Small Geographic Area Research Articles

County-level prioritization for managing the Covid-19 pandemic: a systematic unsupervised learning approach

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges in almost all sectors around the globe. Because of the pandemic, government entities responsible for managing health-care resources face challenges in managing and distributing their limited and valuable health resources. In addition, severe outbreaks may occur in a small or large geographical area. Therefore, county-level preparation is crucial for officials and organizations who manage such disease outbreaks. However, most COVID-19-related research projects have focused on either state- or country-level. Only a few studies have considered county-level preparations, such as identifying high-risk counties of a particular state to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to prioritize counties in a state based on their COVID-19-related risks to manage the COVID outbreak effectively. Design/methodology/approach In this research, the authors use a systematic hybrid approach that uses a clustering technique to group counties that share similar COVID conditions and use a multi-criteria decision-making approach – the analytic hierarchy process – to rank clusters with respect to the severity of the pandemic. The clustering was performed using two methods, k-means and fuzzy c-means, but only one of them was used at a time during the experiment. Findings The results of this study indicate that the proposed approach can effectively identify and rank the most vulnerable counties in a particular state. Hence, state health resources managing entities can identify counties in desperate need of more attention before they allocate their resources and better prepare those counties before another surge. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to use both an unsupervised learning approach and the analytic hierarchy process to identify and rank state counties in accordance with the severity of COVID-19.

A high density of ultra-processed food, alcohol & tobacco retail stores, and social inequalities are associated with higher mortality rates of non-communicable diseases in Mexican adults: 2005 to 2021.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of mortality in Mexico. Factors contributing to NCDs-related deaths may vary across small geographic areas such as municipalities. We aimed to predict municipal-level factors associated with NCD mortality in Mexican adults from 2005 to 2021 using the small-area analysis (SSA) approach. We gathered data on population sociodemographic, access to healthcare services, and mortality records at the municipal-level from census and public institutions from 2005 to 2021. We identified municipal predictors of NCDs mortality rates (MR) using negative binomial regression models. A total of 584,052 observations of Mexican adults were analyzed. The national expected NCDs MR per 100,000 inhabitants was 210.7 (95%CI: 196.1-226.7) in 2005 and increased to 322.4 (95%CI: 300.3-346.4) by 2021. Predictors of NCDs mortality (quintile 5 vs. quintile 1) included; indigeneity (IRR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.12-1.19), poverty (IRR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.13-1.15), affiliation with Mexican Social Security Institute (IRR = 1.11, 95%CI: 1.09-1.14), households with television (IRR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.11-1.17), and high density of ultra-processed food, alcohol & tobacco retail stores (IRR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.13-1.17). The greatest increases in MR were observed in municipalities from Oaxaca (>200% increments). There was an overall increase in NCDs MR from 2005 to 2021, with a significant geographic variation among Mexican municipalities. The results of this study highlight the importance of identifying priority areas in the country that urgently require public policies focused on local factors associated with deaths from NCDs, such as the regulation of the ultra-processed food, alcohol & tobacco retail stores, and efforts to reduce social inequalities.

Gyromitra persicula sp. nov. (Discinaceae, Pezizales), a novel discoid Gyromitra from Northwestern North America

Gyromitra persicula (Discinaceae, Pezizales), a new species from Washington state, USA, is described. Like its sister species G. leucoxantha, G. persicula has reticulate ascospores with blunt apiculi that form concave depressions resembling a fishtail. Gyromitra persicula is differentiated from G. leucoxantha by its smaller size, peach to buff coloration, and nrDNA ITS. Further collections are required to better understand the distribution and abundance of this discoid Gyromitra, which is currently only known from a small geographic area of temperate rainforest.

Identifying the population susceptible to rubella in Japan, 2020: Fine-scale risk mapping

BackgroundRubella remains a public health challenge in Japan, impeding the attainment of herd immunity. Despite vaccination efforts since 1976, persistent outbreaks reveal a susceptibility gap in male adults born before 1995. Seroepidemiological surveys are pivotal in evaluating population immunity and identifying at-risk groups. MethodsThis study aims to pinpoint high-risk areas for potential rubella outbreaks in Japan by merging seroepidemiological data from 2020 with population census information. Various data sources, including spatial demographic data, reported rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) cases, and traveler lodging statistics, were employed. Geospatial information for Japan's 230,300 small geographic areas was analyzed, and HI (hemagglutination inhibition) titers were examined by age and sex. Seroconversion was defined as an HI titer ≥ 1:32 or 1:16, indicating protective immunity. Geospatial maps illustrated the distribution of susceptible individuals per square kilometer, emphasizing high-risk urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka. Demographic shifts in the working-age population were assessed. ResultsSusceptible individuals cluster in densely populated urban centers, persisting despite demographic changes. The study highlights areas at risk of increased susceptibility, particularly with an HI titer cut-off of 1:16. Foreign travelers pose potential rubella importation risks as travel volume to Japan rises. To prevent epidemics and congenital rubella syndrome burden, achieving and sustaining herd immunity in high-risk areas is crucial. ConclusionsThis study offers a comprehensive assessment of vulnerability in densely populated Japanese regions. Integrating population statistics with seroepidemiological data enhances our understanding of population immunity, guiding resource allocation for supplementary vaccination planning. To avert rubella epidemics, high-risk locations must bolster indirect protection through herd immunity, ultimately preventing congenital rubella syndrome.

Performance of geographically restricted flooding for emergency alert applications

ABSTRACT For various emergency alert applications like a disaster, accident, or hazard alert, geographically restricted flooding can prove to be extremely vital, especially considering the absence of any fixed infrastructure and the alert having spatio-temporal boundaries. Among various geographically restricted flooding schemes, in this work, a scheme called floating content is considered. Floating content uses geographically restricted flooding to make a piece of information available within a certain geographic area. In this work, an Android-based emergency alert application is deployed and tested in two different environments. One environment spans over a small geographic area (an office), while the other environment is a university campus. The application is used to log the mobility patterns of users for both the considered environments, and these mobility patterns are thoroughly analyzed. Then the performance of the considered emergency alert application in terms of key performance metrics is evaluated for both of the considered settings by considering single and multiple seeders (alert generators). Moreover, for the prediction of performance, two different analytical models are also evaluated, and the results of these models are compared with the ones obtained from real-world experiments, showing the performance limits of geographically restricted flooding.

Association between local amenities, travel behaviours and urban planning: A spatial analysis of a nationwide UK household panel study.

IntroductionGlobally, there has been a recent resurgence in planning policies focused on local living (such as the 20-min neighbourhood) with proposed benefits of creating sustainable and healthy places. The policies aim to provide improved spatial access to local amenities within short walkable distances of home to encourage walking and cycling and discourage car use, however these pathways have not been examined. This study aimed to quantify the density and diversity of local amenities and their association with daily/weekly travel behaviours. MethodsWe used data from Understanding Society, a national panel survey of UK adults. Spatial data were used to quantify the number and diversity of amenities that have previously been associated with active travel and focused on in 20-min neighbourhood policies within small geographical areas across the UK. These were linked to individual-level data describing daily and weekly travel behaviour for: walking (at least 10-min), cycling, car and bus use. Logistic regression models measured the association between individual amenities, their diversity and daily/weekly travel, whilst controlling for individual factors such as age, sex and employment, residing in a retail centre, as well as area-level urbanicity and deprivation. ResultsOur analysis revealed variations in active travel and car usage patterns by sex, employment status, urbanicity, and area-level deprivation. Local amenities were associated with daily travel behaviours with more amenities generally associated with more frequent walking and less regular bus and car travel. Furthermore, increased amenity diversity was associated with reduced daily car use (OR: 0.77, p < 0.001). Similar patterns were apparent for weekly travel outcomes. ConclusionsBoth access to specific local amenities as well as their diversity are both important neighbourhood factors for achieving shifts from motorised to active transport modes. Policy makers and planners need to ensure the diversity of local amenities are included in local living policies.

In vitro competition between two transmissible cancers and potential implications for their host, the Tasmanian devil.

Since the emergence of a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFT1), in the 1980s, wild Tasmanian devil populations have been in decline. In 2016, a second, independently evolved transmissible cancer (DFT2) was discovered raising concerns for survival of the host species. Here, we applied experimental and modelling frameworks to examine competition dynamics between the two transmissible cancers invitro. Using representative cell lines for DFT1 and DFT2, we have found that in monoculture, DFT2 grows twice as fast as DFT1 but reaches lower maximum cell densities. Using co-cultures, we demonstrate that DFT2 outcompetes DFT1: the number of DFT1 cells decreasing over time, never reaching exponential growth. This phenomenon could not be replicated when cells were grown separated by a semi-permeable membrane, consistent with exertion of mechanical stress on DFT1 cells by DFT2. A logistic model and a Lotka-Volterra competition model were used to interrogate monoculture and co-culture growth curves, respectively, suggesting DFT2 is a better competitor than DFT1, but also showing that competition outcomes might depend on the initial number of cells, at least in the laboratory. We provide theories how the invitro results could be translated to observations in the wild and propose that these results may indicate that although DFT2 is currently in a smaller geographic area than DFT1, it could have the potential to outcompete DFT1. Furthermore, we provide a framework for improving the parameterization of epidemiological models applied to these cancer lineages, which will inform future disease management.

A Comparative Analysis of the Demographics and Zip Codes of Patients Seen at the Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic.

Within a small geographic area, Marion County contains a stark spectrum of health outcomes and socioeconomic statuses. The Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic (IUSOC) serves as a safety net provider, offering free health and social services in the Near Eastside neighborhood of Indianapolis. The aim of this study was to characterize the demographics and geographic distribution of the IUSOC's patient population. From January to September 2023, 612 patients visited the IUSOC, and 460 self-identified as Marion County residents. 63.9% of patients were between 45 and 64 years old. 66.8% were Non-Hispanic (NH) Black, and 23.3% were Hispanic. 18.9% spoke Spanish and had limited English proficiency. Based on the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), 58.7% lived in "Distressed" zip codes, indicating economic vulnerability and disparities. The zip code with the greatest number of IUSOC patients had the highest rate of uninsured adults in Marion County. IUSOC patients are primarily middle-aged minorities who live in zip codes with low socioeconomic rankings by DCI. This information can be used to improve community resource referral pathways in the clinic.

Deep-sea ctenostome bryozoans: revision of the family Pachyzoidae, with description of a new genus and three new species from Zealandia

Pachyzoidae is a little-known family of deep-sea ctenostome Bryozoa that until now was monospecific for Pachyzoon atlanticum. Originally described from the Atlantic Ocean, the genus was also found off southeastern New Caledonia in deep waters of the geological continent of Zealandia. Pachyzoon atlanticum forms globular to flat round colonies, living on soft, muddy to sandy bottoms with a few rhizoidal cystid appendages extending from the basal, substrate-oriented side. In this study, we investigate additional pachyzoids, collected between 1965 and 2015 from over 40 sites around New Zealand, by means of detailed morphological and histological investigations. In total, several hundred colonies were encountered in the NIWA Invertebrate Collection, comprising two new species of the genus Pachyzoon, P. grischenkoi sp. nov. and P. pulvinaris sp. nov., and the new genus and species Jeanloupia zealandica gen. et sp. nov.. The genus Jeanloupia is characterized by small disc-shaped colonies with highly elongated peristomes and a quadrangular aperture, distinct from the round apertures of the genus Pachyzoon. Pachyzoid species differ in colony structure and shape, apertural papillae and polypide features such as tentacle number or digestive-tract details. Cystid appendages are non-kenozooidal, but may originate from laterally flanking kenozooids. Based on published images, alleged P. atlanticum from New Caledonia is re-interpreted as P. pulvinaris n. sp.. Morphological characters support alcyonidioidean relationships, as previously suggested. First observations on pachyzoid reproduction show macrolecithal oocytes and brooding of embryos, which seems to be the general pattern for this family. The occurrence of three new Zealandian species in a comparatively small geographical area far from the Atlantic indicates a high possibility of more species to discovered.

Residential greenness and lower breast and prostate cancer incidence: Evidence from a retrospective cohort study of 977,644 participants from Israel

BackgroundThere is limited evidence on the associations between residential greenness and cancer incidence in longitudinal studies. ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to evaluate the associations between weighted mean residential greenness exposure and cancer incidence. MethodsThis is a registry based retrospective cohort study of 977,644 participants. The residential greenness exposure was estimated for every participant, as the weighted mean residential greenness exposure. This was based on the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the residential small geographic area and the duration of the residence in this area. Cancer incidence cases included consecutive newly diagnosed cases of primary cancer. Analyses were conducted for all cancer sites, lung cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma-skin cancer. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the crude and adjusted associations (hazards ratios (HR) and its 95 % confidence intervals (CIs)) between tertiles of residential greenness and cancer incidence. Further adjusted models to nitrogen oxides (NOx) were estimated. ResultsAfter adjustment to covariates, exposure to the highest tertile of residential greenness, compared to the lowest, were associated with lower risk for all cancer sites (HR = 0.88, 95 % CI: 0.86–0.90), breast cancer (HR = 0.85, 95 % CI: 0.80–0.89) and prostate cancer (HR = 0.85, 95 % CI: 0.79–0.91). In addition, lower risk were observed for the middle tertile of exposure and all cancer sites (HR = 0.88, 95 % CI: 0.86–0.90), breast cancer (HR = 0.88, 95 % CI: 0.84–0.92) and prostate cancer (HR = 0.83, 95 % CI: 0.79–0.89). There was no evidence for mediation by air pollution (NOx). DiscussionResidential greenness demonstrated beneficial associations with lower risk for all cancers, breast and prostate cancers. If our observations will be replicated, it may present a useful avenue for public-health intervention to reduce cancer burden through the provision of greenness exposure.

Physiological traits contribute to growth and adaptation of Mexican maize landraces.

Local adaptation of populations results from an interplay between their environment and genetics. If functional trait variation influences plant performance, populations can adapt to their local environment. However, populations may also respond plastically to environmental challenges, altering phenotype without shifting allele frequencies. The level of local adaptation in crop landraces and their capacity for plasticity in response to environmental change may predict their continued utility to farmers facing climate change. Yet we understand little about how physiological traits potentially underlying local adaptation of cultivars influence fitness. Farmers in Mexico-the crop center of origin for maize-manage and rely upon a high diversity of landraces. We studied maize grown in Chiapas, Mexico, where strong elevational gradients cover a relatively small geographic area. We reciprocally transplanted 12 populations sourced from three elevational zones (600, 1550 and 2150 m) back into those elevations for two years using a modified split-split plot design to model effects of environment, genetics, and their interaction. We studied physiological and growth traits, including photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, stomatal density, relative growth rate (RGR), and seed production. Maize fitness showed indications of local adaptation with highland and midland types performing poorly at warmer lowland locations, though patterns depended on the year. Several physiological traits, including stomatal conductance, were affected by G x E interactions, some of which indicated non-adaptive plastic responses with potential fitness implications. We discerned a significant positive relationship between fitness and relative growth rate. Growth rates in highland landraces were outperformed by midland and lowland landraces grown in high temperature, lowland garden. Lowland landrace stomatal conductance was diminished compared to that of highland landraces in the cooler highland garden. Thus, both adaptive and non-adaptive physiological responses of maize landraces in southern Mexico may have implications for fitness, as well as responses to climate change.

Worldwide distribution and phylogeography of the agave weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae): the rise of an overlooked invasion

Global plant trade represents one of the main pathways of introduction for invertebrates, including insects, throughout the world. Non-native insects include some of the most important pests affecting cultivated and ornamental plants worldwide. Defining the origins and updating the distribution of non-native invasive species is pivotal to develop effective strategies to limit their spread. The agave weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae), is a curculionid beetle native to Central and North America, although it also occurs in Eurasia, Africa, Oceania and South America as a non-native species. Despite being widespread, the extent of occurrence and origins of European populations of the agave weevil have been overlooked. In the present study, the current and potential worldwide distribution of S. acupunctatus was assessed and an analysis of its genetic diversity in the native and non-native ranges was performed. By analysing occurrences from local phytosanitary bulletins and citizen-science platforms, the agave weevil was confirmed to be widely distributed and to occur on all continents, except Antarctica. Additionally, there is potential for expansion throughout the world, as estimated by species distribution models. Nucleotide and haplotype diversity of the COXI mitochondrial gene (about 650 bp) was lower in the non-native (n = 39 samples) than native populations (n = 26 samples). The majority of introduced individuals belonged to the same haplotype, suggesting that most introductions in Europe might have occurred from a small geographical area in Central America. Constant transboundary monitoring and national laws must be considered to reduce the spread of the agave weevil, given that a bridgehead effect may occur from non-native populations to new suitable areas.

Unexpected diversity and co-occurrence of phytotelmic frogs (Guibemantis) around Andasibe, one of the most intensively surveyed amphibian hotspots of Madagascar, and descriptions of three new species.

The area around the Malagasy village of Andasibe, which includes Analamazaotra-Mantadia National Park as well as other protected areas, is characterized by very species-rich and well-studied communities of animals and plants, but new species are still regularly discovered. Three species of phytotelmic frogs of the subgenus Pandanusicola in the genus Guibemantis are known from this area, G. flavobrunneus, G. liber, and G. pulcher. Further Pandanusicola frogs from this area have been provisionally assigned to G. bicalcaratus or G. albolineatus, pending detailed taxonomic review. During preliminary exploration of the ecology of these specialized frogs that live and reproduce in the leaf axils of Pandanus screw pines, we noticed the syntopic presence of two differently colored and differently sized Pandanusicola in Andasibe that could not be unambiguously assigned to any known species. A genetic screening revealed that these correspond to yet two further species in the area. Based on our data, seven species of Pandanusicola occur in Andasibe and nearby forests: (1) G. liber, the only non-phytotelmic species of the subgenus in the region; (2) G. flavobrunneus which is the largest species and characterized by a diagnostic yellowish brown dorsal pattern; (3) G. pulcher, characterized by translucent-green color with purplish brown spotting not observed in any other species in the area; (4) G. methueni, a brownish species usually lacking contrasted dorsolateral bands that differs from the other species in the area by emitting a characteristic trill-like advertisement call series (rather than clicks or chirps) and according to our data is widespread along Madagascars east coast; as well as three new species: (5) G. ambakoana sp. nov., a brownish species, typically with contrasted incomplete light dorsolateral bands and with single click-like advertisement calls; (6) G. vakoa sp. nov., a species that is equally brownish but lacks contrasted light dorsolateral bands and that has single click-like advertisement calls of very short duration; and (7) G. rianasoa sp. nov., a species that is smaller sized and has less distinct femoral glands than all the others, and emits a short series of soft chirp-like advertisement calls. All these species are genetically highly distinct, with >5% uncorrected pairwise distances in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and lack of haplotype sharing in two nuclear-encoded genes. The co-occurrence of seven Pandanusicola frogs in a relatively small geographic area is unprecedented in Madagascar and calls for in-depth studies of a possible differentiation in habitat use and life history.

Investigating strontium isotope linkage between biominerals (uroliths), drinking water and environmental matrices

This study presents the mineralogy and strontium isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr) of 21 pathological biominerals (bladder and kidney stones) collected from patients admitted between 2018 and 2020 at the Department of Urology of the San Pio Hospital (Benevento, southern Italy). Urinary stones belong to the calcium oxalate, purine or calcium phosphate mineralogy types. Their corresponding 87Sr/86Sr range from 0.707607 for an uricite sample to 0.709970 for a weddellite one, and seem to be partly discriminated based on the mineralogy. The comparison with the isotope characteristics of 38 representative Italian bottled and tap drinking waters show a general overlap in 87Sr/86Sr with the biominerals. However, on a smaller geographic area (Campania Region), we observe small 87Sr/86Sr differences between the biominerals and local waters. This may be explained by external Sr inputs for example from agriculture practices, inhaled aerosols (i.e., particulate matter), animal manure and sewage, non-regional foods. Nevertheless, biominerals of patients that stated to drink and eat local water/wines and foods every day exhibited a narrower 87Sr/86Sr range roughly matching the typical isotope ratios of local geological materials and waters, as well as those of archaeological biominerals from the same area.Finally, we conclude that the strontium isotope signature of urinary stones may reflect that of the environmental matrices surrounding patients, but future investigations are recommended to ultimately establish the potential for pathological biominerals as reliable biomonitoring proxies, taking into the account the contribution of the external sources of Sr.

Optimized spatial information for 1990, 2000, and 2010 U.S. census microdata

We report on the successful completion of a project to upgrade the positional accuracy of every response to the 1990, 2000, and 2010 U.S. decennial censuses. The resulting data set, called Optimized Spatial Census Information Linked Across Time (OSCILAT), resides within the restricted-access data warehouse of the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) system where it is available for use with approval from the U.S. Census Bureau. OSCILAT greatly improves the accuracy and completeness of spatial information for older censuses conducted prior to major quality improvements undertaken by the Bureau. Our work enables more precise spatial and longitudinal analysis of census data and supports exact tabulations of census responses for arbitrary spatial units, including tabulating responses from 1990, 2000, and 2010 within 2020 block boundaries for precise measures of change over time for small geographic areas.

Do Bank Mergers has Forgone or Undergone Value? From the Perspective of Investor

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore banking industries investors’ perceptions about merged banks synergies “economies of scale, brand scope and market power “reaction to mergers.&#x0D; Design/methodology/approach: Based on the descriptive research design, a quantitative survey was adopted and administered to 117 investors through judgmental sampling techniques. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was then utilized to evaluate the significance of direct and indirect relationships between the various factors under study.&#x0D; Findings: The results confirm that the bank products &amp; services and prices affect positively similarly, brand strategy and sales channels affects positively to the perceived gain of investors after mergers.&#x0D; Research limitations/implications: The absence of a longitudinal study measuring the post merger perception of investor is the main limitation of this study. Moreover, despite being insightful, the result of this study is generalized around small geographic area only.&#x0D; Originality/value: This study is an initial attempt to fill the void in published information about the behavioral finance of bank mergers. It provides new empirical insights about the effect of post-merger performance perceived by investor’s perspective.

Effect of landscape irrigation regulations on runoff volume from low-density residential catchments during two California droughts

The severe drought in California (2012–2016) generated significant public and government concern. State and local watering regulations were enacted to reduce residential and commercial water-use during the droughts. This study presents a comparison of residential runoff volumes before and after local landscape irrigation regulations were enacted during the droughts of 2008 and 2012–2016. Each sampling site (Folsom 1 and Folsom 2) was a storm drain outfall that drained a low-density residential catchment in the City of Folsom. Dry season runoff measured at the sampling sites represents neighborhood outdoor water waste, mainly from landscape irrigation. During the drought of 2012–2016, median runoff flows were significantly reduced after local landscape irrigation regulations were enacted. The daily runoff pattern was also highly influenced by regulation, with reductions of daily peak runoff flows on 4–5 days in a week after watering regulations were enacted. The number of peak flow events in the daily runoff pattern were reduced during this period. In addition, a significant reduction in mean runoff volume occurred. Based on these results, the watering regulations enacted by the City of Folsom had a positive effect on reducing urban runoff from residential neighborhoods during the dry season. As the results are from monitoring sites in a relatively small geographical area, further work should evaluate reductions in irrigation runoff from other California locations to determine if this is a localized phenomenon.

Microgeographic speciation in a complex of Anatolian bush crickets facilitated by fast evolution of reproductive isolation.

Identifying the drivers of microgeographic speciation (i.e., speciation over small, local geographic scales) is key to understand the origin of speciose groups. Here, we use genomic data to infer the demographic processes underlying diversification in Poecilimon luschani (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), a species complex belonging to the most diverse genus of bush crickets from the Mediterranean region (>170 taxa) that comprises three recognized subspecies with small allopatric distributions in the topographically complex Teke Peninsula, southwestern Anatolia. Phylogenomic reconstructions that include all other taxa within the species group confirmed that subspecies of P. luschani originated from a common ancestor during the Pleistocene, supporting recent (<1 Ma) diversification within a small geographical area (ca. 120 × 80 km). Genetic clustering analyses corroborated the distinctiveness of each subspecies and the cohesiveness of their respective populations, with abrupt genetic discontinuities coinciding with contemporary range boundaries. Indeed, our analyses uncovered the presence of two sympatric cryptic sister lineages that diverged <300 ka ago and do not admix despite being co-distributed. Collectively, these results support that all lineages within the complex represent independently evolving entities corresponding to full-fledged species. Statistical evaluation of alternative models of speciation strongly supports a scenario of divergence in isolation followed by a period of limited gene flow during the last glacial period, when all lineages experienced marked expansions according to demographic reconstructions. Our study exemplifies how localized allopatric divergence and fast evolution of reproductive isolation can promote microgeographic speciation and explain the high rates of endemism characterizing biodiversity hotspots.

Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A.

Rhynchospora mesoatlanticasp. nov. (Cyperaceae) is described, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar species. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is known only from southern Delaware, southeastern Maryland, and southern New Jersey, all within the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.A. It inhabits sunny, wet margins of natural, shallow, nutrient-poor, seasonal ponds of the Coastal Plain. Narrow leaf blades; fruits obpyriform in outline; faces of mature fruits possessing a central, pale, well-demarcated disk; and fruit tubercle margins denticulate for most of their lengths indicate R. mesoatlantica is most similar to R. filifolia and R. harperi. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica is unique in its fruit dimensions, scales intermediate in length between R. filifolia and R. harperi, and relatively long fruit stipe. The NatureServe rank of Critically Imperiled and the IUCN rank of Endangered appear warranted for R. mesoatlantica because only six populations are known to be extant, most quite small and isolated; all populations occur within a small geographic area; populations have declined; and serious threats confront the survival of the species.

International Humanitarian Award.

The International Humanitarian Award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian services and activism by psychologists, including professional and volunteer work conducted primarily in the field with underserved populations. Award recipients are psychologists who, by their extraordinary service at a difficult time, improve the lives and contribute to the well-being of people in a large or small geographic area anywhere in the world. The 2023 recipient of the APA International Humanitarian Award was selected by the Board of Directors as recommended by the 2022 Committee on International Relations in Psychology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).