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Motlogeloa O, Fitchett JM. Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00484-023-02466-8. [PMID: 37129619 PMCID: PMC10153057 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02466-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The climate-health nexus is well documented in the field of biometeorology. Since its inception, Biometeorology has in many ways become the umbrella under which much of this collaborative research has been conducted. Whilst a range of review papers have considered the development of biometeorological research and its coverage in this journal, and a few have reviewed the literature on specific diseases, none have focused on the sub-field of climate and health as a whole. Since its first issue in 1957, the International Journal of Biometeorology has published a total of 2183 papers that broadly consider human health and its relationship with climate. In this review, we identify a total of 180 (8.3%, n = 2183) of these papers that specifically focus on the intersection between meteorological variables and specific, named diagnosable diseases, and explore the publication trends thereof. The number of publications on climate and health in the journal increases considerably since 2011. The largest number of publications on the topic was in 2017 (18) followed by 2021 (17). Of the 180 studies conducted, respiratory diseases accounted for 37.2% of the publications, cardiovascular disease 17%, and cerebrovascular disease 11.1%. The literature on climate and health in the journal is dominated by studies from the global North, with a particular focus on Asia and Europe. Only 2.2% and 8.3% of these studies explore empirical evidence from the African continent and South America respectively. These findings highlight the importance of continued research on climate and human health, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the populations of which are more vulnerable to climate-sensitive illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogone Motlogeloa
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jennifer M Fitchett
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Keatley MR. Supplement foreword Phenology 2018: One planet, two hemispheres, many regions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:339-341. [PMID: 33462710 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02078-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie R Keatley
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Creswick, Victoria, 3363, Australia.
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Fitchett JM. Perspectives on biometeorological research on the African continent. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:133-147. [PMID: 32997273 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-020-02020-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since the first issue of the International Journal of Biometeorology in 1957, a total of 135 papers have reported on research in or of African countries. The majority of these have been on topics of animal biometeorology (36%), and the greatest proportion (24%) are situated in Nigeria. There has been a considerable increase in papers on African biometeorology since 2011, with those from this past decade accounting for 58% of all African papers in the journal. This occurs concurrent to an increase in the total number of papers published in the journal, driven by a move to the Editorial Manager system. While 66% of the papers on African biometeorology in the journal are authored by at least one person with an affiliation in the African continent, only 15 African countries are represented in the total authorship. As much of the African continent is projected to experience climatic changes exceeding the global mean, as much of the region is involved in animal and plant farming, and as seasonally-fluctuating and climatically affected diseases are common place, this low representation of work in Africa is surprising. This points to the need for greater awareness among African researchers of the discipline of biometeorology, greater involvement of African biometeorologists in International Society of Biometeorology and Commission meetings, and the inclusion of a greater number of African academics in the review process. This would be beneficial to the Society in increasing diversity and encouraging a more cosmopolitan engagement, and to the recognition of scientific development in African countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Fitchett
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Gaughan JB, Lees AM, Sejian V. Sixty years of animal biometeorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2020; 64:157-163. [PMID: 29058080 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1459-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal biometeorology (insects excluded) has been part of the International Journal of Biometeorology since its inception in 1958. Over the first 60 years of the journal, 480 animal biometeorology papers were published. Thus, approximately 14% of published papers dealt with animals. Over the first 60 years, data from more than 50 animal species was presented, with the lead authors coming from 48 countries. The two most common species used in animal papers between 1957 and 2016 were cattle (109 papers: 22.7% of all animal papers) and rats (96 papers: 20.0% of all animal papers). Although cattle and rats dominated, the species in the most cited paper (240 citations) was chickens, followed by bird migration (155 citations), and general livestock (118 citations). Overall, five papers exceeded 100 citations, and a further two exceeded 200 citations. In the last decade, 126 animal papers were published (26% of all animal papers). Many of these papers had a focus on livestock production in developing countries especially Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Gaughan
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, QLD, Gatton, Australia.
| | - Angela M Lees
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, QLD, Gatton, Australia
| | - Veerasamy Sejian
- Animal Physiology Division, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Audugodi, Bangalore, 560030, India
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Vecellio DJ, Allen MJ. Short communication: trends in biometeorology publishing: a case study of climate and Human Health Commission members. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2019; 63:825-829. [PMID: 30788594 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-019-01695-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The International Journal of Biometeorology (IJB) has been the flagship journal in the field for the past 60+ years. However, given its interdisciplinary nature, biometeorology research has appeared in numerous publication outlets other than the IJB. This study compiles the most popular of these journals, so that early-career biometeorologists might be able to be exposed to more literature that the field has to offer. In focusing on where members of the International Society of Biometeorology's (ISB) Climate and Human Health Commission (CHH) members publish, journals with a general focus on fields such as climate, the environment, and health stand out. Many of these journals have impact factors much higher than the IJB, potentially making them more attractive for dissemination of results to a larger audience. With this paper, the authors hope that the interest in biometeorology is broadened through an expansion of known available literature, specifically with early-career researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Vecellio
- Climate Science Lab, Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Michael J Allen
- Department of Political Science and Geography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
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Glądalski M, Bańbura M, Kaliński A, Markowski M, Skwarska J, Wawrzyniak J, Zieliński P, Bańbura J. Hatching delays in great tits and blue tits in response to an extreme cold spell: a long-term study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:1437-1445. [PMID: 29667035 PMCID: PMC6063324 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-018-1541-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Variation in ambient temperature affects various life stages of organisms. It has been suggested that climate change not only implies higher global temperatures but also more unpredictable weather and more frequent extreme weather events. Temperature has a major influence on the optimal laying-incubation-hatching dates of insectivorous passerines, because it poses energetic constraints and affects the timing of food abundance. We have been studying breeding characteristics of great tits Parus major and blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in two areas, an urban parkland and a deciduous forest, around the city of Łódź since 2002. During the egg-laying period in 2017, both tit species at both study areas faced an unusual cold spell as reflected by a sudden decrease in the mean ambient temperature to ca. 2-3 °C for about 5 days, which caused mean hatching delays of up to 6 days. Since flexibility of behavior plays a major role in adjusting to unpredictable weather conditions, examining its limits may be an important goal for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Glądalski
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
| | - Mirosława Bańbura
- Museum of Natural History, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Kilińskiego 101, 90-011, Łódź, Poland
| | - Adam Kaliński
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Marcin Markowski
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Joanna Skwarska
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Jarosław Wawrzyniak
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Piotr Zieliński
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Jerzy Bańbura
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
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Gosling SN. Additional new insights into Biometeorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:1-2. [PMID: 29270872 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1478-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon N Gosling
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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Gosling SN. Additional new insights into biometeorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2017:10.1007/s00484-017-1438-6. [PMID: 28914363 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1438-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon N Gosling
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
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Keatley MR. Developments in the International Society of Biometeorology over the decade, 2007-2016. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2017; 61:11-18. [PMID: 28653204 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1396-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the decade 2007-2016, the International Society of Biometeorology (ISB) has pursued its purpose of advancing the science of biometeorology through its Congresses and sponsoring conferences, meetings and workshops. In conjunction with Springer, ISB has introduced a new book series: Biometeorology, and published three volumes. ISB's journal, the International Journal of Biometeorology, has increased the number of issues to 12 per year and added the Fields of 'Aerobiology', 'Climate Change and Ecology' and 'Climate Change and Public Health'. Within ISB, there are currently six Commissions, reflecting the interests of the members and the needs of society. The newest, Biophysics of Adaptation and Response Commission, formed in 2015. Another group which formed over the decade was the Students and New Professionals Group. The Universal Thermal Climate Index Commission was formally dissolved in 2014 having met its aim of developing an easily understood human thermal index. At the Executive Board level, geographical representation has increased, with Councillors now being elected to represent six regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Oceania and Northern America. The ISB has worked to better coordinate and communicate biometeorological research, collaborating strategically with international partners to achieve this objective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie R Keatley
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia.
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Allen MJ, Vanos J, Hondula DM, Vecellio DJ, Knight D, Mehdipoor H, Lucas R, Fuhrmann C, Lokys H, Lees A, Nascimento ST, Leung ACW, Perkins DR. Supporting sustainability initiatives through biometeorology education and training. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2017; 61:93-106. [PMID: 28725975 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-017-1408-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The International Society of Biometeorology (ISB) has covered significant breadth and depth addressing fundamental and applied societal and environmental challenges in the last 60 years. Biometeorology is an interdisciplinary science connecting living organisms to their environment, but there is very little understanding of the existence and placement of this discipline within formal educational systems and institutions. It is thus difficult to project the ability of members of the biometeorological community-especially the biometeorologists of the future-to help solve global challenges. In this paper, we ask: At present, how we are training people to understand and think about biometeorology? We also ask: What are the current tools and opportunities in which biometeorologists might address future challenges? Finally, we connect these two questions by asking: What type of new training and skill development is needed to better educate "biometeorologists of the future" to more effectively address the future challenges? To answer these questions, we provide quantitative and qualitative evidence from an educationally focused workshop attended by new professionals in biometeorology. We identify four common themes (thermal comfort and exposures, agricultural productivity, air quality, and urbanization) that biometeorologists are currently studying and that we expect to be important in the future based on their alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Review of recent literature within each of these thematic areas highlights a wide array of skill sets and perspectives that biometeorologists are already using. Current and new professionals within the ISB have noted highly varying and largely improvised educational pathways into the field. While variability and improvisation may be assets in promoting flexibility, adaptation, and interdisciplinarity, the lack of formal training in biometeorology raises concerns about the extent to which continuing generations of scholars will identify and engage with the community of scholarship that the ISB has developed over its 60-year history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Allen
- Department of Political Science and Geography, Old Dominion University, 7035 Batten Arts and Letters, Norfolk, VA, USA.
| | - Jennifer Vanos
- Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography Department Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, San Diego, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, UC San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - David M Hondula
- School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Daniel J Vecellio
- Climate Science Lab, Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, Texas, , College Station, TX, USA
| | - David Knight
- Department of Engineering Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Hamed Mehdipoor
- Department of Geo-Information Processing, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Rebekah Lucas
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Chris Fuhrmann
- Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Hanna Lokys
- Climatology Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Angela Lees
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Animal Science Group, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Andrew C W Leung
- Climate Laboratory, Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David R Perkins
- Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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