Ecological Characterization of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) at the Southern Coast of Mar Chiquita Lake, Argentina

Author(s):  
Andrés M Visintin ◽  
Magdalena Laurito ◽  
Marta G Grech ◽  
Elizabet L Estallo ◽  
María E Grillet ◽  
...  

Abstract In the southern coast of Mar Chiquita Lake, central Argentina, mosquitoes affect public health and community livelihood, since they transmit pathogens to human beings causing diseases such as malaria, filariasis, encephalitis, yellow fever, and dengue, among others, and have a negative effect on cattle farming as well. To characterize the structure of the mosquito assemblage of the region, we determined the species composition and diversity, the temporal distribution of different species, and the patterns of species richness, abundance, and diversity across seasons. We collected adult mosquitoes over a two-year period (October 2004–September 2006) by means of CDC light traps baited with CO2 from 18:00 to 08:00 h during the warm season (October–April) and from 12:00 h to 18:00 h in the cold season (May–September). A total of 71,501 individuals from 30 species were collected, with Culex Linnaeus and Aedes Meigen genera representing more than 98% of collected specimens (61.5% and 37.3%, respectively). The higher values of richness and abundance of Culicidae were registered in warm seasons compared to cold seasons. Chao1 estimates suggested that more than 90% of the species were detected in all seasons. Mosquito abundance distribution fit the logarithmic series and log-normal models. Aedes albifasciatus (Macquart), Ae. scapularis (Rondani), Culex interfor Dyar, Cx. saltanensis Dyar, and Cx. dolosus (Lynch Arribálzaga), vectors incriminated in arbovirus transmission, were abundant year-round, with Cx. saltanensis and Cx. dolosus most prevalent in cold seasons. Further studies are needed to assess the role of these species in arbovirus transmission in this region of central Argentina.

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 443
Author(s):  
Guohua Liu ◽  
Rensheng Chen ◽  
Xiqiang Wang

Positive degree day (PDD) indicates the accumulated positive temperature in a given time period; it directly relates to the melting of snow and ice, and it is a key parameter between global warming and cryosphere changes. In this study, we calculated the PDD based on the daily mean temperatures from1960 to 2018 at meteorological stations, and we used measured and interpolated data to determine spatial and temporal distribution and changes in PDD in western China (WC). Results show that the mean annual, warm season, and cold season PDD values at 209 meteorological stations were 3652.2, 2832.9, and 819.3 °C, respectively. PDD spatial distribution in WC is similar to that of air temperature. In WC, PDD mainly ranged from 0 to 5000, 1000 to 4000, and 0 to 1000 °C year−1, respectively for annual, warm season, and cold season. From 1960 to 2018, the observed mean initial day of PDD moved forward by 8.3 days, and the final day was delayed by 8.2 days, with the duration expanding to 16.6 days; the trend in PDD reversed in the 1980s and the change rate in PDD for annual, warm season and cold season was 6.6, 3.8, and 2.7 °C year−1 higher, respectively. Regionally, PDD increased in almost all areas; the high PDD advanced from south to north, east to west, desert to mountain, and low to high altitudes. The results also showed that the warming rate of PDD was lower in the cold season and in high-altitude areas, which was opposite to the observed temperature patterns, however, the non-linear relationship between PDD and mean temperature over a period of time is the main reason for this phenomenon. This study adds more details for the understanding of climate change in WC, and suggests that more attention should be paid to PDD in the study of cryosphere changes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1537-1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinlin Yang ◽  
Jianhua Sun ◽  
Wanli Li

Abstract The cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning data being detected by the China Lightning Detection Network between 2010 and 2013 are employed to gain insight into the spatial and temporal distribution of CG lightning in China. There are clear interannual and seasonal variations of CG lightning activity. The mean total CG and positive CG (PCG) flashes in 2010–13 are approximately 6.44 million and 0.42 million, respectively, and the mean percentage of PCG (PPCG) is 6.6%. CG and PCG flashes predominately occur during summer, with August being the peak month for CG and June for PCG. PPCG in the cold season is considerably greater than in the warm season; its maximum of 56.2% is in January and the minimum value of 4.0% is found in August. The centers of maximum mean annual CG density are scattered throughout southern China, the Sichuan basin, and the south of Jiangsu Province. The CG density in the high elevations and arid regions of western China is less than that in the low elevations and coastal regions of southeastern China. In addition, daily CG density and CG lightning days in southeastern China are greater than in northwestern China, but PPCG in western China is apparently greater than that in eastern China. Areas experiencing more than 30 CG lightning days per year are primarily south of 30°N, with 10–30 lightning days per year in northern and northeastern China, and approximately 10–20 lightning days per year over the central Tibetan Plateau.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Delai ◽  
Changzhong Liu ◽  
Zhengxue Ma ◽  
Jingjing Su

Abstract The Daxia River Basin on the eastern edge of the Chinese Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is one of the typical distribution regions of alpine wetlands and a global biodiversity hotspot. The aim of this study is to analyze the composition and spatio-temporal distribution of the soil arthropods, and to use them as an indicator for the soil environment in the wetland. The soil arthropods of 32 taxa and 7706 individuals were collected from the soil samples at two soil layers (0–10 and 10–20 cm depth) in each habitat of six habitats along the Daxia River in cold season and warm season between 2016 and 2017. The habitat of Tumenguan had a greater arthropod abundance than all other habitats in both cold season and warm season. A significant seasonal variation was observed in the composition, abundance and diversity of the soil arthropod community in each habitat. In cold season the dominant groups were Chironomidae larvae, Sejidae and Trombidiidae. In warm season the dominant groups were Chironomidae larva, Onychiurus, Pygmephorus and Tullbergia. The soil arthopod communities exhibited significant differences among the habitats at the 0–10 and 10–20 cm depth. The multivariate tests with the linear model redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed the significant impact of soil physical and chemical factors on the seasonal change of soil arthropod community. The results demonstrate that soil arthropods in the study area respond more actively to temporal changes than to habitat changes.


Author(s):  
Jindong Wu ◽  
Jiantao Weng ◽  
Bing Xia ◽  
Yujie Zhao ◽  
Qiuji Song

High indoor air quality is crucial for the health of human beings. The purpose of this work is to analyze the synergistic effect of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on occupant satisfaction and work productivity. This study carried out a real-scale experiments in a meeting room with exposures of up to one hour. Indoor environment parameters, including air temperature, relative humidity, illuminance, and noise level, were controlled at a reasonable level. Twenty-nine young participants were participated in the experiments. Four mental tasks were conducted to quantitatively evaluate the work productivity of occupants and a questionnaire was used to access participants’ satisfaction. The Spearman correlation analysis and two-way analysis of variance were applied. It was found that the overall performance declined by 1% for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration. Moreover, for every 10% increase in dissatisfaction with air quality, productivity performance decreased by 1.1% or more. It should be noted that a high CO2 concentration (800 ppm) has a stronger negative effect on occupant satisfaction towards air quality than PM2.5 concentration in a non-ventilated room. In order to obtain optimal occupant satisfaction and work productivity, low concentrations of PM2.5 (<50 μg/m3) and CO2 (<700 ppm) are recommended.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1884
Author(s):  
Jingjing Hu ◽  
Yansong Bao ◽  
Jian Liu ◽  
Hui Liu ◽  
George P. Petropoulos ◽  
...  

The acquisition of real-time temperature and relative humidity (RH) profiles in the Arctic is of great significance for the study of the Arctic’s climate and Arctic scientific research. However, the operational algorithm of Fengyun-3D only takes into account areas within 60°N, the innovation of this work is that a new technique based on Neural Network (NN) algorithm was proposed, which can retrieve these parameters in real time from the Fengyun-3D Hyperspectral Infrared Radiation Atmospheric Sounding (HIRAS) observations in the Arctic region. Considering the difficulty of obtaining a large amount of actual observation (such as radiosonde) in the Arctic region, collocated ERA5 data from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and HIRAS observations were used to train the neural networks (NNs). Brightness temperature and training targets were classified using two variables: season (warm season and cold season) and surface type (ocean and land). NNs-based retrievals were compared with ERA5 data and radiosonde observations (RAOBs) independent of the NN training sets. Results showed that (1) the NNs retrievals accuracy is generally higher on warm season and ocean; (2) the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of retrieved profiles is generally slightly higher in the RAOB comparisons than in the ERA5 comparisons, but the variation trend of errors with height is consistent; (3) the retrieved profiles by the NN method are closer to ERA5, comparing with the AIRS products. All the results demonstrated the potential value in time and space of NN algorithm in retrieving temperature and relative humidity profiles of the Arctic region from HIRAS observations under clear-sky conditions. As such, the proposed NN algorithm provides a valuable pathway for retrieving reliably temperature and RH profiles from HIRAS observations in the Arctic region, providing information of practical value in a wide spectrum of practical applications and research investigations alike.All in all, our work has important implications in broadening Fengyun-3D’s operational implementation range from within 60°N to the Arctic region.


2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 255-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve LeMoine ◽  
James Helmer ◽  
Bjarne Grønnow

Abstract Late Dorset dwellings from two sites on Little Cornwallis Island (Nunavut) illustrate the diversity of architectural forms from this period. Ten architectural features are described. They include five tent rings, ascribed to warm season occupations, and five rectangular semi-subterranean houses with axial features, including one exceptionally well-preserved example, ascribed to cold season occupations. Variations in size, number of hearths, and construction techniques are examined and the use of both types of structures to house multiple nuclear families is suggested.


2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Ana Traversim Gomes ◽  
Viviane Severiano dos Santos ◽  
Denise Rivera Tenenbaum ◽  
Maria Célia Villac

Much time and resources have been invested in understanding plankton dynamics in Guanabara Bay (Brazil), but no attention has been devoted to the protozooplankton. To fulfill this lacuna, abundance and composition of protozooplankton were investigated from January to December - 2000 in fortnightly surface water samplings at two distinct water quality sites (Urca - closer to the bay entrance, more saline and cleaner waters; Ramos - inner reaches, hypereutrophic waters). The density at Urca (10³ - 10(5) cell.l-1) was one to three orders of magnitude lower than at Ramos (10(4) - 10(5) cell.l-1). A seasonal trend for nanoplankton and protozooplankton was more evident at Urca, but both sites had lower densities during the colder period. Small heterotrophic dinoflagellates (20-30 mm) were dominant in over 50% of the samples. The protozooplankton abundance and composition reflected the distinct trophic conditions states found at the bay. During the wet-warm season, non-oligotrich ciliates were representative of Ramos site with Gymnodiniaceae dinoflagellates, while tintinnids and heterotrophic dinoflagellates were predominantly found at Urca mainly during the dry-cold season. This first descriptive study towards the understanding of the intricate relationships among the microbial food web components reveals that protozooplankton can be a good indicator of water quality conditions at the bay.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago A. Barbini ◽  
Luis O. Lucifora

ABSTRACT The eyespot skate, Atlantoraja cyclophora, is an endemic species from the southwestern Atlantic, occurring from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to northern Patagonia, Argentina. The feeding habits of this species, from off Uruguay and north Argentina, were evaluated using a multiple hypothesis modelling approach. In general, the diet was composed mainly of decapod crustaceans, followed by teleost fishes. Molluscs, mysidaceans, amphipods, isopods, lancelets and elasmobranchs were consumed in lower proportion. The consumption of shrimps drecreased with increasing body size of A. cyclophora. On the other hand, the consumption of teleosts increased with body size. Mature individuals preyed more heavily on crabs than immature individuals. Teleosts were consumed more in the south region (34º - 38ºS) and crabs in the north region (38º - 41ºS). Shrimps were eaten more in the warm season than in the cold season. Prey size increased with increasing body size of A. cyclophora , but large individuals also consumed small teleosts and crabs. Atlantoraja cyclophora has demersal-benthic feeding habits, shifts its diet with increasing body size and in response to seasonal and regional changes in prey availability and distribution.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1411-1420 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. Bidleman ◽  
L. M. Jantunen ◽  
H. Hung ◽  
J. Ma ◽  
G. A. Stern ◽  
...  

Abstract. Air samples collected during 1994–2000 at the Canadian Arctic air monitoring station Alert (82°30' N, 62°20' W) were analysed by enantiospecific gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), trans-chlordane (TC) and cis-chlordane (CC). Results were expressed as enantiomer fractions (EF = peak areas of (+)/[(+) + (−)] enantiomers), where EFs = 0.5, < 0.5 and > 0.5 indicate racemic composition, and preferential depletion of (+) and (−) enantiomers, respectively. Long-term average EFs were close to racemic values for α -HCH (0.504 ± 0.004, n = 197) and CC (0.505 ± 0.004, n = 162), and deviated farther from racemic for TC (0.470 ± 0.013, n = 165). Digital filtration analysis revealed annual cycles of lower α-HCH EFs in summer–fall and higher EFs in winter–spring. These cycles suggest volatilization of partially degraded α-HCH with EF < 0.5 from open water and advection to Alert during the warm season, and background transport of α-HCH with EF > 0.5 during the cold season. The contribution of sea-volatilized α-HCH was only 11% at Alert, vs. 32% at Resolute Bay (74.68° N, 94.90° W) in 1999. EFs of TC also followed annual cycles of lower and higher values in the warm and cold seasons. These were in phase with low and high cycles of the TC/CC ratio (expressed as FTC = TC/(TC+CC)), which suggests greater contribution of microbially "weathered" TC in summer–fall versus winter–spring. CC was closer to racemic than TC and displayed seasonal cycles only in 1997–1998. EF profiles are likely to change with rising contribution of secondary emission sources, weathering of residues in the environment, and loss of ice cover in the Arctic. Enantiomer-specific analysis could provide added forensic capability to air monitoring programs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (16) ◽  
pp. 9435-9453 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Shi ◽  
A. M. Buffen ◽  
M. G. Hastings ◽  
C. Li ◽  
H. Ma ◽  
...  

Abstract. Snowpits along a traverse from coastal East Antarctica to the summit of the ice sheet (Dome Argus) are used to investigate the post-depositional processing of nitrate (NO3−) in snow. Seven snowpits from sites with accumulation rates between 24 and 172 kg m−2 a−1 were sampled to depths of 150 to 300 cm. At sites from the continental interior (low accumulation, < 55 kg m−2 a−1), nitrate mass fraction is generally > 200 ng g−1 in surface snow and decreases quickly with depth to < 50 ng g−1. Considerably increasing values of δ15N of nitrate are also observed (16–461 ‰ vs. air N2), particularly in the top 20 cm, which is consistent with predicted fractionation constants for the photolysis of nitrate. The δ18O of nitrate (17–84 ‰ vs. VSMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water)), on the other hand, decreases with increasing δ15N, suggestive of secondary formation of nitrate in situ (following photolysis) with a low δ18O source. Previous studies have suggested that δ15N and δ18O of nitrate at deeper snow depths should be predictable based upon an exponential change derived near the surface. At deeper depths sampled in this study, however, the relationship between nitrate mass fraction and δ18O changes, with increasing δ18O of nitrate observed between 100 and 200 cm. Predicting the impact of post-depositional loss, and therefore changes in the isotopes with depth, is highly sensitive to the depth interval over which an exponential change is assumed. In the snowpits collected closer to the coast (accumulation > 91 kg m−2 a−1), there are no obvious trends detected with depth and instead seasonality in nitrate mass fraction and isotopic composition is found. In comparison to the interior sites, the coastal pits are lower in δ15N (−15–71 ‰ vs. air N2) and higher in δ18O of nitrate (53–111 ‰ vs. VSMOW). The relationships found amongst mass fraction, δ15N, δ18O and Δ17O (Δ17O = δ17O–0.52 × δ18O) of nitrate cannot be explained by local post-depositional processes alone, and are instead interpreted in the context of a primary atmospheric signal. Consistent with other Antarctic observational and modeling studies, the isotopic results are suggestive of an important influence of stratospheric ozone chemistry on nitrate formation during the cold season and a mix of tropospheric sources and chemistry during the warm season. Overall, the findings in this study speak to the sensitivity of nitrate isotopic composition to post-depositional processing and highlight the strength of combined use of the nitrogen and oxygen isotopes for a mechanistic understanding of this processing.


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