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The performance for communication in a real-time mobile communication system is contingent upon the distribution of spectrum among the devices and the best antenna selection, which is determined by the Direction of Arrival and the power spectrum of the antenna characteristics. The prediction and directivity of signal spectrum level based on antenna parameters were the primary areas of research attention. Generally speaking, a number of techniques anticipate the antenna spectrum level by comparing the parameters of the channel capacity and the device communication signal strength. The best selection model for the communication antenna parameter's spectrum range was used to process this. In this case, improving mobile communication performance for the entire system is thought to be the primary goal of the study. To analyze the effectiveness of antenna optimization and its performance, this has been done by testing the beamforming method's parameter under a variety of scenarios. The Boundary Assisted Antenna Selection (BAAS) technique was employed in this to minimize the number of iterations required for feature learning and antenna selection. In order to create an improved beamforming model for parallel antenna parameter estimation, this was processed through the hybridization of multi-objective optimization. Using the combination of Beamforming with BAAS based antenna selection approach, which chooses the optimal feature attribute of the antenna power spectrum with Direction of Arrival (DOA), this can further accelerate performance. Metrics like the quantity of allocated spectrum, power factor, throughput, spectrum range of capacity, and other relevant factors can be used to validate the effectiveness of the suggested strategy. The results show that the proposed work achieved approximately 7.27% of Spectral efficiency (bps), Signal Power (dB) and Interference (dB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A better understanding of animal habitat use informs fundamental ecology and can provide underpinnings for effective management. Aims: This study explored the temporal variation in feeding ground utilisation by dugongs (Dugong dugon) in two intertidal seagrass beds in Talibong Island, Thailand (Sites A and B), focusing on the distribution and direction of dugong feeding trails. Methods: Drone-based aerial photography was conducted quarterly over 1 year and daily over 2 weeks to observe feeding trails and behaviour. Key results: During five and seven separate photography periods over 1 year, 0.04 ± 0.01% (range: 0.03–0.06%) of Site A (200,000 m2) was covered with new feeding trails daily, while 0.35 ± 0.31% (range: 0.07–0.96%) of Site B (278,000 m2) was covered daily. This temporal variation in the feeding trail area corresponded to that in seagrass coverage. Daily observations over 2 weeks during six separate photography periods revealed a significant decrease in overlapping rates (intersection over union) of the core areas (50% kernel density estimation [KDE]) as time elapsed. The 1-year observation highlighted relatively higher overlapping rates of home ranges (95% KDE) (Site A: 0.27 ± 0.09; Site B: 0.49 ± 0.08) and low overlapping rates of core areas (Site A: 0.02 ± 0.03; Site B: 0.09 ± 0.09). The relative frequencies of the feeding trail direction remained consistent across survey seasons, and the most and least dominant directions were common across all survey seasons and sites. The circular correlation coefficient between the directions of dugong body axis and the estimated tidal current was 0.45, suggesting that feeding generally occurred in the upstream direction. The direction and spatial range of dugong feeding may be affected by temporally consistent factors. One factor that can affect the feeding direction is the tidal current. Conclusions: Overall, dugongs may feed and move within seagrass beds in a temporally consistent manner, even when there are shifts in feeding hotspots. Implications: This research enhances our understanding of how dugongs utilise their feeding grounds and highlights the importance of not only identifying feeding hotspots but also predicting their feeding routes by considering the direction and distribution of feeding trails. Observing dugongs, an endangered, herbivorous marine mammal, is challenging because of the often-turbid waters they inhabit. We evaluated the daily and quarterly variations in dugong feeding in Thailand and demonstrated consistency in the direction and spatial range despite varying amounts and shifting hotspots of feeding. These findings highlight the significance of understanding predictable feeding routes for dugong conservation. Photograph by Chiaki Yamato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Resources Development & Market is the property of Sichuan Resource Development & Market Magazine Co., Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The ecological threats of microplastics (MPs) have sparked research worldwide. However, changes in the topics of MP research over time and space have not been evaluated quantitatively, making it difficult to identify the next frontiers. Here, we apply topic modeling to assess global spatiotemporal dynamics of MP research. We identified nine leading topics in current MP research. Over time, MP research topics have switched from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems, from distribution to fate, from ingestion to toxicology, and from physiological toxicity to cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. In most of the nine leading topics, a disproportionate amount of independent and collaborative research activity was conducted in and between a few developed countries which is detrimental to understanding the environmental fates of MPs in a global context. This review recognizes the urgent need for more attention to emerging topics in MP research, particularly in regions that are heavily impacted but currently overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object: Promoting the accessibility and equity of healthcare services, as well as enhancing service capacity, are crucial for building a sound healthcare system. Particularly in the past two years of the normalized COVID-19 situation, this issue has garnered widespread attention in the academic community. This study aims to investigate and analyze the characteristics and trends of the spatial-temporal evolution of healthcare service supply levels in China. It also seeks to explore the influencing factors and pathways for development, with the goal of optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources. Methods: This article uses the entropy weight TOPSIS method combined with Dagum Gini coefficient and Kernel density to evaluate the supply level of healthcare services in 31 provinces and cities in China from 2012 to 2020, and explores its development and spatial pattern characteristics. Then, through Moran index, panel regression model and spatial econometric testing, the spatial correlation problem and its influencing factors are further analyzed, and targeted policy recommendations are proposed based on it, laying the foundation for further promoting the balanced development of healthcare service supply capacity. Results: (1) Healthcare services supply levels in various provinces and cities in China have significantly increased, with a shift in spatial distribution from 'higher in the east and lower in the west' to 'convergence between east and west, with lower levels in the central regions.' (2) Relative differences among regions are narrowing annually, primarily due to interactions between the four regions rather than within each region, with expanding impact of overlapping regions. (3) Absolute differences among regions are also decreasing, moving towards uniformity with a contraction of extension and a restraint on the trend towards multipolarization. (4) Spatial correlation between adjacent regions is weakening, eventually becoming non-significant, with fading spatial effects. (5) The correlation between local economic development, population factors, institutional arrangements, and the current state of supply is significant, and the research design and conclusions remain robust even after thorough consideration of spatial effects. The study explores the development pathways based on the objective existence of regional development and the controllable government actions. Conclusion: The overall level of healthcare service supply in China has improved, but regional differences still exist. The objective level of regional development and the subjective behavior of local governments have a significant impact on the supply of healthcare services. Therefore, it is recommended that each region adapt to local conditions, identify its own strengths and weaknesses, coordinate resource supply and demand, consider the impact of key factors, and optimize the allocation of healthcare development resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democratic Republic of Congo has sizeable development potential with abundant resources and energy in Africa, but it is subject to the negative impact of armed conflicts for a long time. Taking the armed conflicts of DRC from 1992 to 2021 as the research object, this paper comprehensively uses GIS models including standard deviation ellipse, nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation and multi-distance spatial cluster analysis to comb the spatial pattern and evolution characteristics of the armed conflicts in the DRC. The results show that the armed conflicts in the DRC have always presented the spatial characteristics of agglomeration in the past 30 years. From the perspective of spatial structure change, the spatial pattern of armed conflicts in the DRC has changed from "one belt, six cores" to "one belt, one core", with North Kivu, Ituri and South Kivu provinces as the core. From the perspective of spatial agglomeration degree, the scope of armed conflicts in the DRC has been reduced, but the agglomeration degree has been increasing. From the perspective of spatial diffusion direction, the diffusion direction of the armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has changed from "east-west" to "northeast-southwest", showing a significant directivity in the spatial diffusion direction. This paper also argues that geography, resources, society and international factors are the primary causes of armed conflicts in the DRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disease mapping has a long history in epidemiology. Evaluating the spatial pattern of several diseases, as well as shared and specific risk factors in mortality, is considered one of the applications of disease mapping. Stomach, esophageal, and lung cancers are among the five most common cancers among both genders in Iran. The present study aimed to investigate the geographical distribution of the relative risk of mortality and to define the spatial pattern of shared and specific risk factors for the three cancers mentioned above by sharing their mortality data at the province and county levels in Iran. Methods: In this ecological study, the mortality data of stomach, esophageal, and lung cancers were analyzed in Iran from March 2013 to March 2015. The Besag, York, and Mollie's (BYM) and shared component (SC) models were used to compare the spatial variations of the relative risks of those cancers by applying OpenBUGS version 3.2.3 and R version 3.6.3. Results: The number of deaths from esophageal, stomach, and lung cancers in Iran during March 2013-March 2014 was 11,720, of which stomach and lung cancers were 50% and 30%, respectively. In this period, stomach, esophageal, and lung cancer mortality rates were 9, 2, and 7 per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The spatial pattern of the stomach and esophageal cancer mortality was more similar to lung cancer due to the risk factors shared only between esophageal and stomach cancers. The relative risk for esophageal and stomach cancers was significantly higher in the northern half of Iran than in the southern half. However, the dispersion of the relative risk of lung cancer was higher than the other two cancers. The highest RR for esophageal, stomach, and lung cancers were in West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces. The lowest relative risk for esophageal and stomach cancers was Hormozgan and for lung cancer was Ilam. Conclusion: Some differences were observed in the achieved patterns of provinces and counties, the most significant factor of which was related to considering smaller areas. As indicated in this study, high-risk areas can be identified easier by analyzing and mapping the diseases on a smaller scale and more accurate, less expensive, and faster health policies, and plans can be adopted to identify and reduce the risk factors related to diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several remote sensing indices have been used to monitor droughts, mainly in semi-arid regions with limited coverage by meteorological stations. The objective of this study was to estimate and monitor agricultural drought conditions in the Jequitinhonha Valley region, located in the Brazilian biomes of the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, from 2001 to 2021, using vegetation indices and the meteorological drought index from remote sensing data. Linear regression was applied to analyze drought trends and Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to evaluate the relationship between vegetation indices and climatic conditions in agricultural areas using the Standardized Precipitation Index. The results revealed divergences in the occurrences of regional droughts, predominantly covering mild to moderate drought conditions. Analysis spatial of drought trends revealed a decreasing pattern, indicating an increase in drought in the Middle and Low Jequitinhonha sub-regions. On the other hand, a reduction in drought was observed in the High Jequitinhonha region. Notably, the Vegetation Condition Index demonstrated the most robust correlation with the Standardized Precipitation Index, with R values ​​greater than 0.5 in all subregions of the study area. This index showed a strong association with precipitation, proving its suitability for monitoring agricultural drought in heterogeneous areas and with different climatic attributes. The use of remote sensing technology made it possible to detect regional variations in the spatio-temporal patterns of drought in the Jequitinhonha Valley. This vision helps in the implementation of personalized strategies and public policies, taking into account the particularities of each area, in order to mitigate the negative impacts of drought on agricultural activities in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial slope deformation pattern is crucial for landslide early warning and management. Quantitative modelling of the effects of multiple driving factors on the landslide spatial pattern has not yet been fully explored. To address this, this study utilizes data-driven models and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques to unveil the spatial pattern of landslides based on SUs (slope units). Specifically, we propose a methodology that establishes a correlation between InSAR deformation and topographic/meteorological factors by constructing a Generalized Additive Mixed Model (GAMM). Using this method, we analysed ALOS-2 ascending SAR images from April 2020 to September 2021 and successfully obtained cumulative minimum deformation during the period. Through the GAMM, we linked the observed cumulative minimum deformation in each SU to various factors, including topographic and meteorological factors. In terms of accuracy, there is an excellent agreement between the observed and fitted deformation, with a Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) of 0.83. In terms of interpretability, our method can well explain the contribution of each factor to landslide deformation. We conclude that using the data-driven GAMM and InSAR techniques can effectively reveal the spatial pattern of landslides based on SUs. Furthermore, based on the method proposed in this study, it is possible to predict landslide deformation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SPAtial EFficiency (SPAEF) metric is one of the most thoroughly used metrics in hydrologic community. In this study, our aim is to improve SPAEF by replacing the histogram match component with other statistical indices, i.e. kurtosis and earth mover's distance, or by adding a fourth or fifth component such as kurtosis and skewness. The existing spatial metrics i.e. SPAtial efficiency (SPAEF), structural similarity (SSIM) and spatial pattern efficiency metric (SPEM) were compared with newly proposed metrics to assess their converging performance. The mesoscale hydrologic model (mHM) of the Moselle River is used to simulate streamflow (Q) and actual evapotranspiration (AET). The two-source energy balance AET during the growing season is used as monthly reference maps to calculate the spatial performance of the model. The moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer based leaf area index is utilized by the mHM via pedo-transfer functions and multi-scale parameter regionalization approach to scale the potential ET. In addition to the real monthly AET maps, we also tested these metrics using a synthetic true AET map simulated with a known parameter set for a randomly selected day. The results demonstrate that the newly developed four-component metric i.e. SPAtial Hybrid 4 (SPAH4) slightly outperforms conventional three-component metric i.e. SPAEF (3% better). However, SPAH4 significantly outperforms the other existing metrics i.e. 40% better than SSIM and 50% better than SPEM. We believe that other fields such as remote sensing, change detection, function space optimization and image processing can also benefit from SPAH4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the inter- and intra-metropolitan patterns of housing return volatility in four market phases (boom, bust, recovery, and pandemic) in the United States between 2000 and 2022. The study finds a weak correlation between the physical characteristics of neighborhoods and housing market volatility. Notably, higher-density neighborhoods show greater market volatility throughout the boom, bust, and recovery phases but the trend is reversed during the pandemic period. However, the sociodemographic composition of neighborhoods exhibits a stronger correlation with market volatility. Specifically, housing markets in Black neighborhoods demonstrate persistently higher volatility, irrespective of market fluctuations. Similarly, low-income neighborhoods are consistently associated with greater volatility before the pandemic. The study does not find a consistent association between housing supply and market volatility across the four market phases. It shows that during the 2008 housing downturn, housing markets were less volatile in metropolitan areas with stricter land use regulations, less developable land, fewer home constructions, and better natural amenities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Resources Development & Market is the property of Sichuan Resource Development & Market Magazine Co., Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Plant diversity is the basis for human survival and development, directly affecting the function and stability of urban ecosystems. Its distribution pattern and causes have been a central issue in ecological and landscape gardening research. Rapid urbanization in Zhengzhou City has led to the fragmentation of urban green spaces and damage to ecosystems, seriously affecting urban biodiversity conservation. Understanding the distribution pattern of plant diversity in the region and its relationship with environmental factors is crucial for maintaining and enhancing urban plant diversity. Plant data from 178 sample plots in the built-up area of Zhengzhou City were collected and combined with environmental factors, and the characteristics of plant diversity, richness patterns, and their main environmental explanations in Zhengzhou City were explored. Results showed that there were 596 plant species belonging to 357 genera and 110 families in the study area. There were five dominant families and four dominant genera. Four distinct spatial patterns of plant diversity were identified along the urban–rural gradient. Urbanization factors such as GDP per capita, house prices, and imperviousness within 500 m from the patch significantly influenced plant diversity. There was an imbalance between the spatial pattern of plant diversity and application of urban landscape greening in Zhengzhou City. Future studies should focus on the application of native plants, curb plant homogenization, and reduce anthropogenic interference, which are conducive to protecting and enhancing urban plant diversity. These results can provide a basis for understanding the distribution pattern and influence mechanism of urbanization factors on plant diversity and serve as a reference for policymakers and planners of plant diversity conservation in Zhengzhou City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality have been established, forest carbon sinks have garnered significant attention. As a fundamental component of forest carbon sinks, the quality of forest land significantly influences the carbon sink capacity of forests. This study utilized Kaizhou District, Chongqing City, a typical forest area as a case study, and used the correction method, factor method, CASA model, landscape ecology indexes, and canonical correlation analysis to evaluate the level of forest land quality and reveal the spatial distribution pattern and influencing mechanisms of forest land quality. The results showed that: (i) The quality index of public welfare forest land was distributed in [37.89, 148.15], and each quality level was diversified in space. The quality index of commodity forest land was distributed in [40.00, 92.67], and some high-quality forest land appeared in the transition zone of each region; (ii) The forest land quality index and the amount of net primary productivity passed the correlation test. Primary net productivity was higher on forest land with a high-quality index and lower on forest area with a low-quality index; (iii) public welfare forest land was mainly positively affected by community structure, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, and soil moisture. Commodity forest land was mainly positively affected by average annual temperature, soil moisture, and slope aspect. However, landform had a significant negative impact on the two types of forest land. Given these findings, we also proposed a series of measures aimed at promoting the sustainable development of research on regional forest land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic city centres have evolved through years of rigorous transformation, which is often visible in the form of derelict built environment. In this age of rapid urbanisation, addressing urban blight has become a pressing concern for urban practitioners. The lack of place-based knowledge about the socio-spatial attributes of blighted areas has triggered the proliferation of urban blight in the core city areas, threatening the structural integrity and usability of critical historic structures. This research thus aims to identify the inherent spatial characteristics of blighted areas in historic city centres and highlight the resulting socio-behavioural outcomes of their spatial configuration. By taking the case of historic city centre of Kolkata, a city in the Global South, the space syntax technique has been used to interpret the topological structure of the study areas and their socio-spatial properties. The comparative syntactic mapping and axial graph analysis revealed that the blighted areas have segregated spatial systems with limited legibility and permeability, leading to low urban vitality. The in-depth analysis of the spatial characteristics, backed by literature reviews, reconnaissance surveys, census data, and syntax maps, has resulted in a set of spatial features that elucidate how spatial conditions mediate socio-behavioural outcomes, perpetuating the cycle of blight. Based on the research findings, targeted interventions have been proposed for traffic management, place-based enhancements, and crime prevention through environmental design. A comprehensive understanding of the socio-spatial attributes of blighted historic areas will aid urban practitioners in devising pragmatic solutions for reintegrating these areas into the urban fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of South Architecture / Nanfang Jianzhu is the property of South Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The response of vegetation to climate change on a large scale should be studied at the community level rather than the species level. This necessitates a focused exploration of emerging spatial patterns. Here, we surveyed 264 sites in the Inner Mongolia typical steppe, using the "needling" method to investigate 39,600 clumps formed through the coexistence relationships of dominant species. We found that the effects of slow climate change on grassland communities can be categorized into two general trends: (1) a monotone relationship, characterized by changes in the number of dominant species, compositional diversity, and optimal patch area, and (2) a unimodal relationship, reflected in variations in the number of patches and interspecific associations. The two distinct trends, connected by optimal patch area, concurrently support both the habitat amount hypothesis and the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. These findings suggest that climate change indirectly influences the area and amount of vegetation patches by regulating the arrangement of clumps. Moreover, they indicate that it is the distribution, rather than the number, of species that serves as the front line for plant communities adapting to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blowouts are a common type of wind-eroded landform found in sandy and desertified areas. They also represent a major degradative surface process affecting grassland ecosystems. Blowouts exacerbate changes in surface morphology through their effects on other surface phenomena including vegetation. In this paper, Xilingol League sandy grassland blowouts are taken as the research object, and the U.S. Keyhole satellite data and China's Gaofen-1 satellite data are used as the data source, and the blowouts are extracted based on the 3 S technology for a total of six periods of high-resolution remote sensing image data in the study area from 1962 to 2023. The Landscape Pattern Index method and Fuzzy Land Use Simulation (FLUS) modelling applied to changes over the last six decades provided spatial evolution parameters for predicting future blowout distributions. Results showed that blowouts affecting the Xilingol grassland area increased by 16.81% over the past 60 years. The patch density (PD) increased by 0.9 per hectare. The mean proximity index (PROX_MN) and mean Euclidean nearest neighbour distance (ENN_MN) showed a tendency to decrease and then increase indicating initial expansion and then merging of adjacent blowouts to create the present landscape. The FLUS model used ten factors to predict changes in blowout distributions from 2023 to 2033. Factors included digital elevation model (DEM), slope, aspect, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, population density, real GDP, distance to water, and distance to impervious surfaces. It was found that grassland area decreased by 6217.12 hm2 and blowout area decreased by 102.91 hm2. Results of this study can expand understanding of blowout morphodynamics in ecologically sensitive areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium (Mg) is a vital nutrient for plants, and its role in photosynthesis, enzyme regulation and resistance to environmental stress is becoming increasingly evident. However, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the characteristics of Mg (content, density and stock) on a large scale, particularly at the community level, which is essential for linking to ecosystem functions. A leaf‐branch‐trunk‐root‐matched database of the Mg content (mg g−1) and biomass density (g m−2) of plant organs across 1972 sampling sites in China was constructed based on field surveys and data compilation. Using machine learning algorithms, we comprehensively explored the spatial patterns and main influencing factors of plant Mg content and density (g m−2). Furthermore, a new index, leaf Mg productivity (LMP), was developed to determine the Mg use efficiency, defined as the ratio of gross primary productivity to leaf Mg density. The Mg contents in the leaves, branches, trunks and roots were 2.80, 0.87, 0.23 and 1.66 mg g−1, respectively. Deserts exhibited higher Mg content, with the primary influencing factors being high temperatures and soil Mg supply. Higher LMP values observed in grasslands and deserts indicate that Mg use is more efficient in these relatively stressful environments, whereas forests require more Mg for unit biomass productivity. This change was driven by the minimum temperature, aridity and soil Mg content. Synthesis. We systematically explored spatial variation in plant community Mg and its correlation with the photosynthetic capacity of plant communities. The aridity and soil Mg content have negative effects on LMP. This suggests that Mg is used more efficiently in photosynthesis under conditions of resource scarcity, indicating that resources become more valuable when they are limited. Photosynthesis in forests is more sensitive to Mg and more Mg is required for biomass production; therefore, Mg is not just a nutrient but a potential bottleneck in optimizing photosynthetic efficiency. Our findings highlight the pivotal role of Mg in photosynthesis and offer a foundation for optimizing ecosystem management through Mg regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is crucial for understanding and managing forest ecosystems in the context of global environmental change, and also provides a scientific basis for national and regional ecological planning and carbon emission reduction policies. In order to investigate the regional pattern of forest AGB and its influencing factors in central China, a total of 469 sample plots were measured along four sample transects and on six mountains in field survey. The results showed that: 1) Two longitudinal distribution patterns of forest AGB were found, and one was that the AGB in the Qinling Mountains and the Daba Moutains gradually decreased from east to west, and the other was that the AGB in the areas between the two mountains gradually increased from east to west. The latitudinal distribution pattern of the forest AGB showed an "increasing–decreasing-increasing–decreasing" trend from south to north. The altitudinal distribution pattern showed a "first increasing-then decreasing" pattern with increasing altitude. 2) The influence of each factor on the spatial pattern of forest AGB was manifested as temperature > precipitation > HAI > topography, indicating that the spatial pattern of forest AGB in central China was the result of the interaction of climate, human activities and natural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-condom use is known as one of the risky sexual behaviors among youth and a contributing factor to the high prevalence of HIV in Nigeria. Therefore this study aimed to assess the spatial pattern and determinants of non-condom use among sexually active young people in Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional analysis of population-based data involving 288 males and 780 females aged 15–24 years, giving 1068 sexually active young people drawn from the 2018 NDHS. The study adopted a multi-level and spatial analysis to identify factors associated with non-condom use in Nigeria. The prevalence of non-condom use was 57.7% in this study. The spatial analysis showed that the Northeastern and South–South regions of Nigeria had a high proportion of non-condom use among young people, while the Northwest, North-Central, and Southwestern parts had low proportions of non-condom use. On multilevel analysis, the individual and community level factors associated with non-condom use included exposure to media (AOR 0.59; 95% CI 0.39–0.91) and younger age (AOR 0.72; 95% CI 0.53–0.98). Areas with a high proportion of non-condom use should receive the most attention through the promotion of condom use and education, alongside a focus on important associated factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The science and technology innovation (STI) center is not only the core source of national continuous forging of new quality productivity and generating new momentum for development, but also the front-runner and an important strategic pivot for China to accelerate the construction of a global scientific and technological powerhouse. Evaluating the development and landscape of STI centers across 295 prefecture-level and above cities in China, this study employs a comprehensive framework encompassing five dimensions: the agglomeration of innovation elements, leadership in scientific research, original capacity of technological innovation, driver of industrial transformation, and construction of innovation ecology. This study finds that China's STI centers are concentrated in the area east of the Hu Huanyong Line, and Beijing is the top STI center in China. In addition, urban agglomerations are the core spatial carriers for the growth of STI centers in China, and the "T" frame formed by the coast and the river regions delineates the two major belts of STI in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn deposits are a subtype of sedimentary-hosted mineralization. These deposits are hosted by carbonate sequences in passive-margin tectonic settings. This paper uses the Fry technique and distance distribution analysis to model the spatial distribution pattern of MVT Pb-Zn deposits in the west of Semnan province (Iran) and their association with some geological features, aiming at mapping mineral prospectivity in the area. The modeling results reveal that NE–SW trending faults and Permian-Cretaceous dolomites and limestone are, respectively, major structural and lithological controlling factors of mineralization that operate as conduits and physicochemical subsystems of ore formation. The integration of the corresponding evidence maps of the controlling factors with a model of the geochemical signature of MVT Pb-Zn deposits through a supervised random forest approach, a machine learning technique, gains an exceptional prospectivity map predicting 100% of the known MVT Pb-Zn deposits in only 15% of the study area, which is an achievement. The recognized targets can be planned for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the spatial pattern of supergentrification in the core area of Shanghai. The area is divided into 23 subdistricts based on the standard pattern of subdistrict division provided by CREIS (China Real Estate Index System) and then the 23 subdistricts are taken as objects for analysis. By establishing the evaluation index system of supergentrification level, the integrated analysis method entropy weight method and exploratory spatial data analysis is used to explore the general characteristics of the spatial pattern, spatial agglomeration characteristics, and spatial agglomeration hotspots of supergentrification in the core area of Shanghai. The research results of the spatial pattern reveal that the level of supergentrification in the core area of Shanghai is high in Puxi and low in Pudong. The Puxi district, represented by the People's Square subdistrict, West Nanjing Road subdistrict, and Hengshan Road subdistrict, has a higher level of supergentrification, while the Pudong district, represented by the Tangqiao subdistrict, Yangjing subdistrict, and Huamu subdistrict, has a lower level of supergentrification. The results of spatial autocorrelation analysis reveal that supergentrification in the core area of Shanghai presents obvious spatial agglomeration characteristics on the subdistrict scale and that the significantly high-high subdistricts are mainly distributed in the core area of Puxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The spatial distribution of plant diversity in urban areas is fundamental to understanding the relationship between urbanization and biodiversity. Previous research has primarily focused on taxonomic levels to assess species richness. In contrast, investigations into the spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity in urban plants remain limited. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the spatial patterns of plant phylogenetic diversity along an urban–rural gradient and quantify how phylogenetic diversity and the degree of urbanization are related. Methods: A survey of vascular plants was conducted at 134 randomly selected sample plots along four urban–rural transects in Shanghai, China. Three phylogenetic diversity metrics were calculated: Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD), net relatedness index (NRI), and net nearest taxon index (NTI), along with the urbanization degree index (UDI). Regression analysis was employed to quantify the spatial patterns of plant phylogenetic diversity across different taxa along the urban–rural gradients and their relationships with UDI. Results: The study observed seven distinct patterns of plant phylogenetic diversity along the urban–rural gradients in different taxa, which support the previous hypotheses that biological distribution patterns at the species level also hold true at the phylogenetic level. Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) showed a linear increase with increasing UDI for total, woody, perennial, and cultivated plant assemblages. The UDI explained 3–36% of the variation in PD for these taxa. In contrast, PD for annual and spontaneous plants exhibited a linear decrease with increasing UDI, which explained 25% and 3% variation in PD for annual and spontaneous plants, respectively. The net relatedness index (NRI) for woody, perennial, and cultivated plants, as well as the net nearest taxon index (NTI) for perennial and cultivated plants, linearly increases with UDI, whereas the NRI for total, annual, and spontaneous plants, as well as NTI for total, woody, annual, and spontaneous plants linearly decrease with UDI. However, some of these trends were only marginally significant. Conclusions: The spatial patterns of plant phylogenetic diversity varied along the urban-to-rural gradients, indicating that urban environmental filtering has an impact on plant phylogenetic diversity. Urbanization increased the phylogenetic richness of different plant taxa in Shanghai but resulted in more clustering and relatedness of species within plant assemblages. Phylogenetic richness exhibited a linear increase with UDI, while the phylogenetic divergence decreased with UDI. The UDI is a useful predictor for examining variations in plant phylogeny due to urbanization. Our findings provide insights into how urbanization impacts plant phylogenetic diversity, helping urban plant diversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban planning is essential for managing the diverse impacts of urban green spaces, such as public access, stormwater control, urban life quality, and landscape aesthetics, promoting sustainable urban development and urban residents' well-being by integrating green space considerations into city planning. The aim of this study is to use graph-based metrics to calculate the connectivity of UGS across the main municipal zones of Ardabil city over consecutive periods under different population growth rates. Another objective of this study is to compare the connectivity values of UGS in the four municipal zones and to evaluate changes in the connectivity indices at various distance thresholds of UGS patches. After identifying UGS in different periods, the changes in graph-based connectivity indices at various distance thresholds of UGS patches were analyzed. Additionally, the changes in connectivity indices over different periods and across various municipal zones were compared and analyzed. The findings reveal that UGS areas were larger in the past but have recently had smaller patch sizes. Connectivity between UGS nodes (dNL) decreased at various distances over the study years, showing a declining trend in different connectivity indices. UGS connectivity decreased in municipal zones 1, 2, and 3 but increased in recent years after a decline until 2012 across all four zones of Ardabil city. Zone 4 had the highest UGS connectivity due to newly developed urban areas and well-allocated UGSs. Integrating the ecological impacts of UGS connectivity in urban development and design will enhance trade-offs between conservation, public health, and social equity. New urban areas should allocate sufficient land for UGS and parks, ensuring accessibility to support health and leisure through municipal planning. The study highlights the need for sustainable urban development policies that prioritize the allocation and maintenance of UGSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retail industry is a crucial element of the urban commercial framework, and its spatial configuration profoundly influences its urban planning, infrastructure development, resource allocation, and sustainable development. Based on the point of interest (POI) data for Ningbo's retail industry in eastern China, this study used methodologies such as kernel density estimation, buffer analysis, and local spatial autocorrelation analysis to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of Ningbo's retail industry. The findings are as follows. First, the spatial distribution of Ningbo's retail industry exhibits a "block aggregation and multi-center development" pattern. The overall trend is oriented from northwest to southeast. Second, various retail outlets generally cluster around two core zones and multiple island-like areas, which reflect the differences in hotspots due to varying characteristics. Third, the spatial distribution of retail stores is highly correlated with the physical geographical features, population distribution, major road networks, and residential zones. The research findings indicate that Ningbo currently faces issues such as an excessive concentration of specific retail formats and a lack of format diversity. Optimization strategies were proposed to sustainably develop the retail industry of Ningbo. This study provides valuable information to formulate sustainable development strategies for the retail industry in Ningbo and other small and medium cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Object Promoting the accessibility and equity of healthcare services, as well as enhancing service capacity, are crucial for building a sound healthcare system. Particularly in the past two years of the normalized COVID-19 situation, this issue has garnered widespread attention in the academic community. This study aims to investigate and analyze the characteristics and trends of the spatial-temporal evolution of healthcare service supply levels in China. It also seeks to explore the influencing factors and pathways for development, with the goal of optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources. Methods This article uses the entropy weight TOPSIS method combined with Dagum Gini coefficient and Kernel density to evaluate the supply level of healthcare services in 31 provinces and cities in China from 2012 to 2020, and explores its development and spatial pattern characteristics. Then, through Moran index, panel regression model and spatial econometric testing, the spatial correlation problem and its influencing factors are further analyzed, and targeted policy recommendations are proposed based on it, laying the foundation for further promoting the balanced development of healthcare service supply capacity. Results (1) Healthcare services supply levels in various provinces and cities in China have significantly increased, with a shift in spatial distribution from ‘higher in the east and lower in the west’ to ‘convergence between east and west, with lower levels in the central regions.’ (2) Relative differences among regions are narrowing annually, primarily due to interactions between the four regions rather than within each region, with expanding impact of overlapping regions. (3) Absolute differences among regions are also decreasing, moving towards uniformity with a contraction of extension and a restraint on the trend towards multipolarization. (4) Spatial correlation between adjacent regions is weakening, eventually becoming non-significant, with fading spatial effects. (5) The correlation between local economic development, population factors, institutional arrangements, and the current state of supply is significant, and the research design and conclusions remain robust even after thorough consideration of spatial effects. The study explores the development pathways based on the objective existence of regional development and the controllable government actions. Conclusion The overall level of healthcare service supply in China has improved, but regional differences still exist. The objective level of regional development and the subjective behavior of local governments have a significant impact on the supply of healthcare services. Therefore, it is recommended that each region adapt to local conditions, identify its own strengths and weaknesses, coordinate resource supply and demand, consider the impact of key factors, and optimize the allocation of healthcare development resources.

Abstract Blowouts are a common type of wind-eroded landform found in sandy and desertified areas. They also represent a major degradative surface process affecting grassland ecosystems. Blowouts exacerbate changes in surface morphology through their effects on other surface phenomena including vegetation. In this paper, Xilingol League sandy grassland blowouts are taken as the research object, and the U.S. Keyhole satellite data and China’s Gaofen-1 satellite data are used as the data source, and the blowouts are extracted based on the 3 S technology for a total of six periods of high-resolution remote sensing image data in the study area from 1962 to 2023. The Landscape Pattern Index method and Fuzzy Land Use Simulation (FLUS) modelling applied to changes over the last six decades provided spatial evolution parameters for predicting future blowout distributions. Results showed that blowouts affecting the Xilingol grassland area increased by 16.81% over the past 60 years. The patch density (PD) increased by 0.9 per hectare. The mean proximity index (PROX_MN) and mean Euclidean nearest neighbour distance (ENN_MN) showed a tendency to decrease and then increase indicating initial expansion and then merging of adjacent blowouts to create the present landscape. The FLUS model used ten factors to predict changes in blowout distributions from 2023 to 2033. Factors included digital elevation model (DEM), slope, aspect, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, population density, real GDP, distance to water, and distance to impervious surfaces. It was found that grassland area decreased by 6217.12 hm2 and blowout area decreased by 102.91 hm2. Results of this study can expand understanding of blowout morphodynamics in ecologically sensitive areas.

Abstract Accurate estimation of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is crucial for understanding and managing forest ecosystems in the context of global environmental change, and also provides a scientific basis for national and regional ecological planning and carbon emission reduction policies. In order to investigate the regional pattern of forest AGB and its influencing factors in central China, a total of 469 sample plots were measured along four sample transects and on six mountains in field survey. The results showed that: 1) Two longitudinal distribution patterns of forest AGB were found, and one was that the AGB in the Qinling Mountains and the Daba Moutains gradually decreased from east to west, and the other was that the AGB in the areas between the two mountains gradually increased from east to west. The latitudinal distribution pattern of the forest AGB showed an "increasing–decreasing-increasing–decreasing" trend from south to north. The altitudinal distribution pattern showed a "first increasing-then decreasing" pattern with increasing altitude. 2) The influence of each factor on the spatial pattern of forest AGB was manifested as temperature > precipitation > HAI > topography, indicating that the spatial pattern of forest AGB in central China was the result of the interaction of climate, human activities and natural factors.

Abstract Non-condom use is known as one of the risky sexual behaviors among youth and a contributing factor to the high prevalence of HIV in Nigeria. Therefore this study aimed to assess the spatial pattern and determinants of non-condom use among sexually active young people in Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional analysis of population-based data involving 288 males and 780 females aged 15–24 years, giving 1068 sexually active young people drawn from the 2018 NDHS. The study adopted a multi-level and spatial analysis to identify factors associated with non-condom use in Nigeria. The prevalence of non-condom use was 57.7% in this study. The spatial analysis showed that the Northeastern and South–South regions of Nigeria had a high proportion of non-condom use among young people, while the Northwest, North-Central, and Southwestern parts had low proportions of non-condom use. On multilevel analysis, the individual and community level factors associated with non-condom use included exposure to media (AOR 0.59; 95% CI 0.39–0.91) and younger age (AOR 0.72; 95% CI 0.53–0.98). Areas with a high proportion of non-condom use should receive the most attention through the promotion of condom use and education, alongside a focus on important associated factors.

ABSTRACTThe paradox between massive rural revitalisation and cultural preservation calls for new sustainable development strategies. How to strike a balance between them has become a research hotspot especially for traditional villages in developing countries. Through data collection, field research and analogy, this article explores the spatial prototypes of mandala, Mount Meru and ‘zhai xin’ (central stronghold) concept, and points out the coupling relationship between spatial patterns and Tibetan settlements and its influences on settlement layout, architectural forms, and local customs, which includes the cultural philosophy of spatial patterns, the structure of human settlements, village layout, road network planning, and core node building complex. Taking Ge’en Tibetan Village revamping program in Aba Tibetan and Qiang County as an illustrative example, this design strategy will not only improve local residents’ living standards, but also helps to retain the cultural essence of traditional villages, thereby diving the development of tourism and other tertiary industries. Based on cultural heritage preservation, this work offers new perspectives on land use planning and architectural design for the revitalisation and sustainable development of traditional village in under-developed areas.

Extreme rainfall in southwestern Iran annually leads to considerable financial and human losses. Reports over several years show different levels of damage caused by these events. This study aims to identify and investigate changes in the spatial patterns of systems that generate extreme rainfall in southwestern Iran. We utilized the maximum 24-hr precipitation from seven synoptic stations in southwestern Iran from 1971 to 2020. The principal component analysis technique was utilized on geopotential height data at 500 hpa to identify spatial patterns of precipitation. The data was collected from 5° to 60°N and 10° to 70°E that were received from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset. The study period was divided into two based on the identified change point by the Pettitt test, and according to the results, the first climatic period in southwestern Iran had nine sources or components of extreme rainfall. In comparison, in the second period, they had eight sources of extreme rainfall. The most important source of extreme rainfall for both periods and the first source of the second period are located at 15° north latitude over the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and certain areas in the eastern tropical regions of Africa. Research highlights: As a result, the statistical period was divided into two periods of 21 and 29 years. The first period, which includes 82 extreme rainfall events, spans from 1971 to 1991, and the second period, which provides 96 extreme rainfall events, spans from 1992 to 2020. The most important source of extreme rainfall for both periods and the first source of the second period are located at 15º north latitude over the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and certain areas in the eastern tropical regions of Africa. This component accounts for 18.8 and 20.8% of the total variance in the data for the first and second climatic periods, respectively. It has the most significant impact on changes in the topography of the 500 hpa geopotential height. As a result, changes in the topography of the 500 hpa geopotential height in these regions have played a crucial role in forming systems that create extreme rainfall in southwestern Iran. This source facilitates the advection of moisture in the upper and middle levels of the atmosphere towards the studied area due to the circulation of high pressure at the 500 hpa level. In addition, the formation of low-pressure thermal centers and the displacement of their tongues towards the studied area are crucial in extreme rainfall in the study area. The location of sources that create extreme rainfall systems did not see significant changes between the two climatic periods, but their importance in forming these systems varied. Additionally, there were no significant spatial changes in the sources of extreme rainfall formation in southwestern Iran during the two climatic periods, but there were changes in their intensity. For instance, the seventh source exhibited a weaker influence during the first climatic period (PC7) but strengthened during the second climatic period (PC5). In this source, the presence of a ridge over Russia strengthens the Siberian high-pressure system, causing it to expand over Iran. As these high-pressure ridges expand and pass over the Oman Sea and the Persian Gulf, they transport moisture toward the study area. Conversely, the eighth source demonstrated a stronger impact during the first climatic period (PC8), whereas it exhibited a weaker effect during the second climatic period (PC4). The changes in the 500 hpa level in this geographic region are mainly associated with forming different blocking systems, accompanied by the breaking of Rossby waves. The southern branch of these systems affects the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Colonial cities in Asia and Africa, developed under the dual influence of native and sovereign cultures during the colonial era, exhibit unique urban morphological characteristics and reflect the planning ideologies of diverse cultures. Thus, the morphological study of colonial cities in Asia and Africa is crucial for understanding and identifying the historical and cultural value of these cities, which in turn enables the formulation of precise conservation strategies. In light of this, the study develops an urban morphological analysis methodology comprising "Colonial Background Analysis—Morphological Characteristics Analysis—Driving Factor Extraction" based on the Conzenian Approach, which is used to examine the morphology of 21 typical colonial cities in Asia and Africa across various colonial periods. As a result, "Dual-City" emerges as the core spatial characteristic of colonial cities in Asia and Africa, reflecting the morphological differences in road layouts, urban fabric, and urban cores between native and European zones. Additionally, as native settlement sizes, social structures, and cultural identities differ between cities, three major spatial patterns of the "Dual-City" model can be identified: separated, mediated, and integrated spatial patterns, resulting from the varied planning approaches applied by colonizers. Furthermore, suggestions for the conservation of colonial heritage are proposed based on the driving factors analysis from the morphological study.

Wet deposition significantly impacts the basin ecosystem and water quality of the Qinling Mountains (QMs). However, few research focused on the difference in wet deposition between the northern (QN) and southern (QS) foothills due to the barrier effect of the QMs. This two-year investigation studied nutrient and organic matter deposition in QN and QS during summer and autumn. Results showed higher concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and permanganate index (CODMn) in QN's rainwater, particularly in autumn. The CODMn in QN ranged 0.59–7.67 mg/L, and DOC ranged 0.64–4.45 mg/L. For QS, the CODMn ranged 0.71–3.25 mg/L, and DOC ranged 0.28–2.62 mg/L. Backward trajectory analysis revealed the accumulation of pollutants in QN originating from Northern China, intensified by autumn heating and straw burning. Tyrosine-like and humic-like components in rainwater DOM suggested that they primarily originated from autochthonous sources. Rainwater N:P mass ratios range from 39:1 to 145:1, highlighting a higher N input than P in QMs' wet deposition. The findings underscore the importance of atmospheric wet deposition in nutrient and organic matter input to the QMs and establish a foundation for exploring the ecological effects of wet deposition. HIGHLIGHTS Concentration of rainwater contaminant showed spatiotemporal variations.; The dilution effect significantly impacted volume-weighted mean concentration.; Higher rainwater pollutant concentrations due to higher atmospheric pollutant levels.; The proportion of N transported to the watershed was higher than that of C and P.;

The Qaidam Basin is sensitive to the warming and humidification trend of climate change on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau， and an ecologically vulnerable region.Evaluating its spatiotemporal patterns of precipitation is crucial for the rational utilization of water resources as well as ecological management.However， the scarcity and uneven distribution of meteorological stations within the basin poses a challenge to such analysis.This study was to explore an optimal method for precipitation interpolation in the basin in this context.Specifically， the Australian National University Spline （ANUSPLIN） model was used for the interpolation with different numbers of meteorological stations （9， 20， 40， 60， 80， 100， 120 140， 160 and 180 stations） within and around the basin and 9 kinds of thin disk smooth spline functions （various combinations of independent variables， covariates and spline times）.We screened the optimal number of interpolation stations and the optimal function by accuracy assessments using the data in 2019.The spatiotemporal patterns of precipitation in this region from 2000 to 2019 were then analyzed.The results showed that： （1） The ANUSPLIN model achieved the highest accuracy with 120 meteorological stations and the function of trivariate local thin disk smooth spline （TVPTPS4）.The root mean square error （RMSE）， expected true mean square error （RTMSE） and signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） were less than 0.6 mm， 0.3 mm and 0.25， respectively， which was the lowest among all combinations.（2） Precipitation in the Qaidam Basin had substantial differences in regional distribution and seasonality.Both annual precipitation and seasonal precipitation were abundant in the east and scarce in the west， while the precipitation in summer was the highest， accounting for 62.13% of the annual total value.（3） From 2000 to 2019， both the annual precipitation and seasonal precipitation in the basin showed an increasing trend.The precipitation in summer showed a significant increasing trend， with a maximum growth rate of 5.85 mm·a-1 （P

[Objective] By analyzing the evolution path, spatiotemporal variation characteristics, and driving mechanisms of farmland non agriculturalization in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration over the past 30 years, theoretical basis is provided for the protection and precise management of farmland resources in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration. [Methods] Based on the land use data and statistical yearbook data of the Central Yunnan urban agglomeration, the paper used methods such as gravity displacement model, change trajectory model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and principal component analysis to reveal the process and spatial distribution characteristics of farmland conversion to non-agricultural uses in the Central Yunnan urban agglomeration from 1990 to 2020, as well as the main driving factors. [Results] (1) From a temporal perspective, the non-agricultural area of cultivated land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration showed a fluctuating downward trend, with an average annual increase of about 6.88× 103 around 2000 hectares converted to an average annual decrease of approximately 2.66× 104 hectares, with the most drastic changes due to policy, economic, and urbanization impacts. From a spatial perspective, the non-agricultural conversion of cultivated land was concentrated in the central, eastern, southeastern, and northeastern regions of the central Yunnan urban agglomeration. (2) Over the past 30 years, the non-agricultural transformation of cultivated land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration has tended to be balanced in spatial distribution, with smaller regional differences in the non-agricultural transformation of cultivated land and a more stable spatial pattern. (3) The cultivated land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration was mainly converted into forests and grasslands, with a small portion converted into construction land. Among the variable cultivated land, 54.60% was related to grasslands, 29.33% was related to forests, and 4.64% was related to construction land, mainly occurring in the central, northern, southeastern, and northwestern regions of the central Yunnan urban agglomeration. (4) There was a significant spatial clustering effect in the non-agricultural transformation of cultivated land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration, mainly characterized by high-high clustering and low-low clustering. High-high clustering was mainly distributed in the central, northern, and southeastern regions, while low-low clustering was mainly distributed in the northwest, western, and southwestern regions.(5) The non agriculturalization of cultivated land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration was influenced by both socio-economic and natural conditions. The agricultural population, state-owned fixed asset investment, and urbanization rate were the main factors for the non-agricultural expansion of cultivated land in the social economy, with influencing coefficients of -0.18, 0.11, and 0.10, respectively; The annual average precipitation and annual average temperature of natural factors played a crucial role in the spatial distribution and expansion process of non-agricultural land, with impact coefficients of 0.17 and -0.15, respectively. [Conclusion] The results have revealed the spatiotemporal change characteristics, evolution path, and driving mechanisms of farmland converted to non-agricultural land in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration over the past 30 years. It plays an important role in rational utilization and protection of arable land resources and ensuring food security in Yunnan province, and to a certain extent, it can provide a decision-making reference for the protection and optimization of arable land layout in the central Yunnan urban agglomeration.

Abstract Background Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory illness among children in Australia. While childhood asthma prevalence varies by region, little is known about variations at the small geographic area level. Identifying small geographic area variations in asthma is critical for highlighting hotspots for targeted interventions. This study aimed to investigate small area-level variation, spatial clustering, and sociodemographic risk factors associated with childhood asthma prevalence in Australia. Methods Data on self-reported (by parent/carer) asthma prevalence in children aged 0–14 years at statistical area level 2 (SA2, small geographic area) and selected sociodemographic features were extracted from the national Australian Household and Population Census 2021. A spatial cluster analysis was used to detect hotspots (i.e., areas and their neighbours with higher asthma prevalence than the entire study area average) of asthma prevalence. We also used a spatial Bayesian Poisson model to examine the relationship between sociodemographic features and asthma prevalence. All analyses were performed at the SA2 level. Results Data were analysed from 4,621,716 children aged 0–14 years from 2,321 SA2s across the whole country. Overall, children’s asthma prevalence was 6.27%, ranging from 0 to 16.5%, with significant hotspots of asthma prevalence in areas of greater socioeconomic disadvantage. Socioeconomically disadvantaged areas had significantly higher asthma prevalence than advantaged areas (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.10, 95% credible interval [CrI] 1.06–1.14). Higher asthma prevalence was observed in areas with a higher proportion of Indigenous individuals (PR = 1.13, 95% CrI 1.10–1.17). Conclusions We identified significant geographic variation in asthma prevalence and sociodemographic predictors associated with the variation, which may help in designing targeted asthma management strategies and considerations for service enhancement for children in socially deprived areas.

Wildlife crime has emerged as one of the most crucial threats to biodiversity conservation and is particularly severe in south and southeast Asia. Addressing the ever-increasing challenges of wildlife crime in Nepal requires strategies informed by rigorous analysis of spatiotemporal patterns of wildlife crime. However, little do we know about the nature and trends of wildlife crimes in Nepal. Retrieving the information on the registered wild-life crime cases of Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) from the Annapurna Conservation Area Liaison Office (ACALO) and Kaski District Court, this study assessed the temporal trend and spatial pattern of wildlife crime in the ACA from 1994 to 2019. Additionally, this study assessed the sociodemographic characteristics of the people convicted in wildlife crime cases. A total of 48 cases of crimes were registered over the last 25 years among which the majority of the cases were of poaching and wildlife trophies transportation (89.6%) mainly from Kaski district (60%). For those cases, a total of 132 people were convicted (65% from local villages and 35% from outside the ACA). About 68% of the convicted perpetrators were from Janajati ethnicity with poor economic conditions. These inferences emphasize the necessity of understanding the severity and pattern of the crime to prevent it by synthesizing and implementing conservation programs such as educating targeted groups and providing alternative sources of income.

The rapid development of new retail and the impact of COVID-19 have catalyzed the blowout growth of community group purchasing. The emergence of community group purchasing collection and delivery points (CGPCDPs) has become a new way to solve the "last mile" problem of new retail delivery. Based on the point of interest (POI) data of CGPCDPs of Nansha District, Guangzhou City, this study advances our understanding by identifying unique operational models, service targets, and spatial distribution patterns of CGPCDPs, which differ significantly from traditional pick-up points (PPs). The conclusions are as follows: (1) Most CGPCDPs depend on wholesale and retail shops, and their main service targets are urban and rural communities, followed by industrial areas. (2) The distribution of CGPCDPs has apparent spatial differentiation. At the macro scale, it shows the characteristics of "central agglomeration and peripheral dispersion". It is distributed along the "northwest-southeast" direction and presents a "dual-core multi-center" pattern. At the meso–micro scale, different built environments in developed areas of cities, villages in the city (ChengZhongCun), and rural areas show distinct distribution patterns. (3) The main influencing factors of their spatial distribution are population density, construction land, house price, supporting place, residence density, urban community, and road proximity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Miombo trees were larger in the high rainfall region compared with low rainfall areas. regions. • Size class distributions exhibited distinct patterns, with relative frequency varying among diameter classes. • The univariate analysis confirmed aggregation at small spatial scales across sites. • Nearest neighbour analysis confirmed the existence of competition at all sites. Our study investigates the intricate ecological mechanisms shaping miombo woodlands across a rainfall gradient in Zimbabwe. We comprehensively analysed vegetation structure, tree morphology, and spatial patterning across three distinct ecological regions characterized by varying mean annual precipitation (MAP). Results reveal that taller and larger trees are prevalent in the more humid site, while higher tree density is observed in the drier site. The spatial analysis highlights a significant aggregation of adult miombo species across all sites, with juveniles exhibiting a propensity to cluster around adult trees. These findings underscore the pivotal role of ecological gradients, such as precipitation, in shaping miombo woodland structure. However, the absence of clear spatial patterns across the rainfall gradient suggests that precipitation may have less influence on the spatial distribution of miombo trees. Understanding these complex ecological dynamics is essential for developing targeted conservation and management strategies that align with the unique attributes of miombo woodlands, critical ecosystems within the African landscape particularly vulnerable to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to analyze the characteristics of large-area distribution of rural settlements in southwest China from a high-resolution perspective, to explore the influence of different factors on the spatial distribution of rural settlements, and to provide a scientific basis for the spatial development of rural settlements. [Methods] With respect to the prevailing research inadequacies that struggle to balance ‘regional rules’ with ‘internal fine structure’, this study leveraged high-resolution rural settlement data, utilized kernel density, spatial hotspot detection, accessibility analysis, and geographic detectors to analyze the spatial distribution of rural settlements in Guangxi. At both global and patch scales, we investigated the spatial distribution characteristics of rural settlements, further analyzed the impact of natural, locational, and socio-economic factors on this spatial distribution. [Results] (1) The overall distribution of rural settlements in the study area was significantly clustered, mainly characterized by small-scale, low-density, and complex shapes. The average density of rural settlements throughout the province was 5.59 per km², with both scale and shape exhibiting significant clustering features of high values. (2) The distribution of rural settlements demonstrated notable differentiation. With the increase of elevation and slope, as well as the decrease of accessibility to farmland, roads, and water areas, the total area, scale, and density of rural settlements showed a declining trend. There was a large disparity in the spatial distribution of settlements under different geological backgrounds. Rural settlements in karst areas had a smaller total area but larger scale, more complex shape, and lower density. (3) Different factors such as natural, locational, and socio-economic variables had distinctly different influences on the distribution of rural settlements. Socio-economic factors had a strong ‘determining power’ on the total area of rural settlement distribution. Locational factors, namely farmland and roads, played a dominant role in the scale and shape of rural settlement distribution. In contrast, natural factors exerted the most significant influence on the distribution density of rural settlements. [Conclusion] The spatial distribution of rural settlements in Guangxi has significant regional differences, and different factors have significant effects on rural settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor air quality is a major issue in the core city of the Jabodetabek urban agglomeration, Jakarta. Unfortunately, this problem is not limited to Jakarta. Other cities in Jabodetabek also face similar challenges, where they have experienced similar fluctuations in their annual average PM2.5 concentrations based on historical data. This indicates that the air quality problem is dependend on the region. The integration of systems and activities among these cities may explain this problem. This spatial dependency is dangerous and can lead to transboundary health effects. Therefore, this research aims to find evidence of this spatial dependency in Jabodetabek. The results show that PM2.5 concentration in Jabodetabek is spatially dependent and exhibits a clustered pattern. The highly concentrated core of the cluster is Depok, the connecting city between the buffer cities and the core city of Jabodetabek. Cities with high-point and mobile hotspot sources, such as South Jakarta, East Jakarta, Bogor, and Bogor City, surround Depok, leading to this concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest age is one of most important biological factors that determines the magnitude of vegetation carbon sequestration. A spatially explicit forest age dataset is crucial for forest carbon dynamics modeling at the regional scale. However, owing to the high spatial heterogeneity in forest age, accurate high-resolution forest age data are still lacking, which causes uncertainty in carbon sink potential prediction. In this study, we obtained a 1 km resolution forest map based on the fusion of multiscale age information, i.e., the ninth (2014–2018) forest inventory statistics of China, with high accuracy at the province scale, and a field-observed dataset covering 6779 sites, with high accuracy at the site scale. Specifically, we first constructed a random forest (RF) model based on field-observed data. Utilizing this model, we then generated a spatially explicit forest age map with a 1 km resolution (random forest age map, RF map) using remotely sensed data such as tree height, elevation, meteorology, and forest distribution. This was then used as the basis for downscaling the provincial-scale forest inventory statistics of the forest ages and retrieving constrained maps of forest age (forest inventory constrained age maps, FIC map), which exhibit high statistical accuracy at both the province scale and site scale. The main results included the following: (1) RF can be used to estimate the site-scale forest age accurately (R2 = 0.89) and has the potential to predict the spatial pattern of forest age. However, (2) owing to the impacts of sampling error (e.g., field-observed sites are usually located in areas exhibiting relatively favorable environmental conditions) and the spatial mismatch among different datasets, the regional-scale forest age predicted by the RF model could be overestimated by 71.6%. (3) The results of the downscaling of the inventory statistics indicate that the average age of forests in China is 35.1 years (standard deviation of 21.9 years), with high spatial heterogeneity. Specifically, forests are older in mountainous and hilly areas, such as northeast, southwest, and northwest China, than in southern China. The spatially explicit dataset of the forest age retrieved in this study encompasses synthesized multiscale forest age information and is valuable for the research community in assessing the carbon sink potential and modeling carbon dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In order to investigate the spatio-temporal patterns of accessibility in the context of multifaceted transportation and optimize the allocation of aviation capacity in the “One City, Two Airports” scenario. Utilizing data from the Baidu Maps API, a weighted average travel time model for Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Tianfu International Airport under varying time-dependent traffic conditions was constructed to conduct an analysis of the accessibility spatial patterns of these two airports under two distinct travel modes: driving and public transportation. The results show that the commissioning of Tianfu International Airport has led to a “balanced east-west” spatial distribution of the service areas of Chengdu's hub airports. The 1 h coverage areas of the two airports are spatially complementary in the driving mode, and the 2 h coverage areas of the two airports are spatially complementary in the public transport mode. The accessibility of airports in Chengdu under driving mode is higher than that of public transportation mode, and the 1 h coverage area of driving mode starts to overlap and the 1. 5 h accessibility coverage has completely covered the main urban area. While the 1. 5 h coverage area of public transportation starts to overlap and the 3 h accessibility coverage basically covers the main urban area and shows the phenomenon of “better accessibility in the west and worse accessibility in the east”. With Chengdu as a transit point, Shuangliu Airport has a more efficient transit, showing the advantages of its location, and the accessibility of public transportation to the eastern edge of the main urban area of Chengdu is extremely poor. The commissioning of the Tianfu Airport and supporting road infrastructure has greatly improved the accessibility of Chengdu county-level region, including a significant increase in travel convenience for residents in Jianyang City of Chengdu, and Jintang County, Qingbaijiang District weekend travel congestion significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy has recently emerged as a potent force for reorganizing resources and transforming the economic structure. Although the existence of the digital divide has been confirmed in various nations and regions, most existing research has only examined it at a single geographic scale, leaving out consideration of multiscale dynamics. To fill this gap, this work attempts to construct a multiscale dynamic analytic framework for the digital economy by combining the methods and models from urban geography and spatial statistics. First, the overall patterns that the digital economy presents are examined in the proposed framework. Additionally, the multiscale dynamics of the digital divide as well as the multiscale dynamics of the factors influencing the digital economy are investigated. Finally, we carried out an empirical analysis on 242 Chinese cities using the proposed framework, and the findings can aid in the government’s creation of strategies for the growth of an urban digital economy, thereby reducing the digital divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Population-level competition and spatial patterns may explain the role of competitive exclusion in communities, which is important for vegetation restoration and biodiversity conservation. Methods: We analyzed the competitive intensity, spatial patterns, and renewal of Populus euphratica Oliv. forests in the Tarim River Basin using the Hegyi competition index and spatial point pattern analysis in a completely random model with different habitats and different forest ages. Results: The greatest competitive distance for P. euphratica was 10 m, and the intensity of competition steadily decreased as the diameter increased. The intensity of intraspecific and interspecific competition in young, mature, and old P. euphratica forests was as follows: riverside habitat > transitional habitat > desert margin habitat. The Simpson index values for the three habitats decreased as follows: transitional > riverside > desert margin, and the Shannon-Wiener index and Pielou index values decreased as follows: riverside > transitional > desert margin. In the riverside habitat, the young P. euphratica forest experienced the greatest competitive intensity, the mature forest in the transitional habitat was the largest, and the forest in the desert margin habitat was the oldest. Competitive intensity was greatest in the young riverside P. euphratica forest, mature P. euphratica forest in the transitional habitat, and old forest in the desert margin. Riverside P. euphratica experienced strong competition from Populus pruinosa. Competitive exclusion caused P. pruinosa to disappear from the transitional and desert margin habitats. Young, mature, and old P. euphratica forests were randomly distributed along the riverside and in the transitional habitat, while mature and old P. euphratica forests were randomly distributed in the desert margin. Populus pruinosa, Tamarix ramosissima, and Tamarix hispida were mainly randomly distributed, and T. ramosissima and T. hispida were clustered at small scales. In the riverside habitat, young, mature, and old P. euphratica had no spatial correlation, and there was a significant negative correlation at small scales in the transitional habitat. The density of P. euphratica seedlings in the riverside habitat was greater than that in the transitional habitat, and greater competitive pressures on P. euphratica tree seedlings caused a lower renewal density. Conclusions: When planting P. euphratica forests, spacing greater than 10 m can effectively reduce stand competition and thus promote seedling regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of many animals follows recurrent patterns and foraging is one of the most important processes in their daily activity. Determining movement in the search for resources and understanding temporal and spatial patterns in foraging has therefore long been central in behavioural ecology. However, identifying and monitoring animal movements is often challenging. In this study we assess the use of camera traps to track a very specific and small‐scale interactions focused on the foraging behaviour of Heliconiini butterflies. Data on floral visitation was recorded using marked individuals of three pollen‐feeding species of Heliconius (H. erato, H. melpomene and H. sara), and two closely related, non‐pollen feeding species (Dryas iulia and Dryadula phaetusa) in a large outdoor insectary. We demonstrate that camera traps efficiently capture individual flower visitation over multiple times and locations and use our experiments to describe some features of their spatial and temporal foraging patterns. Heliconiini butterflies showed higher activity in the morning with strong temporal niche overlap. Differences in foraging activity between males and females was observed with females foraging earlier than males, mirroring published field studies. Some flowers were more explored than others, which may be explained by butterflies foraging simultaneously affecting each other's flower choices. Feeding was grouped in short periods of intense visits to the same flower, which we refer to as feeding bouts. Heliconius also consistently visits the same flower, while non‐Heliconius visited a greater number of flowers per day and their feeding bouts were shorter compared with Heliconius. This is consistent with Heliconius having more stable long‐term spatial memory and foraging preferences than outgroup genera. More broadly, our study demonstrates that camera traps can provide a powerful tool to gather information about foraging behaviour in small insects such as butterflies. © 2024 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]