Wet Spring Research Articles

Long–Term Dynamics of the Spring Moisture Reserves with Various Methods of Processing Typical Chernozem

Long–Term Dynamics of the Spring Moisture Reserves with Various Methods of Processing Typical Chernozem

Modeling cheatgrass distribution, abundance, and response to climate change as a function of soil microclimate.

Exotic annual grass invasions in water-limited systems cause degradation of native plant and animal communities and increased fire risk. The life history of invasive annual grasses allows for high sensitivity to interannual variability in weather. Current distribution and abundance models derived from remote sensing, however, provide only a coarse understanding of how species respond to weather, making it difficult to anticipate how climate change will affect vulnerability to invasion. Here, we derived germination covariates (rate sums) from mechanistic germination and soil microclimate models to quantify the favorability of soil microclimate for cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) establishment and growth across 30 years at 2662 sites across the sagebrush steppe system in the western United States. Our approach, using four bioclimatic covariates alone, predicted cheatgrass distribution with accuracy comparable to previous models fit using many years of remotely-sensed imagery. Accuracy metrics from our out-of-sample testing dataset indicate that our model predicted distribution well (72% overall accuracy) but explained patterns of abundance poorly (R2 = 0.22). Climatic suitability for cheatgrass presence depended on both spatial (mean) and temporal (annual anomaly) variation of fall and spring rate sums. Sites that on average have warm and wet fall soils and warm and wet spring soils (high rate sums during these periods) were predicted to have a high abundance of cheatgrass. Interannual variation in fall soil conditions had a greater impact on cheatgrass presence and abundance than spring conditions. Our model predicts that climate change has already affected cheatgrass distribution with suitable microclimatic conditions expanding 10%-17% from 1989 to 2019 across all aspects at low- to mid-elevation sites, while high- elevation sites (>2100 m) remain unfavorable for cheatgrass due to cold spring and fall soils.

Running to warmer-drier springs in the Greater Mekong Subregion as climate warms

Using the multivariate EOF analysis performed on the observation datasets, this study reveals that the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) has been toward warm-dry springs over most regions especially after the 2000s, accompanied by increased surface temperature and decreased precipitation anomalies. Such climate condition provides favourable environment for compound heat and drought events, raising questions about how the spring climate in GMS will change as climate warms. Based on a multi-model weighting scheme among CMIP6 models, we project the regional climate changes in GMS in a warmer world under the SSP5–8.5 scenario. Results show that the southern GMS including Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia will become warmer-drier throughout the 21st century in response to global warming. In contrast, the climate condition over the northern GMS including Myanmar and Yunnan province of Southwest China is expected to experience a transition from dry to wet springs in a warmer world, resulting in a tendency toward the warm-wet springs particularly in the long-term future. This knowledge indicates the spatial non-uniformity of regional climate under global warming and will aid in advance to plan for water management and agricultural adaptation.

Karakteristik Kimia Kulit Lumpia Basah dengan Fortifikasi Tepung Tulang Ikan Patin (Pangasius pangasius)

Waste from patin fish (Pangasius pangasius) consumption is skin and fish bone. Its waste generally used as a raw material for food and industrial products because of fat, gelatin, collagen, and calcium compounds. Based on its calcium compound, another food application is the fortification of patin fish bone on wet spring roll wrapper. It is important to increase the consumption rate of calcium nutrition. Therefore, this research aimed to improve the proximate composition (especially calcium) of wet spring roll wrapper with 6% catfish bone flour fortification. The method used in this research was experimental with two treatments, i.e. the addition of 6% patin fish bone flour (A1) and 0% patin fish bone flour (A0) as a control. The parameters observed were moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and calcium content. The test procedure for each parameter observed is based on SNI 01-2354:2006. Sample testing was carried out in duplicate. The proximate composition of wet spring roll wrapper fortified with 6% patin fish bone flour consists of moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and calcium content respectively 60.21%, 2.61%, 0,71%, 3.96%, 32.51%, and 19.90 mg/100 g. Wet spring roll wrapper that was fortified with 6% patin fish bone flour (A1) had higher calcium content (19.90 mg/100 g) compared to wet spring roll wrapper with no fortification (control/A0) of the patin fish bone flour (8.22 mg/100 g). The moisture content of this calcium-rich wet spring roll wrapper is included in the Indonesian National Quality Standard (SNI) number 2987-2015 for wet noodles. This wet spring roll wrapper is one of diversified product using fishbone fortification to increase its calcium content. Keywords: fish bone, calsium, consumption, protein, waste

Corn 15N uptake and partitioning in response to fertilizer application rate and timing

AbstractNitrogen (N) fertilizer applications near the time of planting are important for upper US Midwest corn (Zea mays L.) production, but wet springs may result in significant N losses. Split applications may circumvent this problem and improve fertilizer uptake and use efficiency, but the relative contribution of N from the soil and fertilizer is poorly understood. A field study with six sites in Minnesota received 15N‐labeled urea fertilizer in the first year and unlabeled urea in the second year to determine the effect of N rate and application timing on corn uptake and accumulation patterns of fertilizer‐derived N (FDN) and soil‐derived N (SDN) over two consecutive growing seasons. Corn responded positively to fertilization. The percentage of total N uptake as FDN was greatest closest to the time of application but decreased over time as SDN became the dominant N source. A split application (45 kg N ha−1 at planting, 90 kg N ha−1 at V4) significantly improved FDN uptake over the 135 kg N ha−1 preplant treatment but did not improve total N uptake in the first year at any site. Fertilizer‐N use efficiency (F15NUE) using the isotopic method was 2.8%–43.3% across all sites at the end of the first year with the majority partitioned to the grain. At the end of the second year, approximately 2.2% of the first‐year applied FDN was recovered in aboveground biomass. Fertilization ensures adequate N availability to the developing crop, but ultimately SDN contributed ≥61% of the total N uptake.

Effects of weather and climate on fluctuations of grain prices in southwestern Bohemia, 1725–1824 CE

Abstract. Grain prices in early modern Europe reflected the effects of weather and climate on crop yields and a complex array of societal and socio-economic factors. This study presents a newly developed series of grain prices for Sušice (southwestern Bohemia, Czech Republic) for the period 1725–1824 CE, based on various archival sources. It aims to analyse their relationships with weather and climate, represented by temperature, precipitation, and drought (self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index, scPDSI) reconstructions, as well as particular weather extremes and anomalies reported in documentary evidence. Wheat, rye, barley, and oats series in Sušice showed high mutual correlations. The mean highest prices during the year typically occurred from May to July before the harvest, while prices usually declined afterwards. Wheat, rye, and barley prices were significantly negatively correlated with spring temperatures and positively correlated with scPDSI from winter to summer. This indicates that wetter winters, cooler and wetter springs, and wetter summers contributed to higher prices. The extremely high grain prices in the years 1746, 1771–1772, 1802–1806, and 1816–1817 were separately analysed with respect to weather and climate patterns and other socio-economic and political factors. The results obtained were discussed in relation to data uncertainty, factors influencing grain prices, and the broader European context.

Forecasters Expect Slow Start to U.S. Wildfire Season

A wet spring in the United States will dampen early fires, but some regions will see elevated risk this summer.

Seasonal transpiration dynamics and water use strategy of a farmland shelterbelt in Gurbantunggut Desert oasis, northwestern China

Farmland shelterbelts provide an ecological barrier to oases, but their growth is inhibited or even dies under water scarcity. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the response of farmland shelterbelts to environmental changes for their own survival in order to promote the long-term healthy development of agroforestry systems and improve water management in oases in the northwest arid region. In this study, we measured the sap flow and environmental factors to determine the transpiration dynamics and its influencing factors. The seasonal variations in water use strategy of Populus alba var. pyramidalis Bunge were identified by using stable isotopes of δ18O in xylem, soil water and groundwater coupled with the Iso-Source model. The results showed that the transpiration of the populus was significantly higher in the growing season (more than 80% of the total transpiration) than in the non-growing season, and the transpiration was closely related to air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, soil water content, and soil temperature. The water use strategy had seasonal variations. The populus obtained water predominantly from 0–40 cm soil water (approximately 75%) in the wet spring and then switched to deeper water sources (40–150 cm soil water and groundwater) as the season progressed. The contribution of deeper water sources increased to 84–92% in summer and autumn. This suggested that Populus alba var. pyramidalis Bunge has ecological plasticity, as it could explore deeper water sources as the water stress increased. The ability to switch rapidly among different water sources could put a plant at an advantage if competition for water occurs within the ecosystem. Our findings can provide insights into temporal transpiration dynamics as well as the strategy adopted by farmland shelterbelts to counteract the drought stress associated with the shallow soils in desert oasis ecosystems.

Multiple nest reuse by three passerine species

Nest reuse is often observed in large- and medium-sized birds, including hole-nesters, while in smaller passerines building open-cup nests it is rarely recorded. In this note we report a case of multiple nest reuse, observed in a residential garden in Poland. The nest was located on the wall of a farm building partly overgrown by Boston Ivy at the height of 2.3 m. The nest was occupied eight times between 2007 and 2023 by three bird species: Grey and Pied Wagtails and Common Blackbirds. The nest was built by Grey Wagtails in 2007, but in 2009 it was reconstructed considerably by blackbirds. The Blackbird cup with mud lining survived until 2023 and contained all other nests. We suggest that the most plausible reason for multiple nest reuse was the high quality of this nest site. However, we also found that the nest was used during warm, dry springs but avoided when weather conditions at the beginning of the breeding season were adverse. We hypothesize that cold and wet springs – thought to be associated with high costs of reproduction – may have influenced birds’ decision not to reuse the nest. To our knowledge, this is the longest case of nest reuse reported for passerines building open-cup nests.

Бобовият компонент на горски садинови ливади в условията на „детелинова година“

A study of the species composition, biological, morphological and productive characteristics of the legume component of forest Chrysopogon gryllus meadows a year with high spring moisture availability was conducted. A very high species diversity of leguminous grasses was found - 17 species from 7 genera. Until the mowing of the meadows, a distinct turnover of species and an almost equal total productivity of dry mass from the legume component per ten-day period was observed. Thus, the productivity of fresh and dry mass of the legume component and, accordingly, the nitrogen fixation levels in the orchard meadows have a stable high level until mowing. The annual clovers can be identified as the legume with the strongest response to increasing moisture availability. A high productivity of mesophytic perennial clover species has also been reported, which significantly increase the fodder value of the grasslands. The species Dorycnium herbaceum and Medicago falcata have the highest productivity of fresh and dry mass when mowing the Chrysopogon gryllus meadows and have the greatest contribution to the forage value of the harvested hay. According to the morphological analysis, the legume component is characterized by a very high variability, both in plant height and in the relative share of leaves and flowers in the formed biomass, which determines its importance for the functional and biological diversity in the studied meadow type. The results are indicative of a great self-recovery potential of the Chrysopogon gryllus meadows in the the foothills of the Central Balkan, as well as a lack of degradation processes under their current mode of use.

Interannual variation in spring weather conditions as a driver of spring wildflower coverage: a 15-year perspective from an old-growth temperate forest.

Spring ephemerals are wildflowers found in temperate deciduous forests that typically display aboveground shoots for a period of 2 months or less. Early spring, before the canopy leaves out, marks the beginning of the aboveground growth period where ephemerals acquire nutrients and resources via aboveground tissues. Several studies have shown that spring ephemeral reproduction is affected by spring temperature, but few have looked at how weather conditions of the current and previous seasons, including precipitation and temperature, influence aboveground growth. Here, we examine the response of a spring ephemeral community in a temperate hardwood forest to weather conditions during their current and previous growing seasons. For 15 years we estimated percent cover of each species within our community. We highlighted five dominant spring ephemerals within this community: wild leek (Allium tricoccum), cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis) and trout lily (Erythronium americanum). We compared changes in cover on both a community and species level from 1 year to the next with average precipitation and temperature of the year of measurement as well as the year prior. We found precipitation and temperature influence a change in cover at the community and species level, but the strength of that influence varies by species. There were few significant correlations between plant cover in the current year and temperature and precipitation in the 30 days preceding measurement. However, we found significant correlations between plant cover and precipitation and temperature during the previous spring; precipitation and cover change were positively correlated, whereas temperature and cover change were negatively correlated. Overall, cooler, wetter springs lead to an increase in aboveground cover the next year. Learning how individual species within a forest plant community respond to weather conditions is a crucial part of understanding how plant communities will respond to climate change.

Sustaining crop yield and water quality under climate change in intensively managed agricultural watersheds—the need for both adaptive and conservation measures

The projected near-future climate (2031–2059) of wetter springs and drier summers may negatively affect agricultural production in the US Midwest, mostly through reduced aeration of the root zone due to excess soil water and frequent loss of nutrients such as nitrate (NO3-N) and total phosphorus. Several agricultural adaptations—such as adding tile drains and increasing fertilizer rates—may be deployed to mitigate potential reductions in crop yield. However, these adaptations (generally driven by economic benefits) may have a severe impact on water quality, which is already under stress due to excess nutrient runoff from agricultural fields causing hypoxia in inland and coastal waters. Here, we evaluate the crop yield and water quality consequences of such adaptations under future climate with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool in a testbed watershed located in central Illinois. We show that additional tile drains and increased fertilizers can help achieve baseline (2003–2018) corn yields but with a nearly two-fold increase in riverine NO3-N yield affecting a major drinking water supply source. However, a shift to spring-only fertilizer application may not require additional fertilizer and reduces the increase in NO3-N loss to 1.25 times above the baseline. We also show that water quality may improve (better than baseline) with conservation measures such as cover crops and switchgrass. Our findings highlight the need to develop efficient climate change adaptation and conservation strategies for sustainable agriculture and water quality.

The extreme wet and large precipitation size increase carbon uptake in Eurasian meadow steppes: Evidence from natural and manipulated precipitation experiments

The distribution of seasonal precipitation would profoundly affect the dynamics of carbon fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about the impacts of extreme precipitation and size events on ecosystem carbon cycle when compared to the effects of average precipitation amount. The study involved an analysis of carbon fluxes and water exchange using the eddy covariance and chamber based techniques during the growing seasons of 2015–2017 in Bayan, Mongolia and 2019–2021 in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, respectively. The components of carbon fluxes and water exchange at each site were normalized to evaluate of relative response among carbon fluxes and water exchange. The investigation delved into the relationship between carbon fluxes and extreme precipitation over five gradients (control, dry spring, dry summer, wet spring and wet summer) in Hulunbuir meadow steppe and distinct four precipitation sizes (0.1–2, 2–5, 5–10, and 10–25 mm d−1) in Bayan meadow steppe. The wet spring and summer showed the greatest ecosystem respiration (ER) relative response values, 76.2% and 73.5%, respectively, while the dry spring (−16.7%) and dry summer (14.2%) showed the lowest values. Gross primary production (GPP) relative response improved with wet precipitation gradients, and declined with dry precipitation gradients in Hulunbuir meadow steppe. The least value in net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) was found at 10–25 mm d−1 precipitation size in Bayan meadow steppe. Similarly, the ER and GPP increased with size of precipitation events. The structural equation models (SEM) satisfactorily fitted the data (χ2 = 43.03, d.f. = 11, p = 0.215), with interactive linkages among soil microclimate, water exchange and carbon fluxes components regulating NEE. Overall, this study highlighted the importance of extreme precipitation and event size in influencing ecosystem carbon exchange, which is decisive to further understand the carbon cycle in meadow steppes.

A Case Study: Growth of Tree-Form Willow Driven by Cool, Wet Springs and Warm, Dry Summers in Teetł'it Zheh (Fort Mcpherson), Northwest Territories, Canada

A Case Study: Growth of Tree-Form Willow Driven by Cool, Wet Springs and Warm, Dry Summers in Teetł'it Zheh (Fort Mcpherson), Northwest Territories, Canada

Stories of a water-table: anomalous depressions, aquitard breaches and seasonal implications, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA

An extensive water level survey of the water-table aquifer (i.e., shallow aquifer) within Shelby County, Tennessee, was conducted in the dry (fall 2020) and wet (spring 2021) seasons. Water-table surfaces were generated using cokriging to observe seasonal differences to identify anomalous water-table depressions, indicative of an underlying aquitard breach. Seasonal differences were attributed to non-coincident control and timing between the surveys and when optimum dry (fall) and wet (spring) conditions existed, as observed through comparisons with continuous historical water levels from 12 shallow monitoring wells. Additionally, data from fall 2020 were compared to previous studies in 2005 and 2015 to determine decadal changes in levels and shape of the water-table surface which were mostly attributed to changes in data control and potential climate variations. A prediction error map was generated from the 2020 dataset to identify areas of the county with high-prediction error (>7.0 m) to offer guidance on where future well control would be optimal.

Multi-temporal Pacific madrone leaf blight assessment with unoccupied aircraft systems

Pacific madrone leaf blight (PMLB) is a contributing agent to the decline of Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) trees. Multiple fungal pathogens cause PMLB, resulting in leaf spotting that can eventually kill leaves, increasing stress in individuals, and leaving them more susceptible to deadly cankers. Spores transmit via air and water droplets, particularly during wet Spring months. Unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) technologies are in their relative infancy, but UAS are becoming more affordable and accessible. UAS promise increased efficiency in forest health monitoring applications, providing a safer aerial data collection method at a relatively-low cost when compared to occupied aircraft. In this study, we develop and present a UAS methodology to detect PMLB with a multispectral sensor. This methodology combines orthomosaic products derived from high-resolution (~4 cm) multirotor platform UAS multispectral imagery with machine learning and ground assessment of PMLB to classify visual presence of blight at the individual tree-level during multiple site revisits. The resulting model detected PMLB infection status of 29 field surveyed madrone trees with a kappa coefficient of , a balanced accuracy of 0.85, and a true positive rate of 0.92. The method presented here can be readily scaled to efficiently cover a much larger extent with a beyond-line-of-site capable UAS and minimal field sampling. The increased efficiency of this approach may be critical to characterizing PMLB in the near future as it is anticipated that PMLB prevalence will continue to increase as a result of climate change.

Vertical rhizome disking to reduce Elymus repens (quackgrass) abundance in grass-clover leys

Elymus repens is a problematic perennial weed in annual crops, grasslands and leys. Rhizome fragmentation by vertical disking can potentially reduce E. repens abundance with minimal tillage, but data are lacking on its efficiency in forage production. In a two-year study (2017–2018, 2018–2019) conducted in two forage grass-clover leys that were mostly weed-free except for large E. repens populations, this study examined effects on forage yield, botanical composition, and E. repens rhizome biomass of rhizome fragmentation at significant growth initiation in spring (early rhizome fragmentation, ERF) and/or when conditions allowed after the first forage cut (late rhizome fragmentation, LRF). Cold, wet springs and hard, dry soil in summer delayed treatment in both treatment years, to late spring (ERF) and late summer/early autumn (LRF). In the treatment year, ERF reduced first-cut forage yield by 44% compared with no rhizome fragmentation, while LRF decreased second- and third-cut yield by 24% and 53%, respectively. In the year after treatment, ERF increased total forage yield by on average 10%, while LRF had no effect. Over both years, combined forage yield was reduced by 11% by ERF and 4% by LRF. Both treatments reduced E. repens rhizome biomass, but inconsistently (ERF by 25% in one year only, LRF by 24% at one of two sites). ERF reduced E. repens incidence in forage by 10% in the treatment year, but had no effect in the following year. Thus, rhizome fragmentation by vertical disking can reduce E. repens abundance in grass-clover leys, but the effect is inconsistent and forage yield can be impaired, especially in swards with much E. repens. Moreover, disking is hampered by hard, dry soil conditions.

Sosialisasi Sistem Jaminan Halal (SJH) untuk Produk Lumpiah Basah Produksi UMKM Markaz Kabayan, Darussalam, Banda Aceh

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are one of the national economy’s fastest-growing and consistent business sectors. The development and growth of MSME and cooperative actors are very significant and continue to increayearry yearly, including in Banda Aceh City. MSMEs that produce food and beverages are listed as one of the businesses with potential that will continue to increase because food and beverages are basic of human needs. However, not all food and drinks are clearly halal because not all are accompanied by halal labels and certificates. The partner who assisted in the socialization of this service is Markaz Kabayan MSME. This MSME located in Banda Aceh City produces Bandung’s typical wet spring rolls. Markaz Kabayan currently does not have a halal certificate and does not aware of the application for halal certification. The service team wants to help so that the products from Markaz Kabayan can be more guaranteed and attract consumers who want to buy their products. This service activity went well and smoothly. The owner of Markaz Kabayan strongly desires to apply for halal certification following the procedures explained by the service team.

Ecological factors related to seed germination and early seedling establishment inUlmus minorMill., an endangered riparian tree species

AbstractNatural populations of Ulmus minor Mill., an outstanding component of European riparian forests, are endangered due to Dutch elm disease, which has led to the development of several breeding programs throughout Europe. However, the reproductive ecology of this species is scarcely known even though sexual regeneration is an essential factor that must be understood before implementing elm stand restoration. In this paper, the main ecological factors affecting seed germination and early seedling establishment in U. minor are studied through a factorial design with five different factors: Light (levels: Full-sun, Shade), Initial water (levels: Initially-flooded, Initially-irrigated), Subsequent water (levels: Semi-submerged, Later-irrigated), Soil cover (levels: Bare-soil, Litter) and Substrate (levels: Silty-clay, Sandy-loam). Seed germination and seedling survival were monitored for 7 weeks. All factors except Initial water and Substrate turned out to be highly significant. Shade increased seed germination and seedling survival. Response to Initial water fluctuated, with an early higher percentage of germinated seeds in Initially-flooded but a higher seedling survival in Initially-irrigated. Subsequent water did not affect seedling establishment and survival, but Semi-submerged treatments increased seed germination. Bare-soilincreased seed germination too, whereas, in the medium term, Litter affected positively seedling survival. Sandy-loam substrates favoured seed germination, but Silty-claysubstrates favoured seedling survival. Together, these results suggest that the most favourable scenario for U. minor sexual regeneration may be a combination of a not-too-severe late-winter or early-spring flood followed by a wet spring and summer, probably with a higher establishment in heavy-textured substrates located in small gaps and forest edges where the overstorey provides some protection against strong sunlight.

The extremely wet spring of 2022 in Southwest China was driven by La Niña and Tibetan Plateau warming

In the spring of 2022, an excessive amount of rainfall fell in Southwest China (SWC) under the background of frequent droughts in history. This extreme event occurred in the decaying phase of a La Niña event, and thus, presumably La Niña played a role in this extreme event. Based on observational diagnoses and model forecasts, the atmospheric circulation anomalies, contributions of remote forcing, and the predictability of this event were examined in this work. It is suggested that La Niña and the Tibetan Plateau upper-tropospheric warming are two major factors leading to the extreme event. In addition to the recognized impact of La Niña, the upper-tropospheric warming over the Tibetan Plateau modulates the Asian atmospheric circulation by inducing a northwest-southeast wave pattern extending from the Ural Mountains to the Indochina Peninsula via the western Tibetan Plateau. The meridional heat contrast associated with the Tibetan Plateau warming favors upward motion and excessive rainfall in SWC. The statistical connection between the SWC spring rainfall anomaly and the northwest-southeast wave pattern is confirmed by a climate model forecast. The model captured the wet pattern in SWC in spring 2022 in short (1–3 months) lead real-time predictions though there are biases in the area and severity. That may be due to that the model did not well capture the atmospheric circulation anomalies at the middle and high latitudes associated with the Tibetan Plateau upper-tropospheric warming. These results indicate that such an event is predictable to some extent if both the ENSO evolution and heat condition over the Tibetan Plateau can be well predicted.