Environmental & Socio-economic Studies Feed

Xanthium orientale L. (Asteraceae) as an invasive species in Ukraine: its distribution and ecological characteristics

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Xanthium orientale L. is one of the most aggressive invasive plant species in Ukraine. Itstrongly transforms natural and anthropogenically disturbed habitats, especially in riparian landscapes. This study aimed to analyse the distribution, biotope affiliation, ecological characteristics, and phytosociological role of X. orientale in Ukraine. The analysis integrated herbarium collections, published literature, online biodiversity databases, and 67 geobotanical relevés collected from 2021 to 2025, comprising a total of 1137 localities. Vegetation classification was performed using the Braun–Blanquet approach. Ecological preferences were assessed using phytoindication methods, and differences between vegetation units were tested with the Mann–Whitney U test and visualised using box-plot diagrams. Two main vegetation types involving X. orientale were identified: the floodplain-associated Bidenti frondosae– Xanthietum albini and ruderal derivative communities dominated by X. orientale with Elytrigia repens. The species was recorded across ten vegetation classes, demonstrating high ecological plasticity. Phytoindication analysis revealed significant differences between the two syntaxa in moisture, soil carbonate content, and temperature regime, indicating habitat differentiation and niche expansion. The results confirm the high invasive potential of Xanthium orientale in Ukraine and emphasise the need for continuous monitoring and targeted management, particularly in river valleys and floodplain ecosystems.

Understanding the sociodemographic component of urban shrinkage exemplified by mono-industrial towns in Latvia

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study examined the demographic and socioeconomic transformations of Latvia’s mono-industrial towns, focusing on the interplay between geographic location, demographic structure, and socioeconomic change in shaping their resilience and decline. This exploratory study aimed to characterise the demographic and socioeconomic patterns associated with these divergent trajectories over the past two decades, including depopulation, economic restructuring, and population ageing, rather than establishing the causal mechanisms behind them. This study conducted an analysis and comparison of 13 mono-industrial towns, categorising them based on a range of demographic and socioeconomic variables. We employed an exploratory quantitative approach, applying Pearson’s bivariate correlation analysis to census data (2000 and 2021) to examine the associations among population change, ageing, out-migration, and economic inactivity. Given the small number of towns analysed, these associations are interpreted as descriptive rather than causal and are contextualised by the authors’ field knowledge of the settlements. The results reveal regional disparities: towns within the capital city of Riga’s metropolitan region benefit from suburbanisation and retain younger populations, whereas non-metropolitan peripheral mono-industrial towns face compounded disadvantages, including accelerated ageing and severe economic stagnation. The observed trajectories are primarily associated with geographic proximity to the capital and the varying degrees of functional and industrial transformations that these towns have undergone since 1991. This study contributes to the broader discourse on post-socialist urban shrinkage by highlighting the heterogeneous pathways of mono-industrial towns. Furthermore, it informs targeted policy interventions, suggesting that while proximal towns require infrastructure management, peripheral towns may require adaptive social support, and where demographic decline appears entrenched, carefully managed adaptation rather than growth-oriented strategies. These insights are critical for fostering sustainable development in shrinking industrial towns across Central and Eastern Europe.

Socio-environmental impact of mining concessions in Mexico: a spatial analysis

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Mexico is globally recognized for its rich mineral resources. While mining is often seen as a driver of economic development, it is crucial to consider its short-, medium-, and long-term impacts on biodiversity, as well as on the surrounding rural and Indigenous communities that are frequently overlooked. Information on mining projects in Mexico is fragmented and incomplete within official institutions, complicating access. A significant lack of transparency in mining operations further obscures their effects on biodiversity. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse, using geographic information systems, the distribution of current mining concessions in Mexico and their spatial overlap with environmental and social variables in order to identify areas potentially vulnerable to the impacts of mining activities. Research was conducted on mining concessions in Mexico to assess their spatial relationship with eight environmentally and socially significant variables. The findings indicated that 8.24% of the national territory is under concession. The regions classified as Priority Land Regions and Priority Hydrological Regions exhibited the highest overlap with mining concessions, at 84% and 75%, respectively. Moreover, Protected Natural Areas designated as Biosphere Reserves were identified as the most potentially affected by these activities. Additionally, there was a 10.37% overlap of concessions within communities characterized by a high to very high degree of social vulnerability, including Indigenous communities of 39 ethnic groups. This analysis highlighted specific sites that could be particularly susceptible to the detrimental impacts of mining due to their environmental or social conditions.

Accessibility of urban parks for older adults in post-industrial cities: the case of Sosnowiec, Poland

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Population ageing increases the need for urban environments that support safe everyday physical activity, social interaction, and quality of life. This article assesses the network-based accessibility of designated urban parks for older adults in the post-industrial city of Sosnowiec. The study used registry data on residents aged 60 and over and park data from the Database of Topographic Objects (BDOT10k), supplemented and validated with OpenStreetMap (OSM). Accessibility was modelled as walking time along the pedestrian network. Three cumulative thresholds were analysed: 5, 10, and 15 minutes, corresponding to approximately 250, 500, and 750 m. Of 55,748 older adults, 19.28% were located within the 5-minute catchment of at least one park, 39.10% within the 10-minute catchment, and 56.86% within the 15-minute catchment. These results indicate limited coverage by designated parks under the adopted thresholds, and the coverage estimate was strongly dependent on the threshold selected. Park-level Gini coefficients of 0.461–0.486 and top-three shares of 39.8–41.5% show that exclusively assigned accessible residents were concentrated among a small number of parks. The findings support a dual planning strategy: maintaining highly accessible parks while developing smaller, proximate recreational spaces and reducing pedestrian barriers in underserved areas.

Reynoutria x bohemica (Polygonaceae): modeling potential changes in its secondary range in Ukraine

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Reynoutria × bohemica Chrtek et Chrtková (Polygonaceae) is one of the most aggressive invasive plant species in Europe, posing significant ecological risks to native ecosystems. In Ukraine, there is currently a more active spread of the species than of one of its parent forms (R. japonica Hout). In this study, species distribution modelling (SDM) was applied for the territory of Ukraine using climatic variables across three temporal projections (2025, 2021–2040, 2041–2060). Principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering of variables identified the key environmental factors shaping the species’ potential distribution. The highest contribution to the models was associated with precipitation seasonality (bio_14), minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio_6), and temperature seasonality (bio_4), reflecting the species’ sensitivity to the interaction between moisture availability and temperature extremes. Heat maps of percent contribution (PC) and permutation importance (PI) revealed temporal shifts in variable relevance: while precipitation-related parameters remained consistently important, temperature-related predictors gained greater influence under future climate scenarios. The results indicate that the northern and north-eastern regions of Ukraine are the most vulnerable to further invasion. The findings provide a robust methodological basis for predicting invasion risks and justify the need for regionally differentiated monitoring and biosecurity strategies.

Views of Central European high school students on environmental issues and policies

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Community uptake of knowledge about the environment, perception of the environment, and environmental awareness are of pivotal importance. Secondary school students represent an emerging young generation that will become actively involved in shaping the discourse of our societies, as they face major issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The aim of the study was to explore environmental awareness and attitudes in relation to environmental policies on the national and European level. The study was conducted on the secondary school students from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and differences between the two countries and gender were investigated. Based on a questionnaire, the acquired data suggest that secondary school students exhibit environmental awareness and display environmentally friendly behaviour, by which they aim to reduce their negative burden on the environment. The study group identified environmental pollution and climate change as the most relevant contributors to this global crisis, while excessive construction, biodiversity loss, and insufficient protection were identified to a lesser degree. The environment as a whole was perceived as endangered, among which soil was singularly the least pronounced environmental category. The results show a strong negative perception of national actions to protect the environment, and the secondary school students in the study supported the idea that countries should be doing more to protect the environment. The European Union’s ambitious plans to reach carbon neutrality in 2050 were also met with a degree of pessimism and uncertainty.

Burning forests, drying springs: local perceptions and the changing Himalayan ecosystem in Uttarakhand, India

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The change in the Himalayan Forest landscape is not just an ecological concern but also a deeply social one. Chir Pine’s (Pinus roxburghii), once planted and promoted for timber value and economically important has now disrupted the ecological balance of the region. This study investigated the rural perceptions of local residents of Himalayan villages in the state of Uttarakhand, India, revealing Chir Pine’s dominant nature and aggressive spread. The voices of villagers echoed this aggressive spread, raising concerns about its far-reaching impacts on the region’s climate-forest interactions. The study utilised qualitative ethnographic fieldwork with a theoretical framing deduced from political ecology. The fieldwork was conducted between 2023-24 in Uttarakhand, which included a sample size (n=110) across 12 Himalayan villages with a blend of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations. The study explored how local communities interpret this ecological and climatic shift. The findings suggest that Chir Pine not only alters landscapes but also community ecological memories, rural people, agricultural patterns, and rural ecological knowledge systems. The local people’s perceptions narrate their experiences of disappearing springs, decreasing fodder availability, increasing forest fires, and the slow death of mixed forests turning into Chir-dominated forests. Rather than treating local perceptions as anecdotal, this study positions them as critical data points that offer early warning signs of broader socio-environmental and climatic stress.

Regional differentiation of demographic transformations in urban and rural populations across Polish voivodeships

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The aim of this study was to determine the spatial differentiation in the level of demographic ageing of Poland’s population. The temporal scope of the analyses covers the years 2005–2024, as well as projections for the period 2030–2050. The research was conducted at the voivodeship level, and took into account the division between urban and rural areas. The study focused on the analysis of two measures that enable the identification of demographic changes, including the advancement of the ageing process: the demographic ageing rate index (Wstd) and the old-age index (Ist). The results of the analyses revealed differences in the degree of advancement of the ageing process over time, in spatial terms, and between urban and rural populations. The rural population has been ageing more slowly than the urban population across the voivodeships. The forecasts, however, indicate that in the future the average annual rate of population ageing will slow down.

Genoa lows over Central-Eastern Europe between 2004 to 2024

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The study presents the occurrence of Genoa lows over Central and Eastern Europe during the period 2004-2024. The main research aims were: identification of the tracks of Genoa lows, analysis of their seasonal and interannual variability, and determination of their duration, intensity, and relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). For this maps from the Deutscher Wetterdienst, ERA5 reanalysis data, and monthly NAO Index values were used. On this basis, 81 cases of Genoa lows were identified, and it was found that during the study period, fewer than 13% of cyclones originated outside of the Gulf of Genoa, while more than half of all lows disappeared over Central and Eastern Europe. Genoa cyclones moving along the easterly track predominated (48.1% of all cases), while they moved least frequently over the southern and western parts of the study area. Typically, autumn Genoa lows and those following the easterly path were the longest-lasting (often exceeding 100 hours). At the same time, the shortest duration were the summer lows and those following the southern route. The conducted research showed a continuation of the long-term decrease in the number of lows, as described in the literature, especially in summer cyclones. Significant irregularity and very long hiatuses (exceeding even 400 days) in the occurrence of Genoa lows were also confirmed. Similar to other studies, it was found that the negative phase of the NAO and the meridional circulation favour the genesis of the Genoa lows. However, the lows that formed in winter and moved along the southern track were more often associated with the positive phase of the NAO than the others.

Geospatial analysis of the multidecadal and seasonal evolution of Sidi Rbat beach, Morocco, using GIS, topographic surveys, and digital elevation models

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sandy beaches are dynamic and vulnerable environments shaped by the interaction of hydrodynamic, fluvial, aeolian, and anthropogenic factors. This study presents the results of multi-decadal and seasonal monitoring of Sidi Rbat beach, located on the right bank of the River Massa on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Two complementary approaches were applied. The first was a diachronic shoreline analysis over 53 years (1970–2023), based on aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images, using the DSAS (Digital shoreline analysis system) tool within ArcGIS. The second approach consisted of the topographic monitoring of three beach profiles conducted between January 2019 and August 2021 using a total station. Two digital elevation models (DEMs), generated in summer (01/09/2020) and winter (27/02/2021), were used to produce a differential DEM to quantify sand volumes and identify erosion and deposition zones. The results showed a general erosional trend, punctuated by phases of accretion. This erosion was mainly driven by geomorphological factors including beach configuration, hydrodynamic conditions characterized by energetic Atlantic waves from the NNW, and anthropogenic influences, particularly the reduction of sediment supply following the construction of a dam in 1972. At the seasonal scale, the beach displays a classical morphodynamic cycle, with winter erosion and summer accretion, suggesting the presence of potential sediment sources such as coastal dunes, north-to-south longshore transport, and offshore sediment remobilization. DEM analysis further highlighted the strong influence of seasonal hydrodynamics on beach morphology. This study provides a solid scientific basis for understanding mesotidal beach morphodynamics along the Moroccan Atlantic coast and supports integrated coastal zone management.

Allergenicity of tree avenues in an urban district of Novi Sad, Serbia

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Tree avenues in urban settings represent an important element of urban green infrastructure (UGI), providing ecological, aesthetic, and social benefits. However, they can also contribute to allergenic risks that affect public health. This study aimed to analyze the tree species distribution within tree avenues in the Nova Detelinara district of Novi Sad, Serbia, with a particular focus on their allergenic potential. A field inventory was conducted during April 2025, which identified 849 individual trees belonging to 39 species. Each species was categorized by its allergenic potential based on data in the literature, and an Index of Allergenicity of Urban Green Zones (IUGZA) was calculated for the detected individuals found in 14 observed streets to assess the overall allergenic risk of the species composition within the area. Analysis of the allergenic potential of the identified species showed that most species had low (41%) or moderate (31%) allergenic potential, with only one species which was very low. In the observed UGI element, trees with moderate allergenic potential were the most abundant (48%), followed by high (31%) and low (15%) potentials, while very high and very low allergenic potential were present in 6% and one tree, respectively. The IUGZA index values ranged from 0.01 to 0.37, classifying species composition in Stevana Mokranjca Street as high-risk (IUGZA > 0.3), whereas all other streets fell within the low-risk category (IUGZA < 0.2). The findings contribute to the development of more informed, local- and city-level approaches to establishing and managing the use of UGI, as well as species selection strategies that balance ecological criteria with public health considerations.

The use of LIDAR point clouds for spatial analysis of changes in building development in large housing estates. An example of the Widzew Wschód and Radogoszcz Wschód estates in Łódź

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Urban densification can have various consequences. To identify and interpret these, spatial analyses of changes in the built environment over a specific period are needed. This article investigates the use of LIDAR point cloud data to detect changes in development in two large pre-fabricated housing estates in Łódź, Poland. Developed during the socialist era, these estates have undergone spatial and functional transformations over the past decades. The study uses LIDAR data from 2012, 2017, and 2021, supplemented with orthophotos, Google Street View, and fieldwork conducted in 2023 to identify and verify changes in development. The analysis included classification of point-cloud data, conversion to raster and subtraction of rasters to detect new and demolished buildings. The results show a clear trend to increase the density of buildings in both estates, with more than 11,000 m² of new built-up area added in each case. New developments include residential, commercial and service and communication facilities, often replacing open spaces or previously undeveloped areas. The study confirms that the LIDAR point cloud is a valuable tool for detailed detection of changes in various urban objects. Analyses based on this type of data can serve as a monitoring function. It also highlights the need to integrate historical data to capture earlier stages of transformation and suggests including development analysis in future research.

Attitudes of rural residents towards changes in their living environment. The example of the Bełchatów Industrial District in the Łódź region, Poland

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study aimed to examine the attitudes of residents in municipalities within the Bełchatów Industrial District towards changes in their living environment in the context of the planned closure of a mining and energy complex. The studied area is located in the central part of Poland, it is an industrial center with the dominant mining and energy industries, and the main core is an openpit lignite mine. The study was conducted in 2024 in six municipalities in the study area, involving a group of 220 respondents (representing over 3% of the total population of the study area) and utilising a questionnaire. It was found that the social attitudes of the inhabitants of the Bełchatów Industrial District towards industry and transformation are twofold. On the one hand, there is a growing awareness of the need to move away from coal due to both economic and environmental factors. On the other, there is a visible attitude of fear related to job losses, youth migration, and the marginalisation of the region. Quite often, both respondents and local authorities adopt a passive attitude towards the upcoming changes. The authors conclude that residents should be empowered and involved in the process of implementing changes, enabling them to have a meaningful impact on the actions of local authorities and the transformation of their community.

Evaluating the spillover effects of rural credit and policies on land use change in the Mato Grosso Amazon Biome, Brasil

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study evaluated the effectiveness of policies aimed at curbing deforestation in the Amazon biome, specifically focusing on how these policies changed agricultural land-use patterns in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, throughout the 21st century. Utilizing land use and land cover (LULC) maps, we analyzed the transformation of natural forests into agricultural lands over time by comparing pre- and post-policy implementation with a Spatial Durbin Model, recognizing potential spillover effects on neighbouring municipalities. Our research indicates that disincentives such as environmental penalties and land use planning decreased deforestation rates when accompanied by intense monitoring efforts. Brazilian rural credit incentives stimulate farmers to adopt environmental compliance, which has an important role in slowing down deforestation, although the Central-West Constitutional Fund (FCO) resources have limited regional impact. We observed in LULC maps that the major growth of cropland occurs in pasture areas, which in turn is displaced to the Amazon biome frontier and causes new deforestation spots, although this process lost strength after 2008 owing to new institutional path. Ultimately, the research highlights the ongoing challenges of achieving long-term sustainability amidst economic pressures, especially commodity prices, emphasizing the need for innovative policies to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Short-run and long-run effects of climate change on agricultural output in Eastern African countries

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Global warming poses a significant socio-economic threat, with uneven effects across regions and sectors. This study examines whether climate variables have a long-run relationship with agricultural output, evaluates whether their impacts change over time, and whether their impacts vary by crop type in East Africa, using the fixed effects, the Dynamic Fixed Effects (DFE) and Pooled Mean Group (PMG) models. The study revealed that the included climate variables exhibit long-term effects on agricultural output. However, there are notable differences in the impacts of climate variables on agricultural production, influenced by temporal and methodological contexts. Aggregate analysis generally shows limited short-run significance, with temperature having negative and significant effects under the DFE model during 1980–2021. In contrast, the long-run findings reveal a positive effect of rainfall under both DFE and PMG models. A 1% increase in annual rainfall increases agricultural output by 0.76% and 0.27%, respectively, although this effect turns negative in the latter case over the more recent period. The effect of temperature is insignificant except under the FE model. Crop-specific results highlight rainfall as a generally positive factor, while temperature impacts vary, with the short run negatively affecting most crops with elastic effects. The long-term relationship between climate variables and agricultural output, together with the significant effect of irrigation, underscores the need for sustained investment in irrigation infrastructure and broader climate-smart agricultural practices that consider crop-specific responses. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of climate-resilient agricultural investments and water management policies.

Floristic diversity and distribution patterns along a salinity gradient in three Ramsar wetlands in Northeastern Algeria

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study investigates the floristic, biological, and chorological diversity of three Ramsar wetlands in the Sebkhetes of Aurès Wetlands Complex (SAWC) Algeria: Garaet Timerganine (freshwater), Chott Tinsilt (brackish water), and Sebkhet Ezzmoul (saline water). 154 taxa were recorded during field surveys. Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae were the most represented families. Total taxa richness, Shannon diversity index (H′) and Pielou’s equitability (E) showed relatively high values at Garaet Timerganine (S = 78, H’ = 5.07, E = 0.82) and Sebkhet Ezzmoul (S = 52, H’ = 5.38, E = 0.94), while Chott Tinsilt (S = 63, H’ = 4.43, E = 0.73) exhibited moderate diversity with strong floristic homogeneity. The flora was predominantly composed of therophytes (48%) and hemicryptophytes (37 %), reflecting adaptations to salinity variability. Chamaephytes (9%), Geophytes (3%), Nanophanerophytes, Microphanerophytes and Phanerophytes were present in meaningfully lower proportions (1%). The chorology of recorded flora was dominated by the Mediterranean set encompassing 74 taxa, which constitutes 48.07% of the total flora. Species with a wide distribution set accounted for 56 species (36.30%), while the Northern set had a notable presence with 23 species (15%). Limonium pruinosum (Plumbaginaceae) was the only Saharan species exclusively recorded in Sebkhet Ezzmoul. Using Correspondence Factor Analysis (CFA), species distribution patterns were clearly aligned along a salinity gradient. Garaet Timerganine was associated with mesophilous taxa, Chott Tinsilt with stress-tolerant brackish species, and Ezzmoul with halophytes ones. This study highlights the fact that salinity shapes floristic diversity and guides adaptive wetland management in arid regions.

Motives for visiting the Krzemionki Archaeological Museum and Reserve in Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Poland) and its associated image as a post-mining tourist product

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Post‑mining areas are increasingly being adapted as cultural and educational tourist attractions, contributing both to the preservation of industrial heritage and to regional development. The aim of this article is to identify the motives for visiting and to examine the perceived image of post‑mining areas as a tourist attraction, using the case of the Krzemionki Archaeological Museum and archaeological‑nature reserve. By “perceived image” the study understands visitors’ affective impressions and cognitive evaluations of the site. In the theoretical section, the broader term “tourism product” is used to denote the composite bundle of attractions, infrastructure, accessibility, services and experiences, whereas in the empirical part the Krzemionki site is treated as a tourist attraction within its destination. The study employed the diagnostic survey method. It was found that the main motive for visiting the Neolithic striped flint mines was the desire to learn and expand knowledge about prehistoric flint mining, Neolithic communities and their cultural heritage. Furthermore, the image the Museum formed among all visitors was strongly positive and did not significantly differ between the studied groups. A strong, positive image of the examined tourist attraction can become a hallmark of the region and contribute to its socio‑economic development, especially for visitors from Ostrowiec County in the Świętokrzyskie region and those from outside the region.

European integration as an important factor in shaping the demographic potential of border regions in Germany and Poland

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Border regions constitute the periphery of individual countries. Their location far from economic centres is often associated with an unfavourable economic structure, low technical and social infrastructure, and poor quality of life. However, border regions should not always be associated with the negative characteristics of peripheral regions. The question of whether a given border region is attractive for living largely reflects its demographic potential. The aim of this study was to identify demographic diversity in border regions in the context of the changing function of the state border associated with European integration. The study area comprised border regions in Germany and Poland, analyzed against the national background in 1995 and 2023. To capture the direction and pace of demographic changes, diagnostic indicators were used, and a demographic potential index was constructed using the zerounitization method. The research conducted has shown that the changes that have occurred in the demographic potential of border regions in the context of the evolving function of the state border associated with European integration are visible spatially. This applies particularly to the border that historically ran between two political and economic systems. The current diversity in demographic potential is influenced by the external border of the European Union. The research results have shown that the ongoing demographic processes in the spatial dimension were influenced by historical conditions, superimposed on the core-periphery system, which plays an increasingly important role.

Status of socio-ecological systems in central-eastern Mexico: Identifying priority sites to improve resilience in a biocultural territory

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Social-ecological systems (SES) are understood as human–environment systems that encompass all ecological and technological structures relevant to, and shaped by, human actions. They are complex systems in nature, comprising two main components – social and ecological – along with their numerous subcomponents. For analytical purposes, the SES concept must be both operational and measurable, which requires defining spatial and temporal boundaries. In this study, the municipality was selected as the basic territorial and administrative unit. In spite of their importance, evaluations and mapping of SES remain scarce, particularly in Latin America. This study assessed the SES status in a region of central-eastern Mexico - a priority biocultural region for conservation and development. The aim was to identify critical areas for interventions to enhance socio-ecological resilience and understand the key factors influencing SES. Results indicated a generally low SES status per municipality, with values ranging from -0.244 to 0.361. The highest values were observed in municipalities with high ecological integrity, low sensitivity to biophysical hazards, and stable ecosystem service availability. Spatial correlation analysis revealed a cold spot in the south-eastern area, where municipalities exhibited the lowest resilience and SES status. In contrast, a hotspot with the highest values was found in the centre of the study area, where the infrastructure (i.e., roads, hospitals) was first developed because of silver mining. A generalized linear model showed a negative correlation between Indigenous people and SES status. Urgent actions are needed to improve communication, healthcare, education, economic opportunities, to reduce their vulnerability to environmental challenges.

How industrial transformation shapes suburbanisation in the XXI century: insights from the Wrocław urban agglomeration in Poland

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This article aims to examine the relationship between industrial transformation and suburbanisation processes in an urban agglomeration in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), using the case of the Wrocław agglomeration (south-western Poland) in the 21st century. This relationship is analysed in the context of economic, demographic, and spatial changes occurring within the area under study. The analysis demonstrates that the observed shifts in the spatial distribution of industrial activity reinforce the dynamics of suburbanisation in the urban agglomeration. Conversely, changes in the use of industrial land and the accompanying demographic transformations (primarily within the core of the agglomeration) tend to mitigate the intensity of suburbanisation. These findings may have significant implications for spatial policy-making in CEE cities and contribute to their more sustainable development.