Past, present, and future climate space of the only endemic vertebrate genus of the Italian peninsula

The two extant Salamandrina species represent a unique case of morphology, ecology, and ethology among urodeles. The range of this genus is currently limited to Italy, where it represents the only endemic vertebrate genus, but its past range extended over a much broader area of Europe, including the Iberian and Balkan peninsulas. ENM analyses using modern occurrences of Salamandrina demonstrate that the current climate of the majority of Europe, and especially areas where fossils of this genus were found, is currently not suitable for this genus, neither was it suitable during the last 3.3 million years. This result allows possible assumptions about the climatic influence on the former extirpation of this salamander from several areas of Europe. Furthermore, it shows that, during Pliocene–Pleistocene climatic oscillations, Mediterranean peninsulas, despite being generally considered together because of similar latitude, had different potential to effectively become glacial refugia for this salamander, and possibly for other species as well. Future projections using different CO2 emission scenarios predict that climatic suitability will be even more drastically reduced during the next 50 years, underlining once more the importance of conservation strategies and emission-reducing policies.

When Density Matters: The Spatial Balance between Early and Latewood

Understanding the influence of the current climate on the distribution, composition, and carbon storage capacity of Mediterranean tree species is key to determining future pathways under a warmer and drier climate scenario. Here, we evaluated the influence of biotic and environmental factors on earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) growth in Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.). Our investigation was based on a dense dendrochronological network (71 sites), which covered the entire distribution area of the species in the Iberian Peninsula (around 119.652 km2), and a high-resolution climate dataset of the Western Mediterranean area. We used generalized linear-mixed models to determine the spatial and temporal variations of EW and LW across the species distribution. Our results showed an intense but differentiated climatic influence on both EW and LW growth components. The climatic influence explained significant variations across the environmental gradients in the study area, which suggested an important adaptation through phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation to varying climatic conditions. In addition, we detected a clear spatial trade-off between efficiency and safety strategy in the growth patterns across the species distribution. Additionally, in more productive areas, the trees presented a higher proportion of EW (more efficient to water transport), while, in more xeric conditions, the LW proportion increased (more safety to avoid embolisms), implying an adaptation to more frequent drought episodes and a higher capacity of carbon depletion. We therefore concluded that Mediterranean forests adapted to dryer conditions might be more efficient as carbon reservoirs than forests growing in wetter areas. Finally, we advocated for the need to consider wood density (EW/LW proportion) when modeling current and future forest carbon sequestrations.

Early humans in East Asia: Insights into climatic influence on human evolution

<p>East Asia is a key area for probing into the interplay between Quaternary climate change and human adaptations to diverse terrestrial ecosystems. Integrated chronology based mainly on high-resolution magnetostratigraphy in conjunction with detailed biostratigraphy and high-precision isotopic dating of early humans and Paleolithic stone tools in mainland East Asia, western and southeastern Asia has provided insights into our understanding of climatic influence on human evolution in a variety of environments in the eastern Old World. For example, there is a prominent geographic expansion for early humans from low southern latitudes (e.g., tropical SE Asia and subtropical Yuanmou Basin and Bose Basin), through middle latitudes, to high northern latitudes (e.g., the Nihewan Basin). Especially, increased toolmaking skills and technological innovations are evident in temperate Nihewan Basin at the onset of the Mid-Pleistocene Climate Transition. The improved ability to adjust to diverse environments for early humans in East Asia has contributed to better understanding how climate change has shaped early human evolution.</p>

Harmonic fluctuations in the relative paleointensity data?

<p>The existing relative paleointensity (RPI) database allowed the construction of reliable stacking curves for at least the last 1 Myr. Observed fluctuations in the RPI curves suggest both lithologic/climatic influence or geodynamo processes. Stacked power spectra for RPI data from ten North and South Atlantic cores revealed a spectral peak at ~5.3kyr for data covering the last 100 kyr. This signal exhibits a similar phase for most of the series. The observed spectral peak has no apparent correspondence in the benthic O<sup>18</sup> spectra from the same cores, suggesting the RPI signal is free from the climatic influence. Therefore, it may be a real geodynamo feature.</p>

Management of the snow clearing equipment operation on tram tracks

Objective: To develop recommendations for the management of snow clearing of street railways in urban settlements. Methods: The article analyzes the Russian regional climatic influence on the management of street railway traffic and the current maintenance of tram tracks, and the indicators to be monitored when planning the work of snow clearing equipment. The requirements for the maintenance of tram tracks in winter in heavy snowfalls and blizzards have been described. An overview of the snow clearing equipment available in the soviet and present times, as well as its application has been discussed. Results: Recommendations for the management of various types of snow clearing equipment for various types of tram tracks are given. The justifying calculations of the size of the snow clearing fleet in relation to regional climatic indicators are presented. Practical importance: The article demonstrates the preference of introduction of special rail snow clearing equipment for the tram track routine maintenance in winter, especially in snow heavy areas, both tram type based on tram dimensions and hybrid road-rail type. Practical recommendations for the conditions for the use of various types of snow clearing equipment have been developed

GEOSPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF MALARIA AND ITS VULNERABILITY IN MINJIBIR, KANO STATE

Malaria is considered to be a deadly disease spread in almost all parts of Nigeria, especially in the Northern parts. This has to do with the climatic influence of the north-easterlies and the hot dry savannah couple with the attitude of health sanitation. This study captured the vulnerable areas where the malaria cases are severe and predominant using satellite images and data. The frequency of malaria prevalence was done on a daily, monthly and annual basis for the period of 3 years from 2017-2019. The outcome shows that people in Minjibir and 5 villages were sampled having high malaria prevalence in 2017 with 41.28%, 2018 has 35.19% and 2019 has 23.53%. The result indicates that malaria cases are dropping with a decrease from 2017 to 2019 by 17.75%.