Long-term changes of plumage between urban and rural populations of white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Abstract Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of land transformation and results in changes to ecosystems and species compositions. As a result, there are strong directional selection pressures compared to nearby rural areas. Despite a surge in research on the different selection pressures on acoustic communication in urban and rural areas, there has been comparatively little investigation into traits involved with visual communication. We measured the plumage of museum specimens of white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) from urban and adjacent rural habitats in San Francisco, CA, to assess the effects of divergent habitats on plumage. We found significant differences in dorsal plumage, but not crown plumage, between urban and rural populations that have been diverging over the past 100 years. Urban birds have increasingly darker and duller dorsal plumage, whereas rural birds in adjacent areas have plumage with richer hues and more color complexity. Our findings suggest a newly observed adaptation to urban environments by native species and suggest that many traits, in addition to acoustic signals, may be changing in response to urban selection pressures. Additional collections in urban areas are needed to explore likely divergences in plumage coloration between urban and rural environments.

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Damage assessment mapping of rural environments; integration of SAR and Optical data

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9202 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shiran Havivi ◽

Stanley R. Rotman ◽

Dan G. Blumberg ◽

Shimrit Maman

Keyword(s):

Natural Disaster ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Damage Assessment ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Optical Data ◽

Damage Level ◽

Rural Environments ◽

Rural And Urban

The damage caused by a natural disaster in rural areas differs in nature, extent, landscape and in structure, from the damage in urban environments. Previous and current studies focus mainly on mapping damaged structures in urban areas after catastrophe events such as an earthquake or tsunami. Yet, research focusing on the damage level or its distribution in rural areas is absent. In order to apply an emergency response and for effective disaster management, it is necessary to understand and characterize the nature of the damage in each different environment.&#160;Havivi et al. (2018), published a damage assessment algorithm that makes use of SAR images combined with optical data, for rapid mapping and compiling a damage assessment map following a natural disaster. The affected areas are analyzed using interferometric SAR (InSAR) coherence. To overcome the loss of coherence caused by changes in vegetation, optical images are used to produce a mask by computing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and removing the vegetated area from the scene. Due to the differences in geomorphological settings and landuse\landcover between rural and urban settlements, the above algorithm is modified and adjusted by inserting the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) to better suit rural environments and their unique response after a disaster. MNDWI is used for detection, identification and extraction of waterbodies (such as irrigation canals, streams, rivers, lakes, etc.), allowing their removal which causes lack of coherence at the post stage of the event. Furthermore, it is used as an indicator for highlighting prone regions that might be severely affected pre disaster event. Thresholds are determined for the co-event coherence map (&#8804; 0.5), the NDVI (&#8805; 0.4) and the MNDWI (&#8805; 0), and the three layers are combined into one. Based on the combined map, a damage assessment map is generated.&#160;As a case study, this algorithm was applied to the areas affected by multi-hazard event, following the Sulawesi earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Palu, Indonesia, which occurred on September 28th, 2018. High-resolution COSMO-SkyMed images pre and post the event, alongside a Sentinel-2 image pre- event are used as inputs. The output damage assessment map provides a quantitative assessment and spatial distribution of the damage in both the rural and urban environments. The results highlight the applicability of the algorithm for a variety of disaster events and sensors. In addition, the results enhance the contribution of the water component to the analysis pre and post the event in rural areas. Thus, while in urban regions the spatial extent of the damage will occur in its proximity to the coastline or the fault, rural regions, even in significant distance will experience extensive damage due secondary hazards as liquefaction processes.&#160; &#160; &#160;

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Functional links between rural and urban areas in the territory of the city of Banja Luka and the perspective of their development

Economics of Sustainable Development ◽

10.5937/esd2002050t ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 49-62

Author(s):

Milan Tomić ◽

Sandra Rover ◽

Bojan Pejović ◽

Nina Uremović

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Urban Center ◽

Rural And Urban Areas ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Political Dimensions ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Banja Luka

Different types of interactions between rural and urban areas have the effect of improving economic, social, cultural and political dimensions in both areas, separating these two areas by their type of activity. Rural and urban types of regions have different resources and means that can be used in a complementary way. In rural-urban interaction there is a possibility of occurrence of conflict of interest of these two areas. This kind of conflict should be overcome when applying the partnership approach between rural and urban areas. The types of rural areas, depending on the proximity of the urban center and the functions of these areas, are divided into suburban, agricultural and remote type areas. By determining the functions of each type of area, the type and intensity of the interactions of rural areas with the urban center are presented. Rural entrepreneurs are able to bridge rural-urban differences, possessing certain market knowledge and descriptions of the characteristics of urban environments, while benefiting from their position. Rural entrepreneurs' interaction with the urban environment can contribute to sustainable economic relations between citizens in urban and rural areas. This paper presents the results of research related to determining the functions of certain areas, their strengths, unused and utilized resources, the frequency of interaction with the urban environment and the perspectives of suburban, agricultural and remote type areas in the context of interaction with the urban environment.

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Comparative Stress Response of Black and Gold Howler Monkey (Alouatta caraya) in Urban and Rural Environments of Northern Argentina

Folia Primatologica ◽

10.1159/000518719 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Julieta Fernández ◽

Marina F. Ponzio ◽

Verónica I. Cantarelli ◽

Julie A. Clennon ◽

María Sol Gennuso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Primate Species ◽

Howler Monkey ◽

Human Populations ◽

Alouatta Caraya ◽

Howler Monkeys ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Rural Environments ◽

Urban And Rural Areas

The expansion of human populations associated with urbanization results in extensive modification of natural habitats. While many species cannot persist in these highly modified environments, some species adopt new strategies, which contribute to their survival. Several primate species have persisted in altered habitats, including members of the genus Alouatta. To improve our understanding of this interplay, we compared glucocorticoid (GCC) levels in male and female black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in urban and rural areas in northeastern Argentina. Fecal samples (n = 60) were collected from adults and hormone extracts were analyzed by enzyme immunoassays (EIA). Monkeys living in urban areas (females: 109.15 ± 18.83; males: 106.15 ± 10.48) had lower GCClevels than monkeys living in rural areas (females: 152.01 ± 19.50; males:139,82 ± 10.85). Interestingly, males living in urban areas had lower GCC levels compared to those living in rural areas, whereas no differences were observed in GCC levels between females living in urban and rural areas. While these results suggest that urban areas may provide a release from intergroup competition for male howler monkeys, future work is needed to better understand the dynamics of this association to best inform management and conservation of this vulnerable species.

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Integrating data from different sensors for damage assessment after a natural disaster in rural areas

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-1190 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shiran Havivi ◽

Shimrit Maman ◽

Stanley R. Rotman ◽

Dan G. Blumberg

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Damage Assessment ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Optical Data ◽

Rural Settlements ◽

Damage Level ◽

Disaster Relief Operations ◽

Rural Environments ◽

Damage Mapping

Rapid damage mapping following a disaster event is critical to ensure that the emergency response in the affected area is prompt and efficient. Amongst major disasters, earthquakes are characterized as unpredictable and of high frequency of occurrence. Previous and current studies focus mainly on the mapping of damaged structures in urban areas after an event such as an earthquake disaster. Yet, research focusing on the damage level or its distribution in rural areas is absent. According to the UN, nearly half of the world's population lives in rural areas and is expected to rise. Furthermore, their resources and capabilities for disaster relief operations are limited. Therefore, there is a great importance to assess the damage following a disaster in these areas.The primary aim of this study is to characterize and assess the damage (level and extent), temporally and spatially, following an earthquake event, in rural settlements. This will allow producing an algorithm suitable for rural area rapid mapping, which will contribute to our understanding and will provide insights of the damage extent and will allow a better response and access to the affected regions and remote population.For this purpose, a damage assessment algorithm that will map the damage in both urban and rural environments is proposed. This algorithm makes use of combining SAR and optical data for rapid damage mapping.As a case study we will demonstrate this algorithm using the areas affected by the Sulawesi earthquake and subsequent tsunami event in Indonesia that occurred on 28 September 2018. High-resolution COSMO-SkyMed images pre and post the event, alongside a Sentinel-2 image pre- event are used as inputs.The affected areas were analyzed with the SAR data using interferometric SAR (InSAR) coherence map. To overcome the loss of coherence caused by changes in vegetation cover, a vegetation mask was applied by using the NDVI to identify (and remove) vegetated areas from the coherence map. Then, thresholds were determined for the co-event coherence map (&#8804; 0.5) and the NDVI (&#8805; 0.4) and the two layers were combined into one. Based on the combined map, a damage assessment map was generated by using GIS spatial statistic tools (Fishnet and Zonal statistics). This map provides a quantitative assessment of the nature and distribution of the damage in rural and urban environments, as well the differences of damage features between them. The preliminary results show that while in urban area many structures were damaged, still in the rural areas the damage is larger, since most of the structures were damaged or even destroyed.

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Urban and Rural Sustainability: Divergent Concepts and Their Consequences for Marketing

Frontiers in Sustainability ◽

10.3389/frsus.2021.670866 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Katrin Zulauf ◽

Ralf Wagner

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Rural Sustainability ◽

Rural Environments ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Wide Range ◽

Sustainable Marketing ◽

Research Questions ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Value Belief Norm Theory

Most sustainability innovations are adapted to the needs of urban areas. These innovations are either not offered at all in rural areas (e.g., car sharing) or require massive effort and restrictions to be usable or effective (e.g., ride sharing). Delving deeper than the description scholarly research needs to clarify consumers' conceptualization of sustainability in urban and rural areas. Notably, the extent to which sustainable innovations are adopted and their associated adoption dynamics with the consequences for marketers, consumers and society differ between urban and rural. Two research questions are pressing: (i) How do conceptualizations of sustainability differ between rural and urban living consumers? (ii) Which consequences for sustainable marketing management arise from differences and similarities of upstream innovations with downstream dynamics in urban and rural areas? Despite the wide range of previous research, the question of whether consumers living in urban and rural areas have a similar understanding of “sustainability” has not been comprehensively addressed. We consider the literature on both the intention-action gap in sustainability and Value-Belief-Norm Theory. This provides researchers with guidance to reveal divergences in values, motives and enablers for sustainability among people in urban and rural areas. Studies that deepen the understanding of how innovative service and product offers need to be designed to the specificities of urban and rural environments, contribute to clarifying consumers' intention-action gap.

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Spatial and ontogenetic variation in susceptibility to polarotacticecological traps

10.1101/282046 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Giovanna Villalobos-Jiménez ◽

Rochelle Meah ◽

Christopher Hassall

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Rural Populations ◽

Environmental Cues ◽

Mature Adults ◽

Ischnura Elegans ◽

Controlled Conditions ◽

Polarised Light ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

The Many

AbstractEcological traps occur when environmental cues become unreliable, causing an evolutionary mismatch between features of the environment and expected outcome that leads to suboptimal behavioural responses and, ultimately, reduced fitness. Ecological traps arise due to anthropogenic disturbance in the environment introducing novel elements that mimic those environmental cues. Therefore, ecological traps represent a strong selective pressure in areas where anthropogenic changes are frequent, such as cities. However, given the exposure to these traps over generations, localised adaptations to ecological traps might be expected in urban populations. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) are one of the many taxa vulnerable to ecological traps: odonates use horizontally polarised light as a cue of suitable water bodies, although some artificial surfaces also reflect horizontally polarised light strongly, thus misleading odonates to oviposit preferentially on these unsuitable surfaces rather than in water. Here, we compare the behavioural response to horizontally polarised light between urban and rural populations of the odonate Ischnura elegans to test the potential for localised adaptations to ecological traps. Laboratory choice experiments were performed using field-caught adults from urban and rural areas, and individuals reared in controlled conditions to account for environmental variation and exposure to polarised light. We also studied the association between ontogeny and polarotaxis that has been suggested – but not empirically tested – by other studies. The results showed that field-caught rural individuals had a significantly stronger preference for horizontally polarised light compared to urban individuals, suggesting there is strong selection against polarotaxis in urban areas. However, individuals reared in controlled conditions showed no difference between urban and rural populations, suggesting that there has not yet been adaptation in urban odonates. Instead, adults developed a strong preference for horizontally polarised light with increasing age, showing that mature adults are more prone to ecological traps. Possible mechanisms driving this response are discussed.

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Il declino della mortalitŕ durante l'infanzia nella Spagna urbana e rurale, 1860-1930

STORIA URBANA ◽

10.3280/su2008-119007 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 125-148

Author(s):

Diego Ramiro Farinas

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Childhood Mortality ◽

Housing Conditions ◽

Rural Environments ◽

Foetal Mortality ◽

Urban Rural ◽

Migration Flows ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Sewage Systems

Diego Ramiro-Farińas, The decline of childhood Mortality in Urban and Rural Spain, 1860-1930 The study of urban mortality and urban-rural mortality differentials has attracted the attention of many scholars. Most of the literature points to a higher childhood mortality in urban areas, mainly due to the unfavourable conditions for rearing children in cities which were normally densely populated and with very poor housing conditions and normally with inefficient water supply and sewage systems. This study shows that urban overmortality was above all a characteristic of children dying after the first 10 days of life and the differences between urban and rural environments widened with increased age of the deceased. There were also important differences between urban and rural areas in foetal mortality. Moreover, cities with under 20,000 inhabitants were the unhealthiest for children of all urban and rural environments. We highlight the importance of urban areas as poles of attraction for migrants and also as administrative centres, where health and charity institutions were preferably located. These institutions and the migration flows played an important role in the level of urban mortality. Foundling hospitals provide a significant example of this relationship.

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The Use of the Health Disparities Calculator in Analysis of the Lung Cancer Burden in Urban and Rural Populations in the Świętokrzyskie Province (Poland): 1999–2010

Studies in Logic Grammar and Rhetoric ◽

10.1515/slgr-2015-0044 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 101-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michalina Krzyżak ◽

Katarzyna Piotrowska ◽

Dominik Maślach ◽

Paweł Sowa ◽

Bartosz Pędziński ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Health Disparities ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Rural Populations ◽

Cancer Registration ◽

Years Of Life Lost ◽

Incidence And Mortality ◽

Urban And Rural Areas

Abstract The purpose of the study was a comparative analysis of the burden of lung cancer in urban and rural areas in the Świętokrzyskie Province in the years 1999–2010. The material for the study accounted for information about the number of new cases of lung cancer obtained from the Świętokrzyskie Cancer Registration Office in Kielce and data from the Central Statistical Office concerning the number of deaths due to lung cancer in the years 1999–2010. Crude and age-standardized incidence, mortality, and potential years of life lost rates were calculated separately for groups of men and women in urban and rural areas. A comparative analysis of coefficients in urban and rural areas based on Rate Ratio (RR) and Rate Difference (RD) was performed by using the Health Disparities Calculator. The average annual incidence of lung cancer among men was 18% lower in the urban population than in the rural, while the mortality rate was 16% lower. For women, the incidence and mortality rates were higher in urban areas as opposed to rural areas – by 48% and 54% respectively. The comparative analysis of the burden of lung cancer showed great diversity between urban and rural populations in the Świętokrzyskie Province.

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Diversity of organisms

10.1093/oso/9780198827238.003.0005 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Philip James

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Native Species ◽

New Technologies ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Green Spaces ◽

The Common ◽

Living Organisms ◽

Micro Organisms ◽

Diversity Of Life

The focus of this chapter is an examination of the diversity of living organisms found within urban environments, both inside and outside buildings. The discussion commences with prions and viruses before moving on to consider micro-organisms, plants, and animals. Prions and viruses cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. Micro-organisms are ubiquitous and are found in great numbers throughout urban environments. New technologies are providing new insights into their diversity. Plants may be found inside buildings as well as in gardens and other green spaces. The final sections of the chapter offer a discussion of the diversity of animals that live in urban areas for part or all of their life cycle. Examples of the diversity of life in urban environments are presented throughout, including native and non-native species, those that are benign and deadly, and the common and the rare.

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Patterns of Alcohol Consumption in the PURE Poland Cohort Study and Their Relationship with Health Problems

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084185 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4185

Author(s):

Katarzyna Zatońska ◽

Piotr Psikus ◽

Alicja Basiak-Rasała ◽

Zuzanna Stępnicka ◽

Maria Wołyniec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Level Of Education ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Frequent Consumption ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Socio Demographic Factors ◽

High Level

(1) Background: Alcohol is a leading risk factor of premature morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of alcohol consumption in the PURE Poland cohort study baseline. (2) Methods: A Polish cohort was enrolled in the baseline study in 2007–2010. The study group consisted of 2021 adult participants of urban and rural areas from the Lower Silesia voivodeship in Poland (747 men and 1274 women). (3) Results: In the overall study population, 67.3% were current drinkers, 10.3% were former drinkers, and 22.4% were abstainers. Current use of alcohol products was more prevalent in men (77.2%), people living in urban areas (73.0%), and people with a higher level of education (78.0%). The percentage of current drinkers decreased with increasing age (from 73.4% in 30- to 44-year-olds to 48.8% in participants aged 64 and more). The majority of participants (89.2%) declared a low level of alcohol intake. The chance of high level of intake of alcohol was four times higher in men than in women (OR 4.17; CI 1.64–10.6). The majority of participants (54.6%) declared most frequent consumption of low-alcohol drinks (beer, wine) and 21% declared most frequent consumption of spirits. Current drinkers had almost 1.5-fold higher odds of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than never drinkers (OR 1.49, CI 1.03–2.17; OR 1.66, CI 1.27–2.18, respectively). Former drinkers had higher odds for hypertension and CVD than never drinkers (1.73, CI 1.05–2.85; OR 1.76, CI 1.22–2.53, respectively). (4) Conclusions: In our cohort study, we observed several socio-demographic factors differentiating the patterns of alcohol consumption. The preventive programs should focus predominantly on men, people aged <45 years, and those with a higher level of education.

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