Seasonal Signature Research Articles

Characterizing multifarious hydroclimatic patterns using geodetic measurements in the Australian mainland

Benefiting from the tremendous advance of modern geodetic technologies, accurate measurements provide us with novel means to weigh terrestrial water storage (TWS) and shed critical light on hydroclimatic interaction mechanisms. In this study, GNSS and GRACE observations are jointly used to investigate spatiotemporal TWS fluctuations and their connections with large-scale climate patterns in the Australian mainland. A variational Bayesian principal component analysis-based inversion method is designed to handle random data missing in GNSS and long-term data gaps in GRACE. The jointly inferred TWS estimates manifest more spatial details compared to the GRACE Mascon solutions and good resistance to non-hydrological mechanisms in GNSS data. The joint inversion results are compared with other water-related storage/flux estimates (i.e., GLDAS, GRACE, and precipitation), which have considerable coherence with TWS at both temporal and spatial scales. The results indicate obvious annual variations in TWS changes in north Australia in contrast to inappreciable seasonal hydrological signatures in other vast arid zones. Hydrological wet/dry conditions are quantified with drought severity index (DSI) datasets derived from multiple means and the joint-based DSI datasets temporally agree with the other datasets and correspond well with precipitation anomalies in most watersheds. In addition, the jointly inverted TWS estimates are used to declassify multifarious hydroclimatic features, and multi-source hydrometeorological datasets are used to attribute interannual TWS changes. Our study contributes to better observing the water cycles for the hydrological community and illuminates more application prospects in the climate sciences.

Sources of NH4+ in PM2.5 and Their Seasonal Variations in Urban Tianjin China: New Insights From the Seasonal δ15N Values of NH3 Source

AbstractThe stable nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) has been widely used to quantify sources of ammonium (NH4+) in PM2.5. However, the overlap and uncertainty in δ15N values from different NH3 sources, coupled with their seasonal variability, hinder accurate identification of NH4+ source. Here, the δ15N values of various NH3 source samples collected by the active sampler were determined. Subsequently, we measured the δ15N values of NH4+ in PM2.5, which were collected seasonally in Tianjin. We found that the combustion‐related NH3 (c‐NH3) exhibiting higher δ15N values compared to volatile NH3 (v‐NH3), but all δ15N values was fell within the range reported by previous studies. Furthermore, inconsistent seasonal variations were observed in the δ15N‐NH3 values originating from emissions of agricultural soil and human excreta. The application of the Bayesian isotope mixing model (MixSIAR model) revealed a significant increase in the contribution of v‐NH3 to NH4+ when incorporating current source data, as opposed to previous data, for δ15N of NH3 source. Notably, the contribution of v‐NH3 (53.1%) to NH4+ was almost equivalent to that of c‐NH3 (46.9%) when considering the seasonal δ15N signatures of NH3 source. Additionally, the estimated contribution of v‐NH3 to NH4+ exhibited significant seasonal variability, which is more reasonable than in the non‐seasonal scenario. This study demonstrated that v‐NH3 and c‐NH3 contributed to NH4+ in PM2.5 in Tianjin almost equally, and it is highlighted that the seasonal δ15N values of NH3 sources should be considered when estimating the contributions of different NH3 sources to NH4+ in PM2.5 by the MixSIAR model.

Isotopic evidence for seasonal water sources in tree xylem and forest soils

AbstractForest trees greatly influence both the routing of water downward into the subsurface and the re‐routing of water upward through water uptake and transpiration. To reveal how the subsurface soil water pools used by trees change across seasons, we analysed 2 years of stable isotope ratios of precipitation, soil water from different depths (using both bulk sampling and suction‐cup lysimeters), and xylem in a mixed beech and spruce forest. Precipitation as well as mobile and bulk soil waters all showed a distinct seasonal signature; the seasonal amplitude decreased with depth, and mobile soil waters fluctuated less than bulk soil waters. Xylem water signatures in both tree species were similar to the bulk soil water signatures and rather different from the mobile soil water signatures. The beech and spruce trees had different isotope ratios, suggesting the use of different water sources, and these differences were larger under dry antecedent conditions than wet antecedent conditions. Despite these differences, both species predominantly transpired waters with a winter‐precipitation isotopic signature throughout the summer, including during wet conditions when more recent precipitation was available. Over most of the sampling dates, the fraction of recent precipitation (i.e. from the preceding 30 days) in xylem water was low, despite both species typically demonstrating the use of both shallow and deeper soil waters. These results provide evidence that the soil water storages used by these trees are largely filled in winter and bypassed by recent precipitation, implying long residence times.

Distinct geographical and seasonal signals in two tree-ring based streamflow reconstructions from Tasmania, southeastern Australia

Study region Western Tasmania, southeastern Australia.Study focus We present two new tree-ring based inflow reconstructions from western Tasmania in southeastern Australia.The warm season reconstruction (Dec–Feb) extends from 1030–2007 CE and explains up to 42% of the variance in instrumental flow, while the cool season (JA) extends from 1550–2007 CE and explains 27% of instrumental flow variance. Key features include an extended pluvial period in the 11th Century and a protracted dry period in ∼1500CE, neither of which are represented in the DJF instrumental record. Decreasing JA flow since the 19th Century is consistent with a local sediment-based hydroclimate record.New hydrological insights for the region The reconstructions confirm that the instrumental data do not capture how protracted past low or high flow periods have been. It is therefore important to consider pre-instrumental flow data when planning for the future. The reconstructions provide new insights into regional variability through their association with the Subtropical Ridge (STR) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). Differing spatial signatures of the seasonal reconstructions, and their associations with season-specific impacts of STR and SAM, highlight the need for caution when considering the use of remote hydroclimate proxy records with strong seasonal signatures. The reconstructions suggest that extrapolation of seasonally defined reconstructions to represent annual flow for regions beyond the extent of their spatial footprint may be problematic.

Towards a comprehensive understanding of the muscle proteome in Schizothorax labiatus: Insights from seasonal variations, metabolic responses, and reproductive signatures in the River Jhelum

Proteomics is a very advanced technique used for defining correlations, compositions and activities of hundreds of proteins from organisms as well as effectively used in identifying particular proteins with varying peptide lengths and amino acid counts. In the present study, an endeavour has been put forth to create muscle proteome expression of snow trout, Schizothorax labiatus. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using label free quantification (LFQ) technique has extensively been carried out to explore changes in protein metabolism and its composition to discriminate across species, clarify functions and pinpoint protein biomarkers from organisms. In LFQ technique, the abundances of proteins are determined based on the signal intensities of their corresponding peptides in mass spectrometry. The main benefit of using this method is that it doesn't require pre-labelling proteins with isotopic tags, which streamlines the experimental procedure and gets rid of any bias that might have been caused by the labelling process. LFQ techniques frequently offer a wider dynamic range, making it possible to detect and quantify proteins over a broad range of abundances obtained from the complex biological materials including fish muscle. The results of proteomic analysis could provide an insight in understanding about how various proteins are expressed in response to environmental challenges. For proteomic study, two different weight groups of S. labiatus were taken from River Jhelum based on biological, physiological and logistical factors. These groups corresponded to different life stages, such as younger size and adults/brooders in order to capture potential variations in the muscle proteome related to growth and development. The proteomic analysis of S. labiatus depicted that an overall of 220 proteins in male and 228 in female fish of group 1 were noted. However, when male and female S. labiatus were examined based on spectral count and peptide abundance using ProteinLynx Global Software, a total of 10 downregulated and 32 upregulated proteins were found. In group 2 of S. labiatus, a total of 249 proteins in male and 301 in female fish were documented. When the two genders of S. labiatus were likened to one another by LFQ technique, a total of 41 downregulated and 06 upregulated proteins were identified. The variability in the protein numbers between two fish weight groups reflected biological differences, influenced by factors such as age, developmental stages, physiological condition and reproductive activities. During the study, it was observed that S. labiatus exhibited downregulated levels of proteins that were involved in feeding and growth. The contributing factors to this manifestation could be explained by lower feeding and metabolic activity of fish and decreased food availability during winter in River Jhelum. Contrarily, the fish immune response proteins were found to be significantly over-expressed in S. labiatus, indicating that the environment was more likely to undergo increased microbial infection, pollution load and anthropogenic activities. In addition, it was also discovered that there was an upregulated expression of the reproductive proteins in S. labiatus, which could be linked to the fish's pre-spawning time as the fish used in this study was collected in the winter season which is the pre-spawning period of the fish. Therefore, the present study would be useful in obtaining new insights regarding the molecular makeup of species, methods of adaptation and reactions to environmental stresses. This information contributes to our understanding of basic science and may have applications in environmental monitoring, conservation and preservation of fish species.

Urbanization and malaria have a contextual relationship in endemic areas: A temporal and spatial study in Ghana.

In West Africa, malaria is one of the leading causes of disease-induced deaths. Existing studies indicate that as urbanization increases, there is corresponding decrease in malaria prevalence. However, in malaria-endemic areas, the prevalence in some rural areas is sometimes lower than in some peri-urban and urban areas. Therefore, the relationship between the degree of urbanization, the impact of living in urban areas, and the prevalence of malaria remains unclear. This study explores this association in Ghana, using epidemiological data at the district level (2015-2018) and data on health, hygiene, and education. We applied a multilevel model and time series decomposition to understand the epidemiological pattern of malaria in Ghana. Then we classified the districts of Ghana into rural, peri-urban, and urban areas using administratively defined urbanization, total built areas, and built intensity. We converted the prevalence time series into cross-sectional data for each district by extracting features from the data. To predict the determinant most impacting according to the degree of urbanization, we used a cluster-specific random forest. We find that prevalence is impacted by seasonality, but the trend of the seasonal signature is not noticeable in urban and peri-urban areas. While urban districts have a slightly lower prevalence, there are still pockets with higher rates within these regions. These areas of high prevalence are linked to proximity to water bodies and waterways, but the rise in these same variables is not associated with the increase of prevalence in peri-urban areas. The increase in nightlight reflectance in rural areas is associated with an increased prevalence. We conclude that urbanization is not the main factor driving the decline in malaria. However, the data indicate that understanding and managing malaria prevalence in urbanization will necessitate a focus on these contextual factors. Finally, we design an interactive tool, 'malDecision' that allows data-supported decision-making.

Seasonality and Lithic Investment in the Oldowan

Seasonality is a critical driver of resource availability within individual generations and is therefore likely to have exerted selective pressures on hominin evolution. Nonetheless, it has frequently been overlooked in discussions of early technological variability. This paper examines the relationship between seasonality and lithic investment in the Oldowan of eastern Africa, to broaden our understanding of hominin behavioural adaptability. We develop a framework for the identification of seasonal signatures in the archaeological record and examine the nature of lithic variability across 12 Early Pleistocene localities. In combining these insights, we suggest that seasonality played a pivotal role in shaping the pattern of lithic investment in the Oldowan, with peak investment related to greater wet season processing of plant resources and mobility across the landscape. The productivity of cores, retouching of flakes, and use of percussive implements may each play a role in this seasonal patterning of tool use. Our analysis provides further evidence that Oldowan hominins were able to adapt their technological behaviours to changing environmental conditions, even at the scale of intra-seasonal fluctuations in resource availability, and how this interacts with landscape familiarity over longer timescales.

Contrasting Seasonal Isotopic Signatures of Near‐Surface Atmospheric Water Vapor in the Central Arctic During the MOSAiC Campaign

AbstractThe Arctic is experiencing unprecedented moistening which is expected to have far‐reaching impact on global climate and weather patterns. However, it remains unclear whether this newly sourced moisture originates locally from ice‐free ocean regions or is advected from lower latitudes. In this study, we use water vapor isotope measurements in combination with trajectory‐based diagnostics and an isotope‐enabled atmosphere general circulation model, to assess seasonal shifts in moisture sources and transport pathways in the Arctic. Continuous measurements of near‐surface vapor, δ18O, and δD were performed onboard RV Polarstern during the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate expedition from October 2019 to September 2020. Combining this isotope data set with meteorological observations reveals that the spatiotemporal evolution of δ18O mimics changes in local temperature and humidity at synoptic to seasonal time scales, while corresponding d‐excess changes suggest a seasonal shift in the origin of moisture. Simulation results from the particle dispersion model FLEXPART support these findings, indicating that summer moisture originates from nearby open ocean, while winter moisture comes from more remote sources with longer residence time over sea‐ice. Results from a nudged ECHAM6‐wiso simulation also indicate that evaporative processes from the ocean surface reproduce summer isotope values, but are insufficient to explain measured winter isotope values. Our study provides the first isotopic characterization of Central Arctic moisture over the course of an entire year, helping to differentiate the influence of local processes versus large‐scale vapor transport on Arctic moistening. Future process‐based investigations should focus on assessing the non‐equilibrium isotopic fractionation during airmass transformation over sea‐ice.

A Spatial–Temporal Bayesian Deep Image Prior Model for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Temporal Mixture Analysis

Time-series remote sensing images are important in agricultural monitoring and investigation. However, most time-series data with high temporal resolution have the problem of insufficient spatial resolution which cannot meet the requirement of precision agriculture. The unmixing technique can obtain the object abundances with richer spatial information from the coarse-resolution images. Although the unmixing technique is widely used in hyperspectral data, it is insufficiently researched for time-series data. Temporal unmixing extends spectral unmixing to the time domain from the spectral domain, and describes the temporal characteristics rather than the spectral characteristics of different ground objects. Deep learning (DL) techniques have achieved promising performance for the unmixing problem in recent years, but there are still few studies on temporal mixture analysis (TMA), especially in the application of crop phenological monitoring. This paper presents a novel spatial–temporal deep image prior method based on a Bayesian framework (ST-Bdip), which innovatively combines the knowledge-driven TMA model and the DL-driven model. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data is used as the object for TMA, while the extracted seasonal crop signatures and the fractional coverages are perceived as the temporal endmembers (tEMs) and corresponding abundances. The proposed ST-Bdip method mainly includes the following contributions. First, a deep image prior model based on U-Net architecture is designed to efficiently learn the spatial context information, which enhances the representation of abundance modeling compared to the traditional non-negative least squares algorithm. Second, The TMA model is incorporated into the U-Net training process to exploit the knowledge in the forward temporal model effectively. Third, the temporal noise heterogeneity in time-series images is considered in the model optimization process. Specifically, the anisotropic covariance matrix of observations from different time dimensions is modeled as a multivariate Gaussian distribution and incorporated into the calculation of the loss function. Fourth, the "purified means" approach is used to further optimize crop tEMs and the corresponding abundances. Finally, the expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm is designed to solve the maximum a posterior (MAP) problem of the model in the Bayesian framework. Experimental results on three synthetic datasets with different noise levels and two real MODIS datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach in comparison with seven traditional and advanced unmixing algorithms.

Seasonal gene expression signatures of delayed fertilization in Fagaceae.

In the family Fagaceae, fertilization is delayed by several weeks to 1 year after pollination, leading to 1- or 2-year fruiting species depending on whether fruiting occurs in the same or the next year after flowering. To investigate physiological responses underlying the regulation of delayed fertilization, we monitored seasonal changes in genome-wide gene expression in tissues including leaves and buds over 2 years under natural conditions in one- (Quercus glauca) and 2-year fruiting species (Lithocarpus edulis). Genes associated with metabolic changes in response to winter cold, photosynthesis and cell proliferation, which are essential for survival and growth, showed highly conserved seasonal expression profiles between species. However, seasonal expression profiles diverged between species in genes associated with pollination, an important process contributing to the origin and maintenance of the reproductive barrier between plant species. By comparing seasonal progression of ovule development and gene expression in pistillate flowers, we revealed that ovules started developing after winter in the 2-year fruiting species, which could be linked to the activation of genes involved in fertilization and female gametophyte development after winter. These findings suggest that the 2-year fruiting species may have evolved a requirement of winter cold to prevent fertilization before winter and facilitate fertilization and embryo development in the following spring when temperature rises. This study offers new possibilities to explore the evolution of reproductive strategies in Fagaceae.

A Multiple Interactive Continua Model (MINC) to Simulate Reactive Mass Transport in a Post-Mining Coal Zone: A Case Study of the Ibbenbüren Westfield

We tested the suitability of the multiple interactive continua approach (MINC) to simulate reactive mass transport in a disturbed post-mining coal zone. To the authors’ knowledge, this approach has not been employed in such mining settings despite its relative success in other environmental fields. To this end, TOUGHREACT software was used to set up a MINC model of the unsaturated overburden of the Ibbenbüren Westfield. With it, we examined and evaluated water–rock interactions in both the fractured and porous continua as the main driver of elevated hydrogen, iron, sulfate, and chloride concentrations in the coal mine groundwater. Long and seasonal geochemical signatures were obtained by formulating and applying a five-stage modelling process that depicts the mining history of the area. The simulation results agree well with the concentrations and discharge trends measured in the mine drainage. Oxygen and meteoric water flow through the fractured continuum, leading to a high and steady release of hydrogen, iron, and sulfate ions derived from pyrite oxidation in the matrix continua closest to the fractures. Likewise, high chloride concentrations resulted from the mixing and gradual release of relatively immobile solutes in the matrix as they interacted with percolating water in the fracture. In both cases, the use of a multiple continua approach was essential to resolve sharp gradients for advection and faster kinetic reactions, while reducing the model’s dependence on block size for diffusive transport at the fracture–matrix interface. The model further allows for the calculation and analysis of solute exchange and transport in the unsaturated overburden resulting from rebound and imbibition processes, something pioneering when compared to other models in the field.

An apicomplexan parasite drives the collapse of the bay scallop population in New York

The bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, represents a commercially, culturally and ecologically important species found along the United States’ Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Since 2019, scallop populations in New York have been suffering large-scale summer mortalities resulting in 90–99% reduction in biomass of adult scallops. Preliminary investigations of these mortality events showed 100% prevalence of an apicomplexan parasite infecting kidney tissues. This study was designed to provide histological, ultrastructural and molecular characteristics of a non-described parasite, member of the newly established Marosporida clade (Apicomplexa) and provisionally named BSM (Bay Scallop Marosporida). Molecular diagnostics tools (quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization) were developed and used to monitor disease development. Results showed that BSM disrupts multiple scallop tissues including kidney, adductor muscle, gill, and gonad. Microscopy observations allowed the identification of both intracellular and extracellular stages of the parasite. Field surveys demonstrated a strong seasonal signature in disease prevalence and intensity, as severe cases and mortality increase as summer progresses. These results strongly suggest that BSM infection plays a major role in the collapse of bay scallop populations in New York. In this framework, BSM may synergistically interact with stressful environmental conditions to impair the host and lead to mortality.

Seasonal and Form-Specific Gene Expression Signatures Uncover Different Generational Strategies of the Pelagic Tunicate Salpa thompsoni During the Southern Ocean Winter

The pelagic tunicateSalpa thompsoniis recognized as a major metazoan grazer in the Southern Ocean. Long term observations show an increase in this species’ biomass and a southward shift in its distribution both of which are positively correlated with ocean warming and winter sea ice decline around the Antarctic Peninsula. However, our understanding on how salps adapt their life cycle to the extreme seasonality of the Southern Ocean and the putative differences between its two reproductive forms (aggregates, solitaries) is rudimentary. In particular, our current knowledge of whether and howS. thompsonioverwinter is limited, largely due to winter sampling constraints. In this study, we investigated the form-specific gene expression profiles ofSalpa thompsoniduring the austral autumn and winter. Between the seasons, genes related to translation showed the biggest difference in gene expression. We found more genes were upregulated in solitaries compared to aggregates, indicating a potentially form-specific overwintering strategy. Our data provide first insights into the seasonal and form-specific physiology of salps by considering their complex life cycle, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the response of salps to seasonal changes in their environment and to anthropogenic induced global climate change.

Characterising the seasonal nature of meteorological drought onset and termination across Australia

Drought, and its associated impacts, represents one of the costliest natural hazards worldwide, highlighting the need for prediction and preparedness. While advancements have been made in monitoring current droughts, prediction of onset and termination have proven to be much more challenging. This is because drought is unlike any other natural hazard and cannot be characterised by a single weather event. There is also a high degree of spatial variability in this phenomenon across the vast expanse of the Australian continent. Therefore, by characterising regionally specific expressions of drought, we may improve drought predictability. In this study, we analyse the timing of onset and termination of meteorological droughts across Australia from 1900 to 2015, as well as their local and regional climate controls. We show that meteorological drought onset has a strong seasonal signature across Australia that varies spatially, whereas termination is less seasonally restricted. Using a Random Forest modelling approach with predictor variables representative of large-scale ocean-atmosphere phenomena and local climate, up to 75% of the variance in the Standardised Precipitation Index during both onset and termination could be explained. This study offers support to continued development in long-lead forecasting of local and large-scale ocean/atmosphere conditions to improve drought prediction in Australia and elsewhere.

Characteristics of Precipitation Diurnal Cycle over a Mountainous Area of Sumatra Island including MJO and Seasonal Signatures Based on the 15-Year Optical Rain Gauge Data, WRF Model and IMERG

In this study we investigate the characteristics of the diurnal precipitation cycle including the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and seasonal influences over a mountainous area in Sumatra Island based on the in situ measurement of precipitation using the optical rain gauge (ORG). For comparison with ORG data, the characteristics based on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission (IMERG) and Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations were also investigated. Fifteen years of ORG data over a mountainous area of Sumatra, namely, at Kototabang (100.32° E, 0.20° S), were analyzed to obtain the characteristics of the diurnal cycle of precipitation in this region. The diurnal cycle of precipitation presented a single peak in the late afternoon, and the peak time difference was closely related to the rain event duration. The MJO acts to modulate the diurnal amplitude but not the diurnal phase. A high precipitation amount (PA) and frequency (PF) were observed during phases 2, 3, and 4, along with an increase in the number of longer-duration rain events, but the diurnal phase was similar in all MJO phases. In terms of season, the highest PA and PF values were observed during pre-southwest and pre-northeast monsoon seasons. WRF simulation reproduced the diurnal phase correctly and more realistically than the IMERG products. However, it largely overestimated the amplitude of the diurnal cycle in comparison with ORG. These disagreements could be related to the resolution and quality of IMERG and WRF data.

Climatic signatures in the different COVID-19 pandemic waves across both hemispheres.

The roles of climate and true seasonal signatures in the epidemiology of emergent pathogens, and that of SARS-CoV-2 in particular, remain poorly understood. With a statistical method designed to detect transitory associations, we show, for COVID-19 cases, strong consistent negative effects of both temperature and absolute humidity at large spatial scales. At finer spatial resolutions, we substantiate these connections during the seasonal rise and fall of COVID-19. Strong disease responses are identified in the first two waves, suggesting clear ranges for temperature and absolute humidity that are similar to those formerly described for seasonal influenza. For COVID-19, in all studied regions and pandemic waves, a process-based model that incorporates a temperature-dependent transmission rate outperforms baseline formulations with no driver or a sinusoidal seasonality. Our results, so far, classify COVID-19 as a seasonal low-temperature infection and suggest an important contribution of the airborne pathway in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, with implications for the control measures we discuss.

Natural and anthropogenic sources of solutes in the wet precipitation of a densely populated city of Southern South America

The chemistry of rainwater is controlled by the interaction among water, airborne particles and gas sources, whether natural or human-made. This article analyzes the chemical composition dynamics of individual rainfall events collected over a three-year period in the densely populated city of Córdoba (Argentina). The main purpose is to identify the natural and/or anthropogenic sources, and the extent to which they determine the seasonal chemical signature exhibited by wet precipitation in the heart of the South Eastern South America. The results reveal that, despite geogenic components are only minor constituents of the airborne particles in downtown Córdoba, they appear to be the main source of solutes in rainwaters, also responsible for the alkaline water pH that predominates most of the year. This fraction mostly corresponds to wind-blown soil particles transported either from local or distant sources, with rare earth elements (REE) patterns similar to those of rainwaters produced during the dry season. Anthropogenic contributions are only evident during the wet season, when rainwater shows REE patterns similar to those of industrial emissions and exhibits moderate enrichment of heavy metals such as Cu and Zn, derived from soluble compounds used in agricultural activities (e.g, sowing, fertilizing). With the exception of these two metals, the remaining heavy metals are depleted in rainwater suggesting that the airborne conveying compounds (mostly anthropogenic) are barely soluble.

Seasonality and Oldowan behavioral variability in East Africa

The extent, nature, and temporality of early hominin food procurement strategies have been subject to extensive debate. In this article, we examine evidence for the seasonal scheduling of resource procurement and technological investment in the Oldowan, starting with an evaluation of the seasonal signature of underground storage organs, freshwater resources, and terrestrial animal resources in extant primates and modern human hunter-gatherer populations. Subsequently, we use the mortality profiles, taxonomic composition, and taphonomy of the bovid assemblages at Kanjera South (Homa Peninsula, Kenya) and FLK-Zinj (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania) to illustrate the behavioral flexibility of Oldowan hominins, who were targeting different seasonally vulnerable demographics. In terms of the lithic assemblages, the specific opportunities and constraints afforded by dry season subsistence at FLK-Zinj may have disincentivized lithic investment, resulting in a more expedient toolkit for fast and effective carcass processing. This may have been reinforced by raw material site provisioning during a relatively prolonged seasonal occupation, reducing pressures on the reduction and curation of lithic implements. In contrast, wet season plant abundance would have offered a predictable set of high-quality resources associated with low levels of competition and reduced search times, in the context of perhaps greater seasonal mobility and consequently shorter occupations. These factors appear to have fostered technological investment to reduce resource handling costs at Kanjera South, facilitated by more consistent net returns and enhanced planning of lithic deployment throughout the landscape. We subsequently discuss the seasonality of freshwater resources in Oldowan procurement strategies, focusing on FwJj20 (Koobi Fora, Kenya). Although more analytical studies with representative sample sizes are needed, we argue that interassemblage differences evidence the ability of Oldowan hominins to adapt to seasonal constraints and opportunities in resource exploitation.

Seasonal and regional signatures of ENSO in upper tropospheric jet characteristics from reanalyses

AbstractThe relationship of upper tropospheric jet variability to El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in reanalysis datasets is analyzed for 1979–2018, revealing robust regional and seasonal variability. Tropical jets associated with monsoons and the Walker circulation are weaker and the zonal mean subtropical jet shifts equatorward in both hemispheres during El Niño, consistent with previous findings. Regional and seasonal variations are analyzed separately for subtropical and polar jets. The subtropical jet shifts poleward during El Niño over the NH eastern Pacific in DJF, and in some SH regions in MAMand SON. Subtropical jet altitudes increase during El Niño, with significant changes in the zonal mean in the NH and during summer/fall in the SH. Though zonal mean polar jet correlations with ENSO are rarely significant, robust regional/seasonal changes occur: The SH polar jet shifts equatorward during El Niño over Asia and the western Pacific in DJF, and poleward over the eastern Pacific in JJA and SON. Polar jets are weaker (stronger) during El Niño in the western (eastern) hemisphere, especially in the SH; conversely, subtropical jets are stronger (weaker) in the western (eastern) hemisphere during El Niño in winter and spring; these opposing changes, along with an anticorrelation between subtropical and polar jet windspeed, reinforce subtropical/polar jet strength differences during El Niño, and suggest ENSO-related covariability of the jets. ENSO-related jet latitude, altitude, and windspeed changes can reach 4(3)°, 0.6(0.3) km, and 6(3) ms−1, respectively, for the subtropical (polar) jets.

Pollen antigens and atmospheric circulation driven seasonal respiratory viral outbreak and its implication to the Covid-19 pandemic

The patterns of respiratory virus illness are expressed differently between temperate and tropical climates. Tropical outbreaks often peak in wet seasons. Temperate outbreaks typically peak during the winter. The prevailing causal hypotheses focus on sunlight, temperature and humidity variations. Yet no consistent factors have been identified to sufficiently explain seasonal virus emergence and decline at any latitude. Here we demonstrate close connections among global-scale atmospheric circulations, IgE antibody enhancement through seasonal pollen inhalation, and respiratory virus patterns at any populated latitude, with a focus on the US. Pollens emerge each Spring, and the renewed IgE titers in the population are argued to terminate each winter peak of respiratory illness. Globally circulated airborne viruses are postulated to subsequently deposit across the Southern US during lower zonal geostrophic winds each late Summer. This seasonally refreshed viral load is postulated to trigger a new influenza outbreak, once the existing IgE antibodies diminish to a critical value each Fall. Our study offers a new and consistent explanation for the seasonal diminishment of respiratory viral illnesses in temperate climates, the subdued seasonal signature in the tropics, the annually circulated virus phenotypes, and the northerly migration of influenza across the US every year. Our integrated geospatial and IgE hypothesis provides a new perspective for prediction, mitigation and prevention of the outbreak and spread of seasonal respiratory viruses including Covid-19 pandemic.