Geographic Patterns Research Articles

Spatial and Temporal Analysis: A GIS-Based Application Tool for Crime Monitoring and Clustering in Malawi

For the purposes of monitoring, evaluating, and conducting a geographical analysis of crime-related data, the study used geospatial technology to collect crime data based on spatial location and the Malawi Police Data Digest of 2019 and 2020. In a more generic sense, knowing the geographic patterns of crime in Malawi using GIS technology can help determine how to make and implement important decisions to reduce crimes in Malawi. The Malawi Police Service has established a number of database management systems to help with crime monitoring. Notwithstanding, it has not yet fully integrated Geographic Information Systems across all jurisdictions. Maps showing crime locations and crime hotspot zones are therefore not included in the crime data and statistics report provided by the Malawi Police Service. In this light, a lot of people have become victims of various forms of crimes in areas where those crimes are also prevalent. To collect, track, and analyze crime data in Malawi for this study, Geographical Information System (GIS) particularly network analysis techniques were used. Network Analysis was used to identify crime hotspots by analyzing crime data as a network of interconnected events and locations. The rationale behind this was to treat each crime event as a node in the network and the spatial relationships between the crimes as edges. By analyzing this network, patterns and relationships between crime events were revealed, allowing for the identification of crime hotspots. The study found that Lilongwe in the central region and the capital city registered the highest number of crimes seconded by Blantyre in the southern region and followed by Mangochi. Mzimba recorded high crimes in the northern region. In Malawi, the traditional systems of intelligence and criminal record keeping have failed to satisfy the demands of today's crime situation. Manual methods neither give accurate, dependable, or complete data 24 hours a day nor do they help in trend forecasting and decision assistance. It also leads to poorer productivity and inefficient workforce use. The appropriate application of information technology is the solution to this ever-increasing challenge.

Change of spermatophyte family diversity in distribution patterns with climate change in China

The global climate is undergoing extraordinary changes, profoundly influencing a variety of ecological processes. Understanding the distribution patterns and predicting the future of plant diversity is crucial for biodiversity conservation in the context of climate change. However, current studies on predictive geographic patterns of plant diversity often fail to separate the effects of global climate change from other influencing factors. In this study, we developed a spatial simulation model of spermatophyte family diversity (SSMSFD) based on data collected from 200 nature reserves covering approximately 1,500,000 km2, where direct anthropogenic disturbances to plant diversity and the surrounding environment are absent. We predicted the spermatophyte family diversity for all provinces in China in 2020, 2040, and 2080, considering the impacts of global climate change. On average, China currently exhibits 118 plant families per 25 km2, with a decreasing trend from southeast to northwest. When considering only the effects of global climate change, excluding direct anthropogenic disturbances, our results indicate that under the Shared Socioeconomic Path Scenarios (SSPs) 245 and 585, spermatophyte family diversity is projected to slowly increase in most Chinese provinces from 2021 to 2080. Notably, the increase is more pronounced under SSPs585 compared to SSPs245. Global climate change has a positive effect on plant diversity, in contrast to the negative impact of anthropogenic disturbances that often lead to declines in plant diversity. This research highlights the contrasting outcomes of future plant diversity under the sole influence of global climate change and the significant negative effects of anthropogenic disturbances on diversity.

An Evaluation of the Spatial Repercussions of Student Mobility Policy in European Higher Education Area Using Network Analysis

The mobility of international students is a crucial tool for the European Union's goal of creating a unified European Higher Education Area. Despite the initial assumption that all European universities and students can benefit equally from cross-university study experiences, certain European regions have become disproportionately favored over time. This has resulted in specific geographical patterns, challenging the principles of equality and openness in the EU's higher education policy. To better understand these spatial effects and enhance the EU's mobility policy effectiveness, this research analyzes the network properties of Erasmus+, comparing it with traditional degree-seeking activities. Utilizing a modularity measure with data from the EU and UNESCO, the study reveals significant sub-regional variations in the Erasmus+ geographical network, posing challenges for policy implementation and limiting mobility alternatives.

Taxonomic characterization, morphological variability, and geographic patterns of Juniperus turbinata Guss. in Algeria

A biometric study of cones, seeds, needles, and branchlets was conducted in 15 natural populations of Juniperus turbinata Guss. within its Algerian range. Each population was represented by 20-30 individuals. A total of 386 individuals were examined to evaluate inter- and intraspecific variation, and its geographic patterns, confirming the status of J. turbinata in Algerian populations. Maritime and mainland (Atlas Mountains) populations differed significantly. Cones in the seaside areas tended to be longer and more turbinate, with fewer seeds (mean 4.80) and leaves on the terminal 5-mm section of lateral branchlets (mean 27.87), compared to those from the Atlas, with 5.75 seeds and 29.00 leaves on average. The Aurès Mountain populations had more leaves than other scale-like junipers and other species of the Cupressaceae. Furthermore, maritime popula­tions stood out for having the most turbinated cones among recorded Juniperus phoenicea s.l. populations. Costal populations were more related to those located on oriental Mediterranean shores, while Atlas Mountain populations seemed to be related to Moroccan Atlas ones. A negative gradient of leaf number from east to west was identified in the Atlas group, extending into Morocco. The distinct separation between the 2 geographic patterns supports the hypothesis of migration of J. turbinata along 2 routes and relaunches the proposal of possible varieties within the group.

Plant kleptomaniacs: geographic genetic patterns in the amphi-apomictic Rubus ser. Glandulosi (Rosaceae) reveal complex reticulate evolution of Eurasian brambles.

Rubus ser. Glandulosi represents a unique model of geographic parthenogenesis on a homoploid (2n = 4x) level. We aim to characterize evolutionary and phylogeographic patterns in this taxon and shed light on the geographic differentiation of apomicts and sexuals. Ultimately, we aim to evaluate the importance of phylogeography in the formation of geographic parthenogenesis. R. ser. Glandulosi was sampled across its Eurasian range together with other co-occurring Rubus taxa (587 individuals in total). Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) and modelling of suitable climate were employed for evolutionary inferences. Six ancestral species were identified that contributed to the contemporary gene pool of R. ser. Glandulosi. While sexuals were introgressed from R. dolichocarpus and R. moschus in West Asia and from R. ulmifolius agg., R. canescens and R. incanescens in Europe, apomicts were characterized by alleles of R. subsect. Rubus. Gene flow between sexuals and apomicts was also detected, as well as occasional hybridization with other taxa. We hypothesize that sexuals survived the last glacial period in several large southern refugia, whereas apomicts were mostly restricted to southern France from whence they quickly recolonized Central and Western Europe. The secondary contact of sexuals and apomicts was probably the principal factor that established geographic parthenogenesis in R. ser. Glandulosi. Sexual populations are not impoverished in genetic diversity along their borderline with apomicts and maladaptive population genetic processes likely did not shape the geographic patterns.

Geographical patterns and environmental influencing factors of variations in Asterothamnus centraliasiaticus seed traits on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.

Seed traits related to recruitment directly affect plant fitness and persistence. Understanding the key patterns and influencing factors of seed trait variations is conducive to assessing plant colonization and habitat selection. However, the variation patterns of the critical seed traits of shrub species are usually underrepresented and disregarded despite their vital role in alpine desert ecosystems. This study gathered seeds from 21 Asterothamnus centraliasiaticus populations across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, analyzing geographical patterns of seed traits to identify external environmental influences. Additionally, it explored how seed morphology and nutrients affect germination stress tolerance, elucidating direct and indirect factors shaping seed trait variations. The results present substantial intraspecific variations in the seed traits of A. centraliasiaticus. Seed traits except seed length-to-width ratio (LWR) all vary significantly with geographic gradients. In addition, the direct and indirect effects of climatic variables and soil nutrients on seed traits were verified in this study. Climate mainly influences seed nutrients, and soil nutrients significantly affect seed morphology and seed nutrients. Furthermore, climate directly impacts seed germination drought tolerance index (GDTI) and germination saline-alkali tolerance index (GSTI). Seed germination cold tolerance index (GCTI) is influenced by climate and soil nutrients (mostly SOC). GDTI and GSTI are prominently influenced by seed morphology (largely the seed thousand-grain weight (TGW)), and GCTI is evidently affected by seed nutrients (mainly the content of soluble protein (CSP)). The findings of this study amply explain seed trait variation patterns of shrubs in alpine desert ecosystems, possessing significant importance for understanding the mechanism of shrub adaptation to alpine desert ecosystems, predicting the outcomes of environmental change, and informing conservation efforts. This study can be a valuable reference for managing alpine desert ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

The Influence of Regional Social and Geographic Interaction on the Development of Micro Business Interest in Bakunase II Subdistrict, Kupang City

The research was conducted in the Kupang city area, specifically in the Bakunase II sub-district, because the low number of entrepreneurships can also encourage various economic and social problems, one of which is poverty. Geographical interaction (regional interaction) also has a significant role aimed at knowing the locations taken into account in regional economic studies and the interactions that occur between them influencing the speed of regional development. This research aims to determine whether strong interactions will encourage economic development and business development as well as economic equality in each region in the city of Kupang using Nearest Neighbor Analysis. The method used in this research is descriptive quantitative method. The results of this research are that the geographic interaction distribution pattern has a positive and significant effect on interest in entrepreneurship with the percentage of micro businesses amounting to 54 units or 96.43%, small businesses amounting to 2 units or 3.57% and medium businesses amounting to 0 by looking at the most dominant distribution of goods. comes from Oebobo District with a percentage of 39.29%. distribution of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Population Distribution Map, and Goods Distribution Map.

Microbial difference and its influencing factors in ice-covered lakes on the three poles

Most lakes in the world are permanently or seasonally covered with ice. However, little is known about the distribution of microbes and their influencing factors in ice-covered lakes worldwide. Here we analyzed the microbial community composition in the waters of 14 ice-covered lakes in the Hoh Xil region of northern Qing-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), and conducted a meta-analysis by integrating published microbial community data of ice-covered lakes in the tripolar regions (the Arctic, Antarctica and QTP). The results showed that there were significant differences in microbial diversity, community composition and distribution patterns in the ice-covered tripolar lakes. Microbial diversity and richness were lower in the ice-covered QTP lakes (including the studied lakes in the Hoh Xil region) than those in the Arctic and Antarctica. In the ice-covered lakes of Hoh Xil, prokaryotes are mainly involved in S-metabolic processes, making them more adaptable to extreme environmental conditions. In contrast, prokaryotes in the ice-covered lakes of the Arctic and Antarctica were predominantly involved in carbon/nitrogen metabolic processes. Deterministic (salinity and nutrients) and stochastic processes (dispersal limitation, homogenizing dispersal and drift) jointly determine the geographical distribution patterns of microorganisms in ice-covered lakes, with stochastic processes dominating. These results expand the understanding of microbial diversity, distribution patterns, and metabolic processes in polar ice-covered lakes.

Exploring Genetic Diversity within aus Rice Germplasm: Insights into the Variations in Agro-morphological Traits

The aus (Oryza sativa L.) varietal group comprises of aus, boro, ashina and rayada seasonal and/or field ecotypes, and exhibits unique stress tolerance traits, making it valuable for rice breeding. Despite its importance, the agro-morphological diversity and genetic control of yield traits in aus rice remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the genetic structure of 181 aus accessions using 399,115 SNP markers and evaluated them for 11 morpho-agronomic traits. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we aimed to identify key loci controlling yield and plant architectural traits.Our population genetic analysis unveiled six subpopulations with strong geographical patterns. Subpopulation-specific differences were observed in most phenotypic traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) of agronomic traits showed that principal component 1 (PC1) was primarily associated with panicle traits, plant height, and heading date, while PC2 and PC3 were linked to primary grain yield traits. GWAS using PC1 identified OsSAC1 on Chromosome 7 as a significant gene influencing multiple agronomic traits. PC2-based GWAS highlighted the importance of OsGLT1 and OsPUP4/ Big Grain 3 in determining grain yield. Haplotype analysis of these genes in the 3,000 Rice Genome Panel revealed distinct genetic variations in aus rice.In summary, this study offers valuable insights into the genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of aus rice accessions. We have identified significant loci associated with essential agronomic traits, with GLT1, PUP4, and SAC1 genes emerging as key players in yield determination.

Overall and geographic pattern of incidence, fatality and mortality of sepsis among hospitalized non-child cancer patients in China: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Overall and geographic pattern of incidence, fatality and mortality of sepsis among hospitalized non-child cancer patients in China: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Весеннее развитие черемухи обыкновенной как индикатор временных состояний ландшафтов (Свердловская область)

В статье представлены результаты исследования весеннего развития черемухи обыкновенной при проведении Единого фенологического дня 15 мая на территории Свердловской области за 2012–2023 гг. Изучение сезонного состояния вида при помощи описательного метода позволило определить географические закономерности наступления фенологических фаз и скорости продвижения явления в пространстве в пределах природных зон и подзон в зависимости от факторов окружающей среды. Выявлено более раннее развитие черемухи на юго-востоке и юго-западе области, далее фронт явления продвигается на север и северо-запад. Различия между северными и южными районами территории, в среднем, составляют 6–7 баллов. В результате наблюдений получена характеристика сезонного развития объекта, индицирующего состояние природных комплексов в краткой математической форме. Максимальное опережение развития выявлено в лесостепной зоне Русской равнины и Западной Сибири в границах исследуемого региона. В горных районах области явления наступают с заметным отставанием в 6 баллов по сравнению с равнинными. Скорость прохождения явления в разных под зонах колеблется от 0,8 до 3 баллов/100 км. Опыт такого рода многолетних исследований для других районов страны может помочь выявить тенденции влияния изменений климата на адаптационные механизмы отдельных видов растений-феноиндикаторов.

A Poorly Known Catfish Clade in an Endangered Neotropical Biodiversity Hotspot: Relationships and Distribution Patterns of the Cambeva variegata Group (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)

The Cambeva variegata group (CVG) is endemic to a region situated in the intersection of two endangered biodiversity hotspots, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, and drained by two important South American river basins, the upper Rio Paraná and upper Rio São Francisco basins. Presently, CVG comprises two nominal species, besides some still undescribed. We first performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis (total of 3368 bp) for five species of the CVG and 30 outgroups, which supported the monophyly of the CVG and its inclusion in Cambeva. Most morphological character states distinguishing the CVG from congeners are also present in Scleronema, possibly consisting of plesiomorphic features. We also performed the first time-calibrated phylogeny of the group, which supported possible relationships between present geographical distribution patterns and palaeogeographical events. The estimated time of origin of CVG in the Middle Miocene is nearly contemporaneous to a past hydrographical configuration when part of the upper Rio Paraná basin was connected to the Rio São Francisco basin. The first CVG lineage split occurring in the Miocene end corresponds to a major break in that palaeo basin. Species diversification between the Pliocene and early Pleistocene is compatible with final drainage rearrangement. This study highlights the urgent need for more detailed studies on the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of still poorly known organisms in this highly diverse and threatened region.

The illegal trade in rosewood in Indonesia

Rosewoods are among the most valuable traded hardwoods, and there is a significant illegal trade. From 2017 onwards the international trade in all species of Dalbergia rosewood is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. I focus on two species of rosewood that occur in parts of Indonesia, Dalbergia latifolia and D. sissoo, to assess the extent of the illegal trade and to analyse geographical and temporal patterns of wildlife crime. Based on 67 seizure reports from 2014 to 2022 I show that (a) 117 logs of D. sissoo and 4,285 logs of D. latifolia were confiscated, (b) seizures occurred on the islands of Sumatra (16 seizures; 1,190 logs), Java (43; 1,780 logs), and Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and Timor (8; 1,408 logs), (c) while there was an increase in the number of seizures per year, there were no seasonal differences in seizure activities. For 10% of the logs there was supporting evidence that they were taken from State managed forests and 18% was taken from conservation areas, thus causing more damage than just the removal of individual trees. Seizures in Indonesia over this period equals 0.12 ± 0.04% of the legal rosewood export. The illegal trade is dominated by Indonesians rather than foreign nationals and the direction of trade is towards Java from where > 95% will be exported to China. While policies are in place concerning rosewood seizures and stockpiling (including auctioning or destruction) in practise it is unclear where seized rosewood ends up. When used with caution, analysis of seizure data offers a valuable means to gain insights in illicit activities that normally remain hidden from view.

Metagenomic analysis of individual mosquito viromes reveals the geographical patterns and drivers of viral diversity.

Mosquito transmitted viruses are responsible for an increasing burden of human disease. Despite this, little is known about the diversity and ecology of viruses within individual mosquito hosts. Here, using a meta-transcriptomic approach, we determined the viromes of 2,438 individual mosquitoes (81 species), spanning ~4,000 km along latitudes and longitudes in China. From these data we identified 393 viral species associated with mosquitoes, including 7 (putative) species of arthropod-borne viruses (that is, arboviruses). We identified potential mosquito species and geographic hotspots of viral diversity and arbovirus occurrence, and demonstrated that the composition of individual mosquito viromes was strongly associated with host phylogeny. Our data revealed a large number of viruses shared among mosquito species or genera, enhancing our understanding of the host specificity of insect-associated viruses. We also detected multiple virus species that were widespread throughout the country, perhaps reflecting long-distance mosquito dispersal. Together, these results greatly expand the known mosquito virome, linked viral diversity at the scale of individual insects to that at a country-wide scale, and offered unique insights into the biogeography and diversity of viruses in insect vectors.

Bayesian spatial cluster signal learning with application to adverse event (AE)

ABSTRACT There is growing interest in understanding geographic patterns of medical device-related adverse events (AEs). A spatial scan method combined with the likelihood ratio test (LRT) for spatial-cluster signal detection over the geographical region is universally used. The spatial scan method used a moving window to scan the entire study region and collected some candidate sub-regions from which the spatial-cluster signal(s) will be found. However, it has some challenges, especially in computation. First, the computational cost increased when the number of sub-regions increased. Second, the computational cost may increase if a large spatial-cluster pattern is present and a flexible-shaped window is used. To reduce the computational cost, we propose a Bayesian nonparametric method that combines the ideas of Markov random field (MRF) to leverage geographical information to find potential signal clusters. Then, the LRT is applied for the detection of spatial cluster signals. The proposed method provides an ability to capture both locally spatially contiguous clusters and globally discontiguous clusters, and is manifested to be effective and tractable using hypothetical Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) data as an illustration.

Mycorrhizas in South American Ericaceae.

Mycorrhizal symbioses (mycorrhizas) of Ericaceae, including ericoid mycorrhiza (ErM), have been mainly studied in the Northern Hemisphere, although the highest diversity of ericaceous plants islocated in the Southern Hemisphere, where several regions remain largely unexplored. One of them is South America, which harbors a remarkably high diversity of Ericaceae (691 species and 33 genera) in a wide range of environmental conditions, and a specific mycorrhizal type called cavendishioid. In this review, we compile all available information on mycorrhizas of Ericaceae in South America. We report data on the mycorrhizal type and fungal diversity in 17 and 11 ericaceous genera, respectively. We show that South American Ericaceae exhibit a high diversity of habitats and life forms and that some species from typical ErM subfamilies may also host arbuscular mycorrhiza. Also, a possible geographical pattern in South American ErM fungal communities is suggested, with Sebacinales being the dominant mycorrhizal partners of the Andean clade species from tropical mountains, while archetypal ErM fungi are common partners in southern South America species. The gathered information challenges some common assumptions about ErM and suggests that focusing on understudied regions would improve our understanding of the evolution of mycorrhizal associations in this intriguing family.

Drivers of Geographic Patterns in Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing in the United States.

In a retrospective, ecological analysis of US medical claims, visit rates explained more of the geographic variation in outpatient antibiotic prescribing rates than per-visit prescribing. Efforts to reduce antibiotic use may benefit from addressing the factors that drive higher rates of outpatient visits, in addition to continued focus on stewardship.

Contrasting segregation patterns among endogenous retroviruses across the koala population

Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) have experienced a history of retroviral epidemics leaving their trace as heritable endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) in their genomes. A recently identified ERV lineage, named phaCin-β, shows a pattern of recent, possibly current, activity with high insertional polymorphism in the population. Here, we investigate geographic patterns of three focal ERV lineages of increasing estimated ages, from the koala retrovirus (KoRV) to phaCin-β and to phaCin-β-like, using the whole-genome sequencing of 430 koalas from the Koala Genome Survey. Thousands of ERV loci were found across the population, with contrasting patterns of polymorphism. Northern individuals had thousands of KoRV integrations and hundreds of phaCin-β ERVs. In contrast, southern individuals had higher phaCin-β frequencies, possibly reflecting more recent activity and a founder effect. Overall, our findings suggest high ERV burden in koalas, reflecting historic retrovirus-host interactions. Importantly, the ERV catalogue supplies improved markers for conservation genetics in this endangered species.

Applications and Best Practices for Geospatial Analysis Research in Dermatology

Dermatologic diseases often exhibit distinct geographic patterns, underscoring the significant role of regional environmental, genetic, and sociocultural factors in driving their prevalence and manifestations. Geographic information and geospatial analysis enable researchers to investigate the spatial distribution of adverse health outcomes and their relationship with socioeconomic and environmental risk factors that are inherently geographic. Health geographers and spatial epidemiologists have developed numerous geospatial analytical tools to collect, process, visualize, and analyze geographic data. These tools help provide vital spatial context to the comprehension of the underlying dynamics behind health outcomes. By identifying areas with high rates of dermatologic disease and areas with barriers to access to quality dermatologic care, findings from studies utilizing geospatial analysis can inform the design and targeting of policy and intervention to help improve dermatologic healthcare outcomes and promote health equity. This article emphasizes the significance of geospatial data and analysis in dermatology research. We explore the common processes in data acquisition, harmonization, and geospatial analytics while conducting spatially and dermatologically relevant research. The article also highlights the practical application of geospatial analysis through instances drawn from the dermatology literature.

Exploring the imprint of the institutional context on the urban network in China: Comparative analyses between corporate‐based networks with different ownership structures

AbstractWhile the link between the urban network and institutional context has been well established, there has been less work on the effect of shifting political economy on the mechanism of its intercity flows. In this paper, the investment dataset of Chinese publicly listed firms is used to construct corporate‐based urban networks with different ownership structures. Two straightforward but effective comparative analyses are conducted. The first distinguishes between networks formed by state‐controlled and nonstate‐controlled firms, and the second distinguishes between subnetworks formed by central‐ and local‐state power. By surveying the distinctions from the perspectives of state–market relations and central‐local government relations, we argue that the urban network in China is shaped by the varied forms in which the central government, local governments, and the private sector interact. To gain a more proper knowledge of the geographical patterns, this research recommends further field research into enterprise‐based linkages of multiple ownership.