A comprehensive analysis on the change of the total grain production and the temporal and spatial change of three main crops production（including wheat,maize and rice）,as well as the transfer trace of the center gra...A comprehensive analysis on the change of the total grain production and the temporal and spatial change of three main crops production（including wheat,maize and rice）,as well as the transfer trace of the center gravity of grain production in China were analyzed to reveal the overall developing trend of the grain production,explore the reasons and finally propose the corresponding suggestions and strategies to cope with the situation.展开更多
Climate change continues to intensify existing disaster risks and vulnerabilities in the Philippines. Thus, implementation of climate change adaptation strategies is vital to counter the effects of climate change. It ...Climate change continues to intensify existing disaster risks and vulnerabilities in the Philippines. Thus, implementation of climate change adaptation strategies is vital to counter the effects of climate change. It is in this context that this study was undertaken to analyze the need or urgency to adopt community and ecosystem-based adaptation strategies among selected coastal barangays (villages) of Masinloc, Zambales, Philippines. Various methods of data collection were utilized such as secondary data collection, primary data collection through household survey, key informant interviews, and focus group. Results of the study indicate that in terms of community-based adaptation strategies, all of the seven barangays in Masinloc have moderate necessity. However, only Barangays Bani and Collat have high adaptation capacity in terms of infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The execution of several community-based adaptation strategies helps these barangays to respond immediately and appropriately to the moderate risk posed by floods and storm surges. On the other hand, in terms of ecosystem-based adaptation strategies, all of the seven barangays have moderate necessity which implies that they have moderate vulnerability and risk to flood and storm surge but have high adaptation capacity in terms of the conservation and protection of coastal resources (mangroves and sea grasses). The barangays implemented the necessary ecosystem-based adaptation mechanisms that they might need in the future. This only means that when they are faced with disaster, the local communities are prepared to respond appropriately and to cope up with the effects of extreme weather events which lead to floods and storm surge. Even though most of the ecosystem-based adaptation strategies are conducted by the seven barangays, there are several community-based adaptation strategies that are still lacking which will protect them from the effect of floods and storm surges. Hence, carrying out the missing adaptation strategies, both community-based and ecosystem-based, will help in improving the adaptive capacity of the affected barangays and will help them become more resilient to the amplified effects of climate change.展开更多
Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study ...Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study to serve as a guide for practitioners affects the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies proposed and adopted in the West African sub-region.The purpose of this study was to review the impacts of climate change risks on the crop,fishery,and livestock sectors,as well as the climate change adaptation strategies and climate-related policies aimed at helping to build resilient agricultural production systems in West Africa.The review process followed a series of rigorous stages until the final selection of 56 articles published from 2009 to 2023.Generally,the results highlighted the adverse effects of climate change risks on food security.We found a continuous decline in food crop production.Additionally,the livestock sector experienced morbidity and mortality,as well as reduction in meat and milk production.The fishery sector recorded loss of fingerlings,reduction in fish stocks,and destruction of mariculture and aquaculture.In West Africa,climate-smart agriculture technologies,physical protection of fishing,and inclusion of gender perspectives in programs appear to be the major adaptation strategies.The study therefore recommends the inclusion of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration,weather insurance,replacement of unsafe vessels,and strengthening gender equality in all climate change mitigation programs,as these will help to secure enough food for present and future generations.展开更多
Recent climate change has brought changes to the water regime that has affected the traditional agro-pastoral production systems and livelihoods in the Upper Kaligandaki Basin of the Nepal Himalayas. Based on fieldwor...Recent climate change has brought changes to the water regime that has affected the traditional agro-pastoral production systems and livelihoods in the Upper Kaligandaki Basin of the Nepal Himalayas. Based on fieldwork and available meteorological and hydrological data, this paper examines the changing water regime and various adaptation strategies that local farmers have adopt- ed in this cold alid region. Increasing temperature and decreasing min｜hll and snowfall have resulted in a negative water balance. In this scenario, lhmlers have implemented six major adaptive strategies in the trans-Himalayan Upper Mustang Valley.展开更多
Climate change has become a global phenomenon and is adversely affecting agricultural development across the globe.Developing countries like Pakistan where 18.9%of the GDP(gross domestic product)came from the agricult...Climate change has become a global phenomenon and is adversely affecting agricultural development across the globe.Developing countries like Pakistan where 18.9%of the GDP(gross domestic product)came from the agriculture sector and also 42%of the labor force involved in agriculture.They are directly and indirectly affected by climate change due to an increase in the frequency and intensity of climatic extreme events such as floods,droughts and extreme weather events.In this paper,we have focused on the impact of climate change on farm households and their adaptation strategies to cope up the climatic extremes.For this purpose,we have selected farm households by using multistage stratified random sampling from four districts of the Potohar region i.e.Attock,Rawalpindi,Jhelum and Chakwal.These districts were selected by dividing the Potohar region into rain-fed areas.We have employed logistic regression to assess the determinants of adaptation to climate change and its impact.We have also calculated the marginal effect of each independent variable of the logistic regression to measure the immediate rate of change in the model.In order to check the significance of our suggested model,we have used hypothesis testing.展开更多
This paper systematically studies the movement behavior changes of Camponotus japonicus under one or two leg injuries.Firstly,a linear motion channel matching the size of the ants'legs was designed,and the movemen...This paper systematically studies the movement behavior changes of Camponotus japonicus under one or two leg injuries.Firstly,a linear motion channel matching the size of the ants'legs was designed,and the movements of ants with different leg injuries were captured using high-speed cameras,constructing a comprehensive video dataset of ants'movements with missing legs.Secondly,stable and reliable motion position information for keypoints on the ants'bodies and legs was obtained by utilizing low-annotation biometric keypoint detection technology.Finally,by analyzing the filtered gait data,information about the changes in the step locational points areas,phase differences,and duty factors of the injured ants'remaining legs was obtained.Comparative analysis of the ants'gait characteristics revealed some common adjustment patterns when the ants were in the injured states.Additionally,the study found that the loss of a foreleg had a significant impact on the ants'movement.When two legs were missing,the loss of both legs on the same side had a greater effect on movement,whereas symmetric opposite-side leg loss conditions had a lesser impact.The research will provide an important reference for the subsequent design of gait adjustment algorithms for biomimetic multi-legged robots under damaged conditions.展开更多
Crop and livestock production is critical to food security in The Gambia. Over the years, the country has experienced a reduced yield due to perceived climate change events with limited studies on how climate change a...Crop and livestock production is critical to food security in The Gambia. Over the years, the country has experienced a reduced yield due to perceived climate change events with limited studies on how climate change and pollution affect crop production. This study assesses farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of the effects of climate variability and pollution on crop production and their varying adaptation strategies in The Gambia. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. The sample size for quantitative data collection was calculated as 432 while the qualitative data involves both the focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The focus group discussions comprised two districts in each of the six agricultural regions and two farming communities engaged in crop production were chosen from each district. Furthermore, eight key informant interviews from relevant institutions were conducted. The study shows that The Gambia is highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Although most farmers opined that agricultural land contamination emanates from farm runoff and indiscriminate waste dumping, they had little knowledge of heavy metal pollution and bioremediation. The results showed that farmers experienced constraints such as inadequate access to credit, water, and irrigation facilities, insufficient access to efficient inputs, salt intrusion, etc. which threatened food security. The study concludes that crop farmers acknowledged the existence and impacts of climate change, and therefore recommend the availability and affordability of climate change resilient crops and promote variability awareness campaigns to address climate change impacts in The Gambia.展开更多
The major objective of the study is to apply Conservation of Resource (COR) theory for examining the influence of farmers’ socio-demographic and economic correlates upon their adoption of agricultural, economic and e...The major objective of the study is to apply Conservation of Resource (COR) theory for examining the influence of farmers’ socio-demographic and economic correlates upon their adoption of agricultural, economic and emotion-focused coping and adaptation strategies of climate change. An interview schedule developed from the COR theory was utilized for data collection. Using multistage cluster sampling technique, a total of 384 farmers were chosen from Agailjhara Upazila of Barisal District and interviewed through a predesigned structured questionnaire. For triangulation of the quantitative findings, the study employed case study technique to collect qualitative data from the respondents. The findings of the study demonstrate that the most common emotion- focused, agricultural and economic coping and adaptation strategies of climate change were social support seeking (79.69%), planting trees (71.35%), homestead gardening (52.08%), hydroponic farming/floating garden (46.88%), duck rearing (30.73%), saving (20.83%), self-insurance (18.75%), etc. Bivariate results indicate that age, ownership of land, income and ownership of television or mobile phone were found significantly correlated with the three variables, including economic, agricultural and emotion-focused coping and adaptation strategies of COR theory. Again, access to microcredit has relationship with economic and agricultural adaptation strategies. Furthermore, education has significant relationship with agricultural adaptation strategies. The study suggests that continuous researches by policy makers, researchers, GOs and NGOs are very essential to exploring and enhancing farmers’ coping and adaptation strategies which may relegate the adverse impacts and vulnerabilities of climate change in the study area.展开更多
The research investigated the adaptation strategies to mitigate consequence of climate change on food crops farming in Oyo State.120 respondents were selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedures.Prima...The research investigated the adaptation strategies to mitigate consequence of climate change on food crops farming in Oyo State.120 respondents were selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedures.Primary data was collected through interview schedule and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.Available results indicated that 84.2% of the respondents were male,93.3% of them were married and maize(45.8%),cassava(37.5%)are the mainly crops cultivated.Results also revealed that 70.0% of the respondents have knowledge of climate change with majority(84.17%)of them regularly accessed information on climate change through radio and 88.3%of them claimed to adopt planting crops favorable for the present weather condition as an adaptation techniques to mitigate the consequences of climate change more frequently.Chi-square and Correlation results revealed a significant relationship existed between farmers educational levels(X2=4.861;p=0.003);household size(r=-0.089;p=0.002);knowledge(r=-0.157;p=0.002),and adaptation strategies to reduce the consequences of climate change on the food crops farming.It was recommended that food crop farmers should be provided with better education and sensitized in order for them to be acquainted with adaptation techniques and coping mechanisms that are currently been offered by research.展开更多
Drought stress is the main limiting plant growth factor in arid and semiarid regions.The Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var.unicolor)is the only sweet-tasting lily grown in these regions of China that offers highly edibl...Drought stress is the main limiting plant growth factor in arid and semiarid regions.The Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var.unicolor)is the only sweet-tasting lily grown in these regions of China that offers highly edible,medicinal,health,and ornamental value.The Tresor lily is an ornamental flower known for its strong resistance.Plants were grown under three different drought intensity treatments,namely,being watered at intervals of 5,15,and 25 d(either throughout the study or during specific growth stages).We measured the biomass,leaf area,photosynthetic response,chlorophyll content(SPAD value),and osmoregulation of both the Lanzhou lily and the Tresor lily(Lilium‘Tresor’).Additionally,we employed RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq)and qRT-PCR to investigate transcriptomic changes of the Lanzhou lily in response to drought stress.Results showed that under drought stress,the decreasing rate in the Lanzhou lily bulb weight was lower than the corresponding Tresor lily bulb rate;the net photosynthetic rate,transpiration rate,and stomatal conductance of the Lanzhou lily were all higher compared to the Tresor lily;osmoregulation constituents,such as glucose,fructose,sucrose,trehalose,and soluble sugar,in the Lanzhou lily were comparatively higher;PYL,NCED,and ERS genes were significantly expressed in the Lanzhou lily.Under moderate drought,the biosynthesis of flavonoids,circadian rhythms,and the tryptophan metabolism pathway of the Lanzhou lily were all significant.Under severe drought stress,fatty acid elongation,photosynthetic antenna protein,plant hormone signal transduction,flavone and flavonol biosynthesis,and the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were all significant.The Lanzhou lily adapted to drought stress by coordinating its organs and the unique role of its bulb,regulating photosynthesis,increasing osmolyte content,activating circadian rhythms,signal transduction,fatty acid elongation metabolism,and phenylalanine and flavonoid metabolic pathways,which may collectively be the main adaptation strategy and mechanisms used by the Lanzhou lily under drought stress.展开更多
In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in climate change, pasture degradation and its driving forces, and innovations in nomadic pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau. However, little is known of indigeno...In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in climate change, pasture degradation and its driving forces, and innovations in nomadic pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau. However, little is known of indigenous strategies of adaptation to pasture degradation, which limits the effectiveness of adaptation strategies planned by local government. This paper analyzes nomads＇ strategies of adaptation to pasture degradation on the basis of a field survey of three townships of Dalag County in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Pastures there have evidently degraded, with pastures in Wasai mainly in a state of slight or medium degradation and those in Manzhang and Jianshe in a state of medium or severe degradation. With the degradation of pasture, the grazing time is reduced, which af- fects the livelihoods of nomads. Although the Four-Package Project has commenced in this region, there is still severe fodder shortage in winter and spring. The traditional hay storage strategy does not work because of pasture degradation, and few nomads establish fenced and artificial pastures. Therefore, nomads have employed other strategies, such as renting pasture, providing supplementary feed, and diversifying their livelihoods. Local strategies taken by nomads can provide valuable insights into ecological restoration and livelihood improvement in the region and suggest changes to means promoted by local government. It is necessary to seek new means that combine the best aspects of nomadic pastoralism with modern stockbreeding technologies to help nomads adapt to pasture degeneration and improve their livelihoods.展开更多
This study reviews the impacts of climate change on human health and presents corresponding adaptation strategies in South China. The daily mean surface air temperatures above or below 26.4~C increase the death risk f...This study reviews the impacts of climate change on human health and presents corresponding adaptation strategies in South China. The daily mean surface air temperatures above or below 26.4~C increase the death risk for people in Guangzhou, especially the elderly are vulnerable to variations in temperature. Heat waves can cause insomnia, fatigue, clinical exacerbation, or death from heatstroke etc., while cold spells show increases in patients with fractures. During a cold spell period, the rates of both on-site emergency rescues and non-implementable rescues increase, and the risk of non-accidental deaths and respiratory disease deaths significantly rise as well. Both time series of hazy days and ozone concentrations have significant positive correlations with the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Both malaria and dengue fever reach higher altitudes and mountainous areas due to climate warming. Climate change is likely to bring stronger heat waves in the future, thereby increasing heat wave-related illnesses and deaths, particularly in the metropolitan areas of the Pearl River Delta. The projected increase of consecutive cold days in Guangdong province and parts of northern Guangxi province will affect residents＇ health in the future. The rising temperature exaggerates ozone pollution, but it is not clear whether climate change is aggravating or mitigating haze pollution. The transmission potential of malaria in South China will increase by 39%-140% and the transmission season will extend by 1 2 months with an air temperature increase of 1-2~C. By 2050, most areas in Hainan province are projected to convert from non-endemic dengue into endemic dengue areas. The aging population will cause more vulnerable people. To mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on human health, sound and scientific adaptation strategies must be adopted in advance, such as strengthening the surveillance of epidemic diseases in potential transmission areas, conducting timely weather forecasting for human health, evaluating health vulnerability to climate change, improving environmental and health education, and strengthening hazard management and the cooperation between meteorological and health departments.展开更多
Climate change adaptation strategies provide a cushion for smallholder farmers,especially in subSaharan Africa against the risks posed by climate hazards such as droughts and floods.However,the decision-making process...Climate change adaptation strategies provide a cushion for smallholder farmers,especially in subSaharan Africa against the risks posed by climate hazards such as droughts and floods.However,the decision-making process in climate adaptation is complex.To better understand the dynamics of the process,we strive to answer this question:what are the potential trade-offs and synergies related to decision-making and implementation of climate adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa region?A systematic literature review methodology was used through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(PRISMA)statement with the four-stage inclusion/exclusion criteria to identify the literature from selected databases(Scopus and Google Scholar).The climate adaptation strategies are organized into five broad categories(crop management,risk management,soil/land management,water management,and livestock management strategies).Evidence suggests that potential trade-offs may arise concerning added costs,additional labor requirements,and competition among objectives or available resources.The synergies,on the other hand,arise from implementing two or more adaptation strategies concurrently in respect of increased productivity,resilience,yield stability,sustainability,and environmental protection.Trade-offs and synergies may also differ among the various adaptation strategies with minimum/zero tillage,comparatively,presenting more tradeoffs.The development and promotion of low-cost adaptation strategies and complementary climate adaptation options that minimize the trade-offs and maximize the synergies are suggested.Skills and knowledge on proper implementation of climate change adaptation strategies are encouraged,especially at the local farm level.展开更多
Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion...Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion on the networks of leaf traits in woody plants within remnant forest patches,thereby enhancing our understanding of plant adaptive strategies and contributing to the conservation of urban biodiversity.Methods:Our study examined woody plants within 120 sample plots across 15 remnant forest patches in Guiyang,China.We constructed leaf trait networks (LTNs) based on 26 anatomical,structural,and compositional leaf traits and assessed the effects of the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion on these LTNs.Results and conclusions:Our results indicate that shrubs within these patches have greater average path lengths and diameters than trees.With increasing urban expansion intensity,we observed a rise in the edge density of the LTN-shrubs.Additionally,modularity within the networks of shrubs decreased as road density and urban expansion intensity increased,and increases in the average path length and average clustering coefficient for shrubs were observed with a rise in the composite terrain complexity index.Notably,patches subjected to‘leapfrog’expansion exhibited greater average patch length and diameter than those experiencing edge growth.Stomatal traits were found to have high degree centrality within these networks,signifying their substantial contribution to multiple functions.In urban remnant forests,shrubs bolster their resilience to variable environmental pressures by augmenting the complexity of their leaf trait networks.展开更多
Taking annual plant Eragrostis poaeides in the artificial vegetation-stabilized sand dune in the Shapotou Experimental Research Station as example, study has been done on the adaptation strategies of annual plants to ...Taking annual plant Eragrostis poaeides in the artificial vegetation-stabilized sand dune in the Shapotou Experimental Research Station as example, study has been done on the adaptation strategies of annual plants to random environment through fixed quadrat observations of population changes and fixed plant determinations of individual growth, seed germination,population dynamics, spatial distribution pattern of population, competition and regulation. During the growing season, the survival rate of annual plants depends on the precipitation intensity and precipitation duration which activate the germination of seeds. The optimal germination strategy of annual plants in this habitat during the growing season appears as continuous germination under suitable conditions. Such continuous germination is an adaptive characteristic of annual plants to random environment. In addition, the variation processes of population size and regulation mechanism of E. poaeoides are studied. Statistical results of natural population in four consecutive years show that water condition in the habitat is the leading factor affecting the population dynamics of E. poaeoides. During the establishment period E. poaeoides had a higher death rate, but in the middle to later period they could survive stably. Due to the limitation of soil moisture, the competition among individuals for water inevitably led to self-thinning phenomena. Under very arid condition, the survival curve of annual herbs entirely appears as Deevey Ⅲ type (C type), but under relatively adequate precipitation condition, the survival curve appears as intermediate type. The strategy of life history obviously appears as r-strategy. Plant species of r-strategy often occurs in the early succession stage of the communities. In the relatively adequate and evenly-distributed rainfall years, E. poaeoides population exhibited a density-dependent, i. e., survival rate increased with decrease in population density. The main pattern to regulate the population number for the intraspecific competition is to regulate the highly variable initial density into a final density with narrow variation range.展开更多
Background As an indigenous livestock species on the Tibetan Plateau,Tibetan sheep exhibit remarkable adaptability to low temperatures and nutrient-scarce environments.During the cold season,Tibetan sheep are typicall...Background As an indigenous livestock species on the Tibetan Plateau,Tibetan sheep exhibit remarkable adaptability to low temperatures and nutrient-scarce environments.During the cold season,Tibetan sheep are typically managed under two feeding regimes:barn feeding(BF)and traditional grazing(TG).However,the molecular mechanisms underlying their adaptation to these distinct management strategies remain unclear.This study aimed to investigate the adaptive strategies of rumen function in Tibetan sheep to cold-season feeding regimes by integrating analyses of rumen morphology,microbiome,metabolome,and transcriptome.Twelve healthy Tibetan sheep with similar body weights were assigned into two groups(BF vs.TG).At the end of the experiment,rumen tissues were subjected to histological observation.Multi-omics techniques were employed to evaluate the effects of cold-season feeding regimes on rumen function in Tibetan sheep.Results The ruminal papilla height,width,and muscular thickness were significantly higher in BF group.The relative abundances of Actinobacteria and Succiniclasticum were significantly elevated in the rumen of BF group,whereas Rikenellaceae,Gracilibacteria,and Lachnospiraceae showed higher abundances in the TG group.Metabolomic analysis identified 19 differential metabolites between the two groups,including upregulated compounds in BF group(fumaric acid,maltose,L-phenylalanine,and L-alanine)and TG group(e.g.,phenylacetic acid,salicyluric acid and ferulic acid).These metabolites were predominantly enriched in phenylalanine metabolism,alanine,aspartate and glutamate metabolism,and phenylalanine,tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis pathways.Additionally,210 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified in rumen epithelium:100 upregulated DEGs in the BF group were enriched in nutrient metabolism-related pathways(e.g.,fatty acid degradation and PPAR signaling pathway),while 110 upregulated DEGs in the TG group were associated with immune-related pathways(e.g.,p53 signaling pathway and glutathione metabolism).Conclusions Among these,we observed distinct rumen functional responses to different cold-season feeding regimes in Tibetan sheep and revealed energy allocation strategies mediated by host-microbe interactions.In the BF group,Tibetan sheep adopted a"metabolic efficiency-priority"strategy,driving rumen microbiota to maximize energy capture from high-nutrient diets to support host growth.In contrast,the TG group exhibited an"environmental adaptation-priority"strategy,where rumen microbiota prioritized cellulose degradation and anti-inflammatory functions,reallocating energy toward homeostasis maintenance at the expense of rumen development and growth performance.展开更多
This paper presents a vision-based navigation framework for micro air vehicles(MAVs)operating in confined warehouse environments.To address the trade-off between low localization accuracy in mapless methods and high c...This paper presents a vision-based navigation framework for micro air vehicles(MAVs)operating in confined warehouse environments.To address the trade-off between low localization accuracy in mapless methods and high computational demands in map-based approaches,the proposed system leverages topology-aware path guidance using monocular vision.Navigation is driven by a digital instruction format(DIF)that encodes both the path index and target junction,enabling autonomous navigation without environmental modifications.The framework comprises a cascaded perception-encoding-control pipeline.For structured paths,foreground pixel density trend analysis with sliding window smoothing for robust junction recognition,while lateral proportionalintegral-derivative(PID)control ensures accurate path tracking.For geometric trajectories,the control logic incorporates L-junction triggers,fixed-angle turns,and spatial yaw correction to accommodate sharp corners and curved segments.ROS-Gazebo simulations validate the method’s effectiveness,achieving up to 94.40%junction recognition accuracy(92.01%on average),trajectory tracking errors below 0.1 m,and terminal localization deviations under 0.2 m.These results validate the method’s accuracy,stability,and suitability for computationally constrained MAV platforms in warehouse automation.展开更多
Drought is a significant natural hazard in Herat Province, Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to explore farmers' perceptions of the drought's prevalence and characteristics, its socioeconomic and en...Drought is a significant natural hazard in Herat Province, Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to explore farmers' perceptions of the drought's prevalence and characteristics, its socioeconomic and environmental impacts, their strategies for coping with and mitigating it, and types of conflicts and resolution mechanisms. A questionnaire was completed by 147 farming households. The results indicate that farmers' perceptions regarding drought are in line with the results obtained using the precipitation data. Even though the respondents have religious belief in interpreting the weather related issues, they also perceived drought as the climatic and environmental factors such as increased temperature, decreased precipitation, and other factors like war, financial weakness, deforestation, over-exploitation of groundwater, lack of electricity supply etc. The results show that drought has had serious economic impacts, including loss of employment and reduction in crop yield and livestock production, which have reduced farmers' livelihood options and weakened their financial situation. Social impacts have included migration, a sense of hopelessness and loss, conflicts over water, health problems, impacts on the schooling of children, malnutrition, and limits to food options. Significant environmental impacts such as an increase in temperature, pasture and forest degradation, deterioration of water quality, damage to fish and wildlife habitats, and groundwater depletion were also reported. Farmers used local techniques to adapt to drought and lessen its effects. Farmers perceived irrigation water to be a major source of conflict. Local elders, water-user associations, and formal courts were reported to be the most successful conflict resolution methods. It is expected that the results of this study will support policy makers within government and development agencies in Afghanistan to develop future drought adaptation policies.展开更多
Unlike animals, plants cannot move away from unfavorable environments. Instead, they must continuously adjust their growth to external conditions. When the environment is favorable, plants sustain vigorous growth. Con...Unlike animals, plants cannot move away from unfavorable environments. Instead, they must continuously adjust their growth to external conditions. When the environment is favorable, plants sustain vigorous growth. Conversely, when challenged by drought, salinity, temperature extremes, or other stresses, they must rapidly suppress growth to conserve energy and minimize damage. This capacity to switch growth on or off in response to external cues represents one of the most successful adaptive strategies that enables plants to thrive worldwide. A central mediator of this growth suppression is the phytohormone abscisic acid(ABA). Abscisic acid plays pivotal roles in stomata closure, germination inhibition, and root development modulation, thereby orchestrating defense responses under abiotic stresses(e.g., Chen et al., 2020, for a review). For this reason, ABA is often referred to as the“stress hormone” of plants. However,growth arrest is only half of the story. Once environmental conditions improve, plants must promptly resume growth to recover and compete effectively. For survival, the decision of whether“to grow or not to grow” is critical, and yet, the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to toggle this switch have long remained elusive.展开更多
Engineering optimization problems are often characterized by high dimensionality,constraints,and complex,multimodal landscapes.Traditional deterministic methods frequently struggle under such conditions,prompting incr...Engineering optimization problems are often characterized by high dimensionality,constraints,and complex,multimodal landscapes.Traditional deterministic methods frequently struggle under such conditions,prompting increased interest in swarm intelligence algorithms.Among these,the Cuckoo Search(CS)algorithm stands out for its promising global search capabilities.However,it often suffers from premature convergence when tackling complex problems.To address this limitation,this paper proposes a Grouped Dynamic Adaptive CS(GDACS)algorithm.Theenhancements incorporated intoGDACS can be summarized into two key aspects.Firstly,a chaotic map is employed to generate initial solutions,leveraging the inherent randomness of chaotic sequences to ensure a more uniform distribution across the search space and enhance population diversity from the outset.Secondly,Cauchy and Levy strategies replace the standard CS population update.This strategy involves evaluating the fitness of candidate solutions to dynamically group the population based on performance.Different step-size adaptation strategies are then applied to distinct groups,enabling an adaptive search mechanism that balances exploration and exploitation.Experiments were conducted on six benchmark functions and four constrained engineering design problems,and the results indicate that the proposed GDACS achieves good search efficiency and produces more accurate optimization results compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms.展开更多
基金Supported by National Scientific and Technological Supporting Project(2006BAD20B05)~~
文摘A comprehensive analysis on the change of the total grain production and the temporal and spatial change of three main crops production（including wheat,maize and rice）,as well as the transfer trace of the center gravity of grain production in China were analyzed to reveal the overall developing trend of the grain production,explore the reasons and finally propose the corresponding suggestions and strategies to cope with the situation.
文摘Climate change continues to intensify existing disaster risks and vulnerabilities in the Philippines. Thus, implementation of climate change adaptation strategies is vital to counter the effects of climate change. It is in this context that this study was undertaken to analyze the need or urgency to adopt community and ecosystem-based adaptation strategies among selected coastal barangays (villages) of Masinloc, Zambales, Philippines. Various methods of data collection were utilized such as secondary data collection, primary data collection through household survey, key informant interviews, and focus group. Results of the study indicate that in terms of community-based adaptation strategies, all of the seven barangays in Masinloc have moderate necessity. However, only Barangays Bani and Collat have high adaptation capacity in terms of infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The execution of several community-based adaptation strategies helps these barangays to respond immediately and appropriately to the moderate risk posed by floods and storm surges. On the other hand, in terms of ecosystem-based adaptation strategies, all of the seven barangays have moderate necessity which implies that they have moderate vulnerability and risk to flood and storm surge but have high adaptation capacity in terms of the conservation and protection of coastal resources (mangroves and sea grasses). The barangays implemented the necessary ecosystem-based adaptation mechanisms that they might need in the future. This only means that when they are faced with disaster, the local communities are prepared to respond appropriately and to cope up with the effects of extreme weather events which lead to floods and storm surge. Even though most of the ecosystem-based adaptation strategies are conducted by the seven barangays, there are several community-based adaptation strategies that are still lacking which will protect them from the effect of floods and storm surges. Hence, carrying out the missing adaptation strategies, both community-based and ecosystem-based, will help in improving the adaptive capacity of the affected barangays and will help them become more resilient to the amplified effects of climate change.
文摘Climate change studies are diverse with no single study giving a comprehensive review of climate change impacts,adaptation strategies,and policy development in West Africa.The unavailability of an all-inclusive study to serve as a guide for practitioners affects the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies proposed and adopted in the West African sub-region.The purpose of this study was to review the impacts of climate change risks on the crop,fishery,and livestock sectors,as well as the climate change adaptation strategies and climate-related policies aimed at helping to build resilient agricultural production systems in West Africa.The review process followed a series of rigorous stages until the final selection of 56 articles published from 2009 to 2023.Generally,the results highlighted the adverse effects of climate change risks on food security.We found a continuous decline in food crop production.Additionally,the livestock sector experienced morbidity and mortality,as well as reduction in meat and milk production.The fishery sector recorded loss of fingerlings,reduction in fish stocks,and destruction of mariculture and aquaculture.In West Africa,climate-smart agriculture technologies,physical protection of fishing,and inclusion of gender perspectives in programs appear to be the major adaptation strategies.The study therefore recommends the inclusion of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration,weather insurance,replacement of unsafe vessels,and strengthening gender equality in all climate change mitigation programs,as these will help to secure enough food for present and future generations.
基金the financial support for hydrological research in the Upper Kaligandaki Basin in 2011
文摘Recent climate change has brought changes to the water regime that has affected the traditional agro-pastoral production systems and livelihoods in the Upper Kaligandaki Basin of the Nepal Himalayas. Based on fieldwork and available meteorological and hydrological data, this paper examines the changing water regime and various adaptation strategies that local farmers have adopt- ed in this cold alid region. Increasing temperature and decreasing min｜hll and snowfall have resulted in a negative water balance. In this scenario, lhmlers have implemented six major adaptive strategies in the trans-Himalayan Upper Mustang Valley.
文摘Climate change has become a global phenomenon and is adversely affecting agricultural development across the globe.Developing countries like Pakistan where 18.9%of the GDP(gross domestic product)came from the agriculture sector and also 42%of the labor force involved in agriculture.They are directly and indirectly affected by climate change due to an increase in the frequency and intensity of climatic extreme events such as floods,droughts and extreme weather events.In this paper,we have focused on the impact of climate change on farm households and their adaptation strategies to cope up the climatic extremes.For this purpose,we have selected farm households by using multistage stratified random sampling from four districts of the Potohar region i.e.Attock,Rawalpindi,Jhelum and Chakwal.These districts were selected by dividing the Potohar region into rain-fed areas.We have employed logistic regression to assess the determinants of adaptation to climate change and its impact.We have also calculated the marginal effect of each independent variable of the logistic regression to measure the immediate rate of change in the model.In order to check the significance of our suggested model,we have used hypothesis testing.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin Municipality under Grant(No.23JCYBJC01670).
文摘This paper systematically studies the movement behavior changes of Camponotus japonicus under one or two leg injuries.Firstly,a linear motion channel matching the size of the ants'legs was designed,and the movements of ants with different leg injuries were captured using high-speed cameras,constructing a comprehensive video dataset of ants'movements with missing legs.Secondly,stable and reliable motion position information for keypoints on the ants'bodies and legs was obtained by utilizing low-annotation biometric keypoint detection technology.Finally,by analyzing the filtered gait data,information about the changes in the step locational points areas,phase differences,and duty factors of the injured ants'remaining legs was obtained.Comparative analysis of the ants'gait characteristics revealed some common adjustment patterns when the ants were in the injured states.Additionally,the study found that the loss of a foreleg had a significant impact on the ants'movement.When two legs were missing,the loss of both legs on the same side had a greater effect on movement,whereas symmetric opposite-side leg loss conditions had a lesser impact.The research will provide an important reference for the subsequent design of gait adjustment algorithms for biomimetic multi-legged robots under damaged conditions.
文摘Crop and livestock production is critical to food security in The Gambia. Over the years, the country has experienced a reduced yield due to perceived climate change events with limited studies on how climate change and pollution affect crop production. This study assesses farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of the effects of climate variability and pollution on crop production and their varying adaptation strategies in The Gambia. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. The sample size for quantitative data collection was calculated as 432 while the qualitative data involves both the focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The focus group discussions comprised two districts in each of the six agricultural regions and two farming communities engaged in crop production were chosen from each district. Furthermore, eight key informant interviews from relevant institutions were conducted. The study shows that The Gambia is highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Although most farmers opined that agricultural land contamination emanates from farm runoff and indiscriminate waste dumping, they had little knowledge of heavy metal pollution and bioremediation. The results showed that farmers experienced constraints such as inadequate access to credit, water, and irrigation facilities, insufficient access to efficient inputs, salt intrusion, etc. which threatened food security. The study concludes that crop farmers acknowledged the existence and impacts of climate change, and therefore recommend the availability and affordability of climate change resilient crops and promote variability awareness campaigns to address climate change impacts in The Gambia.
文摘The major objective of the study is to apply Conservation of Resource (COR) theory for examining the influence of farmers’ socio-demographic and economic correlates upon their adoption of agricultural, economic and emotion-focused coping and adaptation strategies of climate change. An interview schedule developed from the COR theory was utilized for data collection. Using multistage cluster sampling technique, a total of 384 farmers were chosen from Agailjhara Upazila of Barisal District and interviewed through a predesigned structured questionnaire. For triangulation of the quantitative findings, the study employed case study technique to collect qualitative data from the respondents. The findings of the study demonstrate that the most common emotion- focused, agricultural and economic coping and adaptation strategies of climate change were social support seeking (79.69%), planting trees (71.35%), homestead gardening (52.08%), hydroponic farming/floating garden (46.88%), duck rearing (30.73%), saving (20.83%), self-insurance (18.75%), etc. Bivariate results indicate that age, ownership of land, income and ownership of television or mobile phone were found significantly correlated with the three variables, including economic, agricultural and emotion-focused coping and adaptation strategies of COR theory. Again, access to microcredit has relationship with economic and agricultural adaptation strategies. Furthermore, education has significant relationship with agricultural adaptation strategies. The study suggests that continuous researches by policy makers, researchers, GOs and NGOs are very essential to exploring and enhancing farmers’ coping and adaptation strategies which may relegate the adverse impacts and vulnerabilities of climate change in the study area.
文摘The research investigated the adaptation strategies to mitigate consequence of climate change on food crops farming in Oyo State.120 respondents were selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedures.Primary data was collected through interview schedule and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.Available results indicated that 84.2% of the respondents were male,93.3% of them were married and maize(45.8%),cassava(37.5%)are the mainly crops cultivated.Results also revealed that 70.0% of the respondents have knowledge of climate change with majority(84.17%)of them regularly accessed information on climate change through radio and 88.3%of them claimed to adopt planting crops favorable for the present weather condition as an adaptation techniques to mitigate the consequences of climate change more frequently.Chi-square and Correlation results revealed a significant relationship existed between farmers educational levels(X2=4.861;p=0.003);household size(r=-0.089;p=0.002);knowledge(r=-0.157;p=0.002),and adaptation strategies to reduce the consequences of climate change on the food crops farming.It was recommended that food crop farmers should be provided with better education and sensitized in order for them to be acquainted with adaptation techniques and coping mechanisms that are currently been offered by research.
基金the Gansu Science and Technology Major Project(Grant No.182D2NA010)the Science and Technology Service Network Initiative of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KFJ-STS-QYZD-120)the Key R&D plan of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region(Grant No.2019BBF02018)for the funding they provided。
文摘Drought stress is the main limiting plant growth factor in arid and semiarid regions.The Lanzhou lily(Lilium davidii var.unicolor)is the only sweet-tasting lily grown in these regions of China that offers highly edible,medicinal,health,and ornamental value.The Tresor lily is an ornamental flower known for its strong resistance.Plants were grown under three different drought intensity treatments,namely,being watered at intervals of 5,15,and 25 d(either throughout the study or during specific growth stages).We measured the biomass,leaf area,photosynthetic response,chlorophyll content(SPAD value),and osmoregulation of both the Lanzhou lily and the Tresor lily(Lilium‘Tresor’).Additionally,we employed RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq)and qRT-PCR to investigate transcriptomic changes of the Lanzhou lily in response to drought stress.Results showed that under drought stress,the decreasing rate in the Lanzhou lily bulb weight was lower than the corresponding Tresor lily bulb rate;the net photosynthetic rate,transpiration rate,and stomatal conductance of the Lanzhou lily were all higher compared to the Tresor lily;osmoregulation constituents,such as glucose,fructose,sucrose,trehalose,and soluble sugar,in the Lanzhou lily were comparatively higher;PYL,NCED,and ERS genes were significantly expressed in the Lanzhou lily.Under moderate drought,the biosynthesis of flavonoids,circadian rhythms,and the tryptophan metabolism pathway of the Lanzhou lily were all significant.Under severe drought stress,fatty acid elongation,photosynthetic antenna protein,plant hormone signal transduction,flavone and flavonol biosynthesis,and the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were all significant.The Lanzhou lily adapted to drought stress by coordinating its organs and the unique role of its bulb,regulating photosynthesis,increasing osmolyte content,activating circadian rhythms,signal transduction,fatty acid elongation metabolism,and phenylalanine and flavonoid metabolic pathways,which may collectively be the main adaptation strategy and mechanisms used by the Lanzhou lily under drought stress.
基金National Basic Research Program of China, No.2010CB951704 National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41071066
文摘In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in climate change, pasture degradation and its driving forces, and innovations in nomadic pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau. However, little is known of indigenous strategies of adaptation to pasture degradation, which limits the effectiveness of adaptation strategies planned by local government. This paper analyzes nomads＇ strategies of adaptation to pasture degradation on the basis of a field survey of three townships of Dalag County in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Pastures there have evidently degraded, with pastures in Wasai mainly in a state of slight or medium degradation and those in Manzhang and Jianshe in a state of medium or severe degradation. With the degradation of pasture, the grazing time is reduced, which af- fects the livelihoods of nomads. Although the Four-Package Project has commenced in this region, there is still severe fodder shortage in winter and spring. The traditional hay storage strategy does not work because of pasture degradation, and few nomads establish fenced and artificial pastures. Therefore, nomads have employed other strategies, such as renting pasture, providing supplementary feed, and diversifying their livelihoods. Local strategies taken by nomads can provide valuable insights into ecological restoration and livelihood improvement in the region and suggest changes to means promoted by local government. It is necessary to seek new means that combine the best aspects of nomadic pastoralism with modern stockbreeding technologies to help nomads adapt to pasture degeneration and improve their livelihoods.
基金supported by the Special Climate Change Research Program of China Meteorological Ad-ministration(No.CCSF-09-11 and CCSF201307)by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guang-dong province(No.2011A030200021)
文摘This study reviews the impacts of climate change on human health and presents corresponding adaptation strategies in South China. The daily mean surface air temperatures above or below 26.4~C increase the death risk for people in Guangzhou, especially the elderly are vulnerable to variations in temperature. Heat waves can cause insomnia, fatigue, clinical exacerbation, or death from heatstroke etc., while cold spells show increases in patients with fractures. During a cold spell period, the rates of both on-site emergency rescues and non-implementable rescues increase, and the risk of non-accidental deaths and respiratory disease deaths significantly rise as well. Both time series of hazy days and ozone concentrations have significant positive correlations with the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Both malaria and dengue fever reach higher altitudes and mountainous areas due to climate warming. Climate change is likely to bring stronger heat waves in the future, thereby increasing heat wave-related illnesses and deaths, particularly in the metropolitan areas of the Pearl River Delta. The projected increase of consecutive cold days in Guangdong province and parts of northern Guangxi province will affect residents＇ health in the future. The rising temperature exaggerates ozone pollution, but it is not clear whether climate change is aggravating or mitigating haze pollution. The transmission potential of malaria in South China will increase by 39%-140% and the transmission season will extend by 1 2 months with an air temperature increase of 1-2~C. By 2050, most areas in Hainan province are projected to convert from non-endemic dengue into endemic dengue areas. The aging population will cause more vulnerable people. To mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on human health, sound and scientific adaptation strategies must be adopted in advance, such as strengthening the surveillance of epidemic diseases in potential transmission areas, conducting timely weather forecasting for human health, evaluating health vulnerability to climate change, improving environmental and health education, and strengthening hazard management and the cooperation between meteorological and health departments.
文摘Climate change adaptation strategies provide a cushion for smallholder farmers,especially in subSaharan Africa against the risks posed by climate hazards such as droughts and floods.However,the decision-making process in climate adaptation is complex.To better understand the dynamics of the process,we strive to answer this question:what are the potential trade-offs and synergies related to decision-making and implementation of climate adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa region?A systematic literature review methodology was used through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(PRISMA)statement with the four-stage inclusion/exclusion criteria to identify the literature from selected databases(Scopus and Google Scholar).The climate adaptation strategies are organized into five broad categories(crop management,risk management,soil/land management,water management,and livestock management strategies).Evidence suggests that potential trade-offs may arise concerning added costs,additional labor requirements,and competition among objectives or available resources.The synergies,on the other hand,arise from implementing two or more adaptation strategies concurrently in respect of increased productivity,resilience,yield stability,sustainability,and environmental protection.Trade-offs and synergies may also differ among the various adaptation strategies with minimum/zero tillage,comparatively,presenting more tradeoffs.The development and promotion of low-cost adaptation strategies and complementary climate adaptation options that minimize the trade-offs and maximize the synergies are suggested.Skills and knowledge on proper implementation of climate change adaptation strategies are encouraged,especially at the local farm level.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.32360418)the Guizhou Provincial Basic Research Program (Natural Science)(No.QianKeHeJiChu-ZK[2024]YiBan022)。
文摘Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion on the networks of leaf traits in woody plants within remnant forest patches,thereby enhancing our understanding of plant adaptive strategies and contributing to the conservation of urban biodiversity.Methods:Our study examined woody plants within 120 sample plots across 15 remnant forest patches in Guiyang,China.We constructed leaf trait networks (LTNs) based on 26 anatomical,structural,and compositional leaf traits and assessed the effects of the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion on these LTNs.Results and conclusions:Our results indicate that shrubs within these patches have greater average path lengths and diameters than trees.With increasing urban expansion intensity,we observed a rise in the edge density of the LTN-shrubs.Additionally,modularity within the networks of shrubs decreased as road density and urban expansion intensity increased,and increases in the average path length and average clustering coefficient for shrubs were observed with a rise in the composite terrain complexity index.Notably,patches subjected to‘leapfrog’expansion exhibited greater average patch length and diameter than those experiencing edge growth.Stomatal traits were found to have high degree centrality within these networks,signifying their substantial contribution to multiple functions.In urban remnant forests,shrubs bolster their resilience to variable environmental pressures by augmenting the complexity of their leaf trait networks.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.90202015)Innovation Study Project from Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.KZCX3-SW-324,KZCX1-09)State Key Project for Basic Research"the Process of Desertification and Its Control in the Northern China"(Grant No.G2000048704).
文摘Taking annual plant Eragrostis poaeides in the artificial vegetation-stabilized sand dune in the Shapotou Experimental Research Station as example, study has been done on the adaptation strategies of annual plants to random environment through fixed quadrat observations of population changes and fixed plant determinations of individual growth, seed germination,population dynamics, spatial distribution pattern of population, competition and regulation. During the growing season, the survival rate of annual plants depends on the precipitation intensity and precipitation duration which activate the germination of seeds. The optimal germination strategy of annual plants in this habitat during the growing season appears as continuous germination under suitable conditions. Such continuous germination is an adaptive characteristic of annual plants to random environment. In addition, the variation processes of population size and regulation mechanism of E. poaeoides are studied. Statistical results of natural population in four consecutive years show that water condition in the habitat is the leading factor affecting the population dynamics of E. poaeoides. During the establishment period E. poaeoides had a higher death rate, but in the middle to later period they could survive stably. Due to the limitation of soil moisture, the competition among individuals for water inevitably led to self-thinning phenomena. Under very arid condition, the survival curve of annual herbs entirely appears as Deevey Ⅲ type (C type), but under relatively adequate precipitation condition, the survival curve appears as intermediate type. The strategy of life history obviously appears as r-strategy. Plant species of r-strategy often occurs in the early succession stage of the communities. In the relatively adequate and evenly-distributed rainfall years, E. poaeoides population exhibited a density-dependent, i. e., survival rate increased with decrease in population density. The main pattern to regulate the population number for the intraspecific competition is to regulate the highly variable initial density into a final density with narrow variation range.
基金funded by the Chief Scientist Program of Qinghai Province(2024-SF-102)the Joint Special Project of Sanjiangyuan National Park(LHZX-2023-02).
文摘Background As an indigenous livestock species on the Tibetan Plateau,Tibetan sheep exhibit remarkable adaptability to low temperatures and nutrient-scarce environments.During the cold season,Tibetan sheep are typically managed under two feeding regimes:barn feeding(BF)and traditional grazing(TG).However,the molecular mechanisms underlying their adaptation to these distinct management strategies remain unclear.This study aimed to investigate the adaptive strategies of rumen function in Tibetan sheep to cold-season feeding regimes by integrating analyses of rumen morphology,microbiome,metabolome,and transcriptome.Twelve healthy Tibetan sheep with similar body weights were assigned into two groups(BF vs.TG).At the end of the experiment,rumen tissues were subjected to histological observation.Multi-omics techniques were employed to evaluate the effects of cold-season feeding regimes on rumen function in Tibetan sheep.Results The ruminal papilla height,width,and muscular thickness were significantly higher in BF group.The relative abundances of Actinobacteria and Succiniclasticum were significantly elevated in the rumen of BF group,whereas Rikenellaceae,Gracilibacteria,and Lachnospiraceae showed higher abundances in the TG group.Metabolomic analysis identified 19 differential metabolites between the two groups,including upregulated compounds in BF group(fumaric acid,maltose,L-phenylalanine,and L-alanine)and TG group(e.g.,phenylacetic acid,salicyluric acid and ferulic acid).These metabolites were predominantly enriched in phenylalanine metabolism,alanine,aspartate and glutamate metabolism,and phenylalanine,tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis pathways.Additionally,210 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified in rumen epithelium:100 upregulated DEGs in the BF group were enriched in nutrient metabolism-related pathways(e.g.,fatty acid degradation and PPAR signaling pathway),while 110 upregulated DEGs in the TG group were associated with immune-related pathways(e.g.,p53 signaling pathway and glutathione metabolism).Conclusions Among these,we observed distinct rumen functional responses to different cold-season feeding regimes in Tibetan sheep and revealed energy allocation strategies mediated by host-microbe interactions.In the BF group,Tibetan sheep adopted a"metabolic efficiency-priority"strategy,driving rumen microbiota to maximize energy capture from high-nutrient diets to support host growth.In contrast,the TG group exhibited an"environmental adaptation-priority"strategy,where rumen microbiota prioritized cellulose degradation and anti-inflammatory functions,reallocating energy toward homeostasis maintenance at the expense of rumen development and growth performance.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS)(No.FRGS/1/2024/TK04/USM/02/3)funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education(MOHE).
文摘This paper presents a vision-based navigation framework for micro air vehicles(MAVs)operating in confined warehouse environments.To address the trade-off between low localization accuracy in mapless methods and high computational demands in map-based approaches,the proposed system leverages topology-aware path guidance using monocular vision.Navigation is driven by a digital instruction format(DIF)that encodes both the path index and target junction,enabling autonomous navigation without environmental modifications.The framework comprises a cascaded perception-encoding-control pipeline.For structured paths,foreground pixel density trend analysis with sliding window smoothing for robust junction recognition,while lateral proportionalintegral-derivative(PID)control ensures accurate path tracking.For geometric trajectories,the control logic incorporates L-junction triggers,fixed-angle turns,and spatial yaw correction to accommodate sharp corners and curved segments.ROS-Gazebo simulations validate the method’s effectiveness,achieving up to 94.40%junction recognition accuracy(92.01%on average),trajectory tracking errors below 0.1 m,and terminal localization deviations under 0.2 m.These results validate the method’s accuracy,stability,and suitability for computationally constrained MAV platforms in warehouse automation.
基金The financial support provided by the Kasetsart University
文摘Drought is a significant natural hazard in Herat Province, Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to explore farmers' perceptions of the drought's prevalence and characteristics, its socioeconomic and environmental impacts, their strategies for coping with and mitigating it, and types of conflicts and resolution mechanisms. A questionnaire was completed by 147 farming households. The results indicate that farmers' perceptions regarding drought are in line with the results obtained using the precipitation data. Even though the respondents have religious belief in interpreting the weather related issues, they also perceived drought as the climatic and environmental factors such as increased temperature, decreased precipitation, and other factors like war, financial weakness, deforestation, over-exploitation of groundwater, lack of electricity supply etc. The results show that drought has had serious economic impacts, including loss of employment and reduction in crop yield and livestock production, which have reduced farmers' livelihood options and weakened their financial situation. Social impacts have included migration, a sense of hopelessness and loss, conflicts over water, health problems, impacts on the schooling of children, malnutrition, and limits to food options. Significant environmental impacts such as an increase in temperature, pasture and forest degradation, deterioration of water quality, damage to fish and wildlife habitats, and groundwater depletion were also reported. Farmers used local techniques to adapt to drought and lessen its effects. Farmers perceived irrigation water to be a major source of conflict. Local elders, water-user associations, and formal courts were reported to be the most successful conflict resolution methods. It is expected that the results of this study will support policy makers within government and development agencies in Afghanistan to develop future drought adaptation policies.
基金supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS KAKENHI)[Grant numbers JP22H02294 to M.M.,JP22K05365 and JP23K18058 to S.K.]by the commissioned research fund provided by F-REI(JPFR25020105)to S.K。
文摘Unlike animals, plants cannot move away from unfavorable environments. Instead, they must continuously adjust their growth to external conditions. When the environment is favorable, plants sustain vigorous growth. Conversely, when challenged by drought, salinity, temperature extremes, or other stresses, they must rapidly suppress growth to conserve energy and minimize damage. This capacity to switch growth on or off in response to external cues represents one of the most successful adaptive strategies that enables plants to thrive worldwide. A central mediator of this growth suppression is the phytohormone abscisic acid(ABA). Abscisic acid plays pivotal roles in stomata closure, germination inhibition, and root development modulation, thereby orchestrating defense responses under abiotic stresses(e.g., Chen et al., 2020, for a review). For this reason, ABA is often referred to as the“stress hormone” of plants. However,growth arrest is only half of the story. Once environmental conditions improve, plants must promptly resume growth to recover and compete effectively. For survival, the decision of whether“to grow or not to grow” is critical, and yet, the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to toggle this switch have long remained elusive.
基金supported in part by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia(MOHE)through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS)Ref:FRGS/1/2024/ICT02/UTM/02/10,Vot.No:R.J130000.7828.5F748the Scientific Research Project of Education Department of Hunan Province(Nos.22B1046 and 24A0771).
文摘Engineering optimization problems are often characterized by high dimensionality,constraints,and complex,multimodal landscapes.Traditional deterministic methods frequently struggle under such conditions,prompting increased interest in swarm intelligence algorithms.Among these,the Cuckoo Search(CS)algorithm stands out for its promising global search capabilities.However,it often suffers from premature convergence when tackling complex problems.To address this limitation,this paper proposes a Grouped Dynamic Adaptive CS(GDACS)algorithm.Theenhancements incorporated intoGDACS can be summarized into two key aspects.Firstly,a chaotic map is employed to generate initial solutions,leveraging the inherent randomness of chaotic sequences to ensure a more uniform distribution across the search space and enhance population diversity from the outset.Secondly,Cauchy and Levy strategies replace the standard CS population update.This strategy involves evaluating the fitness of candidate solutions to dynamically group the population based on performance.Different step-size adaptation strategies are then applied to distinct groups,enabling an adaptive search mechanism that balances exploration and exploitation.Experiments were conducted on six benchmark functions and four constrained engineering design problems,and the results indicate that the proposed GDACS achieves good search efficiency and produces more accurate optimization results compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms.
