Industrial Data Science for Batch Manufacturing Processes

Batch processes show several sources of variability, from raw materials' properties to initial and evolving conditions that change during the different events in the manufacturing process. In this chapter, we will illustrate with an industrial example how to use machine learning to reduce this apparent excess of data while maintaining the relevant information for process engineers. Two common use cases will be presented: 1) AutoML analysis to quickly find correlations in batch process data, and 2) trajectory analysis to monitor and identify anomalous batches leading to process control improvements

Differences in biochemical, gas exchange and hydraulic response to water stress in desiccation tolerant and sensitive fronds of the fern Anemia caffrorum

Desiccation tolerant plants can survive extreme water loss in their vegetative tissues. The fern Anemia caffrorum produces desiccation tolerant (DT) fronds in the dry season and desiccation sensitive (DS) fronds in the wet season, providing a unique opportunity to explore the physiological mechanisms associated with desiccation tolerance. Anemia caffrorum plants with either DT or DS fronds were acclimated in growth chambers. Photosynthesis, frond structure and anatomy, water relations and minimum conductance to water vapour were measured under well-watered conditions. Photosynthesis, hydraulics, frond pigments, antioxidants and abscisic acid contents were monitored under water deficit. A comparison between DT and DS fronds under well-watered conditions showed that the former presented higher leaf mass per area, minimum conductance, tissue elasticity and lower CO2 assimilation. Water deficit resulted in a similar induction of abscisic acid in both frond types, but DT fronds maintained higher stomatal conductance and upregulated more prominently lipophilic antioxidants. The seasonal alternation in production of DT and DS fronds in A. caffrorum represents a mechanism by which carbon gain can be maximized during the rainy season, and a greater investment in protective mechanisms occurs during the hot dry season, enabling the exploitation of episodic water availability.This work was supported by the projects CTM2014-53902-C2-1-P from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and PGC2018-093824-B-C41/PGC2018-093824-B-C44 from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MCIU, Spain) and the ERDF; and the Basque Government (grant UPV/EHU IT-1018-16, Spain). MN was supported by the MINECO and the European Social Fund (predoctoral fellowship BES-2015-072578). AVP-C was supported by the Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte (MECD; pre-doctoral fellowship FPU-02054). MIA was supported by a pre-doctoral grant from the Basque Government. We thank the technical support for microscopy preparation provided by the Universitat de Valencia (Seccio de Microscopia Electrnica, SCSIE), Dr. Ferran Hierro (UIB, Serveis Cientificotecnics) and Margalida Roig Oliver (UIB). JMF provided funding for work conducted in South Africa from her South African Department of Science and Innovation, National Research Foundation Research Chair, grant no. 9840

Differences in biochemical, gas exchange and hydraulic response to water stress in desiccation tolerant and sensitive fronds of the fern Anemia caffrorum

Desiccation tolerant plants can survive extreme water loss in their vegetative tissues. The fern Anemia caffrorum produces desiccation tolerant (DT) fronds in the dry season and desiccation sensitive (DS) fronds in the wet season, providing a unique opportunity to explore the physiological mechanisms associated with desiccation tolerance. Anemia caffrorum plants with either DT or DS fronds were acclimated in growth chambers. Photosynthesis, frond structure and anatomy, water relations and minimum conductance to water vapour were measured under well-watered conditions. Photosynthesis, hydraulics, frond pigments, antioxidants and abscisic acid contents were monitored under water deficit. A comparison between DT and DS fronds under well-watered conditions showed that the former presented higher leaf mass per area, minimum conductance, tissue elasticity and lower CO2 assimilation. Water deficit resulted in a similar induction of abscisic acid in both frond types, but DT fronds maintained higher stomatal conductance and upregulated more prominently lipophilic antioxidants. The seasonal alternation in production of DT and DS fronds in A. caffrorum represents a mechanism by which carbon gain can be maximized during the rainy season, and a greater investment in protective mechanisms occurs during the hot dry season, enabling the exploitation of episodic water availability.This work was supported by the projects CTM2014-53902-C2-1-P from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and PGC2018-093824-B-C41/PGC2018-093824-B-C44 from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MCIU, Spain) and the ERDF; and the Basque Government (grant UPV/EHU IT-1018-16, Spain). MN was supported by the MINECO and the European Social Fund (predoctoral fellowship BES-2015-072578). AVP-C was supported by the Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte (MECD; pre-doctoral fellowship FPU-02054). MIA was supported by a pre-doctoral grant from the Basque Government. We thank the technical support for microscopy preparation provided by the Universitat de Valencia (Seccio de Microscopia Electrnica, SCSIE), Dr. Ferran Hierro (UIB, Serveis Cientificotecnics) and Margalida Roig Oliver (UIB). JMF provided funding for work conducted in South Africa from her South African Department of Science and Innovation, National Research Foundation Research Chair, grant no. 9840

Partial asynchrony of coniferous forest carbon sources and sinks at the intra-annual time scale

As major terrestrial carbon sinks, forests play an important role in mitigating climate change. The relationship between the seasonal uptake of carbon and its allocation to woody biomass remains poorly understood, leaving a significant gap in our capacity to predict carbon sequestration by forests. Here, we compare the intra-annual dynamics of carbon fluxes and wood formation across the Northern hemisphere, from carbon assimilation and the formation of non-structural carbon compounds to their incorporation in woody tissues. We show temporally coupled seasonal peaks of carbon assimilation (GPP) and wood cell differentiation, while the two processes are substantially decoupled during off-peak periods. Peaks of cambial activity occur substantially earlier compared to GPP, suggesting the buffer role of non-structural carbohydrates between the processes of carbon assimilation and allocation to wood. Our findings suggest that high-resolution seasonal data of ecosystem carbon fluxes, wood formation and the associated physiological processes may reduce uncertainties in carbon source-sink relationships at different spatial scales, from stand to ecosystem levels.O

Symbiosis at its limits: ecophysiological consequences of lichenization to the genus Prasiola in Antarctica

Lichens represent a symbiotic relationship between at least one fungal and one photosynthetic partner. The association between the lichen-forming fungus Mastodia tessellata (Verrucariaceae) and different species of Prasiola (Trebouxiophyceae) has an amphipolar distribution and represents a unique case study for the understanding of lichen symbiosis because of the macroalgal nature of the photobiont, the flexibility of the symbiotic interaction and the co-existence of free-living and lichenized forms in the same microenvironment. In this context, we aimed to (1) characterize the photosynthetic performance of co-occurring populations of free-living and lichenized Prasiola and (2) assess the effect of the symbiosis on water relations in Prasiola, including its tolerance of desiccation and its survival and performance under sub-zero temperatures

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km² resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e., offset) between in-situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km² pixels (summarized from 8500 unique temperature sensors) across all the world’s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in-situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications.publishedVersio

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0\u20135 and 5\u201315 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10\ub0C (mean = 3.0 \ub1 2.1\ub0C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 \ub1 2.3\ub0C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler ( 120.7 \ub1 2.3\ub0C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications