Two centuries of growth among Czech children and youth

The trend of increasing height can be interpreted as a reflection of the unfolding progress of civilization. Height changes among children and adolescents are good markers of this trend. We analyze the secular trend in the heights of children and adolescents in the Czech Republic on the basis of data from anthropological surveys. The earliest height data pertain to Czech youths who attended the Military Schools in Austria in 1800-1809. Data also exist for 1895 and continue in 1951 and at 10-year intervals thereafter. Growth curves were obtained for separate age groups by fitting mean values via third-order polynomial smoothing splines. Between 1951 and 2001, the mean heights of boys and girls aged 2.5 years increased by 2.7 and 3 cm, respectively. Since 1895, the mean height of 13-year-old boys has increased by 19.4 cm, and the mean height of girls has increased by 18.3 cm.     

Summer drought exposure,stand structure,and soil properties jointly control the growth of European beech along a steep precipitation gradient in northern Germany

Increasing exposure to climate warming-related drought and heat threatens forest vitality in many regions on earth, with the trees' vulnerability likely depending on local climatic aridity, recent climate trends, edaphic conditions, and the drought acclimatization and adaptation of populations. Studies exploring tree species' vulnerability to climate change often have a local focus or model the species' entire distribution range, which hampers the separation of climatic and edaphic drivers of drought and heat vulnerability. We compared recent radial growth trends and the sensitivity of growth to drought and heat in central populations of a widespread and naturally dominant tree species in Europe, European beech (Fagus sylvatica), at 30 forest sites across a steep precipitation gradient (500–850 mm year⁻¹) of short length to assess the species' adaptive potential. Size-standardized basal area increment remained more constant during the period of accelerated warming since the early 1980s in populations with >360 mm growing season precipitation (April–September), while growth trends were negative at sites with <360 mm. Climatic drought in June appeared as the most influential climatic factor affecting radial growth, with a stronger effect at drier sites. A decadal decrease in the climatic water balance of the summer was identified as the most important factor leading to growth decline, which is amplified by higher stem densities. Inter-annual growth variability has increased since the early 1980s, and variability is generally higher at drier and sandier sites. Similarly, within-population growth synchrony is higher at sandier sites and has increased with a decrease in the June climatic water balance. Our results caution against predicting the drought vulnerability of trees solely from climate projections, as soil properties emerged as an important modulating factor. We conclude that beech is facing recent growth decline at drier sites in the centre of its distribution range, driven by climate change-related climate aridification.     

Biological traits and living conditions of Maya Indian and non Maya girls from Merida,Mexico

A total of 522 girls and their families from low and middle social strate were examined in the northern part of Merida (Yucatan) during 1988 and 1989. Marital radius in the parental generation was relatively long (146 km), and it was six times longer for non-Maya and mixed couples than Maya. Living and housing conditions were similar for both Maya and non-Maya (mixed couples typically had an intermediate condition), except for sewage system (sanitation). The Maya income was 64% lower. Maya men and women were short. The girls from Merida were short, hyper-brachycephalic (short headed), and europrosopic (broad face). Among them, Maya girls were even shorter, more round-headed, and more broad-faced than non-Maya girls. Menarche occurred on the average at an age of 12.6 years in mothers and 12.1 years in daughters. As the generation time was about 25 years, there was a slow acceleration of maturation (0.2 years per decade). Presumably, also stature has increased in recent years.     

2001—2019年中国自然保护区生态环境质量时空变化特征及其驱动力

自然保护区对维护生物多样性,改善生态环境质量具有重要作用。然而,我国自然保护区生态环境质量变化及其对自然因素与人类活动的响应规律还不清晰,理解这些规律对我国的生态文明建设以及生物多样性的保护具有重要意义。基于2001—2019年中国历史高分辨率生态环境质量数据CHEQ数据集以及自然因素,利用Theil-Sen Median趋势分析、Mann-Kendall检验以及多元回归残差分析等方法,探究了2001—2019年中国自然保护区的生态环境质量时空变化特征及其对自然因素与人类活动驱动因素的响应。结果表明：(1)我国自然保护区的CHEQ指数呈现多阶段波动变化,总体呈小幅度下降趋势,平均趋势率为-0.54×10^-3/a;在空间上,中国自然保护区CHEQ变化趋势值呈“南高北低,东高西低”的分布格局;(2)自然因素与人类活动的共同作用是我国自然保护区生态环境质量恶化的主要原因,且恶化区域主要分布在自然保护区的实验区和缓冲区。其中自然因素对我国自然保护区生态环境质量变化的影响在-3×10^-3/a—0/a之间,人类活动的影响在-1×10^-3     

1985—2015年中国不同生态系统NDVI时空变化及其对气候因子的响应

植被是陆地生态系统不可或缺的部分,气候是影响其动态变化的重要驱动因素。因此,探究植被的时空变化及其与气候因子的响应关系,有助于理解陆地生态系统的内在演化机制。目前,不同生态系统尺度下的植被动态变化与气候因子的时间响应关系仍未被完整剖析。因此,为了厘清过去30年不同生态系统植被生长对气候因子的响应关系,利用GIMMS NDVI3g数据和气候资料数据,通过Theil-Sen Median趋势分析和Mann-Kendall检验分析了1985—2015年中国陆地NDVI的时空变化特征,结合时间序列相关分析探究了NDVI变化与降水、温度和饱和水汽压差的内部关联,探讨了中国不同生态系统植被与气候因子间的时间响应机制。结果表明：(1) 1985—2015年中国陆地植被呈现改善趋势,年均NDVI先减小后增加,拐点时间在1995年左右,整体变化率为0.5×10^-3/a。农田、森林和草地生态系统的植被显著改善的程度最高,湿地生态系统的植被退化趋势最显著。(2)中国陆地植被NDVI与气候因子的相关性存在明显的空间异质性,且受不同生态系统分区影响。内蒙古高原中部草地生态系统NDVI与降水...     

中国遥感干旱指数时空特征及其对气候和地表覆盖变化的响应

干旱严重影响植被生长,威胁粮食安全,基于遥感计算的植被状态指数（Vegetation Condition Index,VCI）、温度状态指数（Temperature Condition Index,TCI）和植被健康指数（Vegetation Health Index,VHI）是常用的干旱指数,被广泛应用于干旱监测。为了探究近年来我国干旱特征及其对气候和地表覆盖变化的响应,分析了2003-2016年期间VCI、TCI和VHI的时空变化特征;采用最小二乘（OLS）和偏相关分析方法分析了这些指数对气候和地表覆盖变化的响应。基于上述干旱指数计算的干旱频率表明,中温带中部和南温带等地区干旱发生频率高,干旱指数变化趋势表明在2003-2016年期间中国大部分地区干旱缓解,但在中温带、南温带和高原气候区等局部地区干旱加剧;总体而言,干旱指数随着年平均温度的上升和年降水量的降低而减小,VHI与温度和降水量的相关性在不同气候区的一致性优于VCI和TCI;裸土的减少和植被的增加导致干旱指数增大,树木转变为低矮植被干旱指数降低。     

基于Landsat的重庆市生态环境质量动态监测及其时空格局演变分析

长江流域是我国重要的生态屏障之一,重庆市作为长江上游最后一道关口,研究其生态质量发展对于有效保护长江流域生态环境具有重要指导意义。基于2011—2021年间的Landsat影像等数据,计算遥感生态指数(Remote sensing based ecological index, RSEI),并采用Sen(Theil-Sen median)趋势分析法和MK(Mann-Kendall)检验研究其变化趋势以及利用Hurst指数模型分析RSEI的持续特征。利用空间转移矩阵和重心迁移模型研究其在空间上分布特征的变化情况,最后使用降水、风速、近地表气温、海拔等辅助数据为影响因素,结合地理探测器进一步探究RSEI变化驱动力,探讨重庆市2011—2021的RSEI空间分布及演变趋势。结果表明：(1)重庆市多年平均RSEI为0.593,使用等间距法将其划分的等级为差、较差、中等、良、优的面积占比分别为2.48%、8.28%、38.32%、41,87%、9.05%。从整体来看重庆市生态质量水平较高,重庆市年际RSEI以显著趋势波动增长。(2)RSEI等级为差的地区空间上主要集中于重庆西部;较差等级主要围绕...     

Community-based sheep breeding programs generated substantial genetic gains and socioeconomic benefits

Community-based breeding programs (CBBPs) for small ruminants have been suggested as alternatives to centralised, government-controlled breeding schemes which have been implemented in many developing countries. An innovative methodological framework on how to design, implement and sustain CBBPs was tested in three sites in Ethiopia: Bonga, Horro and Menz. In these CBBPs, the main selection trait identified through participatory approaches was 6-month weight in all three sites. In Horro and Bonga, where resources such as feed and water permitted larger litter sizes, twinning rate was included. Ten-year (2009 to 2018) performance data from the breeding programs were analysed using Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood method (AI-REML). Additionally, the socioeconomic impact of CBBPs was assessed. Results indicated that 6-month weight increased over the years in all breeds. In Bonga, the average increase was 0.21 ± 0.018 kg/year, followed by 0.18 ± 0.007 and 0.11 ± 0.003 kg/year in Horro and Menz, respectively. This was quite substantial in an on-farm situation. The birth weight of lambs did not improve over the years in Bonga and Horro sheep but significant increases occurred in Menz. Considering that there was no direct selection on birth weight in the community flock, the increased weights observed in Menz could be due to correlated responses, but this was not the case in Bonga and Horro. The genetic trend for prolificacy over the years in both Bonga and Horro flocks was positive and significant (P < 0.01). This increase in litter size, combined with the increased 6-month body weight, increased income by 20% and farm-level meat consumption from slaughter of one sheep per year to three. The results show that CBBPs are technically feasible, result in measurable genetic gains in performance traits and impact the livelihoods of farmers.