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How people speak of hunger extends beyond statements about food adequacy; people's remarks may reflect experiences of poverty and feelings of vulnerability, and may be used to request help. In this article, we build on the idea of idioms of distress to conceptualize hunger talk as expressing more than an empty belly. We draw on ethnographic data gathered in two settings in South Africa: one a peri-urban area under traditional jurisdiction in the Eastern Cape Province; the other an inner-city suburb of the largest city, Johannesburg, in Gauteng. Hunger-related idioms of distress help illustrate the complex interplay of social, economic, and cultural factors, and allow people to speak of various affective and material aspects of their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diurnal flight activity in otherwise strictly nocturnal bats has typically been linked to random disturbance from day roosts, an urgent need to balance food shortage caused by adverse weather during nighttime, or the absence of diurnal predators. However, migration may be another reason why bats fly during daylight, at least in some areas. Using community-science data collection, we obtained more than 500 records of over 15,000 bats displaying diurnal flight activity, suggesting that it is relatively common in Central Europe. The vast majority of sightings were of common noctules (Nyctalus noctula), with most records concentrated in spring and autumn. The seasonal dynamics of diurnal flights exactly coincided with migratory periods, and directional movements in autumn—when diurnal activity was most frequent and included highest numbers of observed bats—suggest that the behavior may ultimately be linked to migration ecology. The highest frequency of diurnal flights in autumn coincided with highest body mass in the studied territory, thereby refuting the hypothesis of early roost emergence due to poor body condition or decreased predation risk related to increased maneuverability. A shift from strictly nocturnal to partly diurnal activity may balance increased energetic demands imposed by migration, which is temporally synchronized with periods of cold nights when prey density is limited. Common noctule diurnal activity during the migratory period may be beneficial as they can acquire energy by foraging on daily abundant prey while saving nighttime for long endurance flights—alternatively, they may forage on the way to their migratory destination, thereby saving time. Predation risk from diurnal predators may be significantly decreased by choosing high flight altitudes, as observed particularly during autumn. We suggest that observations on the geographic distribution of diurnally flying noctules may help identify migration corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Careful and focused decision-making in the food sector reduces the challenges threatening food systems' stability. Besides, it can optimally control any changes that result in food shortages. The present study aimed to identify identifiable factors' effects on food insecurity using a dynamic system with an emphasis on consumption behaviors. A dynamic model was developed to understand the long-term interaction between individual characteristics, average cost, average income, and hygiene status, and a dynamic model was then validated and operationalized among 1,000 Alborz Province's households randomly using a questionnaire. The base scenario for predicting food insecurity changes revealed that food insecurity had increased over ten years, resulting in changes in social and economic status and vulnerability of urban society. Four additional scenarios indicated that the average cost and income could directly affect the food insecurity status in Iran by indirectly influencing policies to increase food security, health, and hygiene. Individual characteristics and food security also influence food insecurity and reinforce the relationship between these variables. The study revealed that dynamic systems modeling could be a valuable tool for assessing food insecurity policies and their factors in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-Health is an umbrella term that integrates the health of the environment, humans and non-human animals. This approach is applied here to elucidate the impact of non-native invasive species on aquaculture and food security. Despite inherent biases against these species, a better understanding of their characteristics allows for the identification of those of greatest concern, minimizing the risk of food shortages and infectious diseases. This review summarises the positive and negative impacts of non-native species, delineating the specific areas they may impact. Additionally, this review gives an insight to the expertise and stakeholders that would need to be included if a "One-Health" approach were to be implemented by policymakers to better control non-native species. Detailed examples illustrate the consequences of non-native species on trophic dynamics, ecosystem health, water chemistry, and human health, emphasizing the importance of managing them within a multidimensional framework. The "One-Health" approach is explained, and suggestions are made on how certain non-native species could be used to contribute to food security in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, recommendations are made to promote a more inclusive management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moecnh) is a versatile crop that is widely grown in western Ethiopia, despite that it is less researched. This study, therefore, investigates the traditional knowledge, nutritional, and morphological characteristics of two commonly grown okra varieties (Kenketse and Sharma) in west Ethiopia. A semi‐structured questionnaire, checklist, and observations were used to collect primary data from households, key informants, and farms. In addition, proximate composition parameters like moisture content, total ash, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, utilizable carbohydrates, and gross energy fruits were measured through laboratory analysis. Fruit morphological traits, including fruit dimensions such as length and width, were determined using a digital Vernier caliper. For data analysis, SPSS software was used. The results revealed that the entire plant is used for both food and ethnomedicinal purposes. Curing ailments such as stomach pain, constipation, wound/cut, heart discomfort, back pain, malaria, diarrhea, and amoebae were among the medical benefits of okra. The proximate composition (%) on a dry matter basis of okra fruits differed significantly (p <.05) by cultivar type and drying method. Moisture (3.69%–5.24%), total ash (6.60%–8.01%), crude fat (4.87%–8.58%), crude protein (4.06%–5.23%), crude fiber (12.85%–15.26%), utilizable carbohydrate (56.42%–67.63%), and gross energy contents (326–341 kcal) were the ranges of the various proximate and energy levels. Morphological characteristics of fruit and leaf length, width, and length‐to‐width ratio varied with cultivar type, where Sharma had more than double the length of Kenketse (70.1 vs. 187.1 mm). Despite being an undervalued native vegetable crop in Ethiopia, the study's findings show that okra is a multipurpose vegetable for promoting human health and ensuring food and nutritional security. Therefore, stepping up its production, marketing, and consumption could help alleviate the food shortage and improve human nutrition and health in the study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐2019) pandemic and other factors have significantly increased the number of people suffering from food shortages worldwide in 2020. As many as 720–811 million people, which is nearly 10% of the global population, are facing hunger. Thus, the need for substances that fulfil human nutritional requirements is growing to address this issue. Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis), commonly or commercially called spirulina, is an ideal product that contains various functional ingredients. Given them, various health benefits of A. platensis are proven gradually, including anti‐oxidant, immune regulation, anti‐inflammation, hypoglycaemia, anti‐bacterial and anti‐radiation properties. In recent years, functional ingredients of A. platensis are showing the potential to be functional foods. This paper gives an overview on the functional ingredients and the resulting health benefits of A. platensis summarises the research progress of A. platensis as functional foods in recent years and looks forward to its application development prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanical pandemics cause enormous economic damage and food shortages around the globe. However, since botanical pandemics are here to stay in the short-medium term, domesticated field owners can strategically seed their fields to optimize each session's economic profit. In this work, we propose a novel epidemiological-economic mathematical model that describes the economic profit from a field of plants during a botanical pandemic. We describe the epidemiological dynamics using a spatiotemporal extended susceptible-infected-recovered epidemiological model with a non-linear output economic model. We provide an algorithm to obtain an optimal grid-formed seeding strategy to maximize economic profit, given field and pathogen properties. We show that the recovery and basic infection rates have a similar economic influence. Unintuitively, we show that a larger farm does not promise higher economic profit. Our results demonstrate a significant benefit of using the proposed seeding strategy and shed more light on the dynamics of the botanical pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic restrictions on access to food have brought on a food crisis in Russian-occupied territories. Blocking free access to food by occupation, economic pressure, reduced production and destruction of infrastructure risks social conflicts and escalating violence. Food shortages have led to deterioration of physical and economic health, increased mortality, social disorganisation and threats to personal security; many victims experience post-traumatic stress disorder. We draw comparisons with the Holodomor of 1933–4 and the Dutch Hongerwinter of 1944–5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primates can respond to food availability shortages by increasing the energy they invest in searching for alternative food resources or by conserving energy by altering their diet while reducing movement. To gain information on the ecological flexibility of Beni titi monkeys (Plecturocebus modestus), we assessed seasonal variation in the behavior and ranging and feeding patterns of two focal groups across a year. We recorded group behaviors using instantaneous group scan sampling and used all occurrence sampling to collect ranging and feeding data (1,178 observation hours in the dry season, and 1,202 in the wet season). We collected data on food availability via monthly phenology monitoring. We found that during the fruit-scarce dry season, these frugivorous primates significantly reduced their monthly investment in moving and increased their consumption of flowers. They also showed some decrease in fruit consumption, home ranges and daily path length. Our observations of a diet shift to a high intake of alternative foods and reduction of time spent on moving suggest that the P. modestus groups that we studied used an energy-area minimizing strategy when fruits were less available. While we found that P. modestus could find food in the naturally fragmented forests, high levels of ongoing anthropogenic forest fragmentation may lead to reductions in important food resources, threatening the survival of these Endangered primates. This study shows the ecological flexibility of primates and provides important information to be incorporated in the design of specific effective conservation actions for this threatened an endemic species, as well as highlights the importance of mitigating the current threats to these forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of wild edible plants (WEPs) is a traditional practice in many rural areas of Sudan and elsewhere in the world. We investigated the traditional uses of WEPs in six villages in Babanosa and Lagawa districts of West Kordofan State, Sudan using guided field walks, direct observations, semi-structured questionnaires and group discussions to collect data on names, characteristics, and uses of WEPs from 150 respondents. We quantified the relative importance of WEPs through use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), and direct matrix ranking (DMR). We recorded a total of 22 WEPs belonging to 21 genera and 15 families. Fabaceae was the dominant family with four genera (19%) and four species (18%), and 11 families contributed one species each. Life forms consisted of shrubs (45.45%), trees (40.9%), herbs (9.09%), and grasses (4.54%). 77% of WEPs exhibited edible fruits that are generally consumed without processing. We recorded the three highest FLs and UVs for Adansonia digitata (94% and 0.87), Balanites aegyptiaca (92.6% and 0.80), and Ziziphus spina-christi (94% and 0.73). Boscia senegalensis was the only species that was consumed as an emergency food to mitigate food shortage. DMR prioritized the medicinal use-category over the other use categories, including food which came in third place. We conclude that domestication of WEPs could secure health, nutrition, and livelihoods for the local population as well as contribute to ecosystem conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, striking a delicate balance between sustaining economic activity and safeguarding public health has become a crucial concern. The border closures for COVID-19 prevention have further intensified concerns for North Korea, which conducts over 90% of its trade with China and Russia, countries sharing its borders. Methods: This study aims to scrutinize North Korea's response to these competing imperatives by examining the impact of border closures on the country's trade dynamics with China and Russia. This study employed the difference-in-difference (DID) method to analyze transformations in North Korea's economic activity before and after the border closures, utilizing trade data and nighttime satellite imagery captured in 2019 and 2020. Results: The results reveal that North Korea actively reoriented its trade priorities towards Russia and accorded precedence to its epidemic prevention system over its economy during the pandemic. A noticeable increase in imports of food and pharmaceuticals was observed, indicating a significant rise in the inflow of these essential commodities. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea placed significant policy emphasis on preserving public health. However, due to economic hardships and food shortages, if the pandemic persists in the long term, it indicates the possibility of partial or complete lifting of border closures to mitigate these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food shortages due to population growth and climate change are expected to occur in the near future as a problem that urgently requires solutions. Conventional breeding techniques, notably crossbreeding and mutation breeding, are known for being inefficient and time-consuming in obtaining seeds and seedlings with desired traits. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel methods for efficient plant breeding. Breeding by genome editing is receiving substantial attention because it can efficiently modify the target gene to obtain desired traits compared with conventional methods. Among the programmable sequence-specific nucleases that have been developed for genome editing, CRISPR-Cas12a and CRISPR-MAD7 nucleases are becoming more broadly adopted for the application of genome editing in grains, vegetables and fruits. Additionally, ST8, an improved variant of MAD7, has been developed to enhance genome editing efficiency and has potential for application to breeding of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the Second World War on food insecurity in Africa have gained scholarly attention over the past few years; however, there have been no comprehensive attempts to provide historical evidence and analyze the experience of food insecurity in the colonial territories that later transformed into Southern Nigeria. This article fills this gap in research and argues that the demands of the British colonial government for food supplies, along with other policies geared toward agricultural regulation such as the Pullen Scheme, led to such inflation of food prices in urban centers that rural producers could not meet the demand for foodstuffs. The resulting food shortage triggered reactions from indigenous peoples, particularly market women in the southern and eastern provinces of colonial Nigeria. The article supports its arguments using a combination of sources from the Nigerian National Archives, newspaper reports, and peer-reviewed journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does a warming world, where extremely hot summers are becoming more common, mean that cold summers will never again occur? It is crucial to know whether extremely cold summers are still possible, as such knowledge will significantly impact decisions regarding the further adaptation of crops to cold summers. Japan, which has suffered from many extremely cold summers, has managed past agricultural disruptions with emergency rice imports. In this paper, we show that a climate regime shift associated with the positive phase shift of the summer Arctic Oscillation occurred in 2010 in northeast Eurasia, making the occurrence of extremely cold summers highly unlikely as long as this new regime persists. In fact, Japan has not experienced a cold summer since 2010, while extremely hot summers have been frequent. Since 2010, a double-jet structure with subtropical and polar jets has strengthened, and the polar jet has meandered farther north of Japan, resulting in an upper-tropospheric anticyclone. This anticyclone, which extends downward and tilts southward, reaches southern Japan and prevents cold advection of oceanic air over the cold Oyashio. The Okhotsk high, known as the leading cause of cold summers, has occurred frequently in recent years; however, cold summers have not occurred due to the tilting anticyclone. The recent warming of the Oyashio weakens cold advection. The Pacific–Japan pattern, known as a remote tropical influence, has been weakened. A better understanding of the regime shift will help us understand the tilting anticyclone and the associated extreme summers in northeast Eurasia. Significance Statement: Extremely cold summers are among the most destructive natural disasters, both socioeconomically and agriculturally. Historically, food shortages due to cold summers have triggered wars. This paper proposes that a hemispheric-scale climate regime shift occurred in or around 2010. This regime shift has included warmings in the North Pacific and East Eurasian land surface temperatures. The regime shift is accompanied by the positive shift of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), a jet meander, and an upper-tropospheric anticyclone, making eastern Eurasia extremely hot. Our results imply that extremely cold summers are unlikely to occur in eastern Eurasia so long as this regime persists. Moving forward, it is important that the link between this regime shift and global warming be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cowpea is the main food leguminous plant grown in Niger. It is mainly cultivated for its protein-rich haulms and seeds and for its ability to improve soil fertility through its symbiosis with atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The present study evaluated genetic variability among six cowpea varieties for yield, yield related and phenology traits in the Zinder region. The experiment was conducted at the experimental area of André Salifou University in Zinder. An experimental device composed of three completely random blocks was used. The six varieties (four local and two improved) of cowpea were evaluated based on 24 quantitative agronomic and morphological characters according to IBPGR descriptors. The comparison of the means and the PCA revealed significant differences between the varieties in almost all the traits tested, with substantial phenotypic variations. IT98 was the most productive variety, with an average yield of 385.50 kg/ha. It also recorded the earliest flowering (38.41 days after sowing) and maturity (55 days after sowing) dates. BlAr gave the highest 100-Seed weight with an average value of 29.21g. CDSb and BTAr were the tallest plants at 40.44 and 40.26 cm respectively. The completed PCA indicates that the first two axes expressed 78,7% of the total variability whereby PC1 and PC2 highly contributed to the total variation at 54.76% and 23.94, respectively. Thus, IT98 may be a good candidate to be considered in Niger struggle to fight food shortage and face nutrition challenges, especially for the Zinder region due to abiotic constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong military traditions of Worcester may mean the city's engagement in two world wars is often thought about in terms of the soldiers or even the ammunition produced at Blackpole Munitions Works. The ways in which both wars impacted the more mundane lives of the majority of women who were housewives have received less attention. As housewives, daughters, sisters or domestic servants, women undertook the lion's share of the domestic and emotional labours needed to maintain homes, communities and neighbourhoods. This was played out at a local level, shaped by the geographical, economic and cultural specificity of not only regions but towns and cities. There were as many different home fronts as there were battle fronts; thus, Worcester residents experienced the privations and problems of twentieth-century large-scale international warfare, through their local home front. This contextualized case study of Worcester explores the financial challenges housewives faced, their problems with food provisioning and the care of evacuees to argue that both wars entered the home in a multitude of ways. It provides evidence of how, the boundary between public and private spheres was blurred, as in wartime the state interfered in the domestic life to an unprecedented degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers are beginning to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on island populations, but little is known about the experiences of the residents of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard in the Northeast region of the United States. In this study, islanders (N=41) provide insight into how spending time in nature influenced their well-being, especially their mental well-being, during this unprecedented time. For the majority of participants, the influence of nature on their well-being increased during the pandemic. Additionally, participants shared benefits of island living such as isolation from the mainland, as well as challenges such as food and supply shortages. Results from this study indicate that further research is needed around the importance of nature on well-being, especially mental health, for island residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores poverty dimensions and negative experiences of households living in secondary cities of Kenya with the aim of understanding the determinants of the willingness to pay to access water services. Our findings suggest that negative experiences of households related to poor access to water, like water crises, water borne diseases, and daily time to fetch water, seem to play an important role. Conversely, poverty dimensions are not necessarily influential. More specifically, while daily income of the household is an important factor, other variables, namely, education, food shortages, and access to information do not have significant effects. Our evidence suggests that to raise the awareness of this public good's value, local governments should focus on improving citizens' information especially in poor areas, as well as the ability to pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological, social, and scientific advances are transforming the nature of everything we eat. This Article.focuses on the most pressing topic within this changing landscape: the consumption of meat. The Article first elucidates that animal meat consumption is (1) environmentally costly, (2) unhealthy, (3) cruel to animals, and (4) may result in long-term food shortages. It then argues that plant-based meat alternalives have the rare potential to address all of these challenges. Despite their exceptional potential, the legal literature on the newest generation Of plantbased meat alternatives is sparse. Responding to this gap, this Article provides a holistic and contemporan law and policy approach to these novel versions of non-animal meals. Integrating insights and lessons from various legal.fields and non-legal domains, it examines key issues thal policymakers should consider when crafting the legal framework that will govern tomorrow's meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian hibernation is a survival strategy characterized by metabolic suppression and drastically lowering body temperature (Tb), used during harsh seasons with food shortages and cold. The Syrian hamster commences hibernation in response to a short photoperiod and cold but spontaneously concludes hibernation after several months without environmental cues. Little is known about the changes in diel rhythms during hibernation. Using long-term and high-resolution Tb data, we analysed the diel Tb rhythm time-course changes in Syrian hamsters raised under summer-like conditions (long photoperiod (LP) and warm; LP-warm) and transferred to winter-like conditions (short photoperiod (SP) and cold; SP-cold). The diel Tb rhythm was undetectable during the hibernation period (HIBP), reappearing after the HIBP. The phase of this returning rhythm reverted to the LP entrainment phase characteristics despite the ambient SP and then re-entrained to the ambient SP as if the hamsters were transferred from the LP-warm to SP-cold conditions. The diel Tb rhythm reverted from the SP- to LP-type in a hibernation-dependent manner. Under constant dark and cold conditions, the circadian Tb rhythm recovered without photic stimuli following the HIBP. These findings suggest that hibernation involves a program that anticipates the ambient photoperiod when animals emerge from hibernation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The hepatopancreas of crustaceans serves as a significant organ for both the synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes, as well as energy storage. In the event of food shortage, the hepatopancreas can provide energy for survival. To investigate the potential regulatory mechanisms of the hepatopancreas in response to starvation in Eriocheir Sinensis, transcriptome analysis, histological study and qRT-PCR were performed. Results: The results showed that starvation caused a decrease in the hepatopancreas index of E. sinensis, which had certain effects on the tissue structure, metabolism and angiogenesis in the hepatopancreas. In addition, WGCNA and linear regression analysis showed that the genes significantly related to the hepatopancreas index were mainly enriched in the angiogenesis pathway, in which AKT signaling played an important role. Starvation may inhibit AKT signaling pathway by reducing the expression of TGFBI, HSP27, HHEX, and EsPVF1, thereby hindering angiogenesis, promoting apoptosis, and leading to hepatopancreas atrophy. Conclusion: These results indicate that AKT plays an important role in the angiogenesis pathway and apoptosis of the starvation induced hepatopancreas index reduction, which is beneficial to further understand the effect of starvation stress on hepatopancreas of Chinese mitten crab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aestivation is considered to be one of the "purest" hypometabolic states in nature, as it involves aerobic dormancy that can be induced and sustained without complex factors. Animals that undergo aestivation to protect themselves from environmental stressors such as high temperatures, droughts, and food shortages. However, this shift in body metabolism presents new challenges for survival, including oxidative stress upon awakening from aestivation, accumulation of toxic metabolites, changes in energy sources, adjustments to immune status, muscle atrophy due to prolonged immobility, and degeneration of internal organs due to prolonged food deprivation. In this review, we summarize the physiological and metabolic strategies, key regulatory factors, and networks utilized by aestivating animals to address the aforementioned components of aestivation. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive overview of the advancements made in aestivation research across major species, including amphibians, fish, reptiles, annelids, mollusks, and echinoderms, categorized according to their respective evolutionary positions. This approach offers a distinct perspective for comparative analysis, facilitating an understanding of the shared traits and unique features of aestivation across different groups of organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low phosphorus (P) soils in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a major constraint for rice production. This study employed two methods, calcination and partial acidulation, to determine low-grade phosphate of rocks and evaluate the fertilization effects of calcinated and partially acidulated phosphate rocks (CPR and PAPR, respectively). A field experiment was conducted involving four farmers' fields with different ground-water levels (GWLs) during 2019 and 2020 in the Centre West region of Burkina Faso. CPR, PAPR, and single superphosphate (SSP) were applied at the rates of 0, 7.6, 15.3, and 30.5 kg P ha−1, with the SSP mainly consisting of the water-soluble P fraction (WP), PAPR of the WP, the alkaline ammonium citrate-soluble P fraction (SP), CPR of the SP, and a 2% citric acid-soluble P fraction. The average grain yield (mean ± standard deviation Mg ha–1) in P application at 0, 7.6, 15.3, and 30.5 kg P ha−1 was 1.64 ± 0.59, 2.87 ± 0.94, 3.33 ± 1.06, and 3.95 ± 1.18, respectively, which confirms the significant increase expected by P fertilization. On the contrary, significant positive relationships between GWL and grain yield were found in CPR and PAPR treatments at a low P application rate, but not in SSP treatments. These results suggest a positive effect of slow-release P in fields with high GWL. Therefore, GWL should be considered when selecting P fertilizer types to maximize the fertilization effect. Both CPR and PAPR can replace conventional high-cost P fertilizer. These findings contribute significantly to the efficient use of local P resources and addressing food shortages in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of riverbanks has a negative impact on many nations across the world, costing them land, buildings, food, fish, and other living things, which forces people to relocate. Both the frequency and severity of riverbank erosion are alarming in Bangladesh. In Zajira Upazila, a baseline investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of river erosion on the local availability of food. The results show how erosion threatens the majority of residents in the research territory. Additionally, as a consequence of the depletion of farmland brought on by the disaster and its effects, crop production is steadily dropping. Occasionally, people lose whole properties, leaving them with few employment options and little spending power. As a result, they are always in danger of experiencing a shortage of food. The suffering people use various coping strategies to deal with these challenging circumstances, such as shifting to cheaper or less appealing eating options. Despite the fact that local governing bodies have put in place various programs to help them, including food assistance and social protection programs, these are inadequate because of the government's constrained organizational assets and competence The study's findings will aid scientists and decision-makers in Bangladesh and abroad in better comprehending the requirements of vulnerable riverine populations and in designing programs that would increase those societies' food safety Therefore, these results imply that developing and implementing efficient rural development strategies could increase the food security of those residing in Bangladeshi regions threatened by riverbank erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the complex and multifaceted nature of human security, which extends beyond protection from military threats to encompass physical, food, health, financial, community, political, and environmental dimensions. It traces humanity's historical challenges, including natural disasters, epidemics, and food shortages, and highlights how technological advancements since the Industrial Revolution have eased some threats to security while magnifying others. Colonialism, world wars, the development of nuclear weapons, the evolution of multilateral institutions, neoliberal economic policies, and globalization of trade and finance have also played dual roles. Human security also highlights the subjective factors, including perceptions and expectations of the future and changes in social values, which are ignored or undetected by objective measures. The article stresses the necessity of coordinated collective action to address the pressing human security challenges confronting humanity today, such as climate change and the need for a global cooperative security system to replace the prevailing competitive model. It calls for global acceptance of shared security responsibilities and collaboration to herald a safer, more secure world in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Organisms that are similar in size, morphological characteristics, and adaptations, including vertebrates, often coexist by partitioning the available resources (food, space, and time). So, studies of the dynamics of these cases of coexistence are scientifically interesting. Here, we study a coexistence case between two species of freshwater turtles inhabiting the forest waterbodies of West Africa, focusing on the dietary habits of the two species. We found that both turtle species are omnivorous generalists, eating both vegetal and animal matter abundantly. However, there were clear interspecific differences, with the larger of the two species (P. cupulatta) eating more vertebrates (mainly fish but occasionally other vertebrates), whereas P. castaneus consumed more invertebrates. We also showed that interspecific competition for food does not occur between these two species; instead, previous studies demonstrated that a clear partitioning of the habitat niche occurs. Organisms that are similar in size, morphological characteristics, and adaptations, including vertebrates, often coexist by partitioning the available resources (food, space, and time). So, studies of the dynamics of these cases of coexistence are scientifically interesting. Here, we study a coexistence case of two species of freshwater turtles inhabiting the forest waterbodies of West Africa, focusing on the dietary habits of the two species. We found that both turtle species are omnivorous generalists, eating both vegetal and animal matter abundantly. However, there were clear interspecific differences, with the larger of the two species (P. cupulatta) eating more vertebrates (mainly fish but occasionally other vertebrates), whereas P. castaneus consumed more invertebrates. These patterns appeared consistently within the species and across sites, highlighting that the same patterns were likely in other conspecific populations from the Upper Guinean forest streams (Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia). Our study also showed that interspecific competition for food does not occur between these two species; instead, previous studies uncovered that a clear partitioning of the habitat niche occurs. We conclude that the food resource is likely unlimited in the study areas, as it is not the case in more arid environments (since food shortages may occur during the dry season). We anticipate that, within the Pelomedusidae communities throughout Africa, intense competition for food probably occurs in the Sahel and Sudanian vegetation zones, particularly during the dry months, but is unlikely within the Guinea and wet savannah region and even less likely in the Guineo-Congolian rainforest region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altricial birds often display biased preferences in providing parental care for their dependent offspring, especially during food shortages. During this process, such inflexible rules may result in provisioning errors. To demonstrate how parents optimize their provisioning strategies, we proposed a "diagnosis model" of parental care to posit that parents will undergo a diagnosis procedure to test whether selecting against some particular offspring based on phenotype is an optimal strategy. We tested this model in an asynchronous hatching bird, the Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus , based on 10 years of data about demography and parental provisioning behaviors. Given their higher daily survival rates, core offspring (those hatched on the first day) merits an investment priority compared with their marginal brood mates (those hatched on later days). However, a marginal offspring also merited a priority if it displayed greater weight gain than the expected value at the early post-hatching days. Parents could detect such a marginal offspring via a diagnosis strategy, in which they provisioned the brood at the diagnosis stage by delivering food to every nestling that begged, then biased food toward high-value nestlings at the subsequent decision stage by making a negative response to the begging of low-value nestlings. In this provisioning strategy, the growth performance of a nestling became a more reliable indicator of its investment value than its hatching order or competitive ability. Our findings provide evidence for this "diagnosis model of parental care" wherein parents use a diagnosis method to optimize their provisioning strategy in brood reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pandemics as health and humanitarian crises have exerted traceable impacts on food security. Almost all past and current pandemics have created a food crisis that affects a share of the global population and threaten global food security. With the more frequent outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases or pandemics, this paper looks at the various types of impacts from the current coronavirus crisis and past pandemics to identify their major impact on food security. Scope: To this effect, key strategies that could be put in place to ensure the efficient resilience of food systems before, during, and after the pandemics to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemics on global food security are recommended. The most recent effects of the current coronavirus crisis have been disruptions in the flow of farm labourers and inefficient farm operations leading to postharvest food losses. Key findings and conclusions: Modification of diets between social groups has also been observed. Future response orientations to prevent and mitigate the effects of pandemics on food security will consider pro-active and adapted policy, program, and institutional actions towards the systemic development of global food systems as an interconnected network. Highlights: • Before the 20thcentury hunger and illnesses might be traced to climatic changes. • The catastrophes in human history elicit various reactions – defence, reflection. • In the 19thcentury, lower quality of food further exacerbated the effects of famines. • Skills required for effectivemanagement of the flow of goods and services are in high demand. • Alternative food resources exist during pandemic and food shortage. • Strategizing to ensure food access and self-sufficiency during a pandemic is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The phenomenon of food shortage is widespread in spider populations, but the response of Pardosa pseudoannulata to dietary restriction remains unclear. The study aimed to determine (1) whether energy allocation occurs in P. pseudoannulata under dietary restriction by analysing its development and longevity; (2) if there is a trade-off between development, longevity, and nutrient content indicating a trend to energy allocation; (3) how different levels and periods of dietary restriction affect the predatory ability of P. pseudoannulata. The results showed that the continuous dietary restriction has negative impacts on the growth of P. pseudoannulata, and positive impacts on its longevity. When food was severely restricted in the juvenile stage, nutrient contents of the adult spider could return to the same level as the control group, but the predatory ability decreased. These findings suggest a trade-off between growth, longevity, and predatory ability of the P. pseudoannulata under dietary restriction conditions. The phenomenon of food shortage is widespread in spider populations, which has a great impact on their growth, development, and survival. Pardosa pseudoannulata is a dominant spider species in rice fields and has an important controlling effect on rice pests. In this study, three feeding levels were tested at the juvenile stage (H, high feeding; M, medium dietary restriction; L, severe dietary restriction) and two at the adult stage (H and L). A total of six feeding levels were tested to explore the effects of dietary restriction on the development, longevity, nutrient content, and predation by P. pseudoannulata [HH (control group), HL, MH, ML, LH, LL]. The results showed that continuous dietary restriction (ML and LL groups) had negative impacts on the growth of P. pseudoannulata and positive impacts on longevity. Spiderlings suffered from dietary restrictions during the juvenile period, and when the restrictions were removed upon reaching adulthood (MH and LH groups), their lifespan started decreasing whilst their weight began returning to normal. This suggested that there might be a trade-off between the growth and longevity of the spider under dietary restrictions. The study also found that when food was severely restricted in the juvenile stage (LH and LL groups), the nutrient contents of the adult spider could return to the same level as the control group, but the predatory ability decreased. When food was moderately restricted in the juvenile stage (MH and ML groups), the predatory ability of the adult spiders improved, while nutrients of the adult spiders declined. Our results will provide an empirical basis for the protection and effective use of dominant spider species in agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a growing world, growing polarity between the rich and the poor is getting more and more distinct, there comes a huge problem of food shortage. For many years, scientists have been working consistently, conducting researches for an optimal solution to this problem. One of the main solutions to this food crisis is to properly supplement the essential nutrients that plants uptake from soil. In theses, a solution to the problem is given in successful studies increasing both yield and quality coefficients of plants. In fertilizer analysis of this research, farmers will be able to find the fertilizer uptake of their soil, which in turn, will help in calculating costs beforehand in terms of high-yield production rates and lesser finances spent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In front of climate change and the threat of food shortages, organic farming is an answer to both challenges. On the one hand, organic farming protects and improves environmental conditions, and on the other hand, it can provide food for the entire planet. Of course, the organic farming system is difficult to apply, requiring both financial resources and consumer awareness. The current work aims to carry out an analysis of how organic agriculture has evolved in the counties of Constanța and Tulcea, as well as identifying some particularities at the level of the organic farm, from demand to obtaining and delivering production. The study deepened the situation of organic farming using both published data and information collected with the help of a questionnaire. From the study, it emerged that the two studied counties together own 24.1% of the area certified in the ecological agriculture system of our country, respectively Constanța 6.5% (17,651 ha) and Tulcea 17.6% (47,757 ha). The number of operators in the ecological system, in 2020, was 280 in Constanța County and 343 in Tulcea County respectively, holding a share of 2.5% and 3.1% respectively of the total per country. The analysis of ways to capitalize on organic production consisted of the assessment of capitalization, the existence of a capitalization plan and the possession of storage spaces, the commercialization of production in the country or for export. Thus, from the answers of the farmers it emerged that out of the 70 respondents, 18 (25.6 %) consider the exploitation of production to be an easy and medium easy activity, and 28 (40 %) consider it a heavy activity and 24 (34 %) as a very hard activity, of which 85% have higher education; out of the farms analyzed, 35 farms have production storage facilities, of which 32 have higher education; the destination of the production is 41.4% only in the country, 11.4% outside the country and 37.1% capitalize the production both in the country and outside the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the important problems created by climate change is forest fires. Forest fires occur due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. Forest fires, which occur with the effects of climate change such as an increase in temperature, drought, heat waves, and climatic conditions, are increasing gradually. Acute and chronic effects caused by forest fires cause significant life changes. As a result of the fire, not only forests are damaged, but also flora, wildlife, water resources, soil, climate, areas used by people for recreational purposes, and settlements near and around forested areas. As a result, changes such as increases in temperature, pollution, epidemics, drought, food shortage, and forest fires, affect mental and physical health. While exposure to forest fires creates a direct traumatic effect; indirectly, it affects mental health for a number of social, political and economic reasons such as poverty, unemployment and housing. Forest fires also create an environmental change. This environmental change creates a sense of loss, the sense of belonging is lost, it cannot connect with the new environment, it becomes difficult to adapt and causes distress. Uncertainty about the future, helplessness, stress, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder and depression are common psychological problems due to climate change. It defines some new mental health concepts as the consequences of climate change affect mental health. "Solastalgia" is one pf these new concepts. Solastalgia is defined as a term that expresses the pain and distress caused by the loss of the thing/things that people find solace and environmental change. Solastalgia is a necessary concept for mental health professionals to understand the links between ecosystem health and human health, especially the cumulative effects of climatic and environmental change on mental, emotional and spiritual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to understand the role of elites in strengthening the relations of cooperation between Kuwait and Qatar in the pre-independence phase, which coincided with the rule of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah (1885-1950) in Kuwait, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Jasim Al Thani in Qatar (1880-1957). ), through the study of a set of British correspondence and reports during the Second World War available on the Qatar Digital Library website, in addition to another set of unpublished commercial papers of one of the Qatari families, which were donated to the Qatar National Library. The study argued that food shortages and the food policies pursued by the British at the time of World War II had caused the building of trade alliances between the two emirates. On a larger scale, this study explored the nature of the relations between the merchants of Kuwait and Qatar and how they worked and merged with each other legally and illegally during the Second World War, this helps in drawing a picture of the societies of the Arab Gulf merchants in the pre-oil period. Also, this study is an addition to the history of the Arab Gulf region in the period of the first world economy (1815-1948), when capitalism developed, and the British Empire dominated. The study concluded that during the war period, Kuwaiti merchants played a crucial role in revitalizing Qatar’s economy during this period, and participated in the trade of smuggling supplies, and in creating what they are called “war riches.” Also, the study proved the importance of Kuwait in the Gulf economy during the so-called economy of the first globalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Intraguild predation between the introduced enemy Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes) and the native enemy Scolothrips takahashii (Priesner) frequently occurs when target prey is scarce. It is hypothesized that intraguild predation is an adaptative strategy for predators, ensuring the persistence of the intraguild predators during periods of prey scarcity. Therefore, we undertook a study to evaluate the effects of the intraguild prey on the survival, development and reproduction of intraguild predators in a reciprocal predator guild with N. barkeri and S. takahashii. Our results support the hypothesis, showing that intraguild prey enhanced the survival, development and oviposition of intraguild predators, further confirming the effectiveness of intraguild predation as an adaptative strategy. The predatory mites Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes) and the predatory thrips Scolothrips takahashii (Priesner) are known as potential biocontrol agents for the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch). These two predator species occur simultaneously on crops in agricultural ecosystems and are proved to be involved in life-stage specific intraguild predation. The intraguild prey may play a role in securing the persistence of the intraguild predators during food shortage periods. To understand the potential of intraguild prey as food source for intraguild predators in the N. barkeri and S. takahashii guild at low T. urticae densities, the survival, development and reproduction of both predators was determined when fed on heterospecific predators. The choice tests were conducted to determine the preference of the intraguild predator between the intraguild prey and the shared prey. Results showed that 53.3% N. barkeri and 60% S. takahashii juveniles successfully developed when fed on heterospecific predators. Female intraguild predators of both species fed on intraguild prey survived and laid eggs throughout the experiment. In the choice test, both intraguild predator species preferred their extraguild prey T. urticae. This study suggested that intraguild prey served as an alternative prey for intraguild predators prolonged survival and ensured the reproduction of intraguild predators during food shortage, ultimately decreasing the need for the continual release of the predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet and feeding behavior data are crucial to a deep understanding of the behavioral response and adaptation of primates to a high-altitude environment. From August 2019 to June 2021, we collected data on the feeding behavior of a high-altitude rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta group from Yajiang County, Western Sichuan Plateau, which has an altitude of over 3,500 m. The results showed that feeding (33.0 ± 1.8%) and moving (28.3 ± 2.6%) were the dominant behavior of rhesus macaques. Macaques ate 193 food items, comprising 11 food categories from 90 species. Our study found that plant roots (30.9 ± 30.1%) and young leaves (28.0 ± 33.1%) were the main foods eaten by macaques. The preferred foods of rhesus macaques were young leaves, fruits, and seeds, and the consumption of these items was positively correlated with its food availability. When the availability of preferred foods was low, macaques took plant roots, barks, and fallen leaves as fallback foods. In particular, roots were a dominant food item in winter, and this way of feeding became a key survival strategy. Our results suggest that, facing the relative scarcity and strong seasonal fluctuations of food resources in high-altitude habitat, macaques adopt active foraging strategies, relying on a variety of food species and adjusting flexibly their food choices based on food availability, which may help to maximize the energy efficiency of high-altitude macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies on insect interactions on plants have revealed that herbivorous insects indirectly interact with each other through changes in plant traits following herbivory. However, less attention has been given to plant biomass relative to plant quality in relation to indirect interactions among herbivores. We explored the extent to which the larval food demand of two specialist butterflies (Sericinus montela and Atrophaneura alcinous) explains their interaction on a host plant, Aristolochia debilis. A laboratory experiment showed that plant mass consumption by A. alcinous larvae was 2.6 times greater than that by S. montela. We predicted that A. alcinous, which requires more food, is more vulnerable to food shortages than S. montela. In a cage experiment, an asymmetric interspecific interaction was detected between the two specialist butterflies; S. montela larval density significantly decreased the survival and prolonged the development time of A. alcinous, but A. alcinous density affected neither the survival nor the development time of S. montela. The prediction based on the food requirement was partly supported by the fact that increasing A. alcinous density likely caused a food shortage, which more negatively affected A. alcinous survival than S. montela survival. Conversely, increasing the density of S. montela did not reduce the remaining food quantity, suggesting that the negative effect of S. montela density on A. alcinous was unlikely to be due to food shortage. Although aristolochic acid I, a defensive chemical specific to Aristolochia plants, did not influence the food consumption or growth of either butterfly larva, unmeasured attributes of plant quality may have mediated an indirect interaction between the two butterflies. Consequently, our study suggests that not only the quality but also the quantity of plants should be considered to fully understand the characteristics, such as symmetry, of interspecific interactions among herbivorous insects on the same host plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture generally refers to the methods of crop, livestock and fish farming that are meant to eliminate or minimize uncertainty and maximize products with relative accuracy that matches predetermined expectations. Amidst these, the relevance of space assets such as satellites for remote sensing, navigation and communication in guaranteeing food security is increasingly gaining attention. This development cannot be ignored in Africa, a region that is infamously known as a hotspot of drought, famine, malnutrition and attendant death. Using a combination of post-colonial and modernization theories, this article examines the need for Africa to embrace, adopt and adapt space supported precision agriculture to address its enduring food production shortages and related insecurity. This study used a mixed-method to analyze data collected from secondary sources. Despite the involvement of over 50% of the population in agriculture, most African countries have a poor record of food production, because they rely on smallholdings with little technological support, making them vulnerable to food insecurity. Hence, there is an overriding need to adopt modern techniques, such as space supported precision agriculture that are relevant to overcome the challenges that continue to undermine food production capacities and potentials of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study addressed flood-induced food insecurity and coping strategies in agrarian South-eastern Nigeria. Data were collected from 400 households in 8 communities. Food (in)security was measured using Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) and 92.8% households were found to be food insecure. The most adopted coping strategies were compromising food quantity and quality namely; skipping meals; reducing meal frequency and reducing meal portion size in descending order. The study revealed a gender-based disparity in coping strategies adopted between female- and male-headed households and this has been linked to income and asset poverty gaps including differential household food insecurity levels. The coping strategies adopted were self-devised strategies that provided short-term means of survival in times of food shortages. Thus, policy measures, such as social security and food safety nets that are sustainable are recommended to reduce vulnerability to flood-induced food insecurity, thereby improving adaptation to help achieve Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Plant diseases worsen the threat of food shortage with the growing global population, and disease recognition is the basis for the effective prevention and control of plant diseases. Deep learning has made significant breakthroughs in the field of plant disease recognition. Compared with traditional deep learning, meta‐learning can still maintain more than 90% accuracy in disease recognition with small samples. However, there is no comprehensive review on the application of meta‐learning in plant disease recognition. Here, we mainly summarize the functions, advantages, and limitations of meta‐learning research methods and their applications for plant disease recognition with a few data scenarios. Finally, we outline several research avenues for utilizing current and future meta‐learning in plant science. This review may help plant science researchers obtain faster, more accurate, and more credible solutions through deep learning with fewer labeled samples. Significance Statement: This paper focuses on the research related to meta‐learning based plant disease recognition with few samples. With the significant progress in deep‐learning based plant disease detection, disease diagnose is gradually intelligent. However, traditional deep‐learning has limited the existing research development because of the great demand for samples, time and effort consumption, and the lack of migration between models. Furthermore, traditional deep‐learning faces the time‐consuming and labor‐intensive nature of the available samples and the lack of transferability between models. The emergence of meta‐learning methods has solved the problem of sample annotation arising from the huge sample size, and strong feature‐extracting ability, which may be an essential tool for future crop phenotype research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the term mānaḫātu in the letters from Hittite officials found at the House of Urtenu from Ugarit and recently published in the Ras Shamra-Ougarit 23 volume (RSO 23, Lackenbacher and Malbran-Labat 2016). This paper proposes that the exact meaning of mānaḫātu —in Ugaritic mnḥ(t) —depends on the context, since it was both a vassal tribute due to the empire by the Ugarit palace (consisting of vast amounts of grain staples) and a form of taxation imposed by the Ugarit palace on merchants and citizens of the kingdom at a local level. In addition, the letters concerning mānaḫātu reveal that the Hittite pressure on its vassal to meet its requirements likely contributed much to exacerbate the food shortage suffered by the kingdom of Ugarit, not long before its fall in the early 12th century b.c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering is important for the survival of northern mammals, and northern ungulates deposit body fat. Researchers have interpreted fat deposition as an adaptation to food shortages during winter. However, it is likely that reproductive activities also affect fat deposition. We compared kidney fat indices (KFIs) of sika deer (Cervus nippon) between the northern and southern populations in Japan. In the northern population, the KFIs of adult males and females peaked during summer and autumn, respectively. In adult males, the KFIs abruptly declined during the rut (October), while in yearling males and fawns, they were low in summer. In the southern population, KFIs of adult males were high in summer but decreased in October. KFIs of adult females were low and increased in December–January. KFIs of fawns were low. These results suggest that most classes of the southern population did not deposit much fat during the summer except for adult males. The result that southern adult males displayed as much fat deposition as the northern males suggests that body fat was deposited not only for overwintering but also for reproductive activity of adult males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the crisis of food and energy shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is emergently important to emphasize food waste prevention in the tourism and hospitality industry because people around the world have started traveling in the post-pandemic era. Based on norm activation model and individualism-collectivism, this study proposes a perspective of religious beliefs to conceptualize divine awareness (i.e. divine retribution and divine rewards) and environmental awareness (i.e. resource scarcity and eco-friendly) on the formation of food waste prevention practices. A total of 571 samples from Taiwan and 483 samples from the United States was collected. Both countries showed that religious beliefs improved divine retribution, divine rewards, and religious food waste prevention practices. Divine rewards enhanced tourists' awareness of resource scarcity and eco-friendly, and resource scarcity led to religious food waste prevention practices. Interestingly, the effects of divine retribution on resource scarcity and eco-friendly were significant only in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid global urbanisation has seen a growing number of urban poor who lack natural endowments to cope with food shortages. Broadening their safety nets merits urgent political attention but requires understanding their profiles. A survey among 88 urban poor in Benin found that they had low educational and income levels, overcrowded and unsanitary housing conditions, and limited access to social services and health facilities; 76 per cent of them were food insecure, influenced by city, gender, ownership of a motorbike, and access to health facilities. Engaging them in allotment gardens requires farming skills, financial capital, and safety issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses two books on the topic of food security. The first book, "The Paradox of Agrarian Change," focuses on Indonesia and examines the issues of inequity, nutritional insecurity, and ecological decline resulting from global market integration. The book argues that feeding and nutrition programs are not enough and that policy should address structural issues such as community access to and control over land. The second book, "Food Security," takes a neoliberal approach and discusses the key issues of availability, income, and productivity. However, the book is criticized for its focus on the Global North and its failure to address the challenges faced by peasant farmers in the Global South. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing food security for the poor and marginalized, particularly women farmers, and suggests targeting them for access to resources such as land tenure and agricultural support services. [Extracted from the article]