Geographical Gaps Research Articles

GREEN INVESTMENTS AS A MECHANISM OF GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The article deals with the theoretical and applied aspects of the processes of green investments as a mechanism of global sustainable development in conditions of significant aggravation of the environmental problem that impacts global economic progress. The paper reveals significant impact of the global environmental problem on the transformation of the forms of international competitive relations and the priorities of international economic policy. The scope, structure and key trends of green investment processes, as well as the factors that determine their dynamics in recent decades, are researched. In the context of green institutionalism considerable attention is paid to the issue of the modern institutional structure of green investments and the economic motivation of various types of financial intermediaries regarding their participation in green investment processes on global scale. Key trends in processes of green investment of global economic development are defined: 1) increase in the needs of governments and business sectors, institutional investors and households, in attracting sustainable capital to increase their level of competitiveness on national and global markets; 2) diversification of financial instruments as a result of the implementation of fundamental ecological transformations of national economies; 3) diversification of the institutional structure of the global financial market and appearance of new institutions; 4) deepening of geographical and instrumental asymmetries and gaps. The need to create a favourable environment of implementation of green investment projects is emphasized as it is attributed to the core of modern mechanism of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Further scientific inquiries should investigate the effectiveness of instruments of environmental diplomacy of states in their close connection with green investments and growth of competition for global environmental leadership, the right to apply environmental sanctions and the formation of global environmental standards in the sphere of production and international trade.

Knowledge leakage through social networks: a review of existing gaps, strategies for mitigating potential risk factors and future research direction

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on knowledge leakage through social networks in the past decade to find existing gaps, identify potential risk factors while, ultimately, proposing ways of mitigating these factors. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis as guide for searching relevant scholarly publications. Subject-specific and -related research papers were obtained from three databases, namely, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCOhost. The review data was generated from the search results while adopting specific criteria to either accept or reject a particular publication during the search process. Findings Technological, operational and human knowledge factors are some of the risks resulting from knowledge leakage. Highlights of the paper include strategies for mitigating these factors, including continuous training, creating awareness, banning social media usage at work and reinforcing nondisclosure policies. This study also found potential gaps from the literature, categorized as topical, geographical, industrial, theoretical, methodological and conceptual gaps while proposing ways of addressing these gaps using specific research questions. These questions set the direction for future studies on knowledge leakage and social networks. Originality/value Implications of the findings are laid out, particularly the idea of developing actionable managerial plans for preventing knowledge leakage from occurring in organizations in the first place. The systematic, rigorous, transparent and methodological procedures used throughout the entire research process strongly suggest that the findings and conclusions are legitimate. While the findings were not drawn arbitrarily, they potentially offer windows of opportunities for bridging the six potential gaps identified in this paper.

Deep well new data in the area of the 2022 Mw 5.5 earthquake, Adriatic Sea, Italy: In situ stress state and P-velocities

Following the Mw 5.5 earthquake of 9 November 2022 that occurred along the Adriatic coast of Italy and the related seismic sequence, we analysed new data from deep wells drilled in recent years by ENI S.p.A. Specifically, we calculated the horizontal stress orientations from breakouts recognized in three wellbores, determined the P-wave velocities for the first 5 km of crust from 12 well sonic records, and then calculated the vertical stress values in the area. Our results, indicating orientations of the present-day stress field of ∼N130 and ∼N040 for minimum and maximum horizontal stress, respectively, are consistent with the seismic sequence focal solutions. Thrust faulting focal solutions occurring at a hypocentral depth between 5 and 10 km, show minimum horizontal stress oriented at ∼N140, which is also in agreement with the compressive tectonics of the area and the known seismogenic sources. The crustal P-wave velocities vary as a function of both the lithology crossed and the geological-structural location of the wells, suggesting several velocity patterns in a confined area. The average vertical stress for the investigated area, inferred from the velocity-derived density, shows values of ∼100 MPa at a depth of 4.5 km, with a gradient varying from 21 to 23 MPa/km. The obtainedin situstress measurements indicate that no stress regime changes or temporal rotations have been observed in the past 50 years throughout the entire area. The new stress indicators fill a geographical gap between the northern and southernmost existing data coherently with a compressive stress regime.

Past, present, and future of a tropical sounds collection from Colombia

ABSTRACT Digital bioacoustic collections preserve important behavioural and ecological traits, as well as trackable evidence of the presence of species in space and time. Well-structured and open-source repositories provide valuable information for science and biodiversity conservation. Here, we introduce the Environmental Sound Collection – ‘Mauricio Álvarez-Rebolledo’ (Colección de Sonidos Ambientales IAvH-CSA) at Instituto Humboldt in Colombia, which is one of the most relevant natural sound repositories in South America. The collection was founded in 1998 as ‘Banco de Sonidos Animales (BSA)’ to document Colombian biodiversity and guide conservation actions, two aims that remain at the forefront of our daily work. After over 25 years, the collection has preserved more than 25,000 audio specimens from over 1,300 species. Here, we highlight the value of sound collections by presenting a historical overview of our collection and providing examples of its role in research and outreach. We also identify taxonomic and geographical gaps that need to be filled, analyse the impact of new technological advances on sound collections, and discuss the critical role of acoustics in the future of research and biodiversity conservation programmes.

A synthesis of priorities, patterns, and gaps in large carnivore corridor research

IntroductionConservation research plays an integral role in the effort to conserve biodiversity globally. However, research gaps can limit conservation research’s potential contribution to addressing global biodiversity problems such as habitat fragmentation. While a synthesis of the research literature does not attain effective conservation action by itself, it can inform future research and corridor conservation planning and practices.MethodsWe used a systematic search of peer-reviewed research articles in Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature in the Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group library published before December 2020. Our review assessed research on the identification and use of corridors, a primary instrument used to address the threats of habitat fragmentation, for large carnivores to identify patterns, priorities, and gaps in the literature. We focused on large carnivores because they are frequently used for connectivity planning owing to their higher sensitivity to habitat fragmentation and their importance as conservation flagship species.Results and discussionWe found that peer-reviewed studies primarily focused on single-species corridors with a strong preference toward apex predators, whereas grey literature focused on multi-species corridors. More than 80% of studies included one of the following five species, the mountain lion (n=46 studies), American black bear (n=31 studies), jaguar (n=25 studies), tiger (n=25 studies), and brown bear (n=18 studies). Although research on the identification of corridors was relatively more common in the past, we found an increasing trend in the publication of studies assessing the use of corridors by large carnivores in recent years. The published research is predominantly from North America (47%) and Asia (30%), with comparatively fewer studies from Africa (4%), despite having several large carnivore species. While climate change and human-wildlife conflict are considered major concerns for large carnivore conservation, these were seldomly considered in corridor research. Corridor research collaborations exist between academia, government, and non-government institutions, but the involvement of the private sector is lacking.ConclusionsOur review shows that there is scope for future corridor research to (i) focus on areas where geographical gaps exist, (ii) target multi-species corridors, (iii) include climate change and human-wildlife conflict scenarios, and iv) increase collaboration with the private sector to better inform connectivity solutions.

Atypical Location and Appearance of Chondromyxoid of the Right Iliac Wing Fibroma in a Child

Aims: The chondromyxoid tumor is a benign primary bone tumor of cartilaginous differentiation whose location is atypical and rarely described in the literature.
 Case Report: A 10 year old child, who consulted the emergency room of the children's hospital of Rabat for a hard and painful swelling of the right iliac fossa, rapidly increasing in volume. Biological tests were normal. The radiography showed a mixed lytic and condensing lesion, heterogeneous, of the right iliac wing, prompting an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
 Discussion: Chondromyxoid fibroma usually affects young subjects and manifests clinically as pain and swelling. Pathological fractures are common.
 On standard radiography, in long bones, there is an eccentric geographic gap, blowing out the cortex. On flat bones such as the iliac bone, the tumor is often polycyclic and mixed, combining condensation and bone lysis. Intratumoral microcalcifications may be encountered.
 MRI is the key examination to evoke the diagnosis of chondromyxoid fibroma.
 Conclusion: Imaging and in particular MRI plays multiple and fundamental roles in the management of chondromyxoid fibroma. MRI provides diagnostic guidance, particularly in the case of atypical localization.

Project Performance in the Global Construction Industry during the Covid-19 Era

The Covid-19 global pandemic has had profound impact on the way all industries operate now, and the construction industry is no exception. Given the importance of this industry in providing critical infrastructure needed to enhance the quality of life of all global citizens, this paper presented the results of a systematic review of empirical studies that have investigated construction project performance over the Covid-19 era spanning from 2020 to 2023. The Systematic Quantitative Assessment Technique was used to identify and assess 54 empirical articles from six of the most renowned academic publishers in order to answer three important research questions: 1) What was the geographical spread of construction project performance articles from 2020-2023? 2) Which data collection methods were utilized by these articles? 3) What themes were investigated by these articles? The review revealed that Asia had the most representation while South America had no representation at all, thus representing a geographical gap which future studies should address. The review also revealed that most studies relied on surveys to collect project performance data with relatively fewer studies using qualitative methods or adopting a mixed methods approach, with this representing a methodological gap to be addressed by future studies. Finally, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the performance of construction firms was the most investigated theme, while the strategies firms can use to ‘future proof’ themselves against future pandemics or other unexpected disasters was the least investigated theme.

Global Atmospheric Composition Observations: The Heart of Vital Climate and Environmental Action

Abstract Further long-term investments in high-quality, research-driven, fit-for-purpose observations of atmospheric composition are needed globally to meet urgent societal needs related to weather, climate, air quality, and other environmental issues. Challenges include maintaining current observing systems in the face of eroding budgets for long-term monitoring and filling the geographical gaps for key constituents needed for sound services and policies. The observing systems can be bolstered through science-for-services applications, by embracing interoperable observation systems and standardized metadata, and ensuring that the data are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. There is an urgent need to move from opportunities-driven one-component observations to more systematic, planned multifunctional infrastructure, where the observational data flow is coupled with Earth system models to serve both operational and research purposes. This approach fosters a community where user experience feeds back into the research components and where mature research results are translated into operational applications. This will lead to faster exploration and exploitation of atmospheric composition information and more impactful applications for science and society. We discuss here the urgent need to (i) achieve global coverage, (ii) harmonize infrastructure operations, (iii) establish focused policies, and (iv) strengthen coordination of atmospheric composition infrastructure.

The reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles

Dung beetles display complex reproductive behaviors involving sexual findings, sexual recognition, fighting for mates and food used for nesting, sperm competition, and parental care. Over the past 40 years, significant advances have been made regarding the knowledge of various aspects of the sexual and nesting behavior of Neotropical dung beetles. However, human activities modify the natural habitats of dung beetles at an alarming rate, affecting food availability and altering the ecological functions performed by the species in their different habitats. A deeper understanding of the reproductive behavior of dung beetles may contribute significantly in understanding the evolutionary diversification of these insects and their response to environmental changes. The present study reviews and analyzes studies regarding the sexual and reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetle species under field and laboratory conditions. We gathered 132 studies and 146 species; 42% of the available data were based on field observations, 23% on laboratory observations, 30% under both field and laboratory conditions, and 5% unspecified. Our review detected significant knowledge, geographic, and habitat gaps regarding the reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles. Based on our findings, we propose future research goals and alternative methods to measure the behavioral responses of Neotropical dung beetles to the impacts of human activities.

Marketing and School Choice: A Systematic Literature Review

School-choice programs may increase schools' incentives for marketing rather than improving their educational offering. This article systematically reviews the literature on the marketing activities of primary and secondary schools worldwide. The 81 articles reviewed show that schools’ marketing has yet to be tackled by marketing academics or other social scientists outside the education field. Market-oriented U.S. charter schools and their international equivalents have stimulated recent research, but geographical gaps remain, particularly in countries with long-established school-choice policies and in rural areas. Schools deploy a range of marketing techniques with the intensity of activity directly correlated to the level of local competition and their position in the local hierarchy. Studies have analyzed schools’ use of market scanning, specific words and images in brochures, branding, segmentation, and targeting. These marketing activities are rarely accompanied by substantive curricular change, however, and may even contribute to social division through targeting or deceptive marketing activity.

Global distribution and richness of terrestrial mammals in tidal marshes

AbstractAimUnderstanding the determinants of species distribution and richness is key to explaining global ecological patterns. We examined the current knowledge about terrestrial mammals in tidal marshes and evaluated whether species richness increased with the marsh surface area and/or with their proximity to the equator and whether species distribution ranges decreased with latitude.LocationGlobal.MethodsWe reviewed the existing literature on terrestrial mammals in tidal marshes. We examined their ecological characteristics (e.g. habitat specialists, native or alien), predicted their variation in species richness and range size along latitude, and explored factors, such as surface area, underlying the global patterns found.ResultsWe found 962 records, describing 125 mammalian species using tidal marshes worldwide, also including several alien species. Most species (95%) were not marsh specialized, and some (18%) were of conservation concern. There were information gaps in South America, Africa, Australia and Asia, and a lack of information about mammalian ecological roles worldwide. We found that species richness increased with surface area, and showed a bimodal pattern peaked between 40° and 50° latitude in each hemisphere. We found no relationship between latitude and species range size.Main conclusionsOur worldwide findings revealed a broader range of tidal marshes inhabited by terrestrial mammals, and higher values of species richness than previously reported. The bimodal pattern of species richness was consistent with the species–area hypothesis, but it also suggested that further studies of species distribution in relation to historical and environmental factors will yield significant insights about variables driving richness in tidal marshes. Despite terrestrial mammal ubiquitous distribution in these ecosystems, there are considerable geographic gaps as regards knowledge about their functional importance and the impact of alien species on tidal marsh functioning. Consequently, extending our research efforts is key to planning the conservation of these coastal ecosystems.

Hospital Beds for Children: A Shrinking Number and Poorly Distributed

Regionalization of pediatric services has created geographic gaps in access to care.

Interventions addressing genetic disease burdens within selected countries in the MENA region: a scoping review.

The MENA region is disproportionately affected by genetic disease. The aim of this research is to scope the region for evidence of genetic services and public health interventions to identify geographic gaps, and to provide a descriptive overview of interventions to identify knowledge gaps. This study is conducted as a scoping review and follows the Arksey & O'Malley scoping review framework. Seventy-six articles spanning 16 MENA nations met inclusion criteria. Studies included interventions in the form of genetic service provision (n=28), as well as comprehensive programs including pilot programs (n=7), community-based genetics programs (n=6) national-level prevention programs (n=18), and national-level mandatory programs (n=17). There is an imbalanced response to genetic disease burdens across the MENA region. More research is warranted where interventions are scarce, particularly to inform development of pilot community-based programs. There is also a need for better monitoring and evaluation of existing nation-wide programs.

Rural Development and Restructuring in Central China’s Rural Areas: A Case Study of Eco-Urban Agglomeration around Poyang Lake, China

This study aims to provide a scientific reference for rural reconstruction and revitalization in the areas covered by Eco-Urban Agglomeration Around Poyang Lake. Rural development and restructuring is a comprehensive process involving multiple elements and a long-time sequence. Accordingly, scientific knowledge concerning the evolution and characteristics of the spatial and temporal patterns of rural development and reconstruction is crucial for successively facilitating rural revitalization and ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas. In this study, a framework of rural development and restructuring was constructed for areas around Poyang Lake Eco-Urban Agglomeration based on the data regarding population, land, and industrial elements in the rural regional system, as well as the data of counties covered by Poyang Lake Eco-Urban Agglomeration. For this purpose, the entropy value and other research methods were used to analyze the level of rural development and the degree of rural reconstruction, as well as to identify the characteristics of rural reconstruction types. The study results revealed the following: (1) Rural Comprehensive Development Level has increased from 0.218 to 0.347, and the geographical development gap of the countryside has narrowed; however, the development level of each region and each factor continues to remain uneven. (2) The results demonstrated a wave-like advancement in the Rural Comprehensive Restructuring Degree, with a decreased Rural Population Restructuring Degree, an increased Rural Industry Restructuring Degree, and a decreased Rural Land Restructuring Degree. (3) Rural restructuring in the study area can be divided into six zones according to the level of rural development and the degree of rural restructuring, with Type I and Type III being the main types. Based on the above results, this research proposes optimizations for different rural development and reconstruction type zones.

Geographic distribution, conservation effectiveness, and gaps for national key protected wild plants in China

AbstractNational key protected wild plants (NKPWPs) are species with important conservation value based on genetics, ecology, culture, and/or scientific research, which are also confronted with serious threats. However, their geographical distribution patterns and conservation status remain unclear. In this study, we compiled 1032 species of NKPWPs. We measured the diversity to identify hotspots of NKPWPs based on species richness, weighted range size rarity and a complementarity‐based analysis. Comparing the distribution and hotspots of NKPWPs with the coverage of Chinese nature reserves (NRs), we assessed conservation effectiveness and identified conservation gaps. The results identified 13 diversity hotspots; only 9.5% of them were covered by NRs with >30% of the grid cell area, and even 19.5% were not covered at all by NRs. Overall, 44.7% of NKPWPs were effectively protected by national NRs. Despite this success, 571 species in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guangxi, Guangdong, southern Hainan, Taiwan, and northern Xinjiang remain unprotected by NRs. The protected proportion of plants with first‐level protection was lower than that of plants with second‐level protection. The low overall proportion of protected hotspots indicates that the conservation outlook for NKPWPs is not optimistic. This study identifies priority conservation areas and conservation gaps and provides a scientific reference for the conservation of wild plants in China.

Mind the Gaps: Taxonomic, Geographic and Temporal Data of Marine Invertebrate Databases from Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe

One of the best ways to share and disseminate biodiversity information is through the digitization of data and making it available via online databases. The rapid growth of publicly available biodiversity data is not without problems which may decrease the utility of online databases. In this study we analyze taxonomic, geographic and temporal data gaps, and bias related to existing data on selected marine invertebrate occurrences along the coastline of two African countries, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. The final marine invertebrate dataset comprises of 19.910 occurrences, but 32% of the original dataset occurrences were excluded due to data gaps. Most marine invertebrates in Mozambique were collected in seagrasses, whereas in São Tomé and Príncipe they were mostly collected offshore. The dataset has a temporal coverage from 1816 to 2019, with most occurrences collected in the last two decades. This study provides baseline information relevant to a better understanding of marine invertebrate biodiversity data gaps and bias in these habitats along the coasts of these countries. The information can be further applied to complete marine invertebrate data gaps contributing to design informed sampling strategies and advancing refined datasets that can be used in management and conservation plans in both countries.

Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Global Dairy Trade

There are imbalances and uncertainties in the global supply and demand of dairy products, owing to the adverse influence of overall economic changes, dairy prices, agricultural politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and severe climate. This paper aims to explore the evolving characteristics and influencing factors of the global dairy trade pattern and make recommendations for the sustainable development of the global dairy trade. This paper studies the evolutionary characteristics of the global dairy trade pattern from the perspective of the overall structure, individual characteristics, and core–periphery structure through complex network analysis (CNA), using the countries involved in dairy trade from 2000 to 2020. Furthermore, this study explores the influencing factors of the dairy trade network using a quadratic allocation procedure (QAP). The results indicate that the global dairy trade network has been expanding, with prominent scale-free features and small-world characteristics. Individual countries display obvious heterogeneity, whereas the core import regions of the dairy shift from Europe, East Asia, and America to North America, the Middle East, and East Asia. Contrary to this, there is no significant change in the core export regions. Consequently, the entire dairy trade network represents a clear core–periphery structure. Moreover, the income per capita gaps, geographic distance gaps, and common language always affect the trade value and dairy trade relations across the countries. Meanwhile, economic level gaps and regional trade agreements have become increasingly significant. Thus, the dairy trade may not follow the “border effect”. Lastly, this paper also extends recommendations for the sustainable development of the dairy trade.

The role of digital health in revolutionizing healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes in conflict zones.

The provision and planning for healthcare delivery in conflict is a pressing imperative. Healthcare within these environments is naturally complex, given the entanglement of affected populations, militaries and oft-deteriorating public services. The field of digital health, placed at the intersection of healthcare and technology, has the power to revolutionize healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes worldwide. Its impact is particularly significant in conflict zones, where it can address the unique challenges faced by these regions. Violence, damaged infrastructure, restricted mobility, forced migration, and overstretched healthcare facilities are all hallmarks of conflict zones that demand novel approaches to addressing them. Health care delivery is being revolutionized by the introduction of digital health technology in conflict zones, which are improving access, emergency response capacities, health information management, and mental health assistance. Doctors and aid organizations can more easily overcome challenges and reach out to underserved populations in these regions because to digital technological improvements. Recent decades have seen a shift in the nature of conflict, and with it, a corresponding shift in the range of digital health solutions available to address geographical, epidemiological, and clinical gaps. The purpose of this letter is to inquire into the application of digital health in conflict zones and its potential to lessen the pressing healthcare needs of affected communities.

Maritime skills development in KwaZulu-Natal: 2022

The Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy mandate, in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, calls for the extension of the benefits of maritime sector development to disadvantaged rural communities. This mandate can only be realised if the rural communities can actively partake in the sector. Research has shown that the coastal rural communities were unaware of the maritime sector, and few were prepared to partake in the maritime value chain. This maritime skills audit sought to determine the skills required by the maritime sector and the ability of the rural community to provide them. The research also sought to determine the geographical and educational gaps within the sector. Initially, the intention of the research was, to discover specific areas where skills shortages and education gaps were found. While the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act proved to be a limiting factor, the study still uncovered the structural issues affecting the education and training of rural learners. The maritime sector is primarily urban. Maritime training is also done within the urban sectors. While it should be a simple matter of the rural learners moving to urban centres to study, the deficiencies in the education of the rural populations have created a major systemic bottleneck. This paper provides the results of the maritime business audit, together with the issues facing the rural education sector and the obstacles they present.

A scientometric study of the molecular data on Brazilian red algae

The growth in the number of molecular sequences produced in recent years has provided valuable contributions to the knowledge diversity of red algae (Rhodophyta) in Brazil. However, many works indicate that there is still much to be studied. Here, we highlight the importance of compiling all these data to evidence possible taxonomic and geographic knowledge gaps in red algae through molecular data. So, this study presents a scientometric analysis of the molecular studies carried out on red algae in Brazil, based on the analysis of DNA sequences available in the public database GenBank. Our results demonstrated an increase in published papers from 1994 to 2020, corresponding to 165 studies analyzed. A huge disparity in the production of knowledge was observed, with the southeastern region concentrating the researchers responsible for most of the published studies, with emphasis on those in the University of São Paulo (USP). Bahia and São Paulo states stand out with the highest observed taxonomic richness, respectively. We also could identify the taxonomic groups with more molecular data generated, the sequence number deposited per institution since 1994, the main markers used, the regions that require a greater collection effort, and where the researchers who study red algae in the country are.