Influence of some climatic elements on radon concentration in Saeva Dupka Cave, Bulgaria

This study reveals the influence of some climatic elements on radon concentration in Saeva Dupka Cave, Bulgaria. The research is based mainly on statistical methods. Radon concentration in the cave is determined by two main mechanisms. The first one is through penetration of radon from soil and rocks around the cave (present all year round, but has leading role during the warm half of the year). The second one is through thermodynamic exchange of air between inside of the cave and outside atmosphere (cold half of the year). Climatic factors that affect radon concentration in the cave are temperatures (air, surface, soil) and amount of water, expressed by precipitation or by volumetric water content in the soil. In the cold half of the year, an important factor is the duration and depth of snow cover. Statistical models and projections show that by the year 2070 CE radon concentration in the cave will increase. This increase will occur primarily in the warm half of the year due to the increase in outside air temperatures that will decrease thermodynamic exchange of air between the cave and the atmosphere. By the middle of the 21st century, it is expected that the studied area will no longer have a permanent snow cover and the temperature will remain the only factor for the increase of radon concentration in the cold half of the year. Water content in the soil and precipitation are important factors for radon concentration in the cave, but they have no significant trend and they are not expected to exert any influence in the next 50 years. The projected increase of radon concentration in Saeva Dupka Cave creates a serious risk for the health of the tour guides working there. That is why it is necessary to develop a plan to protect the health of the cave staff. On the other hand, the projected increase of radon concentration does not pose any significant health risk for the tourists visiting the cave.

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The Input of the Climatic Factors in the Temperature Regime of Soils of Discontinuous Permafrost of Northern Taiga of Western Siberia

Dokuchaev Soil Bulletin ◽

10.19047/0136-1694-2017-87-39-54 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 39-54

Author(s):

O. Yu. Goncharova ◽

G. V. Matyshak ◽

A. A. Bobrik ◽

D. G. Petrov ◽

M. O. Tarkhov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Snow Cover ◽

Temperature Regime ◽

Western Siberia ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Northern Taiga ◽

Cold Winter ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Discontinuous Permafrost ◽

Long Time ◽

Soil Temperature Regime

The results of the four-year study of the temperature regime of soils of three common landscapes of northern taiga in Western Siberia, located in the area of discontinuous permafrost, are presented. The soils of lumpy peatlands are characterized by mild permafrost annual regime with very cold summer and moderately cold winter. Temperature regime of the forest soils may be characterized as cold long-time seasonally freezing mild with very cold summer and moderately cold winter. The soils of the investigated region are functioning in conditions of the narrow range of temperatures: at the depth of 20 cm for the soils of all of the landscapes, the temperatures vary within the range of -2.5 to 0°С. This occurs due to their high moisture, low thermal conductivity, specificities of snow cover regime and the freezing effect of permafrost rocks. Annual temperature soil indices are characterized by the weak correlation to the mean annual specificities of air temperature regime. We discovered the direct correlation of annual soil temperature regime and the dynamics of the snow cover (with average and maximal thickness, and thawing date), and with winter N-factor (surface temperature index), and accumulative positive temperatures. Since isolating activity of the vegetation is significantly lower than that of snow (summer N- factors 0.7-0.9), annual fluctuations of summer air temperatures will significantly affect the temperature regime of soils and geo-cryologic situation of the region in general.

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A sensitivity study of factors influencing warm/thin permafrost in the Swiss Alps

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/002214308786570881 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 54 (187) ◽

pp. 696-704 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

Martina Luetschg ◽

Michael Lehning ◽

Wilfried Haeberli

Keyword(s):

Snow Cover ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ground Surface ◽

Thermal Conditions ◽

Large Change ◽

Threshold Value ◽

Sensitivity Study ◽

Swiss Alps ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Winter Snow

AbstractAlpine permafrost distribution is controlled by a great number of climatic, topographic and soil-specific factors, including snow cover, which plays a major role. In this study, a one-dimensional finite-element numerical model was developed to analyze the influence of individual snow-specific and climatic factors on the ground thermal regime. The results indicate that the most important factor is snow depth. Snow depths below the threshold value of 0.6 m lack sufficient insulation to prevent low atmospheric temperatures from cooling the soil. The date of first winter snow insulation and variations in mean annual air temperature (MAAT) are also shown to be important. Delays in early-winter snow insulation and in summer snow disappearance are shown to be of approximately equal significance to the ground thermal conditions. Numerical modelling also indicates that the duration of effective thermal resistance of snow cover governs the slope of the linear dependency between MAAT and mean annual ground surface temperatures (MAGST). Consequently, the most direct effect of a long-term rise in air temperatures on ground temperatures is predicted under a thin snow cover with early snowmelt in spring and/or where a large change in the date of total snowmelt occurs, in response to atmospheric warming.

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Radial Growth Response of European Larch Provenances to Interannual Climate Variation in Poland

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12030334 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 334

Author(s):

Norbert Szymański ◽

Sławomir Wilczyński

Keyword(s):

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Principal Component ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Growth Responses ◽

European Larch ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Provenance Trials ◽

High Precipitation ◽

Climatic Elements

The present study identified the similarities and differences in the radial growth responses of 20 provenances of 51-year-old European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) trees from Poland to the climatic conditions at three provenance trials situated in the Polish lowlands (Siemianice), uplands (Bliżyn) and mountains (Krynica). A chronology of radial growth indices was developed for each of 60 European larch populations, which highlighted the interannual variations in the climate-mediated radial growth of their trees. With the aid of principal component, correlation and multiple regression analysis, supra-regional climatic elements were identified to which all the larch provenances reacted similarly at all three provenance trials. They increased the radial growth in years with a short, warm and precipitation-rich winter; a cool and humid summer and when high precipitation in late autumn of the previous year was noted. Moreover, other climatic elements were identified to which two groups of the larch provenances reacted differently at each provenance trial. In the lowland climate, the provenances reacted differently to temperature in November to December of the previous year and July and to precipitation in September. In the upland climate, the provenances differed in growth sensitivity to precipitation in October of the previous year and June–September. In the mountain climate, the provenances responded differently to temperature and precipitation in September of the previous year and to precipitation in February, June and September of the year of tree ring formation. The results imply that both climatic factors and origin (genotype), i.e., the genetic factor, mediate the climate–growth relationships of larch provenances.

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Impacts of landscape and climatic factors on snow cover in the Altai Mountains, China

Advances in Climate Change Research ◽

10.1016/j.accre.2021.01.005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 95-107

Author(s):

Xin-Yue Zhong ◽

Tingjun Zhang ◽

Hang Su ◽

Xiong-Xin Xiao ◽

Shu-Fa Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Snow Cover ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Altai Mountains

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Interval of days required for determining efficient relations between climatic factors and cotton flower and boll production

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p01-013 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 82 (3) ◽

pp. 499-506 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zakaria M Sawan ◽

Louis I Hanna ◽

Willis L McCuistion

Keyword(s):

Soil Temperature ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Sunshine Duration ◽

Field Trials ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Surface Soil Temperature

The cotton plant (Gossypium spp.) is sensitive to numerous environmental factors. This study was aimed at predicting effects of climatic factors grouped into convenient intervals (in days) on cotton flower and boll production compared with daily observations. Two uniformity field trials using the cotton (G. barbadense L.) cv. Giza 75 were conducted in 1992 and 1993 at the Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. Randomly chosen plants were used to record daily numbers of flowers and bolls during the reproductive stage (60 days). During this period, daily air temperature, temperature magnitude, evaporation, surface soil temperature, sunshine duration, humidity, and wind speed were recorded. Data, grouped into intervals of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 d, were correlated with cotton production variables using regression analysis. Evaporation was found to be the most important climatic variable affecting flower and boll production, followed by humidity and sunshine duration. The least important variables were surface soil temperature at 0600 and minimum air temperature. The 5-d interval was found to provide the best correlation with yield parameters. Applying appropriate cultural practices that minimize the deleterious effects of evaporation and humidity could lead to an important improvement in cotton yield in Egypt. Key words: Cotton, flower production, boll production, boll retention

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Seasonal Influence of Insolation on Fine-Resolved Air Temperature Variation and Snowmelt

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology ◽

10.1175/jamc-d-13-0217.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 323-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Nikki Vercauteren ◽

Steve W. Lyon ◽

Georgia Destouni

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Snow Cover ◽

Eastern Coast ◽

Seasonal Influence ◽

Near Surface ◽

Average Temperature ◽

Monthly Average ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Low Performance ◽

Snow Cover Duration

AbstractThis study uses GIS-based modeling of incoming solar radiation to quantify fine-resolved spatiotemporal responses of year-round monthly average temperature within a field study area located on the eastern coast of Sweden. A network of temperature sensors measures surface and near-surface air temperatures during a year from June 2011 to June 2012. Strong relationships between solar radiation and temperature exhibited during the growing season (supporting previous work) break down in snow cover and snowmelt periods. Surface temperature measurements are here used to estimate snow cover duration, relating the timing of snowmelt to low performance of an existing linear model developed for the investigated site. This study demonstrates that linearity between insolation and temperature 1) may only be valid for solar radiation levels above a certain threshold and 2) is affected by the consumption of incoming radiation during snowmelt.

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Effect of snow cover on water content, carbon and nutrient availability, and microbial biomass in complexes of biological soil crusts and subcrust soil in the desert

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115505 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 406 ◽

pp. 115505

Author(s):

Rong Hui ◽

Ruiming Zhao ◽

Lichao Liu ◽

Xinrong Li

Keyword(s):

Microbial Biomass ◽

Snow Cover ◽

Water Content ◽

Nutrient Availability ◽

Biological Soil Crusts ◽

Soil Crusts

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Model Test of the Reinforcement of Surface Soil by Plant Roots under the Influence of Precipitation

Advances in Materials Science and Engineering ◽

10.1155/2018/3625053 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Hengxing Wang ◽

Yulong He ◽

Zufeng Shang ◽

Chunpeng Han ◽

Yilu Wang

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Model Test ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Plant Root ◽

Root Systems ◽

Reinforced Soil ◽

Plant Roots ◽

Interfacial Friction ◽

Negative Power ◽

Pull Out

We present the results of the reinforcement of plant root systems in surface soil in a model test to simulate actual precipitation conditions. In the test, Eleusine indica was selected as herbage to reinforce the soil. Based on the various moisture contents of plant roots in a pull-out test, a fitting formula describing the interfacial friction strength between the roots and soil and soil moisture content was obtained to explain the amount of slippage of the side slope during the process of rainfall. The experimental results showed that the root systems of plants successfully reinforced soil and stabilized the water content in the surface soil of a slope and that the occurrence time of landslides was delayed significantly in the grass-planting slope model. After the simulated rainfall started, the reinforcement effect of the plant roots changed. As the rainfall increased, the interfacial friction between the roots and the soil exhibited a negative power function relationship with the water content. These conclusions can be used as a reference for the design of plant slope protection and reinforcement.

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Effects of climatic factors and air pollution on damage of London plane (Platanus hispanica Mill.)

Horticultural Science ◽

10.17221/47/2009-hortsci ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 37 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 109-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B. Gregorová ◽

K. Černý ◽

V. Holub ◽

V. Strnadová

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Health Status ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Total Precipitation ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Significant Regression ◽

London Plane

London plane (Platanus hispanica Mill.) is considered as very tolerant to pollution and other stresses and in the Czech Republic it has been unaffected by important pathogens until now. However, in recent years the health status of London plane has been significantly deteriorating. During an 11-year survey it was found out that development of London plane damage was characterized by important fluctuations. Minimum value of population damage was 3.6% and maximum 97.5%. The health status of London plane was negatively influenced by long-term precipitation totals, higher total precipitation in May, low average air temperatures in January and May and higher NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations in the vegetation season. Using the multiple regression analysis a highly significant regression model was obtained, wherein the average air temperatures in January and May explain together 84% variability of London plane population damage. During the period of the highest damage, planes were moreover affected by the pathogen Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. et Spegg.) Höhn.  

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