Search results for "seasonal"

Predicting reservoir water volumes in the Mediterranean area by combining a data-driven approach with seasonal forecasts data

A comparison between seasonality indices deployed in evaluating unimodal and bimodal patterns

2017

This paper will discuss a recently proposed index for measuring seasonality, which is based on the solution of the well-known transportation problem . A specific characterization of the cost matrix will permit the taking into account of the cyclical structure of time periods, which characterizes the phenomenon under observation. Various features of the proposed index will be evaluated by comparing it with other indices which are commonly used in the measurement of seasonality, such as the Gini concentration index. Given the wide range of disciplines with an interest in the analysis of seasonal phenom ena, the approach proposed m ay be of wide interest.

Measuring tourism from demand side

2017

This Paper proposes an analysis of tourism from the demand side, taking into account for both the total level of tourism demand produced by some European countries (domestic and outgoing) and its general tendency, and for the seasonal fluctuations which characterize many tourism-related aggregates. Tourist flows from the demand side at the European level are analyzed in the last decade, and a special focus on Italian tourism demand is provided, jointly with an analysis of its seasonal fluctuations. The analysis of general tendency of tourism demand and of the impacts of seasonality is a fundamental pre-requisite for the implementation of tourism policies.

Seasonal Forecasting methods: an empirical analysis at sectoral and territorial levels.

2011

2021

Because of its parasitic habits, reproduction costs of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) are mostly spent in pre-laying activities. Female costs are limited to searching host nests and laying eggs, whereas, males spend time in performing intense vocal displays, possibly with territorial purpose. This last aspect, together with a sexual plumage dimorphism, points to both intra- and inter-sexual selections operating within this species. One element triggering sexual selection is a differential fitness accrued by different phenotypes. Before analyzing possible sexual selection mechanisms operating in cuckoos, it is therefore necessary to verify whether there is a variability among male secon…

Bill colour and immunocompetence in the European blackbird

2003

The level of expression of secondary sexual characters has been suggested to signal male ability to resist parasitic infestations. To test this idea, several studies have examined the link between sexual signals and immunocompetence in birds. However, most of them have used only a single aspect of immune response to evaluate immunocompetence. We investigated the relation between bill colour and immunocompetence in captive male European blackbirds, Turdus merula, during the breeding season by assessing both cell-mediated and humoral components of the immune system. The blackbird is a sexually dimorphic species with bill colour varying from yellow to orange in males. Humoral immunity was asse…

Diatoms from thermal-sulphur waters of “Fiume Caldo” (North-western Sicily).

2007

The present study describes the taxonomic composition, richness and seasonal dynamics of the diatom community from thermal-sulphur waters of "Fiume Caldo" (Northwestern Sicily). The diatom flora of these waters consists of 64 taxa, showing similarities with thermal diatom communities from different geographical areas. Among the recorded taxa, Diadesmis confervacea Kütz. is a new record for Sicily. Seasonal changes in assemblage composition and richness have been recorded; the highest diversity values were observed during winter and spring, while during summer the diatom community consisted of a limited number of organisms whereas blue-green algae were quantitatively dominant. Inside the stu…

Quand l’agriculture des pays riches crée de la pauvreté

2018

L’agriculture a toujours été un secteur où les tâches peu qualifiées sont restées très pourvoyeuses de main d’oeuvre ; ce sont majoritairement les immigrés fraîchement arrivés qui s’y adonnent, les natifs délaissant ces travaux pénibles, mal payés et peu valorisants. Nous allons analyser dans cette contribution l’extrême difficulté des « saisonniers-migrants » présents en Espagne. Pour cela, nous mettrons en résonnance les parcours de deux immigrés, originaires l’un du Maroc, l’autre du Mali, pour montrer comment ils sont littéralement devenus « prisonniers » de cette agriculture, sans pouvoir se construire — ni se projeter — dans un quelconque autre avenir, cette situation ayant été amplif…

Using random networks to study the dynamics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the Spanish region of Valencia

2011

[EN] Seasonal fluctuations in the incidence of several respiratory infections are a feature of epidemiological surveys all around the world. This phenomenon is characteristic of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus pandemics. However, the explanation of the seasonal outbreaks of these diseases remains poorly understood. Many statistical studies have been carried out in order to provide a correlation of the outbreaks with climatic or social factors without achieving a definitive conclusion. Here we show that, in a random social network, self-sustained seasonal epidemics emerge as a process modulated by the infection probability and the immunity period after recovering from the infection…

The Early Spörer Minimum – A Period of Extraordinary Climate and Socio-economic Changes in Western and Central Europe

2016

Abstract. Throughout the last millennium, mankind was affected by prolonged deviations from the climate mean state. While periods like the Maunder Minimum in the 17th century have been assessed in greater detail, earlier cold periods such as the 15th century received much less attention due to the sparse information available. Based on new evidence from different sources ranging from proxy archives to model simulations, it is now possible to provide an end-to-end assessment about the climate state during an exceptionally cold period in the 15th century, the role of internal, unforced climate variability and external forcing in shaping these extreme climatic conditions, and the impacts on an…