Seasonal Calendar Research Articles

Revising the Southern Myth: Persephone Violated in Faulkner’s Sanctuary and McCarthy’s Child of God

Faulkner' Journal Chad M. Jewett Revising the Southern Myth: Persephone Violated in Faulkner’s Sanctuary and McCarthy’s Child of God N urtured by the neoclassicism of Thomas Jefferson and the classics education ofearly Southern colleges, the mythology ofthe South has been marked by a distinctly Hellenic imagery. The agrarian South­ ern mystique, based on the classical ethos of the agricultural calen­ dar and a yeoman closeness to the land, established an undercurrent of ancient Greco-Roman imagery throughout the Souths artistic production and cultural sensibility well into the twentieth century. Indeed, several contributors to I’ll Take My Stand (1930), the Agrarians’ programmatic compilation ofessays, note a predilection for classical ethos and imagery as a key facet of Southern excep­ tionalism. The seasonal calendar may have been historically adapted to Christs birth and passion, but the myth of the agricultural cycle, to many Southern in­ tellectuals, was steeped in the classical. The Southern idealization of the classics rose throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. According to Wayne K. Durrill, Southern promotion of the classics was intended to “produce a coherent ruling elite in a developing plantation society” in which classical education “qualified students for member­ ship in a very select group” (470, 471). As John Hardin Best notes, education in the classics became a way for the elite to assert their status and to “hold in place generations of a lower-class white population” through the cultivation of an exclusive culture (49). The classical sensibility persisted in the New South, enhanced by the privilege ofeducation at schools like Ole Miss. The genteel dif­ ferentiation of the Agrarians, based at the elite Vanderbilt University (itselfthe site ofa respected classics department), could easily be seen as indulging in this sort ofgentlemens club ofclassical affectation. The idealization ofclassical ethos is central to the agrarian program, which centered the South on the Hellenic yeoman farmer of Jefferson’s imaginings. The agrarian movement ofthe 1920s reasserted this marriage of the South with Hellenic agricultural values and became a template for some important Southern novels during and after the Southern Renaissance, such as William Faulkners Sanctuary (1931) and Cormac McCarthy’s Child ofGod (1973). These two works are especially salient as Faulkners novel comes at the beginning of a Southern transformation (from rural to town based, from New South to newer South, from populist to solidly conservative), of which McCarthy depicts the 77 78 Chad M. Jewett Persephone Violated in Faulkner and McCarthy stark conclusion. In the case ofboth Faulkner and McCarthy, Hellenic imagery is used for acerbic parody of the pretensions attached to these classical arche­ types, specifically the Hellenic seasonal myths.1 The precedent of the agrarian ethos, and its apparent distaste for and sublimation ofSouthern realities, is pur­ sued and assailed in Sanctuary and Child ofGod. Faulkner takes these imagin­ ings at their word, resetting Yoknapatawpha as a stage for Greek myth and the novel’s characters as figures in the Persephone legend. McCarthy adopts and alters the Hellenic pastoral, juxtaposing the beauty of the Tennessee woods with the violent Hades he inserts there. Both novels adapt thematic elements of the Hellenic Persephone-Hades myth, in which a precedent for the agricultural seasons of ancient Greece is established. Faulkner uses this Persephone archetype to two ends. The author marks the moral distance between the rural South (and its tenants) and the town-bound aristocrats who cling to the old Arcadian images. Faulkner bases his satire on the aristocratic icon of the Southern white woman as well as the Grecian acropolis ofthe Southern town, focusing on the upper-class hypocrisy and willful ignorance of the growing violence and discord of the New South hidden behind this neoclassical facade. McCarthy, an heir to Faulkner in both style and subject, presents a harsher, more radical version of Faulkner’s Perse­ phone myth, devoted to a stark appraisal of New Southern dispossession from the land. McCarthy steeps his classical novel in a satire of sacred violence and native chivalry that W. J. Cash posits as a traditional characteristic ofthe Appa­ lachian backwoods, itself another Southern Arcadia, that provides the setting for Child ofGod (73). Indeed, McCarthy’s ambiguous Southernness is answered by the overtly Southern concerns...

Further Evidence for the Influence of Photoperiod at Birth on Chronotype in a Sample of German Adolescents

Individuals differ in their circadian preferences (chronotype). There is evidence in the literature to support a season-of-birth effect on chronotype but the evidence is not convincing. In part, the relationship is obscured by a number of methodological differences between studies, including the measures used to define morningness, the way in which the seasons were categorized, and the sample size. This study adds to the literature in several ways. First, we adopt a new approach to categorizing the photoperiod rather than the calendar season; thus we prefer to use the term photoperiod at birth. Second, we used two measures of morningness. Third, we used a large and homogeneous German sample. The results show that adolescents (n = 2905) born during the increasing photoperiod (Feb–Apr) had a significantly later midpoint of sleep (MSFsc) than those born during the decreasing photoperiod (Aug–Oct). A similar pattern was found for the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM). Furthermore, both measures of chronotype demonstrated a significant quadratic function over a 1-yr cycle. When looking at each of six consecutive years separately, the Composite Scale of Morningness suggests a cosine rhythm linked to increasing and decreasing photoperiods that becomes weaker in amplitude with increasing age. Despite the strengths in our study, the effect of photoperiod at birth on chronotype remains small. Future studies may require larger sample sizes, may need to explore how neonatal light exposure modulates chronotype, and may need to track how puberty and adolescent lifestyle habits mask the photoperiod effect. (Author correspondence: vollmer@ph-heidelberg.de)

Trends of Asthma Mortality in Galicia from 1993 to 2007

Introduction. In the past few years, deaths due to asthma appear to decrease at least in Western countries; but there are significant variations between populations. The aim of this study is to describe the trends in deaths due to asthma between 1993 and 2007 in our community and to analyze any factors associated with this. Methods. All cases, which had asthma as a cause of death, were included in the study. The mortality data were obtained from the official death certificate from the Deaths Register. Mortality relative risk, based on the calendar year, sociodemographic variables (age and gender), seasons, and days of the week, were estimated using a Poisson generalized linear model with a log-link. Results. In the 15 years of the study period, a total of 1180 people had died due to asthma, mainly in winter (34.5%), women (64.5%), and advanced age (65 years or above; 84.6%). A tendency of decreased mortality in all age groups was observed during the period of the study, which was significant in both the sexes in the 35- to 64-year-old age group, and in males above 65 years. Conclusion. Death due to asthma is changing favorably in our community, with a tendency to decrease in the past few years. Advanced age, being female, and the winter period are associated with a higher mortality rate due to asthma.

Living without buffers—illustrating climate vulnerability in the Lake Victoria basin

Exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity are essential, albeit theoretically vague, components of climate vulnerability. This has triggered debate surrounding how these factors can be translated into, and understood in, an empirical context subject to present and future harm. In this article, which draws on extensive fieldwork in the Lake Victoria Basin of Kenya and Tanzania, we illustrate how exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity play out in the context of climate vulnerability and discuss how they interact in situ. Using a mixed methods approach including survey data, rainfall data and a suite of participatory methods, such as focus groups and interactive mapping of seasonal calendars, we identify how climate-induced stressors affect smallholder farmers’ well-being and natural resources. Drawing on the seasonal calendar as a heuristic, and climate vulnerability terminology, we illustrate when, where and how these climate-induced stressors converge to constrain farmers’ livelihoods. Our analysis indicates that farmers in the basin face a highly uncertain future with discernible, but differentiated, adaptation deficits due to recurring, and potentially worsening, patterns of hardship.

Rotating Night Shift Work and Mammographic Density

An increased risk of breast cancer has been observed in night shift workers. Exposure to artificial light at night and disruption of the endogenous circadian rhythm with suppression of the melatonin synthesis have been suggested mechanisms. We investigated the hypothesis that rotating night shift work is associated with mammographic density. We conducted a cross-sectional study on the association between rotating night shift work characteristics, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (MT6s) creatinine adjusted in a spot morning urine sample, and a computer-assisted measure of mammographic density in 640 nurses and midwives ages 40 to 60 years. The associations were evaluated using regression models adjusted for age, body mass index, menopausal status, age at menopause, age at menarche, smoking, and the calendar season of the year when mammography was conducted. The adjusted means of percentage of mammographic density and absolute density were slightly higher among women working rotating night shifts but not statistically significant [percentage of mammographic density = 23.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 21.9%-25.4% vs. 22.5%, 95% CI, 20.8%-24.3%; absolute density = 23.9 cm(2), 95% CI, 21.4-26.4 cm(2) vs. 21.8 cm(2), 95% CI, 19.4-24.3 cm(2) in rotating night shift and day shift nurses, respectively). There were no significant associations between the current or cumulative rotating night shift work exposure metrics and mammographic density. No association was observed between morning MT6s and mammographic density. The hypothesis on the link between rotating night shift work, melatonin synthesis disruption, and mammographic density is not supported by the results of the present study. It is unlikely that the development of breast cancer in nurses working rotating night shifts is mediated by an increase in mammographic density.

Cave cricket exit counts: environmental influences and duration of surveys

Cave cricket abundance is used as an indicator of integrity of cave ecosystems. One means of monitoring cave cricket abundance is counting crickets as they emerge from cave entrances for two hours after sunset. The influence of cloud cover, relative humidity, and surface temperature on counts is unknown and there might be few cave crickets that emerge during the first hour of the survey. Using mixed effects models, I assessed the influence of these environmental variables on exit counts and estimated when cave crickets emerged within the two-hour survey period. Exit-count surveys were conducted in eleven caves over four years in central Texas, and caves were surveyed up to four times a year across the four calendar seasons. Cloud cover, relative humidity, and temperature influenced counts, but the greatest influence was from temperature. Peaks in cave cricket counts occurred 80 to 90 minutes after the start of a survey and declined thereafter. Cave cricket exit count surveys should record surface temperature, cloud cover, and relative humidity at the start of surveys so that counts can be adjusted for these environmental influences. Also, surveys can be shortened to 1 or 1.5 hours in length.

Seasonality in phytophagous scarabaeid (Melolonthinae and Rutelinae) abundances in an ‘aseasonal’ Bornean rainforest

Abstract. 1. Seasonal patterns in insect population fluctuations have rarely been examined in rainforests of the central part of Southeast Asia where the climate is aseasonal.2. We examined the seasonality of population fluctuations in a Bornean rainforest phytophagous scarabaeid assemblage (six species of Melolonthinae and seven of Rutelinae). We also investigated effects on abundances of these insects of irregularly fluctuating environmental changes, such as short‐term rainfall, and community‐level leaf flushing and flowering of canopy trees. Scarabaeids were collected over 6 years by monthly light‐trapping.3. Eight scarabaeid species had clear seasonality in occurrence and abundance. Seasonal trends were synchronised across the eight species; their monthly catches peaked from March to May and were nearly zero in other months. An analysis of correlations between environmental changes and insect abundances suggested that short‐term changes in rainfall affected the synchrony.4. In contrast, fluctuations in abundances of five other scarabaeid species were unrelated to calendar seasons. In one of the five scarabaeids, which is a flower‐visiting species, the patterns in population fluctuation strongly correlated with flowering changes. In the remaining four species, no correlations were observed between environmental changes and population fluctuation patterns.5. While previous studies have demonstrated that aseasonal patterns in population fluctuations are common in various insect assemblages in Southeast Asian rainforests, we show that clear seasonality is prevalent for the phytophagous scarabaeid assemblage.

Widows: agents of change in a climate of water uncertainty

The African continent has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic and as a consequence, development is being obstructed. Agriculture and food production systems are changing as a result of the burden of the pandemic. Many farming families are experiencing trauma from morbidity and mortality as well as facing labour losses and exhaustion. To further exacerbate the situation, climate variability and change reduce the available water supply for domestic and productive uses. This article describes how these multiple stressors play out in Nyanza province in Western Kenya and explores livelihood responses to water stress in Onjiko location, Nyanza. In this community, widows and divorced women affected by HIV and AIDS have become agents of positive change. Data from local surveys (2007), mapping of seasonal calendars (September 2009) and numerous focus group meetings and interviews with women in Onjiko (October 2008, January 2010, January 2011), reveal that despite a negative fall-back position, widows are improving their households’ water and food security. This adaptation and even mitigation to some of the experienced climate impacts are emerging from their new activities in a setting of changing conditions. In the capacity of main livelihood providers, widows are gaining increased decision making and bargaining power. As such they can invest in sustainable innovations like rain water harvesting systems and agroforestry. Throughout, they work together in formalized groups of collective action that capitalize on the pooling of natural and human resources as well as planned financial management during hardship periods.

Seasonal variability in airborne bacterial communities at a high-elevation site

Abstract Although bacteria are ubiquitous in the near-surface atmosphere, the temporal dynamics of airborne bacterial communities have not been well-studied. We examined seasonal shifts in bacterial abundances, the relative contribution of bacteria to total aerosol loads, and bacterial community structure at a high-elevation research station in northern Colorado, USA. Aerosol samples were collected from the near-surface atmosphere over 5–10 days during each of the four calendar seasons. Bacterial abundances varied by season with the highest concentrations observed during the fall and spring seasons, consistent with the changes in total particle concentrations, with bacterial cells often representing a large fraction (22% on average) of the total near-surface aerosol particles >0.5 μm. Bacterial community composition, determined via barcoded pyrosequencing, also varied significantly by season. The dominant taxa in the spring, winter, and second half of the fall sampling periods (when the ground was snow covered) were bacterial taxa commonly found in other cold environments while the summer and first half of the fall samples contained taxa that were likely derived from soil and leaf-surface environments. Bacteria are clearly an important component of atmospheric aerosols with the abundance and composition of these airborne bacterial communities shaped by seasonal shifts in atmospheric conditions and the conditions of the local terrestrial environment.

Air pollution indicators predict outbreaks of asthma exacerbations among elementary school children: integration of daily environmental and school health surveillance systems in Pennsylvania

Objectives of this study are to determine if a relationship exists between asthma exacerbations among elementary school children in industrialized countries (with climatic seasons) and exposure to daily air pollution with particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and ozone, when controlled for potential confounders; and, if so, to derive a statistical model that predicts variation of asthma exacerbations among elementary school children. Using an ecological study design, health records of 168,25 students from elementary schools in 49 Pennsylvania counties employing "Health eTools for Schools" were analyzed. Asthma exacerbations were recorded by nurses as treatment given during clinic visits each day. Daily air pollution measurements were obtained from the EPA's air quality monitoring sites. The distribution of asthmatic grouping for pollen and calendar seasons was developed. A Poisson regression model was used to predict the number of asthma exacerbations. The greatest occurrence of asthma exacerbations was in autumn, followed by summer, spring and winter. If the number of asthma exacerbations on a day is N and the daily mean of asthma exacerbations for the three-year period is 48, the probabilities of N > 48 in tree pollen and grass pollen seasons were 56.5% and 40.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). According to the Poisson regression, the week number and prior day CO, SO₂, NO₂, NOx, PM₂.₅, and O₃ had significant effects on asthma exacerbations among students. Monitoring of air pollutants over time could be a reliable new means for predicting asthma exacerbations among elementary school children. Such predictions could help parents and school nurses implement effective precautionary measures.

Participatory analysis of problems limiting goat production at selected districts of East Showa zone, Ethiopia

The study was conducted at selected districts of East Showa zone namely; Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha and Fentale districts with an objective of identifying problems limiting goat production at the area, to identify constraints and opportunities of goat production of the area and generating information for development practitioners working in the area. The sampled district was selected based on the potential of goat production of the zone. Two kebele per district were selected. 15 to 20 key informant farmers were identified with development workers per sampled kebele for group discussion. Both female and male households invited for group discussion. Appropriate Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools were identified and used for the study. A mix of PRA tools like group discussion, key informant interviews, pair wise ranking and seasonal calendar were employed for data collection and analysis. The PRA result was analyzed by descriptive statistics by using PRA tools. The study result indicates that, goat production is one of the major livelihood activities for the goat keepers of the area. In addition, it is used as household consumption (milk, butter and meat), generating income serves as wealth storage, and social values/ social gathering. Different problems like diseases (sheep and goat pox, diarrhea, ecto-parasite, circling disease and Mastitis, CCPP, anthrax, pasteurellosis, FMD), shortage of feeds, and lack of awareness on small ruminant fattening extension packages like concentrate supplementation and housing managements, market related problems, lack of awareness on inbreeding concepts and its effect, long kidding interval and Cu- deficiency are the major problems identified by the current study, which limits goat production in the area. Based on this finding, the study recommends that creating of wider awareness for farmers on goat production packages majorly, fattening extension packages, strengthening of veterinary services, reducing of inbreeding through awareness creation and/or introduction of cross breeds are some of the areas that needs to be improved. The study further recommends that, improving of animal feeds is the other major focus areas that needs to be giving due attention by stakeholders working in the area. Key words: Participatory rural appraisal (PRA), Ethiopia, pair wise ranking.

IS THE ASSOCIATION OF AIR POLLUTION WITH INCIDENT CORONARY HEART DISEASE OR ALL CAUSE MORTALITY MODIFIED BY A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?

Background and Aims:Chronic exposures to particulate matter (PM) have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Few studies, however, have been able to examine the impacts of a healthy lifestyle on these associations. Methods:Monthly PM10 levels 1988-2006 were assigned to the residential address history of 101,307 members of the all-female Nurses’ Health Study and were used to calculate time-varying average exposure in the previous 12 months. Information on confounders and diet and physical activity was available from mailed questionnaires. Effect modification of the association of PM10 with risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and all-cause mortality by diet, alcohol consumption, and physical activity was assessed in stratified Cox proportional hazards models. All models were adjusted for calendar month, season, current age, region, family history, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, BMI, diabetes, cigarette smoking, median census tract income and home value. . Results:Each 10 µg/m3 increase in 12 month average PM10 was associated with an all-cause hazard ratio (HR) of 1.07 (95%CI: 1.04-1.11) and an incident CHD HR=1.04 (95%CI: 0.97-1.12). We observed suggestions of effect modification of the all-cause mortality associations by total antioxidant intake and physical activity. Similar patterns were seen for incident CHD with additional effect modification by the prudent diet pattern, fruit consumption, and alcohol consumption. Overall, increasing consumption of healthy foods was associated with a lower risk per unit increase of PM10, while increasing physical activity levels were associated with higher risks. Conclusions:These results suggest that individuals with moderate alcohol consumption and increased consumption of healthy foods may be at a lower risk of incident CHD and all-cause mortality per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10. Individuals with higher levels of physical activity may be at a higher risk, possibly due to additional time outdoors.

Analysis of goat production situation at Arsi Negele Woreda, Ethiopia

The study was conducted at Arsi Negele District of Oromia Regional Administrative Zone with objectives of: (1) Assessing goat production situation of the area (2) identifying problems limiting goat production of the area, (3) Generating information for development practitioners working in the area to improve the situation. The sampled kebele were selected based on the potential of goat production and suitability of the area for transportation. Fifteen to twenty key informant farmers were identified with development workers for group discussion per the sampled kebele. Both female and male households were invited for group discussion. Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques and methods were employed for data collection. A mix of PRA tools like group discussion, pair wise ranking, seasonal calendar and secondary data reviews were employed during data collection. The study is based on qualitative data analysis using descriptive statistics. From the current study it was realized that goat production is one of the major livelihood options for the goat keepers of the area. The study also identified that goat production plays a pivotal role in many ways for the goat keepers of the area. Its significance includes; serving as a source of milk, butter, and meat as well as income generation. In addition to this, it is considered as wealth and has contributed to social values. Furthermore, farmers also consider it as a risk mitigation strategy to cope with adverse environmental effects; this is mainly when shortage of rain occurs at the area or when scarcity of production occurs. Farmers also identified that goat production is advantageous because of having short generation intervals which give quick production for market. These huge contributions are also considered as the major reasons behind for keeping goat in the study area. Despite these benefits, goat rearing practices of the area have been constrained by many factors which can be categorized under genetic and non-genetic categories. The major non-genetic factors identified include; diseases like sheep and goat pox, diarrhea, ecto-parasite, circling disease, mastitis, anthrax, and pasteurellosis, shortage of feeds, weak extension services, and market related problems. Genetic related factors are mainly associated with lack of breed improvement interventions. Therefore, the study recommends that goat production extension package generation, development and popularization for the study area needs to be giving due attention by the stake holders working in the area. Key words: Arsi Bale goats, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) and Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) Management Strategies in the Midst of Conflict and Change: A Dogon Case Study from Mali

The tree management practices of a Dogon village in Mali, West Africa were investigated to learn how a rural population adapts its strategies to cope with institutional change, climate change, unequal land distribution, and expanding market access. A range of methodologies was used, including semi-structured interviews, seasonal calendars, community mapping and matrices. Special focus was given to baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.), two highly used and valuable trees within this community. This research reveals that community members have realized that traditional management practices are no longer effective in dealing with the impacts of these transitions, and highlights the fact that management practices, while historically uniform, have begun to diverge in recent years based on unequal land and water endowments within the village. Understanding the rights and abilities of all users to access and protect these species is crucial to their conservation.

Indigenous forest management in Bolivia: potentials for livelihood improvement

SUMMARY Decentralised forest management is becoming increasingly widespread in especially tropical countries, but impacts on livelihoods of forest users often remain to be evaluated. This paper analyses intrinsically linked governance and livelihood outcomes of forest decentralisation in Bolivia, focussing on the livelihoods of the indigenous lowland population to whom forests are handed over for commercial timber exploitation. Data at community and household levels were collected in three indigenous communities using interviews, focus group discussions, visual appraisal methods (communal map and histories, seasonal calendars, resource trend analyses) and a survey including 54 randomly sampled households. It is concluded that the most important outcome of a Forest Management Plan is support for land claims, that barriers to profitable commercial timber harvest include costly technical requirements as well as low value of the resource handed over, and that indigenous benefit distribution is not necessarily...

Australian Aboriginal Peoples' Seasonal Knowledge: a Potential Basis for Shared Understanding in Environmental Management

Natural resource scientists and managers increasingly recognize traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) for its potential contribution to contemporary natural resource management (NRM) and, through this, to more resilient social-ecological systems. In practice, however, inadequate cross-cultural means to organize and communicate TEK can limit its effective inclusion in management decisions. Indigenous seasonal knowledge involving temporal knowledge of biota, landscapes, weather, seasonal cycles, and their links with culture and land uses is one type of TEK relevant to this issue. We reviewed the literature on Australian Aboriginal seasonal knowledge to characterize contemporary and potential applications to NRM. This knowledge was often documented through cross-cultural collaboration in the form of ecological calendars. Our analysis revealed a variety of basic and applied environmental information in Aboriginal seasonal descriptions and calendars that can contribute directly to NRM. Documented applications have been limited to date, but include fire management, inclusion as general material in NRM plans, and interpretative information about environments. Emerging applications include water management and climate change monitoring. Importantly, seasonal knowledge can also contribute indirectly to NRM outcomes by providing an organizing framework for the recovery, retention, and crosscultural communication of TEK and linking to its broader cultural and cosmological contexts. We conclude that by facilitating the combination of experiential with experimental knowledge and fostering complementarity of different knowledge systems, Aboriginal seasonal knowledge can increasingly contribute to more resilient social-ecological outcomes in NRM. Nevertheless, the seasonal framework should augment, rather than override, other approaches to cross-cultural NRM such as those with spatial and/or social-ecological emphasis.

Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait

Reading seasons and environments has been a long-held practice for Torres Strait Islanders through their close relationships with their islands and seas. This research project worked with elders on Erub (Darnley) Island, in the eastern group of islands in the Torres Strait, to document and synthesise their knowledge of seasonal patterns and indicators, and climate change. This knowledge varied from details on the migration and nesting patterns of the main totem birds, to the movement of the Tagai star constellation, to the onset of wind patterns indicating certain planting or fishing cycles. The importance of documenting and transferring such knowledge is that it continues the task of generating interest among the younger generation to ‘read’ their landscape, which is especially pertinent given the projected impacts of climate change. The ability of islanders to identify indicators and ‘read’ their country is an important tool in monitoring and adapting to environmental change, as well as maintaining culture, livelihoods and environment. This article outlines this knowledge, and documents the process of utilising this knowledge to develop a seasonal calendar, which was also transposed into a larger mural at the local primary school. The school children were involved in assembling the mural, and its contents will now form part of the teaching curriculum. It is hoped that by documenting and sharing such knowledge, younger generations can see its value, for instance in monitoring the impacts of environmental change, and in turn it will be valued by them.

Variability of meteorological elements shaping biometeorological conditions in Szczecin, Poland

In this study, the time and spatial variability of perceptible conditions, determined on the basis of effective temperature in the area of the Szczecin agglomeration are presented. The study was based on air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed data acquired during 2005–2007 from three emissions stations located in the centre and on the outskirts of the city of Szczecin, Poland. The differences in the values of the measured meteorological components between the studied city locations, in terms of their magnitude and daily structure, were analysed by month and calendar season. The results demonstrate that the temperatures in the city centre were considerably higher throughout the daily cycle, which was most evident during the summer in contrast to winter when the differences were the lowest. Mainly June and July, at 17–24 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), were characterized by the average highest intensity of the urban heat island. Reduced relative humidity in the centre of Szczecin, as compared to the suburban areas, was observed particularly during summer. Throughout the daily cycle, this trend was also observed during spring, primarily during the night. Wind speed within the congested housing in the centre of Szczecin was over two-fold lower as compared to the unbuilt-up areas of the outskirts, irrespective of the time of the day and season of the year. Modification of the air humidity, thermal and anemometric conditions was reflected in a considerable variation in heat perception. In summer and spring, between 1300 and 2100 UTC, the most burdening biometeorological conditions, sensed as ‘hot’ and ‘very hot’ weather, prevailed in the city centre. During winter, on the other hand, the unbuilt-up areas on the city outskirts were the most unfavourable in terms of biothermal conditions, with the predominant categories of perceptible weather conditions throughout the daily cycle being ‘cold’ and ‘very cold’.

Low energy consumption seasonal calendar for sectoring operation in pressurized irrigation networks

Pressurized irrigation networks and organized on-demand are usually constrained by the high amounts of energy required for their operation. In this line, sectoring, where farmers are organized in turns, is one of the most efficient measures to reduce their energy consumption. In this work, a methodology for optimal sectoring is developed. Initially it groups similar hydrants in homogeneous groups according to the distance to the pumping station and their elevation, using cluster analysis techniques and certain dimensionless coordinates. Second, an algorithm based on the EPANET engine is implemented to search for the best monthly sectoring strategy that accomplish supplying the actual irrigation demand under minimum energy consumption conditions. This methodology is applied to two Spanish irrigation districts (Fuente Palmera and El Villar). Results showed that organizing the networks in sectors, annual energy savings of 8 and 5% were achieved for Fuente Palmera and El Villar when the theoretic irrigation needs were considered. However, these savings rose up to 27 and 9%, respectively when the local practices, deficit irrigation, were taken into account. Thus, they confirm that water and energy efficiency cannot be optimized independently and need to be considered together.

Seasonality of childhood infectious diseases in Niono, Mali

Common childhood diseases vary seasonally in Mali, much of the Sahel, and other parts of the world, yet patterns for multiple diseases have rarely been simultaneously described for extended periods at single locations. In this retrospective longitudinal (1996–2004) investigation, we studied the seasonality of malaria, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea time-series in the district of Niono, Sahelian Mali. We extracted and analysed seasonal patterns from each time-series with the Multiplicative Holt–Winters and Wavelet Transform methods. Subsequently, we considered hypothetical scenarios where successful prevention and intervention measures reduced disease seasonality by 25 or 50% to assess the impact of health programmes on annual childhood morbidity. The results showed that all three disease time-series displayed remarkable seasonal stability. Malaria, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea peaked in December, March (and September) and August, respectively. Finally, the annual childhood morbidity stemming from each disease diminished 7–26% in the considered hypothetical scenarios. We concluded that seasonality may assist with guiding the development of integrated seasonal disease calendars for programmatic child health promotion activities.