The results of 32 seasonal sampling sessions in 2000 were used to assess the dynamics of autotrophic picoplankton (APP), with special reference to the cyanobacterial component in Strzeszynskie Lake, a eutrophic lake in mid-western Poland. The abundance of picocyanobacteria (Pcy) fluctuated from 1.2x104 to 8.1x105cells mL-1 and the average abundance and biomass were 2.0x105cells mL-1 and 0.094 mg L-1, respectively. Pcy development was characterised by maxima in spring and summer. The summer maximum was twice the spring Pcy numbers. Eukaryotic APP (E-APP) were also present but in low numbers and their annual average contribution to the total APP community was only about 0.3% in abundance and about 3% in biomass. The spring Pcy community was dominated by single-celled cyanobacteria (S-Pcy) and in summer by colonial forms (C-Pcy). Throughout the sampling period, C-Pcy constituted on average 55% of the total Pcy and up to 90% in summer. C-Pcy abundance was significantly and positively correlated with water temperature (r=0.40, p=0.023, n=32). S-Pcy exhibited a distinct seasonal variation in FDC, ranging from 10% to 35%. Most FDC values above 30% were recorded from late May to mid July.

Seasonal fluctuations are as large as cyclical fluctuations. Monetary policy in the United States has dealt with seasonality by smoothing nominal rates of interest. The original motivation for this was that seasonality in nominal interest rates put recurring strain on the banking system. We build a model of monetary policy in the presence of seasonality that puts financial market conditions in the foreground. Our findings are as follows. Insulating nominal rates of interest or rates of inflation from seasonal variation are the basis for a formula for generating indeterminacy of equilibria and excess volatility. Preventing seasonality in the rate of monetary growth does not suffer from this problem. Moreover, under any method for conducting monetary policy, the setting of the target value of the monetary instrument will affect the degree of seasonal variability in most endogenous variables. This is a new channel by which monetary policy can have real effects. The case for eliminating seasonality in nominal rates of interest is strongest when seasonal impulses derive from shifts in money demand. It is weakest when seasonal impulses derive from the real sector.

Field experiments were carried out at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu State, India, for four consecutive years (1990–94), to monitor the seasonal activity of Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of gramineous borers, including the sugarcane shoot borer (Chilo infuscatellus Snellen), sugarcane internode borer (Chilo sacchariphagus indiens (Kapur) and sorghum stemborer (Chilo partellus Swinhoe) (all Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The highest levels of parasitism (0.0–17.9%) were recorded on Ch. partellus followed by Ch. sacchariphagus indiens (0.0–8.3%) and Ch. infuscatelliis (0.0–1.1%). The parasitoid was collected in Ch. partellus and Ch. sacchariphagus indiens in all the four study years, whereas it was not observed in Ch. infuscatelliis during 1993–94. Parasitism rates in Ch. partellus were positively correlated with minimum temperature and afternoon RH. In Ch. sacchariphagus indiens, parasitism levels showed significant negative correlation with minimum temperature. Parasitism rates in Ch. saccharipliagus indidus larvae collected during harvest from seven sugar factory areas of Tamil Nadu State were lower in 1992–93 (0.0–1.8%) and higher in 1993–94 (0.0–3.2%) than those recorded at Coimbatore in the corresponding period (December-March). Cotesia flavipes was the only larval parasitoid recorded from the borers both at Coimbatore and the seven sugar factory areas surveyed in Tamil Nadu.

Both milk production (MP) and conception rate (CR) of primi- and multiparous cows (P+M) in Israel are characterized by the same summer-autumn trough and winter-spring peak. Although there is no causal link between CR and MP (a simulation-model study explained the connection), monthly CR determines the number of dry cows 7 months later, at 2 months pre-calving. Inevitably, when the number of dry cows is low, MP is high, and vice versa.

Replacement heifers (RH) in Israel have a consistently high (64%) CR throughout the year. The same simulation model was used to investigate the effect of manipulated RH breeding on the herd MP pattern. When RH breeding was confined to the 3-month July to September (J-S) period during which CR is lowest for post-partum P+Ms, the monthly MP pattern in an otherwise year-round breeding dairy herd was the diametric opposite of the one produced by all-year RH breeding. When a uniform monthly quota was set for RH and P+M conceptions, and monthly RH conceptions were restricted to complement monthly P+M conceptions, the herd MP pattern became almost level. There did not appear to be any economic penalty attached to the planned RH conception system.

In practice it will not be possible to adhere to a strict monthly quota of conceptions, since there is a 1 to 2 month lag between insemination and confirmed conception. Estimates of individual farm monthly CR could be used, where available. Alternatively, if 40% of all RH inseminations were performed in J-S, the MP curve would be much flatter than under the present non-planned system of RH insemination.