Landscape Change Research Articles

Oral history methods can reveal drivers of landscape transformation: Understanding land‐use legacies with local and traditional knowledge in Central Europe

Abstract Ecosystems and landscapes shaped by the intricate relationship between people and their natural environment embody the impact of many different past land‐use practices and historical events. However, in some regions, classical historical records of landscape change do not exist or are insufficiently detailed. Local communities' ecological memory can play an important role in filling this gap by reconstructing the socio‐ecologically relevant indirect drivers and their interactions, as well as identifying vegetation characteristics that are legacies of previous land‐use practices. We studied a rapidly transforming cultural landscape in Transylvania (Romania) by conducting 144 oral history interviews covering the last 70 years (before, during and after collective farming). The interviews revealed complex interactions of indirect drivers. Country‐scale political and economic changes affected the landscape with crop outflow during the collective system (1962–1989), resulting in labour outflow to cities from the 1960s. The latter reduced the time and attention devoted to haymaking and affected population ageing. Together with other drivers, this demographic change led to a major transformation of the traditional landscape by the 2010s. We identified 47 vegetation characteristics as land‐use legacies related to grasslands and classified them into general legacy types. Our results support that there was an opportunity to innovatively revive the traditional cultural landscape after the fall of communism, when local knowledge, and willingness to manage the landscape were still present, but financial assets and government support were lacking. The indirect driver interactions led to the abandonment of traditional hay meadow management, resulting in a homogenising landscape with simplified land use dominated by sheep grazing and increasingly dependent on agricultural subsidies. We found that many vegetation characteristics of the studied species‐rich grasslands are only legacies of former land‐use activities, still known by locals but no longer applied. By creating knowledge partnerships, we can still learn about the past management and the functioning of such biodiversity‐rich cultural landscapes from the people who actively maintained them. We argue that this type of knowledge is essential to revive and adapt practices for protecting and managing species‐rich habitats across European cultural landscapes and for supporting the planning of appropriate conservation management and subsidy schemes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Seasonal states and carbon dynamics in key areas of the carbon polygon in the Chechen Republic, Russia

The aim of the work was to analyze the relationship between carbon dynamics and changes in the states of natural territorial complexes in two key areas of the carbon polygon in the Chechen Republic from the standpoint of landscape and landscape‐geophysical approaches. The work was carried out at two sites of the carbon polygon in the Chechen Republic: in Chernorechye (the Chechen plain under water‐protective broad‐leaved forests, about 169 m above sea level) and Roshni‐Chu (low‐ mountain broad‐leaved forests, about 450 m above sea level).Methods: landscape‐geophysical description of geomasses, geohorizons and vertical structures in key areas, detailed microclimatic studies using installed loggers with temperature and humidity sensors, observations of the state of the vegetation cover, biomass dynamics, determination of mortmass fractions on the soil surface, as well as humus and basic nutrients.The relationship between carbon dynamics and changes in seasonal states of natural‐territorial complexes is expressed in changes in landscape‐ geophysical parameters: the ratio of geomasses, geohorizons and vertical structures. Seven seasonal states of natural‐territorial complexes with different carbon dynamics have been identified. Two of them are key to understanding the long‐term carbon balance. These states are determined by the dynamics of accumulation and decomposition of mortmass. The ways of changing the intensity of carbon deposition based on the creation of new phytocenoses, increasing soil fertility, including by optimising the carbon and nitrogen ratio have been identified. A more radical way – mortmass utilisation – requires detailed research and consideration of environmental consequences.

Trajectories and drivers signalling the end of agricultural abandonment in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal

Agricultural abandonment has given rise to novel landscape dynamics worldwide. This paper investigates abandonment and post-abandonment dynamics in continental Portugal as a hotspot of landscape change. We mapped the spatial patterns and drivers of recent (1995–2018) land use changes in a remote mountainous region as post-abandonment trajectories, based on detailed land use/land cover data made available by the Portuguese government. We showed that ‘Revegetation’ trajectories, indicative of agricultural abandonment, were still widespread between 1995 and 2007. However, between 2007 and 2018, the landscape was much more stable with ‘Return to agriculture’ as the dominant change trajectory. To understand what drives landscape changes after abandonment, we explored the influence of a wide range of potential biogeophysical and socio-economic drivers on the observed trajectories. We contrasted different landscape outcomes in binary logistic regression models with the potential underlying drivers as independent variables. The regressions revealed that the most significant determinants of these alternating dynamics are existing land use, climate, slope, protection regime and accessibility. The results of the regressions are at times counterintuitive and give important indications of the changing spatio-temporal scales at which these variables exert influence on the landscape outcomes. However, the regression models’ limited accuracies highlight the need for deeper investigation of the socio-economic and historic context of the observed changes. Improved understanding of the (drivers of) alternative dynamics following agricultural abandonment can help inform policy decisions regarding agriculture and cultural landscape preservation.

Changing human–nature relationships: Insights from Guinea‐Bissau woodlands

Abstract The ecological impacts of landscape changes resulting in significant simplification of natural systems have been extensively studied worldwide. Yet, few studies have examined how such biophysical changes affect the value local communities place on nature and their relationships with it. In this study, we delve into the case of Guinea‐Bissau, where woodland cover has been increasingly replaced by commercial cashew plantations. Using a sociocultural valuation approach, our empirical research provides a comprehensive assessment of the woodlands' contributions to local communities as well as the potential disruptions caused by the ongoing biophysical changes on the woodlands. We focused on 20 villages of four different ethnic groups—Manjack, Balanta, Mandinka and Fulani—and used a combination of focus group discussions and walks‐in‐the‐woods. The study's participants identified 19 nature's contributions to people from the woodlands, which revealed a combination of instrumental, relational and intrinsic values in ways that reflect their subsistence needs and social–cultural contexts. We also found that these values are being impacted, mostly negatively, by the ongoing biophysical changes in the ‘natural’ landscapes tied to regional and global dynamics. Moreover, our study reveals that local communities are aware of ongoing biophysical changes in their woodlands and perceive them as having negative ecological and psychological consequences for them. Synthesis and applications: Our study highlights the significance of using a sociocultural perspective to investigate how changes in the landscape affect local peoples' values of nature and their relationships with it. This information can help shape policies and management decisions towards creating better futures that are meaningful for both humans and non‐humans. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

An Analysis of the Modi Government's "Global South" Strategy

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Modi government has continually increased its focus and investment in the "Global South," driven by considerations of changes in the international landscape, India's role as a major power, national security concerns, and domestic factors for economic and social development. The Modi administration has ramped up strategic investments in countries within the "Global South," enhancing cooperation and promoting development among these nations, while also advocating for reforms in international multilateral cooperation institutions. This has elevated India's international influence and improved its diplomatic environment. However, India's hegemonic tendencies toward its neighbors are apparent, which may constrain China's proactive activities within the "Global South." As a natural member of the "Global South," China should maintain strategic stability and collaborate with India to safeguard the common interests of this group.

Botnets Unveiled: A Comprehensive Survey on Evolving Threats and Defense Strategies

ABSTRACTBotnets have emerged as a significant internet security threat, comprising networks of compromised computers under the control of command and control (C&C) servers. These malevolent entities enable a range of malicious activities, from denial of service (DoS) attacks to spam distribution and phishing. Each bot operates as a malicious binary code on vulnerable hosts, granting remote control to attackers who can harness the combined processing power of these compromised hosts for synchronized, highly destructive attacks while maintaining anonymity. This survey explores botnets and their evolution, covering aspects such as their life cycles, C&C models, botnet communication protocols, detection methods, the unique environments botnets operate in, and strategies to evade detection tools. It analyzes research challenges and future directions related to botnets, with a particular focus on evasion and detection techniques, including methods like encryption and the use of covert channels for detection and the reinforcement of botnets. By reviewing existing research, the survey provides a comprehensive overview of botnets, from their origins to their evolving tactics, and evaluates how botnets evade detection and how to counteract their activities. Its primary goal is to inform the research community about the changing landscape of botnets and the challenges in combating these threats, offering guidance on addressing security concerns effectively through the highlighting of evasion and detection methods. The survey concludes by presenting future research directions, including using encryption and covert channels for detection and strategies to strengthen botnets. This aims to guide researchers in developing more robust security measures to combat botnets effectively.

Modelling the present and future of Phrynosoma orbiculare habitat and wildfire distribution and their environmental niche overlap in Mexico

Wildfires are natural phenomena that have shaped ecosystems and maintained biodiversity for millions of years. However, the increased frequency and severity of wildfires in recent decades are predominantly attributed to human activities. These anthropogenic factors, including land use change, climate change, and fire suppression, have disrupted the natural fire regime and heightened the risk of large-scale, destructive wildfires. Reptiles, as ectothermic and often slow-moving animals, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of fires due to their limited mobility and reliance on specific microhabitats. Understanding the impacts of wildfires on reptile populations is crucial for their effective conservation and management in fire-prone areas. This paper focuses on Phrynosoma orbiculare, a species distributed across the northern and southeastern regions of Mexico, where wildfires are common. The study revealed that key environmental variables driving the distribution of P. orbiculare include altitude, temperature extremes, and forest composition, while fire occurrence is strongly influenced by climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation. As fires become more frequent and severe, the niche overlap between P. orbiculare and fire-prone regions is expected to expand. These findings highlight the importance of integrating fire management into conservation planning, particularly for protecting fire-sensitive ecosystems like Abies forests. Understanding the complex interaction between fire and species distributions is essential for developing effective conservation strategies that ensure the survival of P. orbiculare and other fire-sensitive species in Mexico’s changing landscapes.

Evidence for a Miocene pulse of diversification of the tropical American clade of the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae)

ABSTRACT The tropical American species of the Brazil nut family, Lecythidaceae, are abundant in the tree flora, with some economically important species. Yet, the phylogenetic relationships and pace of diversification within this family are understudied. Here, we used shotgun sequencing data for 86 of the 228 currently accepted species in the exclusively tropical American subfamily Lecythidoideae in a phylogenomic context. For each sampled species, we built the full plastid DNA sequence, and also extracted nuclear DNA for 571 regions using the new bioinformatics pipeline REFMAKER, which we used to produce a time-calibrated phylogenetic hypothesis. Our analysis shows that phylogenetic inference from plastid and nuclear DNA alignments resulted in different topologies. The nuclear DNA topology strongly suggests that genus Lecythis should be split into at least four genera. Samples of the genus Eschweilera formed a monophyletic group, with the exception of one sampled species (Eschweilera amazoniciformis S.A.Mori). The Bertholletia clade, which contains the majority of the Lecythidoideae species, and all Lecythis and Eschweilera species, started diversifying around 27.5 Ma, with an accelerated rate of diversification starting in the middle Miocene (c. 12 Ma). The clade sister to Bertholletia (including Corythophora, Eschweilera, and Corrugata, Chartacea and Poiteaui clades) includes at least 124 species and it has diversified less than 10 Ma. This time frame of diversification coincides with major changes in tropical American landscapes and climate associated with the Andean uplift.

Analysing Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Urban Sprawl, Evolving Pattern of Urban Landscape and Driving Forces of Urban Growth: A Case of Varanasi Planning Region, India

Urban sprawl is at the centre of contemporary urban debates and is very often criticised for its negative social and environmental externalities. Building on geo-spatial methodology and field observations, this study sets out to develop a holistic approach to understanding urban sprawl through a particular focus on a rapidly growing metropolitan urban agglomeration of northern India, that is, Varanasi. Following an analysis of principal urban growth modes through landscape expansion index and changing patterns of urban landscape through landscape metrics, this research refers to a geo-spatially grounded logistic regression model in order to shed light on the dynamic impact of multiple growth factors on the trajectory of urban sprawl in the study area. Moreover, in order to address the evolving nature of urban sprawl in Varanasi and its immediate surroundings this study focuses on a temporal span of 20 years, encompassing two consecutive decades of the 21st century (2001–2011 and 2011–2021). The research concludes by paving a platform for an amalgamation of the findings from different geo-spatial metrics as well as by corroborating the principal findings with the propositions of a number of contemporary hypotheses concerning the spatial growth of urbanised territories.

Impact of coastal erosion and landscape changes on place attachment and the sense of belongingness: a case study in Oluvil, Sri Lanka

Oluvil is a coastal village on the east coast of Sri Lanka with significant resources of fisheries and agricultural lands. The coastal community of Oluvil has a strong socio-cultural and economic attachment to its natural landscape. The community relies heavily on fishing and agriculture for their economic activities, with the vast coastal lands and rich marine resources providing the main source of livelihood. The haphazard development of the fishery and commercial harbour in 2008 resulted in coastal erosion and related landscape changes. This highly impacted the sensitive coastal belt in the region, resulting in many environmental and social issues. This paper investigates the social impact associated with the related negative environmental changes. The research revealed a significant negative impact on income, livelihood, resources and property due to severe coastal erosion. These economic impacts and landscape changes negatively influenced the cultural identity, social dynamics, social structure and interactions, resulting in the loss of place attachment and the sense of belongingness.

Exploring the changing landscape of medical imaging: insights from highly cited studies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To investigate whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed medical imaging trends by synthesizing the highly cited studies before and during the pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, we identified highly cited studies on medical imaging from the essential science indicators (ESI) database, categorizing them into two periods: before the pandemic (January 2016-December 2019) and during the pandemic (January 2020-December 2023). We conducted a global research landscape comparative analysis and utilized CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to create knowledge maps for analyzing the co-occurrences of keywords and references in this field. A total of 2914 highly cited studies were included in this study, which revealed a notable 30.1% increase in medical imaging publications during the pandemic. Enhanced international cooperation has been observed, with European countries and the US leading the research efforts. Keyword analysis revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) has remained a dominant hotspot in medical imaging research before and during the pandemic. References analysis showed a shift in focus towards COVID-19-related studies, overshadowing some important areas including cancer imaging, cardiac imaging, and neuroimaging. Over the past four years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in the research output, international collaborations, and hotspots within highly cited medical imaging studies. Navigating the post-COVID era, it is imperative to continue fostering international collaboration, prioritize resource allocation to refocus on overlooked research areas, and develop long-term strategic plans to prepare for and mitigate the impact of future public health crises. Question Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed medical imaging trends and priorities, which is crucial for preparing against future public health crises, remains unclear. Findings The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increases in highly cited medical imaging studies, enhancements in international collaborations, and shifts in research hotspots. Clinical relevance This study provides a comprehensive overview of highly cited studies on medical imaging before and during the pandemic, highlighting the pivotal role of AI in the post-COVID era and emphasizing the need to refocus on potentially neglected research areas.

A listening guide analysis of an immigrant woman’s journey away from the changing landscape of home

ABSTRACT Psychological science frequently treats the human psyche as isolated from the environment within which it exists. In this paper, I employ the Listening Guide method, a relational, embodied, dynamic form of qualitative inquiry, to conduct and analyze an interview with a young Turkish woman on her journey as she relocates to a city in Western Europe. Tracing the psychological logic within her narrative leads me to find that she holds together the psychologically incongruent processes of longing for vividly remembered places that are pervasively lost and rationalization regarding why they are not to be missed. Interpreting this discovery against the backdrop of her inner world, I find that for her, remembering and longing for places go hand in hand with her desire to envision, revitalize and reconstruct elements of remembered and felt places during the immigration journey. This research has implications for immigration studies as it demonstrates the psyche as embedded in places.

Balancing Parental Rights and Public Health: The Challenge of Childhood Vaccination in a Changing Landscape.

Balancing Parental Rights and Public Health: The Challenge of Childhood Vaccination in a Changing Landscape.

INTEGRAÇÃO DE TICS NA SALA DE AULA MELHORES PRÁTICAS E DESAFIOS

The constant changes in the educational landscape reveal a constant challenge in the classroom environment, driving educators to seek help in pedagogical resources that precisely adjust to the complex context of teaching and learning. In this fluid scenario, the use of meticulously planned teaching resources is configured as a crucial link between the educator, knowledge and the student, generating motivational stimuli that can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the learning process. This study aims, in general, to investigate traditional pedagogical resources with a particular focus on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and has the following specific objectives: to identify activities that act as facilitators in the educational process and to examine the importance of the work of properly trained professionals. The methodology adopted was guided by a qualitative approach, which proposes an analytical investigation, supported by a bibliographic review that explores educational technologies and their relevance to the current context. The results highlight the importance of pedagogical resources, especially ICTs, as a differentiating factor in the teaching process, since they maximize the time spent on classroom activities, thus promoting a richer exchange of experiences and expanding the connection between educator and student with regard to knowledge.

Climate and natural risks of the settlement of Yuzhno-Ussuriysk fortress area

The paleogeographic study of one of the large Medieval settlements of the Jin Empire (1115–1234) in the Primorye was carried out in order to analyze the minor climatic rhythm during the settlement of a large river valley. New data on the chronology of the settlement were obtained using radiocarbon dating of charcoal and tephrostratigraphy. It was established that the territory began to be developed by the Krounovskaya culture (4th century BC to the 3rd century AD) under relatively dry conditions associated with a decrease in the summer monsoon intensity. In the 10th century the humidity increased sharply. The peak of warming occurred in the 11th century. At this time Medieval settlement appeared here, that existed before the construction of the fortress. The layers of this settlement lie under the ramparts. The study of pollen and diatoms in the cultural layers has allowed us to determine the characteristics of the environment during the Jurchen period (12th–13th centuries). Radiocarbon dating of the humus shows that the cultural layers contain redeposited organogenic material, which provides information on the pre-Jurchen environment. It has been established that significant changes in the natural steppe landscapes occurred in the early Middle Ages. Pollen data show signs of agriculture and other economic activities, including the plants’ cultivation, the development of ruderal plants and apophytes, as well as spores of pathogenic fungi. During the development of the territory in the Middle Ages, the main risks were associated with severe floods. Layers of loams found among the cultural layers indicate the repeated flooding of the fortress. Bioindicators of severe floods are allochthonous diatoms, represented by species that lived in the aquatic environment.

Assessment of Carbon Stock and Sequestration Dynamics in Response to Land Use and Land Cover Changes in a Tropical Landscape

Quantitative analysis of LULC changes and their effects on carbon stock and sequestration is important for mitigating climate change. Therefore, this study examines carbon stock and sequestration in relation to LULC changes using the Land Change Modeler (LCM) and Ecosystem Services Modeler (ESM) in tropical dry deciduous forests of West Bengal, India. The LULC for 2006, 2014, and 2021 were classified using Google Earth Engine (GEE), while LULC changes and predictions were analyzed using LCM. Carbon stock and sequestration for present and future scenarios were estimated using ESM. The highest carbon was stored in forest land (124.167 Mg/ha), and storage outside the forest declined to 13.541 Mg/ha for agricultural land and 0–8.123 Mg/ha for other lands. Carbon stock and economic value decreased from 2006 to 2021, and are likely to decrease further in the future. Forest land is likely to contribute to 94% of future carbon loss in the study region, primarily due to its conversion into agricultural land. The implementation of multiple-species plantations, securing tenure rights, proper management practices, and the strengthening of forest-related policies can enhance carbon stock and sequestration. These spatial-temporal insights will aid in management strategies, and the methodology can be applied to broader contexts.

Exploring and assessing issue communication – issue communication practices and consequences of issue response strategies for organizational reputation and legitimacy

PurposeAlthough issue management has received ample attention, changes in the media landscape and increased societal scrutiny are currently challenging organizations’ communicative handling of issues. This raises the question of how communication professionals currently perceive and communicatively deal with issues, and what impact issue response strategies have when organizations are addressed regarding their involvement in an issue.Design/methodology/approachWe explore issue communication perceptions and practices by communication professionals in two focus groups. A subsequent experimental study assesses the consequences of issue response strategies for corporate reputation and legitimacy and examines to what extent this relationship can be explained by skepticism while taking issue phase into account.FindingsAlthough most issue communication practices (still) resemble earlier descriptions, the focus groups also indicate the importance of timing and medium of issue communication. The experiment shows that organizations are better off responding to an issue than not responding at all. Organizations should choose for an accommodative or adaptive response to positively impact reputation and legitimacy, and should be aware of the phase of an issue. Remarkably, these empirical differences only apply for a sustainability issue, not for a social issue.Originality/valueThe focus group study illuminates current issue monitoring and communication practices in today’s challenging media and societal landscape. The subsequent experiment enhances our understanding of a sub-field of issue communication: the communicative options of organizations when they are the addressed actor in issues.

Advancing Analytical Excellence: A Comprehensive Exploration of ICH Q14 in the Lifecycle of Analytical Procedure Development and Optimization

This research article addresses the complexities of analytical process development and optimization in line with the principles set out in the Commission's Effectiveness of the Requirements for Medicinal Products for Human Use (ICH) Q14 guidelines. Focusing on the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, this article describes the early stages of development in terms of sustainable lifestyles. The first study explores the important role of analytical procedures in ensuring product quality and regulatory compliance, introduces ICH Q14 and explains its scope and objectives. The fundamental principles of audit development are reviewed in depth, including risk assessment, design, and the interaction between Audit Objectives (ATP) and Methodology. Operational Development Region (MODR). Concepts such as Design of Operations (DoE) and Quality by Design (QbD) are under scrutiny for their development and optimization. Real-life case studies demonstrate the application of Q14 principles and demonstrate successful examples of effective methods and continuous improvement in drug screening, drug purity testing and environmental analysis. Looking ahead, this article explores how new technologies, potentially innovative regulations and international cooperation will shape the development landscape. Challenges such as the complexity of new compounds and the need for sustainable practices are addressed and the need for business professionals to be flexible and innovative is emphasized. In summary, this research article can serve as a general guide for professionals in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, providing insight into the content, eight owners, and use of development analysis. Using the principles defined in ICH Q14, community auditors can investigate the changing landscape and make further progress on quality assurance.

Sentinel Surveillance reveals phylogenetic diversity and detection of linear plasmids harboring vanA and optrA among enterococci collected in the United States.

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are frequent causes of healthcare-associated infections. Antimicrobial-resistant enterococci pose a serious public health threat, particularly vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), for which treatment options are limited. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion Sentinel Surveillance system conducted surveillance from 2018 to 2019 to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and molecular epidemiology of 205 E. faecalis and 180 E. faecium clinical isolates collected from nine geographically diverse sites in the United States. Whole genome sequencing revealed diverse genetic lineages, with no single sequence type accounting for more than 15% of E. faecalis or E. faecium. Phylogenetic analysis distinguished E. faecium from 19 E. lactis (previously known as E. faecium clade B). Resistance to vancomycin was 78.3% among E. faecium, 7.8% among E. faecalis, and did not occur among E. lactis isolates. Resistance to daptomycin and linezolid was rare: E. faecium (5.6%, 0.6%, respectively), E. faecalis (2%, 2%), and E. lactis (5.3%, 0%). All VRE harbored the vanA gene. Three of the seven isolates that were not susceptible to linezolid harbored optrA, one chromosomally located and two on linear plasmids that shared a conserved backbone with other multidrug-resistant conjugative linear plasmids. One of these isolates contained optrA and vanA co-localized on the linear plasmid. By screening all enterococci, 20% of E. faecium were predicted to harbor linear plasmids, whereas none were predicted among E. faecalis or E. lactis. Continued surveillance is needed to assess the future emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance by linear plasmids and other mechanisms.IMPORTANCEThis work confirms prior reports of E. faecium showing higher levels of resistance to more antibiotics than E. faecalis and identifies that diverse sequence types are contributing to enterococcal infections in the United States. All VRE harbored the vanA gene. We present the first report of the linezolid resistance gene optrA on linear plasmids in the United States, one of which co-carried a vanA cassette. Additional studies integrating epidemiological, antimicrobial susceptibility, and genomic methods to characterize mechanisms of resistance, including the role of linear plasmids, will be critical to understanding the changing landscape of enterococci in the United States.

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone: the changing landscape of UK learned society publishing

This study draws on a longitudinal dataset of 277 UK learned societies covering the period 2015–2023 to provide evidence-based insights into the changing landscape of society publishing. It identifies a rapid decline in the number of self-published societies and an increasingly complex outsourcing landscape. New publishing partnerships are emerging with university presses and other not-for-profit entities rather than commercial publishers, while all but the largest UK societies have seen their publishing revenues decline in real terms since 2015. In general, UK learned society publishers are seeing their influence wane as market conditions favour publishing models focussed on quantity rather than quality. The decline of independent society publishers represents an unintended consequence of the transition to open access, but the trend towards increased outsourcing may be based on flawed assumptions. Analysis of financial data for a subset of 21 societies indicates that self-published societies have achieved sustained growth in their revenues from publishing while societies with publishing partners have seen a significant decline. For those societies with the means and the will to publish journals in their own right, this study bolsters the case for retaining, or even reclaiming, their independence.