在当今世界文化交流愈发频繁的背景下,推动中华文明走向世界成为重中之重。翻译作为推动跨文化交流的重要手段之一,是连接不同文化的桥梁。而文化负载词由于其涵盖的大量民族特色词汇,成为翻译过程中的挑战,同时也是文化传播的重要工具...在当今世界文化交流愈发频繁的背景下,推动中华文明走向世界成为重中之重。翻译作为推动跨文化交流的重要手段之一,是连接不同文化的桥梁。而文化负载词由于其涵盖的大量民族特色词汇,成为翻译过程中的挑战,同时也是文化传播的重要工具。文章基于目的论视角,以纪录片Seasons of China中的中文文化负载词英译为例,探讨译者在翻译过程中采取的恰当翻译方法,以期为纪录片的文化负载词翻译研究提供一定的借鉴与参考。展开更多
Publicity documentaries play an important role in shaping the image of one country during the international communication.Seasons of China is a publicity documentary introducing the traditional Chinese culture 24 sola...Publicity documentaries play an important role in shaping the image of one country during the international communication.Seasons of China is a publicity documentary introducing the traditional Chinese culture 24 solar terms.Under the guidance of the framework of Harmonious Discourse Analysis,this thesis uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the harmonious discourse of this documentary based on the transitivity system.The research finds that the discourse of Seasons of China conveys the China’s ecological concept of respecting,following and protecting the nature,while telling the stories of Chinese traditional culture 24 solar terms,highlighting the image of China as a responsible country for ecological civilization construction.展开更多
This study analyzed the impact of the local dry and rainy seasons on diurnal temperature range (DTR), for each major climatic zone of Nigeria namely the tropical monsoon, tropical savannah and semi-arid, using meteoro...This study analyzed the impact of the local dry and rainy seasons on diurnal temperature range (DTR), for each major climatic zone of Nigeria namely the tropical monsoon, tropical savannah and semi-arid, using meteorological data from thirteen observation stations for the period 1981 to 2021. DTR was computed from the difference of minimum temperature from maximum temperature and yearly and forty one years’ monthly averages of DTR and rainfall were computed and plotted in different graphs. The overall results from each climatic zone showed that DTR fluctuates with the seasons and there is an inverse relationship between DTR and rainfall whereby the value of DTR decreases as the rainy season approaches but increases as the rainy season departs ushering in the dry season or conversely DTR increases as the dry season approaches and decreases as the dry season departs ushering-in the rainy season. Secondly, the average yearly patterns of rainfall and DTR are roughly and oppositely shaped parabolas where the peak value of rainfall is diametrically opposite to the trough value of DTR and the least or nil volume of rainfall corresponds to the highest value of DTR. Thirdly, due to the yearly seasonal cycle of dry and rainy seasons in Nigeria coupled with the inverse relationship between DTR and Rainfall, the seasonal plot of DTR and rainfall is also cyclic in pattern with DTR cycle lagging 180 degrees with the rainfall cycle and the intersection of the two cycles represents the departure of one season and onset of another season while each half-cycle represents either the dry or rainy season. Fourthly, the dependence of DTR on any season at hand in Nigeria makes DTR season-forcing. This fourth result is underpinned by a result that showed that the 1981 and 2021 patterns of DTR and 1981 and 2021 patterns of rainfall when compared were similar, the differences were in the volume of rainfall which was due to climate change that has taken place over the four decades and which also impacted DTR since DTR varies inversely with rainfall. Finally and notwithstanding the common grounds of the results stated above, the result further showed that each climatic zone of Nigeria reacts differently to the local and global climate changes leading to the magnitude of DTR and the volume of rainfall being different across climatic zones, with rainfall volume and duration decreasing towards the arid North from the Coastal South while contrariwise DTR increases towards the arid North from the Coastal South.展开更多
In recent years, the demand for goat products has been growing due to the fact that goat milk has a number of advantages over cow milk, for example, it is low in lactose, and is considered less allergenic and easier t...In recent years, the demand for goat products has been growing due to the fact that goat milk has a number of advantages over cow milk, for example, it is low in lactose, and is considered less allergenic and easier to digest. To increase production during both breeding and non-breeding seasons and reduce the price of dairy products, it is necessary to effectively use reproductive management and assisted reproductive technologies. In vitro embryo production makes it possible to obtain a large number of eggs from goats, which for some reason are unable to conceive, but have genetic value. Afterward in vitro produced embryos can be transferred into recipient goats of other less genetically valuable breeds, such as the Ukrainian local breed. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of transfers of in vitro produced embryos of Saanen goats into surrogate sires of the Ukrainian local breed in different seasons. All manipulations with animals were carried out following ethical standards (Strasbourg, 1986). Six Saanen goats were selected as the oocyte donors. After the hormonal stimulation oocytes were retrieved by laparoscopic ovum pick-up. In vitro produced embryos were transferred laparotomically into 24 recipients of Ukrainian local breed. Fifty days after embryo transfers, pregnancies were determined by ultrasound diagnostics. Although the embryo development rate in the breeding season was 20% higher than in the non-breeding season, there was no difference in pregnancy and kidding rates between seasons. In conclusion, the transfer of in vitro produced Saanen goat embryos to recipients of the Ukrainian local breed gives the opportunity to achieve pregnancy and kidding regardless of the breeding season, which will enable a faster and more efficient increase in the livestock of highly productive goats in Ukraine in the post-war period.展开更多
This investigation searches the possible connections between deep and ultra-deep earthquakes in a subduction zone with unique characteristics known as Nazca-South America subduction. The earthquake events occurred in ...This investigation searches the possible connections between deep and ultra-deep earthquakes in a subduction zone with unique characteristics known as Nazca-South America subduction. The earthquake events occurred in an area under the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly. The results pointed out that the cyclicity of earthquakes is independent of external factors and linked to internal unknown changes traced or associated with the lithosphere and upper mantle. The malleable minerals or unbreakable material could be due to a bulge of water between the two Nazca slabs sinking. The periodicity noticed from some events is opposite to the Solar Cycles, which means they enhance during the minima of cycles. Therefore, we concluded that these variations might be linked to internal causes below the crust into the lithosphere.展开更多
In many songbird species,birdsong features phonological syntax,meaning that the units within their vocal se-quences are ordered in a non-random way that adheres to a rule.While such syntactical patterns have been rich...In many songbird species,birdsong features phonological syntax,meaning that the units within their vocal se-quences are ordered in a non-random way that adheres to a rule.While such syntactical patterns have been richly described in many species,comparatively little is known about how those patterns contribute to song achieving its important functions.For each of song’s main functions,territorial defense and mate attraction,evidence of a role for syntax is limited.One species for which syntax has been thoroughly described is the Hermit Thrush(Catharus guttatus),which presents song types from their repertoires in a semi-predictable order and,in doing so,rapidly cycle up and down the frequency spectrum.The objective of the present study was to explore the importance of song syntax in the Hermit Thrush through a within-subject examination of how measures of syntax,such as the predictability of song type order within song sequences,shift over the breeding season.We hypothesized that,if such syntactical characteristics are important to breeding behaviour,they would be most prominent at the start of the breeding season when activity associated with territory establishment and mate attraction is most intense.Analysis revealed that,as predicted,the rigidness of song type ordering within se-quences was highest at the start of the season and declined thereafter.That song type sequences were most predictable at the vitally important early part of the breeding season fit our hypothesis that this aspect of song syntax is important to song’s functions related to territory establishment and/or mate attraction.Future work will clarify whether that role relates to one of song’s two main functions or serves song transmission in some broader way.展开更多
Forest productivity is closely linked to seasonal variations and vertical differentiation in leaf traits.However,leaf structural and chemical traits variation among co-existing species,and plant functional types withi...Forest productivity is closely linked to seasonal variations and vertical differentiation in leaf traits.However,leaf structural and chemical traits variation among co-existing species,and plant functional types within the canopy are poorly quantified.In this study,the seasonality of leaf chlorophyll,nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)were quantified vertically along the canopy of four major tree species and two types of herbs in a temperate deciduous forest.The role of shade tolerance in shaping the seasonal variation and vertical differentiation was examined.During the entire season,chlorophyll content showed a distinct asymmetric unimodal pattern for all species,with greater chlorophyll levels in autumn than in spring,and the timing of peak chlorophyll per leaf area gradually decreased as shade tolerance increased.Chlorophyll a:b ratios gradually decreased with increasing shade tolerance.Leaf N and P contents sharply declined during leaf expansion,remained steady in the mature stage and decreased again during leaf senescence.Over the seasons,the lower canopy layer had significantly higher chlorophyll per leaf mass but not chlorophyll per leaf area than the upper canopy layer regardless of degree of shade tolerance.However,N and P per leaf area of intermediate shade-tolerant and fully shade-tolerant tree species were significantly higher in the upper canopy than in the lower.Seasonal variations in N:P ratios suggest changes in N or P limitation.These findings indicate that shade tolerance is a key feature shaping inter-specific differences in leaf chlorophyll,N,and P contents as well as their seasonality in temperate deciduous forests,which have significant implications for modeling leaf photosynthesis and ecosystem production.展开更多
The rapidly changing Antarctic sea ice has garnered significant interest. To enhance the prediction skill for sea ice and respond to the Sea Ice Prediction Network-South's latest call, this study presents the refo...The rapidly changing Antarctic sea ice has garnered significant interest. To enhance the prediction skill for sea ice and respond to the Sea Ice Prediction Network-South's latest call, this study presents the reforecast results of Antarctic sea-ice area and extent from December to June of the coming year with a Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory(Conv LSTM)Network. The reforecast experiments demonstrate that Conv LSTM captures the interannual and interseasonal variability of Antarctic sea ice successfully, and performs better than the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Based on this, we present the prediction from December 2023 to June 2024, indicating that the Antarctic sea ice will remain at lows, but may not create a new record low. This research highlights the promising application of deep learning in Antarctic sea-ice prediction.展开更多
Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which...Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which is largely determined by the stigma exsertion rate(SER).In this study,we constructed mutants of male sterility lines with improved grain length(GL)and SER in three elite early-season indica rice varieties through targeted manipulation of the TMS5 and GS3 genes using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex systems.We obtained a series of marker-free gs3 single mutants and gs3tms5 double mutants with significantly higher SER,longer grains,and increased 1000-grain weight compared with the wild type(WT).Importantly,the typically thermo-sensitive genic male sterile(TGMS)trait with a higher SER was observed in gs3tms5 mutants,and their F1 hybrids exhibited remarkable improvements in grain shape and yield-related traits.Our findings provided an efficient method to generate new valuable TGMS germplasm with improved SER through the mutagenesis of GS3 and TMS5 synergistically,and demonstrated that GS3 had pleiotropic effects on grain size,SER,and grain quality in early-season indica rice.展开更多
We used 11 years of census data from 450 seedling quadrats established in a 20-ha forest dynamics plot to study seedling dynamics in tree species of a tropical seasonal rainforest in Xishuangbanna,southwestern China.W...We used 11 years of census data from 450 seedling quadrats established in a 20-ha forest dynamics plot to study seedling dynamics in tree species of a tropical seasonal rainforest in Xishuangbanna,southwestern China.We found that overall seedling recruitment rate and relative growth rate were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season.Both the recruitment rate of seedlings from canopy tree species(two species)and the relative growth rate of seedlings from understory species(nine species)were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season.However,in the rainy season,the recruitment rate of seedlings was higher for canopy tree species than for understory tree species.In addition,relative growth rate of seedlings was higher in the canopy species than in understory seedlings in the dry season.We also observed that,in both rainy and dry seasons,mortality rate of seedlings was higher for canopy species than for understory species.Overall,canopy tree species appear to have evolved a flexible strategy to adapt to the seasonal changes of a monsoon climate.In contrast,understory tree species seem to have adopted a conservative strategy.Specifically,these species mainly release seedlings in the rainy season and maintain relatively stable populations with a lower mortality rate and recruitment rate in both dry and rainy seasons.Our study suggests that canopy and understory seedling populations growing in forest understory may respond to future climate change scenarios with distinct regeneration strategies.展开更多
Litterfall is the largest source of nutrients to for-est soils of tropical rainforests.However,variability in lit-terfall production,nutrient remobilization,and changes in leaf nutrient concentration with climate seas...Litterfall is the largest source of nutrients to for-est soils of tropical rainforests.However,variability in lit-terfall production,nutrient remobilization,and changes in leaf nutrient concentration with climate seasonality remain largely unknown for the central Amazon.This study meas-ured litterfall production,leaf nutrient remobilization,and leaf area index on a forest plateau in the central Amazon.Litterfall was measured at monthly intervals during 2014,while nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,calcium and mag-nesium concentrations of leaf litter and canopy leaves were measured in the dry and rainy seasons,and remobilization rates determined.Leaf area index was also recorded in the dry and rainy seasons.Monthly litterfall varied from 33.2(in the rainy season)to 87.6 g m^(-2) in the dry season,while leaf area index increased slightly in the rainy season.Climatic seasonality had no effect on concentrations of nitrogen,calcium,and magnesium,whereas phosphorous and potassium responded to rainfall seasonality oppositely.While phosphorous increased,potassium decreased during the dry season.Over seasons,nitrogen,potassium,and phosphorous decreased in leaf litter;calcium increased in leaf litter,while magnesium remained unaffected with leaf aging.Regardless,the five nutrients had similar remobilization rates over the year.The absence of climate seasonality on nutrient remobilization suggests that the current length of the dry season does not alter nutrient remobilization rates but this may change as dry periods become more prolonged in the future due to climate change.展开更多
Mesoscale eddies are a prominent oceanic phenomenon that plays an important role in oceanic mass transport and energy conversion.Characterizing by rotational speed,the eddy intensity is one of the most fundamental pro...Mesoscale eddies are a prominent oceanic phenomenon that plays an important role in oceanic mass transport and energy conversion.Characterizing by rotational speed,the eddy intensity is one of the most fundamental properties of an eddy.However,the seasonal spatiotemporal variation in eddy intensity has not been examined from a global ocean perspective.In this study,we unveil the seasonal spatiotemporal characteristics of eddy intensity in the global ocean by using the latest satellite-altimetry-derived eddy trajectory data set.The results suggest that the eddy intensity has a distinct seasonal variation,reaching a peak in spring while attaining a minimum in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere.The seasonal variation of eddy intensity is more intense in the tropical-subtropical transition zones within latitudinal bands between 15°and 30°in the western Pacific Ocean,the northwestern Atlantic Ocean,and the eastern Indian Ocean because baroclinic instability in these areas changes sharply.Further analysis found that the seasonal variation of baroclinic instability precedes the eddy intensity by a phase of 2–3 months due to the initial perturbations needing time to grow into mesoscale eddies.展开更多
Different cultivars of rice(Oryza sativa)open at different times of the day,and the overlap of anthesis time in rice between the neighbouring cultivars is of crucial importance to the degree of cross pollination in ri...Different cultivars of rice(Oryza sativa)open at different times of the day,and the overlap of anthesis time in rice between the neighbouring cultivars is of crucial importance to the degree of cross pollination in rice.Nevertheless,none of the past experiments with cross pollination between different rice cultivars ever reported the respective flower opening time(FOT)and flower exposure duration(FED)of the parent cultivars,until recently.The authors present here the first record of FOT and FED of 1114 indica rice landraces of South and Southeast Asia,growing during sum-mer and winter seasons in three consecutive years.The authors also present an analysis of the influences of the grow-ing season on the anthesis behaviour,and present the first records of the FOT and FED variability on sunny and cloudy days of a large number of landraces.The data show that rice florets tend to open later in the morning(that is,take longer time to anthesis after sunrise)on sunny days than on cloudy days,and also significantly later during long day seasons(spring and summer)than during short day season(winter);and that FED is inversely related to both FOT and the length of duration from sunrise to first flower opening.The wide ranges of FOT(8:50 a.m.to 12:40 p.m.)and FED(15 to 194 minutes)also suggest the ample time window for receiving pollen from neighbouring cultivars with differ-ent FOT,enhancing the chances of cross pollination between hundreds of rice landraces with FOT and FED overlaps.展开更多
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 thes...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.展开更多
This study assesses the suitability of convolutional neural networks(CNNs) for downscaling precipitation over East Africa in the context of seasonal forecasting. To achieve this, we design a set of experiments that co...This study assesses the suitability of convolutional neural networks(CNNs) for downscaling precipitation over East Africa in the context of seasonal forecasting. To achieve this, we design a set of experiments that compare different CNN configurations and deployed the best-performing architecture to downscale one-month lead seasonal forecasts of June–July–August–September(JJAS) precipitation from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Climate Forecast System version 1.0(NUIST-CFS1.0) for 1982–2020. We also perform hyper-parameter optimization and introduce predictors over a larger area to include information about the main large-scale circulations that drive precipitation over the East Africa region, which improves the downscaling results. Finally, we validate the raw model and downscaled forecasts in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic verification metrics, as well as their ability to reproduce the observed precipitation extreme and spell indicator indices. The results show that the CNN-based downscaling consistently improves the raw model forecasts, with lower bias and more accurate representations of the observed mean and extreme precipitation spatial patterns. Besides, CNN-based downscaling yields a much more accurate forecast of extreme and spell indicators and reduces the significant relative biases exhibited by the raw model predictions. Moreover, our results show that CNN-based downscaling yields better skill scores than the raw model forecasts over most portions of East Africa. The results demonstrate the potential usefulness of CNN in downscaling seasonal precipitation predictions over East Africa,particularly in providing improved forecast products which are essential for end users.展开更多
El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO) exhibits a distinctive phase-locking characteristic, first expressed during its onset in boreal spring, developing during summer and autumn, reaching its peak towards winter, and de...El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO) exhibits a distinctive phase-locking characteristic, first expressed during its onset in boreal spring, developing during summer and autumn, reaching its peak towards winter, and decaying over the next spring. Several studies have demonstrated that this feature arises as a result of seasonal variation in the growth rate of ENSO as expressed by the sea surface temperature(SST). The bias towards simulating the phase locking of ENSO by many state-of-the-art climate models is also attributed to the unrealistic depiction of the growth rate. In this study, the seasonal variation of SST growth rate in the Ni?o-3.4 region(5°S–5°N, 120°–170°W) is estimated in detail based on the mixed layer heat budget equation and recharge oscillator model during 1981–2020. It is suggested that the consideration of a variable mixed layer depth is essential to its diagnostic process. The estimated growth rate has a remarkable seasonal cycle with minimum rates occurring in spring and maximum rates evident in autumn. More specifically, the growth rate derived from the meridional advection(surface heat flux) is positive(negative) throughout the year. Vertical diffusion generally makes a negative contribution to the evolution of growth rate and the magnitude of vertical entrainment represents the smallest contributor. Analysis indicates that the zonal advective feedback is regulated by the meridional immigration of the intertropical convergence zone, which approaches its southernmost extent in February and progresses to its northernmost location in September, and dominates the seasonal variation of the SST growth rate.展开更多
Transplanting rice varieties grown in different seasons can lead to different yields due to different dry matterproduction. Early-season rice varieties transplanted in the late season can obtain high yields with short...Transplanting rice varieties grown in different seasons can lead to different yields due to different dry matterproduction. Early-season rice varieties transplanted in the late season can obtain high yields with short-growthduration and higher yields driven by higher dry matter production. To make clear the variations in dry matterproduction across seasons, four early-season rice varieties were chosen for late-season transplantation. The grainyield, dry matter accumulation, leaf photosynthetic, and leaf stomatal properties were studied. It was observedthat the average yields of these four varieties in the late season were 33% greater, despite a reduced growth periodof 13 days in comparison with the early season. Furthermore, there was a notable increase in both total and postheadingdry matter production during the late season. The leaf net photosynthetic rate, stomatal area, stomatalwidth, and stomatal length were higher in the late season. Despite no significant difference in stomatal densitybetween seasons, strong positive linear relationships were observed between net photosynthetic rate and stomatalconductance, and between stomatal conductance and area. These relationships demonstrate that the increase ofthe stomatal width and length of the leaves in the late season leads to an increase in the stomatal area, therebyincreasing the stomatal conductance and enhancing the photosynthesis of the leaves. Consequently, this leads togreater dry matter production and a higher yield compared to the early season. Therefore, when breeding newhigh-yielding and short-growing varieties, the large stomatal area can be used as a reference index.展开更多
The study carried out on the waters of the Méné River led to an overall assessment of its water quality during the dry season and the rainy season. The analysis focused on eight (8) water samples taken from ...The study carried out on the waters of the Méné River led to an overall assessment of its water quality during the dry season and the rainy season. The analysis focused on eight (8) water samples taken from the river during a period of dry season (January-February) and a period of rainy season (June and September). The various physicochemical parameters were measured according to Afnor standardized methods. The readings of temperature, turbidity, pH and conductivity made it possible to account for the disturbances occurring in water quality. A temporal variation correlated with the seasons (dry or rainy) is noted. Turbidity depends on the concentration of suspended solids (SS) in the water and drained particles and therefore on the seasons. Just like the temperature, the conductivity changes with the season. The waters of the Méné River are generally acidic. The results obtained show that there is a low level of pollution by chlorides, phosphates, nitrites and nitrates. A slight pollution of the waters of Méné in organic matter (chemical oxygen demand values are less than 25 mg∙L−1 during dry season and 32.33 ± 4.73 mg∙L−1 during rainy season) was observed. The concentrations of metallic trace elements such as iron, manganese and aluminum indicate significant pollution of these waters by these elements. Overall, the waters of the Méné River are of satisfactory quality because all the physicochemical parameters analyzed have values below standards during the dry season as well as during the rainy season with the exception of COD and a few metallic trace elements.展开更多
Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing distur...Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing disturbance due to human activities, which is putting many wildlife species, particularly larger mammals, at risk. To determine the impact of human activities on butterfly species diversity and abundance in the reserve and its surrounding areas, we conducted a study from November 2021 to October 2023. We collected butterfly data using transect walks and baited traps in two habitat types. Our study yielded 2799 butterfly Individuals ranging in 124 species divided into five families habitat, season, and anthropogenic factors are significant environmental variables influencing species diversity and abundance of butterflies. Therefore, it’s important to protect habitat and dry-season water for the conservation of invertebrates such as butterflies. Our study findings provide essential information for ecological monitoring and future assessment of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve ecosystem health.展开更多
Tea is a very important cash crop in Rwanda, as it provides crucial income and employment for farmers in poor rural areas. From 2017 to 2020, this study was intended to determine the impact of seasonal rainfall on tea...Tea is a very important cash crop in Rwanda, as it provides crucial income and employment for farmers in poor rural areas. From 2017 to 2020, this study was intended to determine the impact of seasonal rainfall on tea output in Rwanda while still considering temperature, plot size (land), and fertiliser for tea plantations in three of Rwanda’s western, southern, and northern provinces, western province with “Gisovu” and “Nyabihu”, southern with “Kitabi”, and northern with “Mulindi” tea company. The study tested the level of statistical significance of all considered variables in different formulation of panel data models to assess individual behaviour of independent variables that would affect tea production. According to this study, a positive change in rainfall of 1 mm will increase tea production by 0.215 percentage points of tons of fresh leaves. Rainfall is a statistically significant variable among all variables with a positive impact on tea output Qitin Rwanda’s Western, Southern, and Northern provinces. Rainfall availability favourably affects tea output and supports our claim. Therefore, there is a need for collaboration efforts towards developing sustainable adaptation and mitigation options against climate change, targeting tea farming and the government to ensure that tea policy reforms are targeted towards raising the competitiveness of Rwandan tea at local and global market.展开更多
文摘在当今世界文化交流愈发频繁的背景下,推动中华文明走向世界成为重中之重。翻译作为推动跨文化交流的重要手段之一,是连接不同文化的桥梁。而文化负载词由于其涵盖的大量民族特色词汇,成为翻译过程中的挑战,同时也是文化传播的重要工具。文章基于目的论视角,以纪录片Seasons of China中的中文文化负载词英译为例,探讨译者在翻译过程中采取的恰当翻译方法,以期为纪录片的文化负载词翻译研究提供一定的借鉴与参考。
文摘Publicity documentaries play an important role in shaping the image of one country during the international communication.Seasons of China is a publicity documentary introducing the traditional Chinese culture 24 solar terms.Under the guidance of the framework of Harmonious Discourse Analysis,this thesis uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the harmonious discourse of this documentary based on the transitivity system.The research finds that the discourse of Seasons of China conveys the China’s ecological concept of respecting,following and protecting the nature,while telling the stories of Chinese traditional culture 24 solar terms,highlighting the image of China as a responsible country for ecological civilization construction.
文摘This study analyzed the impact of the local dry and rainy seasons on diurnal temperature range (DTR), for each major climatic zone of Nigeria namely the tropical monsoon, tropical savannah and semi-arid, using meteorological data from thirteen observation stations for the period 1981 to 2021. DTR was computed from the difference of minimum temperature from maximum temperature and yearly and forty one years’ monthly averages of DTR and rainfall were computed and plotted in different graphs. The overall results from each climatic zone showed that DTR fluctuates with the seasons and there is an inverse relationship between DTR and rainfall whereby the value of DTR decreases as the rainy season approaches but increases as the rainy season departs ushering in the dry season or conversely DTR increases as the dry season approaches and decreases as the dry season departs ushering-in the rainy season. Secondly, the average yearly patterns of rainfall and DTR are roughly and oppositely shaped parabolas where the peak value of rainfall is diametrically opposite to the trough value of DTR and the least or nil volume of rainfall corresponds to the highest value of DTR. Thirdly, due to the yearly seasonal cycle of dry and rainy seasons in Nigeria coupled with the inverse relationship between DTR and Rainfall, the seasonal plot of DTR and rainfall is also cyclic in pattern with DTR cycle lagging 180 degrees with the rainfall cycle and the intersection of the two cycles represents the departure of one season and onset of another season while each half-cycle represents either the dry or rainy season. Fourthly, the dependence of DTR on any season at hand in Nigeria makes DTR season-forcing. This fourth result is underpinned by a result that showed that the 1981 and 2021 patterns of DTR and 1981 and 2021 patterns of rainfall when compared were similar, the differences were in the volume of rainfall which was due to climate change that has taken place over the four decades and which also impacted DTR since DTR varies inversely with rainfall. Finally and notwithstanding the common grounds of the results stated above, the result further showed that each climatic zone of Nigeria reacts differently to the local and global climate changes leading to the magnitude of DTR and the volume of rainfall being different across climatic zones, with rainfall volume and duration decreasing towards the arid North from the Coastal South while contrariwise DTR increases towards the arid North from the Coastal South.
文摘In recent years, the demand for goat products has been growing due to the fact that goat milk has a number of advantages over cow milk, for example, it is low in lactose, and is considered less allergenic and easier to digest. To increase production during both breeding and non-breeding seasons and reduce the price of dairy products, it is necessary to effectively use reproductive management and assisted reproductive technologies. In vitro embryo production makes it possible to obtain a large number of eggs from goats, which for some reason are unable to conceive, but have genetic value. Afterward in vitro produced embryos can be transferred into recipient goats of other less genetically valuable breeds, such as the Ukrainian local breed. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of transfers of in vitro produced embryos of Saanen goats into surrogate sires of the Ukrainian local breed in different seasons. All manipulations with animals were carried out following ethical standards (Strasbourg, 1986). Six Saanen goats were selected as the oocyte donors. After the hormonal stimulation oocytes were retrieved by laparoscopic ovum pick-up. In vitro produced embryos were transferred laparotomically into 24 recipients of Ukrainian local breed. Fifty days after embryo transfers, pregnancies were determined by ultrasound diagnostics. Although the embryo development rate in the breeding season was 20% higher than in the non-breeding season, there was no difference in pregnancy and kidding rates between seasons. In conclusion, the transfer of in vitro produced Saanen goat embryos to recipients of the Ukrainian local breed gives the opportunity to achieve pregnancy and kidding regardless of the breeding season, which will enable a faster and more efficient increase in the livestock of highly productive goats in Ukraine in the post-war period.
文摘This investigation searches the possible connections between deep and ultra-deep earthquakes in a subduction zone with unique characteristics known as Nazca-South America subduction. The earthquake events occurred in an area under the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly. The results pointed out that the cyclicity of earthquakes is independent of external factors and linked to internal unknown changes traced or associated with the lithosphere and upper mantle. The malleable minerals or unbreakable material could be due to a bulge of water between the two Nazca slabs sinking. The periodicity noticed from some events is opposite to the Solar Cycles, which means they enhance during the minima of cycles. Therefore, we concluded that these variations might be linked to internal causes below the crust into the lithosphere.
基金partly funded by an NSERC Discovery Grant received by LS Phillmorea UNB University Research Fund grant received by SP Roach
文摘In many songbird species,birdsong features phonological syntax,meaning that the units within their vocal se-quences are ordered in a non-random way that adheres to a rule.While such syntactical patterns have been richly described in many species,comparatively little is known about how those patterns contribute to song achieving its important functions.For each of song’s main functions,territorial defense and mate attraction,evidence of a role for syntax is limited.One species for which syntax has been thoroughly described is the Hermit Thrush(Catharus guttatus),which presents song types from their repertoires in a semi-predictable order and,in doing so,rapidly cycle up and down the frequency spectrum.The objective of the present study was to explore the importance of song syntax in the Hermit Thrush through a within-subject examination of how measures of syntax,such as the predictability of song type order within song sequences,shift over the breeding season.We hypothesized that,if such syntactical characteristics are important to breeding behaviour,they would be most prominent at the start of the breeding season when activity associated with territory establishment and mate attraction is most intense.Analysis revealed that,as predicted,the rigidness of song type ordering within se-quences was highest at the start of the season and declined thereafter.That song type sequences were most predictable at the vitally important early part of the breeding season fit our hypothesis that this aspect of song syntax is important to song’s functions related to territory establishment and/or mate attraction.Future work will clarify whether that role relates to one of song’s two main functions or serves song transmission in some broader way.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32171765).
文摘Forest productivity is closely linked to seasonal variations and vertical differentiation in leaf traits.However,leaf structural and chemical traits variation among co-existing species,and plant functional types within the canopy are poorly quantified.In this study,the seasonality of leaf chlorophyll,nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)were quantified vertically along the canopy of four major tree species and two types of herbs in a temperate deciduous forest.The role of shade tolerance in shaping the seasonal variation and vertical differentiation was examined.During the entire season,chlorophyll content showed a distinct asymmetric unimodal pattern for all species,with greater chlorophyll levels in autumn than in spring,and the timing of peak chlorophyll per leaf area gradually decreased as shade tolerance increased.Chlorophyll a:b ratios gradually decreased with increasing shade tolerance.Leaf N and P contents sharply declined during leaf expansion,remained steady in the mature stage and decreased again during leaf senescence.Over the seasons,the lower canopy layer had significantly higher chlorophyll per leaf mass but not chlorophyll per leaf area than the upper canopy layer regardless of degree of shade tolerance.However,N and P per leaf area of intermediate shade-tolerant and fully shade-tolerant tree species were significantly higher in the upper canopy than in the lower.Seasonal variations in N:P ratios suggest changes in N or P limitation.These findings indicate that shade tolerance is a key feature shaping inter-specific differences in leaf chlorophyll,N,and P contents as well as their seasonality in temperate deciduous forests,which have significant implications for modeling leaf photosynthesis and ecosystem production.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No.2022YFE0106300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.41941009 and 42006191)+2 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No.2023M741526)the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) (Grant Nos.SML2022SP401 and SML2023SP207)the Program of Marine Economy Development Special Fund under Department of Natural Resources of Guangdong Province (Grant No.GDNRC [2022]18)。
文摘The rapidly changing Antarctic sea ice has garnered significant interest. To enhance the prediction skill for sea ice and respond to the Sea Ice Prediction Network-South's latest call, this study presents the reforecast results of Antarctic sea-ice area and extent from December to June of the coming year with a Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory(Conv LSTM)Network. The reforecast experiments demonstrate that Conv LSTM captures the interannual and interseasonal variability of Antarctic sea ice successfully, and performs better than the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Based on this, we present the prediction from December 2023 to June 2024, indicating that the Antarctic sea ice will remain at lows, but may not create a new record low. This research highlights the promising application of deep learning in Antarctic sea-ice prediction.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province,China(Grant Nos.LY24C130004,LY22C135104,and LY23C130002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31501288)+1 种基金the Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding,China(Grant No.20210207)Central Publicinterest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China(Grant No.CPSIBRF-CNRRI-202203).
文摘Two-line hybrid rice with excellent quality is preferred in the Chinese market.However,there is a trade-off between reducing costs for hybrid seed production and lowering the outcrossing rate of the sterile line,which is largely determined by the stigma exsertion rate(SER).In this study,we constructed mutants of male sterility lines with improved grain length(GL)and SER in three elite early-season indica rice varieties through targeted manipulation of the TMS5 and GS3 genes using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex systems.We obtained a series of marker-free gs3 single mutants and gs3tms5 double mutants with significantly higher SER,longer grains,and increased 1000-grain weight compared with the wild type(WT).Importantly,the typically thermo-sensitive genic male sterile(TGMS)trait with a higher SER was observed in gs3tms5 mutants,and their F1 hybrids exhibited remarkable improvements in grain shape and yield-related traits.Our findings provided an efficient method to generate new valuable TGMS germplasm with improved SER through the mutagenesis of GS3 and TMS5 synergistically,and demonstrated that GS3 had pleiotropic effects on grain size,SER,and grain quality in early-season indica rice.
基金supported by the NSFC China-US Dimensions of Biodiversity Grant (DEB: 32061123003)National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870410, 32171507)+3 种基金the Chinese Academy of Sciences Youth Innovation Promotion Association (Y202080)the Distinguished Youth Scholar of Yunnan (202001AV070016)the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe Ten Thousand Talent Plans for Young Top-notch Talents of Yunnan (YNWR-QNBJ-2018-309)
文摘We used 11 years of census data from 450 seedling quadrats established in a 20-ha forest dynamics plot to study seedling dynamics in tree species of a tropical seasonal rainforest in Xishuangbanna,southwestern China.We found that overall seedling recruitment rate and relative growth rate were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season.Both the recruitment rate of seedlings from canopy tree species(two species)and the relative growth rate of seedlings from understory species(nine species)were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season.However,in the rainy season,the recruitment rate of seedlings was higher for canopy tree species than for understory tree species.In addition,relative growth rate of seedlings was higher in the canopy species than in understory seedlings in the dry season.We also observed that,in both rainy and dry seasons,mortality rate of seedlings was higher for canopy species than for understory species.Overall,canopy tree species appear to have evolved a flexible strategy to adapt to the seasonal changes of a monsoon climate.In contrast,understory tree species seem to have adopted a conservative strategy.Specifically,these species mainly release seedlings in the rainy season and maintain relatively stable populations with a lower mortality rate and recruitment rate in both dry and rainy seasons.Our study suggests that canopy and understory seedling populations growing in forest understory may respond to future climate change scenarios with distinct regeneration strategies.
基金supported by the Ministerio da Ciencia,Tecnologia e Inovacoes (MCTI-INPA),Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq,grant number:303913/2021-5)Fundagao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM)Coordenagao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES code 0001).
文摘Litterfall is the largest source of nutrients to for-est soils of tropical rainforests.However,variability in lit-terfall production,nutrient remobilization,and changes in leaf nutrient concentration with climate seasonality remain largely unknown for the central Amazon.This study meas-ured litterfall production,leaf nutrient remobilization,and leaf area index on a forest plateau in the central Amazon.Litterfall was measured at monthly intervals during 2014,while nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,calcium and mag-nesium concentrations of leaf litter and canopy leaves were measured in the dry and rainy seasons,and remobilization rates determined.Leaf area index was also recorded in the dry and rainy seasons.Monthly litterfall varied from 33.2(in the rainy season)to 87.6 g m^(-2) in the dry season,while leaf area index increased slightly in the rainy season.Climatic seasonality had no effect on concentrations of nitrogen,calcium,and magnesium,whereas phosphorous and potassium responded to rainfall seasonality oppositely.While phosphorous increased,potassium decreased during the dry season.Over seasons,nitrogen,potassium,and phosphorous decreased in leaf litter;calcium increased in leaf litter,while magnesium remained unaffected with leaf aging.Regardless,the five nutrients had similar remobilization rates over the year.The absence of climate seasonality on nutrient remobilization suggests that the current length of the dry season does not alter nutrient remobilization rates but this may change as dry periods become more prolonged in the future due to climate change.
基金The National Key R&D Program of China under contract No.2022YFC2807604the Basic Scientific Fund for National Public Research Institutes of China under contract Nos 2022S02,2022Q03 and 2018S02+3 种基金the Marine S&T Fund of Shandong Province for Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology(Qingdao)under contract No.2018SDKJ0105-3the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41876030,41976021,41876231,4190060432 and 41706220the program Impact and Response of Antarctic Seas to Climate Change under contract No.IRASCC 01-01-01Athe Taishan Scholars Project Fund under contract No.ts20190963。
文摘Mesoscale eddies are a prominent oceanic phenomenon that plays an important role in oceanic mass transport and energy conversion.Characterizing by rotational speed,the eddy intensity is one of the most fundamental properties of an eddy.However,the seasonal spatiotemporal variation in eddy intensity has not been examined from a global ocean perspective.In this study,we unveil the seasonal spatiotemporal characteristics of eddy intensity in the global ocean by using the latest satellite-altimetry-derived eddy trajectory data set.The results suggest that the eddy intensity has a distinct seasonal variation,reaching a peak in spring while attaining a minimum in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere.The seasonal variation of eddy intensity is more intense in the tropical-subtropical transition zones within latitudinal bands between 15°and 30°in the western Pacific Ocean,the northwestern Atlantic Ocean,and the eastern Indian Ocean because baroclinic instability in these areas changes sharply.Further analysis found that the seasonal variation of baroclinic instability precedes the eddy intensity by a phase of 2–3 months due to the initial perturbations needing time to grow into mesoscale eddies.
文摘Different cultivars of rice(Oryza sativa)open at different times of the day,and the overlap of anthesis time in rice between the neighbouring cultivars is of crucial importance to the degree of cross pollination in rice.Nevertheless,none of the past experiments with cross pollination between different rice cultivars ever reported the respective flower opening time(FOT)and flower exposure duration(FED)of the parent cultivars,until recently.The authors present here the first record of FOT and FED of 1114 indica rice landraces of South and Southeast Asia,growing during sum-mer and winter seasons in three consecutive years.The authors also present an analysis of the influences of the grow-ing season on the anthesis behaviour,and present the first records of the FOT and FED variability on sunny and cloudy days of a large number of landraces.The data show that rice florets tend to open later in the morning(that is,take longer time to anthesis after sunrise)on sunny days than on cloudy days,and also significantly later during long day seasons(spring and summer)than during short day season(winter);and that FED is inversely related to both FOT and the length of duration from sunrise to first flower opening.The wide ranges of FOT(8:50 a.m.to 12:40 p.m.)and FED(15 to 194 minutes)also suggest the ample time window for receiving pollen from neighbouring cultivars with differ-ent FOT,enhancing the chances of cross pollination between hundreds of rice landraces with FOT and FED overlaps.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province(320QN256 to TW)the High-level Talent Project of the Hainan Natural Science Foundation(322RC661 to TW)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31860608 to JW)the Specific Research Fund of the Innovation Platform for Academicians of Hainan Province.
文摘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.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No.2020YFA0608000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42030605)the High-Performance Computing of Nanjing University of Information Science&Technology for their support of this work。
文摘This study assesses the suitability of convolutional neural networks(CNNs) for downscaling precipitation over East Africa in the context of seasonal forecasting. To achieve this, we design a set of experiments that compare different CNN configurations and deployed the best-performing architecture to downscale one-month lead seasonal forecasts of June–July–August–September(JJAS) precipitation from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Climate Forecast System version 1.0(NUIST-CFS1.0) for 1982–2020. We also perform hyper-parameter optimization and introduce predictors over a larger area to include information about the main large-scale circulations that drive precipitation over the East Africa region, which improves the downscaling results. Finally, we validate the raw model and downscaled forecasts in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic verification metrics, as well as their ability to reproduce the observed precipitation extreme and spell indicator indices. The results show that the CNN-based downscaling consistently improves the raw model forecasts, with lower bias and more accurate representations of the observed mean and extreme precipitation spatial patterns. Besides, CNN-based downscaling yields a much more accurate forecast of extreme and spell indicators and reduces the significant relative biases exhibited by the raw model predictions. Moreover, our results show that CNN-based downscaling yields better skill scores than the raw model forecasts over most portions of East Africa. The results demonstrate the potential usefulness of CNN in downscaling seasonal precipitation predictions over East Africa,particularly in providing improved forecast products which are essential for end users.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42192564)Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (Grant No. 2020B0301030004)the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (Grant No.2020YFA0608802)。
文摘El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO) exhibits a distinctive phase-locking characteristic, first expressed during its onset in boreal spring, developing during summer and autumn, reaching its peak towards winter, and decaying over the next spring. Several studies have demonstrated that this feature arises as a result of seasonal variation in the growth rate of ENSO as expressed by the sea surface temperature(SST). The bias towards simulating the phase locking of ENSO by many state-of-the-art climate models is also attributed to the unrealistic depiction of the growth rate. In this study, the seasonal variation of SST growth rate in the Ni?o-3.4 region(5°S–5°N, 120°–170°W) is estimated in detail based on the mixed layer heat budget equation and recharge oscillator model during 1981–2020. It is suggested that the consideration of a variable mixed layer depth is essential to its diagnostic process. The estimated growth rate has a remarkable seasonal cycle with minimum rates occurring in spring and maximum rates evident in autumn. More specifically, the growth rate derived from the meridional advection(surface heat flux) is positive(negative) throughout the year. Vertical diffusion generally makes a negative contribution to the evolution of growth rate and the magnitude of vertical entrainment represents the smallest contributor. Analysis indicates that the zonal advective feedback is regulated by the meridional immigration of the intertropical convergence zone, which approaches its southernmost extent in February and progresses to its northernmost location in September, and dominates the seasonal variation of the SST growth rate.
基金the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province(Grant No.2021RC3088)the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.2023JJ40309)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32001470).
文摘Transplanting rice varieties grown in different seasons can lead to different yields due to different dry matterproduction. Early-season rice varieties transplanted in the late season can obtain high yields with short-growthduration and higher yields driven by higher dry matter production. To make clear the variations in dry matterproduction across seasons, four early-season rice varieties were chosen for late-season transplantation. The grainyield, dry matter accumulation, leaf photosynthetic, and leaf stomatal properties were studied. It was observedthat the average yields of these four varieties in the late season were 33% greater, despite a reduced growth periodof 13 days in comparison with the early season. Furthermore, there was a notable increase in both total and postheadingdry matter production during the late season. The leaf net photosynthetic rate, stomatal area, stomatalwidth, and stomatal length were higher in the late season. Despite no significant difference in stomatal densitybetween seasons, strong positive linear relationships were observed between net photosynthetic rate and stomatalconductance, and between stomatal conductance and area. These relationships demonstrate that the increase ofthe stomatal width and length of the leaves in the late season leads to an increase in the stomatal area, therebyincreasing the stomatal conductance and enhancing the photosynthesis of the leaves. Consequently, this leads togreater dry matter production and a higher yield compared to the early season. Therefore, when breeding newhigh-yielding and short-growing varieties, the large stomatal area can be used as a reference index.
文摘The study carried out on the waters of the Méné River led to an overall assessment of its water quality during the dry season and the rainy season. The analysis focused on eight (8) water samples taken from the river during a period of dry season (January-February) and a period of rainy season (June and September). The various physicochemical parameters were measured according to Afnor standardized methods. The readings of temperature, turbidity, pH and conductivity made it possible to account for the disturbances occurring in water quality. A temporal variation correlated with the seasons (dry or rainy) is noted. Turbidity depends on the concentration of suspended solids (SS) in the water and drained particles and therefore on the seasons. Just like the temperature, the conductivity changes with the season. The waters of the Méné River are generally acidic. The results obtained show that there is a low level of pollution by chlorides, phosphates, nitrites and nitrates. A slight pollution of the waters of Méné in organic matter (chemical oxygen demand values are less than 25 mg∙L−1 during dry season and 32.33 ± 4.73 mg∙L−1 during rainy season) was observed. The concentrations of metallic trace elements such as iron, manganese and aluminum indicate significant pollution of these waters by these elements. Overall, the waters of the Méné River are of satisfactory quality because all the physicochemical parameters analyzed have values below standards during the dry season as well as during the rainy season with the exception of COD and a few metallic trace elements.
文摘Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing disturbance due to human activities, which is putting many wildlife species, particularly larger mammals, at risk. To determine the impact of human activities on butterfly species diversity and abundance in the reserve and its surrounding areas, we conducted a study from November 2021 to October 2023. We collected butterfly data using transect walks and baited traps in two habitat types. Our study yielded 2799 butterfly Individuals ranging in 124 species divided into five families habitat, season, and anthropogenic factors are significant environmental variables influencing species diversity and abundance of butterflies. Therefore, it’s important to protect habitat and dry-season water for the conservation of invertebrates such as butterflies. Our study findings provide essential information for ecological monitoring and future assessment of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve ecosystem health.
文摘Tea is a very important cash crop in Rwanda, as it provides crucial income and employment for farmers in poor rural areas. From 2017 to 2020, this study was intended to determine the impact of seasonal rainfall on tea output in Rwanda while still considering temperature, plot size (land), and fertiliser for tea plantations in three of Rwanda’s western, southern, and northern provinces, western province with “Gisovu” and “Nyabihu”, southern with “Kitabi”, and northern with “Mulindi” tea company. The study tested the level of statistical significance of all considered variables in different formulation of panel data models to assess individual behaviour of independent variables that would affect tea production. According to this study, a positive change in rainfall of 1 mm will increase tea production by 0.215 percentage points of tons of fresh leaves. Rainfall is a statistically significant variable among all variables with a positive impact on tea output Qitin Rwanda’s Western, Southern, and Northern provinces. Rainfall availability favourably affects tea output and supports our claim. Therefore, there is a need for collaboration efforts towards developing sustainable adaptation and mitigation options against climate change, targeting tea farming and the government to ensure that tea policy reforms are targeted towards raising the competitiveness of Rwandan tea at local and global market.