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The fundamental trade-off between current and future reproduction has long been considered to result in a tendency for species that can grow large to begin reproduction at a larger size. Due to the prolonged time required to reach maturity, estimates of tree maturation size remain very rare and we lack a global view on the generality and the shape of this trade-off. Using seed production from five continents, we estimate tree maturation sizes for 486 tree species spanning tropical to boreal climates. Results show that a species' maturation size increases with maximum size, but in a non-proportional way: the largest species begin reproduction at smaller sizes than would be expected if maturation were simply proportional to maximum size. Furthermore, the decrease in relative maturation size is steepest in cold climates. These findings on maturation size drivers are key to accurately represent forests' responses to disturbance and climate change.

Fungi are among the most diverse and ecologically important kingdoms in life. However, the distributional ranges of fungi remain largely unknown as do the ecological mechanisms that shape their distributions1,2. To provide an integrated view of the spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi, we implemented a globally distributed standardized aerial sampling of fungal spores3. The vast majority of operational taxonomic units were detected within only one climatic zone, and the spatiotemporal patterns of species richness and community composition were mostly explained by annual mean air temperature. Tropical regions hosted the highest fungal diversity except for lichenized, ericoid mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi, which reached their peak diversity in temperate regions. The sensitivity in climatic responses was associated with phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that large-scale distributions of some fungal groups are partially constrained by their ancestral niche. There was a strong phylogenetic signal in seasonal sensitivity, suggesting that some groups of fungi have retained their ancestral trait of sporulating for only a short period. Overall, our results show that the hyperdiverse kingdom of fungi follows globally highly predictable spatial and temporal dynamics, with seasonality in both species richness and community composition increasing with latitude. Our study reports patterns resembling those described for other major groups of organisms, thus making a major contribution to the long-standing debate on whether organisms with a microbial lifestyle follow the global biodiversity paradigms known for macroorganisms4,5.

We conducted a research campaign in a neotropical rainforest in Costa Rica throughout the drought phase of an El-Nino Southern Oscillation event to determine microbial community dynamics and soil C fluxes. Our study included nests of the leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes, as soil disturbances made by these ecosystem engineers may influence microbial drought response. Drought decreased the diversity of microbes and the abundance of core microbiome taxa, including Verrucomicrobial bacteria and Sordariomycete fungi. Despite initial responses of decreasing diversity and altered composition, 6 months post-drought the microbiomes were similar to pre-drought conditions, demonstrating the resilience of soil microbial communities to drought events. A. cephalotes nests altered fungal composition in the surrounding soil, and reduced both fungal mortality and growth of Acidobacteria post-drought. Drought increased CH4 consumption in soils due to lower soil moisture, and A. cephalotes nests decrease the variability of CH4 emissions in some soil types. CH4 emissions were tracked by the abundance of methanotrophic bacteria and fungal composition. These results characterize the microbiome of tropical soils across both time and space during drought and provide evidence for the importance of leafcutter ant nests in shaping soil microbiomes and enhancing microbial resilience during climatic perturbations.

Successful alien species may experience a period of quiescence, known as the lag phase, before becoming invasive and widespread. The existence of lags introduces severe uncertainty in risk analyses of aliens as the present state of species is a poor predictor of future distributions, invasion success and impact. Predicting a species' ability to invade and pose negative impacts requires a quantitative understanding of the commonality and magnitude of lags, environmental factors and mechanisms likely to terminate lag. Using herbarium and climate data, we analysed over 5,700 time series (species × regions) in 3,505 naturalized plant species from nine regions in temperate and tropical climates to quantify lags and test whether there have been shifts in the species' climatic space during the transition from the lag phase to the expansion phase. Lags were identified in 35% of the assessed invasion events. We detected phylogenetic signals for lag phases in temperate climate regions and that annual self-fertilizing species were less likely to experience lags. Where lags existed, they had an average length of 40 years and a maximum of 320 years. Lengthy lags (>100 years) were more likely to occur in perennial plants and less frequent in self-pollinating species. For 98% of the species with a lag phase, the climate spaces sampled during the lag period differed from those in the expansion phase based on the assessment of centroid shifts or degree of climate space overlap. Our results highlight the importance of functional traits for the onset of the expansion phase and suggest that climate discovery may play a role in terminating the lag phase. However, other possibilities, such as sampling issues and climate niche shifts, cannot be ruled out.

Numerous studies have shown reduced performance in plants that are surrounded by neighbours of the same species1,2, a phenomenon known as conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD)3. A long-held ecological hypothesis posits that CNDD is more pronounced in tropical than in temperate forests4,5, which increases community stabilization, species coexistence and the diversity of local tree species6,7. Previous analyses supporting such a latitudinal gradient in CNDD8,9 have suffered from methodological limitations related to the use of static data10-12. Here we present a comprehensive assessment of latitudinal CNDD patterns using dynamic mortality data to estimate species-site-specific CNDD across 23 sites. Averaged across species, we found that stabilizing CNDD was present at all except one site, but that average stabilizing CNDD was not stronger toward the tropics. However, in tropical tree communities, rare and intermediate abundant species experienced stronger stabilizing CNDD than did common species. This pattern was absent in temperate forests, which suggests that CNDD influences species abundances more strongly in tropical forests than it does in temperate ones13. We also found that interspecific variation in CNDD, which might attenuate its stabilizing effect on species diversity14,15, was high but not significantly different across latitudes. Although the consequences of these patterns for latitudinal diversity gradients are difficult to evaluate, we speculate that a more effective regulation of population abundances could translate into greater stabilization of tropical tree communities and thus contribute to the high local diversity of tropical forests.

Seed storage life in tropical areas is shortened by high humidity and temperature and the general inaccessibility to dehumidifying and refrigeration systems, resulting in rapid decreases in seed viability in storage as well as a high incidence of fungal and insect infestations. The dry chain, based on rapid and deep drying of seeds after harvest followed by packaging in moisture-proof containers, has been proposed as an effective method to maintain seed quality during medium-term storage in humid climates, even without refrigeration. In addition, seed drying with zeolite drying beads can be more effective and economical than sun or heated-air drying under these warm, humid conditions. In this paper, we review recent published literature regarding the dry chain, considering different crop species, storage environments and seed traits. In addition, we provide new original data on the application of dry chain methods and their implementation at larger scales in South Asia, Latin America and Pacific Island Countries. The clear conclusion is that the combination of reusable drying beads and waterproof storage containers enables the implementation of the dry chain in tropical climates, enhancing seed viability and quality in storage of many crop species. The dry chain approach can therefore significantly enhance seed security for farmers in many tropical countries. Finally, we propose actions and strategies that could guide further scaling-up implementation of this technology.

Fiber‐reinforced composites are widely used in civil engineering, aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors. However, these composites undergo aging due to factors such as temperature, humidity, load, and so on, during their usage. As a result, their performance deteriorates, and predicting their durability under real service conditions is a significant challenge. In order to better understand the durability of fiber‐reinforced composites, this article summarizes their microscopic aging mechanism under natural aging conditions and analyzes the changing rules of tensile, bending, and shear properties of composites under seven typical climate types, including tropical desert climate, temperate continental climate, temperate oceanic climate, Mediterranean climate, seasonal climate, tropical rainforest climate, and seawater immersion. This article reviews various durability prediction models, such as the Arrhenius model, prediction models based on residual modulus of elasticity and residual strength, and median strength regression analysis. To enhance the accuracy of aging life prediction during the natural aging process of composites, it is important to consider the influence of loads under real service conditions, incorporate different climatic types, utilize comprehensive mechanical property indices, establish an equivalent conversion relationship between natural aging and accelerated aging, and create a database with unified test standards. Highlights: The aging mechanisms of FRP after exposure in natural aging environments are discussed.The tensile, bending, and shear properties of FRP after exposure under seven climate types are discussed.The predictive models are proposed for the FRP used in natural aging.The future research needs are proposed for the FRP used in natural aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusions Most plant groups originated under tropical conditions, leading to the hypothesis of tropical niche conservatism, according to which species assemblages of a clade originating and diversifying in tropical climates are expected to have low phylogenetic diversity and dispersion in temperate climates because only few lineages have adapted to these novel conditions. The opposite may be expected for clades originating under temperate conditions, but this temperate niche conservatism hypothesis has not been tested for a broad temperature gradient including both tropical and arctic climates. Liverworts are thought to have originated in temperate climates, and may thus follow the pattern of temperate niche conservatism. Here, we test this hypothesis using regional liverwort floras across a nearly full temperature gradient from tropical through temperate to arctic climates in North America. In addition, we investigate whether temperature‐related variables and climate extreme variables play a more important role in determining phylogenetic structure of liverwort assemblages, compared to precipitation‐related variables and climate seasonality variables, respectively.North America.Liverworts (Marchantiophyta).Phylogenetic diversity (measured as mean pairwise distance) and phylogenetic dispersion (measured as standardised effect size of mean pairwise distance) in liverworts in regional floras in North America were related to latitude and climatic variables. Variation partitioning analysis was used to assess the relative importance of temperature‐ versus precipitation‐related variables and of climate extremes versus seasonality on phylogenetic diversity and dispersion.Phylogenetic diversity and dispersion in liverworts is highest in temperate climates, compared to both tropical and arctic climates. Temperature‐related variables and climate extreme variables explained more variation in phylogenetic diversity and dispersion of liverwort assemblages than did precipitation‐related variables and climate seasonality variables, respectively.Variations in phylogenetic diversity and dispersion in liverworts along the latitudinal gradient in North America are consistent with the temperate niche conservatism hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calabash (Crescentia cujete) is a plant that grows in tropical climates and is scattered and easily found in Indonesia. Calabash is also known to contain several secondary metabolite compounds that have the potential as an antioxidant. This research is purposed to identify phytochemical compounds in calabash fruit seed extract, identify compounds based on the result of LC-MS, and know the antioxidant activity of calabash fruit seeds. The samples were extracted using the maceration method, and then phytochemical screening, LC-MS tests, and antioxidant tests were continued using the DPPH method. This research showed that the ethanol extract of calabash seed positive contains saponin, flavonoids, and triterpenoid compounds. Ethyl acetate extract of calabash seed contains flavonoids, alkaloids, and triterpenoids. The n-hexane extracts positively contain tannins, alkaloids, and steroids. The values of antioxidant activity of ethanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts were IC50 = 29.7883, 7.219, and 848.712 ppm (µg/ml), respectively. Ethyl acetate extract as the best antioxidant activity was then tested with LC-MS, and results obtained from 26 compounds with the composition of the largest % area is convolvidine (11.277%), coumaroylquinic acid (8.290%) and taxchinin G (8,233%). They showed that calabash fruit seed extract has very strong antioxidant activity, with the best activity being the ethyl acetate extract of calabash fruit seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for coconut water has led to the expansion of irrigated green dwarf coconut cultivation; however, the inefficient use of water has contributed to the degradation and waste of water resources, making fundamental studies aiming to optimize the use of water. The objective of this study was to determine the physical productivity and water productivity of green dwarf coconut palms under the climatic conditions of Santa Izabel do Pará, eastern Amazonia, Brazil. The experiment was carried out from 2020 to 2021, in a green dwarf coconut plantation spaced 7.5 m x 7.5 m in a triangle, at Fazenda Reunidas Sococo, with an area of approximately 7 ha. Water productivity (WP) was determined both in terms of fruit production (WPf ) and coconut water production (WPca), through the relationship of fruit productivity (fruit biomass and water volume) with accumulated evapotranspiration. The dwarf coconut tree presented a total production of 105 and 186 fruits plant-1 and 37 and 62 L plant-1 of coconut water in the years 2020 and 2021. The largest volumes of water and the highest weights occurred during the wettest season. WPf was of 1.87 fruits m-3 (2020) and 2.94 fruits m-3 (2021) andWPca 0.66 L m-3 (2020) and 0.98 L m-3 (2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and analyzing reservoir water quality are crucial for ecological and environmental strategies. This study examines the differences between the water quality index (WQI) of Indonesia (WQI-INA), Malaysia (DOE-Malaysia), Oregon (WQI-Oregon), and Italy (PI-Prati), considering the tropical climate of Indonesia and Malaysia, and contrasting with the temperate climate of Oregon and the Mediterranean climate of Italy. Using data from the Sutami Reservoir in Indonesia from 2015 to 2021, the study assesses water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, DO, NH3, NO3, total suspended solids, total phosphorus (TP), and pH at various depths (0.3, 5, and 10 meters) across three sites (upstream, midstream, down-stream). The results show varied classifications: WQI-INA rated the reservoir as "pretty good," WQI-Oregon as "poor," and both DOE-Malaysia and PI-Prati as "slightly polluted." Spatial analysis of vertical distribution revealed "slightly polluted" (WQI-INA), "moderately polluted" (WQI-Oregon and PI-Prati), and "heavily polluted" (DOE-Malaysia). These discrepancies arise from differences in local environmental standards, regulatory requirements, and specific water quality concerns included in each index. The Sutami Reservoir water quality status was declared using WQI-INA, however, other methods were employed to simulate the worst-case scenarios and inform preventive actions. The Sutami Reservoir hyper-eutrophic conditions indicate a pollution load capacity of 65.22 tons per year. Critical parameters such as pH and TP highlight significant water quality and pollution issues. Recommendations for water quality treatment under heavy pollution conditions include applying 12.09-120.87 tons of lime, using 78.75-393.75 kg of chemical buffers, oxygen diffusion, controlling riparian vegetation over 2.37-23.7 hectares, dredging 37,100 m3 of sediment per year, and reducing nutrient sources through community involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg quality is a vital factor in the poultry industry. High-quality eggs not only meet consumer expectations for appearance, taste, and nutritional value but also have high marketability, profitability, and consumer satisfaction. Accordingly, we executed our research with the purpose of determining chromosomal regions and genetic markers associated with egg quality in an F2 cross-bred chicken population under tropical conditions; we determined these through a genome-wide association study and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. This population was created by cross-breeding the L2 line of Taiwan Country chickens, which is adapted to local conditions in Taiwan, with an experimental line (R-line) of Rhode Island Red layer chickens, which was developed by the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment. A 60 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array for chickens was employed to execute the analysis. Our analysis revealed 40 QTLs associated with egg quality under tropical conditions, namely 20 QTLs with genome-wide statistical significance and 20 QTLs with chromosome-wide statistical significance. Furthermore, we identified 93 SNPs exerting discernible effects on egg quality, with 10 of these effects exhibiting genome-wide significance and 83 exhibiting potential significance. The majority of the detected QTL regions and SNPs agreed with those identified as having an association with egg quality or production traits in previous studies, thus supporting the interrelationships determined between the studied characteristics. The findings of this study enhance the understanding regarding the genetic regulation governing chicken egg quality, thereby serving as a valuable reference for future functional investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate-adaptive net-zero energy building design is an effective trend for achieving a carbon-neutral environment and reducing global energy demand, especially, in India where building energy consumption recorded substantial growth in the past decade. This review article focuses on the development of net-zero energy buildings in tropical climates through the analysis of 44 real case studies. This study investigates the building envelope parameters, advance technologies, and their effectiveness on the building energy models. In the first phase of this study, fourteen net-zero energy buildings or high-performance buildings in the USA, China, and India considering energy-efficient design features and their significant effect on energy consumption have been examined. Moreover, the role of building simulation tools in improving energy efficiency is discussed. The second phase investigates the thirty best practices of net-zero energy buildings in tropical climates worldwide based on envelope choices, heating, cooling, and lighting features. Furthermore, this review discusses the evolving definitions, challenges, and inconsistencies in terminologies of net-zero energy building and illustrates India's initiatives towards net-zero development. The objectives of this review study are to highlight the challenges in building material research, advanced lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies, and integration of renewable energy compared to developed nations. Additionally, the gaps that are the barriers to the development of net-zero energy building in India have been identified. The review eventually concludes by providing policy recommendations and suggesting areas for future research to facilitate net-zero energy-building development in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at studying the feasibility of using a sediment model built in HEC – HMS incorporating Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) in aiding the separation of sediment contribution as point and non-point, an important aspect in sediment pollution control. The model was developed and verified using a representative sub-catchment and a canal reach of a tropical climate. The field observations and model developed had a good agreement and indicated about 16% and 35% of total sediments in the canal may be from nonpoint sources for the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Results suggested that a major fraction of eroded sediment ended up in the main canal through the dense drainage network across the catchment. This meant sediment trapping should focus tributary drainage ditches or at point source inputs to canal rather than the main canal banks. The study recognized that HEC – HMS is also capable of simulating sediment generation with acceptable errors. Being a free software package, HEC – HMS would be an effective sediment modelling tool for jurisdictions where sediment analysis has been constrained by cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Puntudo Chico Formation is an uppermost Cretaceous continental sequence deposited in the Cañadón Asfalto Basin, cropping out in the Chubut Province, Argentina. Fossils collected from this unit are essentially palaeobotanical remains, and comprise conifers (Agathoxylon, Brachyoxylon, Podocarpoxylon and Cupressinoxylon) and a dicotyledonous angiosperm (Aextoxicoxylon kawasianus). In this contribution, five taxa referred to the genus Palmoxylon (Arecaceae) are reported for the unit: Palmoxylon sp. 1 (Coryphoideae or Nypoideae), Palmoxylon sp. 2 (close to Coryphoideae), Palmoxylon sp. 3 (Arecoideae), Palmoxylon sp. 4 (Coryphoideae or Arecoideae) and Palmoxylon sp. cf. P. phytelephantoides; (close to Phytelephas of the Ceroxyloideae). Based on the recognised taxa, subtropical to tropical climate is postulated for the Puntudo Chico flora, which is in agreement with previous climatic inferences made for the unit. Finally, the presence of a taxon close to the extant genus Phytelephas permits discussing the diversification of the Ceroxyloidea, and the time of arrival of Phytelepheae to South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warm‐season turfgrasses, especially hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt‐Davy), continue to be widely used on golf course putting greens in tropical and subtropical climates globally and are also gaining popularity in the transition zone region of the United States. Hybrid bermudagrass produces a high‐quality putting green surface; however, it has relatively poor shade and cold tolerance. Recently, fine‐textured zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) cultivars have been released and may be another potential option for golf course putting greens, especially since zoysiagrass is generally considered more shade tolerant than bermudagrass. “Lazer (DALZ 1308)” zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella (L.) Merrill × Zoysia minima (Colenso) Zotov) is a new, fine‐textured zoysiagrass that may have the potential to produce high‐quality putting green surfaces in transition zone environments. The objective of this 2‐year field trial was to compare Lazer zoysiagrass to TifEagle bermudagrass under varying light levels (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% shade) and management practices to determine the minimum daily light integral (DLI) requirements and surface playability characteristics (ball roll distance and surface firmness) for each species. Species plots were split with two mowing heights (2.5 and 3.2 mm) and further split with or without weekly applications of the plant growth regulator, trinexapac‐ethyl. Lazer demonstrated significantly greater shade tolerance than TifEagle. The minimum DLI requirement for Lazer was generally about 10 mol m−2 day−1 less than TifEagle. Surface firmness was also greater for Lazer zoysiagrass, while TifEagle consistently produced greater ball roll distances than Lazer. Results from this trial demonstrate that Lazer zoysiagrass can produce acceptable putting green conditions and is better adapted than TifEagle to moderate shade conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary While flowering plants have diversified in virtually every terrestrial clime, climate constrains the distribution of individual lineages. Overcoming climatic constraints may be associated with diverse evolutionary phenomena including whole genome duplication (WGD), gene‐tree conflict, and life‐history changes. Climatic shifts may also have facilitated increases in flowering plant diversification rates. We investigate climatic shifts in the flowering plant order Ericales, which consists of c. 14 000 species with diverse climatic tolerances. We estimate phylogenetic trees from transcriptomic data, 64 chloroplast loci, and Angiosperms353 nuclear loci that, respectively, incorporate 147, 4508, and 2870 Ericales species. We use these phylogenetic trees to analyse how climatic shifts are associated with WGD, gene‐tree conflict, life‐history, and diversification rates. Early branches in the phylogenetic trees are extremely short, and have high levels of gene‐tree conflict and at least one WGD. On lineages descended from these early branches, there is a significant association between climatic shifts (primarily out of tropical climates), further WGDs, and life‐history. Extremely short early branches, and their associated gene‐tree conflict and WGDs, appear to underpin the explosive origin of numerous species rich Ericales clades. The evolution of diverse climatic tolerances in these species rich clades is tightly associated with WGD and life‐history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted to humans by vectors of genus Aedes causing a global threat to health, social, and economic sectors in many of the tropical countries including Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, the tropical climate, marked by seasonal weather primarily influenced by monsoons, fosters optimal conditions for the virus to spread efficiently. This heightened transmission results in increased per-capita vector density. In this work, we investigate the dynamic influence of environmental conditions on dengue emergence in Colombo district − the geographical region with the highest recorded dengue threat in Sri Lanka. An iterative approach is employed to dynamically estimate dengue cases leveraging the Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations, utilizing the dynamics of four seasons per year influenced by monsoon weather patterns governing in the region. The developed algorithm allows to estimate the risk of dengue outbreaks in 2017 and 2019 with high precision, facilitating accurate forecasts of upcoming disease emergence patterns for better preparedness. The uncertainty quantification not only validated the accuracy of outbreak estimates but also showcased the model's capacity to capture extreme cases and revealed undisclosed external factors such as human mobility and environmental pollution that might affect dengue transmission in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing and maintaining sexually selected ornaments often hinders survival. Because viability-related traits dictate the survival costs conferred by sexual ornaments, the evolution of viability-related traits can limit and/or compensate for ornament evolution. Here, we examine how the ornamental coloration of male dragonflies co-adapts with thermal physiology--a key suite of viability-related traits that influences nearly all reproductive and ecological interactions. Males of many dragonfly species produce dark color patches on their wings to attract potential mates and intimidate reproductive rivals. However, dark coloration also subjects male dragonflies to heat stress in warm climates by absorbing excess solar radiation. Our phylogenetic comparative analyses revealed that dragonfly species with dark sexual coloration have also evolved increased critical thermal maxima, which may allow them to compensate for ornament-induced heating. This pattern of correlated evolution was especially strong for species that inhabit tropical climates, where the heating costs of dark coloration are most severe. Given that darkened sexual coloration is taxonomically widespread and consistently elevates body temperatures, the pattern of co-adaptation between sexual ornaments and thermal physiology found here could represent a key process driving eco-physiological divergence in the past and influencing how populations respond to the changing climates of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pantropical climate interactions across ocean basins operate on a wide range of timescales and can improve the accuracy of climate predictions. Here, we show in observations that Central Pacific (CP) El Niño-like sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies have coevolved with tropical South Atlantic SST anomalies on a quasi-decadal (~10-year) timescale over the past seven decades. During the austral autumn–winter season, decadal warm SSTs in the tropical CP effectively induce tropical SST cooling in the South Atlantic, mainly by strengthening the South Atlantic subtropical anticyclone via an extratropical atmospheric wave teleconnection in the southern hemisphere. Partially coupled pacemaker simulations corroborate the observational findings, indicating that tropical CP decadal SSTs play a primary pacing role, while Atlantic feedback is of secondary importance throughout the study period. Our results suggest that the tropical CP could be an important source of decadal predictability for tropical South Atlantic SST and the surrounding climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria Forskål, 1775, which originated from the Horn of Africa in 2019–2020 created an episodic plague under bio-geographical settings in the arid and semi-arid areas of South and Southwest Asia. In India, it happened after twenty-seven years due to the persistence of a few favourable conditions caused by its plague, resulting in hundreds of crores in crop damage. Keeping this in mind, the study aims to assess the suitability and likelihood of the desert locust epidemic occurring in India, utilizing two widely recognized statistical models: Weight-of-Evidence (WoE) and Frequency Ratio (FR). This work evaluated nine critical climatic factors for the study considering western and central parts of India. The 'Projected Locust Suitability' (PLS) was calculated by analyzing the correlation of the considered variables and the occurrence of locust swarms and bands. The significance (importance) of each variable on PLS was determined using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Random Forest (RF) algorithms. The PLS maps clearly show that 42.7–52.8% of the areas fall under high and very high locust suitability zones. The result suggests that the Ajmer-Gwalior-Allahabad tract is highly prone to future locust occurrences, while the Aligarh-Bareilly-Lakhimpur tract is moderately susceptible. The effectiveness of both modelled PLS maps was determined with the help of the ROC curve. The AUC results indicate that both the WoE (0.92) and the RF (0.90) models worked remarkably well in precisely predicting PLS. The RF-based IncNodePurity analysis indicates that low to moderate temperatures in the presence of cloud cover significantly impact locust occurrence and migration. The present findings are projected to direct the development of sustainable locust management strategies utilizing proper land use policies in the tropical climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the Liouville type theorems for stationary the tropical climate model on the whole space R 3 . It shows that if (u , v , θ) satisfies certain anisotropic integrability conditions on the components of the u or (u , v) , also θ satisfies certain isotropic integrability conditions, there is only a trivial solution to the stationary tropical climate model. The results are a further extension of the recent work by Chae (Appl. Math. Lett. 142:108655, 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The model for predicting thermal comfort conditions established by Fanger remains widely used in scientific work, as a default means of in situ measurements. However, the use of Fanger data leads to dissatisfaction among users of air-conditioned buildings in humid tropical areas. This conclusion emerges from the work of Kemajou and al. (Cameroon) and Olissan and al. (Benin) in 2012, after survey studies on the judgments of thermal sensations of people occupying various air-conditioned spaces. This article develops a correction model for the Fanger model, by coupling the latter to models for predicting skin temperature and heat loss by evaporation of sweat through the skin, as well as to the skin thermal sensitivity of people active in a humid tropical climate. The model thus determined shows that the predicted optimal comfort temperatures are located in the range of 26.1 °C to 27.5 °C and better meets the expectations of the populations in this region. The respective differences with the investigations of Kemajou and al. and those of Olissan and al. are 0.40 °C and 0.55 °C. It also appears that the comfort humidity range is 30% to 80%, apart from any other safety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil construction and buildings account for a significant 36% of worldwide energy consumption, contributing to 37% of global CO2 emissions. In Brazil, buildings consume a substantial 51.2% of the nation's electricity production. Remarkably, approximately one-third of this energy is allocated specifically for maintaining thermal comfort within these structures. The thermal performance of a building has a significant impact on its energy efficiency; in this way, technologies developed to contribute to the energy efficiency of envelopes can directly contribute to the reduction in the building's overall energy consumption. PCMs are technologies capable of absorbing heat without increasing temperature and can contribute to the better energy performance of envelopes. PCMs are used as a thermal performance solution in cold climate regions, and studies show that they are likely to work in buildings in tropical climates. The objective of this work is to analyze the performance of PCMs in tropical regions of the southern hemisphere, specifically in Brazil, and their behavior according to the constructive system used. Computer simulation contributes to an analysis closer to the reality of the implementation of this technology in these regions. This work is carried out with simulations in the software EnergyPlusTM version 24.1. The results demonstrate that PCMs can effectively contribute to a reduction in energy consumption for the thermal comfort of buildings in tropical climates, demonstrating the possible feasibility of the development of this technology for tropical climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew infection is a significant challenge in butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) production during winter in Hainan, China. The tropical climate of Hainan promotes powdery mildew infection, resulting in substantial yield losses. By utilizing transcriptome and genome sequencing data, SNPs and potential genes associated with powdery mildew resistance in butternut squash were identified. The analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following powdery mildew infection revealed several genes involved in resistance, with particular focus on a resistance (R) gene cluster that may be linked to the observed resistance. Two MLO genes in clade V from Cucurbita moschata may not be directly associated with resistance in the two genotypes studied. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of genetic tools for improving powdery mildew resistance in Cucurbita crops, thereby reducing yield losses and enhancing the sustainability of butternut squash production in Hainan and other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The KLD segment of the Kenweiyuan section in Wenchang, Hainan, China is a set of aeolian sand deposits of the Last Deglaciation. The chemical element and heavy mineral analysis performed in this study reveals the chemical index of alteration (CIA) in the segment to be as high as 93–95, with all the heavy minerals identified as stable and extremely stable making up 38–45% of the total. Furthermore, the zircon, tourmaline, and rutile content (ZTR index) of the segment is determined to range between 48–71. The (Al2O3 + TOFE)/SiO2 ratios display obvious fluctuations from old to new strata in the segment, with the low values corresponding to Heinrich event (H1), Dansgaard-Oeschager (D-O), and Younger Dryas (YD) and the high values corresponding to Bølling and Allerød. Our study suggests that these fluctuations are attributed to the alternation of the East Asian winter and summer monsoons. Hainan Island is also impacted by the surface ocean climate of the South China Sea, and characteristics of the KLD segment may be connected to the climate changes in the North Atlantic related to the winter monsoon season or westerlies. Furthermore, the segment presents a clear response to millennium-scale climate changes during the Last Deglaciation on Hainan Island. Based on the high CIA values in the KLD segment, and particularly due to the observed stable detrital minerals, the ratios can be linked to the overall tropical climate, indicating a relatively warm tropical climate environment in the Last Deglaciation in Hainan. The high CIA values also reveal the cause of aeolian sand formation under the tropical environmental conditions in the low latitude region of China in the Late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The connection between plant species and nest site preference for the Asian weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina remains poorly understood despite their common occurrence in the urban areas of tropical regions. We predicted that plant species with specific leaf characteristics influence the nesting preference of Asian weaver ants, given that plant foliage is the main component of their nest structure. We studied the leaf characteristics of the tree species in which their nests were detected, including leaf shape, leaf apex shape, and leaf arrangement. Of the 206 total trees among the 20 tree species sampled, 185 trees from 18 tree species had at least one nest. Trees of the genus Lagerstroemia had the highest median nest abundance, whereas all Roystonea regia and Caryota no trees, and some Samanea saman trees, were not occupied by O. smaragdina. For the trees found to have O. smaragdina nests, the nest abundance in each tree ranged between 1 and 16 nests, with the majority having fewer than 10 nests per tree (4.38 ± 4.45). Based on nest abundance, the oblong and elliptic leaf shapes (LS), the cuspidate leaf apex shape (LX), and the opposite leaf arrangement (LR) were the most used for nest construction, consisting of more than 50% of the total in each respective category. A Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that O. smaragdina nest site preference is influenced by LX and LR but not by LS. Additionally, O. smaragdina nest abundance was negatively correlated to leaf surface ratio but insignificant for leaf surface area. These preferred qualitative and quantitative leaf characteristics determine the species of plants used as nesting sites to facilitate nest-building efficiency and the establishment of Asian weaver ant colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep are an important source of protein for humans, and recent decades have seen a significant increase in the production of sheep-based products, thus indicating an increase in demand for this commodity. At a time when this sector is growing, sheep are exposed to various challenges. These include climate change, which can cause heat stress in sheep, including rams, which later negatively affects their growth and reproductive performance. Exposure to heat stress results in physiological and reproductive behaviour responses in rams, which could also be used to visually identify the effect of heat stress as it will affect the productivity of livestock. In addition, the year-round hot and humid climate of the tropics is expected to contribute to a higher probability of heat stress occurrences in rams reared in developing countries around the equator. Nevertheless, the adaptability of rams to heat stress varies according to their origin, whereby native breeds tend to adapt better. Despite that, native breeds still can be affected by adverse environmental conditions and rely on thermoregulation mechanisms to mitigate heat stress. This results in numerous negative physiological changes, such as sweating and increased heart rate. This review highlights the effects of heat stress on the physiology, reproductive behaviour and reproductive performance of male sheep. The review also discusses the impact of management systems on heat stress in rams, which affects sheep productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The CE-TCP relationship is nonlinear globally, with CE exhibiting an initial sharp decline followed by a gradual reduction as TCP rises. • The nonlinear CE-TCP relationship is more pronounced in tropical and arid climates compared to other regions. • There is a higher CE and cooling potential of mitigating urban population heat exposure in areas with fewer trees. Investigating the relationship between cooling efficiency (CE) and tree cover percentage (TCP) is critical for planning of green space within cities. However, the spatiotemporal complexities of the intra-city CE-TCP relationship worldwide with distinct climates, as well as the differing impacts of consistently increasing tree cover within urban regions on cooling potential, remain unclear. Here we used satellite-derived MODIS observations to investigate the CE-TCP relationship across 440 global cities during summertime from 2018 to 2020. We further investigated the impacts of enhancing tree cover by a consistent amount in different urban locales on the reduction of population heat exposure among specific age groups. Our results demonstrate a nonlinear CE-TCP relationship globally – CE exhibits an initial sharp decline followed by a gradual reduction as TCP rises, and this nonlinearity is more pronounced in tropical and arid climates than in other climate zones. We observe that 91.4% of cities experience a greater reduction in population heat exposure when introducing the same amount of TCP in areas with fewer trees than in those with denser canopies; and heat exposure mitigation is more prominent for laborers than for vulnerable groups. These insights are critical for developing strategies to minimize urban heat-related health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoremediation is a rapidly expanding process due to its technical and economic viability. The objective of this work was to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Helianthus annuus in three cultivation media: artificially contaminated Catalão soil, hydroponics and roadside soil. In hydroponics, ZnCl2 doses 0.32 mgL− 1, 29.94 mgL− 1, 60.06 mgL− 1, 119.94 mgL− 1 were used. While in the artificially contaminated soil, the doses were 0 mgkg− 1, 299 mgkg− 1, 599 mgkg− 1, 1498 mgkg− 1. Physiological analyzes made it possible to demonstrate that treatments T3 and T4, with the highest concentrations of the metal, inhibited growth and promoted darkening of the roots. The highest Zn contents occurred in the aerial part. The results indicated that Helianthus annuus was classified as hyperaccumulator due to its ability to accumulate high levels of Zn mainly in artificially contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Introducing crossbred cattle in both lowland and highland regions is anticipated to enhance the productivity of indigenous breeds. Tropical environments present challenges such as acclimatization problems and decreased productivity. This study aims to test the influence of the interaction between genetic factors (crossbred cattle and local breeds) and environmental factors. This study is unique in its contribution of valuable insights into the potential interplay between tropical climate conditions and the genetic makeup of crossbred cattle. It sheds light on how this interaction influences the physiological and reproductive capabilities of the cattle, as well as the alterations in reproductive hormone secretion within this specific population. The results will serve as the main consideration for the development of crossbred cattle in tropical climates. METHODS: A fully randomized design incorporating three variables was employed in this study: altitude (highland and lowland), cattle breed (crossbred and local), and observation time. The study involved 357 cattle: 116 crossbred in the lowland, 67 crossbred in the highland, 93 local breed in the lowland, and 81 local breed in the highland. The environmental conditions, physiological status, hormone concentration, and reproductive performance were all part of the observations. Data was gathered every other day during each month, except for the hormone data, which was collected based on the oestrus cycle. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was utilized to analyze hormone concentrations. The data was analyzed using factorial patterns with SPSS 26, with Duncan's multiple-range test analysis. FINDINGS: The main finding of this study indicates that altitude influences the genetic traits of cattle relevant to the journal's scope. Variations in altitude and breed significantly affect physiological parameters such as sweating rate, respiration, and pulse frequency, as well as hormone levels including follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Furthermore, reproductive metrics such as days open, service per conception, and calving interval are also impacted. The interaction between altitude, breed, and observation time, significantly affected physiological status, hormone concentration, and reproductive performances. In cattle with high body weight, the peak sweating rate occurs at 08:00 post meridiem -- 02:00 ante meridiem (21.83-27.92 second per centimeter square); while the low body weight occurs at 12:00 ante meridiem -- 06:00 ante meridiem (16.92-32.68 seconds per square meter). Crossbred cattle in lowland areas and at 02:00 ante meridiem -- 02:00 post meridiem have the highest respiratory frequency (59.08-63.29 times per minutes), and during the day have the highest pulse rate (69.43 times per minutes). During peak estrus, crossbred cattle in highland areas demonstrate increased concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (15.82 ng/mL) and luteinizing hormone (70.91 ng/mL). Crossbred cattle in the lowlands have longer days open (5.75 months), higher service per conception (1.62 times), and longer calving intervals (15.94 months). CONCLUSION: Crossbred cattle reared in lowland settings may encounter a decline in both physiological and reproductive capabilities, while indigenous cattle have the ability to adapt, resulting in superior physiological and reproductive performance compared to crossbred cattle. The physiology and reproduction of cattle are shaped by genetic factors and the tropical environment, including 1) Genetic influence, 2). Adaptation to altitude and climate, 3) Stress zones and breed differences, 4) Body temperature, 5) Reproductive performance,6) Hormone concentrations. It is recommended that the development of crossbred cattle be carried out in the highlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as a cut flower stands out in floriculture due to its aesthetic beauty and commercial value. Understanding how cut sunflower genotypes adapt to different edaphoclimatic regions and management practices is essential to optimize flower quality and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of plant density and location on the development, growth, and quality of cut sunflower in tropical and subtropical environments. Plant densities of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 plants/m2 were evaluated in tropical climate and subtropical climate using a randomized block design in a factorial scheme. Results showed significant differences between locations for plant height, capitulum and stem diameter, final number of leaves, leaf area, leaf area index, phyllochron, and the developmental cycle. Plant density significantly influenced these variables except for plant height and developmental cycle. The interaction between location and plant density was significant only for capitulum diameter and final leaf number. The findings indicate that both planting density and location significantly influence the developmental cycle of cut sunflowers, with lower densities favoring more robust plants at harvest. A density of 30 plants/m2 is recommended for efficient space use without significantly compromising floral stem quality. All produced stems are marketable, suggesting that adjusting planting density can optimize production without compromising quality, adapting to specific regional conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Papaya is widely grown in tropical and subtropical climates due to its high yield potential and high returns. The vital hormone melatonin, regulating various biological processes in plants, is eco-friendly and less harmful to humans than other chemicals. This study aims to enhance the quality and antioxidant enzyme activities and lessen postharvest senescence in papaya cv. CO 8 fruits during both ambient (32 ± 2 °C and 55 ± 5% RH) and cold storage (10 ± 2 °C and 90–95% RH) as exogenous melatonin (EMT) is applied in varying concentrations. An optimum melatonin dose of 1.5 mM was applied as a pre-harvest spray 15 days before harvest and a postharvest dip proved effective in prolonging shelf life (under ambient it prolonged to day 9 and under cold storage up to 28 days) and delaying ripening and softening. Exogenous melatonin application enhanced antioxidant activity, reduced weight loss, maintained firmness, delayed ripening enzymes, and lowered ethylene and CO2 levels. For instance, control fruits had weight losses between 7.42% and 10.09%, while fruits treated with 1.5 mM melatonin showed 5.74% and 9.06% weight loss under ambient and cold storage, respectively. In conclusion, applying EMT (1.5 mM) could be an economically viable and environmentally benign way to lessen senescence after harvest and preserve the qualities of the papaya fruit during ambient and cold storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated an application of adjustable photovoltaic (PV) slats to improve the thermal performance of an exposed glazing window and sequentially enhance the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of an office room. Solar radiation and longwave heat gains from a window fitted with PV slats were measured through experiments conducted in an outdoor chamber cooled by a radiant ceiling system. The daylight level at the workplane was also measured inside the chamber. A transient thermal model was developed and validated against experimental data. Using the experimental chamber as a demonstration case, the model revealed that adjusting the slats monthly to fully block direct sunlight could reduce the electrical energy use by 67% compared to a typical office with heat reflective glass windows. However, the electricity generated by the PV slats contributed a minor portion of the overall energy savings. To assess the thermal comfort impact of the PV slats in the room with the radiant cooling, this study utilized radiation asymmetry criteria from ASHRAE Standard 55. Simulations showed that the PV slat-shaded glazing window resulted in a lower asymmetric plane radiant temperature than the unshaded window of heat reflective glass. The adjustable slat system reduced the risk of local discomfort for occupants working near the window in the radiantly cooled office room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cs0.33WO3 (CWO) is a widely used inorganic material in window films and glass coatings, known for its excellent near-infrared radiation (NIR) blocking property and high visible light transmittance (Tvis). However, the stability of NIR blocking and the optical properties of CWO in the process of application is an urgent and important problem, because significant changes in optical results can impact the related products, such as window films, glass coatings, and so on. In this paper, the particle sizes and optical properties of CWO are tested to study the light stability and their relative relations. The results indicate that CWO particle sizes between 130 nm and 100 nm (D90, the point where 90% of the particles have a diameter smaller than the specified value) exhibit high stability in terms of NIR blocking and visible light transmittance (Tvis). CWO particles with D90 < 100 nm experience a greater reduction in NIR blocking, though this ability significantly recovers upon exposure to sunlight, making these coatings particularly suitable for use in tropical and subtropical climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpea is one of the economically important legume crops adapted for winter season production in tropical climates. This study evaluated the physiological, morphological, and biochemical traits of eight Kabuli chickpea genotypes in an Australian tropical environment. The result revealed significant differences between genotypes for seed emergence, plant height, primary shoots, leaf number, leaf area index, gas-exchange parameters, seed yield, carbon discrimination (Δ13C), and natural abundance for nitrogen fixation. Among the tested genotypes, AVTCPK#6 and AVTCPK#19 exhibited late flowering (60–66 days) and late maturity (105–107 days), and had higher leaf photosynthetic rate (Asat) (28.4–31.2 µmol m−2 s−1), lower stomatal conductance (gsw) (516–756 mmol m−2 s−1), were associated with reduced transpiration rate (T) (12.3–14.5 mmol m−2 s−1), offered greater intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) (2.1–2.3 µmol m−2 s−1/mmol m−2 s−1), and contributed a higher seed yield (626–746 g/m2) compared to other genotypes. However, a larger seed test weight (>60 g/100 seed) was observed for AVTCPK#24, AVTCPK#8, and AVTCPK#3. Similarly, a high proportion (45%) of larger seeds (>10–11 mm) was recorded for AVTCPK#24. Furthermore, a higher %Ndfa in AVTCPK#6 (71%) followed by AVTCPK#19 (63%) indicated greater symbiotic nitrogen fixation in high-yielding genotypes. Positive correlation was observed between %Ndfa and seed protein, as well as between seed yield and plant height, primary shoots, leaf count, leaf area index, leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate at pod filling stage, biomass, and harvest index. An inverse correlation between (Δ13C) and iWUE, particularly in AVTCPK#6 and AVTCPK#19, indicates greater heat and drought tolerance, required for high-yielding Kabuli chickpea production in northern Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tropical climates in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in northern Australia are conducive to the transmission of canine helminths such as hookworms, as well as ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks. In addition to their veterinary importance, these parasites may present a zoonotic risk either directly, or as potential vectors for bacterial pathogens. These factors necessitate efficacious and effective antiparasitic treatment programs for community dogs. Methods: A cluster-randomised trial was performed on three islands in the Torres Strait to examine the short-term efficacy and medium-term effectiveness of three treatment programs. Treatments administered included oral oxibendazole/praziquantel (Paragard®) and oral afoxolaner (Nexgard®); topical moxidectin/imidacloprid (Advocate®) and imidacloprid/flumethrin collars (Seresto®); and off-label oral ivermectin (Bomectin®). Canine faecal samples were collected and examined for endoparasites by faecal flotation and real-time PCR at baseline, 7-11 days after treatment and 6 months later. Results: The proportion of dogs positive for Ancylostoma caninum at baseline and negative at day 7-11 was 9% (95% CI 4.4-17.4) for dogs treated with oxibendazole, 56.4% (95% CI 41-70.7) for moxidectin, and 89.7% (95% CI 73.6-96.4) for ivermectin. Faecal flotation results showed a greater than 90% egg reduction in 29.2% (95% CI 19.9-40.5) of dogs treated with oxibendazole, 79.4% (95% CI 63.2-89.7) for moxidectin, and 95% (95% CI 76.4-99.1) for off- label ivermectin. Elimination of ectoparasite infestation was observed at day 7-11 in 69.9% (95% CI 56.7-80.1) of dogs treated with afoxolaner, 80% (95% CI 60.9-91.1) with imidacloprid/flumethrin collars, and 0% (95% CI 0-11.7) for off-label ivermectin. Mixed effects modelling revealed only treatment group to be significantly associated with outcome measures. Discussion: Based on these study results, the poor efficacy of oxibendazole against A. caninum renders it inept for treatment, while ivermectin and moxidectin were suitable. Ivermectin was unsuitable for ectoparasite treatment due to its poor efficacy, while afoxolaner and imidacloprid/flumethrin collars appear suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of cropland in tropical regions has significantly accelerated in recent decades, triggering an escalation in water demand and changing the total water loss to the atmosphere (evapotranspiration). Additionally, the increase in areas dedicated to agriculture in tropical climates coincides with an increased frequency of drought events, leading to a series of conflicts among water users. However, detailed studies on the impacts of changes in water use due to agriculture expansion, including irrigation, are still lacking. Furthermore, the higher presence of clouds in tropical environments poses challenges for the availability of high-resolution data for vegetation monitoring via satellite images. This study aims to analyze 37 years of agricultural expansion using the Landsat collection and a satellite-based model (geeSEBAL) to assess changes in evapotranspiration resulting from cropland expansion in tropical climates, focusing on the São Marcos River Basin in Brazil. It also used a methodology for estimating daily evapotranspiration on days without satellite images. The results showed a 34% increase in evapotranspiration from rainfed areas, mainly driven by soybean cultivation. In addition, irrigated areas increased their water use, despite not significantly changing water use at the basin scale. Conversely, natural vegetation areas decreased their evapotranspiration rates by 22%, suggesting possible further implications with advancing changes in land use and land cover. Thus, this study underscores the importance of using satellite-based evapotranspiration estimates to enhance our understanding of water use across different land use types and scales, thereby improving water management strategies on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the performance of 24 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models in simulating the dynamic processes of Arctic sea ice concentration (SIC)‐ and El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐ forced teleconnection during winter is subjectively and objectively evaluated. The Arctic SIC‐forced teleconnection is associated with a warm Arctic‐cold Eurasian pattern of surface temperature (T2m), a low Arctic‐high Eurasian pattern of sea level pressure (SLP), and a southeastward propagating wave‐train originating from Arctic in the upper troposphere. The ENSO‐forced teleconnection is associated with a poleward propagating wave‐train originating from tropical Pacific in the upper troposphere, a low North Pacific‐high Arctic pattern of SLP, and a cold North Pacific‐warm Greenland pattern of T2m. The metrics of Taylor skill scores and Distance between indices of simulation and observation (DISO) are used to objectively and quantitatively evaluate the performance of models. The results of subjective and objective evaluation are essentially consistent. The CanESM5, MPI‐ESM1‐2‐HR, EC‐Earth3, and MRI‐ESM2‐0 models have the best performance in simulating the Arctic SIC‐forced teleconnection. The CESM2, ACCESS‐CM2, NESM3, NorESM2‐MM, CAS‐ESM2‐0, MRI‐ESM2‐0 models have the best performance in simulating the ENSO‐forced teleconnection. The two best‐performing multi‐model ensembles well reproduce the dynamic processes of the Arctic SIC‐ and ENSO‐ forced teleconnection. The diversity of model performance is attributed to the different skills of different models in simulating the interannual variability of Arctic SIC, the anomalous deep warm high over the Barents‐Kara Seas, the interannual variability of tropical Pacific SSTs, and the wave number of poleward propagating Rossby waves. Plain Language Summary: The connection between Arctic and tropical climates has an important influence on the climate in Northern Hemisphere. The Arctic sea ice‐driven teleconnection may induce increased cold surges toward the low latitude regions of East Asia, while the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐driven teleconnection may induce increased temperatures over northern North America and Greenland. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models consists of state‐of‐the‐art numerical models that are widely used in climate simulation and prediction. Hence, it is important to understand the performance of these models in simulating the dynamic processes of Arctic‐tropical climate connection and the potential reasons. In this study, the dynamic processes in ocean‐atmosphere associated with the Arctic sea ice‐ and ENSO‐ driven teleconnection are first analyzed using observed/re‐analysis data. The performance of 24 CMIP6 models in simulating the dynamic processes of Arctic sea ice‐ and ENSO‐ driven teleconnection is then subjectively and objectively evaluated. The results indicate a diversity of performance in these models. This diversity are mainly caused by the different skills of models in simulating the interannual variability of SIC and ENSO as well as the associated atmospheric circulation anomalies. Key Points: The performance of CMIP6 models has a diversity in simulating the dynamic processes of Arctic‐tropical climate connectionBest‐performing multi‐model ensembles with good skill in simulating dynamic processes of Arctic‐tropical climate connection are selectedThe diversity in performance of models are affected by the skill of models in simulating the interannual variability sea ice and SSTs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an emerging replacement for activated sludge for advanced and sustainable wastewater treatment. This study examined the beneficial effect of granular activated carbon (GAC) addition on AGS formation and sewage treatment in tropical climates. GAC shortened the start-up period for granulation by minimizing sludge washout. Ammonium was removed effectively through partial nitrification and denitritation. Enhanced biological phosphate removal was established with ~98% removal efficiencies. Improved granulation, enrichment of polyphosphateaccumulating organisms, and establishment of enhanced biological phosphate removal pathways in tropical climates recommend GAC addition as a simple and potential start-up strategy for AGS-based biological wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) is the world's largest and heaviest fruit and adapts to hot, humid tropical climates. Low-temperature injury in winter is a primary abiotic stress, which affects jackfruit growth and development. Therefore, breeding cold-resistant varieties and identifying the vital genes in the process of cold resistance are essential. The dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) gene family is among the subfamily of the APETALA2/ethylene response factor transcription factor family and is significant in plant abiotic stress responses. Methods: In this study, a comparative analysis of the cold resistance property of 'GuangXi' ('GX') and 'Thailand' ('THA') jackfruit strains with different cold resistance characteristics was performed through chlorophyll fluorescence and transcriptome sequencing. Results: We found that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are significantly enriched in the metabolic processes. Here, 93 DREB genes were identified in the jackfruit genome, and phylogenetic analysis was used to classify them into seven groups. Gene structure, conserved motifs, chromosomal location, and homologous relationships were used to analyze the structural characteristics of the DREB family. Transcriptomics indicated that most of the AhDREB genes exhibited down-regulated expression in 'THA.' The DEGs AhDREB12, AhDREB21, AhDREB29, and AhDREB34 were selected for quantitative real-time PCR, and the results showed that these genes also had down-regulated expression in 'THA.' Conclusions: The above results suggest the significance of the DREB family in improving the cold resistance property of 'GX.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate is a key resource for tourists and tourism providers. Varied approaches to quantifying climate resources for tourism have been developed in the last 40 years, computing indices from a range of meteorological variables to measure the comparative climatic suitability of different destinations through time. This study provides the first application of a tourism climate index in the tropical southwest Indian Ocean, applying the recently developed Holiday Climate Index (HCI) for Réunion Island. The suitability of this index is evaluated for the case of this French department, with a particular focus on air conditioning availability in tourism accommodation establishments as this index excludes night-time thermal comfort. Both iterations of the HCI (HCIBeach and HCIUrban) are computed with meteorological data from Roland Garros Airport for the period 1991–2020, exploring monthly, annual, and seasonal climatic suitability. Mean monthly HCI scores reveal considerable seasonality in climatic suitability for tourism on the island with scores ranging from 89.3 ('excellent') to 36.9 ('marginal') for the HCIBeach and 85.0 ('excellent') to 27.5 ('unacceptable') for the HCIUrban, with more favourable scores calculated for July and August, displaying a clear austral winter peak seasonal classification. Over the 30-year period, there is no statically significant change in mean annual climatic suitability, and at a monthly scale, only one month of the year for each index displays statistically significant trends. These results are important in informing tourism strategies for the island to maximise visitor satisfaction through targeting advertising more deliberately for peak touristic climate suitability during the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds reduce cassava root yields and infest furrow areas quickly. The use of mechanical weeders has been introduced in Thailand; however, manually aligning the weeders with each planting row and at headland turns is still challenging. It is critical to clear weeds on furrow slopes and driveways via mechanical weeders. Automation can support this difficult work for weed management via driveway detection. In this context, deep learning algorithms have the potential to train models to detect driveways through furrow image segmentation. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to develop an image segmentation model for automated weed control operations in cassava plantation fields. To achieve this, image datasets were obtained from various fields to aid weed detection models in automated weed management. Three models—Mask R-CNN, YOLACT, and YOLOv8n-seg—were used to construct the image segmentation model, and they were evaluated according to their precision, recall, and FPS. The results show that YOLOv8n-seg achieved the highest accuracy and FPS (114.94 FPS); however, it experienced issues with frame segmentation during video testing. In contrast, YOLACT had no segmentation issues in the video tests (23.45 FPS), indicating its potential for driveway segmentation in cassava plantations. In summary, image segmentation for detecting driveways can improve weed management in cassava fields, and the further automation of low-cost mechanical weeders in tropical climates can be performed based on the YOLACT algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycle‐cup oaks (Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis) are one of the principal components of forests in the tropical and subtropical climates of East and Southeast Asia. They have experienced relatively recent increases in the diversification rate, driven by changing climates and the Himalayan orogeny. However, the evolutionary history and adaptive mechanisms at the chloroplast genome level in cycle‐cup oaks remain largely unknown. Therefore, we studied this problem by conducting chloroplast genomics on 50 of the ca. 90 species. Comparative genomics and other analyses showed that Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis had a highly conserved chloroplast genome structure. Highly divergent regions, such as the ndhF and ycf1 gene regions and the petN—psbM and rpoB—trnC‐GCA intergenic spacer regions, provided potential molecular markers for subsequent analysis. The chloroplast phylogenomic tree indicated that Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis was not monophyletic, which mixed with the other two sections of subgenus Cerris. The reconstruction of ancestral aera inferred that Palaeotropics was the most likely ancestral range of Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis, and then dispersed to Sino‐Japan and Sino‐Himalaya. Positive selection analysis showed that the photosystem genes had the lowest ω values among the seven functional gene groups. And nine protein‐coding genes containing sites for positive selection: ndhA, ndhD, ndhF, ndhH, rbcL, rpl32, accD, ycf1, and ycf2. This series of analyses together revealed the phylogeny, evolutionary history, and ecological adaptation mechanism of the chloroplast genome of Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis in the long river of earth history. These chloroplast genome data provide valuable information for deep insights into phylogenetic relationships and intraspecific diversity in Quercus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dirofilariosis, a zoonotic mosquito-borne disease, remains an under-studied condition in several areas of Brazil, despite its long-standing presence. This review aims to draw together prevalence data from epidemiological studies and case reports conducted in dogs over the last decade and in cats, wildlife, and humans over the last twenty years to define the distribution and prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. within the country and highlight the challenges associated with its diagnosis, treatment, and control. While Dirofilaria immitis is the main species circulating in Brazil, concerns have been raised in recent years about the presence of genetically distinct strains that may be more virulent than their Old World counterparts. In light of this and the widespread distribution of the parasite among both Brazilian coastal and non-coastal areas, further studies are required to characterise the disease. Additionally, there is a need to increase awareness of this neglected disease among health professionals in Brazil and to understand and minimise its impact on both veterinary and public health. Brazil's extensive coastline, tropical and subtropical climate, and well-preserved environment represent a conducive setting for dirofilariosis, a zoonotic mosquito-borne disease. Although this condition has long been recognised in the country, it has been relatively under-studied, and it is currently considered to be an emerging disease. Diagnosis, treatment, and control remain challenging due to the extensive gaps in knowledge. In order to help address this issue, this review aims to (i) summarise the available literature on the distribution of Dirofilaria spp. in Brazilian dogs over the last decade, (ii) review case reports of dirofilariosis in cats, wild animals, and humans over the last twenty years, and (iii) highlight the benefits of taking a One Health approach to managing this disease. While there have been several prevalence studies in dogs, disease distribution is poorly characterised in cats, and little is known about the occurrence of the parasite in wildlife. Human cases are sporadically reported, and no large-scale studies have been undertaken to date. Evidence indicates that Dirofilaria immitis is the main species circulating in Brazil, although Dirofilaria repens has also been detected. Molecular studies have also suggested the circulation of a highly virulent form of D. immitis, which may be genetically distinct from those of the Old World. A programme of epidemiological, ecological, genomic, and pathogenicity-based studies is required to quantify the impact of dirofilariosis in Brazil on both veterinary and public health and to inform others on its control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hops are grown mainly for the brewing market due to the rich chemical composition that gives beer aroma and bitterness. Brazil is one of the largest beer producers and consumers in the world and one of the largest hop importers. There is growing demand and interest in producing hops for domestic supply; however, as this crop originates from a temperate climate and the Northern Hemisphere, it is important to carry out research that describes the development of hops in a tropical climate to provide information on its cultivation in Brazil, as well as to determine its behavior in organic cultivation. A randomized block design was adopted, the treatments consisted of two cropping systems, conventional and organic, for Hallertau Mittelfrueh variety cultivation, with four blocks and three plants per plot. Gas exchange analyzes of plants under both cultivation systems were performed to obtain measurements of A, gs, Ci, E, WUE and A/Ci, morphometric and yield analyzes were also carried out. In comparison with the plants of the organic system, the plants of the conventional cultivation had greater photosynthetic efficiency; however, the practices adopted in the organic cultivation system provided the plants with greater productive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]