The Role of Underlying Boundary Forcing in Shaping the Recent Decadal Change of Persistent Anomalous Activity over the Ural Mountains

Observational analyses demonstrate that the Ural persistent positive height anomaly event(PAE) experienced a decadal increase around the year 2000, exhibiting a southward displacement afterward. These decadal variations are related to a large-scale circulation shift over the Eurasian Continent. The effects of underlying sea ice and sea surface temperature(SST) anomalies on the Ural PAE and the related atmospheric circulation were explored by Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project(AMIP) experiments from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 and by sensitivity experiments using the Atmospheric General Circulation Model(AGCM). The AMIP experiment results suggest that the underlying sea ice and SST anomalies play important roles. The individual contributions of sea ice loss in the Barents-Kara Seas and the SST anomalies linked to the phase transition of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO) are further investigated by AGCM sensitivity experiments isolating the respective forcings.The sea ice decline in Barents-Kara Seas triggers an atmospheric wave train over the Eurasian mid-to-high latitudes with positive anomalies over the Urals, favoring the occurrence of Ural PAEs. The shift in the PDO to its negative phase triggers a wave train propagating downstream from the North Pacific. One positive anomaly lobe of the wave train is located over the Ural Mountains and increases the PAE there. The negative-to-positive transition of the AMO phase since the late-1990s causes positive 500-h Pa height anomalies south of the Ural Mountains, which promote a southward shift of Ural PAE.

Sudden openings and gradual closures in canopy cover modulate acclimation,survival,and growth of a shade-tolerant rainforest tree species

Forest disturbances at gap levels are one of the most important events for the regeneration and establishment of intermediate tree species.Abrupt canopy openings expose plants to high light intensity and high evaporative demands that stress shade-acclimated plants.Later,the slow closure of gaps reduces light availability to plants established when the incident irradiation was higher.This work evaluated the morphological and physiological acclimation of Cabralea canjerana(Vell)Mart.regeneration to sudden and to gradual changes in canopy cover.A pot experiment was carried out with plants exposed to a sudden opening.A few days after the light shock,plants rapidly increased photosynthetic rates and decreased leaf water potential.After two months,plants activated physiological responses at leaf and whole plant levels to high light and water stresses,e.g.,increased stoma-tal conductance,stomatal index and reduction of leaf:fine roots ratio and chlorophyll.After seven months,hydraulic conductivity of petioles and the whole leaf increased,and growth was much higher than plants that remained under the canopy.In a field experiment in gaps in the rainforest,plants acclimated to all canopy covers.Seven years after planting,growth was maximum in open environments within the gaps,even if the canopy closed during the first 20 months after planting.In conclusion,if this species is planted to enrich the rainforest,positions within gaps with lower canopy cover should be chosen and gap closure will not affect growth.To manage C.canjerana natural regeneration,the opening of gaps and removal of understory will increase survival and growth without the risk that the stress caused by these sudden openings could lead to the death of seedlings.Com-bining pot and field experiments helps to understand the autecology of trees with particular ecological interest,and to build sound restoration practices.

Plant community on a volcano mountaintop reveals unique high-altitude vegetation in southeastern Brazil

Mountains exhibit a high degree of endemism and diversity,however,quantifying their biodiversity can be challenging.Similar to islands,species isolation in mountainous regions results in comparable patterns of evolution and extinction,rendering their biodiversity unique and highly susceptible to anthropogenic threats.The topographic relief in mountains plays a crucial role in creating habitat complexity,which in turn contribute to high plant diversity.Here,we investigated plant diversity in the volcano mountaintop vegetation on the Poços de Caldas Plateau,a region situated in the ecotone between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado,characterized by natural radiation and significant anthropogenic intervention.We employed an automated approach through the filtering of georeferenced and non-georeferenced data to obtain a list of plant species in the region.Additionally,we statistically investigated the similarity among different high-altitude vegetations belonging to the campos de altitude from the Atlantic Forest and campos rupestres from the Cerrado.The plateau exhibits high plant diversity,including 1,659 specific and infraspecific taxa,especially belonging to Asteraceae and Poaceae.Our analyses suggest that geographical distance is a strong predictor of dissimilarity and that the Poços de Caldas Plateau is more floristically related to the campos rupestres,despite being associated with campos de altitude.The region possesses a unique set of biodiversity,indicating that it may be a distinct formation.Additionally,we hypothesize that Pleistocene events likely influenced the conformation of the current floristic composition in the region through species interchange between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.Our study also highlights the few taxa assessed for conservation status and anthropogenic threats that this habitat is facing.

Evolutionary fingerprint, phylogenetic and forest structure of tropical montane Atlantic cloud forests along an elevation gradient

Environmental conditions can change markedly over geographical distances along elevation gradients,making them natural laboratories to study the processes that structure communities.This work aimed to assess the influences of elevation on Tropical Montane Cloud Forest plant communities in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest,a historically neglected ecoregion.We evaluated the phylogenetic structure,forest structure(tree basal area and tree density)and species richness along an elevation gradient,as well as the evolutionary fingerprints of elevation-success on phylogenetic lineages from the tree communities.To do so,we assessed nine communities along an elevation gradient from 1210 to 2310 m a.s.l.without large elevation gaps.The relationships between elevation and phylogenetic structure,forest structure and species richness were investigated through Linear Models.The occurrence of evolutionary fingerprint on phylogenetic lineages was investigated by quantifying the extent of phylogenetic signal of elevation-success using a genus-level molecular phylogeny.Our results showed decreased species richness at higher elevations and independence between forest structure,phylogenetic structure and elevation.We also verified that there is a phylogenetic signal associated with elevation-success by lineages.We concluded that the elevation is associated with species richness and the occurrence of phylogenetic lineages in the tree communities evaluated in Mantiqueira Range.On the other hand,elevation is not associated with forest structure or phylogenetic structure.Furthermore,closely related taxa tend to have their higher ecological success in similar elevations.Finally,we highlight the fragility of the tropical montane cloud forests in the Mantiqueira Range in face of environmental changes(i.e.global warming)due to the occurrence of exclusive phylogenetic lineages evolutionarily adapted to environmental conditions(i.e.minimum temperature)associated with each elevation range.

Numerical simulations of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation(AMOC)from OMIP experiments and its sensitivity to surface forcing

Atlantic meridional overturning circulation(AMOC)plays an important role in transporting heat meridionally in the Earth’s climate system and is also a key metrical tool to verify oceanic general circulation models.Two OMIP(Ocean Model Intercomparison Project phase 1 and 2)simulations with LICOM3(version 3 of the LASG/IAP Climate System Ocean Model)developed at the State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics(LASG),Institute of Atmospheric Physics(IAP),are compared in this study.Both simulations well reproduce the fundamental characteristics of the AMOC,but the OMIP1 simulation shows a significantly stronger AMOC than the OMIP2 simulation.Because the LICOM3 configurations are identical between these two experiments,any differences between them must be attributed to the surface forcing data.Further analysis suggests that sea surface salinity(SSS)differences should be mainly responsible for the enhanced AMOC in the OMIP1 simulation,but sea surface temperature(SST)also play an unignorable role in modulating AMOC.In the North Atlantic,where deep convection occurs,the SSS in OMIP1 is more saline than that in OMIP1.We find that in the major region of deep convection,the change of SSS has more significant effect on density than the change of SST.As a result,the SSS was more saline than that in OMIP2,leading to stronger deep convection and subsequently intensify the AMOC.We conduct a series of numerical experiments with LICOM3,and the results confirmed that the changes in SSS have more significant effect on the strength of AMOC than the changes in SST.

Circulation Pattern Controls of Summer Temperature Anomalies in Southern Africa

This study investigates the relationship between circulation patterns and austral summer temperature anomalies in southern Africa. The results show that the formation of continental lows tends to increase the thickness of the lower atmosphere. Further, the distinct variabilities of high and low pressure under the circulation types, influence air mass advection from the adjacent oceans, as well as atmospheric stability over land. Stronger anticyclonic circulation at the western branch of the Mascarene high-pressure system enhances the low-level cold air advection by southeast winds,decreases the thickness, and lowers the temperature over a majority of the land in southern Africa. Conversely, a weaker Mascarene High, coupled with enhanced cyclonic activity in the southwest Indian Ocean increases low-level warm air advection and increases temperature anomalies over vast regions in southern Africa. The ridging of a closed South Atlantic anticyclone at the southern coast of southern Africa results in colder temperatures near the tip of southern Africa due to enhanced low-level cold air advection by southeast winds. However, when the ridge is weak and westerly winds dominate the southern coast of southern Africa, these areas experience temperature increases. The northward track of the Southern Hemisphere mid-latitude cyclone, which can be linked to the negative Southern Annular Mode, reduces the temperature in the southwestern part of southern Africa. Also, during the analysis period, El Ni?o was associated with temperature increases over the central parts of southern Africa;while the positive Indian Ocean dipole was linked to a temperature increase over the northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern parts of southern Africa.

Influence of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation on Antarctic surface air temperature during 1900 to 2015

The importance of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO)and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation(IPO)in influencing zonally asymmetric changes in Antarctic surface air temperature(SAT)has been established.However,previous studies have primarily concentrated on examining the combined impact of the contrasting phases of the AMO and IPO,which have been dominant since the advent of satellite observations in 1979.This study utilizes long-term reanalysis data to investigate the impact of four combinations of+AMO+IPO,–AMO–IPO,+AMO–IPO,and–AMO+IPO on Antarctic SAT over the past 115 years.The+AMO phase is characterized by a spatial mean temperature amplitude of up to 0.5℃over the North Atlantic Ocean,accompanied by positive sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies in the tropical eastern Pacific and negative SST anomalies in the extratropical-mid-latitude western Pacific,which are indicative of the+IPO phase.The Antarctic SAT exhibits contrasting spatial patterns during the+AMO+IPO and+AMO–IPO periods.However,during the–AMO+IPO period,apart from the Antarctic Peninsula and the vicinity of the Weddell Sea,the entire Antarctic region experiences a warming trend.The most pronounced signal in the SAT anomalies is observed during the austral autumn,whereas the combination of–AMO and–IPO exhibits the smallest magnitude across all the combinations.The wavetrain excited by the SST anomalies associated with the AMO and IPO induces upper-level and surface atmospheric circulation anomalies,which alter the SAT anomalies.Furthermore,downward longwave radiation anomalies related to anomalous cloud cover play a crucial role.In the future,if the phases of AMO and IPO were to reverse(AMO transitioning to a negative phase and IPO transitioning to a positive phase),Antarctica could potentially face more pronounced warming and accelerated melting compared to the current observations.

Impact of School Canteens on School Retention and Academic Performance in the Atlantic Department (Benin)

In Benin, obstacles to universal access to primary education persist. In rural areas, enrolment and attendance rates remain low due to several factors. Families living in poverty may not be able to afford to send their children to school;although the government has eliminated primary school fees, parents still have to buy school uniforms and supplies. There is also an opportunity cost associated with sending girls to school, rather than keeping them at home where they can help their mothers with household chores and look after their younger siblings (School canteens in Benin to improve student enrolment and retention in partnership with parents’ associations, 2008). Prior to 2016, the school feeding system was in its infancy, with canteens operated for only three months of the year. However, thanks to determined government reforms, the school canteen system has undergone a profound transformation. The implementation of a USD 79 million has not only not only increased coverage from coverage from 30% to 75% today, but also set the ambitious target ambitious goal of achieving 100% coverage by the end of 2023 [1]. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of canteens on school retention and children’s academic performance. We conducted a descriptive and analytical diagnostic survey using a questionnaire designed for parents of schoolchildren. Canteens increase and maintain the number of children in our schools, especially when the providers start their activities, in this case those traveling long distances. Almost all the parents surveyed believe that the school canteen has had an impact on their children’s motivation to attend school and class, and consequently on their performance. For example, for all parents surveyed, the school canteen has reduced the risk of children dropping out of school, especially girls (97%), although the difference with boys (95%) remains small and is not statistically significant. What’s more, since the advent of the PNASI, in the Atlantic department, the CEP pass rate in schools with canteens far exceeds that of schools without canteens. This shows that canteens play a major and positive role in the retention and success of the schoolchildren who benefit from them.

Fluctuating Asymmetry of Elopes lacerta (Valenciennes, 1847) Otoliths in the Western African Waters

The importance of this study lies in the in-depth exploration of the ecological diversity of otoliths in Elopes lacerta, based on the analysis of data from 260 individuals collected from various sites, including the Porto Novo lagoon, the Cotonou lagoon, Lake Nokou, and the Atlantic coast in southern Benin. The results highlight significant variations in otolith morphology, establishing relevant links with the biological parameters of the fish at each site. Exploration of the asymmetry between the right and left sides reveals notable distinctions between these two aspects. Analysis of otolith shape thus emerges as a valuable tool for discriminating between stocks and providing a better understanding of ecological variations. The local diversity observed highlights the crucial importance of implementing adaptive management strategies to ensure effective conservation of the species and its habitat.

Analysis of Otolith Shape as a Tool for Discriminating Stocks of Cassava Croaker (Pseudotolithus senegalensis) in Beninese Waters

This study examined the right and left otoliths of 174 individuals of Pseudotolithus senegalensis from the Porto-Novo lagoon, Lake Nokoué and the Atlantic coast. The results show a significant variation in the population according to geographic location. Mixed-effects linear analysis showed no significant variation by site, side or sex (p > 0.05). Analysis of otolith shape using ANOVA showed significant differences for length, width and area (p 0.05). Canonical discriminant analysis revealed significant differences between sites (p < 0.05). Finally, shape analyses showed significant differences between sites (p = 0.0001) and between right and left sides (p = 0.007), but no difference by sex (p = 0.395). The study of otolith morphology is therefore proving to be a valuable tool for differentiating stocks and understanding ecological variations.

The Drought of Amazonia in 2023-2024

The Amazon basin has experienced an extreme drought that started in the austral summer of 2022-23 and extends into 2024. This drought started earlier than other previous droughts. Although some rain fell during the austral summer, totals remained below average. Higher temperatures during austral winter and spring 2023, which affected most of Central South America, then aggravated drought conditions. This coincided with an intense El Niño and abnormally warm tropical North Atlantic Ocean temperatures since mid-2023. Decreased rainfall across the Amazon basin, negative anomalies in evapotranspiration (derived from latent heat) and soil moisture indicators, as well as increased temperatures during the dry-to-wet transition season, September-October-November (SON) 2023, combined to delay the onset of the wet season in the hydrological year 2023-24 by nearly two months and caused it to be uncharacteristically weak. SON 2023 registered a precipitation deficit of the order of 50 to 100 mm/month, and temperatures +3˚C higher than usual in Amazonia, leading to reduced evapotranspiration and soil moisture indicators. These processes, in turn, determined an exceptionally late onset and a lengthening of the dry season, affecting the 2023-2024 hydrological year. These changes were aggravated by a heat wave from June to December 2023. Drought-heat compound events and their consequences are the most critical natural threats to society. River levels reached record lows, or dried up completely, affecting Amazonian ecosystems. Increased risk of wildfires is another concern exacerbated by these conditions.

Relationship between the Guinea Current and the Coastal Upwelling in Northern of Gulf of Guinea

The variability of ocean circulation and sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical Atlantic, especially in the Gulf of Guinea (GG), defines this region as exceptionally rich from an oceanographic perspective. The Guinea Current (GC), as the major surface current, plays a significant role in marine productivity and coastal upwelling in the GG. This coastal upwelling is known to influence the climate of the surrounding region, primary productivity and local fisheries. Studies on GC variability and its impact on this coastal upwelling have highlighted that the upwelling downstream of Cape Palmas is influenced by GC detachment, topographic variations and advective processes leading to significant vertical mixing. This study aims to analyze the interannual variability of the GC and its impact on coastal upwelling using the Coastal and Regional Ocean COmmunity model (CROCO). The model’s evaluation is conducted using observational data, specifically Geostrophic and EKman Current Observatory (GEKCO) and Ocean Surface Current Analysis (OSCAR) for currents, and Air-sea Fluxes for the global Tropic ocean-description (TROPFLUX) and Optimum Interpolation-Sea Surface Temperature (OI-SST) for temperature. Thus, the model evaluation indicates that it accurately replicates ocean circulation and SST patterns in the tropical Atlantic and the GG. The joint analysis of upwelling indices (surface and intensity) and the position of the GC core allowed us to conclude that the displacement of the GC core does indeed influence the upwelling indices in the northern part of GG. However, other oceanic and atmospheric mechanisms such as vertical diffusion and horizontal advection as proposed by previous studies may also affect the year-by-year variability of coastal upwelling in the northern GG.

Assessment of the Intertropical Convergence Zone over the Atlantic Ocean through an Algorithm Based on Precipitation

The Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)is a key atmospheric system on a global scale,primarily driven by trade wind convergence near the equator.The ITCZ plays a crucial role in modulating the climate of the borders of tropical continental areas.For instance,Northeastern Brazil experiences a climate influenced by the ITCZ over the Atlantic Ocean.In some periods,the ITCZ exhibits double bands,known as the double ITCZ.While the features of the ITCZ have been described using various approaches and atmospheric variables,there is still a lack of regional studies focusing on the ITCZ and double ITCZ in the Atlantic Ocean.In this context,the main goals of this study are(1)to describe a simple algorithm based on precipitation to identify the ITCZ and double ITCZ,(2)to present a climatology(1997-2022)of the position,width,and intensity of these two convective bands,and(3)to investigate variabilities in the ITCZ characteristics associated with anomalies of sea surface temperature(SST)in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic oceans.The double ITCZ typically occurs southward of the main cloud band,and between February and April,both bands are more distant(~4.5°).In the western sector of the Atlantic Ocean,the ITCZ and its double band extend to more southerly latitudes in austral autumn.Considering the entire Atlantic basin,the annual mean of the latitudinal position,width,and intensity of the ITCZ is 4.9°N,4.2°,and 11 mm/day,respectively,while for the double ITCZ,it is 0.4°N,2.6°,10.3 mm/day,respectively.While the SST anomalies in the Pacific Ocean(El Niño and La Niña episodes)affect more the ITCZ width,the SST anomalies in the Tropical South Atlantic affect both its position and width.

Investigation of Potential Factors on South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly

The first part of this investigation analyzes the deep earthquake occurrences in Nazca subducting under South America. The depth taken is to get information about possible influences from the unknown materials and formations under the crust. The results revealed the presence of malleable material, which is unbreakable and, therefore, unable to trigger earthquakes. The structure of those elements is diamagnetic, attracting ionized particles from the Van Allen belt region in the ionosphere. The charged particles travel towards Earth’s surface, enhanced during the geomagnetic storms. The South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) found that the deformation suffered by the anomaly moving from South Africa to South America is, possibly due to a bulge of unknown flexible material buried underneath the oceanic and continental crust. The continental part is strengthening in weakness because the background also has a high amount of diamagnetic material in this region, and it would not happen over the Atlantic Ocean, where part of the deformation is placed.

Theoretical study of the ionospheric dynamo region inside the South Atlantic Anomaly

The South Atlantic Anomaly(SAA)is a region where the geomagnetic field is significantly lower than that of the surrounding area.On the basis of the models of CHAOS-7.8,Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter Model(NRLMSISE-00),and International Reference Ionosphere 2016(IRI-2016),we theoretically investigated the lower and upper boundaries of the ionospheric dynamo region inside the SAA.In the ionospheric dynamo region,electrons are coupled with magnetic field lines,whereas ions are decoupled from magnetic field lines.Our results showed that the ionospheric dynamo region inside the SAA is higher and larger than that outside the SAA.We also studied the boundary variations of the dynamo region inside the SAA depending on the seasons and solar activities.We found that the dynamo region inside the SAA is the highest and largest in the summer of the southern hemisphere at solar maximum.The larger and higher altitude range of the ionospheric dynamo region in the SAA can contribute to the stronger ionospheric currents in this region.

The combined effects of North Atlantic Oscillation and Western Pacific teleconnection on winter temperature in Eastern Asia during 1980−2021

As important atmospheric circulation patterns in Northern Hemisphere(NH),the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO)and the Western Pacific teleconnection(WP)affect the winter climate in Eurasia.In order to explore the combined effects of NAO and WP on East Asian(EA)temperature,the NAO and WP indices are divided into four phases from 1980−2021:the positive NAO and WP phase(NAO+/WP+),the negative NAO and WP phase(NAO−/WP−),the positive NAO and negative WP phase(NAO+/WP−),the negative NAO and positive WP phase(NAO−/WP+).In the phase of NAO+/WP+,the low geopotential height(GH)stays in north of EA at 50°−80°N;the surface air temperature anomaly(SATA)is 0.8−1℃lower than Southern Asian.In the phase of NAO−/WP−,the center of high temperature and GH locate in the northeast of EA;the cold air spreads to Southern Asia,causing the SATA decreases 1−1.5℃.In the phase of NAO+/WP−,the high GH belt is formed at 55°−80°N.Meanwhile,the center of high SATA locates in the north of Asia that increases 0.8−1.1℃.The cold airflow causes temperature dropping 0.5−1℃in the south of EA.The SATA improves 0.5−1.5℃in south of EA in the phase of NAO−/WP+.The belt of high GH is formed at 25°−50°N,and blocks the cold air which from Siberia.The NAO and WP generate two warped plate pressure structures in NH,and affect the temperature by different pressure configurations.NAO and WP form different GH,and GH acts to block and push airflow by affecting the air pressure,then causes the temperature to be different from the north and south of EA.Finally,the multiple linear regression result shows that NAO and WP are weakened by each other such as the phase of NAO+/WP+and NAO−/WP−.

Analysis of Seasonal Differences of Chlorophyll,Dimethylsulfide,and Ice Between the Greenland Sea and the Barents Sea

Arctic Ocean(AO)climate is closely related to sea ice concentration(ICE)and chlorophyll_a(CHL)concentrations.From 2003–2014,the spatial average concentrations of CHL,ICE,sea surface temperature(SST),wind speed(WIND)in the Greenland Sea region(GS)(20˚W–10˚E,70˚–80˚N)and the Barents Sea region(BS)(30˚–50˚E,70˚–80˚N)are analysed and com-pared.Higher CHL was observed in BS,about 60%higher than that in GS.Compared with the northern regions of BS and GS(BSN and GSN),CHL in the southern region of BS and GS(BSS and GSS)increased by 77%and 42%respectively.More ice melting in BSN is the main reason for phytoplankton proliferation.In 2010,there was an unusual peak of CHL concentration in GSN.The sea-sonal peaks of CHL appeared two weeks earlier in BS than in GS.The earlier and more extensive ice melting and the persistent nega-tive North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO)index may be the reasons for higher CHL blooms in 2010.The spatial average ICE concentra-tion of BS in BSN and BSS is 27%and 1.2%respectively.Negative NAO in the previous winter may lead to an increase in ICE in spring.NAO has a great influence on CHL and ICE in GS.Ice melting is positively correlated with CHL,especially in GS in recent decades,CHL has a significant positive correlation with surface mass concentration of dimethylsulfide(DMS),especially in GS.As an indicator of Arctic warming,BS needs more attention from Arctic researchers.

Effects of dissolved oxygen on intestinal bacterial community and immunity of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

Dissolved oxygen(DO)is one of most important factors which affect wide range physiologic features of including immune responses and intestinal bacterial community.However,the underlying mechanisms remain enigmatic.To address this question,the intestinal bacterial community compositions and the immune features of Atlantic salmon(Salmo salar)grown in recirculating aquaculture systems(RAS)were characterized.Fish were reared under different DO saturation levels,e.g.,200% saturation named high group(H),100%saturation named control group(CK),and 60%saturation named lower group(L).Large variations in the operational taxonomic units(OTUs)frequency distribution for the intestinal bacterial community of Atlantic salmon were observed.The intestinal bacterial community of all groups was dominated mainly by three phyla,e.g.,Proteobacteria.Firmicutes,and Bacteroidetes.Interestingly,Acinetobacter baumannii,an opportunistic pathogen of salmon was increased significantly in L group.We further monitored the immunity features of fish under different DO levels.The results show that leucocyte number,cortisol level,the expressions of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain like protein 2(NOD2)were higher at significant levels in the L group than those in the other two groups.TLR4 and NOD2 are usually related with the bacterial infections;therefore,it is reasonable to believe that the stronger immune responses observed in the L group might be related with the higher abundance of A.baumannii in the inte stine of Atlantic salmon.Overall,these findings demonstrated that low DO level may induce stronger immunity responses in Atlantic salmon.

Silver fir tree-ring fluctuations decrease from north to south latitude—total solar irradiance and NAO are indicated as the main influencing factors

Silver fir(Abies alba Mill.)is a flexible European tree species,mainly vegetating within the mountainous regions of Europe,but its growth responses across its latitudinal and longitudinal range have not yet been satisfactorily verified under changing environmental conditions.This study describes the tree-ring increment of silver fir in research plots across a latitudinal gradient from the northern range in Czechia(CZ),through Croatia(HR)to the southernmost range in Italy(IT).The research aims to analyze in detail the dynamics and cyclicity of the ringwidth index(RWI)and how it relates to climatic factors(temperature and precipitation),the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO),and total solar irradiance(TSI),including the determination of latitude.The results show that the main drivers affecting fir growth are the seasonal NAO index and TSI.Monthly temperatures affect RWI early in the vegetation season,while lack of precipitation during the summer is a limiting factor for fir growth,especially in July.Seasonal temperatures and temperatures in June and July negatively impact,while seasonal precipitation totals in the same months positively influence the RWI in all research plots across meridian.The longest growth cycles in fir RWI were recorded in the northernmost studied plots in CZ.These cyclical fluctuations recede approaching the south.The cyclic increase in RWI is related to the TSI,which decreases its effect from north to south.The TSI's effects vary,positively impacting CZ but negatively influencing HR while remaining relatively neutral in IT.On the other hand,seasonal NAO tends to negatively affect silver fir growth in HR and CZ but has a mildly positive effect in IT.In conclusion,the TSI and the influence of the seasonal NAO index are prevalent in the fir RWI and are accompanied by a greater cyclicity of RWI in Central Europe(temperature optimum)than in the Italian Mediterranean region,where this tree species is limited by climatic conditions,especially lack of precipitation.

An Interdecadal Change in the Influence of the NAO on Atlantic-Induced Arctic Daily Warming around the Mid-1980s

After approaching 0℃owing to an Atlantic storm at the end of 2015,the Arctic temperature approached freezing again in 2022,indicating that Arctic daily warming events remain a concern.The NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis dataset was used to investigate the influence of the NAO on the Arctic winter daily warming events induced by Atlantic storms,known as the Atlantic pattern-Arctic Rapid Tropospheric Daily Warming(Atlantic-RTDW)event.Atlantic-RTDW events are triggered by Atlantic storms that transport warm and humid air masses moving into the Arctic.Furthermore,an interdecadal change in the influence of NAO on Atlantic-RTDW-event frequency was observed around the mid-1980s.Specifically,before the mid-1980s(pre-transition period),500-hPa southerly(northerly)wind anomalies occupied the North Atlantic(NA)in the positive(negative)phase of NAO,which increased(decreased)the Atlantic-RTDW events occurrence by steering Atlantic storms into(away from)the Arctic;thus,the NAO could potentially influence the Atlantic-RTDW-event frequency.However,the relationship between the NAO and the Atlantic-RTDW-event frequency has weakened since the mid-1980s(post-transition period).In the post-transition period,such 500-hPa southerly(northerly)wind anomalies over the NA hardly existed in the positive(negative)phase of NAO,which was attributed to a stronger Atlantic Storm Track(AST)activity intensity than that in the pre-transition period.During this period,the strong AST induced an enhanced NAOrelated cyclone via transient eddy-mean flow interactions,resulting in the disappearance of southerly and northerly wind anomalies over the NA.