Central Highlands Research Articles

“Who Eats the Forest?”: Forest Animacy among the Bahnar People of Vietnam

In this paper, we explore Bahnar perspectives on the agency of plants and forest, and human–forest relations in Vietnam. The Bahnar are among Vietnam's 54 recognized ethnic minority peoples 1 , many of whom live in proximity to the forest, gather its resources, and regard it as a spiritual abode in their cosmology. The Bahnar (Ba Na) people who inhabit the Central Highlands and are the main focus of this article have traditionally relied on the forest for subsistence, practising swidden cultivation, hunting birds and mammals, and gathering plants. Their forest knowledge is transmitted primarily orally; through the lexicon, everyday discourses, stories, and songs. It is acquired through participation in forest-related activities and informal learning of arts such as vernacular architecture, basketry, canoe-building, and textiles. The Bahnar see spirits in things in nature with which they have a connection or routine interactions (stones, streams, and trees) but not in everything. The Bahnar spiritual connection with the forest also guides their husbandry of increasingly scarce forest resources, such as rattan used in basketry, and large trees needed to make canoes. Certain plants and trees are protected by taboos, and certain parts of the forest are considered sacred, inhabited by gods and spirits, and not to be touched. Forests possess animacy for the Bahnar in that they are sensitive and responsive to a wide range of human behaviours, and must be treated with respect and care. This human–forest–spirit relationship is the primary lens through which the Bahnar perceive nature, and guides their daily interactions with it.

The current situation of health equity in underserved areas of Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, providing universal health coverage (UHC) in accordance with the principles of the UHC declaration is challenging on two fronts: the geographic topography of the country and the prevailing gender dynamics within the local culture. We conducted a desk review of underserved areas in the context of health services by gathering and analyzing existing literature, reports, and data using a combination of keywords and phrases such as: "underserved areas," "healthcare disparities," "access to healthcare," and "health services." The primary data were derived from an analysis of underserved populations conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Afghanistan's Emergency Program, supplemented by information from in-country partners. In addition to other reports, this review focused on analyzing the geographical availability of primary healthcare (PHC) services by employing the guidelines set forth in the SPHERE framework. It also took into account the social dynamics within the Afghan population that may create barriers to equity in terms of demand and access to PHC services. Although there are a significant number of primary healthcare facilities in operation (4,242), they are unevenly distributed across different regions of Afghanistan, resulting in almost 25% of the population being underserved. The underserved population is nearly equally distributed between genders, with the majority residing in rural communities. Women of childbearing age represent 28% of the underserved population. Children under the age of five represent 16-18% of the underserved population in all regions, except in the western region, where they represent between 12 and 13%. Individuals over 60 years of age represent 1-3% of the underserved population across all regions. More than 50% of the population in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan is underserved, followed by the western and southern regions. Ghor province in the western region has the highest proportion of underserved populations, followed by Zabul province in the southern region. Afghanistan is currently experiencing a protracted humanitarian crisis, with millions of people living in poverty and lacking access to healthcare. This situation exposes them to serious risks such as disease epidemics, starvation, and maternal and child mortality. It is crucial to implement alternative strategies to reach the most affected populations and to increase funding for the delivery of healthcare services in Afghanistan.

Awareness and adoption of climate-resilient practices by smallholder farmers in central and upper Eastern Kenya

Climate change and soil fertility decline are major hurdles to agricultural ecosystems. Despite the importance of climate-resilient practices (CRPs) in enhancing food security, poverty alleviation and nutritional security, awareness and adoption remain low in most developing countries, including Kenya. We assessed the determinants of simultaneous awareness and adoption of CRPs and their intensity in Central Highlands of Kenya. The CRPs considered in this study were inorganic fertilizer and manure integration, manure, mulching, crop residues, cover crop, crop rotation and intercrop. The study used a cross-sectional survey design and collected data from 400 smallholders in Central Highlands of Kenya. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate probit and Poisson regression. Our findings showed that awareness and adoption of specific CRPs and their intensity were determined by occupation, age, farming experience, household size, soil fertility management, climate change adaptation, agricultural training, and geographical location. Smallholders’ agricultural training was an important determinant of awareness, adoption level, and intensity. Our findings underscored the need for agricultural policymakers and extension systems to design farmer-driven training programs for enhanced awareness and adoption of CRPs.

Determinants of household livelihood diversification in the uplands: The case of cassava production areas in central highlands of Vietnam

ABSTRACT The livelihoods of upland communities in Vietnam are rapidly transforming due to socio-economic and environmental changes. As a result, livelihood diversification has emerged as an adaptive strategy to these pressures, while agricultural commercialization demands greater production specialization. This study explored livelihood and crop diversification in the central highlands using survey data from 364 households and 22 in-depth interviews. The Simpson Diversity Index and Herfindahl-Hirschman Indexe were used to measure diversification levels, and regression analysis identified key determinants. Findings revealed moderate-low livelihood diversification toward non-farm activities and moderate-high crop diversification, with a trend toward industrial cassava specialization. Household-head age, education, perception of climate risks, and transportation accessibility were key factors influencing livelihood diversification. The study recommends policies to enhance young laborers’ capacity in agriculture and promote the development of non-farm livelihood activities, leveraging local resources for sustainable upland development.

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Geographical Distribution of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Kenya with Maximum Entropy Model

Climate change has been disturbing the present species distribution ranges, resulting in the shifting of cultivation areas and decreases in production and quality. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), which seeks optimum climatic resources, is a key cash crop economically in Kenya. In this study, the shifting of tea suitability was projected with the MaxEnt model under the SSP (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) climate scenarios for the 2050s and 2090s relative to the 1970–2000 distribution. Analysis under the current climatic condition showed that the proportions of optimal and medium- and marginal-suitable areas were 2%, 3%, and 24% of the total area, respectively, and located in south-western (SW), central, and north-eastern (NE) Kenya and, to some extent, in the Rift Valley. It was projected that the potential suitable tea-growing areas would migrate from the western areas to the central, eastern, and north-eastern highlands in Kenya. It was detected that the precipitation of the driest period (July), precipitation of the wettest quarter (April, May, and June), and annual temperature range could be the main climatic factors determining the shift in tea distribution. Compared to the current distribution (29%), the climatically suitable areas for tea production could reach 32.58% of Kenya’s land area under the SSP1-2.6 scenarios in the 2050s and 35.08% in the 2090s under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. On the contrary, it was found that the optimal climate-suitable habitats were projected to shrink by 2% and 1% in the 2050s and 2090s under all scenarios on the west side of the Great Rift Valley compared to the current distribution. In comparison, the sizes of medium- and marginal-suitable habitats would increase by 1% and 3%, respectively. The findings indicated that unless adaptive climate actions are taken, climate change could reduce the tea planting areas in western Kenya. Meanwhile, climate suitability was projected to expand upward on the east side of the Rift Valley, enhancing the potential distribution of tea. The developed climate information could be used to design and implement adaptation interventions in the lower elevation areas. Finally, we highlight that the available scientific literature on the climate suitability of tea in Kenya should be broadened by adding non-climatic factors.

Characterization of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Central Highland Grey-Shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix cinerea), a Critically Endangered Species Endemic to Vietnam (Mammalia: Primates).

The grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea) is a recently described, critically endangered primate, endemic to Vietnam. In this study, we describe the Central Highland species' complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome-mtDNA). It is a circular molecule with a length of 16,541 base pairs (bp). The genome consists of 37 genes, consistent with those found in most other vertebrates, including 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs. A comparison with the mitogenomes of more than 50 primates showed that the mitogenome of Vietnamese Central Highland Pygathrix cinerea has a conservative gene order. We identified 43 nucleotide differences when comparing this genome with a previously published mitogenome of Pygathrix cinerea. It is evident that there are distinct differences between the Pygathrix cinerea we are currently studying and other Pygathrix cinerea specimens. These differences are unlikely to be solely the result of sequencing errors, as the mitogenomes were generated using high-quality methods. The genetic divergence observed between the two Pygathrix cinerea mitogenomes implies the potential existence of at least two distinct lineages or forms of this primate species within its native range in Vietnam.

Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Potato (<i>Solanum tuberosum </i>L.) by Using CROPWAT 8.0 at Welmera District, Central Highland of Ethiopia

In Welmera district, due to poor management of irrigation water, determination of crop water requirements and appropriate irrigation scheduling is important to prevent over or under-irrigation. The 30-year climatic data (1993- 2023) collected from Holeta Agricultural Research Center were used to estimate potato water requirements and irrigation scheduling using CROPWAT 8.0 model. The results shows that, the CWR, NIR and GIR for potato crop was 444.9 mm, 371.7 mm and 619.5 mm respectively. For the early January planted potato, irrigation should be given fourteen times (1-Jan, 9-Jan, 19-Jan, 29-Jan, 5-Feb, 12-Feb, 19-Feb, 26-Feb, 5-Mar, 11-Mar, 19- Mar, 26-Mar, 31-Mar and last irrigation on 10-Apr) with a gross irrigation water amount of 24.2 mm, 19.9 mm, 23.3 mm, 24.2 mm, 26.9 mm, 35.5mm, 38 mm, 43.5 mm, 43.4 mm, 40.8 mm, 41.9 mm, 39.5 mm, 40.2 mm and 42.9 mm depth respectively. The results obtained from this study can be useful in preventing over or under-irrigation and for future planning of water resource, thereby helping to save water in meeting the CWRs, and can be used as a guide for farmers to select the amount and frequency of irrigation for the crop being studied.

A modification of normalized difference drought index to enhance drought assessment using remotely sensed imagery.

Drought is one of the common natural disasters with a wide range of occurrences in terms of space and time, and with varying levels of severity, that may result in economic damage and health issues to humans. This study focuses on assessing drought severity in the Central Highlands of Vietnam based on ground meteorological stations and multispectral remote sensing data. A Modification of the Normalized Difference Drought Index (MNDDI) was developed to enhance the effectiveness of remote sensing indices in the drought assessment. Results indicate that MNDDI outperforms Normalized Difference Drought Index and other investigated indicators, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Latent Heat Index, and Normalized Difference Water Index, in representing the Earth's surface response to drought events. Correlations ranging from 0.85 to 0.63 were identified between MNDDI and various time scales of the commonly used meteorological drought indicator, namely the Standardized Precipitation Index, during the drought year of 2015. This work also reveals the superiority of MNDDI in portraying the response of land cover types to drought situations. The finding of a severe drought phenomenon in critical agricultural zones is highly consistent with the report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam. This study contributes valuable insights to the preliminary assessment of drought through remote sensing data, offering a foundation for precise drought outlooks and effective risk management strategies.

Spatiotemporal variability of streamflow under current and projected climate scenarios of Andit Tid watershed, central highland of Ethiopia

This study examined the impact of climate change on streamflow in the Andit Tid watershed using climate models of dynamically downscaled Ethiopia’s CORDEX. The Arc SWAT and ArcGIS 10.5 software assessed the spatial and temporal distribution of streamflow, incorporating geospatial data like land use maps, digital elevation models, soil maps, and climate data. The SWAT model was calibrated and validated using SWAT-CUP with the SUFI-2 algorithm. The Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis, Canada (CCCma (RCA4) model was selected for future projections after validation. From 1991 to 2021, the average streamflow rate was 0.0374 m3/s (247 mm), with R2 values of 0.83 for calibration and 0.72 for validation. Hotspots with active gullies and slopes over 20% were identified mainly in cultivated lands. Future projections indicated a comparable streamflow rate to current conditions at 0.0322 m3/s (212.6 mm). A decline in streamflow is projected: 7.2% and 30.2% decreases in the near and far future under RCP 4.5, and 32.3% decreases and 5% increases under RCP 8.5 scenarios. These variations were attributed to differences in catchment characteristics and climate variability. Further research is needed to validate these findings by incorporating additional biophysical variables. This study provides insights into hydrological planning and management in the Andit Tid watershed and similar regions facing climate variability.

Comparing the process of converting land use purposes between socio-economic regions in Vietnam from 2007 to 2020

Abstract Reporting land use changes over time is important for evaluating land resource management. This study applied GIS technology to determine land use fluctuations for the entire mainland territory in Vietnam. In particular, the research focused on two main issues: (1) spatial fluctuations of some main land groups in Vietnam, and(2) the rate of land use change in socio-economic regions in the two periods 2007–2016 and 2016–2020. Research results showed that the Forests land group showed a growth of over 14% and spatial fluctuations took place in all regions, except for two regions with little change in this land group: Red River Delta (RRD) and Mekong River Delta (MRD). Meanwhile, crops decreased by over 16% from 2007–2020 and appeared heavily in the Northern Midlands and Mountains (NMR), North Central and Central Coast regions (NCR), and Central Highlands region (CHR). Urban land group increased by 3% during 2007–2020. The speed of land use conversion also showed different results between economic regions and inthe two research periods. The results showed that the recent research period witnessed a higher rate of land use conversion in the regions compared to the period 2007–2016. In particular, the NMR region showed that the conversion rate was the largest in both stages.

Impacts of land use and management methods on soil quality dynamics in central highlands of Ethiopia.

Land degradation often results in poor soil quality in many parts of Ethiopia, including the study area. To address this issue and promote sustainable land management practices, various land use and management methods (LUMMs) have been implemented. However, little information is available regarding how these management practices influence overall soil quality dynamics of the study area. This study aimed at evaluating soil quality dynamics in the Urago micro-watershed, central highlands of Ethiopia, under major LUMMs: barren land (BL), grassland (GL), established farm boundary (EFB), restored degraded land (RDL), and stone-supported soil bund (SSB). Forty-five disturbed and fifteenundisturbed soil samples were collected from the ploughed soil layer (0-20cm) of each LUMM and analysed for selected physicochemical properties to be used as indicators of soil quality. Principal component analysis and multiple correlation were used to select the minimum data set (MDS) to evaluate the overall soil quality index (SQI). The MDS included SOC, clay content, exchangeable Mg2+, and available P, which could replace other indicators for assessing the overall soil quality dynamics of the study watershed. The result showed notable variations in particle-size fractions, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available P (av. P), and exchangeable Na+, K+, and Mg2+ levels among the LUMMs. RDL had higher sand and silt contents than SSB, whereas SSB had higher clay content compared to RDL, GL, and BL. GL, RDL, and EFB showed significantly higher levels of SOC, TN, and av. P, respectively, compared to other LUMMs. The obtained SQI showed that GL had the highest score (0.847), followed by SSB (0.703), RDL (0.701), EFB (0.644), and BL (0.628). This underscores the significance of stone-supported soil bund and restored degraded land as an efficient management method to enhance soil quality and agro-ecosystem through conserving soil and encouraging sustainable farming practices.

Factors Influencing the Implementation and Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices on Wacaca Mountain in Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Factors Influencing the Implementation and Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices on Wacaca Mountain in Central Highlands of Ethiopia

The impacts of climate change on meteorological drought in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of drought under the impacts of climate change in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The standardized precipitation indices at 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month time scales were calculated based on the average monthly precipitation at 11 meteorological stations between 1985–2014. The drought characteristics were analysed based on the modified Mann-Kendall test, Theil-Sen methods and the theory of runs. Analysing the impact of climate change on drought events, four CMIP6 GCM models, namely, CNRM-CM6-1-HR, MRI-ESM2-0, BCC-CSM2-MR and MIROC6, under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios were used to obtain the average monthly precipitation for the period 2031-2060 to compute the SPI3, SPI6, SPI9 and SPI12. The results indicate that the drought frequency under the SSP5-8.5 scenario ranges from moderate to severe. The BCC-CSM2-MR, CNRM-CM6-1-HR and MIROC6 models showed an increase in drought frequency from 2 to 4% for SPI3 and SPI6 and from 4 to 6% for SPI9 and SPI12. Under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, the frequency of severe droughts also increases by 2-4% compared with that in the 1985-2014 baseline periods for SPI6, SPI9 and SPI12. Consequently, moderate to severe drought episodes are predicted to occur more frequently in the research area.

Education: an efficient tool to increase the willingness of children to consume farmed crickets in Madagascar

Abstract Insects are increasingly promoted as a sustainable protein alternative for human consumption. Yet consumers have shown varied levels of acceptance, especially in countries without a tradition of eating insects. Even in countries where people traditionally eat insects, farmed insects might be considered novel foods if they are not the same species locals traditionally consume. In this work, we measured acceptance of a farmed cricket (Gryllus madagascariensis) as food at eight primary schools in the central highlands of Madagascar, a country with a long tradition of eating insects but not this species. We evaluated the role of education as a strategy to increase acceptance of insects as food. We also assessed whether education interventions affect children’s willingness to try cricket-based products, comparing three five-minute education interventions : historical overview of entomophagy in Madagascar, nutritional benefits of consuming insects, and preparation of cricket-based meals. Out of the 483 children, 73% had consumed insects in the past. The percentage of children willing to eat novel farmed crickets in school meals jumped from 16% before the education sessions to 87% after the education sessions. Education based on preparation of cricket-based meals was the most effective, as 86% of the reluctant children changed their minds. Finally, we found strong evidence that males were more willing to try insects than females before and after education. Our results are in line with past studies, and underscore the importance of education in promoting insect consumption. The drastic increase in the proportion of children willing to try insects suggests that barriers to consuming farmed insects are low in countries with a tradition of insect consumption and can be overcome through education. Our study supports the acceptability of novel farmed insects as an alternative protein solution to combat malnutrition in children in developing countries like Madagascar.

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Seed rates on Yield and Yield Components of Bread Wheat in the Irrigated Condition of South West Shewa, Central Highland of Ethiopia

Inappropriate seed density and fertilizer management can lead to unstable crop yields. Excessive fertilizer application can potentially cause yield loss and nitrogen (N) leaching that leads to environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to explore the optimal N application rate and seed rate on bread wheat with different nitrogen responding under irrigation condition at two experimental sites in the South West Shewa, Ethiopia. A year field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of five N application rates (N0, N23, N46, N69, and N92) and three seed rates on bread wheat yield components like; - aboveground biomass, harvest index, number of tillers per plant, spike length, number of kernels per plant, grain yield and net return. The results showed that N application rate and seed rate were significantly interaction (P< 0.05) effect on aboveground biomass, harvest index, number of tillers per plant, spike length, number of kernels per plant and grain yield. Generally, spike length, number of tillers per plant and number of kernels per spike of wheat were increased with increased at some level in nitrogen fertilizer rate for the three seed rate at both locations. Highest number of kernels per spike (42.00, 44.00) and the highest mean above ground biomass yield (13.70 t ha<sup>-1</sup>, 7.5 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) were obtained for 150 kg ha <sup>-1</sup> seed rate with 69 N kg ha<sup>-1</sup> application at Ameya and Woliso sites respectively. The highest net benefit of 171531.88 EB ha<sup>-1</sup> with marginal rate of return of 351.14% was obtained from 175 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> seed rate with application of 69 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>. Therefore, 175 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> seed rate with application of 69 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> is economical feasible for bread wheat production at Ameya area and also the highest net benefit of 51675 EB ha<sup>-1</sup> with marginal rate of return of 115.22% was obtained from 150 kg ha <sup>-1</sup> seed rate with application of 69 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> at Woliso area.

Changes In Worldview Through the Study of The Transformation of Marriage Among the Ede People in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam

The Ede people are one of the long-established ethnic groups in the Central Highlands. The unique culture of this ethnic group is reflected in various architectural works, festivals, rituals, and customs. This article analyzes the human values in marriage and the changes in worldview regarding marriage among the Ede people in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.

Heatwaves in Vietnam: Characteristics and relationship with large‐scale climate drivers

AbstractThis study analyses the spatio‐temporal variability of heatwave characteristics and their association with large‐scale climate drivers across seven climatic sub‐regions in Vietnam, including the Northwest (R1), Northeast (R2), Red River Delta (R3), North Central (R4), South Central (R5), Central Highlands (R6) and the South (R7). The analysis is based on observed daily maximum temperatures from 102 meteorological stations, spanning the period 1980–2020. The obtained results reveal diverse heatwave patterns across the country. Amongst the seven climatic sub‐regions of Vietnam, the R3 and R4 sub‐regions experienced more frequent heatwaves and a higher number of heatwave days, but shorter durations. In contrast, other sub‐regions had fewer heatwave events and heatwave days but experienced longer‐lasting heatwaves. The intensity of heatwave events varies amongst sub‐regions, with the highest value in the R4 sub‐region, and the lowest in R7. Notably, the R1–R5 sub‐regions are affected by heatwaves over larger areas, compared to others. Additionally, the findings confirm that the lagged influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the primary climatic driver of heatwave characteristics in Vietnam. Generally, heatwaves tend to occur more frequently in the years following El Niño events than after La Niña events. This observation provides opportunities for developing a system of seasonal predictions of heatwaves in Vietnam. The impact of ENSO on the number of heatwave events and heatwave days is evident in five out of seven sub‐regions, with less impact in the R2 and R7 sub‐regions. However, it does not significantly affect heatwave intensity.

Bayesian spatio-temporal modelling of environmental, climatic, and socio-economic influences on malaria in Central Vietnam

BackgroundDespite the successful efforts in controlling malaria in Vietnam, the disease remains a significant health concern, particularly in Central Vietnam. This study aimed to assess correlations between environmental, climatic, and socio-economic factors in the district with malaria cases.MethodsThe study was conducted in 15 provinces in Central Vietnam from January 2018 to December 2022. Monthly malaria cases were obtained from the Institute of Malariology, Parasitology, and Entomology Quy Nhon, Vietnam. Environmental, climatic, and socio-economic data were retrieved using a Google Earth Engine script. A multivariable Zero-inflated Poisson regression was undertaken using a Bayesian framework with spatial and spatiotemporal random effects with a conditional autoregressive prior structure. The posterior random effects were estimated using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation with Gibbs sampling.ResultsThere was a total of 5,985 Plasmodium falciparum and 2,623 Plasmodium vivax cases during the study period. Plasmodium falciparum risk increased by five times (95% credible interval [CrI] 4.37, 6.74) for each 1-unit increase of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) without lag and by 8% (95% CrI 7%, 9%) for every 1ºC increase in maximum temperature (TMAX) at a 6-month lag. While a decrease in risk of 1% (95% CrI 0%, 1%) for a 1 mm increase in precipitation with a 6-month lag was observed. A 1-unit increase in NDVI at a 1-month lag was associated with a four-fold increase (95% CrI 2.95, 4.90) in risk of P. vivax. In addition, the risk increased by 6% (95% CrI 5%, 7%) and 3% (95% CrI 1%, 5%) for each 1ºC increase in land surface temperature during daytime with a 6-month lag and TMAX at a 4-month lag, respectively. Spatial analysis showed a higher mean malaria risk of both species in the Central Highlands and southeast parts of Central Vietnam and a lower risk in the northern and north-western areas.ConclusionIdentification of environmental, climatic, and socio-economic risk factors and spatial malaria clusters are crucial for designing adaptive strategies to maximize the impact of limited public health resources toward eliminating malaria in Vietnam.

Ages and structural relationships in the Ganderian central Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada

Structural complexity of the Cape Breton Highlands is a key problem in reconstructing tectonic events in the northern Appalachian orogen. A new U–Pb thermal ionization mass spectrometry age of 428.53 ± 0.16 Ma for metarhyolite in the Calumruadh Brook Formation shows that volcanic and sedimentary rocks were deposited before collision of the Aspy and Bras d'Or terranes along the Eastern Highlands shear zone. A new U–Pb laser ablation zircon age of 394 +6/−4 Ma confirms that peak metamorphism in the Middle River complex continued during convergence linked to late stages of the Acadian orogeny. The compressive tectonic environment evolved into a transpressional system after initial collision in the late Silurian and caused a repeated pattern of imbrication of units in the Aspy terrane in the hanging wall in the collision. The shear zones bounding the geological units are curvilinear and have south-directed kinematics, imbricating units and transporting higher grade rocks over lower grade rocks, and moving plutons upward relative to their host rocks during and shortly after intrusion. The vergence of imbrication is parallel to the direction of transpressional movement on the main Eastern Highlands shear zone. This geometry is present in Ordovician–Silurian rocks and repeated in Devonian plutonic rocks, indicating that the overall transpressional tectonic setting was a long-lived feature of the orogen. The shear zones localized late syn- to post-deformational plutons that intruded at ca. 375–370 Ma. By the latest Devonian, emplacement of the ca. 363 Ma Margaree and related plutons marked the beginning of extension in the central Cape Breton Highlands.

Effectiveness of the lockdown policy in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the absence of vaccines and effective treatments, governments worldwide have implemented lockdown policies as non-pharmaceutical interventions to flatten the infection curve. This study evaluates the effectiveness of containment policies implemented at the local level in Vietnam. Data were synthesized from 143 policy interventions across 49 provinces and centrally run cities from April 27 to October 1, 2021, and an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was used to estimate the effectiveness of each intervention. A random-effects meta-analysis was then conducted to combine the results based on different criteria. This analysis found that Directives No.15/CT-TTg and No.16/CT-TTg were successfully implemented in the provinces of Northern Midlands and Mountains, Red River Delta, North Central, Central Coastline, and Central Highlands. However, these directives were less effective when employed in the Southeast and the Mekong Delta areas. Furthermore, the ITS analysis indicates that Ho Chi Minh City and provinces in the Southeast region implemented stringent lockdown directives later than other regions, leading to the loss of control over the pandemic during the study period. In-depth studies on lockdown interventions could provide valuable insights for policymakers in managing future outbreaks, particularly considering the time required for the development of vaccines and drugs.