Bioclimatic analysis

Vernacular architecture is the result of hundreds of years of optimization to provide a comfortable shelter in a local climate using available materials and known construction technologies. Due to the absence of mechanical means, traditional buildings use solar passive measures to achieve thermal comfort conditions.

1. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating North American bats that is
caused by the cold-growing fungus Geomyces destructans. Since first observed in the winter of 2007,
WNS has led to unprecedented mortality in several species of bats and may threaten more than 15
additional hibernating bat species if it continues across the continent. Although the exact means by
which fungal infection causes mortality are undetermined, available evidence suggests a strong role
of winter environmental conditions in disease mortality.
2. By 2010, the fungus G. destructans was detected in new areas of NorthAmerica far fromthe area
it was first observed, as well as in eight European bat species in different countries, yet mortality was
not observed in many of these new areas of North America or in any part of Europe. This could be
because of the differences in the fungus, rates of disease progression and⁄or in life-history or physiological
traits of the affected bat species between different regions. Infection of bats by G. destructans
without associated mortality might also suggest that certain environmental conditions might have
to co-occur with fungal infection to cause mortality.
3. We tested the environmental conditions hypothesis using Maxent to map and model landscape
surface conditions associated with WNS mortality. This approach was unique in that we modelled
possible requisite environmental conditions for disease mortality and not simply the presence of the
causative agent.
4. The top predictors of WNS mortality were land use ⁄ land cover types, mean air temperature of
wettest quarter, elevation, frequency of precipitation and annual temperature range. Model results
suggest that WNS mortality is most likely to occur in landscapes that are higher in elevation and
topographically heterogeneous, drier and colder during winter, and more seasonally variable than
surrounding landscapes.
5. Synthesis and applications. This study mapped the most likely environmental surface conditions
associated with bat mortality owing to WNS in the north-eastern United Sates; maps can be used
for selection of priority monitoring sites. Our results provide a starting point from which to investigate
and predict the potential spread and population impacts of this catastrophic emerging disease.

The Bioclimatic Analysis Tool is a spreadsheet that calculates, plots and analyzes several parameters and criteria  based on equations and diagrams developed by different authors around the world (Auliciems, Szokolay, Givoni, ASHRAE, Olgyay, Mahoney, etc.). This is automatically done from the climate data introduced in the spreadsheet. The main aim is focus on having different climatic analysis tools on a same simple interface such as Köppen methodology and others. Also, automatic plotting and analysis of Mahoney strategies, comfort triangles, bioclimatic chart and effective temperature nomogram is done.

All this offers to bioclimatic designers a simple tool to have the climate analysis from a specific site and strategies needed for the initial conceptual design easily and shortly. One of the more important characteristics of the tool is that it was developed in a conventional spreadsheet.

In this work we analyzed the problems derived from the potential species loss associated to the taphonomic processes occurring in fossil sites. We seek to resolve the possible utility of cenograms and bioclimatic analysis as methodologies applicable in Paleoecology. Supposedly, if species are deleted in a community, significant changes in its structure might appear, which would make these paleoecological techniques dysfunctional. The analysis has been carried out with the data of two modern mammalian
communities, Barrow (Alaska) and Jaipur (India), on which we have deleted species randomly. Our results have allowed us to conclude that these methodologies are useful in Paleoecology, since they are functional with a satisfactory level of confidence, as long as the species loss is not excessively elevated (for communities with 20-40% of the original species).

This study evaluates the relationship between atmospheric circulation conditions and the frequency of heat/cold stress in Lublin in the years 1951–2010 according to the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The paper outlines the frequency and conditional probability of heat/cold stress during particular circulation types and analyses the circulation patterns that induce these incidences. Increased wind velocity had a significant effect on creating unfavourable bioclimatic conditions in winter. Meanwhile, in summer, heat stress was observed almost exclusively when a high pressure system from eastern Europe induced a slow inflow of very warm air masses from the east or south.

Many machine learning (ML) approaches are widely used to generate bioclimatic models for prediction of geographic range of organism as a function of climate. Applications such as prediction of range shift in organism, range of invasive species influenced by climate change are important parameters in understanding the impact of climate change. However, success of machine learning-based approaches depends on a number of factors. While it can be safely said that no particular ML technique can be effective in all applications and success of a technique is predominantly dependent on the application or the type of the problem, it is useful to understand their behavior to ensure informed choice of techniques. This paper presents a comprehensive review of machine learningbased bioclimatic model generation and analyses the factors influencing success of such models. Considering the wide use of statistical techniques, in our discussion we also include conventional statistical techniques used in bioclimatic modelling.

The influence of slope gradient and exposure, of altitude and of distance from the sea on the winter and summer stresses sustained by the Mediterranean vegetation have been parametrized. An example of vegetation changes driven by the variation of any of such environmental factors is reported, and a mathematical formula is proposed to determine a monthly value to add to or subtract from the drought stress and cold stress values, estimated by the Mitrakos' index, in order to better approximate reality. Values obtained in such way can be used in synecology and phytosociology to express in a synthetic-correlative way the ecological valence of plant communities with respect to the main physiognomical features of their growing sites.

Durante el Cuaternario, ocurrieron una serie de cambios ambientales ligados a ciclos de glaciaciones a escala global que afectaron y moldearon profundamente los paisajes y formas de vida del planeta Tierra. La mayor glaciación ocurrió hace 110 mil años durante el Último Periodo Glacial, el cual tuvo su apogeo en el Último Máximo Glacial (UMG) hace unos 18.000 años; en esta época los glaciares de montaña de la sierra de Santo Domingo, perteneciente a los Andes venezolanos, tuvieron su máxima extensión y volumen, la temperatura era unos 7ºC más baja y los rangos de precipitación fueron unos 400 mm menores que en la actualidad. Con la llegada del Holoceno (hace aprox. 10.000 años AP), las condiciones ambientales se tornaron más húmedas y cálidas, lo que ocasionó el derretimiento de las grandes masas de hielo y el aumento de la colonización vegetal a mayores alturas. No obstante, durante dicha época se dieron algunos periodos fríos de los cuales destaca la Pequeña Edad de Hielo (PEH), que corresponde al último de los avances glaciales holocenos, particularmente después del Último Máximo Glacial (UMG). Durante la PEH la temperatura disminuyó entre 3 a 1.4 ºC y hubo valores de precipitación de unos 20% mayores a los actuales. Se emplea el Modelo Bioclimático de Zonas de Vida de Holdridge (1971) para la reconstrucción paleobiogeográfica de la antes mencionada sierra con la finalidad determinar las características del clima y sus incidencias en la distribución de las zonas de vida durante el UMG y la PEH, poniendo a prueba los resultados obtenidos con evidencias morfológicas glaciales y paleo-palinológicas. A través del modelo, se determinan las transformaciones sucesivas en las zonas de vida de la sierra bajo determinadas condiciones climáticas a través del tiempo. La reconstrucción de paleoglaciares permite una aproximación que muestra el papel que cumplen las evidencias de paleoglaciares tropicales como indicadores de la variabilidad climática global. Se prevé que de continuar los efectos del cambio climático actual en la sierra, existirá un desplazamiento de zonas de vida a cotas superiores y, seremos testigos de la desaparición futura de algunas de ellas como la Nival y la tundra pluvial Alpino, desencadenando profundos cambios ecológicos.

In this work we propose a first approach to an issue that relates the potential loss of species associated to taphonomic processes occurring in fossil sites. We attempt to determine the possible utility of bioclimatic analysis as a suitable methodology in Paleoecology. If a number of species are removed from a community, significant changes in its structure might appear which would make this palaeoecological technique dysfunctional. The analysis has been carried out with the data from eight modern mammalian communities from tropical and subtropical environments: Medan (Sumatra), Tumaco (Colombia), Jaipur (India), Catamarca (Argentina), Arica (Chile), Mascate (Oman), Puerto Montt (Chile) and Kagoshima (Japan). On each community we have deleted species randomly. The results from χ2 analyses have allowed us to conclude that the methodology is useful in Palaeoecology since it is functional with a satisfactory level of confidence, as long as the species loss is not excessively elevated (removal of 50-85% of the original species).