Settlement Structure Research Articles

Life goes on: Spatial heterogeneity promotes biodiversity in an urbanized coastal marine ecosystem.

Both human populations and marine biodiversity are concentrated along coastlines, with growing conservation interest in how these ecosystems can survive intense anthropogenic impacts. Tropical urban centres provide valuable research opportunities because these megacities are often adjacent to mega-diverse coral reef systems. The Pearl River Delta is a prime exemplar, as it encompasses one of the most densely populated and impacted regions in the world and is located just northwest of the Coral Triangle. However, the spatial and taxonomic complexity of this biodiversity, most of which is small, cryptic in habitat and poorly known, make comparative analyses challenging. We deployed standardized settlement structures at seven sites differing in the intensity of human impacts and used COI metabarcoding to characterize benthic biodiversity, with a focus on metazoans. We found a total of 7184 OTUs, with an average of 665 OTUs per sampling unit; these numbers exceed those observed in many previous studies using comparable methods, despite the location of our study in an urbanized environment. Beta diversity was also high, with 52% of the OTUs found at just one site. As expected, we found that the sites close to point sources of pollution had substantially lower diversity (44% less) relative to sites bathed in less polluted oceanic waters. However, the polluted sites contributed substantially to the total animal diversity of the region, with 25% of all OTUs occurring only within polluted sites. Further analysis of Arthropoda, Annelida and Mollusca showed that phylogenetic clustering within a site was common, suggesting that environmental filtering reduced biodiversity to a subset of lineages present within the region, a pattern that was most pronounced in polluted sites and for the Arthropoda. The water quality gradients surrounding the PRD highlight the unique role of insitu studies for understanding the impacts of complex urbanization pressures on biodiversity.

Microclimatic and thermal balance studies in the natural conditions of the middle categories of South Yakutia

The article reveals the activities of the Zolotinka geocryological station in South Yakutia, one of the BAM expeditions of the Institute of Permafrost, USSR Academy of Sciences. Relevance. The article is dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the birth of Maria Gavrilova, a climatologist, permafrost scientist, famous in Russian and world science, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences [1].The BAM expeditions of the Institute of Permafrost were united by a common research topic “Prediction of the evolution of the cryolithozone in the development of the territory adjacent to the BAM railway” to predict the state of geocryological conditions and make practical recommendations for the construction of engineering structures in settlements, stations and roads in the Maly BAM zone [2].In different natural conditions, landscapes of the foothills of the Stanovoi Ridge of South Yakutia (valleys, watersheds, as well as on the slopes of different exposures), special permafrost conditions are formed associated with the patterns of heat exchange of the upper layers of the earth’s crust – the earth’s surface – the atmosphere [2]. To identify permafrost, microclimatic and thermal balance conditions in the midlands of South Yakutia, on the territory of the village of Iengra of the Neryungrinsky City Council, on September 1, 1975, the Zolotinka geocryological station was organized under the leadership of Dr. Gavrilova. The year-round station conducted three full cycles of microclimatic and thermal balance studies from 1975-1978. A retrospective approach to the topic of the BAM expedition organized by the Institute of Permafrost made it possible in this article to familiarize and summarize in detail the scientific and organizational activities of Maria Gavrilova on the work of the Zolotinka geocryological station in 1975-1978.

Risks beyond the ditch: Copper Age tannery from the settlement of Kamianets-Podilskyi (Tatarysky), Ukraine

The evolution of Neolithic to Bronze Age settlement organization in Central Europe has revealed ditches as an important component of settlement structures. The various shapes and sizes of these features contribute to different understandings of their functions, mainly referring to ditches as elements of fortifications or ritual practices. Based on a newly discovered Copper Age feature at Kamianets-Podilskyi (Tatarysky), Ukraine, our paper contributes to the discussion on the function of ditches in their relation to prehistoric technologies. This study presents evidence on tanning techniques and technologies associated with a section of ditch belonging to the Western Trypillia culture. Due to the uniqueness of this discovery, we applied various analyses, including GIS spatial analyses, palynological, anthracological, archeozoological, malacological, and use-wear studies. The obtained results enable us to recognize the complex practices of Copper Age communities, skillfully combining technical knowledge with an understanding of environmental conditions.

Disposal of the Dead in Recently Abandoned Settlement Areas — an Evidence of the Siege of Olbia Pontica by Zopyrion?

The present contribution focuses on extraordinary features with human remains of the 4th century BC which have been discovered to the west of the core city area of Olbia Pontica. There are numerous multiple burials within former settlement structures. The deceased were put in them without any grave goods, mainly in irregular positions and in some cases with obvious traces of external violence. Based on the archaeological finding, which is presented here for the first time exhaustively, we review the suggestion of previous research: a possible connection of these features with human remains with the siege of the city by the Macedonian general Zopyrion, which has been recorded in literature.

영남지방 초기 국의 등장 배경과 사로국 구조

Through the long-distance trade network and ritual structures of base settlements that were intensively developed in the Yeongnam region in the 2nd century BC, the background of the establishment of the early politics and the method of solidarity were examined. Long-distance trade beyond the Yeongnam region is concentrated in the 2nd century BC, and the bases where foreign trade is active overlap with regions(mainly Daegu, Gyeongsan, and Gyeongju) found in the early days of the clustering of wooden tombs. In some regions, politics that internally united regional units appeared in order to form a socio- economic coalition suitable for logistics distribution, redistribution, cost reduction, and information solidarity amid intensively developed foreign trade in the 2nd century BC. Thus, it is inferred that the clustering of wooden tombs appeared from the time when these early politics reached villages and townships as local political bodies to maintain active foreign trade, iron production, and distribution. In this situation, by linking topographic conditions, traffic routes and literature records, and archaeological data, focusing on Saro-guk, the composition of the euprak and the structure of the country were explained. Around the middle of the 2nd century BC, it is expected that the early Saroguk was established, and it is interpreted that the 6 villages, symbolized as major towns and villages, were united through the conference. Early Saroguk is a device that binds and maintains local communities while showing various forms for each town and village, and the phenomenon of establishing altar-style stone tombs, high- altitude enclosure, standing-ritual structures, and early wooden tombs by base is similar. In addition, the title of ChaChawoong, which was mentioned in early literature records, also weighed on the ideological and religious power base. Given the ritual structure of the settlement base and the power base of the early ruler, it was difficult to sustain the national structure only by pursuing the interests of foreign trade, and it is assumed that even by transforming the traditionally important megalithic monuments and high-altitude enclosure, it led to community cohesion.

CONCEPTUAL PREREQUISITES AND PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGING THE DESIGNATED PURPOSE OF INDUSTRIAL LAND OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

Developing territories in accordance with the principles of sustainable land development is easier and more effective together with the people who directly use these lands, as well as executive authorities, who, with the involvement of the public, know, understand, and implement changes. For reasonable and prompt decision-making on land issues, the territorial communities must have up-to-date information support with data about all land parcels and property within the boundaries of territorial community. Industrial lands deserve special attention, because due to their rational use, it is possible to achieve an increase revenue to local budgets. Today, the state of industrial lands in Ukraine is negatively affected by the presence of a significant number of industries that require modernization, including infrastructural transformations with the provision of further balanced consideration of the ecological component of the territories' sustainability. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the principles of determining and changing the target designation of industrial lands within the territorial communities to improve their functioning and ensure their competitiveness. The development of urban planning documentation is a mandatory prerequisite for changing the purpose of industrial land of the territorial community to another purpose and vice versa. Management of the development of territories today directly depends on the planning structure and functional zoning of settlements. The changes of legal acts should have been taken effect from July 2021, but inconsistencies were found in the legislation of Ukraine, which relate to the functional zones approved by the comprehensive spatial development plan of the territory of territorial communities, within which the change of purpose must take place. Due to the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the pace of development of urban planning and land management documentation slowed down, and as a result, today there is no any approved comprehensive spatial development plan. That is, it has been 2 years since the changes came into effect, but the change of the land purpose is carried out according to the old procedure with the development of land management documentation. Taking into account the above-mentioned components, the authors identified three main prerequisites for changing the target purpose: 1. The needs of industrial enterprises in the context of modern economic challenges. Changes in technology and production practices may require adaptation of land use to ensure the efficient functioning and competitiveness of enterprises. 2. Integration of social aspects into the decision-making process. It is important to consider the impact of these changes on local communities and ensure citizen participation in the process of determining the future use of industrial land. 3. The need to settle environmental issues. The change of purpose must take into account the potential effects on the environment and natural resources. Based on the prerequisites described above, the authors developed the principles of industrial land transformation, which take into account the principles of sustainable development. By following the developed principles, stakeholders can guide the transformation of industrial land in a way that maximizes benefits, minimizes negative impacts and promotes sustainable development.

Population Growth and Distribution in Australia: Policy and Governance Challenges for a More Balanced Settlement Structure

ABSTRACT Over the next three decades, Australia's large cities are expected to experience major population growth, while many regional areas will likely be faced with shrinking and ageing populations. This paper asks how official population projections are considered in strategic spatial policy frameworks for Victoria and South Australia, and what land use planning responses are proposed to address increasing spatial disparities. The analysis shows that policy priorities are overwhelmingly focused on growth, whereas the needs of declining regions are largely ignored. There is a worrisome lack of strategic policy thinking on how to manage existing and likely intensifying spatial imbalances.

Spatial–temporal evolution and land use transition of rural settlements in mountainous counties

BackgroundRural settlements are undergoing significant changes under the rapid urbanisation, and understanding their evolution characteristics and surrounding land use will provide a basis for land spatial planning. This study takes Pingnan County, Fujian Province, China as study area, reveals the characteristics of spatial–temporal evolution and surrounding land use transition of settlements during 1985–2020 through landscape metrics, spatial “hot spot” analysis, scale classification statistics, rank-size model, Gini index, land use transition matrix.ResultsThe results show that: (1) Concerning the size and morphological characteristics, the settlements have witnessed a considerable increase in number and scale while remaining stable in shape. (2) Regarding spatial distribution characteristics, the settlements became more evenly spread, forming three main hotspot clusters. (3) Concerning scale structure characteristics, there are significant differences in scale, growth rates, and polarisation of settlements; the polarisation of large settlements shifted from a marked divergence before 2010 to a more balanced trend after 2010. (4) The land use transition around settlements differed in buffer zones and periods. During 1985–2010, settlement expansion heavily depended on cropland, depleting nearby resources, with an increase of woodland and grassland. During 2010–2020, expansion integrated cropland, woodland, and grassland, with cropland growth mainly encroaching on woodland and grassland.ConclusionsThe study's findings are significant for optimising rural settlement structure in mountains and promoting sustainable land resource use.

Developing a housing stock model for evaluating energy Performance: The case of Jordan

The housing stock is the long-lasting component of the settlement structure. The dwellings make up 72% of buildings and consume around 40% of the primary energy in Jordan. The government in Jordan aims to meet the goals of Paris Agreement by 2050 toward net zero carbon. Considering its importance, this study aims to provide an approach for developing a housing stock model for Jordan to evaluate energy consumption of the residential sector at national level, as a baseline for improving the energy performance of the entire housing stock.A bottom-up approach is used to generate models of the Jordanian housing stock based on available buildings datasets. The generated 21 archetype models are analysed and used to evaluate the energy consumption of the national housing stock. Two archetype models represent the highest contribution, more than 80%, of annual energy use from the entire housing stock. The uncertainty analysis figures out that the 8.3% discrepancy between the baseline results and the measured data, for the entire stock, can be explained by the expected variation in input data.The study can provide policymakers with valuable insights into the energy performance of Jordan’s housing stock and inform the development of effective policies and strategies to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable development. For example, it can assist in identifying the most effective interventions for refurbishment of different archetypes in the current stock, and the improvements required in new-build dwellings and thereby facilitate the transition to a low-carbon building stock in Jordan.

Roadside Vegetation Functions, Woody Plant Values, and Ecosystem Services in Rural Streetscapes: A Qualitative Study on Rural Settlements in Western Slovakia

Woody plants in roadside green spaces of rural settlements provide a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. The study presented in this paper was conducted in three rural settlements in Western Slovakia, representing three different rural landscape types—lowland, basin, and mountainous landscapes. The assessed woody vegetation is situated in diverse settlement structures, with various spatial patterns. A comprehensive woody plant assessment was conducted in selected central streetscapes of three model settlements, examining spatial, compositional, visual, aesthetic, and other values, as well as the characteristics of woody plants. These attributes were clustered according to five main functions and fourteen value parameters and the results were assigned to three quality categories, to objectivise a qualitative woody plant assessment in roadside vegetation structures in the countryside. The findings show the level of suitability of woody plants based on how they fulfil aesthetic, compositional, climate, safety, cultural, and historical functions.

Spatial dimension of accidents involving pedelecs 25 and conventional bicycles

The pedelec 25 (pedal electric cycle) has established itself as a popular mode of transport, with sales rising. Unfortunately, this has also led to an increase in the number of accidents. Analyses of pedelec accidents have been carried out, but most studies are based on technical variables. Neither spatial, geographical factors, for example the terrain, nor socio-geographical aspects, such as whether an accident occurred in a tourist region, have been much addressed. However, geographical exposure can vary significantly. Therefore, we assume that spatial differences contribute to regional variations in numbers of accidents and resulting injuries associated with both bicycle types (pedelecs 25 and conventional). Thus, the aim of this paper is to determine geographical factors that influence severe accidents and to evaluate this influence. We have identified relevant geographical factors and proven their influence on two types of severity: risk of severe bicycle accidents per region (RS) and probability of severe injuries in case of accident (AS). Spatial analyses indicate that for both bicycle types, severity of accident increases in rural, mountainous or tourist regions. Regression analyses of RS provided further evidence: compactness of settlement structure (thus urbanity/rurality), share of tourists, altitude differences (only pedelecs), rate of registered motor vehicles and share of elderly population (only pedelecs) influence the risk of severe bicycle accidents per region. The influence of geographical variables tended to be greater for pedelecs. Regression analyses of AS reveal that geographical factors also have an influence on the probability of severe injuries in case of an accident.

Impacts of settlement structure and urban development on crime types and distribution

As far as the authors know, this study presents a topic thatis the first time anyone has dealt with. Many people have examined the issues in the title individually but not the three concepts together, even though there is a close connection among the three concepts. A clear relationship can be shown between specific urban characteristics and the types of crime. Nowadays, several stages of urban development are present in many large cities in Europe, and the urban structure is changing, which affects both the number and structure of crimes. The study presents the main urban structural belts and their characteristics and compares them with the urban development stages. The authors examined and analyzed the settlement structure and crime characteristics of Central and Eastern European countries in the research. The results of the research can be used both in the field of law enforcement and urban development.

АРХЕОЛОГІЧНІ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ДАВНЬОРУСЬКИХ ПОСЕЛЕНЬ 10–13 СТОЛІТЬ НА ТЕРИТОРІЇ СЛОВЕЧАНСЬКО-ОВРУЦЬКОГО КРЯЖУ

The article highlights the history of research on the peculiarities of the settlement structure of theAncient Rus period on the territory of a unique natural formation – the Slovechansko-Ovruchskyi ridge, located in the north of the Zhytomyr region. The purpose of the article: to analyze the stages of research of ancient Rus objects that had special conditions of development during the 10–13 centuries. The methodological basis of the research is the principle of scientificity, methods of empirical and theoretical research. Scientific novelty: for the first time, information on the study of ancient Russian settlements, which arose and developed in specific economic conditions during the 10-13 centuries, was analyzed and systematized. Conclusions. In addition to good fertile soils and a favorable climate for agriculture, the territory of the Ovrutsky ridge also attracted people with deposits of pink pyrophyllite slates. Mining, processing and manufacturing of things from it become the main occupation of the local the Ancient Rus population. A unique settlement structure is formed on the territory of the ridge, which traditionally consists of a settlement, a post, open settlements and burial grounds. But the peculiarity is that open settlements have a large area, they can conditionally be combined into agglomerations. Also, the settlements are specialized, their population is closely related to the development of pyrophyllite deposits, its extraction, processing, and transportation are the main occupations of the ancient Rus population of the Ovrutsky Ridge. Ancient Rus on the specified territory were destroyed for a long time, but from the end of the 9th century. they began to be discovered and recorded by scientists. During the entire 20th century the sights of the region were examined by archaeologists, but no research was carried out. only from the end of the 20th century. The Ovrutsk archaeological expedition started working in the region, which discovered unique sights - specialized settlements with a rich cultural layer. But the archaeological sites of the region also require protection. The activities of the employees of the Ovrutsk archaeological expedition within the framework of the "Ovrutsk project" created for the study and protection of the monuments of the former Ovrutsk volost are aimed at this.

Parameters and resource potential of the territory of populated places in the zone of influence of stopping points

The authors did not set a goal to make a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of the formation and functioning of the settlement territories in the zone of stopping points influence.The article is a review and a problem. It provides an overview and analysis of research directly or indirectly related to the problem under consideration. The results of multivariate calculations using the regulatory documents of Ukraine are presented: parameters of the zones of transport lines and stopping points influence (width of the zones of influence, total area of construction and area of residential construction in the zone of influence of one stopping point), resource potential (housing stock, population) for the largest, large, large and small settlements and their zones (central, middle, peripheral). The performed calculations show that the territories of settlements in the zone of influence of stopping points occupy an important place in the planning structure and vital activities of settlements due to their significant resource potential − territory, population, housing stock, as well as the close relationship of their structural parameters with the parameters of the transport infrastructure. which indicates the need to consider them as a whole.

Indigenous architecture and rock art and Euro-American historical inscriptions from the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, southwestern Colorado, USA

The paper presents some results from research of the Polish archaeological project conducted in several canyons in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado, USA. It focuses on reconstruction of settlement structure and socio-cultural changes in Ancestral Pueblo community from 13th century A.D. as well as on documentation (mainly with advanced digital methods) and analysis of Native American rock art from different time periods. Rock art consists of petroglyphs and paintings that include Ancestral Pueblo and historic Ute tribes, but also Euro-American inscriptions left close to Native American rock art panels. One of the aims of the project is also to reconstruct the relationships between the site locations, architecture, rock art, and the surrounding landscape.

The Gaius/Lucius denarii of Augustus and the intensity of the occurrence the Julio-Claudian dynasty coinage in Moravia

The first imperial dynasty significantly reformed the Roman coinage, the production of which was partly moved to the provinces closer to the Germanic regions. Due to the newly emerging settlement structure of the newly established provinces of Noricum and Pannonia as well as the irregular trade relations between them and the Kingdom of Vannius, the representation of coins from the first two thirds of the 1st century in Moravia is minimal (only 86 coins are currently available). Unfortunately, isolated surface finds without an archaeological context do not provide sufficient support for dating their deposition in the ground. Some of them could have been brought later, for example during Roman military operations in Barbaricum in the last third of the 2nd century or in Late Antiquity. Newly, the find collection in the central Danube region was extended by additional denarii of the Gaius/Lucius type (denarius and subaerat around Germanic settlement in Bzenec), which are otherwise mainly concentrated near the Varus’s battle in the Teutoburg Forest and in the Rhineland. What is also noteworthy is the dominance of asses from the Roman mint struck under the supervision of the college of three mint officials (tresviri monetales) among the bronze denominations of Augustus. The gold aurei, silver denarii, billon tetradrachms and aes asses of Nero are also a fairly representative set, whereas the coins of the emperors Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius have a meagre numerical representation.

Состояние гражданской солидарности городских и сельских территорий Юга России

At the moment, the task is to scientifically comprehend successful methods and technologies for updating civil solidarity in the context of social disorganization of society and the search for unifying grounds for the country's citizens. Mobilization of community resources at the local level in conditions of heterogeneity of socio-economic and socio-cultural space is possible only through the practice of civil solidarity built on the basis of civic identity. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe geopolitical, socio-economic, political-legal and socio-cultural factors that influence the formation of civil solidarity in urban and rural areas of the regions of Southern Russia, as well as formats for including residents in solidarity practices. We have studied rural and urban areas of the regions of the South of Russia (Krasnodar Territory, Republic of Crimea, Republic of Adygea) in order to characterize the entire set of factors influencing the formation of civil solidarity in the territories of Russia. The choice of the object of study is determined by a wide range of destabilizing, polarizing factors that are currently being recorded in the Southern Federal District. Transcripts of 45 expert interviews (15 experts from each selected region of the Southern Federal District) and the results of a questionnaire survey (969 respondents in 3 regions) were used as an empirical basis. The study identifies and describes the most significant factors in the formation of civil solidarity: institutional, value-based, external challenges and threats, the mobilization potential of residents of the territory, formats of interaction in the existing settlement structure and the leadership factor.

Medieval Archaeological Sites of Semenovsky Island in Tatarstan: history of study and some results of research

The article is dedicated to the medieval sites of the 10th – beginning of the 15th centuries, located on Semenovsky Island in the Spassk district of Tatarstan. These are 5 burial grounds and 4 ancient settlements. Semyonovka I settlement was one of the early settlements of the Volga Bolgars in the Kazan Volga region and founded in the second half of the 10th century. At present, the cultural layer of the ancient settlements on Semenovsky Island is completely eroded by the waters of the Kuibyshev reservoir, as well as the necropolises belonging to them. A significant part of the materials from these sites has been published, except for ceramics. The researchers paid special attention to coins and items, made of non-ferrous metal. The analysis of the finds allowed us to assume that the settlement structure on Semenovsky Island developed without significant interruptions from the second half of the 10th century to the beginning of the 15th century, having undergone several crisis transformations at the end of the 11th – the first half of the 12th and the first third of the 13th centuries, connected in the first case with the invasions of the Kipchaks and in the second case with the Mongol conquest.

Zur Rolle gewerblicher Entwicklungen bei der Ermittlung von Wohnflächenbedarfen. Ein interkommunaler Lösungsansatz, illustriert am Beispiel der Region Leipzig/Halle

Although the functional mix of housing and work promises to create compact settlement structures, the impact of job-creating commercial developments on housing demand is not sufficiently managed in current practice. As a result, there is often an imbalance between housing units and labour force, which is articulated in an increased demand for new land take. The authors take this as a starting point to develop a four-stage model, which is the subject of this article. This model seeks to systematically determine the effects of commercial developments with an impact on jobs on the demand for residential space and to provide a basis for the sustainable management of requirements within the framework of spatial planning. In a first step, the labour force moving in is determined by means of rates of regional mobility and the number of households moving to the area is derived. In a second step, existing commuter structures in the inter-communal context are used to estimate how households should ideally be localised; in the third step, households are then distributed mathematically on the basis of accessibility structures. In the fourth and final step, we articulate a proposal for the efficient realization of demand tailored to distinct housing segments. Finally, the model is applied to the Leipzig/Halle region.

The role of fire in the Medieval and Early Modern landscape of Bad Waldsee within the broader context of the pre-Alpine forelands of south-western Germany

Fire, an important element of human land use strategies, was part of many early industrial activities but also of burning incidents that significantly impacted settlement structures and development. The spatial proximity of the historically well-documented medieval town and sediment archive deposited in its central lake (Stadtsee) was taken to investigate the interplay of fire and socio-environmental developments during the preindustrial phase of 750−150 bp (ad 1200–1800). The burning episodes were detected using the sediment macroscopic charcoal record (> 150 μm) and were interpreted considering sedimentological, palynological, and historical evidence. Macro-charcoal analysis revealed two main phases of biomass burning: a late Medieval one (653−533 cal bp ), followed by a distinct fire-free interval, and a second Modern Times phase (313 cal bp until today). During the late Medieval times and after ad 1750 (200 cal bp) low-magnitude local fires coincided with high-intensity land use pressure. Major historical events like the Thirty Years’ War and the fire incident near the town (ad 1386, 174 cal bp) were also documented by the charcoal sedimentary record. The specific terrain morphology and the town microclimate impacted the chance of whether certain local burning patterns were detectable at all. This study demonstrates that during the Medieval period to the present day, fire events, mainly anthropogenic, were coupled with the main vegetation developments. Anthropogenic fire was an inseparable part of the Bad Waldsee landscape, as also recorded historically by the town archives.