Stable isotope ecology of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 353 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. G. DeSantis ◽  
C. Hedberg
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Tooth Enamel ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Drinking Behaviour ◽  
Climate Variables

Australia has undergone significant climate change, both today and in the past. Koalas, due to their restricted diet of predominantly eucalyptus leaves and limited drinking behaviour may serve as model organisms for assessing past climate change via stable isotopes of tooth enamel. Here, we assess whether stable carbon and oxygen isotopes from tooth enamel record known climate variables, including proxies of relative aridity (e.g. mean annual precipitation, mean annual maximum temperature, and relative humidity). The results demonstrate significant negative relationships between oxygen isotope values and both relative humidity and mean annual precipitation, proxies for relative aridity. The best model for predicting enamel oxygen isotope values incorporates mean annual precipitation and modelled oxygen isotope values of local precipitation. These data and the absence of any relationship between modelled oxygen isotope precipitation values, independently, suggest that koalas do not track local precipitation values but instead record relative aridity. The lack of significant relationships between carbon isotopes and climate variables suggests that koalas may instead be tracking the density of forests and/or their location in the canopy. Collectively, these data suggest that koalas are model organisms for assessing relative aridity over time – much like kangaroos.

scholarly journals Climatic Rather than Edaphic Variables Determine Leaf C, N, P Stoichiometry of Deciduous Quercus Species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutong Lin ◽  
Yuan Lai ◽  
Songbo Tang ◽  
Zhangfen Qin ◽  
Jianfeng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Climatic Variables ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Elemental Stoichiometry ◽  
Quercus Species ◽  
Edaphic Variables ◽  
Leaf P

Abstract Purpose Leaf elemental stoichiometry is indicative of plant nutrient limitation, community composition, ecosystem function. Understanding the variations of leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry at genus-level across large geographic regions and identifying their driving factors are important to predict species’ distribution range shifts affected by climate change.MethodsHere, we determined the patterns of leaf concentrations ([ ]) and ratios ( / ) of C, N, P of five deciduous oaks species (Quercus) across China covering ~ 20 latitude (~21–41˚ N) and longitude (~99–119˚ E) degrees, and detected their relationships with climatic, edaphic variables. ResultsLeaf [C], [N] and N/P, C/P significantly increased, while leaf [P] and C/N decreased with the increasing latitude. Leaf stoichiometry except for leaf [C] had no significant trends along the longitude. Climatic variables, i.e. mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, the maximum temperature of the warmest month, temperature seasonality, aridity index, and the potential evapo-transpiration were the determinants of the geographic patterns of leaf C, N, P stoichiometry. The mean annual precipitation and the maximum temperature of the warmest month indirectly regulated leaf C/N, C/P and N/P via altering leaf [P]. Edaphic variables had non-significant effects on leaf C, N, and P stoichiometry at the broad geographic range.ConclusionsClimatic variables have more important effects than edaphic properties on leaf C, N, P stoichiometry of the studied deciduous Quercus species, which imply the ongoing climate change will alter nutrient strategies and potentially shift the distribution range of this eurytopic species.

scholarly journals Analyzing the future climate change of Upper Blue Nile River Basin (UBNRB) using statistical down scaling techniques

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagnenet Fenta Mekonnen ◽  
Markus Disse
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Nile River ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Blue Nile River Basin

Abstract. Climate change is becoming one of the most arguable and threatening issues in terms of global context and their responses to environment and socio/economic drivers. Its direct impact becomes critical for water resource development and indirectly for agricultural production, environmental quality, economic development, social well-being. However, a large uncertainty between different Global Circulation Models (GCM) and downscaling methods exist that makes reliable conclusions for a sustainable water management difficult. In order to understand the future climate change of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, two widely used statistical down scaling techniques namely LARS-WG and SDSM models were applied. Six CMIP3 GCMs for LARS-WG (CSIRO-MK3, ECHAM5-OM, MRI-CGCM2.3.2, HaDCM3, GFDL-CM2.1, CCSM3) model while HadCM3 GCM and canESM2 from CMIP5 GCMs for SDSM were used for climate change analysis. The downscaled precipitation results from the prediction of the six GCMs by LARS WG showed inconsistency and large inter model variability, two GCMs showed decreasing trend while 4 GCMs showed increasing in the range from −7.9 % to +43.7 % while the ensemble mean of the six GCM result showed increasing trend ranged from 1.0 % to 14.4 %. NCCCS GCM predicted maximum increase in mean annual precipitation. However, the projection from HadCM3 GCM is consistent with the multi-model average projection, which predicts precipitation increase from 1.7 % to 16.6 %. Conversely, the result from all GCMs showed a similar continuous increasing trend for maximum temperature (Tmax) and minimum temperature (Tmin) in all three future periods. The change for mean annual Tmax may increase from 0.4 °c to 4.3 °c whereas the change for mean annual Tmin may increase from 0.3 °c to 4.1 °c. Meanwhile, the result from SDSM showed an increasing trend for all three climate variables (precipitation, minimum and maximum temperature) from both HadCM3 and canESM2 GCMs. The relative change of mean annual precipitation range from 2.1 % to 43.8 % while the change for mean annual Tmax and Tmin may increase from 0.4 °c to 2.9 °c and from 0.3 °c to 1.6 °c respectively. The change in magnitude for precipitation is higher in RCP8.5 scenarios than others as expected. The present result illustrate that both down scaling techniques have shown comparable and good ability to simulate the current local climate variables which can be adopted for future climate change study with high confidence for the UBNRB. In order to see the comparative downscaling results from the two down scaling techniques, HadCM3 GCM of A2 scenario was used in common. The result obtained from the two down scaling models were found reasonably comparable and both approaches showed increasing trend for precipitation, Tmax and Tmin. However, the analysis of the downscaled climate data from the two techniques showed, LARS WG projected a relatively higher increase than SDSM.

Ecological Niche Modeling Predicting the Potential Distribution of African Horse Sickness Virus from 2020 - 2060

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayalew Assefa ◽  
Abebe Tibebu ◽  
Amare Bihon ◽  
Alemu Dagnachew ◽  
Yimer Muktar
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
African Horse Sickness ◽  
Diurnal Range ◽  
Annual Minimum Temperature ◽  
Precipitation Seasonality ◽  
Vector Borne

Abstract African horse sickness is a vector-borne, non-contagious and highly infectious disease of equines caused by African Horse Sickness viruses (AHSv) that mainly affect horses. The occurrence of the disease causes huge economic impacts because of its fatality rate is high, trade ban and disease control costs. In planning of vectors and vector borne diseases, the application of Ecological niche models (ENM) used an enormous contribution in exactly delineating the suitable habitats of the vector. We developed an ENM with the objective of delineating the global suitability of AHSv outbreaks retrospective based on data records from 2005–2019. The model was developed in R software program using Biomod2 package with an Ensemble modeling technique. Predictive environmental variables like mean diurnal range, mean precipitation of driest month(mm), precipitation seasonality (cv), mean annual maximum temperature (oc), mean annual minimum temperature (oc) mean precipitation of warmest quarter(mm), mean precipitation of coldest quarter (mm) mean annual precipitation (mm), solar radiation (kj /day), elevation/altitude (m), wind speed (m/s) were used to develop the model. From these variables, solar radiation, mean maximum temperature, average annual precipitation, altitude and precipitation seasonality contributed 36.83%, 17.1%, 14.34%, 7.61%, and 6.4%, respectively. The model depicted the sub-Sahara African continent as the most suitable area for the virus. Mainly Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Malawi are African countries identified as highly suitable countries for the virus. Besides, OIE-listed disease-free countries like India, Australia, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia have been found suitable for the virusThis model can be used as an epidemiological tool in planning control and surveillance of diseases nationally or internationally.

scholarly journals ROUTINE, EXTREME AND ENGINEERING METEOROLOGY ANALYSIS FOR KARACHI COASTAL AREA

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Muhammad Taqui ◽  
Jabir Hussain Syed ◽  
Ghulam Hassan Askari
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Coastal Area ◽  
Meteorological Parameters ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Meteorological Station ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field

Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, which is industrial centre and economic hub needs focus in research and development of every field of Engineering, Science and Technology. Urbanization and industrialization is resulting bad weather conditions which prolongs until a climate change. Since, Meteorology serves as interdisciplinary field of study, an analytical study of real and region-specific meteorological data is conducted which focuses on routine, extreme and engineering meteorology of metropolitan city Karachi. Results of study endorse the meteorological parameters relationship and establish the variability of those parameters for Karachi Coastal Area. The rise of temperature, decreasing trend of atmospheric pressure, increment in precipitation and fall in relative humidity depict the effects of urbanization and industrialization. The recorded extreme maximum temperature of 45.50C (on June 11, 1988) and the extreme minimum temperature of 4.5 0C(on January 1, 2007) is observed at Karachi south meteorological station. The estimated temperature rise in 32 years is 0.9 0C, which is crossing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted/estimated limit of 2oC rise per century. The maximum annual precipitation of 487.0mm appearing in 1994 and the minimum annual precipitation of 2.5mm appearing in 1987 is observed at same station which is representative meteorological station for Karachi Coast. Further Engineering meteorological parameters for heating ventilation air condition (HVAC) system design for industrial purpose are deduced as supporting data for coastal area site study for industrial as well as any follow-up engineering work in the specified region.

Assessment of the future climate potential for tourism over Europe using a combination of downscaling approaches and quantitative impact models

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Francisca Cardell ◽  
Arnau Amengual ◽  
Romualdo Romero
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Cumulative Distribution ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Model Errors ◽  
Present Climate ◽  
Ensemble Strategy ◽  
The Future

<p>Europe and particularly, the Mediterranean countries, are among the most visited tourist destinations worldwide, while it is also recognized as one of the most sensitive regions to climate change. Climate is a key resource and even a limiting factor for many types of tourism. Owing to climate change, modified patterns of atmospheric variables such as temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, hours of sunshine and wind speed will likely affect the suitability of the European destinations for certain outdoor leisure activities.</p><p>Perspectives on the future of second-generation climate indices for tourism (CIT) that depend on thermal, aesthetic and physical facets are derived using model projected daily atmospheric data and present climate “observations”. Specifically, daily series of 2-m maximum temperature, accumulated precipitation, 2-m relative humidity, mean cloud cover and 10-m wind speed from ERA-5 reanalysis are used to derive the present climate potential. For projections, the same daily variables have been obtained from a set of regional climate models (RCMs) included in the European CORDEX project, considering the rcp8.5 future emissions scenario. The adoption of a multi-model ensemble strategy allows quantifying the uncertainties arising from the model errors and the GCM-derived boundary conditions. To properly derive CITs at local scale, a quantile–quantile adjustment has been applied to the simulated regional scenarios. The method detects changes in the continuous CIT cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) between the recent past and successive time slices of the simulated climate and applies these changes, once calibrated, to the observed CDFs. </p><p>Assessments on the future climate potential for several types of tourist activities in Europe (i.e., sun, sea and sand (3S) tourism, cycling, cultural, football, golf, nautical and hiking) will be presented by applying suitable quantitative indicators of CIT evolutions adapted to regional contexts. It is expected that such kind of information will ultimately benefit the design of mitigation and adaptation strategies of the tourist sector.</p>

scholarly journals Using ERA-Interim Reanalysis output for creating datasets of energy-relevant climate variables

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip D. Jones ◽  
Colin Harpham ◽  
Alberto Troccoli ◽  
Benoit Gschwind ◽  
Thierry Ranchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Bias Adjustment ◽  
Dewpoint Temperature ◽  
Data Store

Abstract. The construction of a bias-adjusted dataset of climate variables at the near surface using ERA-Interim Reanalysis is presented. A number of different bias-adjustment approaches have been proposed. Here we modify the parameters of different distributions (depending on the variable), adjusting those calculated from ERA-Interim to those based on gridded station or direct station observations. The variables are air temperature, dewpoint temperature, precipitation (daily only), solar radiation, wind speed and relative humidity, available at either 3 or 6 h timescales over the period 1979-2014. This dataset is available to anyone through the Climate Data Store (CDS) of the Copernicus Climate Change Data Store (C3S), and can be accessed at present from (ftp://ecem.climate.copernicus.eu). The benefit of performing bias-adjustment is demonstrated by comparing initial and bias-adjusted ERA-Interim data against observations.

scholarly journals Investigation of Climate Change Anomaly by Using Nonparametric Test for Navsari District of South Gujarat

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-275
Author(s):  
Neeraj Kumar ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Time Series ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Nonparametric Test ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Rainfall Trend ◽  
Regression Slope ◽  
Sunshine Hours ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Daily Sunshine

Navsari district of rainfall was shows highest increasing rainfall trend obtained September and negative January, July, October, November and December. The regression slope of the yearly time series is about 12.35 mm/36 years. Maximum temperature shows the highest increasing trend in month October, followed by December and August. The month highest decreasing trend was noticed that January, followed by February and July. The regression slope of the yearly time series is about 0.025°C/36 years. Minimum temperature highest values of the slope (0.109°C/36 year) with high value of regression Slope of determination (0.111°C), the annual Kendall’s tau statistic (0.492°C/36 year), the Kendall Score (310). All the month January to December shows increasing trend. The highest increasing trend found that November, followed by March and July, respectively. This finding shows that all the month shows increasing trend with the range between 0.308°C to 0.390°C. In case of RH-I the highest increasing trend shows September, followed by April and June. Similarly decreasing trend was found that January, followed by February and October, respectively. Relative humidity-II increasing trend was found only at the September month 0.084%, the increasing trend was detected in January to August and October to December, respectively. The strongest trend in the Bright sunshine hour’s decline of all month’s average daily sunshine hours was for the Navsari district. No significant trends were detected in all months and seasons for all weather elements. A similar trend was found in Sen’s slope and regression slope all the months for all the weather elements.

scholarly journals Classificação e Análises das Indicações de Mudanças Climáticas no Município de Sobral - Ceará (Classification and Analysis of Indications of Climate Change in the City of Sobral – Ceará)

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1056
Author(s):  
Raimundo Mainar Medeiros ◽  
Paulo Roberto Megna Francisco ◽  
Alexandra Lima Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Temperature Variations ◽  
Meteorological Elements ◽  
The City

A partir das séries climatológicas normais de 1931-1960 e 1961-1990 dos elementos meteorológicos realizaram-se os cálculos do balanço hídrico climatológico, a classificação e as análises das indicações de mudanças climáticas no município de Sobral, estado do Ceará, utilizando O programa do BHnorm  elaborado em planilhas eletrônicas no pacote Excel por Sentelhas et al. (1999) e a metodologia de cálculo do Balanço Hídrico Climático de Thornthwaite & Mather (1955) e a classificação de Thornthwaite (1955), com o objetivo de contribuir para a sustentabilidade do homem no campo. Identificou-se que o clima da área de estudo classifica-se como Megatérmico semiárido e o tipo climático passou do tipo dw2w2d’ para dw2Dd’ com reduções da temperatura mínima e com oscilações de -0,1 a -0,8ºC e temperatura máxima com variações de -1,7 à 2,1ºC.  A umidade relativa do ar ocorreu flutuações positivas de 0,3 à 3,4%. A evapotranspiração potencial oscilou em -71,0 mm em relação aos períodos para o mês de outubro. Os índices de umidade; aridez e hídricos demonstraram valores de 28,6%, -23,9% e -47,5%, respectivamente. Observou-se que todas estas variabilidades ocorreram devido aos efeitos causados pelo homem na estrutura da cidade. Palavras-chave: Meteorologia. Balanço Hídrico Climático. Clima.  Classification and Analysis of Indications of Climate Change in the City of Sobral – Ceará  ABSTRACTFrom the series 1931-1960 climatological normal from 1961-1990 and meteorological elements were carried out calculations of the climatic water balance, classification and analysis of the indications of climate change in the city of Sobral, Ceará State, using the program BHnorm prepared in Excel spreadsheets in the package by Sentelhas et al. (1999) and the methodology of calculation of the Climatic Water Balance of Thornthwaite & Mather (1955) and the classification of Thornthwaite (1955), in order to contribute to the sustainability of the man in the field. It was found that the climate of the study area is classified as megathermal semiarid climate and the type has type dw2w2d 'to dw2Dd' with reductions in the minimum temperature fluctuations and from -0.1 to -0.8 º C and maximum temperature variations with 2.1 to -1.7 ° C. The relative humidity was positive fluctuations of 0.3 to 3.4%. The potential evapotranspiration fluctuated -71.0 mm for the periods for the month of October. The contents of moisture, drought and water showed values ​​of 28.6% -23.9% and -47.5%, respectively. It was observed that all these effects occurred due to variability caused by man in the structure of the city.  Keywords: Meteorology. Climatic Water Balance. Climate.

scholarly journals Using ERA-Interim reanalysis for creating datasets of energy-relevant climate variables

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 471-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip D. Jones ◽  
Colin Harpham ◽  
Alberto Troccoli ◽  
Benoit Gschwind ◽  
Thierry Ranchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Bias Adjustment ◽  
Dewpoint Temperature ◽  
Data Store

Abstract. The construction of a bias-adjusted dataset of climate variables at the near surface using ERA-Interim reanalysis is presented. A number of different, variable-dependent, bias-adjustment approaches have been proposed. Here we modify the parameters of different distributions (depending on the variable), adjusting ERA-Interim based on gridded station or direct station observations. The variables are air temperature, dewpoint temperature, precipitation (daily only), solar radiation, wind speed, and relative humidity. These are available on either 3 or 6 h timescales over the period 1979–2016. The resulting bias-adjusted dataset is available through the Climate Data Store (CDS) of the Copernicus Climate Change Data Store (C3S) and can be accessed at present from ftp://ecem.climate.copernicus.eu. The benefit of performing bias adjustment is demonstrated by comparing initial and bias-adjusted ERA-Interim data against gridded observational fields.

scholarly journals Impact of Climate Change on the Hydrology of the Upper Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Nega Chalie Emiru ◽  
John Walker Recha ◽  
Julian R. Thompson ◽  
Abrham Belay ◽  
Ermias Aynekulu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Hydrological Drought ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Trend Test

This study investigated the impacts of climate change on the hydrology of the Upper Awash Basin, Ethiopia. A soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was calibrated and validated against observed streamflow using SWAT CUP. The Mann–Kendall trend test (MK) was used to assess climate trends. Meteorological drought (SPEI) and hydrological drought (SDI) were also investigated. Based on the ensemble mean of five global climate models (GCMs), projected increases in mean annual maximum temperature over the period 2015–2100 (compared with a 1983–2014 baseline) range from 1.16 to 1.73 °C, while increases in minimum temperature range between 0.79 and 2.53 °C. Increases in mean annual precipitation range from 1.8% at Addis Ababa to 45.5% over the Hombole area. High streamflow (Q5) declines at all stations except Ginchi. Low flows (Q90) also decline with Q90 equaling 0 m3s−1 (i.e., 100% reduction) at some gauging stations (Akaki and Hombole) for individual GCMs. The SPEI confirmed a significant drought trend in the past, while the frequency and severity of drought will increase in the future. The basin experienced conditions that varied from modest dry periods to a very severe hydrological drought between 1986 and 2005. The projected SDI ranges from modestly dry to modestly wet conditions. Climate change in the basin would enhance seasonal variations in hydrological conditions. Both precipitation and streamflow will decline in the wet seasons and increase in the dry seasons. These changes are likely to have an impact on agricultural activities and other human demands for water resources throughout the basin and will require the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures.

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