Disentangling direct and indirect effects of local temperature on abundance of mountain birds and implications for understanding global change impacts

Unravelling the environmental factors driving species distribution and abundance is crucial in ecology and conservation. Both climatic and land cover factors are often used to describe species distribution/abundance, but their interrelations have been scarcely investigated. Climatic factors may indeed affect species both directly and indirectly, e.g., by influencing vegetation structure and composition. We aimed to disentangle the direct and indirect effects (via vegetation) of local temperature on bird abundance across a wide elevational gradient in the European Alps, ranging from montane forests to high-elevation open areas. In 2018, we surveyed birds by using point counts and collected fine-scale land cover and temperature data from 109 sampling points. We used structural equation modelling to estimate direct and indirect effects of local climate on bird abundance. We obtained a sufficient sample for 15 species, characterized by a broad variety of ecological requirements. For all species we found a significant indirect effect of local temperatures via vegetation on bird abundance. Direct effects of temperature were less common and were observed in seven woodland/shrubland species, including only mountain generalists; in these cases, local temperatures showed a positive effect, suggesting that on average our study area is likely colder than the thermal optimum of those species. The generalized occurrence of indirect temperature effects within our species set demonstrates the importance of considering both climate and land cover changes to obtain more reliable predictions of future species distribution/abundance. In fact, many species may be largely tracking suitable habitat rather than thermal niches, especially among homeotherm organisms like birds.

Physico-Chemical Properties of Antiseptics in Surgery: What is not Taken into Account in Treating Long-Term Non-Healing Wounds

The treatment of long-term non-healing wounds in the conditions of purulent surgery departments, widely uses solutions of chemotherapeutic and antiseptic agents. The most common are the solutions of 3–6 % hydrogen peroxide and solutions of 2–10 % sodium chloride. As a rule, solutions of these drugs are used to treat non-healing, particularly, purulent wounds, bedsores and trophic ulcers. Therefore, solutions are injected into the wound area repeatedly in the form of course therapy. The findings show that the mechanism of action of these drugs and the effect of treating long-term non-healing wounds is largely determined by such physical and chemical factors of their local interaction as concentration of the main ingredients, osmotic, alkaline activity and local temperature. The findings point out the leading role of the local temperature and the dependence of the local effect on the concentration. They describe the essence of the innovative method of treatment.

Influence of Local Temperature Changes on the Material Microstructure in Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM)

This article considers effects of local heat transfer taking place insteel cutting by abrasive water jet machining (AWJM). The influence of temperature changes during AWJM has not been investigated thoroughly. Most studies on AWJM suggest that thermal energy has little or no effect on the material cut. This study focused on the analysis of the material microstructure and indentation microhardness in the jet impact zone and the adjacent area. The structure features revealed through optical metallography and scanning microscopy suggest local temperature changes caused by the impact of the abrasive water jet against the workpiece surface. From the microscopic examinationand hardness tests, it is clear that, during the process, large amounts of energy were transferred locally. The mechanical stress produced by the water jet led to plastic deformation at and near the surface. This was accompanied by the generation and transfer of large amounts of heat resulting in a local rise in temperature to 450 °C or higher.

Temperature Field and Gradient Effect of a Steel-Concrete Composite Box Girder Bridge

To study the effect of the temperature field and gradient of a steel-concrete composite box girder bridge, a 5 × 35 continuous composite box girder bridge is used as the research object. The temperature measuring point is set by selecting a typical cross section, and the temperature change data are measured. The temperature field of the different positions in the composite box girder bridge is studied, the global and local temperature differences are compared, and the law of temperature distribution and the main factors affecting the temperature field are formulated. The most unfavourable expression function of the vertical temperature gradient of the section is simulated using the measured data, the existing standard temperature gradient mode is compared, the finite element model of the bridge is established, and the influence of the actual temperature gradient mode on the stress and deformation of the composite girder is further analysed. The conclusions show that the temperature differences of different azimuth sections and the local temperature differences between the steel and concrete joint parts of the steel-concrete composite box girder bridge are not significant. The temperature gradient heating and cooling model fitted by the measured temperature field can be used as a reference for the structural design of similar local bridges.