High Population Growth Rate Research Articles

Intrinsic postzygotic barriers constrain cross‐fertilisation between two hybridising sibling rotifer species of the Brachionus calyciflorus species complex

Abstract Brachionus calyciflorus is a recently described monogonont rotifer species complex that comprises four species. The observation of hybridisation between two of these species challenges this species delimitation. The mechanisms of reproductive isolation essential to the maintenance of species integrity remain unclear. Here, we conducted upscaled hybridisation experiments to obtain large numbers of hybrid and non‐hybrid dormant propagules. Through hatching assays, we compared the zygote viability of hybrid with non‐hybrid dormant propagules. Furthermore, we investigated populations of F1 hybrid clones and assessed their clonal growth rate and the ability to reproduce sexually. Our results demonstrated higher rates of morphological abnormality and associated mortality in dormant propagules of hybrids compared to non‐hybrids yet hatching rates of healthy‐looking propagules proved similar. F1 hybrids exhibited high clonal population growth rates, nevertheless, we also observed strong differences between clones and a strong influence of parental genotype identity. Two‐thirds of the F1 hybrid clones showed a low incidence of sexual reproduction and almost never produced dormant propagules. Clones with high population growth rates seemed to invest less in sexual reproduction. Our results clearly demonstrate the existence of intrinsic postzygotic barriers caused by relatively high mortality of dormant propagules. Furthermore, the low ability of most hybrid clones to engage in sexual reproduction may reduce the long‐term fitness of hybrid clones. These postzygotic barriers probably impede genetic exchange between parental species and contribute to the maintenance of their integrity.

Towards sustainable urban system through the development of small towns in India

AbstractRegional imbalances in India can be attributed to the lack of a sustainable urban system. This paper highlights large‐city‐centric urbanization in India, considering the fact that 70% of the urban population lived in class I (with 0.1 million population and more) cities in 2011. The reviews of past and present urban development policies suggest that these are more biased towards large cities than small towns. In this context, this paper proposes a new methodology based on population growth rate, selecting 125 small towns for future urban development in India. To assess the impact of infrastructure on the growth of small towns, we calculate the Infrastructure Index. Our research has revealed that infrastructure, economic, environmental, historical, and administrative factors have a strong positive impact on the population growth rate of small towns. The results also show that towns located within a radius of 52 km from a class I city have a higher population growth rate and are important for sustainable urbanization in India. Our findings suggest that the development of small towns is important for reducing regional inequalities, growth of surrounding rural areas of a town, reducing pressure on large cities, and encouraging non‐farming activities for sustainable urbanization and achieving higher economic development.

Impact of Natural and Anthropogenic Stresses on Surface and Groundwater Supply Sources of the Upper Awash Sub-Basin, Central Ethiopia

Improving water security is critical to delivering the best outcomes for development. In Ethiopia, the upper Awash sub-basin supports expanding urban and industrial areas, with increasing water demands. Studies have preferentially focused either on surface water hydrology or on groundwater characterization. However, novel tools are required to support the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater for competing users under potential climate change impacts. In this paper, we present research based on a WEAP-MODFLOW link configured for four catchments in the upper Awash sub-basin (Akaki, Melka Kunture, Mojo, and Koka). The Akaki catchment supplies water for Addis Ababa city. Unlike most surface water hydrological models, both supply (surface water and groundwater) and demand (domestic, industrial, and livestock) are modeled. The tool was used to evaluate the impacts of population growth, leakage, expansion of surface and groundwater supply schemes, and climate change scenarios up to the year 2030. Considering the high population growth rate scenario for Addis Ababa city, the unmet domestic water demand may increase to 760 MCM in 2030. Water leakage through poor water supply distribution networks contributed about 23% of the unmet water demand. Though not significant compared with population and water loss stresses, climate change also affect the supply demand condition in the basin. Planning for more groundwater abstraction without considering additional surface water reservoir schemes will noticeably impact the groundwater resource, with groundwater levels projected to decline by more than 20 m. Even more groundwater level decline is observed In the Akaki catchment, where Addis Ababa city is located. Conjunctive use of surface and groundwater not only boosts the supply demand situation in the basin but will lift off some of the stresses from the groundwater resources. Even under the likely increase in temperature and low precipitation climate scenarios, the conjunctive use resulted in a significant increase in domestic water demand coverage from 26% for the reference condition to 90% in 2030, with minimum effect on the groundwater resources. To improve water security conditions through sustainable utilization of both surface and groundwater resources, policy responses need to consider surface and groundwater conjunctive use. Minimizing water leakage should also be given the highest priority.

Mapping land cover dynamics with Copernicus

Sub-Saharan Africa has known unprecedented land cover and land use changes over the past decades, affecting species abundance and distribution and altering ecosystem productivity (Sala, 2000; Pfeifer et al., 2012). The main drivers of these changes are both human and natural, including a high rate of population growth, economic development and globalization on one side and hazards such as drought and climate change on the other (Brink and Eva, 2009). In this context, protected areas (PAs) are vital for conserving natural habitats and their species; moreover, they are critical for meeting global conservation targets defined under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Indigenous peoples of Canada: key indicators of the current stage of socioeconomic development

The subject of this research is the socioeconomic situation of the indigenous peoples of Canada at the present stage of their development. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of such key socioeconomic indicators as life expectancy of the representatives of indigenous population, employment and unemployment rate, average annual income, level of secondary and higher education, command of native language, etc. An attempt is made to determine the major factors of socioeconomic development, measures of state support, as well as the existing problems and future prospects. The author notes correlation between the modernization of education of indigenous peoples and preservation of their languages and cultural traditions. Since the early 2000s, the socioeconomic situation of indigenous peoples of Canada has somewhat improved, considering high rate of population growth, as well as slight minimization of the gap with nonindigenous Canadians such key indicators as life expectancy, employment rate, level of education, and average annual income. First and foremost, it pertains to the indigenous peoples outside Indian reservations and Mestizo. The situation with indigenous peoples in Indian reservations and the Inuit remains complicated. Majority of the problems that slow down the pace of socioeconomic development are associated namely with these groups of indigenous peoples. In economic terms, there is a noticeable increase of self-employment among the indigenous population, the development of aboriginal tourism. Positive changes are associated with popularization of the indigenous culture, which ultimately leads to the fact that more and more of the indigenous people in the country seek to legitimize their descent. Considering a significant share of young representatives of indigenous population, the government of Canada takes measures on the development of new programs in the sphere of education and employment, which are aimed not only at improving the quality of life of the indigenous peoples, but also at preserving their ethnocultural heritage.

SMART-C: Developing a “Smart City” Assessment System Using Cognitive Mapping and the Choquet Integral

Rapid urbanization, high city population growth rates, technological development, environmental impacts, and human wellbeing in urban areas have over the years become increasingly challenging concerns. These trends are related to the complex, multiple factors to be considered when evaluating “smart” cities, that is, municipalities that seek to improve residents' quality of life by combining new technologies and environmentally sustainable practices. The above tendencies thus add to the myriad of indicators that need to be included in smart city assessments, whose intricacy hinders related decision-making processes. Based on the principles of multiple-criteria decision analysis, this paper seeks to integrate cognitive mapping and the Choquet integral to develop an assessment system that facilitates the evaluation of smart cities, which was named “SMART-C.” The research includes a panel of experts on smart cities who identifies the evaluation criteria and their respective interactions. The results of a real-life application of the assessment system developed in this paper are validated both by the panel members and a representative of the Lisboa E-Nova nonprofit association of the Lisbon City Council's Environment and Energy Department. These experts confirm that the proposed evaluation system facilitates making distinctions between cities according to how fully they develop “smartness.” The advantages and limitations of this assessment framework are also discussed.

PENGARUH LAJU PERTUMBUHAN PENDUDUK BERDAMPAK PADA TINGGINYA ANGKA KEMISKINAN YANG MENYEBABKAN BANYAK EKSPLOITASI ANAK DI INDONESIA

The rapid population growth indicates an indication of poverty and increasing crime that is increasingly widespread, one of which is the increasing exploitation of children, especially in Indonesia. Because from year to year the rate of population growth has increased the graph of child exploitation significantly. This happens because the high rate of population growth cannot keep up with the level of the economy, because more and more needs must be fulfilled along with high population growth which causes many parents who have low economies to exploit children. Exploitation of children negatively impacts the children themselves, both of which have an impact on children's education, health, and psychology. Seeing this the government must be even more assertive in dealing with cases of child exploitation.

Interactions between pinewood nematodes and the fungal community of pine trees

The pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the pathogenic agent of pine wilt disease and a globally notable pine pest. Despite being a plant pathogen, B. xylophilus has a mycophagous phase during its life cycle. We assessed the capacity for polyphagy of mycetophagous pinewood nematodes, testing which of the common species of fungi in pine trees provide better food and higher population growth rates. B. xylophilus performed particularly well on airborne fungi, namely the endophytes Botrytis cinerea and Cladosporium herbarum, and the pathogens Sirococcus conigenus and Sphaeropsis sapinea. Surprisingly, growth performance was not as good on the blue stain species (Ophiostoma spp. and Leptographium spp.) which are considered natural associates of B. xylophilus in the wild. Most of the fungi nonetheless permitted positive population growth of B. xylophilus, which is polyphagous and capable of feeding on numerous fungal species with diverse ecological niches.

Urban Policymaking for a Developing City Using a Hybridized Technique Based on SWOT, AHP, and GIS

Abstract The high rate of population growth in the 21st century is causing mass migration from rural to urban settlements. Rapid urbanization in developing countries generally follows unregulated g...

Adaptation and competition in deteriorating environments.

Evolution might rescue populations from extinction in changing environments. Using experimental evolution with microalgae, we investigated if competition influences adaptation to an abiotic stressor, and vice versa, if adaptation to abiotic change influences competition. In a first set of experiments, we propagated monocultures of five species with and without increasing salt stress for approximately 180 generations. When assayed in monoculture, two of the five species showed signatures of adaptation, that is, lines with a history of salt stress had higher population growth rates at high salt than lines without prior exposure to salt. When assayed in mixtures of species, however, only one of these two species had increased population size at high salt, indicating that competition can alter how adaptation to abiotic change influences population dynamics. In a second experiment, we cultivated two species in monocultures and in pairs, with and without increasing salt. While we found no effect of competition on adaptation to salt, our experiment revealed that evolutionary responses to salt can influence competition. Specifically, one of the two species had reduced competitive ability in the no-salt environment after long-term exposure to salt stress. Collectively, our results highlight the complex interplay of adaptation to abiotic change and competitive interactions.

An Econometric Analysis of Entrepreneurship and Unemployment for Sub-Saharan Africa: 2006 -2016

High unemployment rate in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to persist with a current rate of 6.14% in 2016, 6.28% in 2017, 6.16% in 2018, 6.17% in 2019 from 6.18% in 2020 (World Bank, 2020). Several factors account for the high unemployment rate including poor infrastructural facilities such as power supply which discourages entrepreneurial activities, poor standard of education resulting in unemployable youths, corrupt political environment which channels funds for productive activities into private pockets, high population growth rate, neglect of the manufacturing and agricultural sector and insecurity of lives and property. The resultant effect include high crime rate, high rate of depression due to long state of hopelessness, loss of skills by the unemployed, low economic growth, high poverty rate and increased rural-urban migration. Several programs are implemented by the government towards curbing high unemployment rate which can be categorized into 3 groups: infrastructural development, promotion of entrepreneurial activities and encouraging foreign investors. Hence this study assesses the impact of entrepreneurship start-ups on reducing unemployment in the sub-Saharan Africa region using a sample of 10 countries for the period 2006-2016. The study applied traditional panel data methodology of pooled OLS, random effect and fixed effect, and finds a positive relationship between the two variables thus suggesting that if entrepreneurship is well harnessed it can sufficiently reduce unemployment in the region.

Spatial optimization of invasive species control informed by management practices.

Optimization of spatial resource allocation is crucial for the successful control of invasive species under a limited budget but requires labor‐intensive surveys to estimate population parameters. In this study, we devised a novel framework for the spatially explicit optimization of capture effort allocation using state‐space population models from past capture records. We applied it to a control program for invasive snapping turtles to determine effort allocation strategies that minimize the population density over the whole area. We found that spatially heterogeneous density dependence and capture pressure limit the abundance of snapping turtles. Optimal effort allocation effectively improved the control effect, but the degree of improvement varied substantially depending on the total effort. The degree of improvement by the spatial optimization of allocation effort was only 3.21% when the total effort was maintained at the 2016 level. However, when the total effort was increased by two, four, and eight times, spatial optimization resulted in improvements of 4.65%, 8.33%, and 20.35%, respectively. To achieve the management goal for snapping turtles in our study area, increasing the current total effort by more than four times was necessary, in addition to optimizing the spatial effort. The snapping turtle population is expected to reach the target density one year after the optimal management strategy is implemented, and this rapid response can be explained by high population growth rate coupled with density‐dependent feedback regulation. Our results demonstrated that combining a state‐space model with optimization makes it possible to adaptively improve the management of invasive species and decision‐making. The method used in this study, based on removal records from an invasive management program, can be easily applied to monitoring data for wildlife and pest control management using traps in a variety of ecosystems.

Staying Alive: Long-Term Success of Bottlenose Dolphin Interventions in Southwest Florida

Small cetaceans face persistent threats from fisheries interactions, making effective mitigation a priority for conservation. In southwest Florida, interactions come primarily from small-scale recreational hook and line and trap/pot fisheries, with regional stranding network partners working with federal agency managers to assess and intervene as possible in cases of live animal entanglement. Evaluating success of intervention cases is difficult due to financial and logistical constraints which may preclude detailed follow-up monitoring. Survival over the initial 6 weeks post-release has been used as a marker of short-term success for small-cetacean rescue and/or rehabilitation cases. Early intervention prior to stranding, especially via remote disentanglement or rescue and immediate re-release onsite, can save entangled free-ranging dolphins facing life-threatening anthropogenic injuries. However, given the costs associated with interventions, it is important to understand the benefits of these endeavors not only to save individuals, but also to establish if and how saved individuals contribute to social functioning, survival and reproduction within small, resident populations facing multiple concurrent threats. Here we provide evidence from 27 well-documented common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) intervention cases during 1985–2019 where follow-up monitoring over multiple years sheds light on the longer-term success of these efforts and potential benefits to local populations. Nearly all rescued individuals (92%) survived longer than 6 weeks post-release (mean minimum survival period = 5 years, range 0–35 years), with 13 still observed frequently within their prior resident communities, in good physical health, and engaging in normal behavior. Survivorship rates did not decline substantially between 1 and 5 years post-rescue, meaning survival beyond 1 year may be a useful benchmark of long-term success. Rescued females that reached reproductive maturity (n= 4) have produced 12 post-intervention offspring to date. Social network analysis and demographic modeling applied to cases from the long-term resident community in Sarasota Bay confirmed that animals maintain social connections post-intervention and that interventions result in higher population growth rates. While not every intervention succeeds, this study demonstrates the conservation value of pre-stranding interventions which allow individuals that otherwise would be lost to remain viable and productive members of local populations when prevention of anthropogenic injury is not possible.

Сущность и экономические аспекты реновации в формировании современной селитебной застройки

In Uzbekistan there are high rates of population growth, the state program of urbanization is planned. In today's conditions, the renovation of residential buildings is widely used in the world practice. Taking into account the positive aspects of this method, it is proposed to use it in the domestic practice of reproduction of housing stock in large cities.

The Contribution of Cereal Grains to Food Security and Sustainability in Africa: Potential Application of UAV in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Namibia

Africa is a net importer of food, especially cereal grains, despite the importance of agriculture in the continent. The agricultural growth in Africa has been undermined by low investment in agriculture, poor infrastructure, high population growth rate, and low adoption of technologies. The agri-food value chain in many African countries will benefit from the adoption of appropriate technologies that are available in the digital landscape to leverage the agricultural sector, make it more attractive to the teeming youth population, and to reverse rural-urban migration. Attention to indigenous cereal grains and other crops that are grown locally and processed into different local foods would ensure food security. However, the availability of these crops in the market is often reduced due to damage before harvest by pests and predators leading to economic losses for farmers. In this article, we review the literature from a multidisciplinary perspective on the relevance of African indigenous food grains to food security in general and we highlight the potential application of drones to increase the yield of cereal grains in three regions of the continent—eastern, western, and southern Africa.

The 2020 elephant die-off in Botswana.

The cause of deaths of 350 elephants in 2020 in a relatively small unprotected area of northern Botswana is unknown, and may never be known. Media speculations about it ignore ecological realities. Worse, they make conjectures that can be detrimental to wildlife and sometimes discredit conservation incentives. A broader understanding of the ecological and conservation issues speaks to elephant management across the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area that extends across Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our communication addresses these. Malicious poisoning and poaching are unlikely to have played a role. Other species were unaffected, and elephant carcases had their tusks intact. Restriction of freshwater supplies that force elephants to use pans as a water source possibly polluted by blue-green algae blooms is a possible cause, but as yet not supported by evidence. No other species were involved. A contagious disease is the more probable one. Fences and a deep channel of water confine these elephants’ dispersal. These factors explain the elephants’ relatively high population growth rate despite a spell of increased poaching during 2014–2018. While the deaths represent only ~2% of the area’s elephants, the additive effects of poaching and stress induced by people protecting their crops cause alarm. Confinement and relatively high densities probably explain why the die-off occurred only here. It suggests a re-alignment or removal of fences that restrict elephant movements and limits year-round access to freshwater.

ИСТОРИЯ НЕФТЯНОЙ И ГАЗОВОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ ХМАО-ЮГРЫ (1964–2020 гг.): 90-ЛЕТИЮ ХАНТЫ-МАНСИЙСКОГО АВТОНОМНОГО ОКРУГА ПОСВЯЩАЕТСЯ

The initial idea of the article is based on the fact that the industrial development of the territory of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (KHMAO) in the 1930s-1950s was associated with the forestry and timber industry, and later with oil and gas. The article aims to characterize the development of the oil and gas industry of the region from 1964 to 2020 by highlighting the main periods in the evolution of the industries. In the course of the research, the main body of historical sources was made up of various statistical materials extracted both from the collections of state archives and from published collections of statistical materials. Materials of the current archives of the Territorial Body of the Federal State Statistics Service in Tyumen Oblast, the sites of the Government of the KHMAO-Yugra and the Department of Economic Development of the Government of KHMAO. In this research, the author relied on the principle of historicism, which aims to consider the phenomenon in its conditionality, development, taking into account the changes taking place in it. The application of the historical research method made it possible to carry out a periodization of the process, with the ordering of available factual data, to identify the most significant features in the development of industries on their basis. The historical-genetic method helped to identify the reasons for the transition from one period in the evolution of these two industries to another. The historical-typological method, using an inductive approach, helped to identify the criteria for periodization, time boundaries of periods, taking into account their qualitative differences. Tracing the historical conditionality of the development of the oil and gas sector of KHMAO, the conclusion has been drawn that these two industries, as well as the previously developed forestry industry, were brought to life by the need to ensure Soviet exports. The oil and gas industry went through four periods in its development from 1964 to 2020. During the second period, in 1974, KHMAO's oil industry took a leading position in the country. It maintains leadership at the present time. KHMAO became the birthplace of the gas industry in Western Siberia. In modern conditions, this branch of KHMAO occupies the second place in gas production in Russia. KHMAO provides the country with associated petroleum gas. The oil and gas industry has an absolute predominance in the economic structure of the region. Oil and gas production led to the creation of a powerful construction industry, the country's largest electric power base, and the oil refining industry. For a considerable period of time, the region had very high rates of population growth and construction of a network of cities and towns. While working on this article, the author referred to the previous developments on the problem of the formation and development of the oil and gas industry in Western Siberia in her doctoral thesis, numerous monographs, and articles.

An analysis of the performance of the agro-food industry in the domestic and international markets of Côte d’Ivoire

Since its independence in 1960, C?te d?Ivoire has opted for an industrial policy that has given rise to two major types of agrofood industry. The first is small-scale units owned by nationals and the second is agro-food industries owned by large international firms that mainly export their products. This strategy has led to commodity specialisation that deteriorates the terms of trade. Thus, despite a significant industrial sector, the country suffers from deteriorating trade terms due to an overly extroverted economy, the corollary of which is over-indebtedness. This paper compares the performance of domestic and international markets of C?te d?Ivoire to identify the type of agro-food industry that should be promoted for development. The ripple effects in domestic and international markets are estimated and compared using the Leontief model and data from the C?te d?Ivoire Input-Output Table of 2018. We show that the cocoa and coffee processing branch of the agro-food industry is commercially outward-oriented, the oilseed industry is commercially mixed or dual-oriented, and the other branches are commercially inward-oriented. The ripple effects of the domestic market are almost four times higher than those of the external market. The high rate of population growth, galloping urbanization and the social nature of food are key determinants of the findings. We conclude that the domestic market better stimulates the development of the agro-food industry. We therefore recommend a strategy of orienting products towards domestic and West African markets, which could lead the country to sustainable economic development more rapidly.

Assessment on Contract Delivery Methods Adopted for Public Projects in Addis Ababa: Special Emphasis for Government Housing Projects

Public project nonperformance in many developing nations including Ethiopia from different dimensions is obvious these days. For these different economic constraints, different industry related complications and higher rate of population growth mentioned as a cause. Specifically the provision of affordable housing for all classes of the society is very difficult scenario that the government is facing right now. The integrated saving housing development project in different parts of Addis Ababa city faces many different challenges due to many reasons and among those reasons implementation and interpretation of the project delivery method has its own negative impact. Having this background the study sets a general objective to assess overall impacts of the contract delivery method adopted for those mass housing projects in Addis Ababa city. The general objective addressed through three specific objectives aimed at assessing the delivery method’s; overall practice, advantages and disadvantages, its overall effectiveness and to specify the best delivery approach in the study area. Accordingly available literatures related with the topic were reviewed under the second chapter. A descriptive and exploratory research design preferred to address the different research objectives and a mixed research instrumentation and analysis technique implemented. Using those techniques the different findings from the questionnaire, interview and document analysis discussed accordingly. The finding from the analysis showed that Design-Bid-Build approach implemented in all sites housing projects for the different blocks characterized to be very customary, very fragmented and traditional which alters the ideal advantages of the system into disadvantages. Also the finding revealed that the Design-Bid-Build approach causes nonperformance of the project and affected the time constraints followed by risk and cost management of the project. Proper implementation and characterization and/or adaptation of the system will fits best the different policies and strategies by Minister of Urban Development and Housing. Finally significance of the study includes administrative, professional, academic and strategic assistance for the different concerned bodies in the construction industry.

Demographic determinant of primary school repeater in Indonesia

The development of a country is supported by its education development. In general, education is financed by the government. It is expected that all school-age population can participate in education. Indonesia has implemented the nine-year compulsory basic education program. The aim of this study is to examine the demographic factors that affect the primary school repeater in Indonesia. The data source was from the World Bank Development Indicator of the World Bank. The data coverage was from 1971 to 2018. The dependent variable was the primary school repeater rate. The independent variables were the population growth rate and fixed telephone subscription. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results of the study indicate that higher primary school repeater was associated with higher population growth rate and lower fixed telephone subscription. Therefore, Indonesia needs to manage its population growth rate and improve infrastructure development, in particular information technology infrastructure.