort and heat stress. Longitudinal and cross-sectional questionnaire surveys are carried out during the summer in public squares in Chongqing. The results showed that thermal perceptions undergo a dynamic change process in summer, which is closely related to an individual's past thermal experience. In comparison with thermal benchmarks under non-heatwave conditions, the neutral, comfortable, and 80% acceptable range of UTCI under heatwave conditions shifted to a higher temperature. For the heatwave period, the neutral UTCI range was from 21.5 °C to 27.9 °C. The modified UTCI ranges for heat stress classifications were obtained, including the 80% acceptable temperature range from 21.4 °C to 30.1 °C. The contributions of this study are in the method of determining outdoor thermal benchmarks in heatwave conditions and clarifying local people's thermal demands. These findings can provide more refined guidance for heat stress assessment and enrich the possibilities for urban design and urban resilience responses to heatwave conditions.

Difference Between Corporate Logistics Management and Defense Logistics Management

Logistics Management basically starts from logistics management for war. To go to war, you must have good logistics management in order to win the war. Along with the times, logistics management has evolved to be used for a company. Against this background, the title of this study is the difference between corporate logistics management and defense logistics management. The research methodology used in this study is a literature review. The conclusion of this study is that Logistics management in companies with logistics management in defense has the same outline. Basically, logistics management focuses on maintenance planning, workforce and personnel, supply support, equipment support and testing, equipment training and education, technical documentation, computer facilities, contracts, negotiation and Transfer of Storage, Space, Stability and Maintenance. Meanwhile, logistics management in defense focuses on the main areas of logistics and supply chain management in the context of sustainability, inventory management, resilience, procurement, information systems and crisis response.

Monitoring the outpatient process: the Teaching Hospital of Siena experience

Abstract Background Nowadays, the outpatient process is assuming an increasingly central role health authorities’ strategic planning, which is why it is necessary to develop new approaches and specific skills to ensure its more effective organizational management. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how the Teaching Hospital of Siena (THS) has responded to the demand for outpatient services and its fluctuation after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on outpatient services’ prescriptions and provisions of the catchment area of THS during years 2021 and 2022. The prescription data was extracted from the regional computer system “Business Object”, while the provisions data from information flow of outpatient service. Monthly data were divided into two fortnightly periods; the prescription fortnight was associated with the dispensing fortnight of the following period. The statistical analysis (T-test and linear regression) was carried out with STATA. Significance level was set at 95%. Results During studied period, the demands increased from 2.728±407 twice-weekly prescriptions in 2021 to 3.054±502 twice-weekly prescriptions in 2022 (p < 0.05). At the same time, the provisions increased from 1.152±162 in 2021 to 1.470±196 in 2022 (p < 0.05). The relationship between fortnight of prescription and subsequent provision shows a R2 of 0.6921 with an angular coefficient of 0.4025[95%CI: 0.3755-0.4295] (p < 0.05) in 2021 and an R2 of 0.7396 with an angular coefficient of 0.4729[95%CI: 0.4463-0.5011] (p < 0.05) in 2022. Conclusions The results show the resilient response of THS to the increase in services’ demand after the COVID-19 pandemic, avoiding system distress and recovering the backload of patients in the waiting lists. This result is due to a refinement of the outpatient process, through the creation of an Operational Management Team, the implementation of process monitoring, the reorganization of slots and the extension of outpatient activity hours. Key messages • It is essential to consolidate more appropriate and organizationally efficient forms of healthcare services. • Monitoring hospital processes is important to respond to the increasing population health needs.

The need for health system strengthening in the wake of natural disasters: Lessons from the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquake

AbstractThe 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquake was reported as the largest earthquake of Mw7.8, resulting in over 50,783 and 7259 deaths in Turkey and Syria, respectively. It has also damaged numerous residential buildings and other essential infrastructures, thus rendering more than 850,000 children and 356,000 pregnant women homeless, forcing them into displacement and its dire consequences, such as inadequate temporary shelters, a lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), necessary for disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance. The disaster has disproportionately affected the Syrian refugee community in Turkey as it has fuelled disparities and discrimination, exacerbating the response to the disaster and forcing refugees to return to Syria due to dire living conditions. Minimizing the effects of the disaster on the communities is therefore essential. There is a need to strengthen health system resilience and emergency response to natural disasters to reduce and prevent the aftermath. Disaster preparedness plans should include regulations that ensure that local buildings and infrastructure are disaster‐resistant. Furthermore, it is vital to highlight the importance of funding and appropriate resource allocation for disaster risk reduction. These include improving plans and logistics for recovery efforts, adequate preparation of temporary shelters and evacuation centres and allocating necessities such as food and water. Investment in proper search and rescue response, a special workforce for response and the rebuilding of important infrastructure are crucial. Finally, response to disasters must be inclusive and prioritize vulnerable populations, such as children, the aged women and refugees.

Resilient response and strength of highly expansive clay subgrade stabilized with recycled concrete aggregate and granulated blast furnace slag

In urban areas, due to urban development and lack of space, roads may be built on the expansive clay subgrade. Expansive clay soils increase in volume when in contact with water and shrink by losing water. Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) are one of the components of construction and demolition (C&D) wastes that can be used instead of natural resources in road construction projects. In this research, a combined method of mechanical and chemical stabilization was used to evaluate the use of RCA as a mechanical stabilizer and granulated blast furnace slag (GBS) as a chemical stabilizer to improve the strength and resilience characteristics of expansive clay subgrade. Laboratory results showed that adding RCA wastes to expansive clay subgrade reduced atterberg limits (LL, PL, and PI) and optimum water content (OWC) and increased the maximum dry density (MDD), California bearing ratio (CBR), and uniaxial compression strength (UCS). Expansive clay subgrade with 20 % RCA was treated with GBS chemical stabilizer in order to achieve a minimum 7 days target strength of 1.7 MPa for subbase application. A series of repeated load triaxial (RLT) tests were performed according to the AASHTO T307 procedure and resilient modulus (Mr) values of the stabilized clay subgrade specimen were evaluated at different curing times under cyclic loading. Also, the proposed Mechanistic-Empirical pavement design Guide (MEPDG) model was used to predict Mr values in different confining and deviator stresses which showed a good correlation with the measured Mr values. Finally, the improvement of the clay subgrade stabilized with RCA and GBS was also supported by SEM analysis. The results obtained from this research showed that the use of RCA, in addition to reducing disposed waste and environmental pollution, can improve the physical and mechanical characteristics of expansive clay Subgrade layers.

The role of core self-evaluations and ego-resiliency in predicting resource losses and gains in the face of the COVID-19 crisis: the perspective of conservation of resources theory.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate, through the lens of conservation of resources theory, the predictive role of 2 positive personality traits in the form of core self-evaluations (CSE) and ego-resiliency (ER) in resource losses and gains triggered by the COVID-19 crisis. The 2 personality traits, constituting positive person-related resources, were examined in relation to resource losses and gains in both general and distinct life domains: hedonistic and vital, spiritual, family, economic and political, and finally power and prestige. The findings from a nationwide sample of 1000 working adults (65% women; age M±SD 38.93±10.9 years) indicated that CSE negatively predicted resource losses, whereas ER served as a positive predictor of resource gains. The predictive role of personality traits was demonstrated both for resource losses and gains in general and in different life domains. The results of this study highlight in particular the role of CSE as a protective factor of resource losses, and the role of ER as a promotive factor of resource gains, suggesting that both traits might evoke divergent resilience responses when facing prolonged stressful life events. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(4):551-62.

Modeling geogrid-stabilized aggregate base courses considering local stiffness enhancement

Lateral restraint is the primary stabilization mechanism associated with the interlocking of aggregate particles in the geogrid apertures. This paper presents findings from a laboratory study which quantifies the local stiffness enhancement of aggregates through micromechanical interlocking provided by two different types of geogrids. These findings are applied to model the resilient response characteristics of geogrid-stabilized base course composite systems. Using three pairs of bender elements as shear wave transducers, horizontal stiffness profiles were determined above mid-heights of aggregate specimens. For two types of geogrids with square- and triangular-shaped apertures, the shear modulus profiles decreased moving away from the geogrid location. Based on a relationship for aggregates, resilient modulus was estimated from the shear modulus. Considering the variations in resilient moduli with distance from the geogrid location, the local stiffness enhancements provided by the two geogrid types were assigned to modulus profiles of a geogrid-stabilized aggregate base course in flexible pavement mechanistic analysis and modeling. The modeling results demonstrate the effect of geogrid base stabilization on the computed pavement resilient responses for both geogrid types. The sublayering approach which properly considers modeling of the geogrid influence zone could be effectively used in mechanistic analysis of a geogrid-stabilized pavement system.

Managing Healthcare Product Demand Effectively in The Post-Covid-19 Environment: Navigating Demand Variability and Forecasting Complexities

Managing the demand for healthcare products is a complex problem requiring in-depth knowledge of epidemiological trends, supply chain dynamics, and regulatory considerations. The intricate management of healthcare product demand in the post-COVID-19 era is thoroughly explored in this study. It is divided into nine sections exploring various facets of this critical field, emphasizing the persistent demand variations and difficulty in forecasting in the healthcare industry. It underscores the necessity for efficient demand management techniques in the changing healthcare environment. The significance of historical demand trends and provides examples of how studying historical data is essential for comprehending and forecasting the demand for healthcare products. Identifying seasonal fluctuations, forecasting disease outbreaks, and improving inventory management are emphasized. Investigating the difficulties in predicting the need for healthcare products, deals with problems caused by epidemiological ambiguity, supply chain breakdowns, patient demographics, regulatory adjustments, and technological advancements. The importance of data availability and quality in accurate demand forecasting is emphasized in this section. It encompasses scenario planning, resource allocation, technology adoption, supplier diversity, flexible manufacturing, collaborative and information sharing, data-driven decision-making, demand forecasting models, and strategic stockpiling. "Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling in Demand Forecasting," emphasize the function of these techniques in comprehending and forecasting demand trends. All covered are time series analysis, machine learning algorithms, epidemic predictive modeling, supply chain integration, scenario planning, optimization, risk assessment, in-the-moment monitoring, and feedback loops. "Supply Chain Resilience and Demand Response" explains why it's crucial to create robust supply chains and successfully adapt to demand changes. Supplier diversity, strategic stockpiling, agile production, real-time visibility, teamwork, data-driven decision-making, scenario planning, and regulatory flexibility are all covered

Voluntary wheel running during adolescence prevents the increase in ethanol intake induced by social defeat in male mice.

Exposure to social defeat (SD) induces a depressive phenotype, increased ethanol seeking and consumption, accompanied by activation of the neuroinflammatory response. However, a resilient response can be potentiated through physical exercise in the form of voluntary wheel running (VWR) during or after exposure to social stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test whether physical exercise during adolescence prior to being exposed to SD can enhance resilience to the increase in ethanol intake. Male mice had access to VWR during adolescence and the effects of social defeat (4 sessions every 72h) on oral ethanol self-administration (SA) was evaluated. Based on the social interaction test, mice were classified as resilient or susceptible to depressive-like behavior. Two weeks after the last encounter, mice were subjected to the drinking in the dark and oral ethanol SA paradigms. Mice were then sacrificed to measure brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the striatum and hippocampus. As expected, susceptible mice increased ethanol intake in the oral SA protocol. However, susceptible mice in the exercise condition did not increase ethanol intake, showing similar consumption and motivation for ethanol than the control and resilient groups. On the other hand, decreased BDNF levels were observed in susceptible mice in both experimental conditions compared to the control groups after ethanol SA. The pre-exposure of VWR prevented the increase in consumption and motivation for ethanol induced by SD in susceptible mice. On the other hand, it appears that VWR did not exhibit any significant long-term effects on BDNF signaling, which is mainly affected in susceptible mice after ethanol intake.

Finding Balance in Adversity: Nitrate Signaling as the Key to Plant Growth, Resilience, and Stress Response.

To effectively adapt to changing environments, plants must maintain a delicate balance between growth and resistance or tolerance to various stresses. Nitrate, a significant inorganic nitrogen source in soils, not only acts as an essential nutrient but also functions as a critical signaling molecule that regulates multiple aspects of plant growth and development. In recent years, substantial advancements have been made in understanding nitrate sensing, calcium-dependent nitrate signal transmission, and nitrate-induced transcriptional cascades. Mounting evidence suggests that the primary response to nitrate is influenced by environmental conditions, while nitrate availability plays a pivotal role in stress tolerance responses. Therefore, this review aims to provide an overview of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of key components in the nitrate signaling pathway, namely, NRT1.1, NLP7, and CIPK23, under abiotic stresses. Additionally, we discuss the specificity of nitrate sensing and signaling as well as the involvement of epigenetic regulators. A comprehensive understanding of the integration between nitrate signaling transduction and abiotic stress responses is crucial for developing future crops with enhanced nitrogen-use efficiency and heightened resilience.

Local adaptation of balsam fir seedlings improves growth resilience to heat stress

Increasing frequencies of heat waves and drought are expected to shift the range and growth of balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), a widely distributed cold-adapted boreal species. However, our ability to predict this species response to these climate anomalies remains limited, especially when considering how trees can exhibit delayed and persistant growth responses to these stressors, or legacy effects. Here, we assess the growth response of balsam fir seedlings from four populations following 60 treatment combinations of temperature and water deficit in the previous year. Although we observed moderate water deficit legacy effects on growth, there were no resilience or recovery responses. We did, however, observe considerable negative legacy effects on growth proportional to the level of warming, with average legacy growth declines reaching 45% under the highest warming treatment. Furthermore, the southern populations displayed a 28% higher average growth resilience to temperature stress compared with the northern populations, indicating a higher tolerance to warming. When comparing legacy effects on balsam fir populations at moderate warming conditions relative to the current local baseline climate, we report limited growth declines for southern populations and growth increases for the northern populations. While our results highlight the importance of legacy effects from heat stress in seedlings, they also provide evidence that careful selection of warm-adapted genotypes for reforestation efforts may help offset some of these legacy effects.