scholarly journals Multiscale determinants of Pacific chorus frog occurrence in a developed landscape

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemma Green ◽  
Purnima Govindarajulu ◽  
Eric Higgs
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Landscape Conservation ◽  
Terrestrial Habitat ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Impervious Cover ◽  
Primary Driver ◽  
Chorus Frog

Abstract Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla) populations have persisted despite urban and rural development throughout the species’ range; yet it is possible that P. regilla, like other anurans with which it historically co-occurred, will become extirpated from cities and suburbs if urbanization intensifies as predicted. An improved understanding of the conditions that enable this species to persist in developed landscapes is needed to identify and conserve suitable habitats. We investigated species-habitat relationships for P. regilla in a mixed urban-rural landscape in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, to identify potential criteria for habitat suitability. We conducted repeat auditory surveys of chorusing males at 52 potential breeding wetlands and modeled occupancy at 26 of these sites using local and landscape variables representing competing hypotheses and spatial scales of influence. The models that best explained P. regilla occupancy included a combination of terrestrial habitat and connectivity factors and the presence of non-native predators. We found that the proportion of impervious cover within 250 m of a wetland had the strongest negative impact on occupancy. Our findings suggest that availability of terrestrial habitat adjacent to breeding sites is the primary driver of species presence in the developed landscape. Conservation efforts should seek to limit impervious cover to less than 20% within a 250-m buffer around breeding wetlands. Further, restored and created wetlands in urban and rural areas may be more likely to support P. regilla if they are designed with a seasonal hydroperiod that excludes non-native aquatic predators and are placed in an area of high pond density.

scholarly journals Spatial Pattern of Farmland Abandonment in Japan: Identification and Determinants

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guandong Su ◽  
Hidenori Okahashi ◽  
Lin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Farm Household ◽  
Farmland Abandonment

In recent years, Japan has undergone an unprecedented increase in farmland abandonment, which not only causes serious environmental problems and rural landscape loss, but also has a significant impact on socio-economic conditions and the livelihood of Japanese farmers. Many studies have analyzed farmland abandonment and its processes and drivers at multiple scales; however, few have focused on East Asia, especially Japan, which is a heavily depopulated country in rural areas suffering from serious abandonment. Therefore, this study attempts to shed light on the spatial patterns and determinants of farmland abandonment in Japan. For this analysis, we used the former municipalities defined in 1950 at a national scale as unit samples. Consequently, the spatial patterns, characteristics and variations of farmland abandonment in Japan are displayed. As for the drivers or determinants, we adopted ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) by categorizing the determinants into geographical and socio-economic aspects. We have found that, firstly, farmland abandonment in Japan exhibits a significantly uneven pattern. While taking the farmland abandonment rate as a measurement, the results demonstrate that most abandoned farmland is positively correlated with slope and is highly clustered in the Kanto, Chubu and Chugoku Shikoku regions, compared to other regions that are suitable for agricultural production, such as the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions. Secondly, the arable land ratio of self-sufficient farm households, the ratio of non-successor farm households and the number of laborers per farm household positively affect abandonment. In contrast, arable land area per farm household and paddy field density have a negative impact on abandonment. Thirdly, the determinants are spatially varied among study regions. Farmland abandonment is driven by interactions of multiple determinants and depends on specific local circumstances. Such results can contribute to the understanding of farmland abandonment in Japan, promoting the maintenance of farmland and sustainable agriculture.

Worldview-2 and Landsat 8 Satellite Data for Seaweed Mapping along Karachi Coast

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Danish Siddiqui ◽  
Arjumand Z Zaidi
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Data ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Coverage Area ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Marine Plant

<span>Seaweed is a marine plant or algae which has economic value in many parts of the world. The purpose of <span>this study is to evaluate different satellite sensors such as high-resolution WorldView-2 (WV2) satellite <span>data and Landsat 8 30-meter resolution satellite data for mapping seaweed resources along the coastal<br /><span>waters of Karachi. The continuous monitoring and mapping of this precious marine plant and their <span>breeding sites may not be very efficient and cost effective using traditional survey techniques. Remote <span>Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) can provide economical and more efficient <span>solutions for mapping and monitoring coastal resources quantitatively as well as qualitatively at both <span>temporal and spatial scales. Normalized Difference Vegetation Indices (NDVI) along with the image <span>enhancement techniques were used to delineate seaweed patches in the study area. The coverage area of <span>seaweed estimated with WV-2 and Landsat 8 are presented as GIS maps. A more precise area estimation <span>wasachieved with WV-2 data that shows 15.5Ha (0.155 Km<span>2<span>)of seaweed cover along Karachi coast that is <span>more representative of the field observed data. A much larger area wasestimated with Landsat 8 image <span>(71.28Ha or 0.7128 Km<span>2<span>) that was mainly due to the mixing of seaweed pixels with water pixels. The <span>WV-2 data, due to its better spatial resolution than Landsat 8, have proven to be more useful than Landsat<br /><span>8 in mapping seaweed patches</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></span></span></span></span>

scholarly journals The Impact of RDP Measures on the Diversification of Agriculture and Rural Development—Seeking Additional Livelihoods: The Case of Poland

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 253
Author(s):  
Mirosław Biczkowski ◽  
Aleksandra Jezierska-Thöle ◽  
Roman Rudnicki
Keyword(s):  
Rural Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Spatial Diversity ◽  
Agricultural Activities ◽  
Synthetic Index ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

The paper’s main aim is to assess the measures implemented within the Rural Development Program (RDP) 2007–2013 in Poland. This programme is dedicated to the diversification of business activities in rural areas and rural livelihood and, thus, the improvement of the multifunctionality of rural areas. The analysis covered two measures from Axis 3, Improvement of the quality of life in rural areas and diversification of rural economy: M311, diversification into non-agricultural activities; and M312, Establishment and development of micro-enterprise. The study and the discussion are presented from a geographical perspective and, in a broader context, take into account several conditions (natural, urban, agricultural and historical) and the spatial diversity of the allocation of European Union (EU) funds. Models of a policy of multifunctional rural development, implemented after accession to the EU, are presented. The research’s spatial scope covers Poland’s territory on two spatial scales: the system of regions (16 NUTS2 units) and poviats (314 LAU level 1 units). The analysis covers all the projects implemented in Poland under the two measures of Axis 3 of the RDP 2007–2013. A set of conditions was prepared for all LAU1 units, forming the background for assessing the impact of the EU funds on the development of non-agricultural activities. To determine the relationship between the RDP measures and the selected groups of conditions, a synthetic index and a correlation index are used. They are also used to determine the mutual relations between the two analyzed activities in terms of the spatial scales used. Access to the EU funds (RDP) has considerably enlarged the opportunities for accelerating agricultural modernisation and restructuration towards multifunctional development, as well as the opportunities for implementing new development and work methods in the countryside in Poland. The attractiveness of the two studied RDP measures varied across regions. The beneficiaries’ activity depended on the local potential (resources), culture and tradition of the region, and size and potential of the farm. In the areas where agriculture is deeply rooted, beneficiaries were more willing to engage in ventures tapping into the resources available in their farms. Thus, they create additional livelihood of income and workplaces for household members. In turn, the beneficiaries from the areas where farms are smaller and economically weaker often undertake activities related to setting up a new business (outside farming).

scholarly journals LEGACY OF PATRIARCHAL GOD AND THE POLITICS OF MYTH-MAKING: LOCATING THE GENDERED POSITION IN RELIGIOUS VISUAL ART

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Abhijit Maity
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Visual Art ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Indian Society ◽  
Visual Images ◽  
Male Counterpart ◽  
The Family ◽  
Women In India

This essay discusses how the imagination of women in India is framed up by the gender-biased mythical representations. By looking at the mythical representations that are circulated through centuries in many popular mages, paintings and calendar-portraits, a discursive pattern can be found that has positioned women in a secondary level, belonging to men. The family itself becomes a political site in the process of normalizing women’s submissiveness to men by comparing their actions with the Goddesses. By interrogating the gendered position of Goddess like Lakshmi and her male counterpart Lord Vishnu, this essay attempts to problematize with the mode of representation in religious visual images. I conclude by arguing that these religious representations in visual images have negative impact on the Hindu women, especially, in rural areas and thus keep the unhealthy gender role intact in Indian society.

scholarly journals Mental health disorders among students from rural areas three months after returning to school: a cross-sectional study among Polish students (12-13 y.o.)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Długosz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Mental Condition ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Returning To School

Abstract: Background: All over the world, the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and adolescents’ mental health is observed. The conducted research aims to verify whether returning to schools, to the education inside the classroom in the company of their peers, improved or undermined the students’ mental health. Metods: The study was carried out on a sample of students inhabiting rural areas in a borderland region. The research sample was collected using purposive sampling and consisted of 552 respondents from 7th and 8th grades of primary school. An auditorium questionnaire was used to gather the research material. Results: Three months after returning to school, the students are in a bad mental condition. 61% of the respondents are satisfied with their lives, 52% of the respondents show symptoms of depression measured with the WHO-5 index, whereas 85% of them have average and high stress levels as measured with the PSSC scale. Higher levels of mental disorders was observed among females, the students inhabiting villages and evaluating their financial status as worse. Conclusions: Returning to schools failed to have a positive impact on the students’ mental health. Disorders occurring at a large scale will have a negative influence on the students’ performance and hinder their re-adaptation to school. Educational authorities shall immediately provide the students with support and monitor the situation in the next months.

scholarly journals HERZEGOVINIAN TOBACCO HERITAGE: THE FLOURISHING OF PRODUCTION, DEVELOPMENT SMAGGLING AND FOREMOST SMUGGLING ROUTES

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 69-94
Keyword(s):  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
Industrial Processing ◽  
Production Development ◽  
Tobacco Production ◽  
The Social ◽  
Tobacco Cultivation

This article analyzes the historical - geographical features and changes in tobacco cultivation in Herzegovina (region of Bosnia and Herzegovina), for a period of 17 century until the late 20th century. The aim of this paper is to investigate the importance of tobacco, both in terms of economic and social significance, and the valorization of rural areas in Herzegovina. Special attention was paid to the smuggling of products, focusing on the time and route of smuggling routes. During the Austro - Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most important period for the production of tobacco and the social and economic prosperity in rural areas, but also smuggling tobacco during this period, and the most intense, and the fight against it. In this period began in the industrial processing of tobacco and manufacturing cigarettes. Since the 1970s appears outflow of population from rural to industrial centers, both locally and in Western European countries. It happens layering the villages, leaving the agricultural lands and start a negative impact on agricultural production which causes the marginalization of tobacco production.

scholarly journals Towards evenly distributed grazing patterns: including social context in sheep management strategies

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustina di Virgilio ◽  
Juan Manuel Morales
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Domestic Sheep ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Landscape Conservation ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Rangeland Degradation ◽  
Natural Grasslands

Background.A large proportion of natural grasslands around the world is exposed to overgrazing resulting in land degradation and biodiversity loss. Although there is an increasing effort in the promotion of sustainable livestock management, rangeland degradation still occurs because animals’ foraging behaviour is highly selective at different spatial scales. The assessment of the ecological mechanisms modulating the spatial distribution of grazing and how to control it has critical implications for long term conservation of resources and the sustainability of livestock production. Considering the relevance of social interactions on animals’ space use patterns, our aim was to explore the potential effects of including animals’ social context into management strategies using domestic sheep grazing in rangelands as case study.Methods.We used GPS data from 19 Merino sheep (approximately 10% of the flock) grazing on three different paddocks (with sizes from 80 to 1000 Ha) during a year, to estimate resource selection functions of sheep grazing in flocks of different levels of heterogeneity. We assessed the effects of sheep class (i.e., ewes, wethers, and hoggets), age, body condition and time since release on habitat selection patterns.Results.We found that social rank was reflected on sheep habitat use, where dominant individuals (i.e., reproductive females) used more intensively the most preferred areas and low-ranked (i.e., yearlings) used less preferred areas. Our results showed that when sheep grazed on more heterogeneous flocks, grazing patterns were more evenly distributed at all the paddocks considered in this study. On the other hand, when high-ranked individuals were removed from the flock, low-ranked sheep shifted their selection patterns by increasing the use of the most preferred areas and strongly avoided to use less preferred sites (i.e., a highly selective grazing behaviour).Discussion.Although homogenization and segregation of flocks by classes are common practices to increase flock productivity, we are proposing an alternative that employs behavioural interactions in heterogeneous flocks to generate more evenly distributed grazing patterns. This practice can be combined with other practices such as rotational grazing and guardian dogs (to decrease mortality levels that may be generated by sheep grazing on more risky habitats). This does not imply any modifications of livestock stocking rates and densities or any additional investments for labour and materials. Considering livestock behaviour is critical for the design of sustainable management practices that balance landscape conservation and livestock productivity.

scholarly journals Demographic dynamics, urban-rural divides and the (changing) mother's age at birth in Greece: a regional analysis, 1980–2016

2018 ◽  
pp. 67-86
Author(s):  
Luca Salvati ◽  
Ilaria Zambon
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
Fertility Trends ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Mother’S Age ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Age At Birth

Being more sensitive to economic fluctuations, childbearing postponement increased during the second demographic transition and was accompanied by a moderate decline in the number of children per woman and the progressive rise of mother’s age at first birth. Under the hypothesis that recessions have a marked influence on population dynamics, the present study investigates spatial changes in mother’s age at birth in Greece with the aim to assess the differential impact of economic crisis along the urban-rural gradient. The percent composition of births by mother's age class – considered a gross indicator of fertility under a changing socioeconomic context – was studied at 4 spatial scales (the whole country, administrative regions, prefectures and metropolitan areas or specific economic districts) over an economic cycle from expansion to recession (1980–2016). While stimulating childbearing postponement observed since the early 1980s, empirical results of this study indicate that the 2007 recession was quite neutral on fertility trends in Greece, consolidating the traditional divide between urban and rural areas.

scholarly journals The Impact of Debt Burden on the Number of Suicides in the Russian Regions

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-117
Author(s):  
Svetlana Doroshenko ◽  
◽  
Olga Sanaeva ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Unemployment Rate ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Debt Burden ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Impact

Population size is one of the most important parameters of national social and economic systems. This parameter is controlled by a variety of factors (components) that form ambiguous and complex feedback circuits. The most important issue is the study of the behavioral reactions of the population, which form certain parameters of the dynamics of the population. The authors consider only one behavioral reaction that seems to them to be important – the propensity for suicide, which ultimately leads to the formation of the suicide dynamics and which entails serious socio-economic and demographic losses. We put an emphasis on assessing the impact of financial parameters, namely households’ debt burden, on the suicide rates in the Russian regions. An econometric assessment of the influence of individual debt on the number of suicides among other socio-economic factors (unemployment rate, logarithm of GRP per capita, divorce rate, number of patients with mental disorders, average actual working week, number of alcoholics) was carried out for the regions among rural, urban populations and total. We use panel data for 80 Russian regions covering the period from 2005 to 2018. We apply the generalized method of moments (GMM) using Stata 14 statistical package. The empirical analysis demonstrates negative impact of the amount of individual debt on the number of suicides in the regions of Russia, which contradicts the results of similar studies conducted for developed economies. At the same time, some results obtained earlier in domestic and foreign studies have been confirmed, including an existence of a parabolic (U-shaped) dependence between the length of working hours and the suicide rates in the regions of the Russian Federation. In addition, there is a direct connection between an increase in the committed suicides and an increase in divorce rates and the number of patients with mental disorders. Moreover, we find out that the rise in unemployment rate and alcohol consumption leads to an increase in the number of committed suicides. This effect is especially perceptible among the people living in rural areas

scholarly journals Trends in crop production as a factor of ensuring food security of the Perm Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 213 (10) ◽  
pp. 81-92
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Shalaeva
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sown Area ◽  
Perm Region

Abstract. Goal. The assessment of the main trends in the activity of agricultural producers in crop production was carried out in order to substantiate the possibilities of the Perm Region for self-sufficiency with the main types of food resources in the presence of adverse effects of natural and climatic conditions. Methods. A statistical analysis was carried out using grouping and comparison methods based on the official statistics of the Perm Region for 2016-2020. Results. In accordance with the social and geographical specifics of the Perm Region, on the territory of which rural areas predominate, the largest volume of crop production is produced in the households of the population (up to 58 %), whose activities are characterized by the lowest level of stability and are more susceptible to the negative impact of natural and climatic conditions. The activity of agricultural organizations (share up to 36 %) and farms (share up to 8 %) is more stable. A higher level of dependence on natural and climatic conditions was revealed in the field of potato production, a lower level – in the field of grain and vegetables production of protected soil. The risk is reinforced by the fact that up to 70 % of the natural volume of potatoes and more than 80% of vegetables are produced in households. With a decrease in the total sown area by 1.2 %, there is a decrease in the sown area of potatoes by 15 % and vegetables by 6 %. The identified trends allowed us to identify the risk of reducing the level of food self-sufficiency of the Perm Region with potatoes and vegetables. The insecurity of domestic potato consumption in the Perm Region is, according to preliminary data, 13 % in 2020. The presence of risk was also revealed for vegetables, the internal consumption of the region was provided with vegetable products of its own production by an average of 56% during the study period. The results obtained allow us to identify the directions of optimization of the Perm Region strategy in solving the problems of food self-sufficiency. Scientific novelty. The dynamics of factors of crop production (structure, yield, acreage, intensification) is assessed taking into account the social, geographical, natural and climatic specifics of the Perm Region through the prism of the impact on the regional food balance and the level of self-sufficiency of the region with potatoes and vegetables.

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