Inter-decadal variations,causes and future projection of the Asian summer monsoon

The present paper presents a concise summary of our recent studies on the Asian summer monsoon,with highting decadal and inter- decadal scales. The studies on the long- term variations of the Asian summer monsoon and its impacts on the change in the summer precipitation in China are reviewed. Moreover,recent changes in the Asian summer monsoon and summer precipitation in East Asia(including Meiyu precipitation)are discussed. Finally,the future changes of the Asian summer monsoon are also pointed out in this paper.

CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ONSET OF SOUTH CHINASEA SUMMERMONSOON II.INTER-DECADAL VARIATION

By using the 40-year NCEP (1958-1997) grid point reanalysis meteorological data, we analyzed the inter-decadal variation on the climatic characteristics of the onset of South China Sea summer monsoon. The results are as follows. (1) There was great difference on the onset date of the SCS summer monsoon between the first two decades and the last two decades. It was late on the 6th pentad of May for the first two decades and was on the 4th and 5th pentad of May for the next two decades. (2) Except for the third decade (1978-1987), the establishment of the monsoon rainfall was one to two pentads earlier than the onset of the summer monsoon in all other three decades. (3) The onset of the SCS monsoon is the result of the abrupt development and eastward advancement of the southwesterly monsoon over the Bay of Bengal. The four-decade analysis shows that there were abrupt development of the southwesterly monsoon over the Bay of Bengal between the 3rd and 4th pentad of May, but there was great difference between its eastward movement and its onset intensity. These may have important effect to the earlier or later onset of the SCS summer monsoon. (4) During the onset of the SCS summer monsoon, there were great difference in the upper and lower circulation feature between the first two and the next two decades. At the lower troposphere of the first two decades, the Indian-Burma trough was stronger and the center of the subtropical high was located more eastward. At the upper troposphere, the northward movement of the center of subtropical high was large and located more northward after it landed on the Indo-China Peninsula. After comparison, we can see that the circulation feature of the last two decades was favorable to the establishment and development of the SCS summer monsoon.

Inter-decadal variations of springtime rainfall over southern China mainland for 1979-2004 and its relationship with Eurasian snow

This study analyzes the inter-decadal variations of rainfall over southern China in spring (March-April-May) using the observed precipitation data for 1979-2004. The result shows that the variations of spring rainfall over southeastern China are opposite to those over and southwestern China in both inter-annual and inter-decadal time scales. The precipitation over south- ern China exhibits an apparent inter-decadal shift in the late 1980s. The accumulated spring rainfall has reduced 30% over southeastern China after the late 1980s, whereas it has increased twice as much over southwestern China. The atmospheric circulations related to this shift show that an abnormal high at lower and middle troposphere appears over Asian middle and high latitudes, accompanied by stronger-than-normal northerly wind over eastern China. Consequently, the wet air flows from tropical oceans are weakened over southern China, resulting in less rainfall over southeastern China and more rainfall over southwestern China. Furthermore, the anomalous atmospheric circulation over Asian middle and high latitudes is closely related to the inter-decadal downward shift of Eurasian spring snow in the late 1980s, indicating that the inter-decadal shift of Eurasian spring snow in the late 1980s is probably an important factor in the decadal shift of spring rainfall over southern China.

Influence of atmospheric heat sources over the Tibetan Plateau and the tropical western North Pacific on the inter-decadal variations of the stratosphere-troposphere exchange of water vapor

This study investigates the Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange(STE) of water vapor,emphasizes its interdecadal variations over Asia in boreal summer,and discusses the influences of atmospheric heat sources over the Tibetan Plateau and the tropical western North Pacific(WNP) on them by using the Wei method with reanalysis data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF) for the years of 1958-2001.The climatology shows that the upward transport of water vapor across the tropopause in boreal summer is the most robust over the joining area of the South Asian Peninsula and Indian-Pacific Oceans(defined as AIPO).The upward transport over there can persistently convey the abundant water vapor into the stratosphere and then influence the distribution and variation of the stratospheric water vapor.The analysis shows that interdecadal variations of the water vapor exchange over the AIPO are significant,and its abrupt change occurred in the mid-1970s and the early 1990s.In these three periods,as important channels of the water vapor exchange,the effect of Bay of Bengal-East Asia as well as South China Sea was gradually weakening,while the role of the WNP becomes more and more important.Further studies show that atmospheric heat sources over the Tibetan Plateau and the WNP are two main factors in determining the interdecadal variations of water vapor exchange.The thermal influences over the Tibetan Plateau and the WNP have been greatly adjusted over the pass 44 years.Their synthesis influences the interdecadal variations of the water vapor exchange by changing the Asian summer monsoon,but their roles vary with time and regions.Especially after 1992,the influence of heat source over the Tibetan Plateau remarkably weakens,while the heat source over the WNP dominates the across-tropopause water vapor exchange.Results have important implications for understanding the transport of other components in the atmosphere and estimating the impact of human activities(emission) on global climate.

Recent strong inter-decadal change of Meiyu in 121-year variations

The strongest change in Meiyu periods in the mid-lower Yangtze Basin （MLY） since 1885 occurred in the late 1970s： a stage of weak Meiyu from 1958 to 1978 abruptly transformed into a stage of plentiful Meiyu from 1979 to 1999. The average Meiyu amount of the latter 21 years increased by 66% compared with that of the former 21 years, accompanied by a significant increase in the occurrence of summer floods in the MLY. This change was closely related with the frequent phenomenon of postponed Meiyu ending dates （MED） and later onset dates of high summer （ODHS） in the MLY. To a considerable degree, this reflects an abrupt change of the summer climate in East China. Further analysis showed that the preceding factors contributing to inter-annual changes in Meiyu in the two 21-year stages delimited above were also very different from each other. The causes of change were associated with the following： China’s industrialization has greatly accelerated since the 1970s, accompanied by an increase in atmospheric pollution and a reduction of the solar radiation reaching the ground. The sand area of North China has also expanded due to overgrazing. The enhanced greenhouse effect is manifested in warm winters （especially in February）. Meanwhile, the January precipitation of the MLY has for the most part increased, and El Ni？o events have occurred more frequently since the late 1970s. A correlative scatter diagram consisting of these five factors mentioned above clearly shows that the two stages with opposite Meiyu characteristics are grouped in two contrasting locations with very different environmental （land-atmosphere） conditions. It is quite possible that we are now entering a new stage of lesser Meiyu, beginning in 2000.

Insights into genetic diversity and phenotypic variations in domestic geese through comprehensive population and pan-genome analysis

Background Domestic goose breeds are descended from either the Swan goose(Anser cygnoides)or the Greylag goose(Anser anser),exhibiting variations in body size,reproductive performance,egg production,feather color,and other phenotypic traits.Constructing a pan-genome facilitates a thorough identification of genetic variations,thereby deepening our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic diversity and phenotypic variability.Results To comprehensively facilitate population genomic and pan-genomic analyses in geese,we embarked on the task of 659 geese whole genome resequencing data and compiling a database of 155 RNA-seq samples.By constructing the pan-genome for geese,we generated non-reference contigs totaling 612 Mb,unveiling a collection of 2,813 novel genes and pinpointing 15,567 core genes,1,324 softcore genes,2,734 shell genes,and 878 cloud genes in goose genomes.Furthermore,we detected an 81.97 Mb genomic region showing signs of genome selection,encompassing the TGFBR2 gene correlated with variations in body weight among geese.Genome-wide association studies utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)and presence-absence variation revealed significant genomic associations with various goose meat quality,reproductive,and body composition traits.For instance,a gene encoding the SVEP1 protein was linked to carcass oblique length,and a distinct gene-CDS haplotype of the SVEP1 gene exhibited an association with carcass oblique length.Notably,the pan-genome analysis revealed enrichment of variable genes in the“hair follicle maturation”Gene Ontology term,potentially linked to the selection of feather-related traits in geese.A gene presence-absence variation analysis suggested a reduced frequency of genes associated with“regulation of heart contraction”in domesticated geese compared to their wild counterparts.Our study provided novel insights into gene expression features and functions by integrating gene expression patterns across multiple organs and tissues in geese and analyzing population variation.Conclusion This accomplishment originates from the discernment of a multitude of selection signals and candidate genes associated with a wide array of traits,thereby markedly enhancing our understanding of the processes underlying domestication and breeding in geese.Moreover,assembling the pan-genome for geese has yielded a comprehensive apprehension of the goose genome,establishing it as an indispensable asset poised to offer innovative viewpoints and make substantial contributions to future geese breeding initiatives.

Origin of the presence/absence variation of the LTIA1/LTIA2 mini-ribonucleaseⅢgenes required for low-temperature growth in rice

A rice low temperature-induced albino variant was determined by the recessive ltia1 and ltia2 genes.LTIA1 and LTIA2 encode highly conserved mini-ribonucleasesⅢlocated in chloroplasts and expressed in aerial parts of the plant.At low temperature,LTIA1 and LTIA2 redundantly affect chlorophyll levels,non-photochemical quenching,photosynthetic quantum yield of PSⅡand seedling growth.LTIA1 and LTIA2 proteins are involved in splicing of atp F and the biogenesis of 16S and 23S rRNA in chloroplasts.Presence/absence variation of LTIA1,the ancestral copy,was found only in japonica but that of LTIA2 in all rice subgroups.Accessions with LTIA2 presence tended to be distributed more remote from the equator compared to those with LTIA2 absence.LTIA2 duplicated from LTIA1 at the early stage of divergence of the AA genome Oryza species but deleted againin O.nivara.In cultivated rice,absence of LTIA2 is derived from O.nivara.LTIA1 absence occurred more recently in japonica.

Spatial Variation in CO_(2) Concentration Improves the Simulated Surface Air Temperature Increase in the Northern Hemisphere

The increasing concentration of atmospheric CO_(2) since the Industrial Revolution has affected surface air temperature.However,the impact of the spatial distribution of atmospheric CO_(2) concentration on surface air temperature biases remains highly unclear.By incorporating the spatial distribution of satellite-derived atmospheric CO_(2) concentration in the Beijing Normal University Earth System Model,this study investigated the increase in surface air temperature since the Industrial Revolution in the Northern Hemisphere(NH) under historical conditions from 1976-2005.In comparison with the increase in surface temperature simulated using a uniform distribution of CO_(2),simulation with a nonuniform distribution of CO_(2)produced better agreement with the Climatic Research Unit(CRU) data in the NH under the historical condition relative to the baseline over the period 1901-30.Hemispheric June-July-August(JJA) surface air temperature increased by 1.28℃ ±0.29℃ in simulations with a uniform distribution of CO_(2),by 1.00℃±0.24℃ in simulations with a non-uniform distribution of CO_(2),and by 0.24℃ in the CRU data.The decrease in downward shortwave radiation in the non-uniform CO_(2) simulation was primarily attributable to reduced warming in Eurasia,combined with feedbacks resulting from increased leaf area index(LAI) and latent heat fluxes.These effects were more pronounced in the non-uniform CO_(2)simulation compared to the uniform CO_(2) simulation.Results indicate that consideration of the spatial distribution of CO_(2)concentration can reduce the overestimated increase in surface air temperature simulated by Earth system models.

Variations in evaporation from water surfaces along the margins of the Badain Jaran Desert over nearly 60 years and influencing factors

Based on meteorological data collected over nearly 60 years(1960-2017)from four national meteorological stations along the margins of the Badain Jaran Desert,this study analyzed the spatiotemporal variations in evaporation from water surfaces and identified the dominant controlling factors.Methods used included linear trend analysis,linear tendency estimation,the departure method,the rank correlation coefficient-based method,and Multiple Linear Regression(MLR).Results indicate notable spatiotemporal differences in evaporation distribution and evolution.Spatially,average annual evaporation exhibited a pronounced altitude effect,decreasing at a rate of about 8.23 mm/m from east to west with increasing altitude.Temporally,annual evaporation showed significant upward trends after 1996 at the northeastern(Guaizi Lake)and western(Dingxin)margins,with rates of 132 mm/10a and 105 mm/10a,respectively.Conversely,along the northwestern(Ejina Banner)and southern(Alxa Right Banner)margins of the desert,an evaporation paradox was observed,with annual evaporation trending downward at rates of 162 mm/10a and 187 mm/10a,respectively,especially after 1987.The dominant factors controlling evaporation varied spatially:Average annual temperature and relative humidity influended the western margin(Dingxin),average annual temperature was the key factor for the northeastern margin(Guaizi Lake),and average wind speed was crucial for the northern(Ejina Banner)and southern(Alxa Right Banner)margins.

A new two-step variational model for multiplicative noise removal with applications to texture images

Multiplicative noise removal problems have attracted much attention in recent years.Unlike additive noise,multiplicative noise destroys almost all information of the original image,especially for texture images.Motivated by the TV-Stokes model,we propose a new two-step variational model to denoise the texture images corrupted by multiplicative noise with a good geometry explanation in this paper.In the first step,we convert the multiplicative denoising problem into an additive one by the logarithm transform and propagate the isophote directions in the tangential field smoothing.Once the isophote directions are constructed,an image is restored to fit the constructed directions in the second step.The existence and uniqueness of the solution to the variational problems are proved.In these two steps,we use the gradient descent method and construct finite difference schemes to solve the problems.Especially,the augmented Lagrangian method and the fast Fourier transform are adopted to accelerate the calculation.Experimental results show that the proposed model can remove the multiplicative noise efficiently and protect the texture well.

A Study to Observe Pulse Pressure Variation after Induction with Propofol for General Anesthesia

Background and Aims: Pulse pressure variation (PPV) is a reliable and predictive dynamic parameter presently being utilized for fluid responsiveness. In the operating room, fluid administration based on PPV monitoring helps the physician in deciding whether to volume resuscitate or use interventions in patients undergoing surgery. Propofol is an intravenous induction agent which lowers blood pressure. There are multiple causes such as depression in cardiac output, and peripheral vasodilatation for hypotension. We undertook this study to observe the utility of PPV as a guide to fluid therapy after propofol induction. Primary outcome of our study was to monitor PPV as a marker of fluid responsiveness for the hypotension caused by propofol induction. Secondary outcome included the correlation of PPV with other hemodynamic parameters like heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP);after induction with propofol at regular interval of time. Methods: A total number of 90 patients were recruited. Either of the radial artery was then cannulated under local anaesthesia with 20G VygonLeadercath arterial cannula and invasive monitoring transduced. A baseline recording of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and PPV was then recorded. Patients were then induced with predetermined doses of propofol (2 mg/kg) and recordings of HR, SBP, DBP, and PPV were taken at 5, 10 and 15 minutes. Results: Intraoperatively, PPV was significantly higher at 5 minutes and significantly lower at 15 minutes after induction. It was observed that there were no statistically significant correlations between PPV and SBP or DBP. PPV was strongly and directly associated with HR. Conclusion: We were able to establish that PPV predicts fluid responsiveness in hypotension caused by propofol induction;and can be used to administer fluid therapy in managing such hypotension. However, PPV was not directly correlated with hypotension subsequent to propofol administration.

Small temporal variation in abundance of virioplankton compared to bacterioplankton and phytoplankton in two bays in the northern South China Sea

Variations of picoplankton groups were investigated over a one-month period in Daya Bay and Sanya Bay,in the northern South China Sea.The two coastal regions exhibited different variation patterns in physicochemical parameters.Moreover,the diel variations of picoplankton groups were different between the two bays.The abundance of the picoplankton in Sanya Bay displayed a pronounced diel variation,while it was not significant in Daya Bay.In addition,some similar patterns of picoplankton abundance were discovered.In the two bays,virioplankton exhibited the smallest fluctuation range,whereas picocyanobacteria fluctuated most markedly.The fluctuation range of picoplankton groups was larger in spring tide than in neap tide,especially in Sanya Bay.Random forest model analysis demonstrated that the variation of picoplankton groups was attributed to physical and chemical factors in Sanya Bay and Daya Bay,respectively.Therefore,our findings suggest that virioplankton abundance can persist more stably in response to changing environmental conditions compared to bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton.

Associations of genome-wide structural variations with phenotypic differences in cross-bred Eurasian pigs

Background During approximately 10,000 years of domestication and selection,a large number of structural variations(SVs)have emerged in the genome of pig breeds,profoundly influencing their phenotypes and the ability to adapt to the local environment.SVs(≥50 bp)are widely distributed in the genome,mainly in the form of insertion(INS),mobile element insertion(MEI),deletion(DEL),duplication(DUP),inversion(INV),and translocation(TRA).While studies have investigated the SVs in pig genomes,genome-wide association studies(GWAS)-based on SVs have been rarely conducted.Results Here,we obtained a high-quality SV map containing 123,151 SVs from 15 Large White and 15 Min pigs through integrating the power of several SV tools,with 53.95%of the SVs being reported for the first time.These high-quality SVs were used to recover the population genetic structure,confirming the accuracy of genotyping.Potential functional SV loci were then identified based on positional effects and breed stratification.Finally,GWAS were performed for 36 traits by genotyping the screened potential causal loci in the F2 population according to their corresponding genomic positions.We identified a large number of loci involved in 8 carcass traits and 6 skeletal traits on chromosome 7,with FKBP5 containing the most significant SV locus for almost all traits.In addition,we found several significant loci in intramuscular fat,abdominal circumference,heart weight,and liver weight,etc.Conclusions We constructed a high-quality SV map using high-coverage sequencing data and then analyzed them by performing GWAS for 25 carcass traits,7 skeletal traits,and 4 meat quality traits to determine that SVs may affect body size between European and Chinese pig breeds.

Temperature is a cryptic factor shaping the geographical pattern of genetic variation in Ceratophyllum demersum across a subtropical freshwater lake

Macrophyte habitats exhibit remarkable heterogeneity,encompassing the spatial variation of abiotic and biotic components such as changes in water conditions and weather as well as anthropogenic stressors.Environmental factors are thought to be important drivers shaping the genetic and epigenetic variation of aquatic plants.However,the links among genetic diversity,epigenetic variation,and environmental variables remain largely unclear,especially for clonal aquatic plants.Here,we performed population genetic and epigenetic analyses in conjunction with habitat discrimination to elucidate the environmental factors driving intraspecies genetic and epigenetic variation in hornwort(Ceratophyllum demersum)in a subtropical lake.Environmental factors were highly correlated with the genetic and epigenetic variation of C.demersum,with temperature being a key driver of the genetic variation.Lower temperature was detected to be correlated with greater genetic and epigenetic variation.Genetic and epigenetic variation were positively driven by water temperature,but were negatively affected by ambient air temperature.These findings indicate that the genetic and epigenetic variation of this clonal aquatic herb is not related to the geographic feature but is instead driven by environmental conditions,and demonstrate the effects of temperature on local genetic and epigenetic variation in aquatic systems.

The Variation of Plankton Community Structure in Artificial Reef Area and Adjacent Waters in Haizhou Bay

Plankton are an important component of marine protected areas(MPAs),and its communities would require much smaller interpatch distances to ensure connection among MPAs.According to the survey from MPAs dominated by artificial reefs and adjacent waters(estuary area(EA),aquaculture area(AA),artificial reef area(ARA),natural area(NA)and comprehensive effect area(CEA))in Haizhou Bay in spring and autumn,we analyzed phyto-zooplankton composition,abundance and biomass,and correlation with hydrologic variables to gain information about the forces that structure the plankton.The results showed that the dominant zooplankton were copepods(spring,98.9%;autumn,94.2%),while the phytoplankton were mainly composed of Bacillariophyta(spring,61.8%;autumn,95.6%).The RDA results showed that temperature,salinity and depth highly associated with the distribution and composition of plankton species among the habitats than other factors in spring;temperature,Chla and DO had the strongest influence in autumn.The zooplankton in the ARA and AA ecosystems basically contained the same species as those in other habitats,and each habitat also exhibited a relatively unique combination of plankton species.The structures of the EA zooplankton in spring and the EA phytoplankton in both seasons were much different than other habitats,which may have been caused by factors such as currents and tides.We concluded that there exists similarity of the plankton community between artificial reef area and adjacent waters,whereas the EAs may be relatively independent systems.Therefore,these interaction between plankton community should be considered when designing MPA networks,and ocean circulations should be considered more than the environmental factors.

Seasonal Variation of Hearing Sensitivity in the Red-eared Slider(Trachemys scripta elegans)

Seasonal variation of hearing sensitivity has been observed in many vertebrate groups with obvious vocal behaviors.Circulating hormones,conspecific calling signals,and temperature are potential factors that drive these plasticity patterns.Turtles have a hearing range that appears to be limited to under 1.5 kHz and are often thought to be non-vocal;thus,they are commonly neglected in vocal communication research.In this study,we aimed to determine whether the auditory phenotype exhibits seasonal variation in sensitivity and to analyze the potential factors driving such variation patterns in turtles.We measured hearing sensitivity and sex hormone levels in female(estradiol)and male(testosterone and dihydrotestosterone)Red-eared sliders(Trachemys scripta elegans)during spring and winter.The results showed that auditory brainstem response(ABR)thresholds were significantly lower in spring than in winter at a frequency range of 0.5-0.9 kHz.The hearing-sensitivity bandwidth was wider,and the ABR latency was significantly shorter in spring than in winter.No significant differences were found in estradiol,testosterone,and dihydrotestosterone levels in T.scripta elegans between spring and winter.This study is the first to reveal the seasonal variation of peripheral hearing sensitivity in turtles,a special animal group with limited hearing range and less vocalization.Temperature variations may be used to explain these seasonal effects,but further research is required to confirm our findings.

A novel diurnal and seasonal variation analysis of BTEX in Bengaluru urban area

In the urban atmosphere of Bengaluru, various volatile organic compounds(VOCs), particularly Benzene,Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene(BTEX), have shown an increasing trend in concentration. The present research was conducted during summer and monsoon seasons, focusing on Kadubeesanahalli, a high-traffic area within the Bengaluru Metropolitan City. Hourly sample data was collected using a BTEX analyzer(Model GC955-600) and subsequently transformed into daily, monthly, and seasonal values. The study revealed distinct patterns in benzene concentrations. Benzene levels were lowest during the early morning hours, specifically from 1:00 a.m.to 7:00 a.m.. Concentrations then increased from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and again from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.,corresponding to the morning and evening peak traffic hours. However, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the concentration decreased due to reduced traffic levels. These diurnal variations in benzene concentration are influenced by meteorological parameters. Comparing the two seasons, higher concentrations of Benzene, EthylBenzene, and MP-xylene were observed during the summer season. This increase is attributed to the elevated temperatures during summer, which promote the vaporization of BTEX compounds. Conversely, lower BTEX concentrations were recorded during the monsoon season due to the wet deposition process. The observed positive correlation(r > 0.5) among BTEX parameters strongly suggests a common source, most likely originating from vehicular emissions.

STRONGLY CONVERGENT INERTIAL FORWARD-BACKWARD-FORWARD ALGORITHM WITHOUT ON-LINE RULE FOR VARIATIONAL INEQUALITIES

This paper studies a strongly convergent inertial forward-backward-forward algorithm for the variational inequality problem in Hilbert spaces.In our convergence analysis,we do not assume the on-line rule of the inertial parameters and the iterates,which have been assumed by several authors whenever a strongly convergent algorithm with an inertial extrapolation step is proposed for a variational inequality problem.Consequently,our proof arguments are different from what is obtainable in the relevant literature.Finally,we give numerical tests to confirm the theoretical analysis and show that our proposed algorithm is superior to related ones in the literature.

Natural variation in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B OsCOX5B regulates seed vigor by altering energy production in rice

Seed vigor is a crucial trait for the direct seeding of rice.Here we examined the genetic regulation of seed vigor traits in rice,including germination index(GI)and germination potential(GP),using a genome-wide association study approach.One major quantitative trait locus,qGI6/qGP6,was identified simultaneously for both GI and GP.The candidate gene encoding the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B(OsCOX5B)was validated for qGI6/qGP6.The disruption of OsCOX5B caused the vigor traits to be significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in the japonica Nipponbare wild type(WT).Gene co-expression analysis revealed that OsCOX5B influences seed vigor mainly by modulating the tricarboxylic acid cycle process.The glucose levels were significantly higher while the pyruvic acid and adenosine triphosphate levels were significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in WT during seed germination.The elite haplotype of OsCOX5B facilitates seed vigor by increasing its expression during seed germination.Thus,we propose that OsCOX5B is a potential target for the breeding of rice varieties with enhanced seed vigor for direct seeding.

Annual variation of adult survival of a south-temperate House Wren population in Argentina

Identifying factors affecting the survival of individuals is essential for understanding the evolution of life-history traits and population dynamics.Despite numerous studies on this subject in north-temperate environments,there is a lack of equivalent studies at similar latitudes in the south.Here,we used a 14-year dataset of capture,banding,and resighting to estimate the annual variation in the apparent adult survival probability of a south-temperate population of House Wrens(Troglodytes aedon bonariae).We evaluated temporal variation in sur-vival and the effect of environmental(climatic)and demographic variables(adult abundance,total number of fledglings produced during each breeding season)on survival estimators.We found that the probability of adult survival decreased as the abundance of breeding adults increased.This density-dependent effect could be related to the resident lifestyle of southern House Wrens,which could determine an intense competition for territories and resources that ultimately would affect their survival.