This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease and the most common form of dementia in older adults. Treatment of AD symptoms is very challenging and expensive. Appropriate diet as well as mental and physical activity may delay or reduce the occurrence of AD. It is unknown whether environmental factors offer potentially protective effects against the development of AD. We explored the possible beneficial effects of greenspace (trees and herbaceous cover) on the rate of AD in the mid-Atlantic US. Data for initial AD medical claims during 2011–2013 were obtained from Medicare records for 2999 ZIP codes. The percentages of land cover classes in each ZIP code were calculated based on high-resolution land cover imagery. Associations between AD and greenspace, blue space (water), and other variables were examined using zero-inflated Poisson models. The rate of AD was negatively associated with greenspace (for a greenspace increase of 10%, risk ratio (RR) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89–0.94), and blue space (for a water area increase of 10%, RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.81–0.89). The inverse relationships between greenspace and the risk of AD held across season, gender, and race. The rate of AD was positively associated with the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (RR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05 for an increase in PM2.5 of 1 µg/m3). Our results suggest that greenspace may have protective effects for AD, although potential mechanisms are unclear and require further investigation.
Jianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. Greenspace Inversely Associated with the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Earth 2021, 2, 140 -150.
AMA StyleJianyong Wu, Laura Jackson. Greenspace Inversely Associated with the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Earth. 2021; 2 (1):140-150.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. 2021. "Greenspace Inversely Associated with the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Mid-Atlantic United States." Earth 2, no. 1: 140-150.
Human health is inextricably tied to ecosystem services (ES), including those associated with greenspace in urban communities. EnviroAtlas provides close to 100 maps of ES metrics based on high-resolution land cover data in featured communities across the contiguous United States. Using selected EnviroAtlas ES metrics, a Community EcoHealth Index (CEHI) was created based on an ecohealth framework including health promotion and hazard buffering domains. Aggregation of eight selected ES metrics in these domains entailed a weighted distance measure, where objective, data-driven weights were generated. CEHI was calculated by Census Block Group (CBG) at both the local level and the national level for 22 EnviroAtlas communities. Results were mapped to show one- to five-star CBGs or neighborhoods within and across all 22 featured communities. At the national level, CEHI favors communities in forested ecoregions. The local version of CEHI is more appropriate to inform social, economic, and environmental decision-making for improving community ES associated with human health.
Ferdouz Cochran; Laura Jackson; Anne Neale; John Lovette; Liem Tran. A Community EcoHealth Index from EnviroAtlas Ecosystem Services Metrics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2019, 16, 2760 .
AMA StyleFerdouz Cochran, Laura Jackson, Anne Neale, John Lovette, Liem Tran. A Community EcoHealth Index from EnviroAtlas Ecosystem Services Metrics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16 (15):2760.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFerdouz Cochran; Laura Jackson; Anne Neale; John Lovette; Liem Tran. 2019. "A Community EcoHealth Index from EnviroAtlas Ecosystem Services Metrics." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 15: 2760.
Obesity is a major international health concern. Neighborhood greenery has been identified as a critical factor for promoting health in urban areas, due in part to its apparent role in facilitating healthy weight by promoting physical activity. However, studies have used diverse greenery measures and spatial analysis units to ascertain this relationship. This study examined associations between street and overall greenery and weight status at the residential address level across 500 to 2000 m buffers in two climatically distinct communities, Phoenix, AZ, and Portland, OR. Greenery was measured using one-meter landcover data. Street greenery measures were designed to quantify the pedestrian environment along a gradient of suitability for promoting physical exercise. Weight status was defined by body mass index (BMI) calculated from weight and height information on driver’s license records. BMI values were dichotomized at 25 into overweight or obese vs. neither. Approximately 500,000 BMI values in Phoenix and 225,000 in Portland were modelled by community using logistic regression. Street tree cover was consistently protective for healthy weight status across all buffer sizes after adjusting for potential confounders. Herbaceous street cover showed protective associations in Phoenix but harmful associations in Portland. Every 10% increase in street tree cover within 2000 m was associated with 18% lower odds of being overweight or obese (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.81 – 0.84 in Phoenix; 0.82, 95% CI: 0.81 – 0.83 in Portland). When compared to residents with less than 10% street tree cover within 2000 m, those with greater than 10% tree cover had at least 13% (AOR for Portland: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81 – 0.92) lower odds of being overweight or obese. Findings support the importance of urban street trees in very different climates for facilitating healthy weight status. They can inform greenery management to prioritize vegetation type and allocation decisions in limited urban spaces.
Wei-Lun Tsai; Amy Davis; Laura E. Jackson. Associations between types of greenery along neighborhood roads and weight status in different climates. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2019, 41, 104 -117.
AMA StyleWei-Lun Tsai, Amy Davis, Laura E. Jackson. Associations between types of greenery along neighborhood roads and weight status in different climates. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2019; 41 ():104-117.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWei-Lun Tsai; Amy Davis; Laura E. Jackson. 2019. "Associations between types of greenery along neighborhood roads and weight status in different climates." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 41, no. : 104-117.
Urban areas face challenges including vehicular emissions, stormwater runoff, and sedentary lifestyles. Communities recognize the value of trees in mitigating these challenges by absorbing pollution and enhancing walkability. However, siting trees to optimize multiple benefits requires a systems approach that may cross sectors of management and expertise. We present a spatially-explicit method to optimize tree planting in Durham, NC, a rapidly growing urban area with an aging tree stock. Using GIS data and a ranking approach, we explored where Durham could augment its current stock of willow oaks through its plans to install 10,000 mid-sized deciduous trees. Data included high-resolution landcover metrics developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), demographics from the U.S. Census, an attributed roads dataset licensed to the EPA, and sidewalk information from the City of Durham. Census block groups (CBGs) were ranked for tree planting according to single and multiple objectives including stormwater reduction, emissions buffering, walkability, and protection of vulnerable populations. Prioritizing tree planting based on single objectives led to four sets of locations with limited geographic overlap. Prioritizing tree planting based on multiple objectives tended to favor historically disadvantaged CBGs. The four-objective strategy met the largest proportion of estimated regional need. Based on this analysis, the City of Durham has implemented a seven-year plan to plant 10,000 trees in priority neighborhoods. This analysis also found that any strategy which included the protection of vulnerable populations generated more benefits than others.
Andrew Almeter; Arik Tashie; Andrew Procter; Tara McAlexander; Douglas Browning; Charles Rudder; Laura Jackson; Rochelle Araujo. A Needs-Driven, Multi-Objective Approach to Allocate Urban Ecosystem Services from 10,000 Trees. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4488 -4488.
AMA StyleAndrew Almeter, Arik Tashie, Andrew Procter, Tara McAlexander, Douglas Browning, Charles Rudder, Laura Jackson, Rochelle Araujo. A Needs-Driven, Multi-Objective Approach to Allocate Urban Ecosystem Services from 10,000 Trees. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (12):4488-4488.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrew Almeter; Arik Tashie; Andrew Procter; Tara McAlexander; Douglas Browning; Charles Rudder; Laura Jackson; Rochelle Araujo. 2018. "A Needs-Driven, Multi-Objective Approach to Allocate Urban Ecosystem Services from 10,000 Trees." Sustainability 10, no. 12: 4488-4488.
Greenspace has been increasingly recognized as having numerous health benefits. However, its effects are unknown concerning sudden unexpected death (SUD), commonly referred to as sudden cardiac death, which constitutes a large proportion of mortality in the United States. Because greenspace can promote physical activity, reduce stress and buffer air pollutants, it may have beneficial effects for people at risk of SUD, such as those with heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Using several spatial techniques, this study explored the relationship between SUD and greenspace. We adjudicated 396 SUD cases that occurred from March 2013 to February 2015 among reports from emergency medical services (EMS) that attended out-of-hospital deaths in Wake County (central North Carolina, USA). We measured multiple greenspace metrics in each census tract, including the percentages of forest, grassland, average tree canopy, tree canopy diversity, near-road tree canopy and greenway density. The associations between SUD incidence and these greenspace metrics were examined using Poisson regression (non-spatial) and Bayesian spatial models. The results from both models indicated that SUD incidence was inversely associated with both greenway density (adjusted risk ratio [RR] = 0.82, 95% credible/ confidence interval [CI]: 0.69–0.97) and the percentage of forest (adjusted RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99). These results suggest that increases in greenway density by 1 km/km2 and in forest by 10% were associated with a decrease in SUD risk of 18% and 10%, respectively. The inverse relationship was not observed between SUD incidence and other metrics, including grassland, average tree canopy, near-road tree canopy and tree canopy diversity. This study implies that greenspace, specifically greenways and forest, may have beneficial effects for people at risk of SUD. Further studies are needed to investigate potential causal relationships between greenspace and SUD, and potential mechanisms such as promoting physical activity and reducing stress.
Jianyong Wu; Kristen Rappazzo; Ross J. Simpson; Golsa Joodi; Irion W. Pursell; J. Paul Mounsey; Wayne E. Cascio; Laura E. Jackson. Exploring links between greenspace and sudden unexpected death: A spatial analysis. Environment International 2018, 113, 114 -121.
AMA StyleJianyong Wu, Kristen Rappazzo, Ross J. Simpson, Golsa Joodi, Irion W. Pursell, J. Paul Mounsey, Wayne E. Cascio, Laura E. Jackson. Exploring links between greenspace and sudden unexpected death: A spatial analysis. Environment International. 2018; 113 ():114-121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJianyong Wu; Kristen Rappazzo; Ross J. Simpson; Golsa Joodi; Irion W. Pursell; J. Paul Mounsey; Wayne E. Cascio; Laura E. Jackson. 2018. "Exploring links between greenspace and sudden unexpected death: A spatial analysis." Environment International 113, no. : 114-121.
Green space has a variety of health benefits. However, little is known about its impact on autism, the fastest-growing neurodevelopmental disorder in children. This study examined the relationship between green space and childhood autism prevalence. Autism count data in 2010 were obtained for 543 of ~ 560 public elementary school districts in California. Multiple types of green space were measured in each school district, including percentages of forest, grassland, and average tree canopy and near-road tree canopy. Their associations with autism prevalence were evaluated with negative binomial regression models and spatial regression models. We observed inverse associations between several green space metrics and autism prevalence in school districts with high road density, the highly urbanized areas, but not in others. According to negative binomial regression models, adjusted rate ratios (RR) for the relationships in these school districts between autism prevalence and green space metrics in 10% increments were as follows: for forest, RR = 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84–0.95); for grassland, RR = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.97); for average tree canopy, RR = 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83–0.95), and for near-road tree canopy, RR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.73–0.91). These results suggest that increases of 10% in forest, grassland, average tree canopy and near-road tree canopy are associated with a decrease in autism prevalence of 10%, 10% 11% and 19%, respectively. In contrast, urban land and road density were positively associated with autism prevalence. The results of spatial regression models were consistent with those obtained by negative binomial models, except for grassland. Our study suggests that green space, specifically tree cover in areas with high road density, may influence autism prevalence in elementary school children beneficially. Further studies are needed to investigate a potential causal relationship, and the major mechanisms that may underlie the beneficial associations with green space, such as buffering traffic-related air pollution and noise.
Jianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. Inverse relationship between urban green space and childhood autism in California elementary school districts. Environment International 2017, 107, 140 -146.
AMA StyleJianyong Wu, Laura Jackson. Inverse relationship between urban green space and childhood autism in California elementary school districts. Environment International. 2017; 107 ():140-146.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. 2017. "Inverse relationship between urban green space and childhood autism in California elementary school districts." Environment International 107, no. : 140-146.
Land use and its change have great influences on water quality. However, their impacts on microbial contamination of beach water have rarely been investigated and their relationship with beach actions (e.g., advisories or closure) is still unknown. Here, we analyzed beach closure data obtained from 2004 to 2013 for >500 beaches in the United States, and examined their associations with land use around beaches in 2006 and 2011, as well as the land use change between 2006 and 2011. The results show that the number of beach closures due to elevated indicators of health risk is negatively associated with the percentages of forest, barren land, grassland and wetland, while positively associated with the percentages of urban area. The results from multi-level models also indicate the negative association with forest area but positive association with urban area and agriculture. The examination of the change of land use and the number of beach closures between 2006 and 2011 indicates that the increase in the number of beach closures is positively associated with the increase in urban (β=1.612, p<0.05) and agricultural area including pasture (β=0.098, p<0.05), but negatively associated with the increase in forest area (β=-1.789, p<0.05). The study suggests that urbanization and agriculture development near beaches have adverse effects on beach microbial water quality, while afforestation may protect beach water quality and reduce the number of beach closures.
Jianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. Association of land use and its change with beach closure in the United States, 2004–2013. Science of The Total Environment 2016, 571, 67 -76.
AMA StyleJianyong Wu, Laura Jackson. Association of land use and its change with beach closure in the United States, 2004–2013. Science of The Total Environment. 2016; 571 ():67-76.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJianyong Wu; Laura Jackson. 2016. "Association of land use and its change with beach closure in the United States, 2004–2013." Science of The Total Environment 571, no. : 67-76.
Protected areas including national/state parks and recreational waters are excellent natural resources that promote physical activity and interaction with Nature, which can relieve stress and reduce disease risk. Despite their importance, however, their contribution to human health has not been properly quantified. This paper seeks to evaluate quantitatively how national/state parks and recreational waters are associated with human health and well-being, taking into account of the spatial dependence of environmental variables for the contiguous U.S., at the county level. First, we describe available natural resources for outdoor activities (ANROA), using national databases that include features from the Protected Areas Database, NAVSTREETS, and ATTAINSGEO 305(b) Waters. We then use spatial regression techniques to explore the association of ANROA and socioeconomic status factors on physical inactivity rates. Finally, we use variance analysis to analyze ANROA’s influence on income-related health inequality. We found a significantly negative association between ANROA and the rate of physical inactivity: ANROA and the spatial effect explained 69%, nationwide, of the variation in physical inactivity. Physical inactivity rate showed a strong spatial dependence—influenced not only by its own in-county ANROA, but also by that of its neighbors ANROA. Furthermore, community groups at the same income level and with the highest ANROA, always had the lowest physical inactivity rate. This finding may help to guide future land use planning and community development that will benefit human health and well-being.
Yan Jiang; Yongping Yuan; Anne Neale; Laura Jackson; Megan Mehaffey. Association between Natural Resources for Outdoor Activities and Physical Inactivity: Results from the Contiguous United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2016, 13, 830 .
AMA StyleYan Jiang, Yongping Yuan, Anne Neale, Laura Jackson, Megan Mehaffey. Association between Natural Resources for Outdoor Activities and Physical Inactivity: Results from the Contiguous United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2016; 13 (8):830.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYan Jiang; Yongping Yuan; Anne Neale; Laura Jackson; Megan Mehaffey. 2016. "Association between Natural Resources for Outdoor Activities and Physical Inactivity: Results from the Contiguous United States." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 13, no. 8: 830.
Ecosystems provide multiple services, many of which are linked to positive health outcomes. Review objectives were to identify the set of literature related to this research topic, and to design an interactive, web-based tool highlighting the weight of evidence, thus making the information more accessible. A systematic review was conducted to create the Eco-Health Relationship Browser ( http://www.epa.gov/research/healthscience/browser/introduction.html ). The search was conducted in four stages utilizing Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct, targeted journals, and targeted keywords; search results were limited to peer-reviewed journal articles published in English from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2012. The review identified 344 relevant articles; a subset of 169 articles was included in the Browser. Articles retrieved during the search focused on the buffering and health-promotional aspects of ecosystem services. Landscape and Urban Planning, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, and Health and Place yielded the most articles relevant to this search. Results from the systematic review were used to populate the Browser, which organizes the diverse literature and allows users to visualize the numerous connections between ecosystem services and human health.
Laura E. Jackson; Jessica Daniel; Betsy McCorkle; Alexandra Sears; Kathleen F. Bush. Linking ecosystem services and human health: the Eco-Health Relationship Browser. International Journal of Public Health 2013, 58, 747 -755.
AMA StyleLaura E. Jackson, Jessica Daniel, Betsy McCorkle, Alexandra Sears, Kathleen F. Bush. Linking ecosystem services and human health: the Eco-Health Relationship Browser. International Journal of Public Health. 2013; 58 (5):747-755.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura E. Jackson; Jessica Daniel; Betsy McCorkle; Alexandra Sears; Kathleen F. Bush. 2013. "Linking ecosystem services and human health: the Eco-Health Relationship Browser." International Journal of Public Health 58, no. 5: 747-755.
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program (SHCRP) is building on past decision-support efforts and expanding the scope and accessibility of available tools to empower decision-makers ranging from individuals up to national policymakers to move towards sustainability goals. Initially, the SHCRP is integrating a National Atlas of Ecosystem Services (developed in ESRI’s ArcServer application for geographical information analysis) with the Regional Vulnerability Assessment (ReVA) Program’s Environmental Decision Toolkit (EDT) that focuses on analysis of multiple stresses (e.g., air pollution, land-use change) with multiple resources (e.g., habitat, drinking water supplies) (developed in the SPlus statistical application) for prioritizing protection, mitigation, and restoration actions. Future plans for the interoperable suite of tools include the incorporation of the use of social media to identify issues and solutions, as well as potential connections among different communities.
Elizabeth R. Smith; Anne C. Neale; C. Richard Ziegler; Laura E. Jackson. New Interoperable Web Tools to Facilitate Decision-Making to Support Community Sustainability. Reconceptualizing the Nature of Science for Science Education 2013, 41, 201 -214.
AMA StyleElizabeth R. Smith, Anne C. Neale, C. Richard Ziegler, Laura E. Jackson. New Interoperable Web Tools to Facilitate Decision-Making to Support Community Sustainability. Reconceptualizing the Nature of Science for Science Education. 2013; 41 ():201-214.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElizabeth R. Smith; Anne C. Neale; C. Richard Ziegler; Laura E. Jackson. 2013. "New Interoperable Web Tools to Facilitate Decision-Making to Support Community Sustainability." Reconceptualizing the Nature of Science for Science Education 41, no. : 201-214.
Waste and materials management, land use planning, transportation and infrastructure including water and energy can have indirect or direct beneficial impacts on the environment and public health. The potential for impact, however, is rarely viewed in an integrated fashion. To facilitate such an integrated view in support of community-based policy decision making, we catalogued and evaluated associations between common, publically available, Environmental (e), Health (h), and Sustainability (s) metrics and sociodemographic measurements (n = 10) for 50 populous U.S. cities. E, H, S indices combined from two sources were derived from component (e) (h) (s) metrics for each city. A composite EHS Index was derived to reflect the integration across the E, H, and S indices. Rank order of high performing cities was highly dependent on the E, H and S indices considered. When viewed together with sociodemographic measurements, our analyses further the understanding of the interplay between these broad categories and reveal significant sociodemographic disparities (e.g., race, education, income) associated with low performing cities. Our analyses demonstrate how publically available environmental, health, sustainability and socioeconomic data sets can be used to better understand interconnections between these diverse domains for more holistic community assessments.
Jane E. Gallagher; Elaine Cohen Hubal; Laura Jackson; Jefferson Inmon; Edward Hudgens; Ann H. Williams; Danelle Lobdell; John Rogers; Timothy Wade. Sustainability, Health and Environmental Metrics: Impact on Ranking and Associations with Socioeconomic Measures for 50 U.S. Cities. Sustainability 2013, 5, 789 -804.
AMA StyleJane E. Gallagher, Elaine Cohen Hubal, Laura Jackson, Jefferson Inmon, Edward Hudgens, Ann H. Williams, Danelle Lobdell, John Rogers, Timothy Wade. Sustainability, Health and Environmental Metrics: Impact on Ranking and Associations with Socioeconomic Measures for 50 U.S. Cities. Sustainability. 2013; 5 (2):789-804.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJane E. Gallagher; Elaine Cohen Hubal; Laura Jackson; Jefferson Inmon; Edward Hudgens; Ann H. Williams; Danelle Lobdell; John Rogers; Timothy Wade. 2013. "Sustainability, Health and Environmental Metrics: Impact on Ranking and Associations with Socioeconomic Measures for 50 U.S. Cities." Sustainability 5, no. 2: 789-804.
Health, socioeconomic, education, and environmental (e.g. air and water quality) indicators are often correlated and may serve as markers for other underlying community issues. These diverse measurements are usually not fully integrated and rarely evaluated in the context of sustainability metrics. We derived an integrated community health index (ICHI) for 50 of the most populous cities in the US using extant environmental, health and sustainability metrics and assessed relationships with sociodemographic measures. To derive the ICHI we used data from two sources: 1) SustainLane\'s (www.sustainlane.com) 2008 report card on urban sustainability which includes metrics such as energy and climate change policy, metro street congestion, metro transit ridership, and natural disaster risk, and 2) Earth Day Network\'s (www.eathday.net) Urban environmental report including a health metric which incorporates asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity rates; and three environmental variables a) toxics and waste b) air quality c) drinking and surface water quality. Using these metrics we developed three separate indicators for health, sustainability and environment for each city. The ICHI was created by averaging across these three indicators. We used data from the 2010 Census (median family income, % of persons below the poverty level, % with a high school degree, % with college degree, and racial diversity (% White, nonwhite Black, Asian, and Hispanic) to assess relationships between the ICHI and sociodemographic characteristics. We compare mean values for various demographic measures for those cities with the "best" integrated community health index (highest 25th percentile) with those cities in the lower 25th percentile using t-tests. Cities with the better ICHI demonstrated 1) a higher % of persons with health insurance (20.1 vs 13.4 %; pth percentile) with those cities in the lowest 25thpercentile demonstrated 1) a lower score for toxic and waste (2.85 vs. 3.48; p
Jane Gallagher; Timothy Wade; Laura Jackson; Danelle Lobdell; Jyotsna Jagai; Jefferson Inmon; Elaine Cohen-Hubal. Correlates of Health, Sustainability and Environmental Metrics for 50 of the Most Populous U.S. Cities. Proceedings of The 1st World Sustainability Forum 2011, 1 .
AMA StyleJane Gallagher, Timothy Wade, Laura Jackson, Danelle Lobdell, Jyotsna Jagai, Jefferson Inmon, Elaine Cohen-Hubal. Correlates of Health, Sustainability and Environmental Metrics for 50 of the Most Populous U.S. Cities. Proceedings of The 1st World Sustainability Forum. 2011; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJane Gallagher; Timothy Wade; Laura Jackson; Danelle Lobdell; Jyotsna Jagai; Jefferson Inmon; Elaine Cohen-Hubal. 2011. "Correlates of Health, Sustainability and Environmental Metrics for 50 of the Most Populous U.S. Cities." Proceedings of The 1st World Sustainability Forum , no. : 1.
Laura E. Jackson; Steven G. Paulsen. Preface. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2008, 150, 1 -2.
AMA StyleLaura E. Jackson, Steven G. Paulsen. Preface. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2008; 150 (1):1-2.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura E. Jackson; Steven G. Paulsen. 2008. "Preface." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 150, no. 1: 1-2.
The rational definition of spatial analysis units is critical to modeling and understanding large-scale ecological processes. This study assessed the relationship between forest-edge habitat pattern and Lyme disease incidence rate when modeled under three designs for spatial data aggregation. Incidence rates were calculated from passive surveillance data reported for 12 counties in the U.S. State of Maryland during 1996–2000. A design using road-bounded polygons that varied in size from 0.002 km2 to 368 km2 (n= 415) was compared with designs that used grid cells of 10 km2 (ud nud = 823) and 36 km2ud (ud nud = 230). Major roads were chosen to approximate bounded populations of deer and humans engaged in outdoor activity around the home (peridomestic activity). While cell boundaries were arbitrary, cell sizes were chosen to eliminate outliers observed in small polygons, and to standardize the presumed zone of exposure. The single variable that explained the most variation in incidence rate across all study designs was percent of herbaceous edge adjacent to forest. The multi-variable model with the strongest explanatory power (R2 = 0.87) resulted from the road-bounded design. Furthermore, this design controlled for spatial autocorrelation (p = 0.064), which was highly significant in both grid designs (p = 0.002). Findings demonstrate the utility of roads to delimit distinct zones of human-environment interaction, including development intensity and peridomestic contact with wildlife habitat. This study emphasizes the importance of judicious boundary selection to spatial models with the potential for real-world applications in landscape planning and design
L. E. Jackson; J. F. Levine; E. D. Hilborn. A comparison of analysis units for associating Lyme disease with forest-edge habitat. Community Ecology 2006, 7, 189 -197.
AMA StyleL. E. Jackson, J. F. Levine, E. D. Hilborn. A comparison of analysis units for associating Lyme disease with forest-edge habitat. Community Ecology. 2006; 7 (2):189-197.
Chicago/Turabian StyleL. E. Jackson; J. F. Levine; E. D. Hilborn. 2006. "A comparison of analysis units for associating Lyme disease with forest-edge habitat." Community Ecology 7, no. 2: 189-197.
Background Incidence of Lyme disease in the US continues to grow. Low-density development is also increasing in endemic regions, raising questions about the relationship between development pattern and disease. This study sought to model Lyme disease incidence rate using quantitative, practical metrics of regional landscape pattern. The objective was to progress towards the development of design guidelines that may help minimize known threats to human and environmental health. Methods Ecological analysis was used to accommodate the integral landscape variables under study. Case data derived from passive surveillance reports across 12 counties in the US state of Maryland during 1996–2000; 2137 cases were spatially referenced to residential addresses. Major roads were used to delineate 514 landscape analysis units from 0.002 to 580 km2. Results The parameter that explained the most variation in incidence rate was the percentage of land-cover edge represented by the adjacency of forest and herbaceous cover [R2 = 0.75; rate ratio = 1.34 (1.26–1.43); P < 0.0001]. Also highly significant was the percentage of the landscape in forest cover (cumulative R2 = 0.82), which exhibited a quadratic relationship with incidence rate. Modelled relationships applied throughout the range of landscape sizes. Conclusions Results begin to provide quantitative landscape design parameters for reducing casual peridomestic contact with tick and host habitat. The final model suggests that clustered forest and herbaceous cover, as opposed to high forest-herbaceous interspersion, would minimize Lyme disease risk in low-density residential areas. Higher-density development that precludes a large percentage of forest-herbaceous edge would also limit exposure.
Laura E Jackson; Elizabeth D Hilborn; James Thomas. Towards landscape design guidelines for reducing Lyme disease risk. International Journal Of Epidemiology 2006, 35, 315 -322.
AMA StyleLaura E Jackson, Elizabeth D Hilborn, James Thomas. Towards landscape design guidelines for reducing Lyme disease risk. International Journal Of Epidemiology. 2006; 35 (2):315-322.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura E Jackson; Elizabeth D Hilborn; James Thomas. 2006. "Towards landscape design guidelines for reducing Lyme disease risk." International Journal Of Epidemiology 35, no. 2: 315-322.
This study explores ecological vulnerability to land-use change in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region by spatially extrapolating land and economic development, and overlaying these projections with maps of sensitive ecological resources. As individual extrapolations have a high degree of uncertainty, five methods with different theoretical bases are employed. Confidence in projections is increased for counties targeted by two or more projection methods. A county is considered at risk if it currently supports three or more sensitive resources, and is projected to experience significant growth by the year 2010 by two or more methods. Analysis designated 19 counties and two cities as at risk, highlighting within a large region the priority areas where state and regional efforts would contribute the most to integrating environmental considerations into the process of land development. The study also found that potentially severe ecological effects of future land-use change are not limited to the outskirts of major urban areas. Recreational demands on smaller communities with mountain and coastal resources are also significant, as are initiatives to promote economic development in rural areas of high ecological quality. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of potential regional development, leading to an objective prioritization of high-risk areas. The intent is to inform local planning and decision-making so that regional and cumulative ecological degradation are minimized.
Laura E. Jackson; Sandra L. Bird; Ronald W. Matheny; Robert V. O'neill; Denis White; Kristin C. Boesch; Jodi L. Koviach. A Regional Approach to Projecting Land-Use Change and Resulting Ecological Vulnerability. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2004, 94, 231 -248.
AMA StyleLaura E. Jackson, Sandra L. Bird, Ronald W. Matheny, Robert V. O'neill, Denis White, Kristin C. Boesch, Jodi L. Koviach. A Regional Approach to Projecting Land-Use Change and Resulting Ecological Vulnerability. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2004; 94 (1-3):231-248.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura E. Jackson; Sandra L. Bird; Ronald W. Matheny; Robert V. O'neill; Denis White; Kristin C. Boesch; Jodi L. Koviach. 2004. "A Regional Approach to Projecting Land-Use Change and Resulting Ecological Vulnerability." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 94, no. 1-3: 231-248.