RESUMEN
Advancement in remote sensing platforms, sensors, and technology has significantly improved the assessment of hard-to-access areas, such as mountains. Despite these improvements, Africa lags in terms of research work published. This is of great concern as the continent needs more research to achieve sustainable development. Therefore, this study applied a bibliometric analysis of the annual production of publications on the application of remote sensing methods in mountainous environments. In total, 3849 original articles between 1973 and 2021 were used, and the results indicate a steady growth in publications from 2004 (n = 26) to 2021 (n = 504). Considering the source journals, Remote Sensing was the top-ranked, with 453 total publications. The University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was the highest-ranking affiliation, with 217 articles, and China produced the highest number of publications (n = 217). Keywords used between 1973 and 1997, such as "Canada", "alps", and "GIS", metamorphosed into "remote sensing" between 1998 and 2021. This metamorphosis indicates a change in the areas of interest and an increase in the application of remote sensing methods. Most studies were conducted in the Global North countries, and a few were published in low-impact journals within the African continent. This study can help researchers and scholars better understand the progress and intellectual structure of the field and future research directions in the application of remote sensing methods in mountainous environments.
Asunto(s)
Bibliometría , Publicaciones , Telemetría , China , CanadáRESUMEN
This study assesses flood vulnerability, levels of vulnerability, determinants of flood vulnerability and coping strategies for flood hazards. The vulnerability and resilience of the local communities are key concepts in this study. Most households are vulnerable to flood hazards. It is therefore important to measure their levels of vulnerability and assess their responses for current and future planning. A flood vulnerability index was used to measure the extent of flood vulnerability. Key informant interviews, field surveys and household questionnaires were used to collect the data. The results show that vulnerability to flood in this community is determined by the nature of soil, dwelling type, employment, education and amount of rainfall in a season. Social and economic components scored higher than the physical environment, while social factors are higher than the economic factors. Contextual coping strategies in this community were temporary relocation, evacuation to a safe area and waiting for government and neighbours to help. The study recommends that public awareness campaigns, early warning systems and improved disaster management strategies must take into consideration differentiated levels of vulnerability and community coping mechanisms and preferences.