Sea Coastal Region Research Articles

Archaeogenetic Data Mining Supports a Uralic–Minoan Homeland in the Danube Basin

Four types of archaeogenetic data mining are used to investigate the origin of the Minoans and the Uralic peoples: (1) six SNP mutations related to eye, hair, and skin phenotypes; (2) whole-genome admixture analysis using the G25 system; (3) an analysis of the history of the U5 mitochondrial DNA haplogroup; and (4) an analysis of the origin of each currently known Minoan mitochondrial and y-DNA haplotypes. The uniform result of these analyses is that the Minoans and the Uralic peoples had a common homeland in the lower and middle Danube Basin, as well as the Black Sea coastal regions. This new result helps to reconcile archaeogenetics with linguistics, which have shown that the Minoan language belongs to the Uralic language family.

Comparative VGP models to analyse the primary productivity in the north Indian ocean and the linkages with rising sea surface temperature

The Primary Productivity of an ecosystem is an indicator of the health of the marine ecosystem and fishing yield. Primary productivity across the continental sea of the North Indian Ocean (NIO) basin was estimated using two vertically generalised production models. We examine the productivity using two non-parametric tests and present the changes using a gridded basin map. In the Behrenfeld and Falkowski (BF) approach, estimated primary productivity shows a significant decline of over 6550 km2 from 2003 to 2020, recorded spatially 100 km2 adjacent to the coastline. However, an area of 825 km2 across the exclusive economic zone of the Indian sub-continent has seen a significant rise in primary productivity. The Kameda and Ishizaka (KI) model limits productivity reduction to 2500 km2 across the NIO basin. The seasonal trends indicate reduced summer productivity across the basin. Both models point towards a significant reduction of productivity observed across the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and Arabian Sea (ARS) coastal regions owing to the damaging effects of anthropogenic-induced global warming. Secondly, simultaneous regression analysis using climate-based indicators and satellite-based NPP and Chlr-a data shows a significant reduction with high magnitude in the levels of NPP across the BoB and ARS between 1997 and 2020 due to rising sea surface temperature and a reduction of 9% and 6% in chlorophyll-a levels, respectively. These results point towards the inverse linkage between the rising SST on the primary productivity of the NIO basin and its devastating impacts on marine fisheries, especially in the BoB. These findings underscore the need for urgent action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and promote sustainable management of marine resources.

Investigating the bacterial community of gray mangroves (Avicennia marina) in coastal areas of Tabuk region.

Mangrove vegetation, a threatened and unique inter-tidal ecosystem, harbours a complex and largely unexplored bacterial community crucial for nutrient cycling and the degradation of toxic pollutants in coastal areas. Despite its importance, the bacterial community composition of the gray mangrove (Avicennia marina) in the Red Sea coastal regions remains under-studied. This study aims to elucidate the structural and functional diversity of the microbiome in the bulk and rhizospheric soils associated with A. marina in the coastal areas of Ras Alshabaan-Umluj (Umluj) and Almunibrah-Al-Wajh (Al-Wajh) within the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. Amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA was performed using the metagenomic DNAs from the bulk and rhizospheric soil samples from Umluj and Al-Wajh. A total of 6,876 OTUs were recovered from all samples, of which 1,857 OTUs were common to all locations while the total number of OTUs unique to Al-wajh was higher (3,011 OTUs) than the total number of OTUs observed (1,324 OTUs) at Umluj site. Based on diversity indices, overall bacterial diversity was comparatively higher in rhizospheric soil samples of both sites. Comparing the diversity indices for the rhizosphere samples from the two sites revealed that the diversity was much higher in the rhizosphere samples from Al-Wajh as compared to those from Umluj. The most dominant genera in rhizosphere sample of Al-Wajh were Geminicoccus and Thermodesulfovibrio while the same habitat of the Umluj site was dominated by Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus. Bacterial functional potential prediction analyses showed that bacteria from two locations have almost similar patterns of functional genes including amino acids and carbohydrates metabolisms, sulfate reduction and C-1 compound metabolism and xenobiotics biodegradation. However, the rhizosphere samples of both sites harbour more genes involved in the utilization and assimilation of C-1 compounds. Our results reveal that bacterial communities inhabiting the rhizosphere of A. marina differed significantly from those in the bulk soil, suggesting a possible role of A. marina roots in shaping these bacterial communities. Additionally, not only vegetation but also geographical location appears to influence the overall bacterial composition at the two sites.

Harnessing solar and wind power for sustainable seawater desalination: A multi-criteria geospatial suitability analysis

Water and energy sustainability are major concerns of the world's nations at present. This research introduces a geographical decision-making model for strategically selecting optimal locations for seawater reverse-osmosis desalination plants (SWRODPs). Furthermore, it assesses the best electrification approach, considering onshore wind turbine (WT) or solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants. A representative case-study of the Egyptian Red Sea Coast Region (ERSCR) is considered to validate the proposed model. The study delineates nineteen assessment criteria for building an informed selection of SWRODPs' potential locations. Seven experts with at least ten years of expertise in desalination and renewable technologies were selected to obtain accurate assessment criteria that imitate the real-life selection process. The group best-worth method (GBWM) was employed to ascertain optimal weights for the geospatial model criteria. The findings indicate that a mere 6.11 % of the total land area is deemed suitable, with the remaining 93.89 % classified as restricted. The suitable area is divided into different suitability classes in which about 65.85 % of the suitable area is found good for establishing the SWRODPs, while about 23.65 % of suitable land is found of moderate suitability. Besides, about 9.21 % and 0.03 % of suitable lands are considered very good and excellent suitability for implementing SWRODPs' projects. Moreover, the analysis pinpointed 8 % of the ERSCR (∼12,810 km2) as a highly suitable area for PV installation, predominantly within Qusir, Ras Sidr, Hurghada, and Ataqa districts. Concurrently, a scant 0.15 % (∼244 km2) is optimal for WT in the Qusir district. Further, the results offer proposals to the authorities and energy investors with about 50,200 km2 and 39,858 km2 of the ERSCR suitable for establishing SWRODPs powered by PV and WT, respectively. Overall, the research findings are anticipated to bolster the UN's sustainable development goals 6 and 7 and align with Egypt's Vision 2030.

Heavy metal concentrations in surface waters of Hurghada and environs, Red Sea Coast, Egypt, and their correlation with sediment distribution

This study investigates the properties and chemistry of surface water in Hurghada and its adjacent areas, with a focus on assessing the potential impact of human activities on water quality by measuring the concentrations of heavy metals in surface water samples. A total of fifty-nine surface water samples were collected and analyzed for various heavy metals, including manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) using the AAS technique.The results indicate that at the Desert Rose Resort transect, the average total concentrations of heavy metals were within the following ranges: Fe (average of 26.96 μg/L), Cu (average of 0.61 μg/L), Zn (average of 6.31 μg/L), and Pb (average of 0.75 μg/L). Conversely, at the Abu-Shaar transect, Ni (0.87 μg/L) and Cd (average of 0.02 μg/L) were the dominant heavy metals, while Mn exhibited the highest mean value (1.80 μg/L) at the El-Samaka Village transect. Notably, Hg was not detected in any of the samples within the study areas.Comparative analysis of heavy metal concentrations in Hurghada's surface waters with data from the Red Sea coast and other global regions reveals that the study areas maintain heavy metal concentrations well below the maximum permissible values for the marine environment. These findings suggest that human activities have not significantly impacted heavy metal levels in the region's surface waters.Additionally, statistical assessments, such as correlation coefficients (r), were employed to explore the relationships between heavy metal concentrations in water and sediment. These relationships provide valuable insights into the dynamic balance of elements within the sediment and their potential direct or indirect transfer into the water.

ОЦЕНКА ЗАПАСОВ УГЛЕРОДА И КОМПОНЕНТОВ УГЛЕРОДНОГО СЛЕДА БАЛАНСОВЫМ МЕТОДОМ НА ПАХОТНЫХ ЗЕМЛЯХ РЕГИОНОВ РОССИИ

The paper analyzes the problems of carbon stocks variation in the pool of cropland mineral soils at the regional scale of the Russian Federation. The carbon stock balance of cropland soils was evaluated by estimating carbon gains and losses, and then the components of the carbon footprint were measured as a ratio of soil organic carbon balance to crop production quantity in terms of grain equivalent (t C/t grain eq.). The estimates for the period 2011-2020 have revealed that there is generally a small net gain of carbon on cropland in Russia, mainly due to the intake of carbon from plant residues. Most of the steppe region of Russia suffers from net losses of carbon at levels from -0.15 t C/t grain eq. up to -0.69 t C/t grain eq. In other regions, such as the Central Chernozem and Black Sea Coast regions, net carbon gain is observed in the range of 0.1-0.3 t C/t grain eq. due to the intake of significant biomass of crop and root residues as a consequence of intensive crop production.

Large-scale land-sea interactions extend ozone pollution duration in coastal cities along northern China

Land-sea atmosphere interaction (LSAI) is one of the important processes affecting ozone (O3) pollution in coastal areas. The effects of small-scale LSAIs like sea-land breezes have been widely studied. However, it is not fully clear how and to what extent the large-scale LSAIs affect O3 pollution. Here we explored an O3 episode to illuminate the role of large-scale LSAIs in O3 pollution over the Bohai–Yellow Seas and adjacent areas through observations and model simulations. The results show that the northern Bohai Sea's coastal region, influenced by the Mongolian High, initially experienced a typical unimodal diurnal O3 variation for three days, when O3 precursors from Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, Shandong, and Northeast China were transported to the Bohai–Yellow Seas. Photochemical reactions generated O3 within marine air masses, causing higher O3 levels over the seas than coastal regions. As the Mongolian High shifted eastward and expanded, southerly winds on its western edge transported O3-rich marine air masses toward the coast, prolonging pollution for an additional three days and weakening diurnal variations. Subsequently, emissions from the Korean Peninsula and marine shipping significantly affected O3 levels in the northern Bohai Sea (10.7% and 13.7%, respectively). Notably, Shandong's emissions played a substantial role in both phases (27.5% and 26.1%, respectively). These findings underscore the substantial impact of large-scale LSAIs driven by the Mongolian High on O3 formation and pollution duration in coastal cities. This insight helps understand and manage O3 pollution in northern Bohai Sea cities and broadly applies to temperate coastal cities worldwide.

Plastic waste: assessment of the prosesses of its formation and management in the North-Western Black Sea Coast Regions

Plastic waste represents a specific component within the municipal solid waste structure because of the peculiarities of its formation, possibility of reuse and ecological consequences of environmental pollution. In particular, growing consumption of plastic is accompanied by a constant level of recycling (4-8%). This leads to accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. The article presents data on the content of plastic waste in the municipal solid waste of Ukrainian cities. According to the data the content of plastic waste within the municipal solid waste amounts to 10-12%. Plastic waste is mainly represented by polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate (more than 60%). It was discovered that plastic recycling companies import almost a third of recycled materials from Europe, while almost 84% of plastic is still ends brought to landfills. The analysis of the situation with separate collection of the municipal solid waste in the North-Western Black Sea Coast Region (namely Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson Regions) indicates a low level of secondary raw materials extraction. It is also exacerbated by the fact that only 75% of the population receives services for centralized collection of the municipal solid waste. It is estimated that almost 160,000 tons of plastic waste were brought to the landfills of Odesa Region in 2019. This volume is equal to the workload of existing plastic processing enterprises of Ukraine. So, as exemplified by Odesa Region, the research aimed at assessing the resource potential of plastic waste by main categories and in terms of clustering of the region, in accordance with the Regional Waste Management Plan project. It also describes the environmental consequences of leaving waste plastic materials in the environment – contamination with microplastics and formation of persistent organic pollutants. Moreover, it indicates that the municipal plastic waste is a significant source for such substances formation during thermal and mechanical destruction processes taking place within a landfill's body or marine environment. The research analyzes the main reasons for a low level of plastic waste use in the region. One of them is a lack of conditions allowing the citizens to collect plastic waste separately from the rest of their waste.

Mass mortality among colony-breeding seabirds in the German Wadden Sea in 2022 due to distinct genotypes of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b.

Mass mortality was observed among colony-breeding seabirds in the German Wadden Sea area of the North Sea during the summer months of 2022. Several species' colonies were affected, most notably sandwich terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis), common terns (Sterna hirundo) and Germany's only northern gannet (Morus bassanus) colony on the island of Heligoland. Mortality in some tern colonies reached 40%, while other colonies were almost spared. In all cases, infections with the high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4b were identified to have caused the epidemic. Phylogenetic analysis of whole-genome sequences revealed that the outbreaks were dominated by two genotypes, Ger-10-21 N1.2 and Ger-10-21 N1.5, previously identified in Germany. Spatiotemporal analyses of phylogenetic data suggested that these viruses could have entered the continental North Sea coastal region via the British Isles. A close linkage of viruses from tern colonies in the German Wadden Sea was evident with further connections to breeding colonies in Belgium and the Netherlands, and further spread to Denmark and Poland. Several of the affected species are endangered, such that negative effects of epizootic HPAIV infections on populations are feared, with uncertain long-term consequences.

Musta mere ranniku eesti asunikud malaaria meelevallas

Musta mere ranniku eesti asunikud malaaria meelevallas

Origin and Establishment Period of Mahan Mounded Tombs

마한 분구묘의 연구에서 개념과 용어, 분포와 출토유물, 시공간상의 전개과정 등 상당한 부분이 아직도 베일에 가려져 있고, 그 실체에 대해 논쟁이 지속되고 있다. 이 중에서 가장 핵심적인 논쟁은 분구묘의 기원과 성립시점이라 할 수 있다. 이 글에서는 최근 자료와 기존 자료의 검토를 통해 마한 분구묘의 기원과 성립시점을 살펴보았다. 분석결과, 먼저 성립기 마한 분구묘의 공통적인 특징으로 구릉 정상 입지·독립 분포·방형계 평면 형태와 단(인)장·수석리와 송국리문화 유물 부장이라는 점을 알 수 있었다. 다음으로 마한 분구묘는 서해안 일대의 수석리문화에서 자체적으로 발생했을 가능성이 가장 높으며, 이후 서해안을 따라 남과 북으로 전파되었던 것으로 추정된다(성립 1기). 또한 수석리와 송국리의 융합문화나 내륙지역의 송국리문화에서도 성립 1기의 분구묘 전통을 수용하여 지역 내 독특한 분묘 전통을 건설하였던 것으로 추정된다. 성립 1기의 마한 분구묘 전통은 만경강 일대에서 시작되었을 가능성이 높으며, 그 연대는 기원전 3~2세기경으로 이해된다. 기원 전후에 시작되는 성립 2기에 이르면 만경강 일대의 분구묘 전통이 점차 쇠퇴하고 영산강 일대가 새로운 중심지로 부상하게 된다. 또한 성립 1기에 분구묘 전통이 거의 보이지 않던 한강 하류권과 아산만권 일대에 분구묘가 활발하게 축조되는데, 이는 역삼동문화 집단이 서해안 일대의 분구묘 전통을 수용한 결과로 추정된다. 따라서 마한 분구묘는 ‘수석리문화에서 발생하여 이후 지역에 따라 다원적으로 전개되었다’고 요약할 수 있다.The concept and terminology, distribution and excavated artifacts, and spatial-temporal development process of Mahan mounded tombs is still uncertain to a large extent, and the substance of the tomb continues to be debated. Among these topics, the most significant discussion concerns their origin and establishment. This article examines the origin and establishment period of the Mahan mounded tombs using recently discovered materials, in addition to the pre-existing data. The results of the analysis revealed that the Mahan mounded tombs of the establishment period feature common characteristics, such as being situated on hilltops, being independently placed, of having a square-planar form, of containing single-individual interments, and of yielding Suseok-ri and Songguk-ri culture grave goods. The tombs are highly likely to have emerged independently in the Suseok-ri culture area along the western coast, and from there spread along the coastline (Establishment Period Phase 1). It is also assumed that the culture that emerged from the fusion of the Suseok-ri and Songguk-ri cultures, or the Songguk-ri culture of the inland region may have adopted the tomb tradition of this Establishment Period Phase 1 to form a unique regional tomb tradition. This Mahan mounded tomb tradition in the Establishment Period Phase 1 most likely emerged in the Mangyeong River region, and can be dated to the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE. The mounded tomb tradition in the Mangyeong River region gradually declined, and the Yeongsan River region emerged as a new center by the Establishment Period Phase 2, dating to around the turn of the millennium. Additionally, an increase in tomb construction could be observed in the lower reaches of the Haan River region and in the Asan Bay region, areas where tomb construction was hardly seen during Establishment Period Phase 1. This is thought to be the result of the Yeoksam-dong culture’s acceptance of the mounded tomb tradition from the West Sea coastal region. In summary, it can be argued that the Mahan mounded tombs originated from the Suseok-ri culture and developed pluralistically, in each region.

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia Species in Ixodidae Ticks Collected from Two Regions of Bulgaria.

The aim of the study was to determine prevalence of Anaplasmataceae-infected ticks in the Black Sea Coast and the Pleven regions of Bulgaria. A total of 350 ticks from different tick species were collected. Two hundred fifty-five ticks were removed from dogs in the Black Sea Coast region, and 95 Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected by flagging vegetation with a white flannel cloth in two areas in the region of Pleven. After the DNA isolation of the ticks, a genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to identify Anaplasmataceae. Second PCRs were performed with species-specific primers to identify Ehrlichia canis (E. canis) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum). The results showed that 26.9% of the Ixodes ricinus ticks were infected with Anaplasmataceae in the Black Sea Coast region and 36.8% in the Pleven region. The infection with E. canis was detected in 35.7% and A. phagocytophilum in 25.0% of positive ticks from the Black Sea Coast region. In the Pleven region, 22.9% of ticks were positive for E. canis, while 42.9% were positive for A. phagocytophilum. The molecular identification of E. canis in ticks collected from Bulgaria was performed for the first time. In conclusion, the present study revealed a higher prevalence of ticks infected with Anaplasmataceae, particularly A. phagocytophilum, in the Pleven region than in the Black Sea Coast region.

Views by A. A. Iessen on pre-colonial contacts at the Northern Black Sea Coastal Region in the context of modern research

Views by A. A. Iessen on pre-colonial contacts at the Northern Black Sea Coastal Region in the context of modern research

Мінеральний склад плодів актинідії (Actinidia arguta) в умовах Північного Степу Причорномор’я

Accumulation of concentrations of micro- and macroelements in Actinidia arguta fruits in the conditions of the Northern Steppe of the Black Sea Coast region is shown. The value of their variability by years of growth and development and the dependence on the genotype was determined, which was the purpose of the study. The objects of the research were three domestic varieties of Actinidia arguta: Kyivska hybridna, Kyivska krupnoplidna, Veresneva and two French selections: Isai and Taxi during three years of cultivation (2020-2022) on the experimental field of LLC "Black Sea Alliance" of Biliaiv district, Odesa region. It was established that the macro- and microelements in actinidia fruits on average over three years are distributed in the following order: K (17.49) > N (9.68) > Zn (8.60) > Ca (3.95) > P ( 3.23) > Cu (2.36) Mg (0.70) > Na (0.66 g/kg of dry matter). The research results indicate a significant influence of growing conditions, soil fertility, and fertilizer application on the level of element content in fruits. The highest concentration of nitrogen – 11.39, calcium – 4.96, phosphorus – 3.81, magnesium – 0.77 and copper – 2.94 g/kg of dry matter is found in the fruits of actinidia of the Veresneva variety, the highest amount of potassium is accumulated in the fruits of the Taxa variety – 20.00 g/kg and zinc – 11.95 mg/kg of dry matter, and their lowest content is in the Isai variety (from 13.08 g/kg to 5.18 mg/kg of dry matter). The most favorable year for the formation of high-quality fruits of the crop was 2022, which indicates the direct dependence of weather conditions on the development of plants. Fruits of all varieties in the experiment accumulated a low amount of sodium, which cannot negatively affect the human body in fresh form. The content of mineral substances in fruits does not depend on their content in the soil. The research results showed the possibility of successful introduction of actinidia in the conditions of the Northern Steppe of the Black Sea Coast. Key words: Actinidia arguta, macro- and microelements, genetic variability.

Techno-Economic Comparative Analysis of Grid-Connected and Islanded Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in 7 Climate Regions, Turkey

The aim of this study is to evaluate the economic, technical, and environmental performances of grid-tied and stand-alone hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs) in 21 provinces in seven regions of Turkey, considering different regional solar radiation and wind speed diversity. HRES were designed and modeled using the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources software (HOMER PRO) to meet the daily load of 13.26 kWh/day of a household. The analysis results for each province were compared considering the cost of energy, net present cost (NPC), greenhouse gas emissions, renewable fraction (RF), and optimum system configuration. The findings demonstrated that the optimal system configurations are Grid/PV/WT and PV/WT/DG/BESS for grid-tied and stand-alone HRES, respectively. The value of NPC ranges from <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 2,540.00 to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 8,951.00 for grid-tied HRES, while it varies from <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 23,372.00 to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 40,858.00 for stand-alone HRES. The provinces of Çanakkale in the Marmara Region and Artvin in the Black Sea Coast Region have the lowest and highest NPC values, respectively, for all systems. The PV capital cost, WT capital cost, BESS capital cost, solar radiation, and wind speed are considered as sensitivity input parameters that might affect the economic output of the HRES in this study. According to the sensitivity analysis, the NPC value as an economic indicator input decreased for both on-grid and off-grid HRES as the wind speed and solar radiation increased. It was also found that when the capital cost of PV panels and WT were changed, the NPC of the stand-alone HRES was in the range of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 21,402.27- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 29,978.89 for the province of Çanakkale, while it was in the range of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 37,518.11- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\$ $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 51,939.00 for the province of Artvin. Moreover, when solar radiation and wind speed were increased, the results showed that NPC and CO2 emissions decreased by 9.30% and 9.23%, respectively, for Çanakkale, and by 25.58% and 66.95%, respectively, for Artvin. Finally, the results indicated that the optimal system configuration changes depending on the PV and WT capital cost variations for the grid-tied HRES. This research can be useful for planning grid-tied and stand-alone HRES from different aspects in Turkey, as well as other countries around the world. It contributes to the literature by comparing grid-tied and stand-alone HRES to determine the optimum system configuration and to find the best optimization results in seven regions of Turkey under different climate conditions. In addition, most of the studies related to HRES for residential areas in the literature are reviewed in this research, which intends to serve as a guide for engineers and researchers.

Effect of dust on rainfall over the Red Sea coast based on WRF-Chem model simulations

Abstract. Water is the single most important element of life. Rainfall plays an important role in the spatial and temporal distribution of this precious natural resource, and it has a direct impact on agricultural production, daily life activities, and human health. One of the important elements that govern rainfall formation and distribution is atmospheric aerosol, which also affects the Earth's radiation balance and climate. Therefore, understanding how dust compositions and distributions affect the regional rainfall pattern is crucial, particularly in regions with high atmospheric dust loads such as the Middle East. Although aerosol and rainfall research has garnered increasing attention as both an independent and interdisciplinary topic in the last few decades, the details of various direct and indirect pathways by which dust affects rainfall are not yet fully understood. Here, we explored the effects of dust on rainfall formation and distribution as well as the physical mechanisms that govern these phenomena, using high-resolution WRF-Chem simulations (∼ 1.5 km × 1.5 km) configured with an advanced double-moment cloud microphysics scheme coupled with a sectional eight-bin aerosol scheme. Our model-simulated results were realistic, as evaluated from multiple perspectives including vertical profiles of aerosol concentrations, aerosol size distributions, vertical profiles of air temperature, diurnal wind cycles, and spatio-temporal rainfall patterns. Rainfall over the Red Sea coast is mainly caused by warm rain processes, which are typically confined within a height of ∼ 6 km over the Sarawat mountains and exhibit a strong diurnal cycle that peaks in the evening at approximately 18:00 local time under the influence of sea breezes. Numerical experiments indicated that dust could both suppress or enhance rainfall. The effect of dust on rainfall was calculated as total, indirect, and direct effects, based on 10-year August-average daily-accumulated rainfall over the study domain covering the eastern Red Sea coast. For extreme rainfall events (domain-average daily-accumulated rainfall of ≥ 1.33 mm), the net effect of dust on rainfall was positive or enhancement (6.05 %), with the indirect effect (4.54 %) and direct effect (1.51 %) both causing rainfall increase. At a 5 % significance level, the total and indirect effects were statistically significant whereas the direct effect was not. For normal rainfall events (domain-average daily-accumulated rainfall &lt; 1.33 mm), the indirect effect enhanced rainfall (4.76 %) whereas the direct effect suppressed rainfall (−5.78 %), resulting in a negative net suppressing effect (−1.02 %), all of which were statistically significant. We investigated the possible physical mechanisms of the effects and found that the rainfall suppression by dust direct effects was mainly caused by the scattering of solar radiation by dust. The surface cooling induced by dust weakens the sea breeze circulation, which decreases the associated landward moisture transport, ultimately suppressing rainfall. For extreme rainfall events, dust causes net rainfall enhancement through indirect effects as the high dust concentration facilitates raindrops to grow when the water vapor is sufficiently available. Our results have broader scientific and environmental implications. Specifically, although dust is considered a problem from an air quality perspective, our results highlight the important role of dust on sea breeze circulation and associated rainfall over the Red Sea coastal regions. Our results also have implications for cloud seeding and water resource management.

Векторные заболевания у собак в Черноморском регионе России (г. Сочи): новые данные

Vector-borne deceases (CVBDs) are registered in all Russia regions except of far northern, but the prevalence of CVBD infections in domestic dogs is low in most places. The main CVBDs, which have been expressed in dogs and observed by vets for previous decades are: babesiosis (in most regions), and dirofillariosys (in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions). But during few last years the vet clinics of Russia Black Sea Coast have reporting about frequent ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis cases, and a few hepazoonosis and leichmaniosys cases.The Black Sea Coast region strongly differs from others regions of Russia, because CVBDs here are detected round the year but not only in specific season. The biggest domestic dog population in this region habits in Sochi area.&#x0D; One hundred dogs having specific clinical signs of CVBDs or having nonspecific clinical signs and tick history and had not regularly been treated against ticks and mosquitoes were studies at Vetpatrul vet clinic in Sochi. Blood samples were tested using the IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx® test, Leishmania SNAP® and was evaluated for CVBD using PCR: E.canis, An phagocytothilum, An.platys, Dirofilaria immitis, .D.repens, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp., Babesia gibsoni.&#x0D; CVBDs were revealed in 55 of 100 studied dogs: mono infections (38 dogs) of ehrlichiosis (26 dogs), anaplasmosis (5), hepazoonosis (4), dirofilariosis (2), borreliosis(1); mix infections (17) of all above mentioned infections plus babesiosis. Leishmaniosis was not revealed.&#x0D; Twenty five dogs of 100 have had specific clinical signs of CVBD: anemia, fever, weakness, anorexia, hemorrhage, renal failure, ophthalmology diseases (iridocyclitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis). Seven dogs of 100 died.

Determination of colony characteristics and suitability for mass production of native Bombus terrestris L. population in the Central Black Sea coast region

In this study, two successive generations of queens belonging to a native Bombus terrestris population in the Central Black Sea Region of Türkiye were reared under controlled laboratory conditions to examine its developmental characteristics and suitability for mass production. The first generation was formed by a hundred Bombus terrestris queens which were caught from native fauna in Ordu Province, Türkiye. Young queens and males produced at the end of the life cycle in different colonies of first generation were mated in laboratory conditions. Mated queens were placed in a refrigerated incubator for their two months diapause period. After the diapause period, all queens were raised under the same conditions, and second generation colonies were reared. Some characters such as first egg-laying time, the timing of switch point, the timing of competition point, and total numbers of individuals produced in colonies of the first and second generation were determined. In these characteristics, the total numbers of workers and queens were found to be statistically significant between generations (p < 0.05). According to the findings of this study, some of the features such as first egglaying time, the timing of switch point, and the number of young queens produced may be unsatisfactory for mass production.

«ОДНЕ ГОВОРЯТЬ, А ІНШЕ ДУМАЮТЬ»: УЧАСТЬ ПОСОЛЬСЬКИХ МІСІЙ У ХОДІ АВАРО-РОМЕЙСЬКОЇ ВІЙНИ 568–570 рр.

The involvement of the Avar nomad horde in 557/558 in the political system under the leadership of Constantinople coincided with the appearance of the formers in the Eastern part of Europe. Upon signing the agreement in 557/558 A.D., under which nomads became federates of the Empire, the parties upheld the power balance in Balkan and Black Sea coast regions until the death of Justinian I in 565. According to this agreement, Avar Khagan Bayan I undertook to defend the Danube Limes of the Empire provided that basileus would pay and provide supplies and, in perspective, – would give territories of Moesia and Pannonia provinces to nomads for settlement. Also, during this short period, the Avar nobility tried to form their own political course, as opposed to the actions of Roman emperors. Romans, though, aimed at decentralizing the threat from barbarians. In practice, it led to a spontaneous, expansionist politic of Avars inside the Roman Empire’s sphere of interests in Central-Eastern Europe. This included: Avar raids on Antes tribals, Romei federates since the 60s of VI cent. A.D; territorial claims to Constantinople; provision and payment demands, and also misinforming Justinian the Great by Avar ambassadors. After Justin II (565–578) sat on the throne in Constantinople, Bayan I continued his attempts to quit diplomatic dependence of the Empire. As a result, the successor of Justinian the Great, Justin II, tried to cut down the Gordian knot in relations with nomads, which provoked the short-term armed confrontation. Just like nowadays, at the time of the conflict, opponents repeatedly made use of diplomatic parleys as a way to exert pressure on their enemy. Apart from that, both parties, during the war, enlisted support from the third sides, negatively disposed against the Empire (Francs, Langobards) on the one hand and the newly formed Khaganate (Turks) on the other.

Evidence on the impact of Baltic Sea ecosystems on human health and well-being: a systematic map

BackgroundWhile the unique marine and coastal environment of the Baltic Sea provides numerous ecosystem services, its ecosystems are under pressure due to the intensification and diversification of anthropogenic uses. This present work constitutes a systematic map of the evidence of the impacts of ecosystem services and disservices on human health and well-being. The aim is to create a better understanding of the threats of unsustainable management or the benefits of sustainable management of the Baltic Sea and the impacts these may have on the health and well-being of human populations and present these findings to policy advisors. The mapping process is described, and the characteristics of the evidence base are presented.MethodsThe applied method has been previously published in a systematic map protocol. Literature searches were carried out in English considering published peer-reviewed literature from traditional scientific journals and scientific reports from the grey literature, using synthesis software. A total of 17 databases were searched. Articles were screened in stages at title and abstract stage, then full-text stage. Geographic limitations were placed on the searches in accordance with research funders call, however, watersheds that had an impact on the Baltic Sea marine and coastal regions were considered. We used the more open PEO format, where population (P) included the human populations within the marine and coastal environment of the Baltic Sea region, exposure (E) related to the Baltic Sea ecosystems services and disservices, and the outcome (O) included all aspects of human health and well-being. After full-text screening articles selected for inclusion were searched for metadata connected to bibliographic information, ecosystem services, health and well-being outcomes and policy relevance.Review findingsOut of 6456 hits only 460 studies discussed either health or well-being indicators to some extent. Of these, only 67 explicitly mentioned ecosystem services and health and well-being indicators. However, few in this subset engaged with the topic of ecosystem services or disservices and health and well-being in depth. Studies are increasingly relating the two concepts but currently it is mainly studies focussed on cultural ecosystem services that deal with the concept of health and well-being to a greater degree. Studies in the medical literature relating to impacts on health from exposure to the Baltic Sea did not relate their findings to ecosystem services. The database of 67 studies is attached as Additional file 5.ConclusionsEcosystem services play an important role in human health and well-being; however, we found few studies that explicitly examine these impacts in detail. Further research is needed to link the health and well-being outcomes from the Baltic Sea to the ecosystem services supplied and therefore to demonstrate the benefits and disservices provided by the Baltic Sea ecosystems to human populations.