From Village to Proto-Urban Settlements of Late Yangshao Period

Generally regarded as social phenomena, this paper regards slum urbanisation as an environmental actor. Specifically, how slum developments modify hydrogeomorphological processes motivates this research. Using the Bang Pakong River, eastern Thailand, as a case study, a literature review was conducted. The literature reviewed indicated changes in physical processes such as channel bank stability, water quality, flow regimes and the hydrological balance equations can occur with slum development. Given the importance of channel banks as the physical basis of many slum sites, this paper focuses on the possible changes to channel bank storage in the Bang Pakong River following slum urbanisation. The research highlights possible changes to channel bank storage processes, notably decreased storage recharge rates; increased anthropogenic extraction; and probable water quality deterioration. Deeper scientific understanding of how river processes are affected by specific forms of urban development can contribute to better management of both informal urban settlements and rivers.

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Evolution of groundwater chemistry on shallow aquifer of Yogyakarta City urban area

Journal of Applied Geology ◽

10.22146/jag.7188 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Doni Prakasa Eka Putra

Keyword(s):

Shallow Groundwater ◽

Unconfined Aquifer ◽

Groundwater Chemistry ◽

Shallow Aquifer ◽

Nitrate Content ◽

New Business ◽

Urban Settlements ◽

A Minor ◽

New Settlements ◽

Yogyakarta City

Since 1980s, accelerated by urbanization, Yogyakarta City was shifting to many directions defined by main road networks and service centres. Urbanization has transformed rural dwellings to become urban settlements and generated urban agglomeration area. Until now, new business centres, education centres and tourism centres are growing hand in hand with new settlements (formal or informal) without proper provision of water supply and sanitation system. This condition increase the possibility of groundwater contamination from urban wastewater and a change of major chemistry of groundwater as shallow unconfined aquifer is lying under Yogyakarta City. To prove the evolution of groundwater chemistry, old data taken on 1980s were comparing with the recent groundwater chemistry data. The evaluation shows that nitrate content of groundwater in 1980s was a minor anion, but nowadays become a major anion, especially in the shallow groundwater in the centre of Yogyakarta City. This evidence shows that there is an evolution of groundwater chemistry in shallow groundwater below Yogyakarta City due to contamination from un-proper on-site sanitation system. Keywords: Urbanization, Yogyakarta city, rural dwellings, settlements, agglomeration, contamination, groundwater

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Impact of COVID-19 on child malnutrition, obesity in women and household food insecurity in underserved urban settlements in Sri Lanka: a prospective follow up study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021001841 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Renuka Jayatissa ◽

Himali Herath ◽

Amila Gayan Perera ◽

Thulasika Thejani Dayaratne ◽

Nawmali Dhanuska De Alwis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Child Malnutrition ◽

Nutrition Status ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Household Food ◽

Before And After ◽

Urban Settlements

Abstract Objectives: To determine changes and factors associated with child malnutrition, obesity in women and household food insecurity before and after the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Design: A prospective follow up study. Setting: In 2019, the baseline Urban Health and Nutrition Study (UHNS-2019) was conducted in 603 households, which were selected randomly from 30 clusters to represent underserved urban settlements in Colombo. In the present study, 35% of households from the UHNS-2019 cohort were randomly selected for repeat interviews, one year after the baseline study and 6 months after COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. Height/length and weight of children and women were re-measured, household food insecurity was reassessed, and associated factors were gathered through interviewer administered questionnaires. Differences in measurements at baseline and follow-up studies were compared. Participants: A total of 207 households, comprising 127 women and 109 children were included. Results: The current prevalence of children with wasting and overweight was higher in the follow-up study than at baseline UHNS-2019 (18.3%vs13.7%;p=0.26 and 8.3%vs3.7%;p=0.12 respectively). There was a decrease in prevalence of child stunting (14.7%vs11.9%;p=0.37). A change was not observed in overall obesity in women, which was around 30.7%. Repeated lockdown was associated with a significant reduction in food security from 57% in UHNS-2019 to 30% in the current study (p<0.001). Conclusions: There was an increase in wasting and overweight among children while women had a persistent high prevalence of obesity. This population needs suitable interventions to improve nutrition status of children and women to minimise susceptibility to COVID-19.

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On the Spatial Patterns of Urban Thermal Conditions Using Indoor and Outdoor Temperatures

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13040640 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 640

Author(s):

Sadroddin Alavipanah ◽

Dagmar Haase ◽

Mohsen Makki ◽

Mir Muhammad Nizamani ◽

Salman Qureshi

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Temperature Data ◽

Cold Spot ◽

Temperature Pattern ◽

Outdoor Temperature ◽

Residential Units ◽

Urban Settlements ◽

The Impact ◽

Indoor And Outdoor

The changing climate has introduced new and unique challenges and threats to humans and their environment. Urban dwellers in particular have suffered from increased levels of heat stress, and the situation is predicted to continue to worsen in the future. Attention toward urban climate change adaptation has increased more than ever before, but previous studies have focused on indoor and outdoor temperature patterns separately. The objective of this research is to assess the indoor and outdoor temperature patterns of different urban settlements. Remote sensing data, together with air temperature data collected with temperature data loggers, were used to analyze land surface temperature (outdoor temperature) and air temperature (indoor temperature). A hot and cold spot analysis was performed to identify the statistically significant clusters of high and low temperature data. The results showed a distinct temperature pattern across different residential units. Districts with dense urban settlements show a warmer outdoor temperature than do more sparsely developed districts. Dense urban settlements show cooler indoor temperatures during the day and night, while newly built districts show cooler outdoor temperatures during the warm season. Understanding indoor and outdoor temperature patterns simultaneously could help to better identify districts that are vulnerable to heat stress in each city. Recognizing vulnerable districts could minimize the impact of heat stress on inhabitants.

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Urban–Rural Dichotomy in Planning: Review of Legal Framework in Four States of India

Indian Journal of Public Administration ◽

10.1177/00195561211001610 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001955612110016

Author(s):

Anurima Mukherjee Basu ◽

Rutool Sharma

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Planning Process ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Quantum Jump ◽

Class 1 ◽

Urban Settlements ◽

Urban Rural ◽

Territorial Approach ◽

Sizeable Number

Current urbanisation trends in India show a quantum jump in number of ‘census towns’, which are not statutorily declared as urban areas, but have acquired all characteristics of urban settlements. Sizeable number of such census towns are not located near any Class 1 city. Lack of proper and timely planning has led to unplanned growth of these settlements. This article is based on a review of planning legislations, institutional framework and planning process of four states in India. The present article analyses the scope and limitations of the planning process adopted in the rapidly urbanising rural areas of these states. The findings reveal that states are still following a conventional approach to planning that treats ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ as separate categories and highlights the need for adopting an integrated territorial approach to planning of settlements.

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The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security in Rural and Urban Settlements in Benin: Do Allotment Gardens Soften the Blow?

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13137313 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 7313

Author(s):

Mawuna Donald Houessou ◽

Annemijn Cassee ◽

Ben G. J. S. Sonneveld

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Food Prices ◽

Rural And Urban Areas ◽

Allotment Gardens ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Urban Settlements ◽

Rural Producers ◽

Cordon Sanitaire

A Rapid Food Security Appraisal among 240 rural and urban dwellers in southern Benin was conducted, using univariate and bivariate analyses, to evaluate the effects of the imposed COVID-19 ‘cordon sanitaire’ on food consumption patterns. As this is one of the first empirical studies on the COVID-19 food security nexus, we found that the raging pandemic has affected the food security pillars (availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability) in both rural and urban areas, within and outside the cordon sanitaire. The steepest decline was observed among respondents who live inside the cordon sanitaire, where rural producers and urban inhabitants without access to allotment gardens were hit hard. Increased food prices, disruptions in food logistics, and inability to work due to movement restrictions were most frequently indicated as reasons for the decline. Access to allotment gardens effectively supported households in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food crisis.

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First Detection of Bartonella spp. in Small Mammals from Rice Storage and Processing Facilities in Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030658 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 658

Author(s):

Inga Böge ◽

Martin Pfeffer ◽

Nyo M. Htwe ◽

Pyai P. Maw ◽

Siriwardana Rampalage Sarathchandra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Target Genes ◽

Bartonella Henselae ◽

Rattus Rattus ◽

Suncus Murinus ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Urban Settlements ◽

D 12 ◽

Zoonotic Bacteria

(1) Background: Bartonella spp. are zoonotic bacteria with small mammals as main reservoirs. Bartonella spp. prevalence in small mammals from Myanmar and Sri Lanka are yet unknown. (2) Methods: Small mammals were snap trapped in Sri Lanka and Myanmar in urban surroundings. Spleens-derived DNA was screened for Bartonella spp. using conventional PCR based on three target genes. Positive samples were sequenced. (3) Results: 994 small mammals were collected comprising 6 species: Bandicota bengalensis, Bandicota indica, Rattus exulans, Rattus rattus, Mus booduga, and Suncus murinus. In Myanmar, the Bartonella prevalence in Bandicoot rats (68.47%) was higher than in Rattus rattus (41.67%), Rattus exulans (21.33%), and Suncus murinus (3.64%). Furthermore the prevalence in Myanmar (34%, n = 495) was twice as high as in Sri Lanka (16%, n = 499). In Sri Lanka, Bartonella spp. occurred almost exclusively in R. rattus. In Myanmar, Bartonella kosoyi was mainly detected (56%), followed by Bartonella sp. KM2529 (15%), Bartonella sp. SE-Bart D (12%) and Bartonella henselae (1%). In Sri Lanka, B. phoceensis (60%) and Bartonella sp. KM2581 (33%) were predominant. (4) Conclusions: Bartonella spp. were detected in all investigated small mammal species from Myanmar and Sri Lanka for the first time. Bartonella kosoyi and B. henselae are zoonotic. As these small mammals originated from urban settlements, human bartonellosis seems likely to occur.

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