渤海中部营养盐赋存形态季节变化及其对营养盐库的影响

根据2013年7月(夏季),11月(秋季)和2014年5月(春季)渤海中部氮、磷、硅营养盐库各赋存形态数据以及温度、盐度等水文数据,分析海域不同季节各营养盐库以及相互间转化规律。结果表明:调查海域受陆源输入、吸收转化、扰动混合以及分解释放等因素影响,各营养盐库含量及其组分迁移转化呈现明显的季节特征,春夏高生产力季节为无机态向有机态和颗粒态转化期,秋季为有机态和颗粒态溶解分解释放期。夏季氮磷营养盐库含量分别为(37.43±10.09)μmol/L和(0.73±0.19)μmol/L,且以溶解有机态为主要赋存形态。秋季各营养盐库以及无机态组分含量受扰动以及分解释放影响均明显增加,而溶解有机态和颗粒态组分降低,其中颗粒氮(PN,particulate nitrogen)含量为(1.78±1.05)μmol/L,降幅66%;溶解有机磷(DOP,dissolved organic phosphorus)含量为(0.13±0.06)μmol/L,降幅66%;而溶解无机磷(DIP,dissolved inorganic phosphorus)为(0.54±0.20)μmol/L,升高10.8倍。春季各营养盐库组分变化明显,其中溶解无机氮(DIN,dissolved inorganic nitrogen)、DIP和活性硅酸盐(SiO3,reactive silicate)受浮游植物吸收转化影响,含量较秋季分别降幅45%、89%和85%,DON受秋冬季分解影响,含量降低36%。而PN和DOP增加明显,分别增高27%和1.6倍。调查海域各赋存形态营养盐比值表明,无机态营养盐比值均远离Redfield比值,对海域内硅藻的优势种地位产生影响。而各有机态以及颗粒态组分比值显示相比较氮,DOP、颗粒态磷(PP,particulate phosphorus)和硅在秋冬季低生产力季节更易受到扰动和分解释放影响,对于缓解海域内磷硅限制状况具有重要作用。

Spatial Distribution and Seasonal Variations of Heavy Metal Contamination in Surface Waters of Liaohe River, Northeast China

Heavy metal pollutants are a worldwide concern due to slow decomposition, biocondensation, and negative effects on human health. We investigated seasonal and spatial variations of the five heavy metals and evaluated their health risk in the Liaohe River, Northeast China. A total of 324 surface water samples collected from 2009 to 2010 were analyzed. Levels(high to low) of heavy metals in the Liaohe River were: zinc(Zn) > chromium(Cr) > copper(Cu) > cadmium(Cd) > mercury(Hg). Spatial and seasonal changes impacting concentrations of Cu and Zn were significant, but not significant for Cr, Cd and Hg. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were: Hg at Liuheqiao, Cu at Fudedian, Zn at Tongjiangkou, Cr at Mahushan, and Cd at Shenglitang. The highest concentrations of Hg and Cr were found in the wet period, Cu and Cd in the level period, and Zn in the dry period. The surface water of a tributary was an important accumulation site for heavy metals. Health risks from carcinogens and non-carcinogens increased from upstream to downstream in the mainstream of the Liaohe River. The total health risk for one person in the Liaohe River exceeded acceptable levels. The total health risk was the greatest during the wet period and least in the dry period. Among the five heavy metals in the Liaohe River, Cr posed the greatest single health risk.

Observation of the abyssal western boundary current in the Philippine Sea

Mooring observations were conducted from July 16, 2011 to March 30, 2012 east of Mindanao, Philippines （127°2.8＇E, 8°0.3＇N） to observe the abyssal current at about 5 600 m deep and 500 m above the ocean bottom. Several features were revealed： 1） the observed abyssal current was highly variable with standard deviations of 57.3 mrn/s and 34.0 ram/s, larger than the mean values of-31.9 and 16.6 mm/s for the zonal and meridional components, respectively; 2） low-frequency current longer than 6 days exhibited strong seasonal variation, flowing southeastward （mean flow direction of 119.0° clockwise from north） before about October 1, 2011 and northwestward （mean flow direction of 60.5° counter-clockwise from north） thereafter; 3） the high-frequency flow bands were dominated by tidal currents O1, K1, M2, and S2, and near-inertial currents, whose frequencies were higher than the local inertial frequency. The two diurnal tidal constituents were much stronger than the two semidiumal ones. This study provides for the first time an observational insight into the abyssal western boundary current east of Mindanao based on long-term observations at one site. It is meaningful for further research into the deep and abyssal circulation over the whole Philippine Sea and the 3D structure of the westem boundary current system in this region. More observational and high-resolution model studies are needed to examine the spatial structure and temporal variation of the abyssal current over a much larger space and longer period, their relation to the upper-layer circulation, and the underlying dynamics.

Seasonal and spatial variations of macro- and megabenthic community characteristics in two sections of the East China Sea

In spring and summer 2011, the macro- and megabenthic fauna in two sections of the East China Sea were investigated using an Agassiz net trawl to detect the seasonal and spatial variations of benthic community characteristics and the relation to environmental variables. The total number of species increased slightly from spring （131 species） to summer （133） whereas the percentage of Mollusca decreased significantly. The index of relative importance （IRI） indicated that the top five important species changed completely from spring to summer. Species number, abundance and biomass in summer were significantly higher than in spring, but no significant difference was observed among areas （coastal, transitional and oceanic areas, divided basically from inshore to offshore）. Species richness （at）, diversity （H） and evenness （J） showed no significant seasonal or spatial variations. Cluster analysis and nMDS ordination identified three benthic communities from inshore to offshore, corresponding to the three areas. Analysis of Similarity （ANOSIM） indicated the overall significant difference in community structure between seasons and among areas. K-dominance curves revealed the high intrinsic diversity in the offshore area. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the coastal community was positively correlated to total nitrogen and total organic carbon in spring, but negatively in summer; oceanic community was positively correlated to total nitrogen and total organic carbon in both seasons. Species such as Coelorhynchus multispinulosus, Neobythites sivicola, Lepidotrigla alata, Solenocera melantho, Parapenaeus fissuroides, Oratosquilla gonypetes and Spiropagurus spiriger occurred exclusively in the offshore oceanic area and their presence may reflect the influence of the offshore Kuroshio Current.

Tidal effects on diel variations of picoplankton and viruses in the Changjiang estuary

Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of picoplankton (i.e. Synechococcus spp., Prochlorococcus spp., picoeukaryotes and heterotrophic bacteria) and viruses in the Changjiang estuary have been reported in the past. However, short-term variations (e.g. at a tidal timescale) of these organisms and their regulating factors remain unclear. We determined the time-series of fluctuations of picoplankton and viruses with tide simultaneously in flow cytometry in the Changjiang estuary during a cruise in June 2006, in which a tidal model based rectangle equation was applied. The results indicate that high cell abundances of picoplankton and viruses occurred during flood tide and low cell abundances during ebb tide. The period of the surface cell abundance variations was about 13 h, suggesting the surface cell abundances in the Changjiang estuary were largely regulated by tide. However, cell abundances in middle and bottom waters varied in different periods due to influences of tidal induced physical forces such as resuspension and stratification. Therefore, tidal action is an important factor for the diel variations of picoplankton and viruses in the Changjiang estuary.

Spatial and seasonal variations in the trophic spectrum of demersal fish assemblages in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Trophic structure of fish communities is fundamental for ecosystem-based fisheries management, and trophic spectrum classifies fishes by their positions in food web, which provides a simple summary on the trophic structure and ecosystem function. In this study, both fish biomass and abundance trophic spectra were constructed to study the spatial and seasonal variations in the trophic structure of demersal fish assemblages in Jiaozhou Bay, China. Data were collected from four seasonal bottom trawl surveys in Jiaozhou Bay from February to November in 2011. Trophic levels(TLs) of fishes were determined by nitrogen stable isotope analysis. This study indicated that most of these trophic spectra had a single peak at trophic level(TL) of 3.4–3.7, suggesting that demersal fish assemblages of Jiaozhou Bay were dominated by secondary consumers(eg. Pholis fangi and Amblychaeturichthys hexanema). The spatial and seasonal variations of trophic spectra of Jiaozhou Bay reflected the influence of fish reproduction, fishing pressure and migration of fishes. Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) showed that seasonal variations in trophic spectra in Jiaozhou Bay were significant(P <0.05), but variations among different areas were not significant( P >0.05). The trophic spectrum has been proved to be a useful tool to monitor the trophic structure of fish assemblages. This study highlighted the comprehensive application of fish biomass and abundance trophic spectra in the study on trophic structure of fish assemblages.

Heat center of the western Pacific warm pool

A heat center （HC） of the western Pacific warm pool （WPWP） is defined, its variability is examined, and a possible mechanism is discussed. Analysis and calculation of a temperature dataset from 1945-2006 show that the mean position of the HC during this period was near 0.4°S/169.0°E, at 38.0 m depth. From a time series of the HC, remarkable seasonal variability was found, mainly in the meridional and vertical directions. Interannual variabilities were dominant in the zonal and vertical directions. In addition, semiannual variation in the HC depth was discovered. The longitude of the HC varies with ENSO events, and its latitude is weakly related to ENSO on time scales shorter than a decade. The variation of the HC longitude leads the Nifio-3 index by about 3-4 months, and its depth lags the index for approximately 3 months. It is concluded that the HC depth results from a combination of its longitudinal and latitudinal variations. Low-pass-filtered time series reveal that the HC has moved eastward since the mid 1980s.

Seasonal and Spatial Variation in the Monitoring Parameters of Zomar Stream, Palestine during 2010

Levels of pollutants at Zomar stream, the only recreational area for the inhabitants of the northern part of the West Bank, Palestine, were recently determined, and have shown to be relatively high. Three bathing sites along the Zomar stream area were monitored for one year （fortnightly）. Wastewater samples were subjected to microbiological analysis （fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus and Klebsiella）, physico-chemical analyses （water temperature, pH, electroconductivity and DO （dissolved oxygen））, biochemical oxygen demand, total Kjeldahl nitrogen and ammonia. The study results demonstrated seasonal and locational variations in all parameters studied. The highest levels of pollution were detected during summer, especially before a rainfall or after a discharge from onsite cesspits. Locations associated with sewage discharge were found to have the highest fecal indicator levels.

Variation of Thornthwaite Moisture Index in Hengduan Mountains, China

The Thornthwaite moisture index, an index of the supply of water （precipitation） in an area relative to the climatic demand for water （potential evapotranspiration）, was used to examine the spatial and temporal variation of drought and to verify the influence of environmental factors on the drought in the Hengduan Mountains, China. Results indicate that the Thornthwaite moisture index in the Hengduan Mountains had been increasing since 1960 with a rate of 0.1938/yr. Annual Thomthwaite moisture index in Hengduan Mountains was between -97.47 and 67.43 and the spatial heterogeneity was obvious in different seasons. Thomthwaite moisture index was high in the north and low in the south, and the monsoon rainfall had a significant impact on its spatial distribution. The tendency rate of Thomthwaite moisture index variation varied in different seasons, and the increasing trends in spring were greater than that in summer and autumn. However, the Thomthwaite moisture index decreased in winter. Thomthwaite moisture index increased greatly in the north and there was a small growth in the south of Hengduan Mountains. The increase of precipitation and decrease of evaporation lead to the increase of Thomthwaite moisture index. Thornthwaite moisture index has strong correlation with vegetation coverage. It can be seen that the correlation between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index （NDVI） and Thomthwaite moisture index was positive in spring and summer, but negative in autumn and winter. Correlation between Thornthwaite moisture index and relative soil relative moisture content was positive in spring, summer and autumn, but negative in winter. The typical mountainous terrain affect the distribu- tion of temperature, precipitation, wind speed and other meteorological factors in this region, and then affect the spatial distribution of Thomthwaite moisture index. The unique ridge-gorge terrain caused the continuity of water-heat distribution from the north to south, and the water-heat was stronger than that from the east to west part, and thus determined the spatial distribution of Thornthwaite mois- ture index. The drought in the Hengduan Mountains area is mainly due to the unstable South Asian monsoon rainfall time.

Spatiotemporal features and possible mechanisms of seasonal changes in sea surface height south of Japan

Variations of sea surface height （SSH） in the Kuroshio south of Japan are addressed by analyzing 19-year （1993-2011） altimetry data from AVISO. Regionally averaged time series of observed SSH had a rising linear trend at 2.64＋0.72 mrn/a in this period. By analyzing the power spectra, several periods were recognized in temporal SSH variations, including those around 90 and 360 days. The seasonal cycle of SSH was minimum in winter （February） and maximum in summer （August）, with peak-to-peak amplitude about 20.0 cm. The spatial distribution of linear trends was inhomogeneous, with a rising linear trend along the coastline and a tripole structure offshore. Spatial distributions of standard deviation of seasonal SSH show very dynamic activities in the southeast of Kyushu and south of Honshu. Seasonal variations of observed SSH are partially explained by surface buoyancy forcing, local wind forcing and the steric component related to subsurface water beneath the mixed layer. Results show different spatial distributions of correlation coefficient and estimation skill between seasonally observed and modeled SSH, which are calculated from surface buoyancy flux, local wind forcing and the steric component related to subsurface water. Of those three, the surface buoyancy flux has a greater contribution to variations of observed SSH on the seasonal time scale south of Japan.

Quality Control and Analysis of Global Gauge-Based Daily Precipitation Dataset from 1980 to 2009

A series of quality control(QC) procedures were performed on a gauge-based global daily precipitation dataset from the Global Telecommunication System(GTS) for the period 1980-2009.A new global daily precipitation(NGDP) dataset was constructed by applying those QC procedures to eliminate erroneous records.The NGDP dataset was evaluated using the NOAA Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation(CMAP) and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project(GPCP) precipitation datasets.The results showed that the frequency distribution and spatial distribution pattern of NGDP had a nice match with those from the CMAP and GPCP datasets.The global mean correlation coefficients with the CMAP and GPCP data increased from 0.24 for original GTS precipitation data to about 0.70 for NGDP data.Correspondingly,the root mean square errors(RMSE) decreased from 12 mm per day to 1 mm per day.The interannual variabilities of NGDP monthly precipitation are consistent with the CMAP and GPCP datasets in Asia.Meanwhile,the seasonal variabilities for most land areas on the Earth of NGDP dataset are also consistent with the CMAP and GPCP precipitation products.

Oxygen Stable Isotopic Ratio in Precipitations in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Time-course of oxygen stable isotopic ratios （i.e., δ^18O） as well as seasonal variation of δ^18O has been examined to investigate the characteristics, sources and the passing route of precipitations in Niigata Prefecture. The precipitation samples have been mainly collected with a filtrating bulk sampler at the rooftop of Niigata University. Furthermore, backward trajectories analyses have been also conducted for these samples taken sequentially for a short period. Consequently, the following features have been mainly clarified for the precipitations in Niigata Prefecture： （1） the δ^18O values varied between -14.57%o and -3.86%0 in the precipitations of Niigata University; （2） as for the comparison among sampling points, the mean value of δ^18O at seaside spots （i.e., Niigata City： -6.93%0） is larger than that of inland spots （Sanjyo City： -8.68%0）; （3） δ^18O value was generally small in the rainy or typhoon season, and relatively large in summer; （4） decreasing δ^18O content with time is a predominant feature of sequentially sampled rainfalls as predicted by Rayleigh models of atmospheric vapor condensation.

Bird Species Diversity and Spatio-temporal Variation in the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve in Eastern China

As an important hub on the East Asian-Australian Flyway(EAAF),Hongze Lake is an important migratory stopover and wintering site for hundreds of thousands of birds.However,research on bird community diversity in this area is still lacking.We conducted a bird survey from July 2020 to June 2021 using the line transect method on the terrestrial habitat,as well as the fixed-point method in the lake wetland at the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve located in northwestern Hongze Lake,and analyzed the temporal-spatial variation in the bird community.The results showed that a total of 170432 detections of 215 bird species belonging to 18 orders and 55 families were recorded.In terms of species composition,the proportion of terrestrial birds was relatively high,followed by waterfowl richness,with high numbers of Anatidae species and shorebirds.For bird species abundance,waterfowl had the highest abundance of common coot(Fulica atra),belonging to the Rallidae family,followed by Anatidae and Ardeidae species.The abundance of shorebirds was extremely low,and that of non-waterfowl was also low.In terms of temporal patterns,the number of bird species and richness index were higher in spring and autumn but lower in winter and summer.The bird abundance was the highest in winter,and the remaining three seasons were similar in terms of bird abundance.The diversity index and evenness index were higher in spring,summer and autumn,and lowest in winter.For the spatial pattern,the open water in the western part of the reserve included the most densely distributed areas for birds,and the number of bird species and their abundance were both the highest in that part.There were significant differences in the bird community structures among the four habitats.The species number and richness index of birds in the reed habitat were the highest,and the bird abundance was also high,but the diversity index and evenness index were low.Although the bird abundance in the lake habitat was much higher than in the other habitats,the diversity index,evenness index and richness index were the lowest.The numbers of bird species and individuals in tourist attraction land and farmland were low,but the diversity index,evenness index and richness index were high.Our results reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of bird species diversity and abundance in Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve,and reflect the effects of different habitat types on bird diversity.

Spatial and Seasonal Variations of Heavy Metals in Wetland Soils of the Tidal Flats in the Yangtze Estuary, China: Environmental Implications

The environment of estuarine wetlands has been attracting worldwide attention. To study the spatial distribution of pollutants in the tidal flats of the Yangtze Estuary, Southeast China, the Eastern Tidal Flat of Chongming Island (EC) and the Jiuduansha Shoal (JS) of the estuary were selected as the study sites. At each of the two sites, a cross-transect from land to sea was established and topsoil and soil core samples in the cross-transect were collected spatially and seasonally to determine their contents of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Fe) and grain-size characteristics. The results showed that the heavy metal loads were commonly higher in the soils of nearshore high tidal flats and had a tendency of decreasing from land to sea at both of the study sites. The contents of heavy metals in the soils of the high and medial tidal flats were mostly higher in April and November but lower in July. Corresponding spatial and seasonal variations in grain size of the intertidal soils were also observed at the two study sites. The soils in the nearshore high tidal flats were finer and gradually got coarser seawards; they were relatively finer in April and November but coarser in July. Furthermore, the contents of heavy metals in the intertidal soils of both the sites EC and JS were significantly positively correlated with the clay (<2 μm) and 2-20 μm fractions, but negatively with the sand (>63 μm) and 20-63 μm fractions, which suggested that the heavy metals in the intertidal soils were primarily combined with the fine particulate fraction (<20 μm), especially clay, and hence the spatial and seasonal variations in heavy metals were actually caused by the change of the grain-size characteristics of the intertidal soils due to the different sedimentary environments in the estuary. The results of this study may also contribute to a better understanding of the soil formation and classification in the tidal flats of the Yangtze Estuary.

Diurnal,seasonal,and spatial variation of PM_(2.5) in Beijing

PM2.5 pollution in sive attention in recent years, Beijing has attracted extensive attention in recent years, but research on the detailed spatiotemporal characteristics of PM2.5 is critically lacking for effective pollution control. In our study, hourly PM2.5 concentration data of 35 fixed monitoring sites in Beijing were collected continuously from October 2012 to September 2013, for exploring the diurnal and seasonal characteristics of PM2.5 at traffic, urban, and background environments. Spatial trend and regional contribution of PM2.5 under different pollution levels were also investigated. Results show that the average PM2.5 concentration of all the 35 sites （including 5 traffic sites） was 88.6 μg/m^3. Although PM2.5 varied largely with the site location and seasons, a clear spatial trend could be observed with the PM2.5 concentration decreasing linearly from south to north, with a gradient of -0.46 μg/m^3/km for average days, -0.83 μg/m^3/km for heavily-severely polluted days, -0.52μg/m^3/km at lightly-moderately polluted days, and -0.26 μg/m^3/km for excellent-good days. PM2.5 at traffic sites was varied, but was generally over 10 % higher than at the nearby urban assessment sites.

Spatial distribution, seasonal variation and regionalization of PM_(2.5) concentrations in China

In order to provide scientific support to policy makers in the regulation of PM2.5 pollution in China, it is important to accurately assess the current status, spatiotemporal characteristics and regionalization data for this air pollutant. An analysis of the pollution status of PM2.5 was conducted using daily averaged mass concentration data recorded in 74 cities in 2013 and 161 cities in 2014. The rotated empirical orthogonal function(REOF) method was applied to analyze this data. Results showed that the average annual PM2.5 concentration in urban areas of China is 62.2±21.5 ?g/m3, and that the distribution is spatially heterogeneous. The North China Plain, middle and lower Yangtze River Plain, Sichuan Basin and Guanzhong Plain had relatively high annual PM2.5 concentrations compared with the southeast coastal region, the Tibetan Plateau and the Yungui Plateau. PM2.5 mass concentrations tended to be higher in winter than in summer, however, the data for many cities showed a small peak in concentrations from May to July. An analysis of the spatial correlation of PM2.5 indicated a significant influence of topographic conditions. A lower correlation was observed where terrain features varied greatly. Based on the results of the REOF analysis and topographic characteristics, ten regions were identified in mid-eastern China, which could be considered as basic pollution prevention divisions for PM2.5; these include the North China Plain region, Pearl River Delta region, Jianghuai Plain region, middle Yangtze River Plain region, Northeast Plain region, Jiangnan coastal region, Sichuan Basin region, Qiantao Plain region, Guanzhong-Central Plain region and Yungui Plateau region. Seasonal variations in the regionalization data were observed, especially for the North China Plain and Pearl River Delta regions. Among the ten regions identified in this study, the North China Plain, Guanzhong-Central Plain, middle Yangtze River Plain and Jianghuai Plain had relatively high PM2.5 mass concentrations in comparison with the others. Therefore, these regions should be considered as the key regions to target in developing PM2.5 pollution prevention strategies. This study improves the present understanding of the spatial distribution, seasonal changes and regional status of PM2.5 pollution in China and helps establish possible control strategies for the reduction of this air pollutant.

Analysis of seasonal signals and long-term trends in the height time series of IGS sites in China

The seasonal signal and long-term trend in the height time series of 10 IGS sites in China are investigated in this paper. The offset detection and outlier removal as well as the removal of common mode error are performed on the raw GPS time-series data developed by the Scripps Orbit and Permanent Array Center(SOPAC). The seasonal-trend decomposition procedure based on LOESS(STL) is utilized to extract precise seasonal signals, followed by an estimation of the long-term trend with the application of maximum likelihood estimation(MLE) to the seasonally adjusted time series. The Up-compo- nents of all sites are featured by obvious seasonal variations, with significant phase and amplitude modulation on some sites. After Kendall's tau test, a significant trend(99% confidence interval) for all sites is achieved. Furthermore, the trends at sites TCMS and TNML have significant changes at epochs 2009.5384 and 2009.1493(95% confidence interval), respectively, using the Breaks For Additive Seasonal and Trend test. Finally, the velocities and their uncertainties for all sites are estimated using MLE with the white noise plus flicker noise model. And the results are analyzed and compared with those announced by SOPAC. The results obtained in this paper have a higher precision than the SOPAC results.

Temporal-spatial changes in the belowground bud bank in interdune lowlands of an active sand dune ecosystem in northeastern China

Aims The belowground bud bank plays an important role in vegetation restoration of sand dune ecosystems in semi-arid regions.However,few studies have focused on the temporal-spatial changes of belowground bud banks in interdune lowlands.Methods The size and composition of belowground bud bank in five interdune lowlands with different sizes were investigated for one growing season to determine the temporal and spatial changes in belowground bud bank.Important Findings Total bud bank density was the highest in the medium-sized interdune lowland as was tiller bud density.The density of stem-base buds exhibited an opposite trend while rhizome bud density did not change with interdune lowland size.There was a significant seasonal change in the bud bank size.The total bud density peaked in August and was the lowest in October.A similar trend was found for rhizome bud density,whereas the density of stem-base buds showed an opposite trend,and tiller bud density did not change signifiesntly during the growing season.We conclude that the belowground bud bank density is changed with interdune lowland size and season.These results contribute to the understanding of adaptive strategies of plants growing in active dune ecosystems and provide pointers for adopting effective measures to restore and conserve dune vegetation in semi-arid regions.

Investigation of the mesospheric temperature over Fort Collins region

The nightly mean mesospheric temperature profiles between 80 and 107 km, observed by Na lidar, over Fort Collins, Colorado （41°N, 105°W） from 1990 to 2010, are employed to research the temporal and spatial variations and mesopause. We find that the maximum mean temperature is in summer months above 95 kin, but reverse below 95 kin, and there is a cooler region below 185 K around 97 km in August. The largest seasonal variation is 39.2 K at 81 kin, and the minimum is 6.5 K at 96.5 km. The maximum standard derivation in spring and autumn months are larger than other seasons above 105 kin, but the temperatures in March, June and September are lower than the other months between 82 km and 100 km where winter is the largest season. Moreover, the seasonal variations of the temperature are about 36, 8 and 21 K at 85, 95 and 105 km, respectively, winter is colder and summer is warmer above 97.5 km, but reverse below 92 km. The mesopause height is around 102 km in winter, but 84 km in summer, and the mean speed of decreasing or increasing of the mesopause height is about 5 km/month in spring and autumn months which are about 90 km. The lasting time of the mesopause in winter is near 6 months, longer than other seasons, and the mesopause temperature is about 165 K in cool summer, and 185 K in warm winter.

Modeling the transmission of Buruli ulcer in fluctuating environments

The transmission dynamics of Buruli ulcer （BU） largely depends on environmental changes. In this paper a deterministic model for the transmission of BU in fluctuating environments is proposed. The model incorporates periodicity in the disease transmission pathways and the Mycobacterium ulcerans density that are thought to vary seasonally. Two reproduction numbers, the time-averaged reproduction number [R0l and the basic reproduction number R0, are determined and compared. It is shown that the time-averaged reproduction underestimates the number of infections. Numerical simulations confirmed that if R0 〉 1 the infection is sustained seasonally. The model outcome suggests that environmental fluctuations should be taken into consideration in designing policies aimed at BU control and management.