Summer Rain

Author(s):  
Pernille Rørth
Keyword(s):  
1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 642-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Moser ◽  
Thomas H. Nash III ◽  
Steven O. Link

The daily, in situ gross photosynthetic patterns of Cladonia stellaris (Opiz.) Pouz. & Vězda. and Cladonia rangiferina (L.) Wigg. were monitored during portions of the 1977, 1978, and 1979 growing seasons at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. Photosynthetic activity in both species closely paralleled atmospheric moisture status, where peak photosynthetic rates were attained during or following sporadic summer rain. In addition, thallus absorption of moisture during extended periods of high atmospheric water vapor content gave rise to short periods of minimal photosynthetic activity. During late evening and early morning hours moistened thalli exhibited minimal or no photosynthetic activity, coinciding with consistent attenuation in solar radiation during these periods. Photosynthetic activity was not homogeneous throughout the thallus. The greatest activity occurred in the apical regions and decreased progressively into the basal regions. The apical 10-mm regions of C. stellaris and C. rangiferina thalli accounted for approximately 50% of their photosynthetic capabilities. The potential gross CO2 assimilation of the apical 10-mm regions over 72 days of the 1978 growing season was estimated at approximately 35 g CO2∙m−2 and 16 g CO2∙m−2 for C. stellaris and C. rangiferina, respectively.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (18) ◽  
pp. 6919-6939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen A. Kelley

Abstract Some previous studies were unable to detect seasonal organization to the rainfall in the Sahara Desert, while others reported seasonal patterns only in the less-arid periphery of the Sahara. In contrast, the precipitation radar on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite detects four rainy seasons in the part of the Sahara where the TRMM radar saw the least rainfall during a 15-yr period (1998–2012). According to the TRMM radar, approximately 20°–27°N, 22°–32°E is the portion of the Sahara that has the lowest average annual rain accumulation (1–5 mm yr−1). Winter (January and February) has light rain throughout this region but more rain to the north over the Mediterranean Sea. Spring (April and May) has heavier rain and has lightning observed by the TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS). Summer rain and lightning (July and August) occur primarily south of 23°N. At a maximum over the Red Sea, autumn rain and lightning (October and November) can be heavy in the northeastern portion of the study area, but these storms are unreliable: that is, the TRMM radar detects such storms in only 6 of the 15 years. These four rainy seasons are each separated by a comparatively drier month in the monthly rainfall climatology. The few rain gauges in this arid region broadly agree with the TRMM radar on the seasonal organization of rainfall. This seasonality is reason to reevaluate the idea that Saharan rainfall is highly irregular and unpredictable.


Author(s):  
Robert P. Harnack ◽  
Donald T. Jensen ◽  
Joseph R. Cermak III
Keyword(s):  

1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR King ◽  
SH Wheeler ◽  
GL Schmidt

The population fluctuations and reproductive biology of rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), were studied in a coastal pastoral area in the north-west of Western Australia between 1974 and 1981. Numbers were highest in late 1975-early 1976 and declined during a period of below-average rainfall in 1976-79, but were still found in all landforms. The breeding season was more regular than that of rabbits in other pastoral areas, and appeared to be a response to winter rains which were relatively predictable in timing, if not amount. Successful summer breeding also followed heavy summer rain. There appears to be no opportunity for cost-effective control of rabbits in the area by techniques currently available, as even when numbers are low the rabbits are widespread.


The Auk ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 1081-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Macías-Duarte ◽  
Angel B. Montoya ◽  
W. Grainger Hunt ◽  
Alberto Lafón-Terrazas ◽  
Robert Tafanelli

Abstract A breeding population of Aplomado Falcons (Falco femoralis) remains in the desert grasslands of Chihuahua, Mexico, despite their extirpation in the nearby southwestern United States. We monitored falcon reproduction at 35 territories during 1996-2002, a period of severe drought in the region. To test the influence of prey abundance and vegetation on falcon reproduction, we surveyed avian prey abundance through plot counts in 1998-2002 and characterized vegetation at each plot. Aplomado Falcon productivity declined from 1.57 fledglings per occupied territory in 1997 to 0.63 in 2002 at the larger of two study areas, a trend consistent with cumulative effects of consecutive years of low rainfall. Reproduction in the smaller area remained low throughout the study. Both productivity and incubation start date were significantly associated with prey bird abundance. Summer rain most likely influenced falcon reproduction by affecting seed abundance and therefore abundance of granivorous prey birds the following winter and spring. Falcons nested in open grasslands with sparse woody vegetation, an adaptation likely related to higher prey vulnerability and fewer predators. However, important prey birds were positively correlated with woody-plant density, which suggests that proximity of shrublands increased nest-site suitability.


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 661 ◽  
Author(s):  
RD Hill ◽  
DJ Missen ◽  
RJ Taylor

The effect of glyphosate on seedhead development of bent grass (Agrostis castellana) was evaluated in an experiment at 2 sites in south-western Victoria.Application of glyphosate at 0.1350.225 kg a.i./ha on 7 November and 7 December 1993 prevented the formation of seedheads and stimulated the plant into renewed vegetative growth in response to following summer rain. The treatment with 0.135 kg a.i./ha of glyphosate, applied on 7 November, increased digestible dry matter of the regrowth by 20% and protein content by 70% compared with the unsprayed control which was dominated by seedheads. These results reflect the amount of new growth in treated plots and thus should not be confused with either the 'spraytopping' technique which aims to sterilise seeds after seedhead emergence or 'hay freezing' which and aims to preserve the feed value of existing vegetation by 'chemically curing' standing hay. We conclude that application of glyphosate at 0.135 kg a.i./ha in early November has the potential to reduce the dominance of bent grass, creating an opportunity for follow up fertiliser and management techniques to maintain productive pastures.


Author(s):  
Antanas Lukianas ◽  
Rasa Ruminaitė

The dependence of runoff characteristics of the Lielupe River basin district rivers: the Mūša River, the Levuo River and the Tatula River on the wetland drainage is analysed in the article. The wetland covers 70–89% of the total area in the basins of these rivers. It was established, that drainage of 80–91% of wetland area had not changed the runoff characteristics. The excess of water is removed through the drainage systems most intensively during spring and summer rain floods. The analysis of the runoff of spring flood and summer rain floods revealed that the area of drained land had not changed the runoff characteristics. The tenuous positive or negative relations (coefficients of correlation from ‐0.52 to 0.19) between the area of drained wetland and the runoff characteristics were established. Santrauka Šlapių žemių sausinimo Lietuvoje įtaka upių nuotėkiui iki šiol vertinama nevienareikšmiškai, nes ji gana sudėtinga ir įvairiapusė. Straipsnyje analizuojama Lielupės baseino upių Mūšos, Lėvens ir Tatulos nuotėkio charakteristikų priklausomybė nuo periodiškai šlapių žemių sausinimo drenažo sistema. Šių upių baseinuose periodiškai šlapių mineralinių žemių plotai sudaro 70–89 % viso baseino ploto (pelkės užima tik 3,2–7,5 %). Analizuota sausinimo, nuotėkio bei jo pasiskirstymo per metus kaitos charakteristikos, nuotėkio netolygumo dėsningumai. Tiriant nustatyta, kad per pastaruosius 40 metų nagrinėjamų upių baseinuose nusausintų žemių plotai padidėjo nuo 4–7 % (šlapių žemių fondo) iki 80–91 %. Vandens perteklius iš sausinimo sistemos pasišalina per pavasario potvynius bei vasaros poplūdžius. Analizuojant pavasario potvynių ir vasaros poplūdžių duomenis akivaizdu, kad nusausintų žemių plotas neturi įtakos upių nuotėkio charakteristikų pokyčiui. Tarp nusausintų žemių ploto ir nuotėkio charakteristikų nustatytos labai silpnos teigiamos arba neigiamos sąsajos (koreliacijos koeficientai nuo –0,52 iki 0,19). Резюме Влияние осушения избыточно увлажненных земель на речной сток в Литве до сих пор оценивается неоднозначно, так как это влияние сложно и многообразно. В статье анализируются характеристики изменения речного стока и его внутригодового распределения, закономерности его неравномерности в бассейнах рек Муша, Левуо и Татула (эти реки составляют район речных бассейнов Лелупе), в которых периодически избыточно увлажняемые земли составляют 70−89% от площади бассейнов. Исследованиями установлено, что площади осушенных земель в исследуемых речных бассейнах за последние 40 лет увеличились с 4−7% (от фонда избыточно увлажненных земель) до 80−91%. Несмотря на то, что большая часть избыточно увлажненных земель уже осушена, это не оказывает существенного влияния на речной сток. Избыток влаги осушительными системами наиболее интенсивно удаляется в течение весенних половодий и летних паводков, поэтому изменения речного стока из-за осушения происходят в течение тех же сезонов. При анализе зависимости изменения слоя речного стока в течение весенних половодий и летних паводков (в долях от годового стока) от площади осушения установлено отсутствие корреляционной связи, либо эта связь является слабой (коэффициенты корреляции изменяются от −0,52 до 0,19).


1988 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-65
Author(s):  
PAUL HADFIELD
Keyword(s):  

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