Does urbanisation lead to parallel demographic shifts across the world in a cosmopolitan plant?

Urbanisation is occurring globally, leading to dramatic environmental changes that are altering the ecology and evolution of species. In particular, the expansion of human infrastructure and the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats in cities is predicted to increase genetic drift and reduce gene flow by reducing the size and connectivity of populations. Alternatively, the 'urban facilitation model' suggests that some species will have greater gene flow into and within cities leading to higher diversity and lower differentiation in urban populations. These alternative hypotheses have not been contrasted across multiple cities. Here, we used the genomic data from the GLobal Urban Evolution project (GLUE), to study the effects of urbanisation on non-adaptive evolutionary processes of white clover (Trifolium repens) at a global scale. We found that white clover populations presented high genetic diversity and no evidence of reduced Ne linked to urbanisation. On the contrary, we found that urban populations were less likely to experience a recent decrease in effective population size than rural ones. In addition, we found little genetic structure among populations both globally and between urban and rural populations, which showed extensive gene flow between habitats. Interestingly, white clover displayed overall higher gene flow within urban areas than within rural habitats. Our study provides the largest comprehensive test of the demographic effects of urbanisation. Our results contrast with the common perception that heavily altered and fragmented urban environments will reduce the effective population size and genetic diversity of populations and contribute to their isolation.

Mother nature: Applicability to contemporary attachment styles

OBJECTIVES

Explore humanity's shifting attachment to the natural world using established attachment theories as a framework.

METHODS

Investigate the analogy between human-nature connection and caregiver-child attachment styles. Draw on indigenous case studies, sociology and anthropology to highlight contemporary repercussions of this 'detachment'.

RESULTS

Factors such as rapid population growth and urbanisation have disrupted the secure attachment with nature, which is evidenced in ancient egalitarian societies. These factors can be mapped onto contemporary attachment domains.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an urgent need to re-establish a secure attachment to nature. This may be a pivotal strategy in addressing both mental health and environmental challenges, particularly in the context of the escalating climate crisis.

Land-use change in the past 40 years explains shifts in arthropod community traits

Understanding how anthropogenic activities induce changes in the functional traits of arthropod communities is critical to assessing their ecological consequences. However, we largely lack comprehensive assessments of the long-term impact of global-change drivers on the trait composition of arthropod communities across a large number of species and sites. This knowledge gap critically hampers our ability to predict human-driven impacts on communities and ecosystems. Here, we use a dataset of 1.73 million individuals from 877 species to study how four functionally important traits of carabid beetles and spiders (i.e. body size, duration of activity period, tolerance to drought, and dispersal capacity) have changed at the community level across ~40 years in different types of land use and as a consequence of land use changes (that is, urbanisation and loss of woody vegetation) at the landscape scale in Switzerland. The results show that the mean body size in carabid communities declined in all types of land use, with particularly stronger declines in croplands compared to forests. Furthermore, the length of the activity period and the tolerance to drought of spider communities decreased in most land use types. The average body size of carabid communities in landscapes with increased urbanisation in the last ~40 years tended to decrease. However, the length of the activity period, the tolerance to drought, and the dispersal capacity did not change significantly. Furthermore, urbanisation promoted increases in the average dispersal capacities of spider communities. Additionally, urbanisation favoured spider communities with larger body sizes and longer activity periods. The loss of woody areas at the landscape level was associated with trait shifts to carabid communities with larger body sizes, shorter activity periods, higher drought tolerances and strongly decreased dispersal capacities. Decreases in activity periods and dispersal capacities were also found in spider communities. Our study demonstrates that human-induced changes in land use alter key functional traits of carabid and spider communities in the long term. The detected trait shifts in arthropod communities likely have important consequences for their functional roles in ecosystems.

Disrupted ageing in place: Urbanisation and displaced older villagers in Suzhou, China

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the impacts of urbanisation-induced displacement on rural older villagers and the issues of rebuilding ageing in place in Suzhou Municipality in China's Jiangsu Province.

METHODS

The study employed a qualitative research method involving three measures of data collection, including 20 older-adult interviews, 14 key informant interviews (with street and community administrators, managers of service companies, managers of nursing homes and community doctor) and participant observation of older villagers' daily life in urban resettlement communities.

RESULTS

The displacement and resettlement of villagers for urbanisation had serious negative impacts on older villagers, including financial insecurity, relative deprivation and radical changes to the living environment. The community services were limited and insufficient, but the resettlement of the whole village in the same place enabled the village community to maintain social and cultural continuities, which facilitated older villagers' adaptation to the new urban place. Filial piety, though weakened and transformed, continued to play an important role in regulating old-age support, but descending familism reduced family resources for old-age support.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of examining the impacts of external social and economic forces, such urbanisation in China, on ageing in place. We draw three conclusions based on empirical research in Suzhou: (1) the resettlement of older villagers in urban areas did not significantly narrow the rural-urban gap in old-age support in Suzhou; (2) urbanisation-induced displacement in China affected older residents differently from gentrification in Western countries, due to different processes of compensation and resettlement as well as China's rural-urban welfare gap; and (3) community services for displaced older villagers are limited, but social and cultural continuities before and after resettlement have helped older villagers adapt to the new urban place.

Genomic footprints of (pre) colonialism: Population declines in urban and forest túngara frogs coincident with historical human activity

Urbanisation is rapidly altering ecosystems, leading to profound biodiversity loss. To mitigate these effects, we need a better understanding of how urbanisation impacts dispersal and reproduction. Two contrasting population demographic models have been proposed that predict that urbanisation either promotes (facilitation model) or constrains (fragmentation model) gene flow and genetic diversity. Which of these models prevails likely depends on the strength of selection on specific phenotypic traits that influence dispersal, survival, or reproduction. Here, we a priori examined the genomic impact of urbanisation on the Neotropical túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), a species known to adapt its reproductive traits to urban selective pressures. Using whole-genome resequencing for multiple urban and forest populations we examined genomic diversity, population connectivity and demographic history. Contrary to both the fragmentation and facilitation models, urban populations did not exhibit substantial changes in genomic diversity or differentiation compared with forest populations, and genomic variation was best explained by geographic distance rather than environmental factors. Adopting an a posteriori approach, we additionally found both urban and forest populations to have undergone population declines. The timing of these declines appears to coincide with extensive human activity around the Panama Canal during the last few centuries rather than recent urbanisation. Our study highlights the long-lasting legacy of past anthropogenic disturbances in the genome and the importance of considering the historical context in urban evolution studies as anthropogenic effects may be extensive and impact nonurban areas on both recent and older timescales.

Habitat diversification associated with urban development has a little effect on genetic structure in the annual native plant Commelina communis in an East Asian megacity

Urban development greatly alters the natural and semi-natural habitats of native plants. Urbanisation results in a range of diverse habitats including remnant agricultural lands, urban parks, and roadside habitats. This habitat diversity often promotes trait divergence within urban areas. However, the mechanisms by which diverse urban habitats influence the population genetic structure of individual plant species remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of urbanisation on genetic diversity and structure within 24 Commelina communis populations across diverse habitat types (rural agricultural land, urban agricultural land, urban park land, and urban roadsides) within the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe megacity in Japan. We conducted multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat genotyping to compare genetic diversity among populations in different habitats. We also examined the correlation between Nei's genetic distance and geographic and environmental distances and performed principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) to evaluate genetic differentiation among urban habitats. There were no significant differences in genetic diversity indices between urban and rural populations and among urban habitat types. Although we detected no isolation-by-distance structure in population pairs of the same habitat type and in those of different habitats, the difference in surrounding landscape facilitated genetic differentiation not only between urban and rural habitats but also between different urban habitats. PCoA revealed no clear genetic differentiation among rural and urban habitat populations. Our findings indicate that the establishment of diverse habitat types through urbanisation has no and little impact on genetic diversity and structure, respectively, in C. communis, likely due to its high selfing rate and ability to adapt to urban conditions.

Does urbanisation have an impact on the trophic ecology of the Algerian hedgehog Atelerixalgirus in northern Algeria?

The Algerian hedgehog, which is an endemic Mediterranean species, is a nocturnal and terrestrial insectivorous mammal. Atelerixalgirus' populations are widespread in various habitats comprising human agglomeration, such as rural, suburban or natural ecosystems. However, the impact of the habitat's characteristics on its diet remains unknown in Algeria. To contribute to a better understanding of this question, we have analysed 158 faeces samples of the Algerian hedgehog in three different areas: urban, suburban and natural area. The findings show that the Algerian hedgehog is an opportunistic species. It feeds on several classes of Arthropoda, but the harvester ant Messorbarbarus dominates largely its menu with AR = 74.81% in the diverse habitats. Furthermore, the HAC and FCA analyses confirm the positive impact of the level of urbanisation and the anthropogenic activity on the Algerian hedgehog prey richness in the north of Algeria (79 prey species and 5574 individuals ingested in the urban area, compared to 64 prey species and 3188 individuals ingested in the natural zone).

Cognition mediates response to anthropogenic noise in wild Western Australian magpies (Gmynorhina tibicen dorsalis)

Anthropogenic noise is a pollutant of growing concern, with wide-ranging effects on taxa across ecosystems. Until recently, studies investigating the effects of anthropogenic noise on animals focused primarily on population-level consequences, rather than individual-level impacts. Individual variation in response to anthropogenic noise may result from extrinsic or intrinsic factors. One such intrinsic factor, cognitive performance, varies between individuals and is hypothesised to aid behavioural response to novel stressors. Here, we combine cognitive testing, behavioural focals and playback experiments to investigate how anthropogenic noise affects the behaviour and anti-predator response of Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis), and to determine whether this response is linked to cognitive performance. We found a significant population-level effect of anthropogenic noise on the foraging effort, foraging efficiency, vigilance, vocalisation rate and anti-predator response of magpies, with birds decreasing their foraging, vocalisation behaviours and anti-predator response, and increasing vigilance when loud anthropogenic noise was present. We also found that individuals varied in their response to playbacks depending on their cognitive performance, with individuals that performed better in an associative learning task maintaining their anti-predator response when an alarm call was played in anthropogenic noise. Our results add to the growing body of literature documenting the adverse effects of anthropogenic noise on wildlife and provide the first evidence for an association between individual cognitive performance and behavioural responses to anthropogenic noise.

Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy)

Background

Given their sensitivity to environmental alterations, odonates act as reliable bioindicators to assess the effects of changes in freshwater ecosystems and associated terrestrial habitats. The region comprised between Lario and Brianza (Provinces of Como, Lecco and Monza and Brianza - Lombardy, N Italy) is one of the most urbanised of the Italian peninsula and large parts of its territory have been heavily altered, especially at low elevation. Despite this pervasive anthropogenisation, the area is still characterised by a considerable variety of freshwater habitats, possibly harbouring rich odonate communities, which, however, have been never thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to produce the first commented checklist of the Odonata of this region, accompanied by distribution maps.

New information

The work is based on 12,093 records spanning from 1981 and 2022, derived from literature (289), revision of collections (42), citizen-science projects (1249) and unpublished data from the authors and their collaborators (10,513). Overall, fifty-five species occur - or occurred in the past - in the study area (20 Zygoptera and 35 Anisoptera). One species, Erythrommanajas, was confirmed exclusively before 1978, while seven species (Lestesbarbarus, Coenagrionscitulum, Aeshnaaffinis, Anaxephippiger, Somatochloraarctica, Sympetrummeridionale and Trithemisannulata) have been recorded only after 2000. Records referring to Chalcolestesparvidens and Sympetrumflaveolum were considered questionable and excluded from the checklist. A list of species for each protected site is additionally provided. This work highlighted the importance for odonates of Lario and Brianza Regions from a national perspective, in particular for species of conservation priority/interest, such as Sympecmapaedisca, Oxygastracurtisii and Sympetrumdepressiusculum.

The combined effects of treated sewage discharge and land use on rivers

Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic stressors. Release of treated sewage effluent and pollution from agricultural or urban sources can independently reduce water quality with implications for ecological communities. However, our knowledge of the combined effects of these stressors is limited. We performed a field study to quantify the combined effect of treated sewage discharge and land use on nutrient concentrations, sewage fungus presence and communities of macroinvertebrates and benthic algae. Over three seasons in four rivers we found that a model which included an interaction between sewage pollution and time of the year (i.e. months) was the best predictor of nutrient concentrations and the abundance of algae and sewage fungus. Both macroinvertebrate and algae communities shifted downstream of sewage input. Specifically, more tolerant groups, such as cyanobacteria and oligochaetes, were more abundant. The EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Tricoptera) water quality score was best explained by an interaction between month and agriculture in the surrounding landscape. Overall, our results show that sewage discharge has a significant impact on water quality and benthic riverine communities, regardless of the surrounding land uses. Agricultural inputs, however, could be more important than treated sewage discharge in reducing the abundance of sensitive invertebrate taxa. We need both improvements to wastewater treatment processes and reductions in agricultural pollution to reduce threats to vulnerable freshwater communities.

"It is unbearable to breathe here": air quality, open incineration, and misinformation in Blantyre, Malawi

Blantyre, Malawi's Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), or Queen's, as it's known locally, is the country's largest public hospital. However, Queen's is not served by regular municipal waste collection. Rather, most hospital waste (infectious and non-infectious) is gathered by grounds staff and openly burned, in several constantly smouldering piles, sending up clouds of smoke. Speaking directly to an identified knowledge gap on air quality impacts linked to trash burning and the paucity of African urban dwellers' voices on air quality issues, this study employed a mixed-methods approach to both quantitatively measure the air quality around QECH, and to qualitatively investigate the perceived impacts amongst staff and caregivers. Low-cost sensors measuring particulate matter (PM) with particle sizes less than 10 μm (PM10) and less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), expressed as the mass of PM per volume of air (μg PMx/m3 air) were recorded every 5 min at 8 locations across the QECH for 2 months. Qualitative data collection consisted of 56 interviews with patients, caregivers and hospital staff (including janitorial and maintenance staff, nurses, doctors, and administrators). Our results show that safe air quality thresholds are consistently exceeded across space and time and that the most problematic air quality surrounds the shelter for caregivers and those receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. Moreover, staff and visitors are severely impacted by the poor air quality within the space, but feel powerless to make changes or address complaints. Waste management interventions are desperately needed lest the patients who arrive at Queen's leave with more health issues than the ones with which they arrived.

Urbanisation impacts plumage colouration in a songbird across Europe: Evidence from a correlational, experimental and meta-analytical approach

Urbanisation is accelerating across the globe, transforming landscapes, presenting organisms with novel challenges, shaping phenotypes and impacting fitness. Urban individuals are claimed to have duller carotenoid-based colouration, compared to their non-urban counterparts, the so-called 'urban dullness' phenomenon. However, at the intraspecific level, this generalisation is surprisingly inconsistent and often based on comparisons of single urban/non-urban populations or studies from a limited geographical area. Here, we combine correlational, experimental and meta-analytical data on a common songbird, the great tit Parus major, to investigate carotenoid-based plumage colouration in urban and forest populations across Europe. We find that, as predicted, urban individuals are paler than forest individuals, although there are large population-specific differences in the magnitude of the urban-forest contrast in colouration. Using one focal region (Malmö, Sweden), we reveal population-specific processes behind plumage colouration differences, which are unlikely to be the result of genetic or early-life conditions, but instead a consequence of environmental factors acting after fledging. Finally, our meta-analysis indicates that the urban dullness phenomenon is well established in the literature, for great tits, with consistent changes in carotenoid-based plumage traits, particularly carotenoid chroma, in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Overall, our results provide evidence for uniformity in the 'urban dullness' phenomenon but also highlight that the magnitude of the effect on colouration depends on local urban characteristics. Future long-term replicated studies, covering a wider range of species and feeding guilds, will be essential to further our understanding of the eco-evolutionary implications of this phenomenon.

Environmental influences on ophthalmic conditions: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Environmental factors have been implicated in various eye pathologies. The purpose of this review is to synthesise the published research on environmental effects on eye disease.

METHODS

Four databases were searched for terms relating to environmental exposures and ophthalmic disease. Titles and abstracts were screened followed by full-text review. Data was extracted from 118 included studies. Quality assessment was conducted for each study.

RESULTS

Air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, nitrites, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone and hydrocarbons are associated with ocular conditions ranging from corneal damage to various retinopathies, including central retinal artery occlusion. Certain chemicals and metals, such as cadmium, are associated with increased risk of age-related macular degeneration. Climate factors, such as sun exposure, have been associated with the development of cataracts. Living in rural areas was associated with various age-related eye diseases whereas people living in urban settings had higher risk for dry eye disease and uveitis.

CONCLUSION

Environmental exposures in every domain are associated with various ophthalmic conditions. These findings underscore the importance of continued research on the interplay between the environment and eye health.

Negative effects of urbanisation on diurnal and nocturnal pollen-transport networks

Pollinating insects are declining due to habitat loss and climate change, and cities with limited habitat and floral resources may be particularly vulnerable. The effects of urban landscapes on pollination networks remain poorly understood, and comparative studies of taxa with divergent niches are lacking. Here, for the first time, we simultaneously compare nocturnal moth and diurnal bee pollen-transport networks using DNA metabarcoding and ask how pollination networks are affected by increasing urbanisation. Bees and moths exhibited substantial divergence in the communities of plants they interact with. Increasing urbanisation had comparable negative effects on pollen-transport networks of both taxa, with significant declines in pollen species richness. We show that moths are an important, but overlooked, component of urban pollen-transport networks for wild flowering plants, horticultural crops, and trees. Our findings highlight the need to include both bee and non-bee taxa when assessing the status of critical plant-insect interactions in urbanised landscapes.

ericifolia

Seed fungal endophytes play a crucial role in assisting the overall health and success of their host plant; however, little is known about the factors that influence the diversity and composition of these endophytes, particularly with respect to how they change over time and within urban environments. Using culturing techniques, morphological analyses, and Sanger sequencing, we identified the culturable seed fungal endophytes of Banksia ericifolia at two urban and two natural sites in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. A total of 27 Operational Taxonomic Units were obtained from 1200 seeds. Older cones were found to contain, on average, more colonised endophytes than younger cones. Species richness was also significantly influenced by cone age, with older cones being more speciose. Between urban and natural sites, the overall community composition did not change, although species richness and diversity were greatest at urban sites. Understanding how these endophytes vary in time and space may help provide an insight into the transmission pathways used and the potential role they play within the development and survival of the seed. This knowledge may also be crucial for restoration purposes, especially regarding the need to consider endophyte viability in ex situ seed collection and storage in seed-banking practices.

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Colorectal Cancer Incidence in Córdoba, Argentina

OBJECTIVE

To study the trend of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence, considering its spatiotemporal distribution and its association with the level of urbanisation in Córdoba, Argentina (2004-2014).

METHODS

An ecological and longitudinal study was conducted in the province of Córdoba (the second most populated of the country) using annual data for the period 2004-2014. Age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR) (standard national and world population) by sex were calculated for Córdoba and its 26 departments for CRC using the provincial tumour registry database. Joinpoint regression models were adjusted to provincial ASIRs. Departments ASIRs were mapped in quintiles. The departments were grouped into three strata according to urbanisation: High (n1=6, >107,000 people); Intermediate (n2=13, 33,000-107,000 people); and Low (n3=7, <33,000 people). The spatio-temporal correlation analysis of the departments' rates was fulfilled using the multilevel modelling strategy.

RESULTS

ASIRs of CRC in Córdoba province were 30.9 ±1.5 and 24.3 ±1.5 cases/100,000 for men and women, respectively. During 2004-2014, ASIRs tended to decrease (annual per cent change: -0.6; CI95% -1.8, 0.6). Maps reflected different geospatial patterns by sex. CRC incidence in males was higher than in females in all strata (high urbanisation, incidence rate ratios (IRR): 1.66; intermediate, IRR: 1.59; and low, IRR: 1.40). There was a significant downward temporary variation in the most populous departments (3% per year).

CONCLUSIONS

CRC presents a non-random spatial pattern across the territory with a decreasing temporal variation in the most populous departments. Differential incidence and temporospatial tendency burden in Córdoba involve sex and urbanisation. Men continue to be the population at the greatest risk; this pattern is more noticeable in most urban settings.

Resilience and vulnerabilities of urban food environments in the Asia-Pacific region

Rapid urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific region is associated with complex changes to urban food environments. The impact of changing food environments on food purchasing and consumption and the diets and nutritional status of vulnerable groups, especially women and young children, is not well researched in low- and middle-income country cities. This paper aimed to examine: the risks and opportunities for healthy diets for low income populations offered by modernising urban centres; the concept of food deserts in relation to urban food environments in the Asia-Pacific region and how these could be mitigated; and measures to strengthen the resilience of food environments in the region using a case study of the impact of COVID-19 on informal food vendors. Our findings indicate that the dynamic changes in urban food environments in the Asia- Pacific region need to be understood by examining not only modern retail food outlets but also wet markets and informal food outlets, including street foods. Efforts should be made to ensure both modern and traditional outlets provide complementary platforms for convenient, affordable and accessible nutritious foods for urban populations. The resilience of urban food environments to environmental, physical and socio-economic shocks can be strengthened by shortening food supply chains and maximising food production in cities. Support mechanisms targeting urban informal food outlets and street vendors can also strengthen resilience and improve food security. Further research is needed on the impact of urbanising food environments on consumer choices, preferences, diets and health outcomes.

Spatio-Temporal Coupling Evolution of Urbanisation and Carbon Emission in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

The distribution characteristics of urbanisation level and per capita carbon emissions from 2006 to 2019 were investigated by the ranking scale rule, using 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China. A coupling coordination model was established to analyse the relative development relationship between the two, and exploratory spatial-temporal data analysis (ESTDA) was applied to reveal the spatial interaction characteristics and temporal evolution pattern of the coupling coordination degree. The results demonstrate that: (1) The urbanisation level and per capita carbon emissions of the Yangtze River Economic Belt show a stable spatial structure of 'high in the east and low in the west'. (2) The coupling and coordination degree of urbanisation level and carbon emissions show a trend of 'decreasing and then increasing', with a spatial distribution of 'high in the east and low in the west'. (3) The spatial structure exhibits strong stability, dependence, and integration. The stability is enhanced from west to east, the coupling coordination degree has strong transfer inertia, and the spatial pattern's path dependence and locking characteristics show a trend of weak fluctuation. Therefore, the coupling and coordination analysis is required for the coordinated development of urbanisation and carbon emission reduction.

Land Cover Changes Utilising Landsat Satellite Imageries for the Kumasi Metropolis and Its Adjoining Municipalities in Ghana (1986-2022)

Forest loss, unbridled urbanisation, and the loss of arable lands have become contentious issues for the sustainable management of land. Landsat satellite images for 1986, 2003, 2013, and 2022, covering the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and its adjoining municipalities, were used to analyse the Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes. The machine learning algorithm, Support Vector Machine (SVM), was used for the satellite image classification that led to the generation of the LULC maps. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalised Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) were analysed to assess the correlations between the indices. The image overlays of the forest and urban extents and the calculation of the annual deforestation rates were evaluated. The study revealed decreasing trends in forestlands, increased urban/built-up areas (similar to the image overlays), and a decline in agricultural lands. However, there was a negative relationship between the NDVI and NDBI. The results corroborate the pressing need for the assessment of LULC utilising satellite sensors. This paper contributes to the existing outlines for evolving land design for the promotion of sustainable land use.

Complexities of contemporary urban planning in local government in the City of Polokwane, Limpopo province

Urbanisation is characterised by the high consumption of nonrenewable resources and being resource-intensive in meeting the energy demands of the growing urban population. The growth compels the efficient management of urbanisation to mitigate climate change. The inability to effectively plan and manage urbanisation will result in high consumption of nonrenewable resources, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollution, which contribute to the intensification of climate change. Complexity theory as a theoretical framework asserts that the management of urbanisation is both complex and nonlinear. This means that the management of urbanisation cannot be done by reducing the system into individual components. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. The data were collected from the four areas around the City of Polokwane and officials from the Polokwane Local Municipality. The finding of the study is that the City of Polokwane is still facing multiple challenges such as traffic congestion, lack of community participation, illegal dumping of wastes and a decline in green spaces. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality has made inroads towards reducing traffic congestion through the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) (Leeto la Polokwane). It can be concluded that urbanisation in the City of Polokwane is not effectively planned and managed to address climate change.

CONTRIBUTION

This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems.

Do We Need Public Green Spaces Accessibility Standards for the Sustainable Development of Urban Settlements? The Evidence from Wrocław, Poland

Public green spaces (PGSs) have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of urban residents. However, their accessibility can be limited due to high urbanisation pressures and inadequate or insufficient regulatory provisions. This problem has been recognised for Central European cities, of which Wrocław is an example, where the provision of PGS accessibility has not received major attention in recent decades, and the planning system has been in constant transformation since the transition from a centrally planned to a free-market economy. This study therefore aimed to examine the distribution and accessibility of PGSs in the expanding area of Wrocław today and upon implementation of the plans under the proposed standards. These analyses were performed using the QGIS application, network analysis, and the ISO-Area as polygon algorithm. The findings revealed a conspicuous lack of available PGSs, which includes areas above 2 ha, such as district and neighbourhood parks. New PGSs are now being planned, but even so, part of the residential areas will remain outside their catchment zone. The results obtained provide strong evidence that it is essential that standards should be a tool implemented in urban planning, and that the adopted procedure can be transferred to other cities.

Urbanisation and its Associated Factors Affecting Human Gut Microbiota: Where are we Heading to?

ContextThe continuous rise in urbanisation and its associated factors have been reflected in the structure of the human gut ecosystem.ObjectiveThe main focus of the review is to discuss and summarise the major risk factors associated with urbanisation that affects human gut microbiota thus affecting human health.MethodsMultiple medical literature databases, namely PubMed, Google, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were used to find relevant materials for urbanization and its major factors affecting human gut microbiota/microbiome. Both layman and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms were used in the search. Due to the scarcity of the data, no limitation was set on the publication date. Relevant material in the English language which includes case reports, chapters of books, journal articles, online news reports and medical records was included in this review.ResultsBased on the data discussed in the review, it is quite clear that urbanisation and its associated factors have long-standing effects on the human gut microbiota that result in alterations of gut microbial diversity and composition. This is a matter of serious concern as chronic inflammatory diseases are on the rise in urbanised societies.ConclusionA better understanding of the factors associated with urbanisation will help us to identify and implement new biological and social approaches to prevent and treat diseases and improve health globally by deepening our understanding of these relationships and increasing studies across urbanisation gradients.HIGHLIGHTSHuman gut microbiota has been linked to almost every important function, including metabolism, intestinal homeostasis, immune system, biosynthesis of vitamins, brain processes, and its behaviour.However, dysbiosis i.e., alteration in the composition and diversity of gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of many chronic conditions.In the 21st century, urbanisation represents a major demographic shift in developed and developing countries.During this period of urbanisation, humans have been exposed to many environmental exposures, all of which have led to the dysbiosis of human gut microbiota.The main focus of the review is to discuss and summarize the major risk factors associated with urbanisation and how it affects the diversity and composition of gut microbiota which ultimately affects human health.

Habitat connectivity and host relatedness influence virus spread across an urbanising landscape in a fragmentation-sensitive carnivore

Spatially heterogeneous landscape factors such as urbanisation can have substantial effects on the severity and spread of wildlife diseases. However, research linking patterns of pathogen transmission to landscape features remains rare. Using a combination of phylogeographic and machine learning approaches, we tested the influence of landscape and host factors on feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV_Lru) genetic variation and spread among bobcats (Lynx rufus) sampled from coastal southern California. We found evidence for increased rates of FIV_Lru lineage spread through areas of higher vegetation density. Furthermore, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation among FIV_Lru sequences was associated with host genetic distances and geographic location, with FIV_Lru genetic discontinuities precisely correlating with known urban barriers to host dispersal. An effect of forest land cover on FIV_Lru SNP variation was likely attributable to host population structure and differences in forest land cover between different populations. Taken together, these results suggest that the spread of FIV_Lru is constrained by large-scale urban barriers to host movement. Although urbanisation at fine spatial scales did not appear to directly influence virus transmission or spread, we found evidence that viruses transmit and spread more quickly through areas containing higher proportions of natural habitat. These multiple lines of evidence demonstrate how urbanisation can change patterns of contact-dependent pathogen transmission and provide insights into how continued urban development may influence the incidence and management of wildlife disease.

A global meta-analysis reveals higher variation in breeding phenology in urban birds than in their non-urban neighbours

Cities pose a major ecological challenge for wildlife worldwide. Phenotypic variation, which can result from underlying genetic variation or plasticity, is an important metric to understand eco-evolutionary responses to environmental change. Recent work suggests that urban populations might have higher levels of phenotypic variation than non-urban counterparts. This prediction, however, has never been tested across species nor over a broad geographical range. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of the avian literature to compare urban versus non-urban means and variation in phenology (i.e. lay date) and reproductive effort (i.e. clutch size, number of fledglings). First, we show that urban populations reproduce earlier and have smaller broods than non-urban conspecifics. Second, we show that urban populations have higher phenotypic variation in laying date than non-urban populations. This result arises from differences between populations within breeding seasons, conceivably due to higher landscape heterogeneity in urban habitats. These findings reveal a novel effect of urbanisation on animal life histories with potential implications for species adaptation to urban environments (which will require further investigation). The higher variation in phenology in birds subjected to urban disturbance could result from plastic responses to a heterogeneous environment, or from higher genetic variation in phenology, possibly linked to higher evolutionary potential.

Flood risk perception, disaster preparedness and response in flood-prone urban communities of Rivers State

Rapid urbanisation is contributing to increasing societal vulnerability to disaster. This study aimed at exploring the perception on flood risk and ascertaining the determinants of disaster preparedness among residents in flood-prone urban communities. Descriptive statistics and discriminant regression model were employed on primary data collected from 240 urban households across five communities at risk of flooding in the study area. The results showed that most households had low awareness of flood risk and exhibit low levels of adaptive capacity, having adopted little or no measures to deal with disaster floods. Also, awareness of flood risk was observed to discriminate the most between the two groups of adopters and nonadopters of flood preventive and management measures (proxy for disaster preparedness), followed by flood risk perception, age, location and household size.

Contribution

The study suggests an integrated approach (a combination of preventive, protective and control measures) by all stakeholders, including government and other relevant bodies, increasing public awareness of flood risk and its attending effects for greater responsiveness, supporting communities in regular clearing of drainage areas and strictly regulating the construction of buildings, particularly in flood prone areas.

The effects of urbanisation on ecological interactions

Cities are expanding worldwide and urbanisation is considered a global threat to biodiversity. Urban ecology has provided important insights on how urban environmental changes might affect individuals, populations, and species; however, we know little about how the ecological impacts of urbanisation alter species interactions. Species interactions are the backbone of ecological communities and play a crucial role in population and community dynamics and in the generation, maintenance and structure of biodiversity. Here, I review urban ecological studies to identify key mechanistic pathways through which urban environmental processes could alter antagonistic and mutualistic interactions among species. More specifically, I focus on insect predation, parasitoidism and herbivory, competition, insect host-pathogen interactions, and pollination. I furthermore identify important knowledge gaps that require additional research attention and I suggest future research directions that may help to shed light on the mechanisms that affect species interactions and structure insect communities and will thus aid conservation management in cities.

Towards a post-COVID geography of economic activity: Using probability spaces to decipher Montreal's changing workscapes

In March 2020, many workers were suddenly forced to work from home. This brought into stark relief the fact that urban economic activity is no longer attached to specific workplaces. This detachment has been analysed in research on organisations and workers, but has not yet been incorporated into concepts used to document and plan the economic geography of cities. In this article, three questions are explored by way of an original survey: first, how can a shift in the location of economic activity be measured at the urban scale whilst incorporating the idea that work is not attached to a single location? Second, what is the nature of the shift that occurred in March 2020? Third, what does this tell us about concepts that have underpinned the study of urban economic form by geographers and planners? Applying concepts developed in organisation studies and sociology, we operationalise the idea that economic activity happens across multiple spaces: it occurs within a probability space, and since March 2020 it has shifted within this space. To better understand and interpret the longer-term impact of this shift on cities - downtowns in particular - we draw upon interviews with people working from home.

Assessing land use influences on isotopic variability and stream water ages in urbanising rural catchments

Stable water isotopes are invaluable in helping understand catchment functioning and are widely used in experimental catchments, with higher frequency data becoming increasingly common. Such datasets incur substantial logistical costs, reducing their feasibility for use by decision makers needing to understand multi-catchment, landscape-scale functioning over a relatively short period to assess the impact of proposed land use change. Instead, reconnaissance style surveys (high spatial resolution across the landscape at a lower temporal frequency, over a relatively short period) offer an alternative, complementary approach. To test if such sampling could identify heterogeneities in hydrological functioning, and associated landscape controls, we sampled 27 stream sites fortnightly for one year within a peri-urban landscape undergoing land use change. Visual examination of raw data and application of mean transit time and young water fraction models indicated urbanisation, agriculture and responsive soils caused more rapid cycling of precipitation to stream water, whereas mature forestry provided attenuation. We were also able to identify contiguous catchments which functioned fundamentally differently, meaning their response to land use alteration would also be different. This study demonstrated how stable water isotopes can be a valuable, low-cost addition to tools available for environmental decision makers by providing local, process-based information.

Intercomparison of Local Warming Trends of Shanghai and Hong Kong Based on 120-Year Temperature Observational Data

Using surface air temperature observations from 1901 to 2020, this study compared the warming trends of Shanghai and Hong Kong over a period of 120 years. The statistical results reveal the following: (1) The average temperatures of the two cities underwent fluctuating increases during the past 120 years, with linear warming rates of 0.23 °C/decade in Shanghai and 0.13 °C/decade in Hong Kong. (2) The fluctuation ranges of maximum temperature in the two cities were considerably higher than those of mean temperature. Moreover, in both cities, the annual mean maximum temperature decreased during a phase of more than a decade. The fluctuation ranges of minimum temperature were smaller, whereas the linear increases were higher than those for the mean temperature. (3) The diurnal temperature ranges (DTRs) of the two cities decreased; a certain phase of the decreases in DTR in the two cities was caused by decreases in the maximum temperature. (4) At a certain stage of urban development, owing to the shading effect of new high-rise buildings, the solar shortwave radiation reaching the Earth’s surface decreased, and anthropogenic heat generated by the energy consumption of buildings and urban human activities at that time was not sufficient to make up for the reduced shortwave radiation. This result may have led to the declines in the maximum temperature experienced by both cities. (5) Currently, the number of hot days and extremely hot days in the two cities has increased significantly compared with that a century ago, indicating that climate warming has an adverse impact on human settlements.

Loneliness in urbanising China

Despite the growing literature on loneliness, little attention has been paid to the impact of broader changes in social structure and environment on individuals' experience of loneliness. Drawing on data from the 2018 Urbanization and Quality of Life Survey (N = 3,229) conducted in 40 localities undergoing rural-urban transition in China, this study investigates how measures of urbanisation (including population density, duration of urban status, neighbourhood transition and housing type) are associated with residents' loneliness. We revised measures of the six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, differentiated between emotional and social loneliness, estimated multi-level mixed-effects regressions and controlled for a number of individual-level covariates. The results show that emotional loneliness and social loneliness have different patterns of association with multi-level covariates: urbanisation at county, township and neighbourhood levels is significantly associated with emotional loneliness, whereas residence in temporary housing is a clear risk factor for social loneliness. The analyses further demonstrate that the revised measures of loneliness address concerns about the original scale, offer a clearer sense of the degrees of loneliness and are strongly associated with multi-level covariates and psychological distress. In addition to showing how urbanisation leads to greater individual loneliness, our research also illustrates how to model locational parameters in analyses of individual well-being.

Residential area greenness and hypertension: a national assessment on urban adults in Bangladesh

This study investigated the associations between greenness and blood pressure (BP) metrics (systolic BP [SBP], diastolic BP [DBP], hypertension) among urban adults in Bangladesh and the potential mediation effects of body mass index (BMI) using 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data for 2360 urban adults (aged ≥35 years). The Enhanced Vegetation Index was used as a measure of residential area greenness. Associations between greenness and BP metrics were estimated using linear and binary logistic regression models. We also conducted mediation analyses. Greater area-level greenness was inversely associated with SBP (β -1.33, 95%CI: -2.46, -.20), DBP (β -.83, 95%CI: -1.64, -.02), and hypertension (adjusted odds ratio .87, 95%CI: .77, .98). BMI substantially mediated associations between greenness and BP metrics. Adopting urban greening policies could reduce the risk of hypertension, thus can contribute to reduction of non-communicable disease burden in Bangladesh. Longitudinal studies are required to further investigate the causal pathways.

Disparities in Nutritional Adequacy of Diets between Different Socioeconomic Groups of Finnish Adults

Information on dietary adequacy is needed to assess food and nutrition security in a modern society, especially in the transition towards climate-friendly food systems. In this study, differences in the nutritional adequacy of diets among Finnish adults were evaluated in population groups of different education, income and urbanisation levels. The study used data from the FinDiet 2017 Survey (n = 1655, 18-74 years). Modelled usual intakes of foods and nutrients were evaluated relative to food-based dietary guidelines issued by the National Nutrition Council of Finland (FNNC) and with respect to nutrient adequacy following the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and FNNC. For about half of the nutrients studied, intakes were found to be adequate. Intakes of protein, fat, saturated fatty acids and salt were estimated to be high. By contrast, inadequate intakes were seen in folate and vitamins A, D, B1, B2 and C in almost all groups studied. Groups with a higher education and income, groups that lived in urban areas and, in particular, women adhered more closely to recommended food consumption and nutrient intakes than others. However, major challenges posed by the Finnish diet are common to all groups studied, and only certain dietary features evaluated in view of nutritional adequacy are associated with socioeconomic differences.

Regional differences in initial labour market conditions and dynamics in lifetime income trajectories

We use longitudinal register data from Sweden to study patterns and dynamics in lifetime income trajectories. We examine divergences in these income trajectories by local economic conditions at labour market entry, in combination with other factors such as gender, education level and socio-economic background. We cannot assume that these relationships are constant over the course of individuals' working lives. Therefore, we use methods from functional data analysis, allowing for a time-varying relationship between income and the explanatory variables. Our results show a large degree of heterogeneity in how lifetime income trajectories develop for different subgroups. We find that, for men, entering the labour market in an urban area is associated with higher cumulative lifetime income, especially later in life. The exception is men with only primary education, for whom those starting their working lives in a large city have lower incomes on average. This divergence increases in size over time. Women who enter into a large urban labour market receive higher lifetime income at all education levels. This relationship is strongest for women with primary education but decreases in strength over time for these women.

Loss of Happiness for Land-Expropriated, Urbanised Residents: A Comparison Based on Multiple Groups

Are land-expropriated, urbanised residents living happily? This question is not only related to the quality of urbanisation but also has important reference for evaluating the reform of the land acquisition system. On the basis of the Chinese General Social Survey data in 2017 and 2018, the HeckProbit model, the ordered probit model and the mediating effect model were used to study the happiness and underlying mechanism of land-expropriated, urbanised residents. The results showed that the older the farmers are, the lower the probability of obtaining urban hukou through land acquisition, and women will be more likely to achieve household registration through land requisition. Education and party status have significant inhibitory effects on hukou conversion through land acquisition. A comparison among multiple groups indicated that the happiness level of each group is ranked as follows: residents who attained urban hukou through education and job recruitment > urban native residents > land-expropriated, urbanised residents > farmers; however, the happiness level of the latter two groups has no significant difference. The propensity score matching method was further used to reduce the endogeneity due to selection bias, and the results were still robust. The lower self-assessment of socioeconomic status indirectly caused the loss of happiness of land-expropriated, urbanised residents. However, the high living expectation ‘suppressed’ the negative effect of land acquisition on happiness to some extent.

Nature-Based Citizen Science as a Mechanism to Improve Human Health in Urban Areas

The world is becoming increasingly urbanised, impacting human interactions with natural environments (NEs). NEs take a number of forms, ranging from pristine, modified, to built NEs, which are common in many urban areas. NEs may include nature-based solutions, such as introducing nature elements and biological processes into cities that are used to solve problems created by urbanisation. Whilst urbanisation has negative impacts on human health, impacting mental and physical wellbeing through a number of mechanisms, exposure to NEs may improve human health and wellbeing. Here, we review the mechanisms by which health can be improved by exposure to NEs, as explained by Stress Reduction Theory, Attention Restoration Theory, and the 'Old Friends'/biodiversity hypothesis. Such exposures may have physiological and immunological benefits, mediated through endocrine pathways and altered microbiota. Citizen Science, which often causes exposure to NEs and social activity, is being increasingly used to not only collect scientific data but also to engage individuals and communities. Despite being a named component of scientific and environmental strategies of governments, to our knowledge, the intrinsic health benefits of Citizen Science in NEs do not form part of public health policy. We contend that Citizen Science programs that facilitate exposure to NEs in urban areas may represent an important public health policy advance.

Usefulness of Tree Species as Urban Health Indicators

We used the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), the amount of PM₅ and PM₁₀, and the elemental analysis of leaves to explore the sensitivity of tree species to air pollution. We assessed the tolerance of Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer saccharinum, Tilia × europaea, Acer platanoides, Fraxinus excelsior, Betula pendula, Celtis occidentalis, and Platanus × acerifolia to the amount of dust, APTI, and the elemental concentration of leaves. Leaves were collected in Debrecen (Hungary), which has a high intensity of vehicular traffic. The highest amount of PM (both PM₁₀ and PM₅) was found on the leaves of A. saccharinum and B. pendula. Our results demonstrated that A. saccharinum was moderately tolerant, while P. acerifolia was intermediate, based on the APTI value. There was a significant difference in the parameters of APTI and the elemental concentration of leaves among species. We found that tree leaves are reliable bioindicators of air pollution in urban areas. Based on the value of APTI, A. saccharinum and P. acerifolia, and based on PM, A. saccharinum and B. pendula are recommended as pollutant-accumulator species, while other studied species with lower APTI values are useful bioindicators of air pollution. The results support landscape engineers and urban developers in finding the best tree species that are tolerant to pollution and in using those as proxies of urban environmental health.

Long-term trends in intergenerational proximity: Evidence from a grandchild design

Competing claims exist about how the geographic distance between parents and their adult children has changed historically. A classic modernisation hypothesis is that people currently live further away from their parents than in the past. Others have argued for stability and the remaining importance of local family ties, in spite of a long-term decline in co-residence of adult children and parents. The current paper uses a novel design that relies on reports by grandchildren to study long-term changes in intergenerational proximity in the Netherlands. The analyses show that there has been a clear and continuous decline in intergenerational proximity between the 1940s and the 1990s. Mediation analyses show that educational expansion and urbanisation are the main reasons why proximity declined. No evidence is found for the role of secularisation and increasing international migration. Proximity to parents declined somewhat more strongly for women than for men.

Health and Wellbeing Benefits from Nature Experiences in Tropical Settings Depend on Strength of Connection to Nature

A growing number of policies and programmes in cities aim to increase the time people spend in nature for the health and wellbeing benefits delivered by such interactions. Yet, there is little research investigating the extent to which, and for whom, nature experiences deliver such benefits outside Europe, North America, and Australia. Here, we assessed the relationships between nature dose (frequency, duration, and intensity) and three mental wellbeing (depression, stress, and anxiety) and two physical health (high blood pressure, diabetes) outcomes in Singapore, an intensely urbanised tropical city. Our analyses accounted for individual factors, including socio-economic status, nature connection (nature relatedness), and whether people with poor health are prevented by their condition from visiting green spaces. Our results show that the association between nature dose (specifically duration) and mental wellbeing is moderated by a nature connection. Specifically, people with a stronger nature connection were less likely to be depressed, stressed, and anxious, regardless of the duration of their nature dose. For those with a weaker connection to nature, spending longer in nature was associated with being more depressed, stressed, and anxious. We did not find a relationship between nature dose and high blood pressure or diabetes. Our results highlight that the relationship between nature dose and wellbeing might vary substantially among cities.

Urban nexus and transformative pathways towards resilient cities: A case of the Gauteng City-Region, South Africa

Challenges emanating from rapid urbanisation require innovative strategies to transform cities into global climate action and adaptation centres. We provide an analysis of the impacts of rapid urbanisation in the Gauteng City-Region, South Africa, highlighting major challenges related to (i) land use management, (ii) service delivery (water, energy, food, and waste and sanitation), and (iii) social cohesion. Geospatial techniques were used to assess spatio-temporal changes in the urban landscapes, including variations in land surface temperatures. Massive impervious surfaces, rising temperatures, flooding and heatwaves are exacerbating the challenges associated with rapid urbanisation. An outline of the response pathways towards sustainable and resilient cities is given as a lens to formulate informed and coherent adaptation urban planning strategies. The assessment facilitated developing a contextualised conceptual framework, focusing on demographic, climatic, and environmental changes, and the risks associated with rapid urbanisation. If not well managed in an integrated manner, rapid urbanisation poses a huge environmental and human health risk and could retard progress towards sustainable cities by 2030. Nexus planning provides the lens and basis to achieve urban resilience, by integrating complex, but interlinked sectors, by considering both ecological and built infrastructures, in a balanced manner, as key to resilience and adaptation strategies.

Mosquito-Associated Viruses and Their Related Mosquitoes in West Africa

Mosquito-associated viruses (MAVs), including mosquito-specific viruses (MSVs) and mosquito-borne (arbo)viruses (MBVs), are an increasing public, veterinary, and global health concern, and West Africa is projected to be the next front for arboviral diseases. As in-depth knowledge of the ecologies of both western African MAVs and related mosquitoes is still limited, we review available and comprehensive data on their diversity, abundance, and distribution. Data on MAVs’ occurrence and related mosquitoes were extracted from peer-reviewed publications. Data on MSVs, and mosquito and vertebrate host ranges are sparse. However, more data are available on MBVs (i.e., dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika, and Rift Valley fever viruses), detected in wild and domestic animals, and humans, with infections more concentrated in urban areas and areas affected by strong anthropogenic changes. Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus are incriminated as key arbovirus vectors. These findings outline MAV, related mosquitoes, key knowledge gaps, and future research areas. Additionally, these data highlight the need to increase our understanding of MAVs and their impact on host mosquito ecology, to improve our knowledge of arbovirus transmission, and to develop specific strategies and capacities for arboviral disease surveillance, diagnostic, prevention, control, and outbreak responses in West Africa.

The effects of a zoo environment on free-living, native small mammal species

One of the main threats to native species conservation is urbanisation. It is causing changes to natural habitats and species composition. Urban green spaces have shown to have conservation value for native species by providing safe spaces in urban areas. They typically contain a variety of habitats and plant species which is correlated with greater abundance and diversity of small mammal species. Zoos are a vital resource for animal conservation and, in some instances, could be considered as an urban green space for native species conservation. Their unique environment provides free-living, native species an abundance of resources including food and shelter. This project involved the live trapping of free-living small mammal species (<40 g) between enclosures in Dudley Zoological Gardens to study the effects of the zoo environment. There were no significant differences found between the total number of captures and trap proximity to enclosures. There was a significant difference in total captures found between different enclosure trapping areas. Generalized linear mixed models were fitted to the data and there were significant relationships between abundance and both habitat type and enclosure species. Habitats associated with semi-natural woodland had the greatest diversity and total captures of small mammals. Total captures were lower in trapping areas that were associated with predatory species. Similar to research on green spaces, habitat was an important factor determining abundance, but predator enclosures were a factor unique to zoos. This study illustrates the potential of zoos as an urban green space and for the study of small mammals.

Analysis of bacterial communities associated with Mountain Chickadees (Poecile gambeli) across urban and rural habitats

Host-associated microbial communities play important roles in wildlife health, but these dynamics can be influenced by environmental factors. Urbanization has numerous effects on wildlife; however, the degree to which wildlife-associated bacterial communities and potential bacterial pathogens vary across urban-rural/native habitat gradients remains largely unknown. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to examine bacterial communities found on Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) feathers and nests in urban and rural habitats. The feathers and nests in urban and rural sites had similar abundances of major bacterial phyla and dominant genera with pathogenic members. However, richness of bacterial communities and potential pathogens on birds were higher in urban habitats, and potential pathogens accounted for some of the differences in bacterial occurrence between urban and rural environments. We predicted habitat using potential pathogen occurrence with a 90% success rate for feather bacteria, and a 72.2% success rate for nest bacteria, suggesting an influence of urban environments on the presence of potential pathogens. We additionally observed similarities in bacterial communities between nests and their occupants, suggesting bacterial transmission between them. These findings improve our understanding of the bacterial communities associated with urban wildlife and suggest that urbanization impacts the composition of wildlife-associated bacterial communities.

The environmental enrichment model revisited: A translatable paradigm to study the stress of our modern lifestyle

Mounting evidence shows that physical activity, social interaction and sensorimotor stimulation provided by environmental enrichment (EE) exert several neurobehavioural effects traditionally interpreted as enhancements relative to standard housing (SH) conditions. However, this evidence rather indicates that SH induces many deficits, which could be ameliorated by exposing animals to an environment vaguely mimicking some features of their wild habitat. Rearing rodents in social isolation (SI) can aggravate such deficits, which can be restored by SH or EE. It is not surprising, therefore, that most preclinical stress models have included severe and unnatural stressors to produce a stress response prominent enough to be distinguishable from SH or SI-frequently used as control groups. Although current stress models induce a stress-related phenotype, they may fail to represent the stress of our urban lifestyle characterized by SI, poor housing and working environments, sedentarism, obesity and limited access to recreational activities and exercise. In the following review, we discuss the stress of living in urban areas and how exposures to and performing activities in green environments are stress relievers. Based on the commonalities between human and animal EE, we discuss how models of housing conditions (e.g., SI-SH-EE) could be adapted to study the stress of our modern lifestyle. The housing conditions model might be easy to implement and replicate leading to more translational results. It may also contribute to accomplishing some ethical commitments by promoting the refinement of procedures to model stress, diminishing animal suffering, enhancing animal welfare and eventually reducing the number of experimental animals needed.

Health Synergies across International Sustainability and Development Agendas: Pathways to Strengthen National Action

Since 2015 there has been a surge of international agendas to address a range of global challenges: climate change (Paris Agreement), sustainable development (Agenda 2030), disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework) and sustainable urban transformation (New Urban Agenda). Health is relevant to all of these agendas. Policymakers must now translate these global agendas into national level policies to implement the agreed goals in a coherent manner. However, approaches to synergise health activities within and across these agendas are needed, in order to achieve better coherence and maximise national level implementation. This research evaluated the framing of human health within these agendas. A content analysis of the agendas was conducted. Findings indicate (i) the importance of increased awareness of health systems strengthening as a helpful framework to guide the integration of health issues across the agendas, (ii) only two health themes had synergies across the agendas, (iii) the lack of a governance mechanism to support the integration of these four agendas to enable national (and sub-national) governments to more feasibly implement their ambitions, and (iv) the vital component of health leadership. Finally, planetary health is a relevant and timely concept that can support the urgent shift to a healthy planet and people.

Association of education level with diabetes prevalence in Latin American cities and its modification by city social environment

Background

Diabetes prevalence continues to increase in urban areas of low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). Evidence from high-income countries suggests an inverse association between educational attainment and diabetes, but research in LMIC is limited. We investigated educational differences in diabetes prevalence across 232 Latin American (LA) cities, and the extent to which these inequities vary across countries/cities and are modified by city socioeconomic factors.

Methods

Using harmonised health survey and census data for 110 498 city dwellers from eight LA countries, we estimated the association between education and diabetes. We considered effect modification by city Social Environment Index (SEI) as a proxy for city-level development using multilevel models, considering heterogeneity by sex and country.

Results

In women, there was an inverse dose–response relationship between education and diabetes (OR: 0.80 per level increase in education, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.85), consistent across countries and not modified by SEI. In men, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Mexico showed an inverse association (pooled OR: 0.92; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.99). Peru, Panama and El Salvador showed a positive relationship (pooled OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.49). For men, these associations were further modified by city-SEI: in countries with an inverse association, it became stronger as city-SEI increased. In countries where the association was positive, it became weaker as city-SEI increased.

Conclusion

Social inequities in diabetes inequalities increase as cities develop. To achieve non-communicable disease-related sustainable development goals in LMIC, there is an urgent need to develop policies aimed at reducing these educational inequities.

Structural racism, racial inequities and urban-rural differences in infant mortality in the US

Background

While evidence shows considerable geographic variations in county-level racial inequities in infant mortality, the role of structural racism across urban–rural lines remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between county-level structural racism (racial inequity in educational attainment, median household income and jail incarceration) and infant mortality and heterogeneity between urban and rural areas.

Methods

Using linked live birth/infant death data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics, we calculated overall and race-specific 2013–2017 5-year infant mortality rates (IMRs) per 1000 live births in every county. Racially stratified and area-stratified negative binomial regression models estimated IMR ratios and 95% CIs associated with structural racism indicators, adjusting for county-level confounders. Adjusted linear regression models estimated associations between structural racism indicators and the absolute and relative racial inequity in IMR.

Results

In urban counties, structural racism indicators were associated with 7%–8% higher black IMR, and an overall structural racism score was associated with 9% greater black IMR; however, these findings became insignificant when adjusting for the region. In white population, structural racism indicators and the overall structural racism score were associated with a 6% decrease in urban white IMR. Both absolute and relative racial inequity in IMR were exacerbated in urban counties with greater levels of structural racism.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the complex relationship between structural racism and population health across urban–rural lines and suggest its contribution to the maintenance of health inequities in urban settings.

Digitalising the Age-Friendly City: Insights from Participatory Action Research

The World Health Organization’s age-friendly city initiative emerged as a response to the intersecting global trends of population ageing and urbanisation. However, a third global trend—digitalisation—has largely been overlooked in research and policy making relating to age-friendly cities and communities. Within the context of a general shift towards online civic participatory activities, this article explores older adults’ digital citizenship in an age-friendly city in the North of England. Drawing on interviews, observations and field notes from design workshops as part of an ongoing participatory action research project, we consider two key questions. First, how does an age-friendly city stakeholder organisation of older adults make use of digital technologies in order to provide digital information and communications? Second, what is the potential of digital audio to increase civic participation in later life and local engagement with age-friendly issues? Our analysis focuses on two domains of the World Health Organization’s age-friendly city framework: Communication and information and civic participation. First, we report on the stakeholder organisation’s efforts to re-design their digital newsletter in order to provide information and communications to older residents about local work on ageing projects. We then outline the organisation’s efforts, in a public setting, to engage with digital audio as a way to increase the participation of older residents with age-friendly topics. We conclude by suggesting the need to re-frame the role of digital technologies within the age-friendly city, broadening the scope from accessibility towards enhancing digital citizenship opportunities.

Gender, marital and educational inequalities in mid- to late-life depressive symptoms: cross-cohort variation and moderation by urbanicity degree

BACKGROUND

Although ageing populations are increasingly residing in cities, it is unknown whether depression inequalities are moderated by urbanicity degree. We estimated gender, marital and educational inequalities in depressive symptoms among older European and Canadian adults, and examined whether higher levels of urbanicity, captured by population density, heightened these inequalities.

METHODS

Harmonised cross-sectional data on 97 826 adults aged ≥50 years from eight cohorts were used. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated for probable depression, depressed affect and depressive symptom severity by gender, marital status and education within each cohort, and combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Using a subsample of 73 123 adults from six cohorts with available data on population density, we tested moderating effects measured by the number of residents per square kilometre.

RESULTS

The pooled PRs for probable depression by female gender, unmarried or non-cohabitating status and low education were 1.48 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.72), 1.44 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.61) and 1.29 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.41), respectively. PRs for depressed affect and high symptom severity were broadly similar. Except for one Dutch cohort with findings in an unexpected direction, there was no evidence that population density modified depressive symptom inequalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite cross-cohort variation in gender, marital status and educational inequalities in depressive symptoms, there was weak evidence that these inequalities differed by levels of population density.

Diversity of Collembola under various types of anthropogenic load on ecosystems of European part of Russia

Background

Despite the key role played by soil organisms in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and provisioning of ecosystem services (Barrios 2007, Bardgett and Putten 2014), available open data on soil biodiversity are incongruously scarce (Eisenhauer 2017, Cameron 2018). This is especially true for Russia, but contrasts long traditions of soil zoological research and large volumes of data that were collected during the second half of the 20^th century for the territory of the former USSR. Last year, 41,928 georeferenced occurrences of soil-dwelling arthropods Collembola were digitised and published through GBIF.org. This work continues these activities. The article combines descriptions of three new sampling-event datasets about the various types of anthropogenic load on the diversity and the abundance of Collembola, small arthropods involved in the destruction of organic residues in the soil:

Collembola of winter wheat fields in the Kaluga Region: conservation treatment versus conventional one (Kuznetsova et al. 2020). The following variants were studied: 1) treatment with organic fertilisers and tillage, without mineral fertilisers and pesticides, 2) the same, but without tillage, only discing; 3) with mineral fertilisers, pesticides and tillage. Special multi-scale sampling design was used. The material was collected on 24-26 July 2019 in Kaluga Region, European part of Russia. Data on 2226 records on 7302 specimens of 32 species in six fields in 486 soil cores are presented.

Collembola of broadleaved forests along gradient of urbanisation in Moscow (Kuznetsova and Ageeva 2020). Sampling plots were placed in oak and lime forests located at different distances from the centre of Moscow. The material was collected in different seasons of 1990–1991. Data on 1737 records on 6873 specimens of 64 species (17 series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented.

Collembola in clear cutting areas of Arkhangelsk Region: spatial and temporal series of the data (Kuznetsova and Klyueva 2020). Sampling plots were in birch forests of different ages with spruce underbrush and in old spruce forest. The study was carried out in July of 1970–1971 and 1984 in Arkhangelsk Region, European part of Russia. In 1970, cores were taken at sites where the forest was restored 15, 30 and 80 years after clear cuttings, as well as in a 180-year-old spruce forest. In 1984, sampling was repeated in two plots. Data on 1468 records on 18788 specimens of 47 species (seven series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented.

New information

These datasets contribute to filling gaps in the global biodiversity distribution of the Collembola. All datasets present new information about effects of agricultural treatments, urbanisation and clear cutting on springtail diversity and abundance in ecosystems of the European part of Russia.