Type Of Settlement Research Articles

Changes in the Prevalence of Diabetes in Bulgaria over an 18-Year Period (2006-2024)

The international medical community is increasingly aware that diabetes is a major global health threat and poses increasing challenges to public health and health systems worldwide. <i>Aim:</i> To compare the results of three national cross-sectional studies on diabetes prevalence in Bulgaria (2006, 2012 and 2024) and to assess the dynamics. <i>Material and Methods:</i> The three studies included 2396, 2033 and 936 subjects respectively. The United Nation / The International Diabetes Federation (2006) diagnostic criteria were applied, and the data were evaluated according to type of settlement and age. <i>Results: </i>Diabetes prevalence was 7.9% in 2006 and 9.55% in 2012 (p = 0.06). This difference is due to the greater rise in men (9.2% to 11.5%, p = 0.09) compared to women (6.9% to 7.7%, NS). In the next period, 2012 - 2024, the prevalence of diabetes in general, as well as the prevalence in men and women increased significantly. (Diabetes in general - from 9.6% to 15.7%, p < 0.001; diabetic men - from 11.5% to 21.2%, p < 0.001; diabetic women – from 7.8% to 10.4%, p < 0.016). The prevalence of diabetes nearly doubled, while the population decreased and its structure, lifestyle and diet changed. Obesity significantly increased over a 18-year period - 2024 vs. 2006 (33.3% vs. 26.7%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of diabetes increased with age, with significant rise in the 30-39 age group for 2012 - 2024, from 1.7% to 4.5% (p < 0.047) and more sharply when comparing 2006 - 2024 – from 0.9% to 4.5% (p < 0.002). There was a similar increase in the next age group. For the age 60-79, the prevalence reached 29.9%, i.e. every third person. As arterial hypertension is significantly more common in diabetics, its role as a risk factor is indisputable. <i>Conclusion:</i> The health care system should be readjusted according to the new reality for early diagnose of diabetes in risk groups and adequate modern care.

The geography of partisan homophily in the 2020 US presidential election

Partisan segregation in the United States is often interpreted as evidence of limited social interaction among out-partisans, or partisan homophily. In this paper, I draw on 2020 US presidential election results and data on the pairwise density of social ties between the populations of 22,537 zip code tabulation areas (ZCTA) to examine how different areas are socially connected to politically similar others. Using the local Moran index, I first identify clusters of ZCTAs where there is evidence of partisan homophily or heterophily. In a series of multinomial logistic regressions, I then also examine differences in the probability of each cluster across different settlement types and regions, and across areas with differences in the relative connectedness and geographic distance to others. I find that partisan homophily is the norm across areas, broadly tracking partisan segregation along the urban-rural continuum. However, the populations of Democratic-leaning areas, which are most likely to be in cities and suburbs, are on average likely to have more of their co-partisan social ties in relatively distant areas when compared to the populations of Republican-leaning areas. This highlights the prospect of partisan differences in the role of non-local context in local political outcomes.

Assessing the suitability of the SLEUTH cellular automata model for capturing heterogeneous urban growth in developing cities: A case study in Northern Nigeria

Cellular automata (CA) models like SLEUTH (an acronym for slope, land use, excluded area, urban extent, transport-network and hill shade) have predominantly been developed and applied in developed countries. Modeling can serve as a tool to guide policy measures in facing urbanization challenges. However, developing cities have peculiar differences (heterogeneity, poor planning, and low infrastructure) thus the existing modeling approaches may not be able to apprehend heterogeneous urban growth. This research will use selected cities with similar spatial extents as controls but disparate urban extents, and growth indices to analyze the performance of SLEUTH simulations. Presumably, a comparison of the model simulations of the cities would display some significant differences, due to these variations and the scale of observation that has to be used for the model simulations. The results for the successfully calibrated cities (Kano/Funtua couple: 0.48/0.02. Katsina/Kaduna: 0.48/0.83 respectively) showed that in each city couple, the more expansive city with the most compact urban settlement pattern had a higher prediction accuracy, also predicted images of the cities showed underestimation of the urban areas over the years with the exception of Katsina city. The study further showed the model's effectiveness in modeling cities in developing countries, such as Nigeria. It is recommended that the type of urban growth experienced by cities be taken into consideration when implementing SLEUTH. Limitations of the study are centered on the inherent limitations of the model, the possibility of the occurrence of errors in data preparation, the scale and urban settlement type, which play an important role in the success of the calibration. Future research could be focused on adding other relevant inputs to the model and creating a metric that ascertains the best satellite image resolutions for a particular study area's growth coefficient values.

Unraveling Factors Influencing Local Willingness to Participate in Sustainable Komodo Conservation and Protected Area Tourism

Komodo National Park is at the forefront of balancing environmental conservation with the challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism. This research delves into the attitudes and engagement levels of the local communities within Komodo's distinctive ecological context, aiming to unravel the factors that drive or hinder their involvement in sustainable tourism and conservation activities. Through Exploratory Factor Analysis, we distilled key influences on community engagement, followed by a K-Mean Cluster Analysis to segment the community by their involvement levels. Logistic Regression was then employed to explore the likelihood of continued participation in these initiatives. The analysis identified three primary factors affecting community participation: the degree of involvement in sustainable tourism activities, the extent of community and environmental involvement, and the level of awareness regarding tourism development policies. The Cluster Analysis illuminated diverse engagement patterns across demographic lines, revealing how differences in settlement type, income levels, marital status, gender, and age contribute to varied participation rates. Interestingly, the logistic regression pointed to a paradox where higher engagement in sustainable tourism correlates with a lower probability of future participation, hinting at possible sustainability fatigue among highly active community members. These intricate dynamics of community engagement in sustainable tourism within Komodo National Park, highlight the importance of tailored, demographic-specific approaches to foster inclusive participation in conservation efforts. The insights gained underscore the complexity of promoting sustainable tourism in sensitive ecological areas and offer critical recommendations for policymakers and conservation stakeholders aiming to enhance sustainable development in Komodo and similar settings globally.

IDENTIFIKASI PERMUKIMAN DI KAWASAN PESISIR UNTUK MENDUKUNG KEBIJAKAN DALAM PENGURANGAN RISIKO BENCANA DI PESISIR PANTAI SINE, KABUPATEN TULUNGAGUNG

The research was conducted in the coastal area of Sine Beach, Tulungagung Regency which is one of the coastal areas in the southern part of Java Island and has a high risk level of tsunami disaster. The purpose of this study, (1) to analyse the level of population settlement density, (2) to identify the type of population settlement. The method in this research uses a qualitative descriptive method. Data sources were obtained from secondary data and primary data, with data collection techniques analysing satellite images and field surveys. The results showed that (2) the level of settlement density in the coastal area of Sine Beach is the densest among coastal settlements in Tulungagung. While (2) the type of settlement is dominated by the settlement of fishermen with diverse settlement types, which are dominated by non-harvesting, semi-permanent and permanent settlements. Based on the level of settlement density and the type of settlement, the settlements in the coastal area of Sine Beach include the potential risk of exposure to coastal disasters such as high waves and Tsunami waves. So it is necessary to take action planning for coastal disaster risk reduction, such as disaster education, training, increasing public awareness in responding to disasters and minimising the risk of coastal disasters.

Cultural omnivorousness in Ukraine: Examining relationships with social indicators via literary preferences among readers

The ability to accumulate extensive tastes, which is known as cultural omnivorousness, can play a significant role in social stratification and marking social groups. The omnivore argument posits that higher-status cultural tastes tend to be broad and diverse (omnivore). In contrast, lower-status cultural tastes are limited and exclusive (univore). This study investigates cultural omnivorousness in Ukraine by (1) examining latent classes of audiences and (2) exploring the relationship between cultural omnivorousness and positions in the social structure, considering educational attainment, financial situation, age, gender and type of settlement. Relying on the data from the survey ‘Reading in the context of media consumption and life construction’ conducted in 2020, this study focuses on the breadth/volume of behavioral preferences in literary genres among readers in Ukraine (N = 1302). The latent class analysis presents evidence of the distinctiveness of the omnivore class. Subsequent regression analysis shows a strong positive association between high education and omnivorous taste, whereas the financial situation bears no significant direct effect. Regression coefficients for socio-demographic variables indicate a more omnivorous taste amongst women and residents of big cities. The study concludes by discussing potential limitations and further perspectives for investigating the relationships between cultural omnivorousness and social stratification.

סוגיית העדפת בני המקום בהקצאות קרקע למגורים בסוגי יישוב שונים בישראל

The question of who has the right to reside in a particular locality has been at the center of public and legal discourse in Israel for many years. This is the result of official and unofficial mechanisms intended to exclude certain individuals or groups. This article deals with a related though different issue, which focuses on the preference given to locals during the allocation of state land. Addressing this question requires a discussion of issues such as individual freedom, the meaning of home, the importance of family, the significance of residency in a particular place, the nature of various types of settlements in Israel, justice in land distribution and the necessity of correcting of historical wrongs versus the perpetuation of existing social stratification, as well as the preservation of existing communities versus concerns about pushing them out of a neighborhood or settlement. After presenting a framework for thinking about the issue of preference of locals, the article conducts a critical examination of the existing legal framework in Israel in both rural areas, where the right of residency is managed by cooperative associations, and urban areas, which include, for this purpose, the settlements of minorities. The conclusion drawn from this analysis is that the same flaws in legal decision making with respect to acceptance by a settlement also exist in the regulation of the preference for locals. The social and economic outcomes that affect the lives of individuals and the distribution of land in Israel perpetuate established ways of thinking about forms of residency and about disparities and social differentiation in Israel.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene practices in areas affected by Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the association between Cyclone Idai and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts in Zimbabwe. The WASH parameters assessed included the main water source, the type of toilet in the household, the number of households sharing a toilet and the presence of a handwashing facility for use after using the toilet. The highest proportion of households that were mostly affected used piped water, while those not affected mainly used community boreholes (42.9%), protected wells (24.2%) and surface water (18.7%). Most households that were relocated to camps (70%) used the pit latrine with slabs, while most of the households that were not affected (41.8%) used the bush as their toilet facility. Only households relocated to camps shared toilets. Only the most affected and resettled population groups (in camps) had better access to improved WASH infrastructure. However, the sharing of toilets was high and the use of handwashing facilities was low in all settlement types. There was a significant association between the severity of Cyclone Idai and the main water source, adequacy of drinking water, sharing of toilets and the ability to purify drinking water.

Prevalence of homelessness in Russia: an assessment based on a retrospective survey

This paper assesses the prevalence of street and hidden homelessness in Russia. Based on the representative survey “Person, Family, Society – 2023” (N = 9508 people) it was revealed that 4.6% of the adult population had experienced street homelessness, while 13.5% had faced hidden homelessness. 4.8% of respondents reported about suffering from homelessness for more than 1 year, including 2.5% with experience of more than 3 years of homelessness. Street homelessness problem is primarily for males, however the prevalence of hidden homelessness is high among women too. Factors such as male gender, low median income, and smoking increase the likelihood of homelessness in the past 10 years, while marriage, higher education, and children under the age of 18 in the household decrease this likelihood. Federal district of residence and type of settlement are not correlated with the experience of homelessness. Frequent alcohol consumption significantly increases the likelihood of street homelessness. Those who have experienced homelessness have unstable housing conditions with the expectation of ones future deterioration. They are more likely to live in communal apartments, hostels, and rented housing. The experience of homelessness is associated with lack of housing owned by the person. The experience of homelessness is closely related to feelings of loneliness and conflicts in the family. Homelessness is correlated with life dissatisfaction. Compared to several countries (Australia, Canada, European countries), Russia has a higher life-time prevalence of homelessness and longer average duration of homelessness. All this emphasizes the importance of housing market policies development and social protection of people vulnerable to homelessness.

Qualitative Insights on Barriers to Receiving a Second Dose of Measles-Containing Vaccine (MCV2), Oromia Region of Ethiopia.

Introduction: Ethiopia introduced a second dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV2) in 2019 to provide further protection against measles and further progress toward elimination. However, the sub-optimal coverage of both MCV1 and MCV2 suggest challenges with vaccine uptake. In this qualitative study, we explored barriers to the uptake of MCV2 among caregivers, community leaders, and healthcare workers (HCWs). Method: A qualitative study was conducted between mid-April and mid-May 2021. We selected ten woredas (districts) in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia, stratified by settlement type (urban/rural), MCV1 coverage (high ≥ 80%; low < 80%), and history of measles outbreaks between June 2019 and June 2020. Experiences surrounding barriers to MCV2 uptake were discussed via focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with caregivers of children 12-23 and 24-36 months and key informant interviews (KIIs) with HCWs who administer vaccines and with community leaders. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling. Recorded data were transcribed, translated to English, and analyzed using ATLAS.ti v.09. Results: Forty FGDs and 60 IDIs with caregivers, 60 IDIs with HCWs, and 30 KIIs with community leaders were conducted. Barriers among caregivers included lack of knowledge and awareness about MCV2 and the vaccination schedule, competing priorities, long wait times at health facilities, vaccine unavailability, negative interactions with HCWs, and transportation challenges. At the community level, trusted leaders felt they lacked adequate knowledge about MCV2 to address caretakers' questions and community misconceptions. HCWs felt additional training on MCV2 would prepare them to better respond to caretakers' concerns. Health system barriers identified included the lack of human, material, and financial resources to deliver vaccines and provide immunization outreach services, which caretakers reported as their preferred way of accessing immunization. Conclusions: Barriers to MCV2 uptake occur at multiple levels of immunization service delivery. Strategies to address these barriers include tools to help caretakers track appointments, enhanced community engagement, HCW training to improve provider-client interactions and MCV2 knowledge, and efforts to manage HCW workload.

Sustaining the Character of Coastal “Sea Change” Destinations in a Post-Pandemic World

Many smaller coastal towns that rely on tourism for their economic survival have been badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have since rebounded, and in some, inbound migration has soared. Unfortunately, this influx of tourists and new residents brings with it increased development and associated environmental and social changes that often negatively impact the distinctive character and sense of place many of these places possess, which makes them attractive destinations in the first place. Protecting features in the landscape that define the character of these settlements and preventing future changes that would be incompatible with it will be crucial for the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of these ‘sea change’ settlements. Once the distinctive character of these places is lost, it is nearly impossible to recapture. This paper reviews the findings of a suite of studies previously undertaken by the author that explored the perceptions of residents in ten ‘sea change’ settlements, nine in Australia and one in Thailand, regarding how they perceived the character of their towns and what features they felt were compatible or incompatible with that character. In comparing the findings from these studies, a clear pattern emerged in that similar types of landscape features were consistently identified as supporting or detracting from the character of these towns. This allowed a typology of features salient to the character of these types of ‘sea change settlements’ to be formulated, providing insights into this intangible yet highly valuable resource of place character within the context of these types of settlements and establishing a basis for further research in other similar tourism-intensive coastal settlements.

Dynamics of China’s natural cities and their living structures derived from nighttime lights and populated grids

The term “natural cities” refers to human settlements or human activities in general that are naturally or objectively defined. In this study, we utilized the head/tail breaks method to identify natural cities and characterize their living structures in mainland China from 2000 to 2020. This identification was based on nighttime light (NTL) and gridded population distribution (GPD) data, which, respectively, indicate urban areas and residential settlements. Furthermore, we explicitly identified the evolutions of two distinct categories of natural cities and the dynamics of their inherent living structures. Our objective was to verify that the head/tail breaks method is a powerful approach to deriving natural cities that signify various types of human settlements from diverse data sources, while also effectively characterizing their living structures. Also, this article contributes a novel perspective to examine the inequality between the urban-area expansion and the evolution of residential settlements in urban areas (or urban settlements). Our findings reveal a substantial increase in both the number and sizes of urban areas over time. However, there was an intriguing trend observed in urban settlements, where an increasing number corresponded to a gradual decrease in size. Additionally, the inequality exhibited regional disparities and rapidly developing regions showed a higher potential to enter a turning year of urban areas surpassing urban settlements. The dynamics of living structures show that urban settlements always had more hierarchical levels, more substructures, a much higher degree of order, and a much more living (orderly or beautiful) structure than urban areas. The urban-area expansion in mainland China was extremely rapid over the past decades, but the evolution of urban settlements was more “natural” than that (i.e., it consistently generated a living structure characterized by a higher degree of order).

აღმოსავლეთ და დასავლეთ საქართველოს ძეგლების ტოპოგრაფია

Today more than 70 Pre-farming cultural monuments are discovered on the territory of Transcaucasisa. On the territory of Eastern Georgia, The Pre-farming culture, known as The Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture is familiar, which is more developed and relatively better preserved than The Neolithic settlements of Western Georgia. The topography of Western Georgia with a range of peculiarities is radically different from the types of the Eastern Georgian Neolithic settlements. The Shulaveri-Shomutepe settlement, which is known as the Shulaveri culture, is discovered in Eastern Georgia. During the study of the monument the scientists discovered the homes built with muud-bricks. Their design is round or cone-shaped. The settlement types and dwelling environment proves the sign of long life of numerous populations. In Eastern Georgia only the Late Neolithic monuments are found. Because of the warm climate of Western Georgia, the Neolithic human must have lived in a wicker peasant typed house. This conditioned sign of structures is not evident in the West. Only the pits for posts and economical purposes are discovered. So, the remains found in the earth which were used for rebuilding the weaker peasant typed houses that were out of order, only helps the increase of cultural layers insignificantly. According to the topographical layout and scientific observation, consequential migration of the Neolithic settlements from the mountain to the plain is evident according to the epoch. This is the sign of the fast evolution of society. In terms of topography, Western Georgian Neolithic monuments greatly differ. Shulaveri-Shomutepe cultural settlements are presented on the man-made hills and are relatively more developed than the Eastern Georgian settlements. Only very thin layers are presented in Western Georgia. The main thing is that the monuments of all periods are confirmed in the West as well as in the East, which is very important. Today the peculiarities of Neolithic culture remain the subject of discussion and need the search of new resources. The discovery and study of new artifacts may cause the becoming out-of-date of the Neolithic Era and arising of new questions.

Attitudes of the Majority Population towards the Civic and Political Participation of Immigrants in Slovenia

Abstract The civic and political participation of immigrants in the receiving country are important dimensions of the integration process. However, immigrants often encounter various barriers in accessing individual forms of participation, either due to legal barriers or due to informal opposition from the majority population. This article aims to examine the attitudes of the majority population towards the civic and political participation of immigrants in Slovenia and the factors influencing such attitudes. The survey on a representative sample of Slovene residents revealed predominantly negative attitudes of the majority population towards both civic and political participation of immigrants. Particularly notable is the opposition to granting immigrants active and passive voting rights. Relevant factors influencing such attitudes include gender, age, education, the type of settlement in which the respondents reside, and their ideological orientation.

Yakut Department of the Imperial Orthodox Church Palestinian Society in the History of Yakutia

The relevance of the research topic lies in the analysis of the historical experience of the activities of the Yakut department of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS), which contributed to identifying the characteristics of communications between the authorities and the Russian Orthodox Church, the clergy and believers, as well as identifying its educational and translation work. For the first time, the purpose of the research is to study the characteristics and role of the IOPS department in the history of Yakutia. The article uses materials from the periodical “Yakut Diocesan Gazette”: orders of the leadership of the IOPS, reports, lists of members, texts of bishops’ speeches, information on meetings, etc., as well as published letters of Bishop Dionysius. The article uses the methodology of intellectual history, civilizational approach, methods of cultural transfer and statistics. A fivefold increase in the number of the Yakut department of the IOPS by 1900 and the active involvement of the indigenous population in its composition amounting to 36 percent of the community were revealed. It has been established that despite the dispersed type of settlement, the absolute lack of roads and the widespread poverty of the Yakuts, the proportional amounts of donations on their part exceeded similar indicators in the center of Russia. The origin of the Yakut pilgrimage to Palestine and Greece is considered, which had a beneficial effect on the development of the intellectual and creative abilities of the pilgrims themselves. The influence of the IOPS on the genesis of imperial identity among indigenous peoples was determined, which for a long period allowed the Yakuts to resist the propaganda of exiles. We draw a conclusion on the role of the IOPS in the formation of the monarchical, conservative and anti-Zem movement of the Yakuts led by M. S. Shelomov by 1905, as a serious alternative to the liberal movement of the intelligentsia led by V. V. Nikiforov

THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' INDIVIDUAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS ON INTERNET ADDICTION LEVELS

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of university students' individual health perceptions on the level of internet addiction. Additionally, the study aims to reveal differences in internet addiction and individual health perceptions among students based on various demographic variables. A total of 286 students from Düzce University participated in the study. The data collection tools used were the Internet Addiction Scale and Individual Health Perception Scales. It was found that the students' levels of internet addiction were low, while their individual health perceptions were at a moderate level. The average internet addiction scores were relatively higher for male students, those enrolled in formal education, and those with a moderate income level compared to other groups. It was observed that the level of health perception did not vary according to students' income status, gender, type of settlement, and type of education. A weak relationship was identified between university students' health perceptions and internet addiction. These findings contribute significantly to understanding the relationship between internet addiction and health perceptions among university students. However, it should be noted that further research is needed to better comprehend the complexity of this relationship. This study may serve as a foundation for future research aiming to develop effective intervention strategies against internet addiction.

Как удовлетворённость жизнью зависит от типа населённого пункта?

Life satisfaction is a multidimensional indicator that is influenced by many factors. Studies of national life satisfaction factors provide adequate estimates when countries are homogeneous “macroregions” with common social, cultural, and institutional foundations. However, within large and heterogeneous national states, of which Russia is one, internal regional differences in living conditions can be significant, which means that assessments of happiness levels are dominated by various factors, including the type of human settlement and its inherent characteristics. The conducted research is deepening the understanding of the factors that have a significant impact on subjective life satisfaction in various types of settlements in Russia - cities, towns, and villages. The Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) was used as the data source. Econometric modeling is based on an ordered logit model with random effects using panel data. We discovered the high significance of subjective evaluation of wealth satisfaction, worried needs, and availability of paid vacations for all Russians, regardless of the type of settlement. The main differences in the set and degree of influence of factors lie along the line separating the values of collectivism and individualism, which are dominant in cities and villages, respectively. There is less concern about health and the possibility of job loss among rural residents reliant on the support of neighbors and family, in which men do not associate life satisfaction with the duration of the working day, and women do not associate life satisfaction with the amount of wage and maternity. In contrast, individualistically oriented residents of cities where nuclear families predominate and connections among people are weak tend to derive life satisfaction from self-realization through earnings, leisure, children, and health care.

Findings of Environmental Inequality by Settlement Type: The Association Between Educational Level and Exposure to Ambient air Pollution Among Residents in Oslo and Akershus County

Findings of Environmental Inequality by Settlement Type: The Association Between Educational Level and Exposure to Ambient air Pollution Among Residents in Oslo and Akershus County

Pottery spilled the beans: Patterns in the processing and consumption of dietary lipids in Central Germany from the Early Neolithic to the Bronze Age.

The need to better understand economic change and the social uses of long-ago established pottery types to prepare and consume food has led to the study of 124 distinct ceramic vessels from 17 settlement and funerary sites in Central Germany (present day Saxony-Anhalt). These, dated from the Early Neolithic (from 5450 cal. BCE onwards) to the Late Bronze Age (1300-750 cal. BCE; youngest sample ca. 1000 BCE), include vessels from the Linear Pottery (LBK), Schiepzig/Schöningen groups (SCHIP), Baalberge (BAC), Corded Ware (CWC), Bell Beaker (BBC), and Únětice (UC) archaeological cultures. Organic residue analyses performed on this assemblage determined the presence of vessel contents surviving as lipid residues in 109 cases. These were studied in relation to the changing use of settlement and funerary pottery types and, in the case of burials, to the funerary contexts in which the vessels had been placed. The obtained results confirmed a marked increase in the consumption of dairy products linked to innovations in pottery types (e.g., small cups) during the Funnel Beaker related Baalberge Culture of the 4th millennium BCE. Although the intensive use of dairy products may have continued into the 3rd millennium BCE, especially amongst Bell Beaker populations, Corded Ware vessels found in funerary contexts suggest an increase in the importance of non-ruminant products, which may be linked to the production of specific vessel shapes and decoration. In the Early Bronze Age circum-Harz Únětice group (ca. 2200-1550 BCE), which saw the emergence of a highly hierarchical society, a greater variety of animal and plant derived products was detected in a much more standardised but, surprisingly, more multifunctional pottery assemblage. This long-term study of lipid residues from a concise region in Central Europe thus reveals the complex relationships that prehistoric populations established between food resources and the main means to prepare, store, and consume them.

Comparing built-up area datasets to assess urban exposure to coastal hazards in Europe

Information on urban land use, beyond the urban-rural dichotomy, can improve the assessment of potential impacts of coastal hazards by refining estimates of damages and supporting adaptation planning. However, the lack of a consistent definition of “urban” in previous studies has led to exposure estimates that vary considerably. Here, we explore the sensitivity of exposed population and built-up area in four settlement types, defined by four different built-up area datasets. We find large differences in the exposed population of up to 65% (127 million people) in the “Urban” class. The exposure estimates are highly sensitive to the density thresholds used to distinguish the settlement types, with a difference in exposed urban population of up to 53.5 million people when the threshold varies by 10%. We attribute the high sensitivity of the exposure estimates to the varying definitions of built-up area of the underlying datasets. We argue that the definition of urban land is crucial for coastal impact assessments and make recommendations for the use of the analyzed datasets.