scholarly journals Do Local Environmental Factors and Lunar Cycle Influence Timing and Synchrony of Oviposition of a Turtle with Strict Nocturnal Nesting?

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Tibisay Escalona ◽  
Nicole Valenzuela ◽  
Dean C. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Social Facilitation ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Full Moon ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Freshwater Turtle ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
River Level

Timing of nesting affects fitness of oviparous animals living in seasonal environments, and females may cue on environmental factors for their nesting behavior, but these relationships are understudied in tropical turtles. Here, the timing and synchrony of egg-laying relative to environmental factors were examined in the South American freshwater turtle Podocnemis unifilis on 11 nesting beaches during three nesting seasons. Daily measurements included number of nests laid, rainfall, river level, air temperature, and the phase of the lunar cycle (full moon, last quarter, new moon and first quarter). Results confirmed that P. unifilis nested at night and revealed that females in our population nest in groups from 2 to 17 females at a time. Nesting was not correlated with rainfall, but a significant relationship was found with river level, such that nesting started at the onset of the dry season when river levels dropped and nesting grounds emerged. Importantly, we found that (1) nesting events concentrated on days with intermediate daily maximum air temperature (although maxima changed annually), and that (2) larger groups of females nested around full moon, suggesting the reliance on visual cues to initiate nesting activities (consistent with social facilitation behavior). Altogether, the timing of nesting in P. unifilis may be shaped by a combination of environmental factors, moon phase and social facilitation, where visual cues play an important role.

scholarly journals Impact of meteorological conditions on the incidence of acute aortic dissection

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 321-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Payman Majd ◽  
Navid Madershahian ◽  
Anton Sabashnikov ◽  
Carolyn Weber ◽  
Wael Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Atmospheric Pressure ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Acute Aortic Dissection ◽  
Full Moon ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Different Types

Background: There is still much controversy about whether meteorological conditions influence the occurrence of acute aortic dissection (AAD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible correlation between atmospheric pressure, temperature, lunar cycle and the event of aortic dissection in our patient population. Methods: The clinical data for 348 patients with AAD (73% type Stanford A) were confronted with the meteorological data provided by the Cologne weather station over the same period. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between meteorological parameters on days of AAD events compared with control days. A logistic regression model showed that air pressure (odds ratio [OR] 1.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.991–1.017, p = 0.542), air temperature (OR 0.978, 95% CI 0.949–1.008, p = 0.145), season ( p = 0.918) and month of the event ( p = 0.175) as well as presence of full moon (OR 1.579, 95% CI 0.763–3.270, p = 0.219) were not able to predict AAD events. Also, no predictive power of meteorological data and season was found on analysing their impact on different types of AAD events. Conclusions: Our study did not reveal any dependence of atmospheric pressure, air temperature or the presence of full moon on the incidence of different types of AAD.

Lunar Phases and Psychiatric Hospital Admissions

1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1435-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Gorvin ◽  
M. Susan Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Psychiatric Hospital ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Full Moon ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
Developmentally Disabled ◽  
Moon Phase ◽  
Contributing Factors

To assess the lunar hypothesis as predictive of mental health emergencies and antisocial behavior, the relation of the lunar hypothesis and the occurrence of psychiatric hospital admissions of developmentally disabled adults was examined. The full moon phase of the lunar cycle did not explain a higher rate of hospital admission and accounted for only .007% of the variance. A critique of the methodology in prior research led to the suggestion that more immediate stressors and environmental factors are more plausible contributing factors to hospital admission.

Lunar Cycle Influences Reproductive Performance of Crossbred Brahman Cows Under Tropical Conditions

2021 ◽  
pp. 074873042098363
Author(s):  
Alejandro A. Aguirre ◽  
Roberto A. Palomares ◽  
Aitor D. De Ondiz ◽  
Eleazar R. Soto ◽  
Mariana S. Perea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Full Moon ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Crossbred Cows ◽  
Lunar Phases ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Service Conception ◽  
New Moon ◽  
Postpartum Estrus

Evidence has accumulated over the years indicating that the moon influences some aspects of the reproductive activity in animals and humans. However, little is known about the influence of the lunar cycle on the reproductive performance of cows under tropical conditions, where the environment strongly affects reproduction. This retrospective study was conducted with the aim of assessing the influence of the lunar cycle on some reproductive traits of tropical crossbred cows managed in a pasture-based system. Data from 5869 reproductive records from two commercial farms localized in the Maracaibo Lake Basin of Zulia State, Venezuela, were analyzed. Variables studied were first service conception rate, calving frequency, first postpartum estrous frequency, and pregnancy frequency. In addition to the lunar cycle, the effects of farm, season, and predominant breed were also considered. Data were analyzed using logistic regression and general linear model from SAS. First service conception was affected by lunar phases and predominant breed, but not by farm or season. For frequencies of calving, first postpartum estrus, and pregnancy, there was no main effect of farm, season, and predominant breed, whereas the effect of lunar phases was highly significant. First service conception was significantly greater in waning than in crescent phase of the lunar cycle. Frequencies of calving, first estrus, and pregnancy were highly correlated and showed greater figures around full moon and new moon. In conclusion, lunar cycle influenced first service conception, attaining greater values in the waning phase of the moon cycle. Frequencies of calving, first postpartum estrus, and pregnancy in crossbred cows showed a clear bimodal rhythm, whose greatest values coincided with new moon and full moon.

scholarly journals 8-Day and Daily Maximum and Minimum Air Temperature Estimation via Machine Learning Method on a Climate Zone to Global Scale

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2355
Author(s):  
Linglin Zeng ◽  
Yuchao Hu ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
Xiang Zhang ◽  
Guozhang Peng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scale ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Validation Dataset ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Climate Zone ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

Air temperature (Ta) is a required input in a wide range of applications, e.g., agriculture. Land Surface Temperature (LST) products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are widely used to estimate Ta. Previous studies of these products in Ta estimation, however, were generally applied in small areas and with a small number of meteorological stations. This study designed both temporal and spatial experiments to estimate 8-day and daily maximum and minimum Ta (Tmax and Tmin) on three spatial scales: climate zone, continental and global scales from 2009 to 2018, using the Random Forest (RF) method based on MODIS LST products and other auxiliary data. Factors contributing to the relation between LST and Ta were determined based on physical models and equations. Temporal and spatial experiments were defined by the rules of dividing the training and validation datasets for the RF method, in which the stations selected in the training dataset were all included or not in the validation dataset. The RF model was first trained and validated on each spatial scale, respectively. On a global scale, model accuracy with a determination coefficient (R2) > 0.96 and root mean square error (RMSE) < 1.96 °C and R2 > 0.95 and RMSE < 2.55 °C was achieved for 8-day and daily Ta estimations, respectively, in both temporal and spatial experiments. Then the model was trained and cross-validated on each spatial scale. The results showed that the data size and station distribution of the study area were the main factors influencing the model performance at different spatial scales. Finally, the spatial patterns of the model performance and variable importance were analyzed. Both daytime and nighttime LST had a significant contribution in the 8-day Tmax estimation on all the three spatial scales; while their contribution in daily Tmax estimation varied over different continents or climate zones. This study was expected to improve our understanding of Ta estimation in terms of accuracy variations and influencing variables on different spatial and temporal scales. The future work mainly includes identifying underlying mechanisms of estimation errors and the uncertainty sources of Ta estimation from a local to a global scale.

Acoustic tracking: issues affecting design, analysis and interpretation of data from movement studies

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Richard How ◽  
Simon de Lestang
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Telemetry ◽  
Full Moon ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Lunar Cycle ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Detection Distance ◽  
Detection Rates ◽  
Detection Frequency ◽  
Analytical Work ◽  
Power Outputs

Acoustic telemetry systems are an increasingly common way to examine the movement and behaviour of marine organisms. However, there has been little published on the methodological and analytical work associated with this technology. We tested transmitters of differing power outputs simultaneously in several trials, some lasting ~50 days, to examine the effects of power output and environmental factors (water movement, temperature, lunar cycle and time of day). There were considerable and volatile changes in detections throughout all trials. Increased water movement and temperature significantly reduced detection rates, whereas daytime and full-moon periods had significantly higher detection rates. All nine transmitters (from seven transmitter types tested) showed a sigmoidal trend between detection frequency and distance. Higher-powered transmitters had a prolonged detection distance with near-maximal detections, whereas lower-powered transmitters showed an almost immediate decline. Variation of detection frequency, transmitter type and the modelled relationship between distance and detection frequency were incorporated into a positioning trial which resulted in markedly improved position estimates over previous techniques.

scholarly journals Active Yeast but Not Henhouse Environment Affects Dropping Moisture Levels in Egg-Laying Hens

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2179
Author(s):  
Xue Cheng ◽  
Yuchen Liu ◽  
Zhong Wang ◽  
Lujiang Qu ◽  
Zhonghua Ning
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Egg Quality ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Absolute Pressure ◽  
Poultry Production ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Laying Performance

Dropping moisture (DM) refers to the water content in feces. High DM negatively affects poultry production, environment, production costs, and animal health. Heredity, nutrition, environment, and disease may affect DM level. DM has medium inheritability and is related to cage height in henhouses. We examined the relationship among DM level, production performance, and environmental factors at different locations at the same henhouse height and effects of three types of additives. We measured the correlation between environmental factors including temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, absolute pressure, and DM levels and laying performance of 934 Rhode Island Red hens. DM level was not significantly associated with environmental factors or production performance. We divided 64 persistently high DM hens into control and treatment groups supplied with different additives (probiotics, anisodamine, and antibiotics). DM levels, laying performance, egg quality, and serum biochemical indices were determined. Compared with the control and antibiotics, probiotics significantly reduced DM levels and eggshell strength while improving yolk color but did not significantly affect production performance. The additives reduced the b value of eggshell color; compared with probiotics, anisodamine decreased serum globulin levels. Exogenous active yeast supplementation can significantly reduce DM levels.

Evaluation of the influence of ambient air temperature and air velocity on mortar cement durability using a forced convection solar dryer

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Younes Bahammou ◽  
Mounir Kouhila ◽  
Haytem Moussaoui ◽  
Hamza Lamsyehe ◽  
Zakaria Tagnamas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Forced Convection ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Physical Significance ◽  
Drying Process ◽  
Air Velocity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ambient Air Temperature

PurposeThis work aims to study the hydrothermal behavior of mortar cement toward certain environmental factors (ambient air temperature and air velocity) based on its drying kinetics data. The objective is to provide a better understanding and controlling the stability of mortar structures, which integrate the sorption phenomenon, drying process, air pressure and intrinsic characteristics. This leads to predict the comportment of mortar structures in relation with main environmental factors and minimize the risk of cracking mortar structures at an early age.Design/methodology/approachThermokinetic study was carried out in natural and forced convection solar drying at three temperatures 20, 30 and 40°C and three air velocities (1, 3 and 5 m.s-1). The empirical and semiempirical models tested successfully describe the drying kinetics of mortar. These models simulate the drying process of water absorbed by capillarity, which is the most common humidity transfer mechanism in building materials and contain parameters with physical significance, which integrate the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures.FindingsThe models simulate the drying process of water absorbed by capillarity, which is the most common humidity transfer mechanism in building materials and contain parameters with physical significance, which integrate the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures. The average activation energy obtained expressed the temperature effect on the mortar diffusivity. The drying constant and the diffusion coefficient can be used to predict the influence of these environmental factors on the drying behavior of various building materials and therefore on their durability.Originality/valueEvaluation of the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures on their durability.

Micro-climatological influences on temperature condition in an old people’s home in Helsinki, Finland, caused by extended heat-waves 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achim Drebs ◽  
Tim Sinsel ◽  
Kirsti Jylhä
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Old People ◽  
Concrete Walls ◽  
Meteorological Forcing ◽  
Clear Sky ◽  
Wave Event ◽  
Construction Type ◽  
Maximum Air Temperature

&lt;p&gt;In our research we describe the micro-climatological influences of two heat-waves around and the air temperature development in a certain old people&amp;#8217;s home in Helsinki, Finland. The stand-alone six-storey concrete building was erected in the late 1970&amp;#8217;s and represents the prevailing construction type of this area. The building is located on a slightly southwards declining slope.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first simulation used real meteorological forcing-data from the heat-wave event in summer 2018, which lasted from July, 13&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; until August, 5&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt;. In this period the daily maximum air temperature reached almost every day 25 &amp;#176;C and more, sometimes even more than 30 &amp;#176;C. All air temperature, wind, humidity, and solar radiation (cloudiness) measurements were conducted at a near-by synoptical weather station.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second simulation used fourteen-day constructed meteorological forcing-data, based on a clear-sky, slowly increasing air temperature, higher than normal humidity, and low wind conditions assumption starting on July, 13&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; (day 194 of the year).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We used the holistic ENVI-met simulation soft-ware to simulate the physical environment around the old people&amp;#8217;s home and especially the energy fluxes inside the concrete walls to explain the needs for cooling demands.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The research is part of the HEATCLIM-project financed by the Academy of Finland Science Program CLIHE (2020-2023).&lt;/p&gt;

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