Stimulated Population Growth Research Articles

Can Low–Carbon City Development Stimulate Population Growth? Insights from China’s Low–Carbon Pilot Program

In line with global trends, China confronts significant environmental challenges while navigating critical shifts in its population dynamics. The low–carbon pilot program, initiated in China in 2010 and spanning over 100 cities, is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions while facilitating robust economic growth. However, the program’s impact on population growth has remained uncertain. Employing a quasi–natural experiment and the Difference–in–Difference method, this study reveals a positive association between the program and population growth. The analysis of mediating effects indicates that the program potentially stimulates population growth by attracting more Investment and reducing exhaust emissions. Nevertheless, there is a lack of evidence supporting its ability to enhance population growth through the promotion of household income. Further investigation reveals a diminishing effect of the program on population growth as cities transition from eastern to middle to western regions. Notably, no substantial heterogeneity is observed concerning the impact of GDP per capita on population growth. This research contributes empirical insights into the relationship between low–carbon programs and population growth, offering valuable guidance to municipalities seeking to bolster their populations. The potency of these strategies can be augmented by attracting investment and enhancing air quality, in contrast to a sole focus on income levels. Ultimately, the study provides actionable policy recommendations in this context.

The paradigm shift in the later fourth millennium BC. •

AbstractThe fourth millennium BC, particularly its second half, saw the advent of major innovations that still affect our life today, sometimes as artefacts still used in a virtually unchanged form. Among these, the most important are wheels and wheeled vehicles, the innovations introduced as part of the Secondary Products Revolution, and the new technologies of metalworking. Initially surrounded by an aura of mystique and reverence, these innovations gradually became part of everyday life and their benefits, such as a more secure livelihood engendering new subsistence strategies, were enjoyed by a growing number of communities. Better life circumstances stimulated population growth, which in turn sparked an increase in the number of settlements as well as an incipient socio-economic hierarchy between them. Improving life circumstances, receptiveness to new ideas and increasingly dynamic contacts with distant regions brought a change in previous norms and social values. This paradigm shift can be best traced in the mortuary realm: various objects signalling the status and/or prestige of a community's prominent members began to be deposited in burials. Daily life became more predictable and was accompanied by a certain measure of wealth accumulation, which, however, also stimulated frugality. Hard-to-obtain exotic commodities were highly prized and usually only their down-scaled versions fashioned from clay accompanied the dead instead of the real-life animal or prestige item. Described and briefly discussed in the present study are certain aspects of this complex process.

Trends and characteristics of multiple births in Baoan Shenzhen: A retrospective study over a decade.

Shenzhen has the largest and youngest foreign population among all cities in China. The reproductive health of pregnant women from different backgrounds is a social issue that deserves attention. In the past decade, China has liberalized its population policies to stimulate population growth, and the proportion of multiple births has continued to increase. This retrospective cohort included 526,654 newborns born in Baoan, Shenzhen, from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2019, including 515,016 singletons and 11,638 twins or triplets. Univariate regression models were used to analyze the effects of maternal sociodemographic characteristics, physiological characteristics, medical history, antenatal care and other factors associated with single vs. multiple births and to elucidate the changing trends of different factors affecting multiple births in the past 11 years. Additionally, fetal development in multiple births was analyzed by generalized linear mixed models. The rates of pregnancy complications, preterm birth, and advanced-age pregnancy were significantly higher in the multiple birth mothers than in single birth mothers, and more multiple pregnancies were achieved through assisted reproductive technologies. The rates of adverse outcomes such as stillbirth, malformation, hypoxia, and ultralow body weight in multiple fetuses were significantly higher than that in singleton fetuses. The trend analysis from 2009 to 2019 showed that the socioeconomic status and health level of mothers with multiple births improved over time, and the risk during pregnancy generally decreased. Simultaneously, the development indicators of multiple fetuses have improved year by year, and the proportion of adverse outcomes has also decreased significantly. A low pre-natal care utilization rate was shown to be detrimental to the development of multiple fetuses. Independent risk factors for hypoxia and very low birth weight were also identified. The differences in secular trends between two birth groups were further revealed by time series models. This study presented a comprehensive survey of multiple pregnancies in the area with the largest population inflow in China. This study identified the factors that affect the health of multiple birth mothers and their fetuses, particularly suggesting that preterm birth rates and the use of assisted reproduction remain high. The findings provide a basis for the formulation of individualized pre-natal care, assisted reproductive guidance and healthcare policies for multiple births.

Environmental flows stimulate estuarine plankton communities by altered salinity structure and enhanced nutrient recycling

Sustainable management of estuaries depends on understanding the synergistic effects of nutrients and hydrological factors on estuarine food webs. We examined how phytoplankton, zooplankton and selected fish larval counts (Acanthopagrus butcheri, black bream) vary in relation to groundwater inputs and environmental flow releases (EFRs) in a small, highly flow-regulated estuary (Werribee, Victoria, Australia). We found that groundwater-derived nutrients and an EFR were associated with the community structure of phytoplankton and zooplankton and abundance of fish larvae. Elevated phytoplankton concentration was associated with increased flagellate abundance (genus Euglena), followed by increased abundance of diatoms (Cyclotella sp). The latter increase was primarily associated with groundwater-derived nitrate entering the estuary. Cyclotella sp. abundance collapsed following an EFR and the subsequent increase in ammonium (NH4+) concentrations in the estuary. In addition, the strong halocline and increased bottom water NH4+ concentrations resulting from the EFR appeared to stimulate population growth of flagellate taxa and calanoid copepods. The abundance of calanoid copepodites and nauplii, which are the preferred food for larval A. butcheri, greatly increased due to the EFR, and was associated with an increase in larval A. butcheri abundance at this time. This effect of the EFR on the cascading trophic interactions in the estuarine food web has rarely been shown. Our study reinforces the ecological linkages between freshwater inputs, including groundwater and riverine discharge, and estuarine biotic community structure and function. Importantly, this study underscores the potential food web consequences of freshwater flow manipulation into estuaries and provides evidence for using environmental flows to enhance and/or manage the recruitment of estuarine fishes.

ВПЛИВ ДЕМОГРАФІЧНОГО ФАКТОРУ НА СОЦІАЛЬНО–ЕКОНОМІЧНУ СТАБІЛЬНІСТЬ КИТАЮ

This research analyzes the demographic situation in China and its impact on socio-economic stability. Stable and balanced demographic reproduction is an important condition for the development of any economy, state and society. The implementation of effective social policy in China requires constant monitoring of the living standards of various social groups. Usually, in periods of deep and prolonged economic downturns, fiscal crisis, the state is forced to cut social spending, reduce the package of social services. Public services must justify budget expenditures in terms of costs and benefits. It is important that the monitoring and evaluation of budget expenditures is carried out efficiently and with minimal financial costs, so that the groups of the population who need it most can be identified. Scientific analysis of the Human Development Index and Population Reference Bureau data from 1950 to 2100 in China, Austria, Switzerland, the United States and the Netherlands shows a direct proportional economic dependence: the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) directly depends on the growth rate population and GDP growth per capita. Using the statistics recorded in the Seventh National Census of China, it is possible to trace the relationship between the level of socio-economic development of the country and its demographic situation. The author identifies 5 models of gender and age structure of the population: triangle, umbrella, helmet, spinning top, hat. Until 1979, China had an umbrella model with a high level of population growth. After the “one family – one child” policy, the situation has changed. The current demographic situation is reminiscent of the helmet model, the main characteristics of which show a decrease in the birth rate, a decrease in the working age population and an increase in the share of older people, which leads to excessive overload of the country's pension system. This pattern is described by the formula 4: 2: 1, which characterizes the situation when the Chinese government must, on the one hand, stimulate population growth, and on the other hand, be aimed at meeting the needs of older people and creating conditions for a new system of economic relations "longevity economy" or "silver economy".

THE LEGAL REFLECTIONS ON ABORTION THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE CHILD’S RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortions represent one of the most controversial issues in contemporary society. Some states have adopted restrictive legislation on interruption of pregnancy to diminish the number of abortions performed annually. Other states have adopted abortion-on-demand rules guaranteeing women free access to abortions. Based on the statistical dates, the problem of interruption of pregnancy remains a crucial one and requires prompt action undertaken by the state. This article is dedicated to the analysis of measures undertaken by the state to reduce the number of abortions and stimulate population growth. This study highlights the effectiveness of remedies taken by some states, e.g. the USA, and presents a multitude of measures that states regulated in national law.

Molecular density regulating electron transfer efficiency of S. oneidensis MR-1 mediated roxarsone biotransformation

Efficient extracellular electron transport is a key for sufficient bioremediation of organoarsenic pollutants such as 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzenearsonic acid (roxarsone). The related apparent kinetics characteristics are essential for engineering practice of bioremediation activities and for full understanding the environmental fate of roxarsone, yet remains poorly understood. We report, to our knowledge, the first study of the electron transfer characteristics between roxarsone and participating S. oneidensis MR-1. The electron transfer rate during roxarsone biotransformation was estimated up to 3.1 × 106 electrons/cell/s, with its value being clearly associated with the apparent roxarsone concentration. Lowing roxarsone concentration extended the average separation distance between cells and neighboring roxarsone molecules and thereby augmented electric resistance as well as extended cell movement for foraging, thus reduced electron transfer rate. In addition, the presence of roxarsone significantly stimulated population growth of S. oneidensis MR-1 with nearly doubled maximum specific growth rate, albeit with clearly increased lag time, as compared with that of none-roxarsone scenario. These findings provide, at the first time, basic biostoichiometry of S. oneidensis MR-1 induced roxarsone biotransformation, which may shed lights for full understanding of roxarsone transformation process in waste treatment systems that are necessary for engineering practice and/or environmental risks assessment.

A Digital History of Anglophone Demography and Global Population Control, 1915–1984

A Digital History of Anglophone Demography and Global Population Control, 1915–1984

The employment–population nexus and implications for sustainable economic development: insights from Irish regions using a partial adjustment model

In this paper, we use a partial adjustment model to analyse the relationship between employment and population growth in Irish district electoral divisions. We employ a spatial estimator to augment our partial adjustment model with a spatial lag and spatial error process. Our results indicate a dual relationship between employment and population growth, suggesting that not only do people follow jobs but also jobs follow people. This finding has implications for economic development policies, which typically focus solely on attracting jobs to a location. The results suggest that a dual-pronged approach to policy may be necessary including developing a region’s amenities to ensure that it is attractive to people and to stimulate population growth. We highlight how our analysis can be used to inform policy through the lenses of place-based and smart specialisation strategies.

MICROBIAL CONTENT OF ACTIVELY AERATED COMPOST TEA AFTER VARIATIONS OF INGREDIENTS OR PROCEDURES

Compost tea describes a procedure where compost is mixed with water. The mixture may be left to stand with minimal disturbance (also called “compost extract” or “steepage”) or actively supplied with oxygen by an aquarium pump to stimulate population growth of aerobic microbes. This project examined actively aerated compost tea. Over a three-year period, 25 experiments were conducted where a standard recipe was compared to variations of ingredients or procedures. Identification and count of microbial content was done by direct microscopy. The “standard recipe” was 15 L of tap water (pH 7.0), 485 g of composted yard waste, 285 g of commercial worm castings, 30 ml of humic extract, 30 ml of commercial kelp Ascophyllus nodosum and 30 ml of fish fertilizer. The procedure was to aerate water for 60 min in a commercial brewer, add ingredients which are removed after five hours, then maintain brewing for another 17 hours at room temperature of 20°C. Results indicate that longer brewing time increased protozoa activity; addition of humic acid stimulated fungi activity; addition of kelp stimulated protozoa activity; addition of fish fertiliser stimulated fungi activity and increased nutrient content; use of worm castings resulted in increased fungi content; and mixing protein food with compost ahead of brewing resulted in higher protozoa activity. However, replicated experiments were difficult as the microbial content changes continuously over time and it was not possible to accurately measure a large number of samples in a short period.

Old Boys Down Home: Immigration and Social Integration in Halifax

Canadian cities are active competitors in the process of recruiting immigrants to help them increase diversity, improve their economies, and stimulate population growth. This study of Halifax, a small city in eastern Canada, suggests that some features which make the city-region attractive for inter-provincial migrants — such as the easy pace of life, perceptions of homogeneity, and tight social networks — affect the ability of international migrants to integrate in the community.

Does bioturbation by a benthic fish modify the effects of sediment contamination on saltmarsh benthic microalgae and meiofauna?

A microcosm experiment was conducted using a replicated factorial design to determine if a benthic fish modifies the effects of sediment-bound contaminants (diesel fuel and two levels of a Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg and Cd mixture) on saltmarsh benthic primary producers and consumers. The naked goby, Gobiosoma bosc, a burrowing fish that preys on small macrofauna, was added to experimental microcosms. Goby burrowing and foraging significantly increased turbidity and disrupted the sediment surface. Results were typified by complex and varied responses with many statistically significant effects and interactions among treatments. Although G. bosc modified the responses to both diesel and metal pollution in invertebrates (but not microalgae), bioturbation did not increase or decrease the toxic effects of metals or diesel, and diesel–metal interactions did not vary in response to G. bosc. Specifically, G. bosc inhibited a trend toward diesel-induced increases in nematode abundance, and diesel toxicity inhibited increases in ostracod abundance stimulated by G. bosc. Diatoms, nematodes and the copepod Pseudostenhelia wellsi decreased in treatments with G. bosc. However, G. bosc lead to increases in cyanobacteria and ostracods and a trend toward increases in the copepod Pseudobradya sp. Our findings suggest that microcosm experiments are potentially poor mimics of natural systems without bioturbation. Conclusions about the direct and indirect effects of contaminants may differ with and without bioturbation. Finally, our work suggests that the direct effects of toxicants may inhibit or mask bioturbation effects that stimulate population growth of some meiofauna.

Transcript levels of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A gene peak at early G(1) phase of the cell cycle in the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii.

A cDNA encoding a eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) homolog in heterotrophic dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii (CceIF-5A) was isolated through random sequencing of a cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence possesses the 12 strictly conserved amino acids around lysine 52 (equivalent to lysine 50 or 51 in other eukaryotes). A single 1.2-kb band was detected in Northern blot analysis. In synchronized C. cohnii cells, the transcript level peaked at early G(1) and decreased dramatically on the entry to S phase. Although this has not been previously reported, studies of budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and certain mammalian cell types suggest a role for eIF-5A in the G(1)/S transition of the eukaryotic cell cycle. Phylogenetic trees constructed with 26 other published eIF-5A sequences suggest that CceIF-5A, while falling within the eukaryotic branches, forms a lineage separate from those of the plants, animals, and archaebacteria. The posttranslational modification of eIF-5A by a transfer of a 4-aminobutyl moiety from spermidine to conserved lysine 50 or 51, forming amino acid hypusine, is the only demonstrated specific function of polyamines in cell proliferation. It has been suggested that polyamines stimulate population growth of bloom-forming dinoflagellates in the sea. We demonstrate here putrescine-stimulated cell proliferation. Furthermore, ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor D-difluoromethylornithine and the specific hypusination inhibitor N-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane exhibited inhibitory effects in two species of dinoflagellates. The possible links of polyamines and saxitoxin synthesis to the arginine cycle are also discussed.

Fertility decisions when infant survival is endogenous.

There is evidence that fertility is positively correlated with infant mortality, and that a child‘s chance of surviving to maturity increases with the level of nutrition, medical care, etc. received in the early stages of life. By modelling parental decisions as a problem of choice under uncertainty, the paper shows that fertility and infant mortality are most likely to move in opposite directions if, as implicitly assumed by existing economic theories, parents believe that there is nothing they can do to improve the survival chances of their own children. By contrast, if parents realize that those chances improve with the amount they spend for the health, nutrition, etc. of each child that they put into the world, then fertility and infant mortality may move in the same direction. Under such an assumption, the model has the strong policy implication that directly death-reducing public expenditures are most effective, but stimulate population growth, at low levels of development. By contrast, at high levels of development, such expenditures tend to crowd out parental expenditures, and are a factor in fertility decline.

Climate Variation and the Rise and Fall of an Andean Civilization

Paleolimnological and archaeological records that span 3500 years from Lake Titicaca and the surrounding Bolivian–Peruvian altiplano demonstrate that the emergence of agriculture (ca. 1500 B.C.) and the collapse of the Tiwanaku civilization (ca. A.D. 1100) coincided with periods of abrupt, profound climate change. The timing and magnitude of climate changes are inferred from stratigraphic evidence of lake-level variation recorded in14C-dated lake-sediment cores. Paleo-lake levels provide estimates of drainage basin water balance. Archaeological evidence establishes spatial and temporal patterns of agricultural field use and abandonment. Prior to 1500 B.C., aridity in the altiplano precluded intensive agriculture. During a wetter period from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1100, the Tiwanaku civilization and its immediate predecessors developed specialized agricultural methods that stimulated population growth and sustained large human settlements. A prolonged drier period (ca. A.D. 1100–1400) caused declining agricultural production, field abandonment, and cultural collapse.

Trophic interactions between bacterial-feeding nematodes in plant rhizospheres and the nematophagous fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis to suppress Heterodera schachtii

Trophic exchanges in soil food webs may suppress populations of pest organisms. We hypothesize that the suppressive condition of soils might be enhanced by manipulating components of the food web. Specifically, by enhancing populations of bacterial-feeding nematodes, propagule density of the nematophagous fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis should increase and constrain populations of Heterodera schachtii, a plant-parasitic nematode. The rhizospheres of Crotalaria juncea and Vicia villosa stimulated population growth of the bacterial-feeding nematode, Acrobeloides bodenheimeri, but not of the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans or Rhabditis cucumeris. The rhizospheres of Tagetes patula, Eragrostis curvula, and Sesamum indicum had no effect on any of the bacterial-feeding nematodes investigated. Acrobeloides bodenheimeri was most susceptible to parasitism by the nematophagous fungus H. rhossiliensis with 35% of individuals being parasitized in a laboratory assay. In three separate trials, parasitism of H. schachtii by H. rhossiliensis was not enhanced when populations of A. bodenheimeri were amplified in a suitable rhizosphere.

Seedling establishment in an epiphytic orchid: an experimental study of seed limitation.

Will increased fruit and seed production in a severely pollination-limited orchid stimulate population growth? We tested whether safe sites for germination and seedling establishment are limiting for the twig epiphyte, Tolumnia variegata, by manipulating fruit set and monitoring subsequent seedling establishment for two seasons (1991-1992, 1992-1993). In the Cambalache Forest Reserve of Puerto Rico, we established 36 plots along a transect. Each plot consisted of nine trees. A center tree was designated as the site for attaching Tolumnia and manipulating fruit set. The other eight potential host trees were 1-3 and 3-5 m from the center tree in each of the cardinal directions. A 1-m length of stem 1 m from the ground was monitored for recruits on each of the nine trees of 24 fruit-enhanced plots and 12 controls (23 and 13, respectively for the 1992-1993 season). Fruit enhancement plots were divided among two treatments: one-fruit and five-fruit additions for the 1st year and one to five and more than five fruits for the 2nd year. Availability of suitable host species was not limiting. T. variegata showed little specificity for host tree species, good host trees and shrubs were common, and there was no evidence that the orchid had a preference for small branches, despite possessing the entire suite of characteristics thought to respresent "obligate" twig epiphytes. Fruit enhancement increased seed rain and seedling establishment consistently in only the high-fruit treatment plots. Most recruitment occurred near fruiting plants. Over the 2-year period, mortality was 18% for adults and 85.5% for the 1991-1992 cohort of recruits. Net recruitment was positive for both the treatment (average = 1.74) and control plots (average = 0.67). Seedling establishment at our study site was not microsite-limited. If selection for increased pollinator attraction occurs, then an increase in seed output should result in population growth.

Evaluation of Management Options for a Reproducing Striped Bass Population in the Santee–Cooper System, South Carolina

Abstract Life history and harvest characteristics of a reproducing population of striped bass Morone samailis in the Santee–Cooper system, South Carolina, were assessed to determine the relative merits of selected management strategies. Equilibrium yield and Leslie matrix analysis were the primary analytical tools. The analyses indicated that. without stocking, recruitment overfishing would occur al the current harvest rate, causing population decline. Restricting harvest until age 4 or greater produced population growth under a wide range of mortality rates. Current stocking levels stabilized or stimulated population growth. The magnitude of the effect of stocking was dependent on the level of' harvest restriction. A combination of a 2-year stocking pulse and increased harvest restriction provided short-term numerical benefits and reduced the long-term risks of genetic swamping.

Nitrogen Fertilization of Hemlock Increases Susceptibility to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Fertilizing eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) with nitrogen stimulated population growth of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in a forest plantation in Connecticut. Percent survival of nymphs and the number of eggs produced per adult of this adelgid were more than twice as high on fertilized hemlocks than on unfertilized ones. Fertilized hemlocks had five times more adelgids, had inferior color, and produced 25% less new growth than unfertilized trees after a single adelgid generation. These trends did not differ between hemlocks which had been fertilized 6 months prior to infestation by A. tsugae and those which were fertilized at the same time that trees were infested. Therefore nitrogen fertilization of hemlock neither increased host resistance to the adelgid nor repressed adelgid population growth following establishment. These results may be generally applicable to piercing and sucking insects which feed on trees and shrubs.

Effect of ambient ozone and acid mist on aphid development

The effect of ambient air with increased ozone concentrations and artificial acid mist on the population growth of two different aphid species was studied: Aphis fabae on Phaseolus vulgaris and Phyllaphis fagi on seedings of Fagus sylvatica. Whereas the ambient air inhibited growth of Aphis fabae, it stimulated population growth of Phyllaphis fagi. In Fagus, analysis of a phloem exudate revealed that the amino acid/sugar ratio was significantly increased by the ambient air compared to filtered air. In Phaseolus, no significant differences in amino acid or sugar content of the phloem exudate could be found. Acid mist inhibited population development in both aphid species; the strongest effect was observed in the first weeks after artificial infestation.