Biophysical Vulnerability Research Articles

Diverse landscapes, diverse risks: synthesis of the special issue on climate change and adaptive capacity in a hotter, drier Southwestern United States

Assessing regional-scale vulnerability of agricultural systems to climate change and variability is vital in securing food and fiber systems, as well as sustaining rural livelihoods. Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners rely on science-based, decision-relevant, and localized information to maintain production, ecological viability, and economic returns. This paper synthesizes the collection of research on the future of agricultural production in the Southwestern United States. A variety of assessment methods indicate the diverse impacts and risks across the Southwest, often related to water availability, which drives adaptive measures in this region. Sector- or species-specific adaptive measures have long been practiced in this region and will continue to be necessary to support agricultural production as a regional enterprise. Diversification of crop selection and income source imparts climate resilience. Building upon biophysical vulnerability through incorporating social and economic factors is critical to future adaptation planning efforts. The persistence and adaptive capacity of agriculture in the water-limited Southwest serves as an instructive example for producers outside the region expecting drier and warmer conditions and may offer solutions to reduce future climate impacts.

Anger and Sadness: Gendered Emotional Responses to Climate Threats in Four Island Nations

Climate change presents an important threat to community livelihoods and well-being around the world. Biophysical vulnerability to the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, coastal erosion, changing flora and fauna, and changing precipitation patterns are predicted to affect island nations in particular. Emotional geographies offers a theoretical entry point to understand how changing landscapes, which are often imbued with emotion and personal significance, may result in heightened emotional states and result in different outcomes depending on the severity of these changes and the biophysical vulnerability that produces them. Historically, emotion and gender have been closely linked; we use biophysical vulnerability to climate change, along with emotion and gender, to argue for a differentiated perspective on how men and women in different places may experience different emotional responses to climate change. Using a cross-cultural analysis of qualitative data from four island countries (Fiji, Cyprus, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; total N = 272), this article explores how different sensitivities to climate change may produce differentiated emotional responses among men versus women across these four sites. Our results indicate that gender does affect the emotional response of respondents in these sites, but that local sensitivity plays an important role in differentiating these emotional responses, and their causes, between the four sites.

A synthesized biophysical and social vulnerability assessment for Taiwan

Taiwan, located in the Western Pacific, is a country that is one of the most vulnerable to disasters that are associated with the changing climate; it is located within the Ring of Fire, which is the most geologically active region in the world. The environmental and geological conditions in Taiwan are sensitive and vulnerable to such disasters. Owing to increasing urbanization in Taiwan, floods and climate-related disasters have taken an increasing toll on human lives. As global warming accelerates the rising of sea levels and increasing of the frequency of extreme weather events, disasters will continue to affect socioeconomic development and human conditions. Under such circumstances, researchers and policymakers alike must recognize the importance of providing useful knowledge concerning vulnerability, disaster recovery and resilience. Strategies for reducing vulnerability and climate-related disaster risks and for increasing resilience involve preparedness, mitigation and adaptation. In the last two decades, extreme climate events have caused severe flash floods, debris flows, landslides, and other disasters and have had negative effects of many sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure and health. Since climate change is expected to have a continued impact on socio-economic development, this work develops a vulnerability assessment framework that integrates both biophysical and social vulnerability and supports synthesized vulnerability analyses to identify vulnerable areas in Taiwan. Owing to its geographical, geological and climatic features, Taiwan is susceptible to earthquakes, typhoons, droughts and various induced disasters. Therefore, Taiwan has the urgent task of establishing a framework for assessing vulnerability as a planning and policy tool that can be used to identify not only the regions that require special attention but also hotspots in which efforts should be made to reduce vulnerability and the risk of climate-related disaster. To analyze the biophysical vulnerability of Taiwan, hazards on eight maps from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) are analyzed. Statistical data from the NCDR on social vulnerability are also adopted. Finally, a GIS overlaying method was used to perform the synthesized vulnerability analysis of biophysical and social vulnerability for municipalities and counties in Taiwan.

Emotion, Coping, and Climate Change in Island Nations: Implications for Environmental Justice

Abstract Island nations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including changes in sea level, storms, coastal erosion, and freshwater availability. The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to understand how emotional responses to climate change are inequitably distributed across people living in island nations with varying climate change vulnerability. We consider how emotional responses (particularly sadness, worry, anger, happiness, and hope) may be related to people's biophysical vulnerability, adaptive capacity, and likelihood of relocation in the face of climate change. Using data from 272 ethnographic interviews collected in local communities in Fiji, Cyprus, New Zealand, and England, we explore the emotional reactions of respondents to current and future effects of climate change. Our results demonstrate that respondents in island nations with greater biophysical vulnerability are more likely to be concerned about relocation as a result of climate change, and they are als...

Response of developing countries to biological threats: the case of the Republic of Haiti.

In spite of scientific progress, the world is still facing major biological threats. Not only are there epidemics caused by wildlife pathogens under natural conditions, there are also those caused accidently when researchers handle highly hazardous organisms stored in research laboratories, and those caused when countries use these organisms as biological weapons of war or when criminal groups use them for bioterrorism. Developing countries tend to be more vulnerable to such threats than developed countries owing to the poor resilience of their animal health systems, their advanced state of environmental degradation, their socio-economic fragility and their political instability. The occurrence of emerging and re-emerging diseases (avian influenza, Ebola virus disease) has caused deep concern around the world in recent years and has shown how important it is for countries to strengthen the organisation of their Veterinary Services. The Republic of Haiti is one of the developing countries with the most acute biophysical vulnerability. Over the years, it has experienced a large number of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, droughts and epidemics that have further weakened a country with already scarce financial resources. However, Haiti is endeavouring to address biological threats by modernising its Veterinary Services and by implementing the animal health standards and guidelines of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for establishing resilient animal health systems.

A Synthesized Vulnerability Assessment: Case Study of Biophysical and Social Vulnerability in Taitung County, Taiwan

Strategies and action plans for reducing climate-related disaster risk can be pursued through mitigation and adaptation. In the last ten years, extreme climate events have severely caused flash floods, debris flows, landslides, etc. and have damaged many sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure and health. Since climate change is expected to have continued effects on social functioning and human development, this study proposes a vulnerability assessment framework combining both biophysical and social vulnerability and further carries out synthesized vulnerability analyses to identify vulnerable areas at the county level. Because of its geographical, geological and climatic features, Taiwan is susceptible to earthquakes, typhoons and numerous induced disasters. In many areas of Taiwan, potential hazards include debris flows and flash floods, but these problems are particularly severe in Taitung County. Moreover, the impact of climate change will further cause severe damages and disasters. Therefore, an urgent task for Taitung County is to establish a vulnerability assessment framework as a policy tool to identify not only the regions needing attention but also the hotspots in which efforts could be made to reduce vulnerability. To analyze the biophysical vulnerability of Taitung, this study examined hazards in seven maps from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) and made some adjustments according to local characteristics. Statistical data from the NCDR regarding social vulnerability were also used. Finally, GIS overlaying technique was used to perform a synthesized analysis of biophysical vulnerability and social vulnerability for each township.

Flood vulnerability and relocation readiness in Zimbabwe

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine vulnerability conditions to flood disasters in Tokwe-Mukorsi community, Zimbabwe and identifies the barriers that constrained the community from relocating to safe sites.Design/methodology/approachUsing a questionnaire survey, field observations and interviews, the paper examines the biophysical and social vulnerability of the Tokwe-Mukorsi community, Zimbabwe, as well as the barriers that prevented it from relocating to safe sites. A thematic analysis of the large volumes of qualitative data from interviews and walk-through analyses was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used in analysing quantitative data from questionnaires.FindingsResults reveal that households living upstream and downstream of the dam were highly vulnerable to floods. Their biophysical vulnerability was partly induced by the construction of the dam whose basin encroached into the farming and settlement area. The extremely vulnerable group were households living below level of 660 m where five saddle dams had been constructed. The built environment of the community exhibited ignorance of standard building codes. The poor socio-economic conditions of the community and the incessant rains experienced over two weeks contributed to the flood disaster in early 2014. The Tokwe-Mukorsi community failed to relocate to safe places partly due to lack of compensation, absence of basic infrastructure and drought occurrence in relocation sites.Research limitations/implicationsThe calculation of social vulnerability indices is beyond the scope of this study due to non-availability of quantitative data at community level.Originality/valueThis paper provides a comprehensive understanding of why some communities may fail to relocate despite being highly vulnerable to flood disasters.

The Irony of Flood Risks in African Dryland Environments: Human Security in North Cameroon

North Cameroon, though located in an arid environment, ironically also suffers from the serious threat of flooding in the region. This article examines contemporary challenges resulting from frequent flooding in North Cameroon. Using Cutter’s “Hazard of Place Model” of vulnerability as the conceptual basis, the article triangulates data from a variety of sources to analyze environmental risks, social and biophysical vulnerability and flood impact, including flood risk management in North Cameroon. The findings reveal that North Cameroon is vulnerable to frequent flooding due to a combination of environmental, socio-economic, and geographic factors further compounded by low organizational resilience to flooding with dire consequences for livelihoods. We argue that, if not handled appropriately, the impact of flooding in North Cameroon risks trapping the population in a permanent and vicious cycle of destitution and poverty. The government urgently needs to review its disaster management policies to be more proactive and strategic in flood management in order to enhance human security and prevent permanent damage to the livelihoods and the micro-economy of the region. Lessons learned from this research, when applied, can help to reduce the vulnerabilities of the poverty-stricken population and enhance resilience to flood risks.

An indicator-based approach to assess village-level social and biophysical vulnerability of agriculture communities in Uttarakhand, India

With the growing recognition to myriad forms of current and future threats in the mountain agriculture systems, there is a pressing need to holistically understand the vulnerability of mountain agriculture communities. The study aims to assess the biophysical and social vulnerability of agriculture communities using an indicator-based approach for the state of Uttarakhand, India. A total of 14 indicators were used to capture biophysical vulnerability and 22 for social vulnerability profiles of 15285 villages. Vulnerability analysis was done at village level with weights assigned to each indicator using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). The results of the study highlight the presence of very high biophysical vulnerability (0.82 ± 0.10) and high social vulnerability (0.65 ± 0.15) within the state. Based on the results, it was found that incidences of high biophysical vulnerability coincide with presence of intensified agriculture land and absence of dense forest. Higher social vulnerability scores were found in villages with an absence of local institutions (like Self Helping Groups (SHGs)), negligible infrastructure facilities and higher occupational dependence on agriculture. A contrast was observed in the vulnerability scores of villages present in the three different altitudinal zones in the study area, indicating respective vulnerability generating conditions existing in these three zones. Biophysical vulnerability was recorded to be highest in the villages falling in the lower zone and lowest in the upper zone villages; whereas, social vulnerability was found to be highest in the middle zone villages and lowest in lower zone villages. Our study aids policy makers in identifying areas for intervention to expedite agriculture adaptation planning in the state. Additionally, the adaptation programmes in the region need to be more context-specific to accommodate the differential altitudinal vulnerability profiles.

Anthropogenic impact on habitat connectivity: A multidimensional human footprint index evaluated in a highly biodiverse landscape of Mexico

Evaluating the cumulative effects of the human footprint on landscape connectivity is crucial for implementing policies for the appropriate management and conservation of landscapes. We present an adjusted multidimensional spatial human footprint index (SHFI) to analyze the effects of landscape transformation on the remnant habitat connectivity for 40 terrestrial mammal species representative of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic System in Michoacán (TMVSMich), in western central Mexico. We adjusted the SHFI by adding fragmentation and habitat loss to its original three components: land use intensity, time of human landscape intervention, and biophysical vulnerability. The adjusted SHFI was applied to four scenarios: one grouping all species and three grouping several species by habitat spatial requirements. Using the SHFI as a dispersal resistance surface and applying a circuit theory based approach, we analyzed the effects of cumulative human impact on habitat connectivity in the different scenarios. For evaluating the relationship between habitat loss and connectivity, we applied graph theory-based equivalent connected area (ECA) index. Results show over 60% of the TMVSMich has high SHFI values, considerably lowering current flow for all species. Nevertheless, the effect on connectivity of human impact is higher for species with limited dispersal capacity (100–500m). Our approach provides a new form of evaluating human impact on habitat connectivity that can be applied to different scales and landscapes. Furthermore, the approach is useful for guiding discussions and implementing future biodiversity conservation initiatives that promote landscape connectivity as an adaptive strategy for climate change.

Design with Nature: Key lessons from McHarg's intrinsic suitability in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

Mounting urban pressures and increasing vulnerability to disasters highlight the need for urban sustainability and ecological wisdom especially in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. In the 1960s, Ian McHarg examined land use suitability for Staten Island with attention to ecological planning by analyzing physical and cultural characteristics of land features and biophysical vulnerabilities such as tidal inundation and coastal flooding. In this paper, we examine the impact of Hurricane Sandy focusing on land use due to unsustainable planning on Staten Island. We utilize McHarg's Staten Island land use suitability study as a comparative example of a sustainable planning. We address the questions (1) whether or not McHarg's study would have prevented damage to homes and other urban structures using empirical analysis and (2) whether McHarg's recommendations were a realistic possibility. We quantify these differences using geospatial methods and statistical analysis. Our results show that (1) a significantly lower percentage of urban damage would have occurred if land use development followed McHarg's guidelines and (2) how conflicting economic and social ideals of development and zoning issues could explain why McHarg's study would have been difficult to implement. Our findings illustrate the tradeoffs between economic development with long term environmental benefits. This emphasizes the need and opportunity to work with nature and employ urban sustainability approaches and ecological wisdom to mitigate future threats.

Vulnerability to climate variability and drought among small and marginal farmers: a case study in Odisha, India

Indicator-based frameworks have been widely used in vulnerability analysis to understand vulnerability to climate variability and change. This study examines the socio-economic vulnerability of farmers exposed to drought conditions and climate variability in one of the highly vulnerable state (Odisha) in Eastern India. Intensive survey was undertaken among 183 households in four villages to collect data on various socio-economic and livelihood indicators. Data were aggregated using a composite index, and vulnerability in four villages was compared. Our assessment shows that caution is warranted in terms of the assumption that we make about adaptive capacity. A higher adaptive capacity of the communities in vulnerability index does not necessarily imply that they are less vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change and vice versa. Highly vulnerable villages to climate risks are also the ones involved in various adaptation actions in agriculture. The findings further suggests that although vulnerability indices are helpful in identifying vulnerable people and places, there is a need to examine multiple stressors that interacts with socio-economic and biophysical vulnerability of communities. Results shows that highly vulnerable villages are characterized by features such as high levels of poverty, high levels of borrowing, less crop diversity, with agriculture as the only source of income and low level of agricultural insurance. Finally, results demonstrate the importance of diversified livelihoods in managing risks associated with climate hazards.

Socio-ecological lessons for the Anthropocene: Learning from the remote Indigenous communities of Central Australia

Abstract The Anthropocene is generating new demands on societies to learn how to establish flexible and resilient socio-ecosystems. The proposed new epoch, driven in large part by human actions, enhances the need for new knowledge on how modernity could respond effectively to environmental extremes and change. New knowledge can be drawn from various sources, but one vital approach will be to learn from the wealth of ancient, traditional forms of cultural adaptation in societal margins, where people have interacted sustainably with difficult environments throughout the Holocene. To achieve that goal, adaptation research with the Anangu of the Alinytjara Wilurara region in South Australia is critically reviewed through the lens of socio-ecological theory. Complex, interactive local biophysical, cultural and political ecologies must be negotiated to learn to adapt to environmental extremes and change. A social learning approach successfully integrated local Indigenous and external knowledge to identify biophysical vulnerabilities, and generated risk narratives that are helping to guide spatial and systemic adaptation planning on heatwave, wildfire and bushfood management. Yet, political ecologies continue to inhibit support for Indigenous stewardship of local environments. Institutional investment into the knowledge and management activities of Indigenous people could generate sustainable development opportunities, while also providing universal lessons about stewarding local environments through periods of change.

Geospatial approach for assessment of biophysical vulnerability to agricultural drought and its intra-seasonal variations.

The study presents a methodology to assess and map agricultural drought vulnerability during main kharif crop season at local scale and compare its intra-seasonal variations. A conceptual model of vulnerability based on variables of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity was adopted, and spatial datasets of key biophysical factors contributing to vulnerability were generated using remote sensing and GIS for Rajasthan State of India. Hazard exposure was based on frequency and intensity of gridded standardized precipitation index (SPI). Agricultural sensitivity was based on soil water holding capacity as well as on frequency and intensity of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)-derived trend adjusted vegetation condition index (VCITadj). Percent irrigated area was used as a measure of adaptive capacity. Agricultural drought vulnerability was derived separately for early, mid, late, and whole kharif seasons by composting rating of factors using linear weighting scheme and pairwise comparison of multi-criteria evaluation. The regions showing very low to extreme rating of hazard exposure, drought sensitivity, and agricultural vulnerability were identified at all four time scales. The results indicate that high to extreme vulnerability occurs in more than 50% of net sown area in the state and such areas mostly occur in western, central, and southern parts. The higher vulnerability is on account of non-irrigated croplands, moderate to low water holding capacity of sandy soils, resulting in higher sensitivity, and located in regions with high probability of rainfall deficiency. The mid and late season vulnerability has been found to be much higher than that during early and whole season. Significant correlation of vulnerability rating with food grain productivity, drought recurrence period, crop area damaged in year 2009 and socioeconomic indicator of human development index (HDI) proves the general soundness of methodology. Replication of this methodology in other areas is expected to lead to better preparedness and mitigation-oriented management of droughts.

Geomorphology as an indicator of the biophysical vulnerability of estuaries to coastal and flood hazards in a changing climate

Climate change is increasing the need to characterise the vulnerability of coastal landscapes to coastal and flood hazards that result in erosion and inundation. Indices, such as the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI), have emerged as useful tools with which coastal managers can prioritise areas for further detailed assessment of vulnerability, risk, resilience and adaptation options. Approaches, such as the use of an index, efficiently characterise the vulnerability of linear, one-dimensional coastal features such as coastlines; however, they do not capture variability in coastal processes affecting more complex, non-linear features, such as estuaries, or interactive effects of coastal processes between linear (e.g. coastlines) and non-linear (e.g. estuaries) landforms. We present an approach that uses geomorphology to indicate biophysical vulnerability of estuaries to coastal and flood hazards. The approach is applied to the South Coast of NSW; a wave-dominated coastline of approximately 400 km length that contains more than 100 estuaries. We demonstrate the simplicity of the approach and its utility in identifying areas requiring higher resolution assessments. Although this approach does not include socio-economic factors, we demonstrate the capacity to incorporate socio-economic components of vulnerability using regional land use mapping. We infer that the most vulnerable estuaries are characterised by large catchment areas, broad estuarine valleys, mature stages of infill, or entrances oriented towards the prevailing wave direction. The area below 15 m elevation was identified as a robust indicator of the total area of vulnerability within a catchment. This approach can be applied to one-dimensional and more complex two-dimensional landscapes, such as estuaries; integrates varying sea-level rise projections; and incorporates a wider range of hazards that operate in the coastal zone.

Mapping Cross-Boundary Climate Change Vulnerability—Case Study of the Hualien and Taitung Area, Taiwan

This study uses biophysical vulnerability and social vulnerability data from Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) to assess the vulnerable areas in Hualien County and Taitung County (Hualien-Taitung Area). The most vulnerable townships are Yanping and Chenggong townships in Taitung County, and the least vulnerable townships are Fuli, Jian, Yuli, Shoufeng and Fenglin townships in Hualien County. The severity of potential impacts to townships in Taitung County is greater than that to townships in Hualien County. In the context of climate change, the Hualien-Taitung Area must develop policies that prioritize policies and strategies for hotspot townships. Furthermore, the Hualien-Taitung Area should integrate long-term cross-boundary policies and strategies to lobby for increased funding from the central government. Moreover, cross-boundary resource integration and regional adaptation strategies should be merged to help the Hualien-Taitung Area move toward sustainability.

Urban climate vulnerability and governance in the Russian North

ABSTRACTTwo different kinds of locales that are commonly understood as sensitive to the effects on ongoing and potentially increasing climate change are the Arctic, as a world region, and cities, as the preferred dwelling place of over half of the planet's population. Understanding how climate change may affect Arctic cities would be of paramount importance, especially where population densities are high. In the Arctic, the Russian Federation contains the most Arctic territory, the most highly urbanized places and greatest number of urban residents across all of the Arctic. This paper provides an overview of climate change policy in Russia, generally, and an urban vulnerability framework developed specifically to elucidate the suite of biophysical, socioeconomic, political and cultural vulnerabilities related to climate change in Russian Arctic urban places. This paper suggests that domestic politics and policy do not currently address the current and impending vulnerabilities related to climate change for people in urban settings in the Russian North.

War without end? Military humanitarianism and the limits of biopolitical approaches to security in Central America and the Caribbean

In 2008, the U.S. Southern Command launched Operation Continuing Promise as an ongoing mission to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to vulnerable populations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Conceived as a means of fostering regional security, the Operation's humanitarian aim was designed to improve regional security by ensuring life against the risk of a range of disasters. Much as that mission reflects biopolitical analyses of humanitarianism that emphasize the ability to protect life as the basis for sovereignty, closer attention to the timing and location of SOUTHCOM's efforts offers a more contextual understanding. That approach is developed here through an analysis of Operation Continuing Promise's stop in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, contrasting SOUTHCOM's focus on biophysical vulnerability with intended recipients' sense of their condition as a historical and political outcome. That contrast frames a contextual understanding of Operation Continuing Promise, placing it within broader efforts to construct Puerto Cabezas as vulnerable. That approach also points up the limits of biopolitical analyses of humanitarianism, suggesting the ways in which vulnerability is never merely a biological condition. The narrow humanitarian focus of Operation Continuing Promise can therefore be assessed in terms of its inability to address political and historical factors shaping vulnerability. So long as vulnerability persists, the potential for intervention persists indefinitely, making humanitarianism into a means of waging war without end.

New York City Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report. Chapter 3: Static coastal flood mapping.

New York City Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report. Chapter 3: Static coastal flood mapping.

Social and Climatic Vulnerabilities in Nigeria

The definition of vulnerability shifts across disciplines and research areas. It is used to describe anything from risk. which is the probability of an event occurring, to serving as a proxy for socioeconomic status. It defines which populations or areas are more likely than others to suffer negative consequences of climate-related and other social and environment related phenomena. While considerable research attention has examined components of biophysical vulnerability and the vulnerability of the built environment, current effort examined social and climatic aspects 0f vulnerability vis-a-vis Nigerian government’s ability or inability to prepare for or recover from social problems and natural extremes. This article is produced from archival research, examining notable social and climatic extremes in the country such as ethnic disturbances. terrorism, Biafran civil war, the Niger Delta Crisis to unearth governmental actions and inactions in the management of crises and disasters in the country. The point of departure is that Nigeria as a corporate entity is not sensitive enough nor possesses adequate willingness to prepare for; cope with and recover from those crises and disasters that have taken place over the years despite the availability of initial indicators and warnings about such events.