International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

Occupational heat stress is an escalating global health concern, particularly for outdoor workers exposed to rising temperatures due to climate change. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from 42 peer-reviewed articles and 13 policy documents published between 2014 and 2025, focusing on the health impacts, determinants, and adaptation strategies for outdoor workers. The review identifies a high prevalence of heat-related illnesses—including heat exhaustion, dehydration, kidney disorders, and productivity loss—across sectors such as agriculture, construction, and informal labour. Key vulnerability factors include individual health status, environmental conditions, and inadequate workplace policies. Adaptation strategies found to be most acceptable and effective include improved hydration, loose breathable clothing, scheduled rest breaks in shaded areas, and modification of work practices. Policy case studies from California, India, Qatar, and Europe highlight the importance of context-specific regulations, enforcement, and community outreach in reducing heat-related morbidity and mortality. However, significant gaps remain in the implementation of adaptive measures, especially for informal and vulnerable worker populations. The review underscores the urgent need for integrated, gender-sensitive, and enforceable adaptation strategies, alongside further research to strengthen resilience among outdoor workers facing increasing heat stress due to climate change.

Thinning is an important forest management measure and would benefit sustainable forest development. However, it is also a great disturbance to forests and disrupts their original balance and thus their response characteristics to the environment. Based on continuous eddy covariance and climatic observations in a subtropical coniferous plantation, this study aimed to clarify the thinning-induced changes in the response of gross primary productivity (GPP) to key environmental factors (net radiation (Rn), air temperature (Ta), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and soil water content (SWC)). The results indicated that for both pre- and post-thinning, the GPP exhibited an “increase-peak-decrease” response pattern to Rn, Ta and VPD. The GPP was dominated by Rn, and Rn regulated the response of GPP to Ta and VPD to some extent. The direct effects of SWC on GPP were weak and without obvious regularity. Thinning weakened the control effects of environmental factors on GPP. However, we found that thinning increased the response sensitivities of GPP to Rn, Ta and VPD before the response curves reached their peaks, that is, when the environmental factors were lower before the inhibitory effects manifested. After the response peaks, thinning generally alleviated the inhibitory effects of these factors. Although SWC did not have direct effects on GPP, it had potential effects on GPP. Under relatively high SWC conditions, weakened inhibitory effects of VPD on GPP were found after thinning. These results indicated that thinning altered the ecosystem response and may improve the natural resource use efficiency of this subtropical plantation.

There is less evidence on the association between long-term PM_2.5, O₃, greenness exposure and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), and the aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of PM_2.5, O₃ and greenness exposure on the risk of developing CMM.Our findings demonstrated that a 10 µg/m³ rise in PM_2.5 concentration led to a 23.8% increased CMM risk (HR = 1.238, 95%CI: 1.202,1.275). A 0.1 increase in NDVI reduced CMM risk by 18.9% (HR = 0.811, 95% CI: 0.779,0.845). A 10 µg/m³ O₃ concentration increase surprisingly lowered CMM risk by 30.8% (HR = 0.692, 95% CI: 0.649,0.738). Positive interactions were seen between high PM_2.5+low O₃ and low O₃ + low NDVI, while high PM_2.5+low NDVI had negative interactions regarding CMM. PM_2.5 mediated the link between NDVI and CMM, heart disease, and stroke.This study emphasizes that long-term high PM_2.5 exposure ups CMM risk in Chinese middle-aged and older adults, yet NDVI exposure reduces it, with PM_2.5 as a mediator. The O₃-CMM relationship remains unclear.

The thermal environment of urban public spaces is becoming increasingly prominent. As a mountainous, high-density city in southwestern China, Chongqing’s unique landscape and dense viaducts have fostered riverside parks and under-bridge parks, shaping diverse microclimate spaces for recreation. Field monitoring of microclimates in different outdoor activity spaces in the riverside and under-bridge parks in Chongqing during winter and spring analyzed the relationship between visitor numbers and thermal comfort, and explored the influence of thermal comfort on recreational activity types. Findings: (Peng et al. 2019) In spring, the thermal comfort in under-bridge spaces is enhanced compared to non-under-bridge spaces, with the thermal perception in under-bridge spaces reaching up to “slightly warm,” while the thermal perception in non-under-bridge spaces can reach “warm” even “hot” (ASHRAE 2010). In winter, visitor numbers at most of the outdoor spaces increased with rising PET values; conversely, they decreased with rising PET in spring (Cetina-Quiñones et al. 2024). thermal perception significantly influenced activity occurrence probability. When thermal comfort is “Cool” or “Slightly Cool”, people prefer low-intensity activities. When “Neutral”, all activity types occurred readily. When “Slightly Warm”, probabilities increased for fitness activities and social activities. The under-bridge spaces narrower thermal comfort range encourages fitness/ social activities (Lu et al. 2019). The non-under-bridge spaces maintained some activities at “Warm”/ “Hot” thermal perception with facility support. Based on the research findings, design strategies for microclimate adaptability are proposed, including the establishment of seasonally responsive facility optimization measures and dynamic activity guidance mechanisms for winter and spring, to enhance the recreational experience and urban space vitality in mountainous, high-density cities.

Thermal comfort and liveability in cities are affected by the Urban Heat Islands (UHI). It is commonly assumed that the impact of the UHI effect is less problematic on thermal comfort in colder climates, at nighttime, and in winter. Among heat mitigation strategies, modifying surface albedo has shown promise in regulating outdoor microclimates (Macintyre et al. 2021). While prior studies have examined albedo or geometry separately, their combined impact in enclosed spaces like courtyards remains underexplored, especially in cold semi-arid climates. This study fills that gap by analyzing how wall and pavement albedo interact with courtyard geometry to affect thermal comfort, offering seasonally responsive insights for climate-sensitive design in underrepresented climatic contexts. On-site measurements validated the ENVI-met model in January and June. Results show that high-albedo surfaces can reduce surface temperatures by up to 25 °C, yet significantly raise PET by up to 5 °C due to intensified radiant reflections, particularly from walls in high aspect-ratio courtyards. A square courtyard layout (1:1 aspect ratio) combined with medium wall albedo (0.3 to 0.4) and high pavement albedo (> 0.7) provides the most balanced thermal performance across both summer and winter. In site-constrained conditions where elongated courtyards are required, aspect ratios between 1:3 and 1:4, especially with NE–SW orientation, offer improved early-hour comfort and benefits when paired with medium-albedo walls (0.3–0.4) and high-albedo pavement surfaces (> 0.7). The findings highlight the importance of balancing reflectivity and enclosure effects in climate-responsive design guidelines.

This study investigated seasonal temperature variability in glycemic parameters and their clinical correlates in 8730 acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients admitted from 2013 to 2022. Patients were grouped by season of onset, with collection of demographic characteristics, laboratory results, admission NIHSS scores and meteorological data. After confounder adjustment, generalized additive model(GAM) was used to evaluate the correlation between ambient temperature, glycemic parameters and NIHSS scores, with interactions examined via season stratification. In patients with diabetes, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels in winter increased by 1.22 mmol/l (95% CI:1.14,1.29 mmol/l, P < 0.01) versus summer. General linear model analysis revealed lower FPG levels in summer (β = -0.083, 95% CI: -0.726, -0.062; P < 0.05) and autumn (β = -0.125, 95% CI: -0.590, -0.073; P < 0.05) versus winter. HbA1c demonstrated similar seasonal variation, particularly when values exceeding 7.0%, with spring-autumn differences reaching 0.81 units (95% CI: 0.61, 1.02; P < 0.05). HbA1c variations were most pronounced in spring (β = 0.201, 95% CI: 0.099, 0.557; P < 0.001) and summer (β = 0.107, 95% CI: 0.096, 0.449; P < 0.05) versus autumn. Winter admissions correlated with greater stroke severity, supported by 1 ◦C temperature decrease was associated with 2.5 (95% CI: -4.5, -0.5;P < 0.01) NIHSS scores increase. Of note, each 0.1 mmol/L increment in FPG corresponding to a 0.8 rise in NIHSS scores (95% CI: 0.5, 1.1, P < 0.01), while HbA1c showed no association. Our findings demonstrated AIS patients showed seasonal glucose fluctuations, with the highest hyperglycemia and severity in winter. The robust association between FPG and outcomes highlighted the need for seasonally-adjusted glucose management in high-risk populations.

Studies worldwide have reported an increase in suicide during hot weather. In summer, high temperature and intense sunlight often coincide, with the latter being a prerequisite for the former formation. However, little is known about whether and to what extent high temperature mediates the effect of sunlight on suicide. We obtained daily suicide death data in Anhui Province of China for the period from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. Both daily sunshine hours and daily solar radiation were employed to measure the sunlight exposure. The space-time-stratified case-crossover analysis was used to estimate the association between sunlight exposure and suicide deaths in high- and non-high-temperature weather during the warm season (May through September). A linear regression was then utilized to estimate the extent to which the association was mediated through temperature. Sunlight during the warm season demonstrated a protective effect on suicide in non-high-temperature weather but a hazardous effect in high-temperature weather. Further mediation analysis in high-temperature weather showed that the direct effect of sunlight on suicide deaths was more pronounced than the effect mediated through temperature. The proportion mediated through temperature in the association between sunshine hours and suicide deaths ranged from 11.27% to 18.37%, while the range for solar radiation and suicide deaths was lower (0.50% to 0.89%). Sunlight not only affects suicide risk but also has an indirect effect that is partially mediated through high temperature. Our findings need to be proven in distinct regions, aiming to better understand the role of sunlight and high temperature in triggering suicide.

Landscape trees are one of the most important urban carbon sinks, and their carbon sequestration capacity is influenced by the unique microclimates of urban built environments. However, the mechanisms underlying this influence remain complex and not fully understood. Here, we combined year-long field measurements of the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of landscape trees with ENVI-met microclimate simulation and machine learning to develop a predictive framework for a subtropical city. Our key findings revealed that the direct impact of urban microclimatic factors on Pn decreased in the order of solar radiation (SR) > relative humidity (RH) > carbon dioxide concentration (Ca) > air temperature (Ta). The random forest (RF) model demonstrated high predictive accuracy, yielding an R² of 0.86 for daily carbon sequestration and 0.98 for annual carbon sequestration. The simulation results show significant variations in tree Pn across different species in urban environments with organized building and road layouts. Furthermore, building height and tree placement introduced substantial spatial variability in carbon sequestration rates among trees of the same species. Differences in annual carbon sequestration between individual trees reached up to 37.67%. This mechanism-driven approach provides urban planners with a robust tool for optimizing green space design to enhance carbon sequestration, offering a practical strategy for supporting urban carbon neutrality goals.

Characterizing the flowering behavior and thermal requirements of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) genotypes is essential for guiding future breeding efforts and adapting cultivation practices under ongoing climate change. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on quince flowering phenology and associated thermal requirements. In this study, we investigated the bud and flowering phenology of 47 quince genotypes originating from Türkiye over three consecutive seasons under Mediterranean climate conditions. Phenological stages including bud break, bud burst, first bloom, full bloom, and end of bloom were recorded and expressed as day of the year (DOY), while effective flowering period and heat requirements were also calculated. Genotype and year had a significant influence on all phenological traits recorded. Bud break was observed as early as DOY 44, and flowering ended by DOY 108.3. Effective flowering periods ranged from 3.30 to 7.67 days, with genotype 2423 exhibiting both the earliest bloom and the longest effective flowering period. Heat accumulation between BBCH code 07 (bud break) and BBCH stage 65 (full bloom) was calculated in terms of growing degree days (GDD: 151.42–236.42) and growing degree hours (GDH: Anderson: 4,770.57–7,570.56; Richardson method: 5,444.47–8,028.20). Genotypes such as 2162 required the least heat input, while genotypes like 2760 showed the highest thermal demand for flowering. This study represents the most extensive classification of flowering phenology and heat requirement in quince to date. Results offer critical insights for selecting climate-resilient genotypes, identifying suitable cultivation zones, and supporting varietal registration through standardized flowering class assignments aligned with UPOV guidelines.

A comprehensive understanding of crop phenology and light dynamics, particularly the spatial variability of these interactions within the canopy, is critical for developing new strategies to enhance field-scale productivity. In pursuit of this, an innovative field experiment on winter maize was conducted during 2021–2023, aiming to elucidate the complex relationships among phenological development, canopy light balance components, and light use efficiency across diverse microenvironments. This study offers new insights into optimizing yield potential under real-world field conditions. Winter maize was sown on five dates at 10-day intervals, viz., 1st November, 10th November, 20th November, 30th November, and 10th December in two consecutive winter seasons (2021–22 and 2022–23) at Pusa (25.7°N, 87.5°E, 52 m), Bihar, situated in the middle Gangetic plains of India. The results revealed notable variations in the crop’s phenological responses across sowing dates. Delayed sowing extended the emergence phase but shortened the vegetative period, leading to an accelerated progression to reproductive stages. Moreover, key phenophases such as tasseling, silking, and milking occurred more rapidly in later sowings, likely due to variations in temperature and day length. Incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR_in) over the canopy was significantly affected by sowing date. This caused differences in intercepted, transmitted, and absorbed PAR depending on the crop stage and canopy density. Among all sowing dates, the 20th November sowing recorded the highest levels of intercepted and absorbed PAR, attributed to the maximum leaf area index. The fraction of absorbed PAR (fAPAR) consistently remained lower than the fraction of intercepted PAR (fIPAR) throughout the phenological stages. Additionally, fIPAR and the light extinction coefficient (k) exhibited logarithmic and linear relationships with leaf area index, respectively. The highest light use efficiency (5.72 g MJ^− 1) was achieved with the 20th November sowing, indicating effective utilization of the prevailing resource environment to maximize maize yield.