Climatic Zones Research Articles

How do heat waves affect the relationship between built environment patches of different compactness and land surface temperature?

The compactness of the urban built environment significantly affects land surface temperature (LST), especially during heat waves (HW). However, the mechanisms by which the configuration of key building patches in built environments of varying compactness drives LST are unclear. This study proposes a new research framework combining local climate zones (LCZ), spatial pattern type (SPT) and landscape index (LI) to reveal the impacts of key building patches on LST. Taking Shenyang as an example, we utilized the geographically weighted regression (GWR) method to reveal the non-stationary relationship between building patches with different compactness and LST during heat and non-heat waves, and an optimal parameters-based geographical detectors model (OPGDM) to explore the mechanisms by which the configuration of key building patches drives LST. The results show that HW enhances the spatially non-stationary effects of different types of building patches on LST. The configuration of key building patches in the open built environment drives LST more strongly than those in the compact built environment. The relationship between LIs and LST in key building patches exhibits diverse characteristics during heat and non-heat waves, so differentiated configuration optimization strategies are required for built environments of different compactness. The interactions of patch configurations also require emphasis, especially the patch complexity. The research findings help to formulate urban planning strategies from a climate adaptation and mitigation perspective to cope with the increasing frequency of extreme heat events.

The impact of green roofs’ composition on its overall life cycle

Green roof systems have been developed to improve the environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainability. Selecting the appropriate version of the green roof composition plays an important role in the life cycle assessment of a green roof. In this study, 10 compositions of an intensive green roof for moderate zone and 4 green roof compositions for different climatic conditions were designed and comprehensively assessed in terms of their environmental and economic impacts within the “Cradle-to-Cradle” system boundary. The assessment was carried out over a 50-year period for a moderate climate zone. The results showed that asphalt strips and concrete slab produced the highest total emissions. It was found that most greenhouse gases emissions were released in the operational energy consumption phase and in the production phase. The energy consumption phase (48.78%) for automatic irrigation and maintenance caused the highest Global Warming Potential (GWP) value (758.39 kg CO2e) in the worst variant, which also caused the highest life cycle cost (878.47€). On the contrary, in the best variant, planting more vegetation and lower maintenance and irrigation requirements led to a reduction in GWP (445.0 kg CO2e), but in terms of cost (506.6€) this composition didn't represent the best variant. The Global Warming Potential Biogenic (GWP-bio) compared to the Global Warming Potential Total (GWP-total) represents a proportion ranging from 0.8% to 78% depending on the proposed vegetation. Overall higher biogenic carbon values (up to 1525 kg CO2e) were observed for the proposed tall vegetation of Magnolia, Red Mulberry, Hawthorne, Cherry, and Crab-apple Tree. Based on the results of the multicriteria analysis, which included core environmental & economic parameters, biogenic carbon emission levels, the outcome of this paper proposed optimal green roof composition. Optimal intensive green roof composition was subjected to a sensitivity analysis to determine the impact of changing climatic conditions on CO2 emissions and life cycle costs. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the optimal variant of the green roof can be implemented in the cold and subtropical zone with regard to CO2 emissions, but not with regard to life cycle costs.

Pure and mixed Scots pine forests showed divergent responses to climate variation and increased intrinsic water use efficiency across a European-wide climate gradient

AbstractThe present study examined Pinus sylvestris L. growth responses to climatic variations and its relationship with intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) across a water availability gradient and also in pure P. sylvestris and P. sylvestris-Quercus species mixed forests. Study sites were selected in the Mediterranean, temperate, and temperate continental climates in Spain, Italy, and Poland, respectively. A combined tree-ring dendrochronological and stable carbon isotope analysis was used to assess the relationship between tree growth and climate variation. Results showed that P. sylvestris growth is critically affected by summer water availability, regardless of study site and species mixing. Warming temperatures during the early growing season benefit tree growth in Mediterranean and temperate continental climates, while no significant effect was observed in the temperate climatic conditions. At the Mediterranean site, trees in mixed stands showed enhanced growth during wet years when moisture is not limiting. At the temperate continental site, trees in the mixed stand grew at a lower rate than those in pure stands, which suggests that intense interspecific competition for water could overwhelm the benefits of species mixing. Also, we found a divergent growth-iWUE relationship of non-significant and significantly positive and significantly negative correlations at the Polish, Italian, and Spanish sites, respectively. Overall, the negative growth-iWUE relationship at the drier Mediterranean site signifies the risk of tree growth decline, particularly in drier climate conditions. Despite that, elevated iWUE levels would benefit tree radial growth when water is not limited and the admixing tree species have compatible light and water use strategies.

Propagation Dynamics from Meteorological to Agricultural Drought in Northwestern China: Key Influencing Factors

Meteorological and agricultural droughts are inherently correlated, whereas the propagation mechanism between them remains unclear in Northwestern China. Investigating the linkages between these drought types and identifying the potential influencing factors is crucial for effective water resource management and drought mitigation. This study adopted the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSMI) to characterize the meteorological and agricultural droughts from 1960 to 2018. The propagation time between these droughts was detected using the Pearson correlation analysis, and the cross-wavelet transform and wavelet cross-correlation were utilized to describe their linkages across the time–frequency scales. The grey relational analysis was applied to explore the potential factors influencing the propagation time. The results revealed that the agricultural drought typically lagged behind the meteorological drought by an average of 6 months in Northwestern China, with distinct seasonal and regional characteristics. The shortest propagation time occurred in the summer (3 months), followed by the autumn (4 months), and the propagation time was longer in the winter (8 months) and spring (9 months). Additionally, the average propagation time was longer in the plateau climate zone (8 months) than in the southeastern climate zone (6 months) and the westerly climate zone (4 months). There was a multi-timescale response between the meteorological and agricultural droughts, with a relatively stable and significant positive correlation over long timescales, whereas the correlation was less clear over short timescales. The key factors influencing the propagation time were soil moisture, elevation, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration. Furthermore, the wavelet cross-correlation between agricultural and meteorological droughts was relatively high, with a lag of 0 to 3 months; as the timescale increased, the fluctuation period of their cross-correlation also increased.

Proposal for zero energy housing designs in Jordan

BackgroundAchieving zero-energy targets in residential buildings is challenging due to improper energy design and the selection of energy-related systems. Moreover, the absence of benchmarks for zero-energy residential buildings, along with the scarcity of studies tailored to diverse climates and building characteristics, highlights the urgent need for further research. This study aimed to address these gaps by designing zero-energy buildings to suit diverse climate zones in Jordan, acting as benchmarks to enhance energy efficiency and promote renewable energy use in the residential sector.MethodsEnergy simulation tools were employed to design and verify zero-energy systems. The energy use intensity (EUI) results from the IDA ICE tool were compared with the reported targets and OpenStudio tool outcomes, ensuring that deviations among the proposed designs within the same climate zone consistently remained within acceptable limits, averaging 2, 1, and 1 kWh/m2 year in 1B (very hot dry), 2B (hot dry), and 3B (warm dry), respectively. Additionally, an economic evaluation was conducted by comparing the cost estimates of a Jordanian code-compliant house and the most acceptable proposed zero-energy design.ResultsThe proposed designs exhibited average EUI values of 64.4, 64, and 60 kWh/m2 in diverse climate zones. Outperforming typical Jordanian houses by 56%, 55%, and 60% in 1B, 2B, and 3B, respectively, these designs surpassed national and international benchmarks by at least 35%. Notably, the proposed zero-energy designs achieved substantial cost savings of 1938 USD, equivalent to 11 USD per square meter, throughout the construction phase.ConclusionsConsidering Jordan’s ambitious energy strategy for 2030 and the significant energy consumption in the residential sector, the proposed zero-energy building designs play a crucial role in advancing the national transition towards zero-energy buildings. This study provides valuable insights by presenting precise designs, benchmarks, and a comprehensive guide tailored to Jordan’s distinctive building and climate characteristics with potential applications beyond its immediate context.

Influence of Bacterial Fertilizers on the Structure of the Rhizospheric Fungal Community of Cereals South of Western Siberia

The general lack of knowledge on the conditions of Western Siberia (Omsk region) and the taxonomic diversity of zonal soils determines the relevance of these studies. The research was carried out in order to study the effect of complex biologics on the taxonomic diversity of the fungal component of the microbiome of the rhizosphere of cereals and the phytosanitary condition of crops in the southern forest-steppe (meadow-chernozem soil) and subtaiga (gray forest soil) zones of the Omsk Irtysh region (Western Siberia). This work was carried out in 2022–2023, using laboratory studies in combination with field experiments and metagenomic and statistical analyses. The objects of research were varieties of cereals and grain forage crops of Omsk selection: soil microorganisms. The scheme of the experiment involved the study of the following options: varieties of cereals (factor A): spring soft wheat—Omsk 42, Omsk 44, Tarskaya 12; durum wheat—Omsk coral; barley—Omsk 101; oats—Siberian hercules; bacterial preparation for seed inoculation (factor B) without the drug—Mizorin and Flavobacterin. The sampling of the plant rhizosphere for metagenomic analysis was carried out during the earing phase (July). For the first time, the taxonomic composition of the fungal community was determined based on the analysis of amplicon libraries of fragments of ribosomal operons of ITS2 fungi during colonization of crop roots by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in various soil and climatic zones of the Omsk region. The fungal component of the microbiome was analyzed in two zones of the Omsk region (southern forest-steppe and subtaiga). The five dominant phyla of soil fungi were located in the following decreasing series: Ascomycota (about 70%) > Mortierellomycota (about 7%) > Basidiomycota (about 5%) > Mucoromycota (3%) > Chytridiomycota (1%). The five main genera of fungi inhabiting the rhizosphere of cereals are located in a decreasing row: Giberella (6.9%) > Mortierella (6.6%) > Chaetomium (4.8%) > Cladosporium (3.8%) > Rhizopus (3.3%). The predominantly positive effect of biologics of associative nitrogen fixation on the fungal community of the soil (rhizosphere) of experimental sites located in different soil and climatic zones has been established. During seed bacterization, the growth of saprotrophic fungal genera was noted in relation to the control variants Pseudogymnoascus, Chloridium, Clonostachys, Trihoderma, etc., and the fungicidal properties of bacterial strains introduced into the soil were actively manifested relative to phytopathogenic fungi of the genera Alternaria, Blumeria, Fusarium, etc. According to the results of determining the number of infectious structures of Rhizoctonia solani, it was found that the population of the soil with viable cells of this pathogen was 1–3 pcs/g (below the threshold of harmfulness, PV 20 pcs/g of soil), which indicates a favorable phytosanitary situation with respect to the pathogen. The fungicidal effect of the applied bacterial fertilizers on Rhizoctonia solani could not be detected. The number of Bipolaris sorokiniana varied depending on the drug used. In the conditions of the southern forest-steppe zone of the Omsk region (meadow-chernozem soil), the greatest fungicidal effect was noted in Flavobacterin application variants on wheat of the Omsk 42 variety, durum wheat of the Omsk coral variety, and barley; the decrease in conidia relative to the control was 73, 35, and 29%, respectively. In the subtaiga zone of the Omsk Irtysh region (gray forest soil), as in the southern forest-steppe zone, pre-sowing bacterization of seeds with Flavobacterin led to a decrease in Bipolaris sorokiniana in the rhizosphere of wheat of the Omsk 42 variety by 18%, and oats by 27%, to control. The use of the drug Mizorin in some variants of the experiment led to an insignificant decrease in the harmful fungus or had no effect at all.

Optimisation of Nearly Zero Energy Building Envelope for Passive Thermal Comfort in Southern Europe

The pursuit of sustainable and energy-efficient construction is vital to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions. The application of the concept of nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) is now a reality for new buildings in the European Union, helping to achieve those goals. However, there is significant complexity in achieving acceptable thermal comfort levels in warmer climates such as the one in Southern Europe. This study carried out a multi-objective optimisation of the nZEB envelope using current construction solutions and nZEB regulations currently in force in different climate zones in this region, aiming to reduce thermal discomfort according to EN 16798-1. The results indicate that passive measures induced by regulatory requirements can significantly reduce discomfort at an affordable cost. However, great caution must be taken in relation to regulatory requirements, mainly for the cooling season, aiming to avoid summer overheating of dwellings and guaranteeing that nZEB’s buildings are sustainable and comfortable in the Mediterranean climate regions. In addition, designers should be aware that increasing the insulation layer beyond regulatory requirements does not necessarily imply an increase in passive thermal comfort. Often, this implies, in addition to an increase in construction costs, an increase in discomfort, particularly during the cooling season.

Divergent impacts of seasonal precipitation deficiency on grassland growth in drylands of Central Asia

Abstract Water availability and its timing are essential for determining dryland dynamics, and grasslands in Central Asia are particularly vulnerable to water provided by precipitation. Climate change is projected to alter the seasonal distribution of precipitation patterns and increase the frequency of extreme events. Little is known about the response of grasslands to seasonal precipitation deficiency (PD), especially considering the time lag effect. Here, we evaluated the impacts of PD on grassland growth at the seasonal scale based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Our findings showed that grassland growth during spring was mostly affected by PD in arid regions, with PD occurring during the nongrowing season and spring causing mean standardized anomalies (SAs) of −0.83 and −0.54, respectively, for the NDVI. In semiarid and subhumid regions, summer PD caused not only the largest negative response in summer (with SAs of −0.94 and −0.80 for semiarid and subhumid regions, respectively) but also in autumn (−0.80 and −0.74). PD in autumn had a less adverse effect on grassland growth. The divergent seasonal responses primarily stemmed from shifts in the dominant factors influencing grassland growth across seasons. PD reduced soil moisture in spring and summer, which in turn affected grassland growth. However, summer PD affected autumn grassland growth primarily through the carryover effect. Our results highlighted the importance of the timing of PD and suggested that precipitation in the previous season should receive more attention when considering the relationship between vegetation and precipitation at the seasonal scale.

Research on the contribution rate of photovoltaic power in indoor ice arenas across different climatic zones: A case study in China

With the increasing construction of ice arena facilities, addressing their energy consumption issues has become crucial, emphasizing the need for renewable energy utilization. This study aims to determine the contribution rate of photovoltaic (PV) power generation in indoor ice arenas across different climate zones in China and proposes corresponding PV application strategies. By modeling the vertical zoning above the ice arena, energy consumption in indoor ice arenas across six typical cities was simulated, calculating annual and monthly renewable energy contribution rates and proposing utilization strategies. The research reveals a growing proportion of cooling energy consumption due to climate warming, exceeding half of the total energy even in cold cities. Differences in energy consumption and renewable energy contribution rates among cities highlight the impact of local climate conditions. Favorable climates and abundant solar resources in some cities enable more energy-efficient ice arena construction, while high energy consumption and limited solar resources pose challenges in others. The study identifies seasonal variations in renewable energy contribution rates, emphasizing the need to optimize power generation seasonally. In colder cities, summer power generation is essential, while in hotter climates, winter power generation is more advantageous. This study provides insights for designing energy-efficient and sustainable ice arenas.

Optimal Thermal Diffusivity of Residential Building Envelopes to Improve Cooling Energy Efficiency for Saudi Arabia’s Climate Zones

Optimal Thermal Diffusivity of Residential Building Envelopes to Improve Cooling Energy Efficiency for Saudi Arabia’s Climate Zones

The impact of rainfall on beef cattle growth across diverse climate zones

Genetics, animal husbandry and the feedbase all impact cattle growth. Australia’s cattle feedbase covers 40% of the continent and encompasses diverse climates and landscapes, making stocking rate decisions challenging. Of the factors contributing to climate change, rainfall is a primary determinant of feedbase growth and, with this, cattle growth. Understanding the interplay between rainfall and cattle growth across the diverse Australian landscape is thus critical to aid farmer decision-making. However, revealing such interactions between landscape and rainfall for cattle growth for such decision-making has until now been infeasible due to a lack of sufficient temporal and spatial cattle growth data. The Optiweigh (OW) system has been deployed across Australia’s extensive beef production systems as a voluntary weighing unit, opportunistically monitoring cattle liveweight (LW). This study determined the impact of rainfall on the temporal and spatial variability of beef cattle growth across three of Australia’s agro-climatic zones (grassland, subtropical and temperate), aiming to describe the diverse feedbase through patterns of LW variability. A total of 1.3 million cattle LW observations were collected from 82 026 cattle over 2 years (2020–2022). Rainfall data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology were also collated for the closest meteorological station to each OW unit. Cattle LW average daily gain (ADG) was clustered by season and zone. A series of linear mixed models were used to examine ADG for each zone-season combination, with random effects for individual animals and farms, and fixed effects for climate zone and current and lagged rainfall. The overall mean ADG for the dataset was 0.68 kg/day, with greater growth variability between farms within a zone (SD: 0.349 ± 0.021 kg/day, estimate ± SE) than between cattle within a farm (SD: 0.229 ± 0.004 kg/day). This ADG variability can be partly attributed to the timing and amount of rainfall, with agro-climatic zones showing unique interactions between rainfall and ADG. Seasonal lagged rainfall effects were present in the grassland and temperate zones, while rainfall in the temperate zone had a year-round effect on cattle growth. Further, season-wise lagged rainfall had mixed effects on ADG, whereas rain occurring in a season reduced growth in the same season across zones (P < 0.001). These findings provide valuable initial insights into the variability of ADG across the landscape over time and markedly improve our understanding of the interplay between climate and Australia’s diverse feedbase, contributing to improved management strategies.

The Yadovitaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano: A comprehensive mineralogical and geochemical study and driving factors for mineral diversity

Active volcanic fumaroles are one of the most spectacular natural objects in terms of mineral diversity. The Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption (GTFE) (Kamchatka) fumaroles are renowned for its exceptional number of mineral species. The total number of minerals that have been reliably identified from this particular locality exceeds 400, which is approximately 6.5 % of all known minerals to date. In this study, we employ a comprehensive approach (bulk chemistry, microprobe analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, HR X-ray computed tomography, and 34S, 18O, and 65Cu isotope measurements) to study the distribution of primary exhalation and secondary mineral assemblages and to reveal the driving factors responsible for the unique mineral diversity in the Yadovitaya fumarole. High oxygen fugacity, the interaction of minerals with atmospheric oxygen and water from seasonal precipitation (leading to abundant hydrated mineral associations), temperature conditions controlling the spatial distribution of mineral-forming components, gas-rock interactions, and basaltic scoria morphology perfect for the crystallization of various minerals are some of the factors revealed. The combination of these factors caused a stepwise mineralization resulting in 12 zones of the Yadovitaya fumarole with characteristic mineral assemblages. The described mineralogy of the Yadovitaya fumarole demonstrates a consistent spatial evolution of fumarolic mineral assemblages that vary in complexity, chemistry, and interaction patterns with the surrounding environment. The examination of mineralogical and geochemical data yields novel insights into the active volcanic systems that are associated with the formation of distinct oxidation-type fumaroles.

Distribution, species richness, and relative importance of different plant life forms across drylands in China

Studies on plant diversity are usually based on the total number of species in a community. However, few studies have examined species richness (SR) of different plant life forms in a community along large-scale environmental gradients. Particularly, the relative importance (RIV) of different plant life forms in a community and how they vary with environmental variables are still unclear. To fill these gaps, we determined plant diversity of ephemeral plants, annual herbs, perennial herbs, and woody plants from 187 sites across drylands in China. The SR patterns of herbaceous plants, especially perennial herbs, and their RIV in plant communities increased with increasing precipitation and soil nutrient content; however, the RIV of annual herbs was not altered along these gradients. The SR and RIV of ephemeral plants were affected mainly by precipitation seasonality. The SR of woody plants had a unimodal relationship with air temperature and exhibited the highest RIV and SR percentage in plant communities under the harshest environments. An obvious shift emerged in plant community composition, SR and their critical impact factors at 238.5 mm of mean annual precipitation (MAP). In mesic regions (> 238.5 mm), herbs were the dominant species, and the SR displayed a relatively slow decreasing rate with increasing aridity, which was mediated mainly by MAP and soil nutrients. In arid regions (< 238.5 mm), woody plants were the dominant species, and the SR displayed a relatively fast decreasing rate with increasing aridity, which was mediated mainly by climate variables, especially precipitation. Our findings highlight the importance of comparative life form studies in community structure and biodiversity, as their responses to gradients differed substantially on a large scale.

Climate Influence on Leaf Appearance and Ligustroflavone and Rhoifolin Compounds of Turpinia arguta (Lindl.) Seem. from Different Chinese Habitats

The dry leaf of Turpinia arguta (Lindl.) Seem. is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a quick-acting product for sore throat and pharyngitis relief. Samples of T. arguta were collected from 40 different habitats mostly located in Jiangxi Province, and leaf appearance traits and dry matter yield were analyzed. HPLC was used to quantify ligustroflavone and rhoifolin, the pharmacological-quality markers for this species, according to the 2020 Edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The correlations between leaf-measurable traits, ligustroflavone and rhoifolin contents, and climate factors were subsequently assessed using Pearson’s two-tailed correlation test and redundancy analysis. The highest dry matter yields were found in locations S(G-mt), Q(J-t), and A(X-t). Ligustroflavone and rhoifolin contents ranged from 0.023% to 1.336% and 0.008% to 0.962%, respectively; the highest levels of ligustroflavone and rhoifolin compounds were found in locations A(X-t) and Y(B-mt). Leaf morphology was influenced by the mean temperature of the warmest quarter, while leaf thickness was affected by the minimum temperature of the coldest month, precipitation seasonality, and solar radiation. Larger and thicker leaves predicted higher yields of ligustroflavone and rhoifolin compounds in T. arguta under Chinese southern conditions, such as those in Anyuan and Quannan counties. Our findings suggest that enhancing the mean diurnal temperature range and implementing appropriate shading during cultivation can enhance the ligustroflavone and rhoifolin compounds of T. arguta.

Precipitation in Kathmandu Valley: A Spatial-temporal Study

Over the past decade, advancements in atmospheric research have significantly improved the analysis of precipitation monitoring, understanding climate trends and variability, and identifying climatic anomalies associated with dry and wet periods. A key objective of this research is to enhance the understanding of precipitation patterns in the Kathmandu Valley, particularly in relation to the placement of gauges for long-range predictions and subsequent forecasting challenges. This study focuses on the evolving patterns of precipitation across the three districts within the Kathmandu Valley, the most developed and densely populated area in Nepal, encircled by four mountain ranges. We employ interpolation methods in ArcGIS Pro to identify, estimate, and forecast precipitation trends, and use the Mann-Kendall test to reveal statistically significant trends and provide insights into broader climatic processes. The research analyzes trends in both seasonal and annual precipitation and temperature across four time periods—pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter—using the Mann-Kendall test. The analysis reveals a decreasing trend in monthly rainfall from 2003 to 2017 at the majority of stations (14 stations out of 19), with areas along the valley slopes receiving significantly more precipitation compared to the central valley. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of climate change in the Kathmandu Valley.

Multifactorial influences on land surface temperature within local climate zones of typical global cities

The land surface temperature (LST) of most cities is rising steadily due to both human activities and global climate change, affecting the thermal comfort of cities and threatening the physical health of their inhabitants. Investigating surface temperature features and their affecting elements is therefore essential to improve the thermal environment of cities. Due to differences in surface temperature characteristics in different climatic belts. However, there is still a lack of research on how the local climate zones (LCZs) of different climate belts are affected by natural and social causes. According to the Koppen-Geiger climate classification system, we selected three representative cities from each of the four macroclimatic belts and adopted multiple linear stepwise regression and boosted regression trees (BRT) to systematically explore the linear relationships, relative impacts and marginal effects of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), population density, and road nuclear density within urban LCZs on LST. The results indicate that (1) LCZs with significant differences in LST among the four global climatic belts account for more than 95 % (P < 0.05), demonstrating that LCZs can effectively differentiate LST based on different land surface cover types. This study can delve into the relationships between the four influencing factors and LST based on LCZs. (2) Primary control factors regulating LST differ in different climate belts. The relative effects of NDVI and MNDWI on LST are greater in the arid and temperate belts, with each 0.1 increase in NDVI and MNDWI producing a cooling effect of more than 0.40 °C and 0.92 °C, respectively. Ventilation corridors created by increased road core density produced a cooling effect of 1 °C or more in the cold belt, with the most pronounced cooling effect. (3) When natural factors are higher and social factors are lower, LST cannot be minimized. It was found that LST was minimized when NDVI, MNDWI, population density and road nuclear density were controlled above 0.4, 0.1–0.2, 10,000–50,000 and 1500–2000 respectively. Our study will provide targeted measures for LCZ-based mitigation of urban thermal environments in various macroclimatic belts.

Mapping local climate zones and its applications at the global scale: A systematic review of the last decade of progress and trend

The concept of local climate zone (LCZ) was proposed in 2012 to meet the needs of refinement and standardization of urban climate research. As an important contribution of the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tool (WUDAPT), which is an initiative to collect and share urban data globally to facilitate urban-focused climate researches, LCZ research has shown a booming trend in the past decade. As of the end of October 2023, more than 400 related papers, which involve about 250 cities in the world, have been published. At this juncture (decadal anniversary of the WUDAPT), a review from a global perspective and outlooks of the LCZ framework, from mapping to application and its coordinated development with WUDAPT, are needed to support the popularity and further progress of LCZ and WUDAPT. In this review, statistical and metadata analysis methods were used to summarize and analyze a sample of LCZ-related papers published since 2012, focusing on two aspects: mapping and application. The mapping methods were divided into three categories, namely, remote sensing-based, geographic information system-based, and hybrid methods. The application topics were grouped into two categories, namely, WUDAPT initiative and novel WUDAPT application. Two relevant themes originated from the above summary were further discussed, and then the future was forecasted on the basis of current research limitations. From this review, researchers can benefit from the recent progress in mapping and application of the LCZ system and future research directions, thereby further promoting the development in this field.

Understanding Climate Variability and Malaria Transmission in West Africa: Case Studies, Regional Insights, and Future Directions

Climate variability plays a crucial role in malaria transmission in West Africa. Variable temperature, rainfall, and humidity patterns in diverse climatic zones, such as tropical rainforests and semi-arid regions, significantly influence mosquito breeding sites and transmission rates. Tropical rainforests experience high transmission rates due to consistent rainfall and humidity, while savanna regions experience seasonal peaks. Semi-arid regions with limited rainfall and extreme temperatures show lower but variable transmission rates. Temperature fluctuations affect the development and survival of Anopheles mosquitoes and malaria parasites. Rising temperatures can extend transmission seasons and spread the disease to unaffected areas. Rainfall patterns affect breeding site availability, with heavy rains increasing breeding sites and droughts reducing mosquito populations. Humidity influences mosquito survival and parasite development. Extreme weather events, such as cyclones and floods, exacerbate malaria transmission by increasing breeding sites and damaging infrastructure. Socioeconomic factors, including urbanization, land use changes, and economic instability, also interact with climate variability to impact malaria dynamics. The review highlights the need for integrated malaria control strategies that incorporate climate considerations, including enhanced surveillance, climate-resilient infrastructure, and community engagement. Future research should address knowledge gaps regarding the interaction between climate variables and malaria transmission, and the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on malaria dynamics. By tailoring control strategies to specific climatic and socio-economic contexts, stakeholders can better manage malaria risks and improve health outcomes across West Africa. Keywords: Climate, Variability, Malaria, Transmission, West Africa, Case Studies.

Soil water repellency and its importance for the climate-smart sustainable management of fen peatland soils in Central Poland

The paper aims to assess potential soil water repellency (SWR) in the surface layers of long-term agricultural fen soils. Furthermore, we attempt to enhance our understanding of the links between selected soil properties (e.g., secondary transformation, total organic carbon (TOC) content) and SWR in differently used (grasslands and arable lands) fen soils in the temperate climate zone. The study was conducted in the Grójec Valley, Central Poland. The soil samples for laboratory analyses were collected in June 2022 from 64 sampling points – 56 grassland and 8 arable sites. We found that secondary soil transformation (mursh forming process) was significantly positively correlated with SWR – determined by MED (molarity of ethanol droplet) and WDPT (water drop penetration time) methods (r = 0.42 and r = 0.40, p < 0.05) only in the organic samples (i.e., mursh). The significant positive correlation between SWR and TOC content (r = 0.73 (MED) and r = 0.74 (WDPT), p < 0.05) indicates that, as well as organic matter depletion, there was a decrease in the water repellency of the studied soils. Our results indicate that study fen sites should be rewetted, and that the implementation of the paludiculture must take place in the near future. At a minimum, further arable cultivation of organic soils should be avoided, as they are the most vulnerable to secondary transformation and exhibit high SWR values. Furthermore, in the case of crop production on post-organic soils, it is recommended that the conservation tillage method is applied to prevent further depletion of soil organic matter content.

Climate change and extremes in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus: from historical trends to future projections

Cyprus is a European island state in the eastern Mediterranean climate change hotspot. Despite being a relatively small island, it has diverse climatic zones, ranging from semi-arid to subhumid in the mountains and humid on Mount Olympos. Given the accelerated rate of environmental change in the region, the present study aims to identify, and update observed trends of critical climate parameters, highlighting vulnerable climatic areas within the island. Moreover, since nationwide multi-model assessments of future climate conditions are limited or outdated, we aim to investigate the range of future climate projections using a 21-member EURO-CORDEX ensemble under pathways RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. Besides mean conditions, we analyze various extreme climate indicators relevant to socio-economic activities such as agriculture, biodiversity, tourism, energy and water resources. Our historical analysis revealed a statistically significant increasing temperature trend (0.4 °C–0.6 °C per decade), which is more pronounced during the summer and spring. Concerning precipitation, the observed trends are not as robust, nevertheless, the southeastern coast and the central regions near the capital city of Nicosia are substantially drier and more prone to further changes in precipitation regimes. The projections for the end of the 21st century, according to the high radiative forcing scenario (RCP8.5), indicate that Cyprus is likely to experience an annual temperature increase of over 4 °C and an approximate 20%–30% reduction in annual rainfall, relative to 1981–2000. These projections highlight an alarming trend that requires urgent attention and proactive measures to mitigate the potential impacts of climate change on the island.