Changes In Settlement Patterns Research Articles

The 4.2 ka BP event in western Anatolia: Tracing the impact of climatic change

Climatic change has been called for as an explanation on many occasions of societal change. The way climatic deterioration affects societies appears to be straightforward; it causes such alterations in the environment that critical subsistence resources are not anymore available in sufficient abundance. Nevertheless, it is not clear how these alterations can be identified and verified in the archeological record, and there is not an easy way to clarify if modifications observed in subsistence patterns are the consequences of climatic change or other agents. Additionally, there is a number of problems related to paleoenvironmental data that measure the climatic fluctuations, mostly concerning the exact timing of events and their intensity which may not have been the same universally. In this research, we examine the 4.2 ka BP climatic event and its possible effects on western Anatolian societies through a set of published data. We discuss the information we have about the event from available paleoenvironmental data and the gaps in this kind of research. We examine the agropastoral economy from Troy, Küllüoba, Kanlıgeçit, and Karataş-Semayük for possible changes according to a set of criteria that we consider as indicators of responses to aridification. We found diverging strategies that may relate to the different local environments or varying societal structures unique to each site. We consider a partial turn to nomadic pastoralism as an adaptation strategy based on changes in settlement patterns. Finally, we evaluate our findings against other possible explanations since the observed patterns could have had multiple explanations.

Barriers to primary care among immigrants and refugees in Peterborough, Ontario: a qualitative study of provider perspectives

BackgroundCanada’s immigrants and refugees have often settled in large Canadian cities, but this is changing with rising costs of living and rural settlement initiatives. However, little consideration is made regarding systemic changes needed to accommodate this distribution, particularly in healthcare in medium-sized cities or smaller communities. For most Canadians, primary care is an entry point into the healthcare system but immigrants and refugees face unique barriers to accessing care compared to the general Canadian population. This project aimed to better understand the barriers to accessing primary care among newcomers in Peterborough, Ontario from the perspective of newcomer service providers.MethodologyParticipants were recruited from community organizations identified by the local settlement agency, the New Canadians Centre, as having regular interactions with newcomer clients including clinics, not-for-profit organizations, and volunteer groups. Four focus groups were completed, each with three participants (n=12). A coding grid was deductively developed to guide thematic analysis by adapting Levesque et al.’s conceptual framework defining access to healthcare with five specific dimensions: approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, affordability, and appropriateness.ResultsParticipants identified lack of awareness of the healthcare system, stigma, competing priorities, and direct costs as some of the barriers for newcomers. Participants highlighted barriers unique to Peterborough including proximity to services, social isolation, and a shortage of family physicians. The results also highlighted strengths in the community such as its maternal-child health programming.ConclusionThe results provide a glimpse of the challenges to accessing primary care among newcomers in medium-sized communities and identify opportunities to prepare for changing settlement patterns.

Population change, racial settlement patterns, and the newest southern electorate

ABSTRACT Recent scholarship on the American South emphasizes how changing settlement patterns affect party politics. Specifically, places with high population growth are shifting toward the Democratic Party whereas localities shedding residents favor Republicans. This insight is important but also in need of empirical refinement. In this study, we examine settlement patterns and changes in the racial composition of the southern electorate at three different units of analysis: states, counties, and individuals with an original survey of respondents residing in the South. We include place-specific variables indicating where respondents grew up and where they currently live to gain a more accurate picture of how settlement patterns are altering the southern electorate.

Land use land cover simulations using integrated CA-Markov model in the Tawi Basin of Jammu and Kashmir India

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes are important indicators of environmental and socio-economic changes made by the natural and anthropogenic sources. The present study is based on the Cellular Automata (CA) Markov model for predicting the LULC changes in the Tawi Basin. To decipher the spatio-temporal distributions of LULC, the Landsat images of 2010 and 2020 were used to analyse the LULC classification. Further, CA Markov model simulations of various scenarios of eight decades (2030 to 2100) were generated based on LULC of 2010 and 2020 data to know the LULC perspective changes in the Tawi Basin, which has witnessed the enormous developmental activities such as growth in settlement, population, and agriculture sector over the years. The model predicts that a population explosion leading to rapid urbanization and rural expansions.Settlement is expected to increase from 5.29% of the total area in 2020 to 13.975% in the year 2100. The CA–Markov model results paint a picture of significant changes in land use and settlement patterns in the Tawi Basin. The study serves as a crucial tool for guiding future planning efforts, urging environmentalists, planners, and decision-makers to prioritize sustainable practices and make informed decisions for the well-being of the region.

The Gebelein Region in the Third Intermediate and Late Periods

While relatively much is known of Gebelein in the second and third millennia BCE, as well as the Ptolemaic times, the role of the town of Per-Hathor and its surrounding in the Third Intermediate (c. 1076–747 BCE) and Late (c. 747–332 BCE) periods remains largely obscure. The aim of this paper is to examine the existing sources pertaining to the history of Gebelein with the particular focus on state activities in the area, diachronic changes in settlement pattern and sacral topography, as well as funerary landscape in the first three-quarters of first millennium BCE and analyse the available information in a regional context. For this, published and unpublished records are utilised, together with the results of the current field prospection in Gebelein.

The paleoclimate of the Gediz Graben (Western Türkiye) and archaeological settlement patterns during the Holocene

The Gediz Graben is one of the highly sensitive areas in the Anatolian Peninsula to climatic changes as the climatic patterns in the region have been controlled by both polar and tropical circulation systems. We used readily available results from the CHELSA paleoclimate model and ran the MCM to obtain the paleo-precipitation and paleo-temperature patterns for the research area. This research aims to reconstruct the past climatic conditions of the Gediz Graben during the last 12 ka years through the paleoclimate model results and existing multiple proxy records in the eastern Mediterranean, to contextualize the long-term changes in archaeological settlement patterns in the region. Although we compare the model results here, we base our interpretations of paleoclimate reconstructions on the results of the MCM and the proxy records. The paleoclimatic conditions of the Graben were wetter and colder during the Early Holocene. The Middle and Late Holocene climate was generally stable and near-modern patterns prevailed around 7 ka in the Graben. However, the climatic shifts occurred at smaller amplitudes for shorter periods in comparison to the Early Holocene. These patterns are supported by local and regional proxy records in the eastern Mediterranean. The archaeological settlements in the Plain increased from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age; gathered around large bodies of water. The results suggest that the paleoenvironmental processes (the paleo-lakes, paleoclimatic conditions) contributed to decisions concerning the locales of archaeological settlements on the Gediz Plain.

What drives densification and sprawl in cities? A spatially explicit assessment for Vienna, between 1984 and 2018

The spatial arrangement of settlements constitutes a long-lasting legacy and shapes the prospects for transformations toward sustainability. Thus, understanding the drivers of changes in settlement patterns is essential. In this article, we present a spatially explicit, geostatistical analysis of settlement dynamics, and a qualitative investigation of its regulative, demographic, and economic drivers, using the example of Vienna, Austria between 1984 and 2018. Combining spatially explicit metrics of urban sprawl and cluster analysis, we analyzed high-resolution maps of buildings, population, and jobs to identify distinct settlement trajectories. Societal drivers of more or less sprawled settlement dynamics are analyzed with desk research and expert interviews. We distinguish five types of settlement dynamics: persistently dense areas with increasing use intensity, re-densification of dense areas, persistently sprawled areas, redensification of sprawled areas, and persistently isolated buildings. Urban renewal schemes have fostered the re-densification of dense areas in response to population growth and urban economic restructuring. The combination of urban renewal schemes and green space policies has successfully limited urban expansion. Challenges arise from the demand for single-family housing and corresponding zoning regulations. These factors solidify existing sprawled settlements, posing obstacles to the efficient re-densification of such areas crucial for sustainable urban development.

Re-thinking Chalcolithic landscapes in southeast Iberia: the case of the Middle Antas river (Almeria, Spain)

Our understanding of Chalcolithic settlements in southern Iberia (c. 3200–2200 bce) has changed dramatically in recent decades. Instead of clearly bounded and dense settlements, archaeology is establishing a range of site types, some sparsely settled, some quite large. Such varied settlement typology is now understood as being part of a thriving period of development, which included monumental tombs, high-quality craft organisation and highly dynamic exchange networks. This article presents recent work around the River Antas in Almeria, Spain, which has revealed a complex settlement network along the river for the period in question. This new evidence challenges our understanding of prehistoric habitation in the area and poses new questions about major settlement pattern changes in the prehistory of the region.

Опорный каркас как основа формирования эффективного пространства социального развития северного региона (на примере Республики Коми)

This article aims to articulate and empirically substantiate the concept of an efficient space for regional social development utilizing the creative potential inherent in settlement patterns. The study is built upon the author's concept of space as a set of conditions for placing material objects and that of spatial development as the region's transformation through changes in settlement patterns. An efficient space is understood as a multilayered space with smooth connections between layers forming a structure that fosters activity and intraregional connectivity. The research represents a novel perspective on the concept of intraregional connectivity and contributes to its advancement. The article describes elements, characteristics, and trends in settlement patterns, healthcare, education infrastructure, and production locations in the Komi Republic. It identifies flaws in intraregional connectivity and their root causes and uses maps to illustrate the compression of the settlement area resulting from a decrease in the number of settlements and a population outflow in the north of the region. Challenges associated with accessibility to medical institutions and lack of access to essential medical services in some areas create a risk zone for public health. The study emphasizes the transformative impact of resettlement challenges on general education institutions, necessitating adjustments in the interface between transport and social service layers. The article explores the evolving city-forming and spatial functions within such areas as Fuel-Based Arctic, Traditional North, Energy-Based Center, and Timber-Based South. It highlights the limited role of corporations and the burgeoning potential of locally focused socially-oriented companies. The findings suggest that future research areas may include the digital transformation of healthcare and education, as well as an exploration of the territorial structure of social cohesion.

Urbanicity and child health in 26 sub-Saharan African countries: Settlement type and its association with mortality and morbidity

Urbanization and changing settlement patterns have affected health environments in African countries. A profound understanding of the intricate association between urbanicity and health is imperative for formulating effective interventions. This study aims to classify settlement types based on urbanicity and assess their effects on child health in 26 African countries, utilizing data from the Demographic and Health Survey and the Global Human Settlements Layer. The advanced settlement classification incorporates a multidimensional urbanicity scale and globally standardized urban extents, along with identifying urban slums. This approach derives six distinct settlement types: urban center, urban cluster, deprived urban settlement, rural town, rural cluster, and rural village. A multilevel logistic regression model examines the relationship between settlement types and health outcomes, encompassing mortality, fever, anemia, diarrhea, and cough in children under five. The analysis reveals that children living in rural villages and deprived urban settlements face a high burden of adverse health conditions. However, the size and direction of urbanicity's effects vary depending on the specific outcome. These findings highlight the significance of tailored interventions acknowledging health environments within each settlement to promote health equity.

Fragments from Ottoman Zagori: continuity and change in a montane landscape through a local perspective

This article discusses elite continuity and settlement pattern change in Zagori (NW Greece) from the late fourteenth to the nineteenth century. The peaceful assimilation of the regional and local elites into the Ottoman Empire (1430) led to adaptations in the montane landscape. Imperial and local archival research, ethnography, and landscape archaeology reveal that the Ottoman administration divided large decentralized settlements into smaller villages to accommodate local elites and new timariots. This topography of division (fifteenth to sixteenth centuries) gave way to a topography of adaptation (seventeenth to nineteenth centuries) when local elites influenced settlement patterns in forming the administrative unit the Zagorisian League.

GIS-Based Analysis of Wildlife Habitat Suitability and Conservation Strategies in Maasai Mara Reserve

The significance of conducting an animal habitats suitability analysis is to enhance sustainable management in the face of land use modification, population growth, and changing settlement patterns, thereby safeguarding Kenya's natural resources, tourism, biodiversity, resource utilization, and community livelihoods. This paper establishes a habitat suitability analysis of specific animal habitats based on GIS technology. Firstly, key indicators were identified and subjected to the single factor analysis. Secondly, the AHP model was employed to calculate the weights of the indicators. A comprehensive evaluation was then carried out to visualize the animal habitat suitability map. Finally, the results of the animal habitat suitability analysis were overlaid with the spatial data of the road network. Overall, the results show that the suitable habitat for wildlife habitat is concentrated in the eastern and western corners of the Masai Mara Reserve, evenly distributed in the south-eastern corner, with a small amount in the north. The impact of lost opportunities for people living near the reserve will be significantly reduced. A kernel density estimation model was introduced to make predictions based on the first law of geography. The visualized predictions show that the habitable range of animals is relatively close to the results of model 1, which proves that animal populations and the quality of human life are secure.

Mass Movement Hazard and Exposure in the Himalaya

AbstractHimalaya is experiencing frequent catastrophic mass movement events such as avalanches and landslides, causing loss of human lives and infrastructure. Millions of people reside in critical zones potentially exposed to such catastrophes. Despite this, a comprehensive assessment of mass movement exposure is lacking at a regional scale. Here, we developed a novel method of determining mass movement trajectories and applied it to the Himalayan Mountain ranges for the first time to quantify the exposure of infrastructure, waterways, roadways, and population in six mountain ranges, including Hindu Kush, Karakoram, western Himalaya, eastern Himalaya, central Himalaya, and Hengduan Shan. Our results reveal that the exposure of buildings and roadways to mass movements is highest in Karakoram, whereas central Himalaya has the highest exposed waterways. The hotspots of exposed roadways are concentrated in Nepal, the North Indian states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, the Union Territory of Ladakh, and China's Sichuan Province. Our analysis shows that the population in the central Himalaya is currently at the highest exposure to mass movement impacts. Projected future populations based on Shared Socio‐economic and Representative Concentration Pathways suggest that changing settlement patterns and emission scenarios will significantly influence the potential impact of these events on the human population. Assessment of anticipated secondary hazards (glacial lake outburst floods) shows an increase in probable headward impacts of mass movements on glacial lakes in the future. Our findings will support researchers, policymakers, stakeholders, and local governments in identifying critical areas that require detailed investigation for risk reduction and mitigation.

Persistent, pragmatic and prolific: Urban master planning in Accra, Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe

This paper interrogates the persistence of urban master planning in African cities. Critiques of master planning in Africa label it as a stifling product of colonial legacies, an inappropriate imposition of external ideas, or a device to achieve the goals of global actors, all seen as being at odds with the rapidly changing settlement patterns and needs of many African urban contexts. This paper instead focuses on the role of local planning actors in the demand for and the production of master plans and proposes a different analytical perspective on the role of master planning in African urban contexts. Notably, we point to the weak presence of master planning in colonial contexts, in contrast with the strong activation of master plans to shape the ambitions of newly independent governments. We observe also the nuanced interactions between local actors and transnational circuits and influences in devising and implementing plans. The paper presents three case studies which demonstrate the persistence of master planning practices through the post-independence period and their proliferation in contemporary moments. We document the diverse range of local actors who have chosen to retain or revise colonial planning legacies, initiate new city-wide master planning, or solicit, shape and assume responsibility for master planning promoted by transnational circuits of development and planning. We find that actors embedded in local or national institutions, and a wide variety of transnational actors, are driven by a range of, at times conflicting, interests and ideas about what planning is and is meant to do. Historical surveys and in-depth interviews with current actors, as well as those from the recent past in Accra (Ghana), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Lilongwe (Malawi), help us to identify three aspects of urban master planning which challenge existing interpretations. We observe that master planning has been a persistent presence, although often taking a more ephemeral form in extended “silent” periods when outdated but valued plans remained operative. We note that complex political tensions and institutional landscapes shape enthusiasm for, and control over the nature, preparation, adoption and implementation of master plans, including their being side-lined or resisted – local-national dynamics are crucial here. This leads to a pragmatic engagement with transnational actors to bring forward different kinds of plans. The prolific production of master plans supported by multiple transnational actors in poorly resourced contexts constitutes a dynamic, although at times counterproductive, terrain of visioning and practical planning initiatives seeking to grapple with the pace and unpredictability of urbanisation. Our analysis provides an opening for considering the politics of urban planning from an African-centric perspective and as an active part of African urbanization.

Tracking the settlement patterns of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations in Australia: A census-based study from 2001 to 2021

Tracking the settlement of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations serves as the foundation for population projection, urban planning, and policy making to achieve social justice, equity, and multicultural harmony. Drawing on census data in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, our study contributes an Australian nationwide time-series study of the settlement of CALD populations at a fine neighbourhood level, enabling long-term tracking of changing settlement patterns and residential diversity and revealing potential drivers for such changes. Following segmented assimilation theory, we examine whether the CALD populations with higher education levels, higher socioeconomic status and better language skills may tend to partially move out and partially retain their ethnic concentrations, resulting in assimilation that occurs segmentally across urban fabrics. We find that both existing CALD communities and the formation of new CALD concentrations in peri-urban regions exhibit segmented assimilation over time. We also find the settlement patterns of CALD populations in urban areas are more diverse than in rural areas in most states/territories. Our study provides spatially explicit evidence with far-reaching policy implications for migration, place-based health, population and urban planning.

Changes in spatial discontinuity in settlement patterns in the Czech‐Polish border area: A case study of Těšín Silesia

AbstractThe paper presents a discontinuity‐based analysis of the settlement pattern changes in the Czechia–Poland cross‐border historical region of Těšín Silesia. An approach based on a well‐known and popular method (regression discontinuity design) was applied to measure spatial discontinuity. To describe the spatiotemporal changes, a combination of spatial, statistical and cartographic methods was used. The observed differences have been developing for more than 150 years; at the start, this area belonged to the territory of one state, and later it was divided by a national border. The division of the region resulted in areas following different development trajectories.

Flash floods: why are more of them devastating the world's driest regions?

Shifting weather, changing settlement patterns and a lack of preparedness mean that dryland areas are most at risk from flooding. Researchers need to focus on data collection, early-warning systems, flood protection and more. Shifting weather, changing settlement patterns and a lack of preparedness mean that dryland areas are most at risk from flooding. Researchers need to focus on data collection, early-warning systems, flood protection and more.

The Watermills of Mosul in the Ottoman Period

Abstract This paper presents a documentary and archaeological study of the watermills in Ottoman Mosul to gain a political and social-economic understanding of the water-resource management in Mosul and its north-eastern hinterland in the early modern period. Watermills are of importance to historians, as the simple buildings equipped with sophisticated hydraulic devices, for teasing out various strands of water-resource management and agricultural economies from a regional and longue-dureé perspective. By synthesizing historical and archaeological methodological approaches, this paper aims to address the questions of what historical legacy of Mosul was left to the Ottoman Empire regarding the water infrastructure, including watermills and irrigation systems, and what contribution the Ottoman administration made to the development of Mosul’s water infrastructure. It presents an archaeological examination of a group of milling installations in Wadi Bandawai in the north of Mosul, demonstrating changes in settlement patterns during the long Islamic period, from the 7th to early 20th centuries, and also drawing attention to methodological problems with Islamic and Ottoman archaeology concerning the periodization of material culture.

Palm Oil and the Dynamics of Community Changes: Lesson Learned From Aceh and West Kalimantan

This paper argue that many experiences have occurred as a result of the introduction of oil palm as a global phenomenon in the context of fulfilling vegetable oil resources as an alternative energy for the future. By using ethnographic methods both in the process of data collection, data analysis and data representation, the authors want to show that community changes are very dynamic in relation to their response to the presence of oil palm as a cash crop. The results of the study show that there are different categories of changes that have occurred in West Kalimantan and Aceh related to the expansion of oil palms. In West Kalimantan, with the strong customary law which is an everyday value, the process of change can still be traced in detail starting from changes in settlement patterns, changes in modes of production and the dynamics that occur from the process of changing modes of production from fields, rubber and oil palm. Meanwhile in Aceh, the process of massive palm oil expansion has raised issues related to labor relations in the industrial context.

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition About 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

The study of cultural changes associated with the emergence of complex societies in Ancient China has heavily relied on evidence from ceramics, lithic technologies, changes in settlement pattern, burial practices, and prestige goods. However, it remains unclear whether, and if so to what extent, other aspects of material culture follow similar evolutionary trajectories. Here, we analyze a large bone tool assemblage found in Longshan (n = 76) and Yueshi (n = 124) contexts at Yinjiacheng, a key site from the Haidai region. These two cultural entities are of particular interest as they allow to investigate cultural change dynamics in the Haidai region during the transition between the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Our assessment allows us to document changes in bone technology along three lines of evidence: typological diversity, technological know-how, and morphometric standardization. From a typological standpoint, we document an increased diversity in tool types during the Yueshi period compared to Longshan. However, the techniques used to manufacture bone tools during the Longshan and Yueshi periods remain broadly the same. Furthermore, we identify the persistence of specific reduction sequences for the manufacture of some awl and projectile point sub-types shared by the two cultural systems. Morphometrically, Longshan domestic tools are generally more standardized than Yueshi tools, while Yueshi hunting implements show a higher degree of standardization compared to their Longshan counterparts. We argue this pattern reflects the preservation of a common know-how among Longshan and Yueshi settlers at Yinjiacheng. We interpret the typological diversification of Yueshi hunting implements and changes in the standardization of Yueshi bone tools as a proxy for the articulation of this knowledge through applying less rigid rules of production to meet new emerging needs.