Different Levels Of Vulnerability Research Articles

Variability in thermal tolerance of clutches from different mothers indicates adaptation potential to climate warming in sea turtles.

The current climate warming is a challenge to biodiversity that could surpass the adaptation capacity of some species. Hence, understanding the means by which populations undergo an increase in their thermal tolerance is critical to assess how they could adapt to climate warming. Specifically, sea turtle populations could respond to increasing temperatures by (1) colonizing new nesting areas, (2) nesting during cooler times of the year, and/or (3) by increasing their thermal tolerance. Differences in thermal tolerance of clutches laid by different females would indicate that populations have the potential to adapt by natural selection. Here, we used exhaustive information on nest temperatures and hatching success of leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) clutches over 14 years to assess the occurrence of individual variability in thermal tolerance among females. We found an effect of temperature, year, and the interaction between female identity and nest temperature on hatching success, indicating that clutches laid by different females exhibited different levels of vulnerability to high temperatures. If thermal tolerance is a heritable trait, individuals with higher thermal tolerances could have greater chances of passing their genes to following generations, increasing their frequency in the population. However, the high rate of failure of clutches at temperatures above 32°C suggests that leatherback turtles are already experiencing extreme heat stress. A proper understanding of mechanisms of adaptation in populations to counteract changes in climate could greatly contribute to future conservation of endangered populations in a rapidly changing world.

Mapping of Crime-Prone Areas in The Ulu Area of Palembang City Based on Public Service Availability Factors

Crimes often occur in various places in Palembang City; the Ulu area is the most dominant area, especially the Seberang Ulu I District. Different places and times make it difficult to determine which areas have the highest level of crime vulnerability. This information is needed by the public and law enforcement. Most of the crimes that arise are caused by economic influences. This study tries to link two variables, namely the crime rate variable and the variable availability of public services. The method used is descriptive-quantitative with spatial analysis. Conclusions in this study: (1) Several areas in Seberang Ulu I District have different levels of vulnerability to crime. Areas that are categorized as prone to crime are areas that have public services, including Tuan Kentang, 7 Ulu, and 15 Ulu. (2) Crimes most often occur at night between 18.00 and 05.59 WIB, with as many as 19 cases, and in the afternoon between 06.00 and 17.59 WIB, with as many as 11 cases.

Livelihood vulnerability to urban flood: the case of urban poor households in Dhaka, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This paper examines the livelihood vulnerability of the urban poor households due to urban flood. The Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and IPCC-LVI framework were applied for analysing the vulnerability of Mirpur Slum (MPS) and Rail-line Slum (RLS) in Dhaka city. The findings indicate that slum settlements with similar characteristics could have different levels of vulnerability due to their households’ attributes and the characteristics of the surrounding neighbourhoods. This study provides insights of livelihood vulnerability of the urban poor which appeals for effective urban flood adaptation strategies through enhancing public health, water access and food security for the slum dwellers. The findings and recommendations derived from this study are likely applicable to other cities in Bangladesh and to other countries including global south with similar socio-economic profiles.

Communicating natural hazard risks to Chinese visitors: a case study from New Zealand

IntroductionResearch has shown that tourists are vulnerable to natural hazards during their travels. For this reason, communicating potential natural hazard risks to tourists prior to, and during, their journeys plays an important role in helping visitors safely navigate the natural hazards they may encounter. Tourists have different levels of vulnerability, depending on a range of personal, cultural and experiential factors, so risk communication must be appropriately targetted to particular markets. This research investigates supply side stakeholders' perceptions of the awareness of, and preparedness for, natural hazard risks amongst Chinese visitors to the West Coast of the South Island (Aotearoa New Zealand), and assesses the effectiveness of current risk communication processes and content for Chinese visitors.MethodsThe research questions are addressed through semi-structured interviews with representatives of government agencies and tourism businesses directly and/or indirectly involved in managing Chinese tourists' experiences and risk communication in the region, and supplemented with documentary analysis of strategy documents, social media and website resourcesResultsApplying a Mental Models Approach, results reveal that informants have relatively similar perspectives on Chinese tourists' awareness of natural hazard risks, irrespective of the nature of their interaction with the Chinese market, however there are some differences in their views of who should be responsible for risk communcation, and when and how that should be delivered.DiscussionChinese tourists' awareness and preparedness for natural hazards tends to be influenced by contextual differences more than cultural differences, and this is better understood by tourism stakeholders with personal contact with these tourists. There are perceived barriers to improving natural hazard risk preparedness, including the over-reliance on signage, and tourism stakeholders' reticence about sharing too much information about natural hazard risks with potential, or actual, visitors.

Assessment of consumers’ knowledge, attitude and perception of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security in Caribbean Small Island Developing States

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and recent international crises including the Russia-Ukraine conflict have resulted in significant disruptions along multiple segments of the Caribbean’s agri-food system, thus compromising regional food security. These impacts are still ongoing with the potential to worsen. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sociodemographic factors on consumers’ knowledge of food security along with their attitude, and perception towards the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security in the Caribbean Small Island Developing States.MethodA cross-sectional on-line survey was conducted between January 1 and November 30, 2021. The sampled population included consumers from nine Caribbean countries (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). Survey data were analyzed using Chi-square, one way analysis of variance, and univariate logistic regression.Results and discussionA total of 237 consumers participated in the survey. Consumers were generally knowledgeable about food security and had favorable attitudes and perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security. Significant associations (p<0.05) and significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained for consumers’ knowledge, attitude and perception among the sociodemographic variables assessed. The results suggest that there were different levels of vulnerability to food insecurity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among economically vulnerable households. Policies that support disadvantaged households and ensure adequate employment opportunities are important to support Caribbean consumers throughout and post the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

Socio-Environmental Vulnerability to Drought Conditions and Land Degradation: An Assessment in Two Northeastern Brazilian River Basins

Over the past few decades, a significant amount of agricultural land has been lost due to soil degradation/desertification. In addition, the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as intense droughts and forest fires, has negatively impacted various ecosystem services. Two of the main Brazilian biomes—the Cerrado and the Caatinga—have been affected by increased rainfall variability, leading to desertification, increased fire frequency, and, consequently, rising concerns regarding the water and food security of the local population. In this study, we develop a methodology to assess these impacts using a Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Index (SEVI) that combines physical, environmental, and socio-economic indicators related to exposure, sensitivity, and adaptation, as well as including socio-environmental feedback. The developed SEVI is then applied to the São Francisco and Parnaíba river basins. The proposed index is based on the MEDALUS methodology and is adapted to include multiple biological, physical, and socio-economic indicators, allowing for the discrimination of areas characterized by different levels of vulnerability. We also analyze the effectiveness of governmental policies, such as the creation of conservation areas and the rural registration of properties, in reducing vulnerability. The SEVI analysis highlights that adaptive capacity is the main constraint for reducing socio-environmental vulnerability in the Parnaíba basin, while exposure and sensitivity are the greater challenges in the São Francisco basin. The results of this study are crucial for the prioritization of recovery actions in degraded areas.

On the Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Urban Areas Using Census Data: The Lisbon Metropolitan Area as a Pilot Study Area

ABSTRACT This paper presents a procedure for the application of an index-based vulnerability assessment method to the seismic risk assessment of 292,978 reinforced concrete and 152,916 unreinforced masonry buildings in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA). A singular innovation of this proposed methodology is that it is tailored to be fed with data from the 2011 national population and housing Census. The vulnerability results are then combined with the seismic hazard component into a GIS tool used to map seismic risk across the LMA. The spatial representation of these results highlights the areas of different levels of vulnerability and risk.

Dispositions of dis/trust: Fourth-wave mobile communication for a world in flux

Mobile scholarship has highlighted the embeddedness of mobile media practices within power hierarchies and sociostructural conditions. We enrich the critical approach by examining how trust, as a future-oriented disposition that deals with uncertainty and social vulnerability, conditions mobile practices and vice versa. We interviewed 29 Syrian refugees residing in the Netherlands, examining how different levels of vulnerability and uncertainty in refugees’ experiences shape mobile use and non-use. We found that low vulnerability–low uncertainty situations were associated with habitual, everyday use; low vulnerability–high uncertainty corresponded to anxiety-expunging non-use; high vulnerability–low uncertainty influenced harm-mitigating mobile practices that sometimes acquiesced to hierarchies; and high vulnerability–high uncertainty circumstances incited radical forms of dependence and collaboration between mobile users. We posit that this framework is not limited to refugee contexts, but mobile-mediated relationships in general. We underscore the importance of mobile scholarship in understanding and offering solutions to contemporary global crises of distrust.

“Look at Me, but Better”: The Experience of Young NEET Migrant Women between Vulnerability and Stifled Ambitions

The experience and the condition of the vulnerability of young immigrant women with NEET status are not acknowledged in both research and social policy. Within the extreme variety gathered under the term NEET, this present article aims at exploring the experience of a group of young non-EU migrant women aged between 18 and 31 living in Italy, who at the time of their participation in this study, were not engaged in education, employment, or training. Nineteen semi-structured interviews have been collected involving young women who migrated from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Morocco, Pakistan, and Tunisia, in most cases through family reunification. Thematic analysis carried out on interview transcripts highlights the complexity and richness of the stories and experiences narrated by participants, composing a heterogeneous group marked by different levels of vulnerability and resilience capabilities, language skills, and involvement in the goal of finding a job. The perception of vulnerability that emerges from the women interviewed refers mainly to the relational dimension of life, which appears to be characterized by loneliness, a sense of isolation, and feelings of extraneousness (not belonging) with respect to an external context. Implications for policies aimed at this specific group of foreign women are discussed.

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage from buildings housing residents with different vulnerability levels

During the last three years, various restrictions have been set up to limit the transmission of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). While these rules apply at a large scale (e.g., country-wide level) human-to-human transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), occurs at a small scale. Different preventive policies and testing protocols were implemented in buildings where COVID-19 poses a threat (e.g., elderly residences) or constitutes a disruptive force (e.g., schools). In this study, we sampled sewage from different buildings (a school, a university campus, a university residence, and an elderly residence) that host residents of different levels of vulnerability. Our main goal was to assess the agreement between the SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater and the policies applied in these buildings. All buildings were sampled using passive samplers while 24 h composite samples were also collected from the elderly residence. Results showed that passive samplers performed comparably well to composite samples while being cost-effective to keep track of COVID-19 prevalence. In the elderly residence, the comparison of sampling protocols (passive vs. active) combined with the strict clinical testing allowed us to compare the sensitivities of the two methods. Active sampling was more sensitive than passive sampling, as the former was able to detect a COVID-19 prevalence of 0.4 %, compared to a prevalence of 2.2 % for passive sampling. The number of COVID-19-positive individuals was tracked clinically in all the monitored buildings. More frequent detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater was observed in residential buildings than in non-residential buildings using passive samplers. In all buildings, sewage surveillance can be used to complement COVID-19 clinical testing regimes, as the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater remained positive even when no COVID-19-positive individuals were reported. Passive sampling is useful for building managers to adapt their COVID-19 mitigation policies.

Delineating the Intrinsic, Long-Term Path of Land Degradation: A Spatially Explicit Transition Matrix for Italy, 1960-2010.

Vulnerability to land degradation in southern Europe has increased substantially in the last decades because of climate and land-use change, soil deterioration, and rising human pressure. The present work focuses on a quantitative evaluation of changes over time in the level of vulnerability to land degradation of a Mediterranean country (Italy) using a composite indicator, the environmentally sensitive area index (ESAI), which is the final outcome of a complex model conceived to assess land vulnerability on the basis of climate, soil, vegetation, and human pressure. Considering four different levels of vulnerability to land degradation (not affected, potentially affected, fragile, and critical), the main trajectories of this index were highlighted in a long-time perspective (1960-2010), discriminating dynamics over two sub-periods (1960-1990 and 1990-2010). The empirical results at a very detailed spatial scale (1 km2 grid) reflect spatial consolidation of degradation hot-spots over time. However, aggregated trajectories of change indicate an overall improvement in the environmental conditions between 1990 and 2010 compared with what is observed during the first period (1960-1990). Worse environmental conditions concerned southern Italian regions with a dry climate and poor soil conditions in the first time interval, large parts of northern Italy, traditionally recognized as a wet and affluent agricultural region, experienced increasing levels of land vulnerability in the second time interval. Being classified as an unaffected region according with the Italian national action plan (NAP), the expansion of (originally sparse) degradation hot-spots in northern Italy, reflective of an overall increase in critical areas, suggests a substantial re-thinking of the Italian NAP. This may lead to a redesign of individual regional action plans (RAPs) implementing place-specific approaches and comprehensive measures to be adopted to mitigate land degradation.

Why, how and with whom? The impact of perceived ally motives on migrants’ support for collective actions

Social inequalities between migrants and the host society trigger collective actions that aim to reduce such inequalities. Such actions can be led by migrants themselves, or by advantaged members from the host society who act as allies. In three studies conducted in Spain (N Study 1 = 182 low vulnerability migrants; N Study 2 = 160 forced migrants and refugees; N Study 3 = 418 migrants with different levels of vulnerability) we evaluated: How perceived ally motives (egalitarian, paternalistic and performative) impact three different types of migrants’ collective action tendencies: pro-alliance (e.g., meetings between migrants and Spaniards), led by Spaniards (e.g., pro-migrant demonstrations organized by Spaniards), and/or led by migrants (e.g., creation of political associations led by migrants). Additionally, we evaluated what type of alliance (as one-group recategorization or coalition) migrants prefer to build with members of the advantaged group. We also analyzed how perceived motives to support migrants relate to the evaluation for the types of alliance (Studies 2 and 3), and whether the level of vulnerability of the participants moderates the role of perceived paternalistic motives on collective action tendencies (Study 3). The results confirm that perceived ally egalitarian motives predict higher migrant support for pro-alliance collective action, as well as those led by Spanish allies across studies. Perceived paternalistic motives have a greater impact on highly socioeconomically vulnerable migrant support for collective action tendencies than on less vulnerable ones. There is no clear pattern of preference about perceiving themselves as part of a singular group (one-group recategorization) or in a coalition with advantaged group members who share the goal to promote migrants’ rights. However, perceived egalitarian motives are positively related to the value attached to one-group recategorization. This research contributes to understanding the factors involved in participation to achieve social change amongst refugees or asylum seekers as well as less vulnerable migrants.

Socioeconomic impacts of Households’ Vulnerability during COVID-19 Pandemic in South Africa: Application of Tobit and Probit Models

Coronavirus is a public health issue with socioeconomic and livelihood dimensions. The World Health Organization declared the current novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The South African government has implemented different strategies, ranging from total lockdown in certain locations and provision of palliatives in some provinces across the country. This study, therefore, investigated the correlates of vulnerability and responsiveness to the adverse impacts of COVID-19 in South Africa. The study utilized primary data collected among 477 respondents. Descriptive statistical tools, Tobit and Probit regression models, were used to analyze the data. The study found different levels of vulnerability (low, medium, and high) and responsiveness among households, including stocking up of food items, remote working, reliance on palliatives, and social grant provision, among others. Some of the correlates of responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic include being employed, the type of community, and the income of respondents. The study, therefore, recommends increased investments in welfare programmes (safety nets, palliative measures and economic stimulus packages) as well as capacity building of households through education to reduce vulnerability. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2022-03-04-02 Full Text: PDF

A clustering-classification approach in categorizing vulnerability of roads and bridges using public assistance big data

In the US, the state, local, territorial, and tribal governments seek funding from the federal government to repair, restore, reconstruct, or replace the disaster damaged infrastructures through Public Assistance program. This research has utilized historical public assistance funded projects’ data in an unsupervised machine learning algorithm: agglomerative hierarchical clustering and uncovered three distinct levels of vulnerability among the roads and bridges in different counties under different natural hazard conditions. The paper shows the spatial distribution of the different levels of vulnerability. The difference in the extent and severity of infrastructure failure among different vulnerability levels was found to be statistically significant. In the second part of the research, a random forest classification model is utilized to explore whether the number of disasters, the area and population of a county, and the existing condition of roads and bridges in a county can predict the vulnerability level of the county as derived from the clustering model to cross-validate them. It has been found that the classification model can predict the vulnerability levels with 85% accuracy. It was also found that the differences in the condition of roads and bridges among the risk profiles are statistically significant and higher risk profile counties have worse roads and bridges. The segmentation of roads and bridges into different vulnerability levels can help the decision makers in planning for asymmetric initiatives for roads and bridges in different counties. Moreover, it has been established that improving the existing conditions of infrastructures can help in reducing the cost of public assistance in a county.

A fine-grained evaluation of social vulnerability to COVID-19, healthcare access and built environmental disparities in Tokyo, Japan

ABSTRACT Measuring vulnerability to COVID-19 and healthcare accessibility at the fine-grained level serves as the foundation for spatially explicit health planning and policy making in response to future public health crises. However, the evaluation of vulnerability and healthcare accessibility is insufficient in Japan – a nation with high population density and super-aging challenges. Drawing on the 2022 census data, transport network, medical and digital cadastral data, land use maps, and points of interest data, our study extends the concept of vulnerability in the context of COVID-19 and constructs the first fine-grained measure of vulnerability and healthcare accessibility in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan – the most populated metropolitan region in the world. We delineate the vulnerable neighbourhoods with low healthcare access and further evaluate the disparity in healthcare access and built environment of areas at different levels of vulnerability. Our outcome datasets and findings provide nuanced and timely evidence to government and health authorities to have a holistic and latest understanding of social vulnerability to COVID-19 and healthcare access at a fine-grained level. Our analytical framework can be employed in different geographic contexts, guiding through place-based health planning and policy making in the post-COVID era and beyond.

The geography of Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco vulnerability, an emblematic species of the South American Gran Chaco

Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco is a key species of the Gran Chaco, one of the most threatened subtropical woodlands in South America. By combining ecological niche modeling (ENM) and population genetic analysis, we explored the impact of land use and climate change on the species distribution with the aim to map the geography of its vulnerability and to propose conservation strategies. Future climate models revealed a generalized reduction in climatic suitability for A. quebracho-blanco, as well as a tendency of suitable areas for the species to shift towards the south-southeast. Land use and land cover (LULC) analysis indicated that more than 50% of A. quebracho-blanco distribution is mainly affected by cultivated lands. The analysis of the genetic population showed that the species has moderate genetic structure and populations are clustered in three genetic groups. The ENM analyses indicated an under-representation of the species’ potential range in protected areas. These results highlight the need to prioritize the conservation and restoration of remnant populations and the expansion of protected natural areas. Therefore, using an integrative approach of the results obtained here, we identified four areas with different levels of vulnerability and proposed specific conservation strategies for each one. This work can be similarly applied in other countries that might establish common criteria in the definition of conservation strategies for tree species.

Local Indicator-Based Flood Vulnerability Indices and Predictors of Relocation in the Ketu South Municipal Area of Ghana

Certain communities along the coast of Ketu South Municipality in south-eastern Ghana, remain vulnerable to coastal flood events from storm surges, high tidal waves, lagoon overflow, and heavy rainfall. However, the local conditions that make these communities vulnerable are poorly understood and knowledge on which communities are most vulnerable is lacking. This study improves the conceptual understanding of different dimensions of vulnerability that exist across the communities and the various levels of vulnerability that each exposed community exhibits. The study surveyed 354 household heads from selected flood-prone communities including Blekusu, Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina. The survey collected data on demographic, social, economic, physical, exposure, and adaptive capacity to flood hazards. The data was then used to construct composite vulnerability indices at community levels. Results from the study demonstrate that the communities have different levels of vulnerability as a result of differences in their exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity levels. The willingness to relocate as an adaptation strategy was determined by household flood duration, number of livelihoods, and sea defence preference. These results are relevant to flood disaster management programs and the adoption of effective adaptation measures that take into account local knowledge. The findings imply that interventions aimed at reducing vulnerability should take into account household characteristics, as well as flood exposure, and adaptive capacity factors.

Toward a spatially explicit analysis of land vulnerability to degradation: a country-level approach supporting policy strategies.

Vulnerability to land degradation in Mediterranean Europe increased substantially in the last decades because of the latent interplay of climate and land-use change, progressive soil deterioration, and rising human pressure. The present study provides a quantitative evaluation of the intrinsic change over time in the level of vulnerability to land degradation over a representative Mediterranean area (Italy) using a normative indicator, the percentage of land classified as 'critical' in total area. This indicator derives from a spatially explicit elaboration of the ESA (Environmental Sensitive Area) Index (ESAI), a standard methodology of land classification considering different levels of vulnerability to degradation at a particularly refined spatial scale (1 km2). This indicator was calculated over a relatively long time interval (1960-2010) and aggregated at the geographical scale of administrative regions in Italy, a relevant domain in the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to combat desertification and the adoption of individual Regional Action Plans (RAP). A significant - but spatially heterogeneous - increase in 'critical' land was observed in Italy, leading to distinctive dynamics in northern/central regions and southern regions. Climate aridity and anthropogenic pressure leveraged the sudden vulnerability in some marginal land of Northern Italy - a region classified as unexposed to desertification risk - paralleling the levels observed in some districts of Southern Italy, an 'affected' region to desertification risk. These results suggest a re-thinking of mitigation policies proposed in the Italian NAP and a redesign of the RAPs toward place-specific adaptation measures, especially in the 'less exposed' Northern Italian region.

Desertification risk fuels spatial polarization in \u2018affected\u2019 and \u2018unaffected\u2019 landscapes in Italy

Southern Europe is a hotspot for desertification risk because of the intimate impact of soil deterioration, landscape transformations, rising human pressure, and climate change. In this context, large-scale empirical analyses linking landscape fragmentation with desertification risk assume that increasing levels of land vulnerability to degradation are associated with significant changes in landscape structure. Using a traditional approach of landscape ecology, this study evaluates the spatial structure of a simulated landscape based on different levels of vulnerability to land degradation using 15 metrics calculated at three time points (early-1960s, early-1990s, early-2010s) in Italy. While the (average) level of land vulnerability increased over time almost in all Italian regions, vulnerable landscapes demonstrated to be increasingly fragmented, as far as the number of homogeneous patches and mean patch size are concerned. The spatial balance in affected and unaffected areas—typically observed in the 1960s—was progressively replaced with an intrinsically disordered landscape, and this process was more intense in regions exposed to higher (and increasing) levels of land degradation. The spread of larger land patches exposed to intrinsic degradation brings to important consequences since (1) the rising number of hotspots may increase the probability of local-scale degradation processes, and (2) the buffering effect of neighbouring (unaffected) land can be less effective on bigger hotspots, promoting a downward spiral toward desertification.

From Physiological Properties to Selective Vulnerability of Motor Units in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Spinal alpha-motoneurons are classified in several types depending on the contractile properties of the innervated muscle fibers. This diversity is further displayed in different levels of vulnerability of distinct motor units to neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). We summarize recent data suggesting that, contrary to the excitotoxicity hypothesis, the most vulnerable motor units are hypoexcitable and experience a reduction in their firing prior to symptoms onset in ALS. We suggest that a dysregulation of activity-dependent transcriptional programs in these motoneurons alter crucial cellular functions such as mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, axonal sprouting capability and re-innervation of neuromuscular junctions.