Kathleen Hermans
Biographic Data
| ID | 3707916 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kathleen Hermans |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kathleen |
| FAMILY NAME | Hermans |
| SIGNATURE | HERMANS K |
| AFFILIATIONS | Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8475-9019 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 56 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 21 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Future research directions for understanding the interconnections between climate change, water scarcity, and mobility in rural Central Asia
Central Asia faces substantial water scarcity due to increasing water demand driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, economic development, and inefficiency of irrigated agriculture. These developments are compounded by the effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures, loss of glacier mass and increased frequency of extreme events, including droughts. The region's escalating water scarcity is causing disputes and straining rural…
Understanding Mobility Through Climate Risk Perceptions
Climate change significantly affects human lives and drives human mobility through stressors such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and prolonged droughts. To understand how these climate stressors influence mobility, it is essential to explore climate risk perceptions, which encompass threats to health, property, livelihoods, and wider socioeconomic systems. While research on climate risk perceptions and mobility is growing, it remains …
Scenario projections of South Asian migration patterns amidst environmental and socioeconomic change
Projecting migration is challenging, due to the context-specific and discontinuous relations between migration and the socioeconomic and environmental conditions that drive this process. Here, we investigate the usefulness of Machine Learning (ML) Random Forest (RF) models to develop three net migration scenarios in South Asia by 2050 based on historical patterns (2001–2019). The model for the direction of net migration reaches an accuracy of 75%…
Land degradation and migration
Why smallholders stop engaging in forest activities
Forest decline and degradation are particularly high in the tropics and pose a risk to those who depend on forest resources. The in-migration of smallholders to forest frontiers can fuel transitions of livelihoods and land and resource use. However, the conditions under which in-migration contributes to such transitions remain poorly understood. With this study, we aim to investigate the influence of in-migration, together with other non-demograp…
What we know and do not know about reciprocal pathways of environmental change and migration
Linkages between environmental change and migration can be reciprocal: declining environmental conditions can trigger people to leave a place, while the movement of people to certain places can have implications for the natural environment and may enhance conflict risks. Although a growing body of research has enriched our knowledge on these two main directions of influence, including the role of conflict, research on dynamic linkages between env…
It’s all about politics
Investigating environment-related migration processes in Ethiopia – A participatory Bayesian network
The influence of environmental change on human migration is complex. Despite major strides in understanding the environment’s role in migration processes, uncertainties associated with multi-scale factor interactions and their influence on migration still persist. This study aims to (a) understand how soil degradation and rainfall changes – in combination with socio-economic factors – in the northern Ethiopian highlands contribute to human decisi…
Crisis-induced disruptions in place-based social-ecological research ‐ an opportunity for redirection
Place-based research faces multiple threats, including both natural and global health hazards and political conflicts, which may disrupt fieldwork. The current COVID-19 pandemic shows how these threats can drastically affect social-ecological research activities given its engagement with different local stakeholders, disciplines, and knowledge systems. The crisis reveals the need for adaptive research designs while also providing an opportunity f…
Climate change, drought, land degradation and migration
Deciphering interwoven drivers of environment-related migration – A multisite case study from the Ethiopian highlands
Migration as a feature of land system transitions
How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis
Wiederkehr, C., M. Schröter, H. Adams, R. Seppelt, and K. Hermans. 2019. How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis. Ecology and Society 24(4):31. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11318-240431
Agent-based modeling of environment-migration linkages
Environmental change can lead to human migration and vice versa. Agent-based models (ABMs) are valuable tools to study these linkages because they can represent individual migration decisions of human actors. Indeed, there is an increasing, yet small, number of ABMs that consider the natural environment in rural migration processes. Therefore, we reviewed 15 ABMs of environment-migration linkages in rural contexts to synthesize the current state …
Environmental change, adaptation strategies and the relevance of migration in Sub-Saharan drylands
Understanding coping and adaptation behaviour of different population groups in the context of global environmental change has become increasingly important, especially in regions with high vulnerability such as Sub-Saharan drylands. In this regard, household strategies tend to be dependent on local and context-specific conditions. However, the strategic development of climate change adaptation measures, as well as natural resource and migration …
Building Capacities for Transdisciplinary Research
Transdisciplinary research is intriguing and challenging. Early-career researchers in particular, who lack experience and are still working on their disciplinary standing, struggle with difficulties and uncertainties. We offer insights into the challenges faced and solutions found by seven transdisciplinary junior research groups.While transdisciplinarity offers a way to tackle complex social-ecological challenges, transdisciplinary research is a…
Towards systematic analyses of ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies
Large scale land acquisitions and Redd
Large scale land acquisitions (LSLA), and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) are both land based phenomena which when occurring in the same area, can compete with each other for land. A quantitative analysis of country characteristics revealed that land available for agriculture, accessibility, and political stability are key explanatory factors for a country being targeted for LSLA. Surprisingly LSLA occur in co…
Exploring SSP land-use dynamics using the Image model
Why do forest products become less available?A pan-tropical comparison of drivers of forest-resource degradation
Forest products provide an important source of income and wellbeing for rural smallholder communities across the tropics. Although tropical forest products frequently become over-exploited, only few studies explicitly address the dynamics of degradation in response to socio-economic drivers. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing the factors driving changes in tropical forest products in the perception of rural smallholder communities. Using t…
The Serving Professions
Exploring SSP land-use dynamics using the Image model
Migration as a feature of land system transitions
It’s all about politics
Climate change, drought, land degradation and migration
Deciphering interwoven drivers of environment-related migration – A multisite case study from the Ethiopian highlands
Land degradation and migration
How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis
Wiederkehr, C., M. Schröter, H. Adams, R. Seppelt, and K. Hermans. 2019. How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis. Ecology and Society 24(4):31. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11318-240431
The Serving Professions
Why do forest products become less available?A pan-tropical comparison of drivers of forest-resource degradation
Forest products provide an important source of income and wellbeing for rural smallholder communities across the tropics. Although tropical forest products frequently become over-exploited, only few studies explicitly address the dynamics of degradation in response to socio-economic drivers. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing the factors driving changes in tropical forest products in the perception of rural smallholder communities. Using t…
Towards systematic analyses of ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies
Large scale land acquisitions and Redd
Large scale land acquisitions (LSLA), and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) are both land based phenomena which when occurring in the same area, can compete with each other for land. A quantitative analysis of country characteristics revealed that land available for agriculture, accessibility, and political stability are key explanatory factors for a country being targeted for LSLA. Surprisingly LSLA occur in co…
Exploring SSP land-use dynamics using the Image model
Agent-based modeling of environment-migration linkages
Environmental change can lead to human migration and vice versa. Agent-based models (ABMs) are valuable tools to study these linkages because they can represent individual migration decisions of human actors. Indeed, there is an increasing, yet small, number of ABMs that consider the natural environment in rural migration processes. Therefore, we reviewed 15 ABMs of environment-migration linkages in rural contexts to synthesize the current state …
Environmental change, adaptation strategies and the relevance of migration in Sub-Saharan drylands
Understanding coping and adaptation behaviour of different population groups in the context of global environmental change has become increasingly important, especially in regions with high vulnerability such as Sub-Saharan drylands. In this regard, household strategies tend to be dependent on local and context-specific conditions. However, the strategic development of climate change adaptation measures, as well as natural resource and migration …
Building Capacities for Transdisciplinary Research
Transdisciplinary research is intriguing and challenging. Early-career researchers in particular, who lack experience and are still working on their disciplinary standing, struggle with difficulties and uncertainties. We offer insights into the challenges faced and solutions found by seven transdisciplinary junior research groups.While transdisciplinarity offers a way to tackle complex social-ecological challenges, transdisciplinary research is a…
Migration as a feature of land system transitions
How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis
Wiederkehr, C., M. Schröter, H. Adams, R. Seppelt, and K. Hermans. 2019. How does nature contribute to human mobility? A conceptual framework and qualitative analysis. Ecology and Society 24(4):31. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11318-240431
Deciphering interwoven drivers of environment-related migration – A multisite case study from the Ethiopian highlands
Investigating environment-related migration processes in Ethiopia – A participatory Bayesian network
The influence of environmental change on human migration is complex. Despite major strides in understanding the environment’s role in migration processes, uncertainties associated with multi-scale factor interactions and their influence on migration still persist. This study aims to (a) understand how soil degradation and rainfall changes – in combination with socio-economic factors – in the northern Ethiopian highlands contribute to human decisi…
Crisis-induced disruptions in place-based social-ecological research ‐ an opportunity for redirection
Place-based research faces multiple threats, including both natural and global health hazards and political conflicts, which may disrupt fieldwork. The current COVID-19 pandemic shows how these threats can drastically affect social-ecological research activities given its engagement with different local stakeholders, disciplines, and knowledge systems. The crisis reveals the need for adaptive research designs while also providing an opportunity f…
Climate change, drought, land degradation and migration
It’s all about politics
Land degradation and migration
Why smallholders stop engaging in forest activities
Forest decline and degradation are particularly high in the tropics and pose a risk to those who depend on forest resources. The in-migration of smallholders to forest frontiers can fuel transitions of livelihoods and land and resource use. However, the conditions under which in-migration contributes to such transitions remain poorly understood. With this study, we aim to investigate the influence of in-migration, together with other non-demograp…
What we know and do not know about reciprocal pathways of environmental change and migration
Linkages between environmental change and migration can be reciprocal: declining environmental conditions can trigger people to leave a place, while the movement of people to certain places can have implications for the natural environment and may enhance conflict risks. Although a growing body of research has enriched our knowledge on these two main directions of influence, including the role of conflict, research on dynamic linkages between env…
Scenario projections of South Asian migration patterns amidst environmental and socioeconomic change
Projecting migration is challenging, due to the context-specific and discontinuous relations between migration and the socioeconomic and environmental conditions that drive this process. Here, we investigate the usefulness of Machine Learning (ML) Random Forest (RF) models to develop three net migration scenarios in South Asia by 2050 based on historical patterns (2001–2019). The model for the direction of net migration reaches an accuracy of 75%…
Future research directions for understanding the interconnections between climate change, water scarcity, and mobility in rural Central Asia
Central Asia faces substantial water scarcity due to increasing water demand driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, economic development, and inefficiency of irrigated agriculture. These developments are compounded by the effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures, loss of glacier mass and increased frequency of extreme events, including droughts. The region's escalating water scarcity is causing disputes and straining rural…
Understanding Mobility Through Climate Risk Perceptions
Climate change significantly affects human lives and drives human mobility through stressors such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and prolonged droughts. To understand how these climate stressors influence mobility, it is essential to explore climate risk perceptions, which encompass threats to health, property, livelihoods, and wider socioeconomic systems. While research on climate risk perceptions and mobility is growing, it remains …
Geography (16 works) · Ecology (15 works) · Economics (15 works) · Environmental resource management (14 works) · Climate change (10 works) · Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration (10 works) · Agriculture (9 works) · Environmental planning (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · Sociology (9 works)