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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cattle farming is an important pillar of dry climate agriculture. Cattle farming has even become the main engine of the community's economy. Currently, there are significant obstacles in the implementation of ecological, economic, technological, and infrastructural dimensions, alongside legal and institutional frameworks, that are essential for promoting sustainable livestock farming practices. Specific studies on different dimensional attributes affecting the sustainability of beef cattle are required. The objective of this study is to investigate different factors within four dimensions that affect the sustainability of cattle farming practices in dry climatic conditions.METHODS: This study was conducted using an interview approach to respondents using a questionnaire or list of questions. The questionnaire contains questions on 37 dimensional attributes, including ten environmental, ten economic, ten technological and infrastructure attributes, and seven legal and institutional attributes. A range of responses was collected from individuals engaged in livestock management in the dry climatic conditions of Timor Tengah Utara Regency. The data that has been collected is analyzed employing Multidimensional Scaling and expedited appraisal software. To evaluate sustainability and leverage attributes, Monte Carlo analysis and the alternating least squares algorithm are applied.FINDINGS: The study's outcomes revealed that the sustainability index pertaining to beef cattle farming in dry climates recorded an average score of 53.09 percent. This finding is based on the economic dimension of 45.58 percent, the environmental dimension of 54.18 percent, the technology and infrastructure dimension of 35.15 percent, and the legal and institutional dimension of 77.46 percent. The sustainability index, reflecting the technology and infrastructure aspects, ranks the lowest, primarily because the technological advancements necessary for achieving sustainable livestock farming are still underdeveloped. The availability of livestock waste processing technology is still relatively low and has not been processed optimally. This situation has an impact on the environment.CONCLUSION: The sustainability index of dry climate beef cattle farming is greatly influenced by the attributes of technology and infrastructure dimensions. The enhancement of sustainability in the future necessitates careful consideration of specific factors, including the accessibility of waste and product processing technologies, advancements in information technology, and the development of road infrastructure. Attributes in the legal and institutional dimensions are the main factors supporting beef cattle's sustainability. Optimizing extension services by increasing the number of livestock extension workers is crucial in accelerating the dissemination of eco-friendly livestock technoloBeef Cattle; Dry climate; Environmentally friendly; Multidimensional scaling (MDS); Sustainability assessmenty and innovation.

Copyright of Global Journal of Environmental Science & Management (GJESM) is the property of Global Journal of Environmental Science & Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Younger Toba Tuff (YTT) eruption is regarded as one of the largest of its time and possibly responsible for changing past climate and vegetation from C3 to C4 in the Indian subcontinent. A paleosol constituting a Toba pre-tephra horizon at the Jwalapuram locality, exhibits the preservation of biogenic structures identified as Vondrichnus planoglobus and Vondrichnus obovatus. This study investigated their paleoecological and paleoenvironmental significance. These structures are hard and compact, rounded to sub-rounded, spherical to sub-spherical bodies with empty chambers, surrounded by carbonate layers, and preserved in close proximity to termite pipes and nests and rhizolith structures. Their occurrence in the Jwalapuram area is significant, as the locality has been well documented as suitable for reconstruction of past climate and vegetation in light of the impact of the YTT eruption. Based on the present findings, we assume that the investigated locality would likely have an insect population and bush to scrub vegetation, indicating a dry environment immediately before the YTT eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural sector is crucial to Iran's economy, especially in ensuring food security. Climate changes, intense competition for water resources among various sectors, and the declining share of renewable resources in the agricultural sector make managing water consumption in agriculture essential. When doing so, it's important to consider changes in plant water needs. This study investigated the process of changing the water requirement of plants in the cultivation pattern in the Kashmar Plain by calculating evapotranspiration. These plants are including Sunflower, Leafy vegetables, Potato, Apple, Lentils, Walnut, Pears, Wheat, Tomato, Cherries, Peach, Watermelon, Peas, Vegetables, Pistachio, Plum, Pomegranate, Grape, Almonds, Eggplant, Cotton, Onion, Barley, Sugar beet, Melon, Spring cucumber, Autumn cucumber, Fodder corn, Saffron, and Cantaloupe. Firstly, the reference evapotranspiration was calculated on a daily scale over 20 years (1998 to 2017) using the FAO Penman Monteith equation. Then, monthly, seasonal, and annual values were used for calculations, and cultivated plants' evapotranspiration (water requirement) (ETc) was determined. The Mann-Kendall test was utilized to examine the changes in Evapotranspiration of plants. The results indicated an increasing trend in the water requirement of plants in the region. The greatest increases were observed in Evapotranspiration for autumn cucumber plants (54.8% increase), sugar beet (41.51% increase), and pistachio (38% increase), while the lowest increase was seen in almonds at 3.07%. After analyzing the data, it was found that pomegranates (19.94% increase) and lentils (20.54% increase) have the lowest increase in evaporation, transpiration, and water requirement. This suggests that changes in the cultivation pattern of the region may be necessary due to the varying water requirements of different plants. The findings of this research could be valuable in making decisions about the cultivation pattern of plants in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was performed to assess the impact of potassium co-amended with boron at different application rates on organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and boron in the soil, also in terms of plant height, spike length, pedicel length, leaf area, spike weight, grain weight, biological yield, fresh biomass and dry biomass of wheat under the dry climate of Uthal. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used with the combined application of both K and B fertilizers with a replicate of three times, treatments were T0 control, T1 70 K kg×ha–1 and 0.6 B kg×ha–1, T2 140 K and 1.2 B kg×ha–1, T3 210 K and 1.8 B kg×ha–1 of potassium and boron respectively. Furthermore, boron was applied in three split doses (time of sowing, maturity of plant, and booting stage); whereas potassium was used in two split doses (before sowing and maturity). The obtained results demonstrated that plant height was increased, ranging from 77.68 to 83.00 cm, with T3, biological yield 14,150.0–19,186.67 kg×ha–1 with T3, in-soil N 0.04–0.069% with T3, in-soil P 3.42–3.89 mg×kg–1 with T3, in-soil K 82.00–120.00 mg×kg–1 with T3, in-soil B 0.11–0.22 mg×kg–1 with T3 than control treatment. The uptake NPK, and B by the wheat plant was increased, ranging from 1.17–1.66% with T3, 0.33–0.54 mg×kg–1 with T3, 2.32–2.72 mg×kg–1 with T3, and 1.12–1.14 mg×kg–1 with T3 as compared with the control treatment. The plant fresh and dry biomasses and soil organic matter were increased at T3 over that of the control soil. Overall, the findings of this study indicated that the co-application of potassium and boron at 210 and 1.8 kg×ha–1 doses can be successfully used to enhance grain and yield parameters of wheat, particularly those cultivated in dry climatic conditions.

Vegetation in cities is decreasing due to rapid urbanization and population growth. The development of vertical green infrastructure significantly helps to compensate for the lack of natural environment in urban areas. This research aimed to investigate the effect of different types of unconventional and bacterial strains on the growth and performance of some acclimate accumulator ornamental plants in the external green wall in two separate experiments and the form of split plots based on a randomized complete block design in 2022. The main factor of recycled water treatment included three levels (grey water, waste water of Kashfroud area and urban water (control)), and the subfactor of different bacterial strains in four levels (B1: Psedoumonas fluorescens + Azospirillum lipoferum + Thiobacillus thioparus+ Azotobacter chroococcum, B2:Paenibacillus polymyxa + Pseudomonas fildesensis + Bacillus subtilis+ Achromobacter xylosoxidans+ Bacillus licheniformis, B3: Pseudomonas putida+ Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans+ Bacillus velezensis+ Bacillus subtilis+ Bacillus methylotrophicus+ Microbacterium testaceum and B0: Without the use of bacteria). Also, the investigated plant species included (Festuca ovina glauca, Ophiopogon japonicus). All functional traits showed significant differences at the 5% probability level. The highest number of flowers, the number of leaves, and the highest biomass and water use efficiency in Ophiopogon japonicus were observed in substrates inoculated with B3 compound and irrigated with wastewater. However, in the Festuca ovina glauca, the most functional traits mentioned were in the substrates inoculated with B1 compound and irrigated with gray water. Combining the substrates with combination B3 and B2 and irrigation with wastewater effectively adjusted the temperature and humidity of two lawns in all three seasons of the study. The results of this research suggest the integration of the substrates with the combination of bacteria and the use of recycled water in external green walls in dry climates for the sustainable future of contemporary cities to include green space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the co-location of energy production from a photovoltaic (PV) plant and aromatic crops (thyme, oregano, and Greek mountain tea) in a hot and dry environment have been investigated in Enel Green Power PV plant located in Kourtesi (Greece). The study was aimed at evaluating the influence of the PV plant on microclimate, on soil temperature and water potential, and on the crops' growth in a testing area (the corridors between two modules rows) compared to a full sunlight control area. The net radiation and of the wind speed recorded in the testing area showed a 44% and 38% reduction respectively, compared to the control area, while air temperature and relative humidity did not show any difference. Among crop/soil monitored parameters, cumulative reference evapotranspiration (ET0) and the average soil temperature were found 29% and 8% lower in the testing area, conversely the soil water potential (SWP) was 34% higher compared to control area. No significant differences in the plant growth have been detected between testing and control areas, except for oregano whose weight was higher in testing area. The results suggest that in hot and dry climatic conditions, the reduction of climatic stress could compensate the decrease of photosynthesis due to the shading effect of the PV modules, thus not damaging crops' growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mid‐Cretaceous was characterized by long‐term and stabilized high temperatures confirmed by numerous palaeoclimatic information from marine sedimentary archives. However, few terrestrial records have yet been employed to verify the terrestrial humidity under this long‐term hot climate. The Liupanshan Basin, located in central China during the Cretaceous contains thick Aptian‐Albian sediments. Here, we reconstructed a long‐term palaeovegetational record during late Aptian to Albian from the Huoshizhai Section and Sikouzi Section, Liupanshan Basin. Five palynological assemblages were defined from the bottom to top of these strata, and a total of 124 types of palynomorphs including 47 spore species and 77 gymnosperm pollen species were recognized in the palynological assemblages. Sporopollen analysis revealed that the spore‐pollen spectra of Huoshizhai Section were dominated by Perinopollenites and Bisaccate pollen. In Sikouzi section, the Classopollis content dominate in all samples (average 63.8%), with a few other pollen, including conifer bisaccates types, Perinopollenites, Jiaohepollis, Ephedripites, Cycadopites and a few spores. The sporopollen assemblage reflected that the flora of the central Asia continent gradually changed from Taxodiacean‐dominated to Cheirolepidiaceae‐dominated in the late Aptian and the Albian, which further indicates that the central Asia continent palaeoclimate gradually changed from a wet and cold climate to a long‐term dry and hot climate with small fluctuation. In addition, the Classopollis content also presented a slightly increased trend from late Aptian to late Albian, which probably indicated a gradually intensified hot and dry climate. The thermophilic floral changes and warmer/cooler ratio of the Sporomorph Ecogroup Model at the middle Madonghshan Formation also shows slightly decreased trends which correspond to the global short‐term cooling events at the Aptian‐Albian transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, monthly solar radiation is predicted in semi-dry, dry, and wet climates. Adaptive neurofuzzy interface system (ANFIS), radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) models are used for predicting solar radiation (SR). Grasshopper algorithm (GOA) is utilized to improve the performance of ANFIS, RBFNN, and MLP models. Three stations in Iran, namely Rasht (humid climate), Yazd (semi-arid) and Tehran (slightly arid), are considered as the case studies. The accuracy of GOA is benchmarked against particle swarm optimization (PSO) and salp swarm algorithm (SSA). The results reveal that the best-input combination is relative humidity, wind speed, rainfall, and temperature at these three stations. A comprehensive study is performed to select the best-input combination. The main contribution of paper is to create new hybrid ANFIS models for predicting monthly solar radiation in different climates. Besides, effects of different parameters are comprehensively investigated on solar radiation. This study indicates that temperature is the most effective parameter for estimating SR in dry and semi-dry climate. It is found that rainfall plays a key role for estimating SR in a wet region. The main finding of this paper is that the determination of the most suitable input scenario for predicting SR is an important issue because different input scenarios in different climates provide different performances. Besides, the use of a robust optimization algorithm as a training method is a significant step of the modeling process of SR. Results indicate that mean absolute error (MAE) of ANFIS-GOA is 3.8% and 8.9% less in comparison with that of MLP-GOA and RBFNN-GOA, respectively during the training stage at Yazd station. Besides, MAE of ANFIS-GOA is 26% and 31% less than that of MLP-GOA and RBFNN-GOA, respectively during the training stage at Tehran station. Results indicate that NSE values of ANFIS-GOA, ANFIS-SSA, ANFIS-PSO, and ANFIS models are 0.94, 0.88, 0.84, and 0.79, respectively during the testing stage at Rasht station. It is found that ANFIS-GOA attains higher accuracy in predicting SR under different climates.

Copyright of Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica is the property of Universidad de la Rioja, Servicio de Publicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Evaluation of an outdoor soiling test-bench over a 2-year period in Cyprus. • Soiling rates from 0.039 to 0.535%/day depending on the season and dust episodes. • Comparison of 6 soiling models based on physical and machine learning approaches. • Physical models performed slightly better than machine learning models. • Comparison of soiling loss models with field and satellite-derived weather data. Ensuring optimal performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems requires the extensive assessment and understanding of losses of different origin that affect these installations. Soiling is a key loss factor influencing the performance of PV systems, particularly in arid and dry climatic regions, and its thorough knowledge and modelling aspects including the seasonal evolution is challenging for the early stages of energy prospecting for PV power plants. The purpose of this study is to address this fundamental challenge by evaluating the loss of soiling and the performance of six soiling models based on both physical and machine learning (ML) approaches. Specifically, the case study is a soiling test-bench experimental apparatus installed at the outdoor test facility of the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus. The climatic conditions of the site represent a dry climate with high PV potential due to high irradiation levels. The obtained results reported soiling rates ranging from 0.039%/day to 0.535%/day depending on the season and the presence of dust episodes. The average yield daily and monthly soiling losses were 1.9% and 2.4% over a 2-year period, respectively. Furthermore, the comparative analysis of the different soiling models illustrated that the physical models achieved slightly better performance than the ML models with root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.16% and 0.83% for daily and monthly losses, respectively. Finally, the findings provide evidence and useful information on the performance and limitations of the different soiling models for fielded PV systems located in arid and dry climatic zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Argentinian Horticulture / Horticultura Argentina is the property of Revista Horticultura Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this research, monthly solar radiation is predicted in semi-dry, dry, and wet climates. Adaptive neurofuzzy interface system (ANFIS), radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) models are used for predicting solar radiation (SR). Grasshopper algorithm (GOA) is utilized to improve the performance of ANFIS, RBFNN, and MLP models. Three stations in Iran, namely Rasht (humid climate), Yazd (semi-arid) and Tehran (slightly arid), are considered as the case studies. The accuracy of GOA is benchmarked against particle swarm optimization (PSO) and salp swarm algorithm (SSA). The results reveal that the best-input combination is relative humidity, wind speed, rainfall, and temperature at these three stations. A comprehensive study is performed to select the best-input combination. The main contribution of paper is to create new hybrid ANFIS models for predicting monthly solar radiation in different climates. Besides, effects of different parameters are comprehensively investigated on solar radiation. This study indicates that temperature is the most effective parameter for estimating SR in dry and semi-dry climate. It is found that rainfall plays a key role for estimating SR in a wet region. The main finding of this paper is that the determination of the most suitable input scenario for predicting SR is an important issue because different input scenarios in different climates provide different performances. Besides, the use of a robust optimization algorithm as a training method is a significant step of the modeling process of SR. Results indicate that mean absolute error (MAE) of ANFIS-GOA is 3.8% and 8.9% less in comparison with that of MLP-GOA and RBFNN-GOA, respectively during the training stage at Yazd station. Besides, MAE of ANFIS-GOA is 26% and 31% less than that of MLP-GOA and RBFNN-GOA, respectively during the training stage at Tehran station. Results indicate that NSE values of ANFIS-GOA, ANFIS-SSA, ANFIS-PSO, and ANFIS models are 0.94, 0.88, 0.84, and 0.79, respectively during the testing stage at Rasht station. It is found that ANFIS-GOA attains higher accuracy in predicting SR under different climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mashhad, the second-most populous city in Iran, is situated in a hot and dry climate, and climate change has led to the temperature in this city climbing in recent years. This study's objective is to design a green roof per the region's hot and arid climate to maximize plant growth. The thermal comfort of citizens is explored in this study. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 406 individuals for this experiment. The frequency measurement test was utilized to do statistical computations in order to quantify the sample's frequency, while the chi-square test (chi-square) was utilized to assess the relationship between class and rank variables. Residents from thirteen distinct neighborhoods are selected at random and proportionally. The findings of this study indicate that the positive effects of green roofs extend beyond the city of Mashhad and have a global impact. When green roof development is performed on a large scale in a city or region, many of the negative consequences of environmental change over the past several decades will be offset. By putting green roofs on buildings and all over cities, the effects of climate change are being fought off better.However, a scientific and preferred approach for installing and cultivating green roofs in Mashhad is of greater importance. Using the data analysis of the questionnaire, the desires, interests, and concerns of Mashhad's population were identified. The following development plan shows how the green roof field can grow desirably and acceptably.

Being sessile organisms, plants cannot escape unwanted changes in the environment. The rapid human population explosion caused significant environmental problems. Heavy metals produced through various sources can cause severe damage to living organisms. The study was planned to evaluate four grass species' morpho-physiological growth characteristics and phytoremediation capabilities under chromium (Cr) and lead stress (Pb) in the arid climate. Typha angustifolia, Tragus roxburghii, Aeluropus logopoides, and Cenchrus ciliaris grass species were used for the study. One-year-old stubbles from the Cholistan desert were used for the experiment. Cr treatments in the form of K2Cr2O7 were applied at 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg L-1, whereas Pb was applied as PbCl2 at 0, 50, 200, and 500 mg L-1 as control, low, moderate and high-stress, respectively. After 6 weeks of heavy metals treatments, plants were harvested and analyzed for growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities. Results depicted that, regarding morphological attributes, T. angustifolia performed better, followed by C. ciliaris; no clear pattern was observed for T. roxburghii and A. logopoides. The CO2 assimilation rate (Co2d) and water use efficiency (WUE) increased as the heavy metal stress increased in all species under both metals. In contrast, total chlorophyll content was higher under low stress. Other physiological parameters, such as relative humidity (RHd), net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci) and membrane stability index (MSI) gradually. decreased as the Cr, and Pb stress levels increased among all the species. Moreover, Cr and Pb absorption contents of T. angustifolia were higher than the other three species at each stress level. Overall, T. angustifolia thrived against heavy metals stress and showed higher biomass, maximum photosynthetic measurements, WUE and higher metal absorption among all the selected species. Results concluded that although all the selected species behaved fine under stress conditions, T. angustifolia performance was better; thus, it can be used to remediate the soil near industrial estates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant ancient seeds of plants in the genus Melilotus have been concurrently unearthed with grain crops and livestock bones from the Keyakekuduke beacon tower of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) in Xinjiang, northwest China. This is the first time that a high concentration of Melilotus seeds has been found in archaeobotanical records in Xinjiang. Combined with the military nature of the site as well as the theoretical adequacy of using Melilotus plants as fodder, the high proportion of Melilotus remains is hypothesized to be an indication of its ancient use as army horse fodder with possible other applications. As a drought-tolerant plant adapted to high ambient temperatures, the use of Melilotus as a forage legume by ancient frontier soldiers might have been a judicious choice given local arid climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Secondary sulfate minerals are common throughout the sedimentary deposits of Mount Sharp, located within Gale crater on Mars. However, the source of sulfate (SO 4 2−) and past climatic conditions during their formation are not well understood. Therefore, we investigated the δ34S, δ18O, and δ2H of gypsum veins and other Mg- and Ca- sulfates forming as salt crusts and cement within the shallow sediments of the Rio Puerco watershed in central New Mexico. The δ34S values of vein gypsum and acid-soluble SO 4 2− (cement) varied over the same range (−33.3 to −12.9 ‰ and −34.6 to −12.1 ‰, respectively), which was similar to the δ34S of bedrock sulfide minerals (−37.4 to −5.9 ‰). This implies that sulfide oxidation is the main source of SO 4 2− in the Rio Puerco aqueous system. The measured δ18O values of SO 4 2− (−8.9 to +3.1 ‰) as well as δ18O and δ2H values of gypsum hydration water (−8.9 to +0.6 ‰, and −112 to −82 ‰, respectively) overlapped with the isotope composition of local meteoric precipitation, suggesting that sulfide oxidation to SO 4 2− and gypsum formation have occurred under semi-arid climate conditions. The isotope results suggest the top-down infiltration of meteoric water leads to leaching of SO 4 2−, Mg+, and Ca2+ from bedrock sulfide weathering followed by abundant formation of Mg- and Ca-sulfates in surface deposits and gypsum veins with depth. Because of spatial and mineralogical similarities in the secondary Mg- and Ca-sulfate mineral occurrences, we hypothesize that chemical weathering of sulfide minerals could have been the main source of SO 4 2− in the aqueous system of Gale crater. • Sulfide oxidation involves abundant formation of secondary sulfate minerals. • Semi-arid climate leads to co-occurrences of sulfate-rich salt crusts, cement, and veins. • Sulfide oxidation in dry climate might have led to sulfate formation in Gale crater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being sessile organisms, plants cannot escape unwanted changes in the environment. The rapid human population explosion caused significant environmental problems. Heavy metals produced through various sources can cause severe damage to living organisms. The study was planned to evaluate four grass species’ morpho-physiological growth characteristics and phytoremediation capabilities under chromium (Cr) and lead stress (Pb) in the arid climate. Typha angustifolia, Tragus roxburghii, Aeluropus logopoides, and Cenchrus ciliaris grass species were used for the study. One-year-old stubbles from the Cholistan desert were used for the experiment. Cr treatments in the form of K2Cr2O7 were applied at 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg L–1, whereas Pb was applied as PbCl2 at 0, 50, 200, and 500 mg L–1 as control, low, moderate and high-stress, respectively. After 6 weeks of heavy metals treatments, plants were harvested and analyzed for growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities. Results depicted that, regarding morphological attributes, T. angustifolia performed better, followed by C. ciliaris; no clear pattern was observed for T. roxburghii and A. logopoides. The CO2 assimilation rate (Co2d) and water use efficiency (WUE) increased as the heavy metal stress increased in all species under both metals. In contrast, total chlorophyll content was higher under low stress. Other physiological parameters, such as relative humidity (RHd), net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci) and membrane stability index (MSI) gradually decreased as the Cr, and Pb stress levels increased among all the species. Moreover, Cr and Pb absorption contents of T. angustifolia were higher than the other three species at each stress level. Overall, T. angustifolia thrived against heavy metals stress and showed higher biomass, maximum photosynthetic measurements, WUE and higher metal absorption among all the selected species. Results concluded that although all the selected species behaved fine under stress conditions, T. angustifolia performance was better; thus, it can be used to remediate the soil near industrial estates.

We recorded the invasive candle bush (Senna alata) for the first time in oases of southern Baja California peninsula in October 2013 and February 2015. Candle bush is likely an escape from residential plantings in this region. Data on density, plant cover, number of pods per plant, and seeds per pod are presented. In the oasis of Santiago, candle bush plant density was low and contained mainly mature plants, which made up 90% of the total population. In the oasis of San José del Cabo, population density was higher, but individuals were mostly shorter than 10 centimeters in height, and 60% of the population consisted of seedlings and young plants. Mature plants were seen mainly in full bloom and early fruiting stages. Candle Bush is invading very dry climates in oasis systems, this is the first documented record of the species invading this kind of wetlands and even starting to invade tropical deciduous forest around arroyos. The introduction pathways and time since the introduction of candle bush into the peninsula are unknown, but no records existed before 2013 when we found the population. We strongly recommend eradicating this invasive species from Baja California oases now, while it is in the early stages of invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu : 1) Untuk menentukan kebutuhan penggunaan air dalam rumah tangga di Kelurahan Bonipoi, Kota Kupang – NTT. 2) Untuk mengetahui tampungan efektif bedasarkan luasan atap rumah sebagai tampungan air hujan. Data yang diperlukan meliputi data pemakaian air rumah tangga per kepala keluarga, data luas bangunan rumah per kepala keluarga dan data curah hujan bulanan. Berdasarkan hasil survei penggunaan air dalam rumah tangga selain air minum secara rata-rata adalah sebagai berikut : rumah kecil sebesar 234 liter/hari atau sebesar 7,02 m3/bulan, rumah sedang sebesar 375 liter/hari atau sebesar 11,24 m3/bulan, dan rumah besar sebesar 342 liter/hari atau sebesar 10,25 m3/bulan. Penggolongan rumah tersebut didasarkan pada asumsi luasan atap. Berdasarkan hasil perhitungan didapat bahwa tampungan efektif untuk rumah kecil sebesar 39,78 m3, untuk rumah sedang sebesar 53,99 m3, sedangkan untuk rumah besar tidak didapatkan tampungan efektif karena luasan atap rumah sangat besar sehingga kurang mampu menampung air ketika terjadi curah hujan minimum.

The exercise-induced variations of some biochemical parameters including calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chlorine (Cl), glucose, urea, creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatine kinase (CK) were assessed in the serum of 25 Arabian horses. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein 3 different times: before exercise, 5 h after exercise, and 18 h after exercise. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS (version 9.2; SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Ca, Cl, glucose, and urea showed significant (P < 0.05) changes due to exercise. There was significant increase from before exercise to 5 h after exercise in urea concentrations while Ca and Cl concentrations significantly decreased. A significant ascending trend for Ca between 5 h and 18 h after exercise was also seen, while glucose and urea had a significantly descending trend. No significant time-based variations were observed for other variables. The results of the present study indicated that exercise could affect the value of some biochemical parameters, which could be used in future studies evaluating the health status of Arabian horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is the most important grain crop, a main sustenance for a third of the world population. Biotic stress by diseases represents a serious risk to wheat production particularly under dry condition. In this work the use of plant beneficial microorganisms as bio elicitors to improve the productivity of two common wheat varieties (i.e. Gemmiza 10 and Sakha 93) were achieved. The Bio elicitors used are Streptomyces griseus, Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Rhodotorula glutinis, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, P. fluorescens reduced wheat diseases occurrence including rust, net blotches and powdery mildew in comparison with natural elicitors, as methyl jasmonate, chitosan, ascorbic acid and Putrescine grown in new reclaimed areas in Sinai and arable land in Behira Governorate. Results show that bio elicitors enhanced and increase total phenols (mg catechol/g F.W.), hormonal stress as peroxidase activity (U g-1 of fresh weight), chitinase (nKat/mg-1 of Protein) and total soluble protein (µg/mg FW) in both varieties as well as promote growth rate, yield, flour starch, protein contains and gluten in both wheat grains verities. The obtained data show that the used microorganisms have enhanced and improved the wheat tolerance to biotic stress. That innovation might make advantageous in alleviating effects of environmental changes on other crops and expanding the wheat cultivation in the new reclaimed lands under arid climate condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Palynological assemblages are firstly reported from two drillcores at Sichuan Basin. • An age of Valanginian to Hauterivian was determinate for the CQY Group. • Classopollis - dominated palynoflora indicate a very dry climate. • Dicheiropollis pollen reflect an exclusive dry climatic zone in the Tethys rim. Abstract Majority of the aeolian deposits that are widely distributed throughout the low-latitudes during the Cretaceous have been considered to be the result of downdraft influence controlled by the subtropical high-pressure belt. However, a lack of relevant fossil material has hindered both the chronostratigraphic framework of these deposits and the reconstruction of their corresponding palaeoenvironments. This study presents detailed palynological records from two drillcores through the Lower Cretaceous Canxi and Bailong formations in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China. Classopollis pollen, followed by the bisaccate conifer pollen, together with other rare types of palynomorph dominate the palynological assemblages that are recorded within. Some age-diagnostic palynomorphs, especially Dicheiropollis , indicate an age of Valanginian to Hauterivian for the Cangxi and Bailong formations. Classopollis -dominated palynoflora indicate an extremely dry climate for this part of the history of the Sichuan Basin region. In addition, the occurrence of Dicheiropollis indicates that the Sichuan Basin should belong to the Dicheiropollis Province that surrounds the Tethys Ocean, which implies that the Tethys Ocean may have exhibited a stronger climatic impact on the Sichuan Basin regions as compared to that exhibited by the Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A successful choice of post-mining restoration activities in dry climates may depend on relevant features related to topographic characteristics, hydrological processes and vegetation development, which will determine functional recovery in these ecosystems. The combination of different restoration techniques to reestablish vegetation, such as sowing and plantation, implies the interspersion of bare-soil areas with vegetated areas in early plant development stages, which may result in an associated mosaic of hydrologic functioning. In this study, we conducted a drone-based assessment to disentangle the role played by microsite-scale hydrological processes (i.e., planting hole slope, sink volume capacity, individual catchment area, Flow Length Index) promoted by restoration actions in soil protection and vegetation development on the hillside scale. Based on two contrasting restoration scenarios (Steep hillside and Smooth hillside), the different applied restoration treatments conditioned the microtopographic processes on the planting hole scale and, therefore, resource redistribution. The main results showed higher planting hole functionality on the smooth hillsides than on steep hillside, which resulted in greater water availability and bigger vegetation patches. By addressing the role of hydrological processes on the microsite scale, our study contributes substantially to prior knowledge on the relevant factors for ecosystem development and post-mining restoration success. It also demonstrates that high-resolution drone images can be a very useful tool for monitoring restoration actions, especially in large, inaccessible and unstable restored areas. [Display omitted] • High-resolution images prove very effective in assessing restoration actions. • Hillside topographic slope strongly influences microsite-scale processes. • Effectiveness of planting holes as sinks varies among restoration scenarios. • Hydrological processes differently interact to determine sink functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is impacting cocoa cultivation that cocoa trees must be adaptive in dry climate and higher temperature of environmental condition. This research had objective to observe adaptability performance of the promising hybrids of cocoa ofthe selecting high yielding hybrid swhichare tolerantto dry condition. Treatments were 14 hybrids of bi-clonal crosses betweenselected clones in factorial design in which KEE 2 was selected based on its resistance to vascular-streak dieback (VSD) and drought condition. Multilocation trials were established in Kaliwining Experimental Station in Jember (low land) and Sumber Asin Experimental Station in Malang (medium land) both of which were classified to dry land area. Yield per tree were assessed in monthly basis during 9 consecutive years of yield period. Data were performed to the combinedanalysis of variance followed by AMMI (additive main effect and multiplicative interaction). The results showed thatthe factor of hybrid, location, and interactionof hybrid and location to year contributed higher value of variance for the yield. Analysis of AMMI indicated that the hybrids of KEE 2 x Sulawesi 1 (F 1 and reciprocal) had highest yield potency and adaptive to low land (Kaliwining) on the other hand the hybrids of TSH 858 x KEE 2 (F 1 and reciprocal) were adaptive to medium land (Sumber Asin). Refer to yield adaptability to dry condition and other potential traits reported thus the hybrid of KEE 2 x Sulawesi 1 (F 1 and reciprocal) was released as cocoa planting material for addressing dry condition. The result also identified those hybrids inherited using KEE 2 performed more adaptive to dry condition. Further-more, the clone was suggested to be used as parental clone on breeding for drought tolerance.

Soiling and the resulting specular reflectivity are two of the most important factors influencing the efficiency of the concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. For this reason, and in order to schedule efficient cleaning cycles, it's crucial for the operation and maintenance (O&M) teams to possess accurate and readily available reflectivity measurements of the solar field, especially in periods with high aerosol concentrations.The aim of this study is to, initially, evaluate the effect of dust on the reflectivity of regular CSP mirrors by means of two reflectometers used in operating power plants. Those mirrors were exposed at the University of Oujda (Eastern Morocco) for twelve weeks during the arid period of the year. After that, a comparison between the values measured by those devices has been done.Results show that during the dry period, soiling presents an important issue for CSP power plants in Eastern Morocco, where the weekly reflectance drop can reach 30%. Furthermore, the accuracy of the reflectivity measurements and the selection of the most adequate reflectometer have an important influence on the estimation of the solar field's optical efficiency, thus, on the electricity production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the frequencies of nasal itching, epistaxis, dry/chapped lips and xerosis of skin among Pakistani peacekeepers exposed to the dry climate of Nyala, Sudan. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Field Hospital 6 Nyala, Sudan, from February 2014 to May 2012. Material and Methods: Total 144 United Nations Pakistani Peacekeepers of Pakistan Field Hospital 6(all ranks) were selected by non-probability convenient sampling. The data consists of frequency of four symptoms was collected after three months of exposure to dry climate. Results: The most common symptom was dryness of skin (36.1%) followed by chapping of lips (29.9%) while nasal bleeding (epistaxis) was least common (9%). Significantly higher number of subjects of ages more than 40 years had nasal bleeding compared to the younger group (p value 0.002). Conclusion: Exposure to extreme dry climate affects skin and nasal mucosa. Frequency of epistaxis found to be significantly more in subjects older than 40 years as compared to younger ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity of information regarding contribution of living wall systems in building environments and energy performance in dry climates. In this study, thermal sensors were installed for monitoring temperature and relative humidity of a living wall, a bare wall, and surrounding microclimate and also indoor back walls. Two scenarios of warm and cold days were considered in this research during February until August 2015. During the warm day's scenario, the recorded temperatures on the bare wall surface varied from 14 to 61 °C while the recorded temperatures on the living wall were lower, from 12.50 to 46 °C. Similarly, temperature data collected from both bare and living walls during cold day's scenario ranged from 7 to 18 °C. However, the surface of the bare wall was warmer than living wall in both scenarios. The living wall did not show significant effect on the temperature of studied microclimate of 0.50 and 1.00 m, while the living wall was significantly effective on reducing the temperature of the studied back wall. In addition, the heat transfer through the living wall was less than the bare wall. The results confirmed the potential of the living wall in creating an insulation layer for the adjacent building while it showed non-significant effect on mitigating urban heat island effects in summer days. Further modelling investigations to study the effects of adding living walls to the building's skin is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]