Territorial Changes Research Articles

Spatial organization of the bird communities of Central Siberia

Based on extensive information on the numbers and distribution of birds obtained during route surveys over the past 60 years, a classification of the bird communities of Central Siberia is considered at the level of its types. The specificity of this classification is determined by the predominance of latitudinal-zonal types over non-zonal ones. The main directions of territorial changes in the bird communities are determined by afforestation and watering, combined with latitudinal zonation. Less significant differences in ornithocomplexes are associated with the altitudinal zone and built-up area concerned. The main natural and anthropogenic factors and the hierarchy of their importance for the spatial differentiation of the bird populations have been established. The regional specificity of the spatial organization of the bird communities in Central Siberia in comparison with the Eastern European and West Siberian plains is reduced to the manifestation of high-altitude zonation due to differences in mountain-tundra ornithocomplexes, a greater differentiation of forest ornithocomplexes and less represented non-zonal population types.

L'housing studentesco come "costruzione per le persone". Il caso delle residenze universitarie della città di Napoli

This article addresses the issue of university student residences in terms of social infra-structure. Through the case-study of Naples, detailed data are presented on the distribution and characteristics of current public university student residences, in the light of recent territorial changes resulting from local urban regeneration policies and their implications on social infrastructure processes. The analysis also highlights the need for a critical reflection on the socio-urban function of student housing and the educational and relational needs of students. student housing, residences, urban regeneration, Naples, social infrastructure, relationships

An overview of civic engagement tools for rural communities

In this research, we explore the role of civic engagement platforms as tools designed to connect various groups in rural areas for collaborative advancement and to support sustainable growth in their communities. We examine these platforms’ essential features and influence on rural communities, conducting an overview to identify rural areas’ primary challenges and the functionalities needed to address them. Our findings reveal that the long-term capability of these civic engagement platforms can bring beneficial changes in rural territories by offering a unified way of communication, collaboration, and decision-making. The study concludes with suggestions for future research.

Territory-Related Functional Connectivity Changes Associated with Verbal Memory Decline in Patients with Unilateral Asymptomatic Internal Carotid Stenosis.

Verbal memory decline is a common complaint of patients with severe asymptomatic stenosis of the internal carotid artery (aICS). Previous publications explored the associations between verbal memory decline and altered functional connectivity (FC) after aICS. Patients with severe aICS may show reduced perfusion in the ipsilateral territory and redistribution of cerebral blood flow to compensate for the deficient regions, including expansion of the posterior and contralateral ICA territories via the circle of Willis. However, aICS-related FC changes in anterior and posterior territories and the impact of the sides of stenosis were less explored. This study aims to investigate the altered FC in anterior and posterior circulation territories of patients with left or right unilateral aICS and its association with verbal memory decline. We enrolled 15 healthy controls (HCs), 22 patients with left aICS (aICSL), and 33 patients with right aICS (aICSR) to receive fMRI, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Digit Span Test (DST), and the 12-item Chinese version of Verbal Learning Tests. We selected brain regions associated with verbal memory within anterior and posterior circulation territories. Territory-related FC alterations and verbal memory decline were identified by comparing the aICSL and aICSR groups with HC groups (P < .05, corrected for multiple comparisons), respectively. Furthermore, the association between altered FC and verbal memory decline was tested with the Pearson correlation analysis. Compared with HCs, patients with aICSL or aICSR had significant impairment in delayed recall of verbal memory. Decline in delayed recall of verbal memory was significantly associated with altered FC between the right cerebellum and right middle temporal pole in the posterior circulation territory (r = 0.40, P = .03) in the aICSR group and was significantly associated with altered FC between the right superior medial frontal gyrus and left lingual gyrus in the anterior circulation territory (r = 0.56, P = .01) in the aICSL group. Patients with aICSL and aICSR showed different patterns of FC alterations in both anterior and posterior circulation territories, which suggests that the side of aICS influences the compensatory mechanism for decline in delayed recall of verbal memory.

Dam Construction, Company Towns and Planned Urban Development: The Example of Salto del Esla, Spain

ABSTRACT Company towns are integral to the urban and territorial changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution, especially in remote, resource-rich areas. Among these, villages constructed alongside dams stand out due to their profound territorial impact. This study focuses on one such unique settlement near the Ricobayo dam in Zamora, Spain, exploring its construction and environmental integration. At its inception, Ricobayo was Europe’s largest dam, its creation marked by notable feats like relocating a church, and pioneering hydraulic engineering and bridge construction, including a record-breaking design by Torroja. The adjacent company town set a precedent for creating liveable spaces for workers in isolated locales, influencing later developments. Research included on-site investigations, archival work at Iberdrola’s Historical Archive, and review of historical texts, underscoring the cultural and landscape significance of 20th-century dam settlements and the distinctive features of Ricobayo’s surroundings.

Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Pattern Evolution and Decoupling Relationships of Land Use Functions Based on Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development: A Case Study of the Yellow River Basin, China

With rapid industrialization and urbanization, the contradiction between the human exploitation of land production and living functions and natural ecosystem service functions has intensified. The issues of how to coordinate the exploitation and conservation functions of land and guide the rational distribution of human activities have become important for global sustainable development, especially considering the realization that multifunctional land use is an effective way to relieve land pressure and improve land use efficiency, that land multifunction has significant spatio-temporal heterogeneity, and that there is a mutual promotion and stress relationship between multifunctional land use. However, few existing studies have discussed the decoupling relationship among land use functions. In this study, a system of 10 sub-functions and 25 indicators was established based on the production function (PDF), living function (LVF), and ecological function (ELF) for 59 cities in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). There are both subjective and objective procedures employed to determine the weights, while an exploratory spatial data analysis is used to analyze the time-based and territorial changes in various functions of land use in the study area from 2000 to 2020. The decoupling relationship between the three functions is detected utilizing the theoretical foundation of the decoupling analysis. The results show that land use is multifunctional, LUFs develop unevenly, and their spatial distribution varies substantially. The results of the decoupling analysis demonstrate that the predominant types of correlations among the land use ELF and PDF and LVF over the research period are strong decoupling and strong negative decoupling correlations, with the former being a dilemma and the latter being a sustainable type of development.

To assess Resilience of Russian cities under international sanctions and the consequences of COVID-19: a sociological study

The paper presents the results of in-depth interviews and a questionnaire survey of the Russian cites administration representatives about cities resilience under the sanctions pressure and COVID-19. The survey was conducted by the Center for Territorial Changes and Urban Development of IPEI RANEPA in March-May 2023, it was attended by representatives of the administration of more than 50 cities of the Russian Federation. We found overall situation as stable: social programs are being implemented in full, unemployment is decreasing, construction of municipal facilities continues, problems with failures in the supply of spare parts, equipment and components are being solved. At the same time, the sanctions have affected the urban economy in completely different ways: while in some cities show significant negative effect, in others the impact of sanctions is insignificant. Cites face number of new challenges: disruption of supply chains, refusal to supply paid equipment, inability to find analogues of imported equipment with the necessary characteristics, rising prices for spare parts. components and construction materials, the rupture of established sales channels to unfriendly countries, a drop in municipal budget revenues, etc. The heads of the city administration work overtime to solve emerging problems, organize interaction between enterprises, establish and deepen business contacts with friendly countries, put forward proposals to improve the situation at the federal level. New tasks successfully solved, although it requires serious efforts. To respond to new challenges, we need a new, more decentralized and local-oriented style of public administration, a process of well-established feedback.

Examination of the Current Situation and Governance Suggestions of Chinese Domestic Enclave

Enclave is a special administrative area with unique governance value. The existing enclaves include administrative function dominant enclaves, base function dominant enclaves, population history dominant enclaves, and other types. Essentially, enclaves are the phenomenon of territorial changes caused by changes in personal jurisdiction, which have different causes in different periods. Improving the governance of enclaves requires clarifying the personal jurisdiction of enclaves, focusing on the development of residents, and promoting the improvement of enclave administrative management system in a typified and gradual manner. According to the inherent requirements of enclave governance, it is necessary to improve the jurisdiction system of enclaves, enhance the evaluation of enclave governance, and expand participation in enclave governance.

Andean Lima Bean Ecology and Its Potential Contribution to Food Security

ABSTRACTThe Andean lima bean (ALB) (Phaseolus lunatus L.), also known as “Pallar” in Peru, is a large, semi‐flat, kidney‐shaped rarely investigated legume. This ancestral legume lacks in‐depth scientific reports and is mainly cultivated in the coastal region of the Ica valley. Its consumption dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by archaeological finds from pre‐Columbian civilizations in Peru, and it is still part of the Peruvian diet today. ALB has been domesticated and adapted to climate change in arid territories and under peculiar agronomic conditions in Peru, making the crop tolerant to various stresses, including drought. Like the common bean, ALB is an important source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and micronutrients that are essential for a nutritious diet. However, the information on its diversity, particularly the native varieties that are the ancestors of the commercial lima bean “Pallar de Ica,” is scarce. Therefore, this review consisted of synthesizing and analyzing important aspects of the little known ALB, such as its morphological description, domestication, response to climate change, nutritional composition, and relevance to food security and potential for cultivation to address food shortages.

Territorial strategies of forestry and agricultural corporations in Uruguay – the Southern Cone region of Latin America

ABSTRACT Agribusiness is the main mechanism of spatial fix for international capital in the Uruguayan agricultural sector. Transnational corporations are the driving force behind the most significant agricultural transformations witnessed in the twenty-first century. The objective of this study is to gain insights into the territorial strategies employed by agribusiness corporations in Uruguay and to identify the resultant territorial changes linked to their expansion. The findings of this study reveal that these corporations: (i) prioritise the expansion over efficient territories with favourable agrarian structures; (ii) they significantly alter the preexisting agrarian structure – establishments size, intensity of land use and socioeconomic relationships; (iii) they give rise to new territorialities characterised by one-way agrarian transitions towards more capital-intensive uses. These transitions are linked to the intensification of land use, mounting pressure on land prices, and the deepening of processes of proletarianisation. This study stands as a significant milestone, as it is based on georeferenced data from land managed by companies. It provides evidence to support the argument that corporate encroachment in Uruguay exacerbates the processes of land concentration and exclusion, thus affecting the equitable distribution of wealth and resources. The article provides a general framework that can be applied to understanding corporate expansion in other regions.

The role of the People’s Advocate (Ombudsman) in Albania: The fulfillment of its duties in defending the rights of the citizens and the need for a resizing

The constant change in state territories and therefore even in human rights, it was necessary to guarantee (in this case) the rights of minorities, which were compromised due to the historical and political circumstances. For this reason the Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Minorities have continuously become more protective and completed. European countries and not only have been willing to respect and guarantee every right that is connected to the fact of being a “human being”. Not only in this aspect, but more or less remaining on the same line Europe has also been caring for the institutionalization of certain rights, which should be guaranteed to an individual in its relationship with the state administration. The constitutions of European countries (as well as the latest ones, the countries of Eastern Europe and Western Balkan) installed the institution of the Ombudsman (People’s Advocate). This article aims to present a comparative analysis of the real efficiency of this very important institution in Albania and Balkan. Its legal vacuum, juridical power and its need for resizing.

Territorial increase of Ukraine at the beginning of World War ІІ in the journal of the USSR (1939—1941)

The presented article was prepared within the framework of the implementation of the annual plan of scientific work of the State Printing Archive of the Book Chamber of Ukraine: in the current year 2024, we are researching domestic prints of 1940, that is, the period of the Second World War and the post-war reconstruction of the Ukrainian SSR. Establishing the thematic and substantive priorities of the periodicals of the time, the author focused attention on such a defining aspect of national state-building as the territorial expansion of Soviet Ukraine at the initial stage of the Second World War. The article examines the problem of Western Ukrainian lands becoming part of the Ukrainian SSR, in particular, Eastern Galicia and Northern Bukovyna. The premise of the event was a bilateral conspiracy between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union regarding the division of Europe into spheres of influence. The Soviet-German treaty of September 28, 1939 became a documentary post-factum confirmation of the event. A feature of the territorial changes of the Ukrainian SSR at that time was the inclusion of lands that, according to the Soviet-Polish treaty of August 16, 1945, Soviet Ukraine lost. We are talking about Nadsiany, Kholm region, Podlasie and Lemkiv region, which in 1939 entered the Ukrainian SSR, and in 1945 became part of the Polish People's Republic. The source base of the presented intelligence was made up of domestic periodicals, namely: the republican magazine "Red cross" for 1939 and the regional literary and artistic almanac "Vilna Bukovyna" for 1940—1941, which tell about the crossing by the Red Army of the Polish-Soviet and the Romanian-Soviet state borders and the events that resulted from it. The purpose of this investigation was to process the mentioned press releases by the method of content analysis.

Agenția Sighet a Băncii Naționale a României în perioada 1921–1950

Based on our research of archived documents, this paper retraces the history of the Sighet Agency of the National Bank of Romania (NBR) in the period between 1921 and 1950, that is from the time of its establishment to the time of Romania’s first administrative reorganisation during the communist regime. The establishment of the agency was part of the process of expanding the branch and agency network of the National Bank of Romania after the Union of 1918 and can be explained in several ways: the demographic, economic, and banking potential of the town of Sighet within Maramureș county, notwithstanding the challenges presented by the status of local means of transportation, the railway in particular, given that it was not entirely built on Romanian territory; the completion of monetary unification before the establishment of the local agency; the stages of acquiring the Sighet offices of the former Austrian-Hungarian Bank and the appointment of the agency’s first bank officers. The agency’s actual discount lending (rediscounting) operations, bearing the lowest existing interest rate, are exemplified by listing the agency’s customers and their loans, as well as by data showing the growing business volumes in the period from 1923 to 1929. For relevance purposes, the data is compared with similar data from the Craiova and Cluj branches. The impact of the Great Depression can be seen in the evolution of another banking operation, namely bank transfers, as well as in the audit reports prepared by auditors from the bank’s head office. There is also a list of people whose professional destiny was linked to the NBR Sighet Agency in the period between the two World Wars, both bank managers and other bank officers, among whom one may notice the remarkable figure of Romulus Roman, whose life tragically ended in a communist prison, after an exceptional career with the central bank. The consequences of the territorial changes which took place between 1938 and 1940 near Romania’s north-western border on the activity of the Sighet Agency are also traced back from the time when railway transportation was discontinued to the time when the bank’s offices were evauted. The last part of our paper is dedicated to the events which happened between 1945 and 1950, namely: the return of bank officers to the NBR Sighet offices in the context of the presence of Red Army troops in the region at a time of turmoil surrounding the establishment of Romania’s northern border; the withdrawal of foreign legal tenders (the Hungarian pengő, the Soviet pengö, roubles, Soviet lei); the resumption of bank operations in the context of the dramatic changes imposed by the communist regime, culminating at the time in the nationalisation of the NBR, the dissolution of banks, the disestablishment of Maramureș county and the establishment of the Baia Mare Region, following which the Sighet Agency of the Bank of the Romanian People’s Republic – the State Bank became the Sighet Region Subsidiary subordinated to the Baia Mare Regional Branch.

Identifying the risks of armed conflict impact on the ecosystem

The object of the study is the territory that became the object of the influence of hostilities. The study is dedicated to finding ways to assess the state of ecosystems and ensure their stability in the conditions of military conflicts. The impact of military conflict on the environment is highlighted through the analysis of risks and losses in ecosystems. It has been studied that the intensity of armed conflicts determines the scale and degree of damage to ecosystems, and the use of destructive weapons leads to the direct destruction of natural environments and their components. It has been determined by an expert survey that the most significant changes in natural ecosystems are the biodiversity losses, deforestation, territorial changes and the destruction of natural objects (scores ≥9.0). Factors of low impact (score &lt;6.75) are air pollution, erosion due to air pollution, biodiversity losses due to water pollution. The interrelationships between military actions and environmental pollution are studied for the importance of understanding these processes for effective management of environmental security during military conflicts. A mathematical and graphic model of material flows has been developed, which allows taking into account resource flows, pollution and losses in the ecosystem during armed conflicts. The model, tested in the Kyiv region, made it possible to determine the priorities of conservation and risk management. Analysis of 9,000 km2 revealed contaminated areas, in particular, in the southwestern and western directions. The practical use of the research results is in the development of strategies for minimizing and restoring the ecological consequences of armed conflicts. This can help improve the management of natural resources in the context of military operations and increase the resilience of ecosystems

Territorial increase of Soviet Ukraine at the beginning of World War ІІ in the journal of the USSR (1939—1941)

The presented article was prepared within the framework of the implementation of the annual plan of scientific work of the State Printing Archive of the Book Chamber of Ukraine: in the current year 2024, we are researching domestic prints of 1940, that is, the period of the Second World War and the post-war reconstruction of the Ukrainian SSR. Establishing the thematic and substantive priorities of the periodicals of the time, the author focused attention on such a defining aspect of national state-building as the territorial expansion of Soviet Ukraine at the initial stage of the Second World War. The article examines the problem of Western Ukrainian lands becoming part of the Ukrainian SSR, in particular, Eastern Galicia and Northern Bukovyna. The premise of the event was a bilateral conspiracy between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union regarding the division of Europe into spheres of influence. The Soviet-German treaty of September 28, 1939 became a documentary post-factum confirmation of the event. A feature of the territorial changes of the Ukrainian SSR at that time was the inclusion of lands that, according to the Soviet-Polish treaty of August 16, 1945, Soviet Ukraine lost. We are talking about Nadsiany, Kholm region, Podlasie and Lemkiv region, which in 1939 entered the Ukrainian SSR, and in 1945 became part of the Polish People's Republic. The source base of the presented intelligence was made up of domestic periodicals, namely: the republican magazine "Red cross" for 1939 and the regional literary and artistic almanac "Vilna Bukovyna" for 1940—1941, which tell about the crossing by the Red Army of the Polish-Soviet and the Romanian-Soviet state borders and the events that resulted from it. The purpose of this investigation was to process the mentioned press releases by the method of content analysis. .

Renewable Energy from Wind Farm Power Plants in Peru: Recent Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Peru is one of the most diverse countries in the world, and its climatic characteristics, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and location on the planet give it a vast potential for wind energy, both on its coast and within the 200 miles which comprise the Peruvian coastline on the Pacific Ocean. Likewise, the northern and central areas of the country represent the regions with the greatest potential for wind energy use. In this context, wind energy is a viable alternative to mitigate the effects of climate change in local territories and, thus, meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 United Nations (UN) Agenda. This article presents the potential for generating wind-type electrical energy both on-shore with 20.5 GW and off-shore with 347 GW. In addition, the main advantages, benefits, and restrictions in the implementation of this type of energy plants in Peru are presented, considering the following: (i) the mitigation of climate change considering the insertion of renewable energies in the energy matrix; (ii) the potential of the available wind resource; (iii) the characterization of seven existing wind power plants, considering a total installed capacity of 668 MW; and (iv) the implementation of future wind power plants considering a portfolio of 31 projects for 7429 MW of total installed capacity projected. Finally, recent advances, challenges linked to territorial implementation, and future perspectives in developing the renewable energy sector from wind resources to address climate change are discussed.

Mortality from malignant neoplasms of the respiratory organs in the territories of the Chelyabinsk region affected by radiation accidents

Introduction. Mortality from lung cancer is more than 20% of all deaths from malignant neoplasms (MN). The mortality rate from respiratory diseases in the Chelyabinsk region for many years exceeds the average in Russia. There is convincing evidence confirming the increase in mortality from respiratory diseases in the population living in radioactively contaminated areas&#x0D; Materials and methods. The study of mortality from respiratory diseases in two cities: Kasli and Kyshtym, and four districts: Kasli, Argayash, Krasnoarmeysky, and Kunashaksky over a 50-year period from 1947 to 1996.&#x0D; Results. An increase in the mortality in the male and female population from MN of the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and larynx was found. The most significant excess over the control was observed in the population of Kasli, Kyshtym, in Kasli and Argayash districts. During the entire studied period, the male population experienced an increase in mortality at rates exceeding the changes in the control territories. Among the female population, the highest mortality rates both in cities and in districts were recorded in the 1960s - 1970s. In addition to the increase in mortality rates in radioactively contaminated areas in the elderly and old age, an increase in mortality was found at the ages of 30–39, 40–49 years.&#x0D; Limitations. The study period is limited to 1996 due to the inability to collect data for a later period.&#x0D; Conclusion. The mortality rates of the male population from respiratory diseases in the cities of Kasli, Kyshtym, Kasli, and Argayash districts almost constantly exceeded the control values. There is an increase in mortality at young ages: 30–39, 40–49 years. Both men and women have recorded a wave-like nature &#x0D; of mortality, periods of growth, as a rule, following 5–10 years after the next radiation incident.

Leslie Waters. Borders on the Move: Territorial Change and Ethnic Cleansing in the Hungarian–Slovak Borderlands, 1938–1948 Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2020. Pp. 246.

Leslie Waters. Borders on the Move: Territorial Change and Ethnic Cleansing in the Hungarian–Slovak Borderlands, 1938–1948 Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2020. Pp. 246.

Historical maps as a neglected issue in history education. Students and textbooks representations of territorial changes of Spain and Argentina

In the last years, history education has become a highly developed field, which is receiving considerable attention not only from educators but also from historians, philosophers of history, and social scientists in general. In this vein, seminal empirical and theoretical papers have focused on how history is taught to students and what are the different abilities that should be developed with the end to critically understand historical processes. These abilities are related to key concepts in the field such as historical thinking, historical consciousness, and historical culture. The aim of this paper is to focus on a matter not much considered in any of these approaches. This is to say, “where” the historical processes occurred. Usually the “where” implies a specific territory that is under dispute. In this vein, territories and their transformation through different time periods are represented by historical maps reproduced in atlas and textbooks. But these representations could have several bias and also tend to provide a number of incomplete ideas among the students and citizens in general. In relation to this, it is necessary study not only the features of historical maps but, also, how students appropriate them. This appropriation could be influenced by an essentialist view of the nation through historical master narratives. This is what we have found in our initial empirical studies in Spain and Argentina. Additional empirical studies are needed to improve history education studies from the point of view of the development of historical thinking and historical consciousness taking into account how historical maps and territorial changes are represented by both students and textbooks.

The Historiography of Uzbek Khanates of the 18th – the 19th Centuries: Materials on the Historical Geography of Central Asia

This article examines historical works from the 18th to the 19th centuries, created in Mawarannahr in Chagatai and Persian languages and containing materials on the historical geography of Central Asia. The purpose of this study is to identify and introduce into scientific discourse the most valuable information on the historical geography of Central Asia contained in the historical works of local authors of the 18th – the 19th centuries. The identified factual material from written monuments of Uzbek khanates has shown that the considered narrative sources contain rich historical and geographical material on the states, appanage possessions, and vilayets of the region. The data of historical works allow us to trace administrative and territorial changes that took place in Central Asia. Historiographers of Bukhara, Khiva, and Kokand, while telling about feuds in the region, describing military campaigns of the supreme rulers of khanates, provide numerous data on vilayets, cities, villages, and fortresses, report on the construction of new fortresses, mention known and little-known roads, water resources of the region, used crossings and bridges. The authors of historical works of the 18th – the 19th centuries, when describing the events that took place in the region, included in their works unique information and facts that are absent in other chronicles but essential for a more comprehensive representation of the historical geography of the region of the past centuries. Nevertheless, much of the geographical information contained in the Khiva, Kokand and Bukhara works of the 18th – the 19th centuries are still insufficiently studied and remains to be thoroughly researched.