The impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes:Evidence from China

With increasing population and changing demographics,food consumption has experienced a significant transition in quantity and quality.However,a dearth of knowledge remains regarding its environmental impacts and how it responds to demographic dynamics,particularly in emerging economies like China.Using the two-stage Quadratic Almost Demand System(QUAIDS)model,this study empirically examines the impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes based on the provincial data from 2000 to 2020 in China.Under various scenarios,according to changes in demographics,we extend our analysis to project the long-term trend of food consumption and its environmental impacts,including greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,water footprint(WF),and land appropriation(LA).The results reveal that an increase in the proportion of senior people significantly decreases the consumption of grain and livestock meat and increases the consumption of poultry,egg,and aquatic products,particularly for urban residents.Moreover,an increase in the proportion of males in the population leads to higher consumption of poultry and aquatic products.Correspondingly,in the current scenario of an increased aging population and sex ratio,it is anticipated that GHG emissions,WF,and LA are likely to decrease by 1.37,2.52,and 3.56%,respectively.More importantly,in the scenario adhering to the standards of nutritional intake according to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents in 2022,GHG emissions,WF,and LA in urban areas would increase by 12.78,20.94,and 18.32%,respectively.Our findings suggest that changing demographics should be considered when designing policies to mitigate the diet-environment-health trilemma and achieve sustainable food consumption.

Prevalence and Demographic Distributions of Pre-Eclampsia among Pregnant Women at Ho Teaching Hospital

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, pre-eclampsia remains a major health problem contributing to high rates of maternal mortality. Despite this condition having adverse effects on maternal and child health, its prevalence and associated risk factors are still significant, especially in developing countries including Ghana. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and demographic distributions associated with pre-eclampsia among pregnant women at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Methods: A facility-based retrospective study was conducted by reviewing available data or hospital records of pregnant mothers admitted to the labor and maternity wards from January 2018 to December 2020. All pregnant women who were diagnosed with pre-eclampsia within this period were included in the study. The data were collected using a structured checklist. Results: 5609 data on pregnant women from 2018 to 2020 were recorded. Out of the 5609 data recorded, 314 pre-eclampsia cases were recorded giving an overall prevalence of 5.6%. The yearly prevalence for 2018, 2019, and 2020 were 4.6%, 5.6%, and 6.6%, respectively. The most recorded pre-eclampsia cases were seen among women within the age group of 18 - 24 years. The data showed that 112 (35.7%) of the pregnant women who had pre-eclampsia were nulliparous. Pre-eclampsia-associated maternal and fetal complications were;preterm delivery 221 (70.4%), intrauterine fetal death 62 (19.7%), eclampsia 9 (2.9%), HELLP syndrome 5 (1.6%) and maternal death 17 (5.4%). Associated factors of pre-eclampsia were parity, level of education, and occupation (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed a rising trend in the incidence of pre-eclampsia over the years at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Parity, level of education, and occupation were found to be associated with developing pre-eclampsia.

Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society orthopedic surgeons in the United States:An analysis of geographical distribution,academic,leadership,and demographic characteristics

BACKGROUND The Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society(LLRS)is a premier orthopedic specialty organization that promotes limb reconstruction for all ages.LLRS membership characteristics,however,are poorly reported.This study delineates orthopedic surgeon LLRS members’demographic traits,academic achievement,leadership attainment,and geographical distribution across the United States.AIM To inform aspiring orthopedic professionals,as well as to promote growth and diversity in both the LLRS organization and overarching field.METHODS This cross-sectional study examined United States LLRS members’academic,leadership,demographic,and geographical attributes.After reviewing the 2023 LLRS member directory,Google search results were matched to the listings and appended to the compiled data.Sex and ethnicity were evaluated visually utilizing retrieved images.The Hirsch index(H-index)of academic activity,residency and fellowship training,other graduate degrees,leadership positions,practice type(academic or non-academic),and spoken languages were categorized.LLRS members per state and capita determined geographic distribution.The Mann Whitney U test was applied to compare H-index between males and females,as well as to assess member differences pertaining to affiliation with academic vs non-academic practice facilities.RESULTS The study included 101 orthopedic surgeons,78(77.23%)Caucasian and 23(22.77%)non-Caucasian,79(78.22%)male and 22(21.78%)female.Surgeons with DO degrees comprised only 3.96%(4)of the cohort,while the vast majority held MDs[96.04%(97)].Mean H-index was 10.55,with male surgeons having a significantly higher score(P=0.002).Most orthopedic surgeons(88.12%,)practiced in academic centers.Of those professionals who occupied leadership positions,14%were women,while 86%were men.Additionally,19(37.25%)United States regions and the District of Columbia lacked an LLRS-member orthopedic surgeon.Total per capita rate across the United States was 0.30 LLRS orthopedic surgeons per 1 million people.CONCLUSION Over 21%of LLRS members are women,surpassing prior benchmarks noted in orthopedic faculty reporting.LLRS members’high research productivity scores imply field dedication that can refine expertise in the limb lengthening and reconstruction space.Gender disparities in leadership remain,however,necessitating greater equity efforts.A low rate of LLRS representation per capita must be addressed geographically as well,to affect improvements in regional care access.This study can serve to support aspiring orthopedic professionals,inform diversity,leadership,and field advancement strategies,and maintain the continued goal of enhanced patient care worldwide.

The Demographic Problem in Greece:Consequences and Solutions

Globally,population dynamics are shifting towards increased life expectancy,and many countries,including Greece,face significant demographic challenges.Greece is particularly impacted by one of the lowest birth rates in the world and a rapidly aging population.This demographic shift places unprecedented pressure on the nation’s pension systems and economic stability,as more people retire than enter the workforce.This study aims to explore the historical factors contributing to Greece’s demographic situation,analyze the consequences of current trends,and propose strategic solutions.The research utilizes a literature review approach and the case study of Greece to understand the depth and breadth of the demographic crisis.Key areas of focus include the declining birth rate,the economic implications of an aging population,and the potential of migration and policy reform to rejuvenate demographic dynamics.The study evaluates various policy interventions from other countries to propose a tailored,multi-faceted strategy for Greece.These strategies emphasize economic incentives for young families,improved childcare and parental support,healthcare investment,and inclusive migration policies to enhance workforce numbers.This comprehensive approach seeks to provide actionable insights that can help Greece mitigate the effects of demographic decline and foster a more sustainable future,aligning policy interventions with socio-economic and cultural realities.

Association between people’s attitudes towards human-elephant conflict and their locational,demographic,and socio-economic characteristics in Buxa Tiger Reserve and its adjoining area,India

“Human-elephant conflict(HEC)”,the alarming issue,in present day context has attracted the attention of environmentalists and policy makers.The rising conflict between human beings and wild elephants is common in Buxa Tiger Reserve(BTR)and its adjoining area in West Bengal State,India,making the area volatile.People’s attitudes towards elephant conservation activity are very crucial to get rid of HEC,because people’s proximity with wild elephants’habitat can trigger the occurrence of HEC.The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth investigation about the association of people’s attitudes towards HEC with their locational,demographic,and socio-economic characteristics in BTR and its adjoining area by using Pearson’s bivariate chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis.BTR is one of the constituent parts of Eastern Doors Elephant Reserve(EDER).We interviewed 500 respondents to understand their perceptions to HEC and investigated their locational,demographic,and socio-economic characteristics including location of village,gender,age,ethnicity,religion,caste,poverty level,education level,primary occupation,secondary occupation,household type,and source of firewood.The results indicate that respondents who are living in enclave forest villages(EFVs),peripheral forest villages(PFVs),corridor village(CVs),or forest and corridor villages(FCVs),mainly males,at the age of 18–48 years old,engaged with agriculture occupation,and living in kancha and mixed houses,have more likelihood to witness HEC.Besides,respondents who are illiterate or at primary education level are more likely to regard elephant as a main problematic animal around their villages and refuse to participate in elephant conservation activity.For the sake of a sustainable environment for both human beings and wildlife,people’s attitudes towards elephants must be friendly in a more prudent way,so that the two communities can live in harmony.

Investigation of Demographic and Clinical Data of Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an important etiological factor causing chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular diseases and hypertension (HT). The purpose of the present study is to investigate the clinical information and demographic characteristics of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients who received treatment at our hospital for the last five years. Material and Method: Among 21400 people who sought care at Siirt State Hospital Urology and Nephrology Outpatient Clinics between January 2015 and January 2020 for various reasons, a total of 36 patients experiencing autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease were included in the present research. Retrospective patient file access was used to gather demographic information and laboratory data. Results: The study included 36 patients in all, 25 (69.4%) male and 11 (30.6%) female. The patient’s average age was 50.8 ± 19.0. The average age at diagnosis was 43.4 ± 17.2. Family history was positive in 29 (80.5%) of the patients. There were hypertension in 27 (75.0%) patients, coronary artery disease in five (13.9%) patients, diabetes mellitus in five (13.9%) patients, left ventricular hypertrophy in 18 (50%) patients, proteinuria in 11 (30.6%) patients, and six (16.7%) patients had macroscopic hematuria. Liver cysts were found in 23 (63.9%) of the patients and nephrolithiasis in eight (22.2%). Discussion: Hypertension is the most common finding when clinical and demographic data of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease are examined. Providing blood pressure control reduces the risk of death due to left ventricular hypertrophy and slows down the rate at which chronic kidney disease progresses. The rate was found to be 80.5% for patients with a positive family history. It may be possible to diagnose and treat people with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease earlier by screening their family members.

Demographic Dilemma

China needs a proactive response to negative population growth The year 2022 will most likely be remembered as a turning point in any future discussion on China’s demographics.That year,the world’s most populous country entered an“era of negative population growth.”Its natural population growth rate slid to 0.6 per thousand from 2021’s 0.34 per thousand,the nation’s overall population declined by 850,000 people year-on-year,and new births fell below 10 million for the first time since 1950,data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

Socio-Demographic Factors Associated with Obesity among Adolescents in Secondary School in Onitsha, South East Nigeria

Background: The prevalence of obesity among adolescent has been on the increase worldwide. This is probably a result of increase in the sedentary life style and the increasing shift to western diet. Obesity in children and adolescents has adverse consequences. These include increase in the rate of Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, etc with resultant increase in premature deaths. Objectives: To determine the socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with overweight and obesity in apparently healthy secondary school adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of secondary school adolescents aged 10 - 19 years randomly selected from two public schools and three private schools. The weight and heights of study subjects were measured using standard equipment. Body mass index (BMI) was appropriately calculated and the WHO growth reference standard for age and gender, specific percentile for BMI was used to define overweight 85th to 97th and obese (97th percentile and above). Results: Data were initially collected from 1250 participants, but 52 were excluded due to improperly completed questionnaires. Thus, a total of 1198 students were ultimately included in the study, giving a response rate of 95.8%. These included 621 females (51.8%) and 577 males (48.2%) aged 10 - 19 years giving a F:M ratio of 1:0.9. The mean age of the students was 15.07 ± 1.96 years overall, 15.13 ± 2.08 years for males and 15.03 ± 1.83 years for females. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female in the distribution of age groups (p = 0.12). The mean BMI was 21.51 ± 3.57 kg/m2 for females and 20.22 ± 3.16 kg/m2 for males. The BMI was significantly higher in females in all age groups (p < 0.001) except those aged 10 - p = 0.13). The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were higher in females than males (17.7% vs 10.7%, 5.6% vs 4.5% respectively;p ≤ 12 yrs;p = 0.04). The frequent consumption of sugar based beverages (p p p = 0.03) were significantly associated with both overweight and obesity (p p p < 0.001) were also significantly associated with obesity. Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors such as gender, socioeconomic status and behavioral patterns were major contributors to obesity. Behavioral interventions including regulating the intake of sugar based beverages and reducing the time spent on sedentary activities could be useful strategies in reducing the high prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents.

Socio-Demographic Factors, Clinical Characteristics and Maternal Prognosis of Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy at Panzi General Referral Hospital

Background: Hypertensive disease in pregnancy is an important cause of morbidity, long-term disability, and maternal and neonatal mortality. The aim is to determine the socio-demographic characteristics and maternal prognosis of these women with Hypertension during pregnancy. Material and Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study, we interview patients and after discussion we transcripts in a database in Excel software before analysis with SPSS version 20.0 and Stata 14.0 The qualitative variables have been summarised by the Percentage and the quantitative variables will be summarised by Means and Standard Deviation. The associations of the variables were calculated by Pearson’s chi-square test with a significance level set at a p-value Result: The average age of the patients was 30.33 ± 7.020 years, 92.1% were married, 79.8% lived in urban areas, most of the patients were overweight (43%), 92.1% of them had monofetal pregnancies, 36% were multiparous, 34.2% had a previous history of preeclampsia in pregnancy and 14% were known to have hypertension. Pre-eclampsia was the most frequent form of hypertension in pregnancy with 73.68% of cases and represents 84.8% of severe forms of hypertension in pregnancy, 53.4% of the patients delivered vaginally. Eclampsia was the most frequent complication in our patients with 31.7% frequency and among the socio-demographic parameters, age and body mass index were significantly associated with maternal complications. Conclusion: Maternal age and body mass index are important socio-demographic factors associated with the occurrence of maternal complications in women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Community Perceptions and Socio-Demographic Influence on Trophy Hunting in Rungwa Game Reserve, Tanzania

The trophy hunting industry in Tanzania plays a significant role in wildlife conservation as well as economic and community development. Trophy hunting has been conducted in Rungwa Game Reserve (RGR) for several decades;however, the trophy hunting opinions from the local communities living adjacent to the reserve are not well documented. This study aimed to assess the awareness and attitudes of local communities living adjacent to Rungwa Game Reserves toward trophy hunting. Furthermore, the study assessed factors that influenced the opinions of participants by using structural equation modeling. We used semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews in the three villages adjacent to RGR. The local communities are aware of existing hunting operations around the game reserves. The study found positive attitudes among local communities toward trophy hunting, only if local people accrue benefits from hunting operations. The community’s attitudes towards trophy hunting varied across household size and occupation. Education and household position had an indirect influence on the community’s attitude. Our findings suggest that socio-demographic variables are important to consider when assessing awareness and attitudes toward trophy hunting. Local communities are willing to support trophy hunting operations if the benefits obtained from hunting are significant and it can improve wildlife conservation and their livelihood. In conclusion, trophy hunting is important to local communities living adjacent to protected areas, and banning them may have a significant impact on their livelihood and wildlife conservation. Therefore, it is recommended that conservation policies and interventions consider the dual significance of trophy hunting, fostering strategies that balance socio-economic benefits for communities and wildlife conservation.

IUD Expulsion and its Socio-demographic Determinants in China

To identify the determinant of the occurrence of IUD expulsion Materials & Methods Based on 25 733 IUD uses from the Chinese Two per Thousand Fertility Survey data, this study examines the patterns and differentials of IUD expulsion rate by characteristics of women, and identifies the socio demographic determinants of IUD expulsion. A Life Table method was used to calculate the cumulative expulsion rate and a random effects discrete time survival model was employed to assess the impact of potential determinants simultaneously on the risk of expelling an IUD. Results Three major findings are observed in this study. First, IUD expulsion was the second main reason, after pregnancy during IUD use, for IUD discontinuation during the first four years of IUD insertion; the expulsion rates were 6.4%, 9.1%, 10.8 %, and 12.0% at 12, 24, 36 and 48 months, respectively. Second, there was a clustering of IUD expulsion: some women experienced repeated IUD expulsions. Third, some socio demographic characteristics and fertility history were associated with the occurrence of IUD expulsion. In particular, the expulsion rate was high among young women, among those with two or more children and among those living in rural areas. Conclusion The above mentioned factors shoald be addressed in order to decrease the IUD expulsion rate and enhance the reprocluctive he alth of women.

Demographic trends and climate over 35 years in the Barro Colorado 50 ha plot

Background： The first three censuses of the 50-ha plot at Barro Colorado Island spanned an unusually harsh dry season during the 1983 El Nitro. By the early 1990s, we had documented increases in tree mortality, tree growth, and large population fluctuations of many species during the 1982-1985 census interval. At the time, we asserted that increasing drought frequency would greatly affect the forest. With the benefit of five more censuses at Barro Colorado from 1995-2015, we can now put the 1980 conditions in a longer perspective and test the hypothesis that increasing droughtiness has continued to change the forest. Methods： A 50-ha forest plot on Barro Colorado Island was censused eight times, in 1982 and every five years since 1985. All free-standing woody stems were measured, mapped, and identified in each census. Results： 1） The period 1982-1992 included several extreme dry seasons, not just 1983, but since then there have been few such droughts. 2） Dbh growth declined from a peak in the early 1980s to its lowest in the early 1990s. From 1995-2015 it increased slightly, but not returning to the initial peak. Nearly every species and all dbh categories followed the same pattern. 3） The elevated stand-wide mortality rate of large trees during the 1982-1985 drought has not returned, and most individual species showed the same pattern of elevated mortality in the 1980s followed by low and fairly stable mortality after 1990. 4） Sapling mortality declined after 198,5, but rose again in the late-90s, so the 1980s drought period no longer looks unusual. Mortality of individual species＇ saplings fluctuated erratically, including cases where mortality during the drought was lower than after. 5） Population sizes of individual species fluctuated in all possible directions. Some species declined precipitously during the drought, then recovered, but others did not recover. Other species increased in abundance during the drought. Conclusions＂ Droughts of the 1980s elevated tree growth and mortality at Barro Colorado, but since 1990, demographic rates have remained lower, paralleling a moderate climate with few severe droughts after 1990. Moisture-demanding species suffered during the drought, but many have since recovered. We do not know how often such drought periods recur. Moreover, many species＇ abundances fluctuated over 35 years with no known cause.

Demographic Characteristics and Environmental Risk Factors Exposure of Birth Defects in Pregnant Women: A Population-based Study

Worldwide, the incidence of birth defects in low-income countries is 6.42%, while in middle-income and high-income countries it is 5.57% and 4.72%, respectively;approximately 303, 000 newborns die from birth defects each year. In China, the incidence of birth defects is about 5.6%, and around 8.14 million people have congenital disabilities, accounting for 9.6% of total disabled people[1]. Birth defect remains a major clinical and public health challenge because of its high fatality rate and protracted and severe sequela.

Demographics, societal aging, and meat consumption in China

Drawn on the data collected by surveying 1 340 urban households from six cities in China, this paper estimates the impacts of demographic structure and population aging on household meat consumption, by jointly considering meat consumed at home and away from home. Based on the trajectories of population, a simple simulation on meat demand trend in China is conducted subsequently. The results suggest： 1） Meat consumed away from home averagely accounts for near 30% of household total meat consumption in terms of quantity, so that its omission likely leads to a significant underestimate of total meat consumption and misunderstanding the driving forces; 2） population aging significantly and negatively affects per capita meat consumption, suggesting that the expected meat demand in China without considering population aging will be overestimated. The findings from this study have important implications for better understanding the relative issues on China＇s meat consumption under the situation of population aging.

Economic Growth, Demographic Change and Rural-Urban Migration in China

Is China able to maintain fast growth after three decades？ This paper tries to answer this question by： 1） arguing that factors contributed to sustained long-run growth at supply side;2） focusing on contributions of demographic dividend especially that of rural-urban migration;and 3） analyzing rural demographic change with information collected through village-wide household survey.Policy alternatives to realize remaining potential demographic dividend are proposed based on the analysis of changing rural demographic structure.

Future demographic dividend——tapping the source of China’s economic growth

This paper presents a review of the demographic dividend in China’s economic growth or the contribution of the demographic factor to China’s rapid economic growth over the past 30 years. Based on this review, it explores how China has sustained high-speed economic growth in the midst of a slowdown in working age population growth, surplus labor depletion and population aging. This study intends to demonstrate that the second demographic dividend may still arise after the decline and even disappearance of the first demographic dividend to avoid demographic debt by boosting labor productivity through the furtherance of education, extending the competitive advantage of China’s industry, tapping new sources of savings through institutional arrangements of pension security, and expanding labor resource and human capital stock in the aging era through the institutional arrangements in the labor market.

Transition from Demographic Dividend to Reform Dividend:——Simulation of China's Potential Growth Rate

Due to diminishing demographic dividend characterized by a falling workingage population and rising dependency ratio, China's long-term potential growth rates will keep declining, likely to be a mere 6.6% during the 13 th Five-Year Plan period(2016-2020). China's economic growth sustainability hinges upon its transition from the previous dependence on demographic dividend to the future reform dividend. In the growth accounting equation, we have simulated various reform initiatives and arrived at the following findings. First, although both the labor participation rate and TFP can increase China's potential growth rate, the former will only achieve a short-term growth effect, which will diminish in the long run. By contrast, the growth effect of TFP demonstrates the tendency of continuous increase. This further indicates that China's economic growth will increasingly rely on TFP improvement instead of traditional factor input. Second, different from the diminishing growth effect of enrolment rate, training may play a pivotal role in human capital development to significantly enhance potential growth rates. Third, if all reform initiatives can achieve their expected effects, integrated reform dividends may reach one or two percentage points of China's potential growth rate.

Dynamic evolution of transposable elements,demographic history,and gene content of paleognathous birds

Palaeognathae includes ratite and tinamou species that are important for understanding early avian evolution.Here,we analyzed the whole-genome sequences of 15 paleognathous species to infer their demographic histories,which are presently unknown.We found that most species showed a reduction of population size since the beginning of the last glacial period,except for those species distributed in Australasia and in the far south of South America.Different degrees of contraction and expansion of transposable elements(TE)have shaped the paleognathous genome architecture,with a higher transposon removal rate in tinamous than in ratites.One repeat family,AviRTE,likely underwent horizontal transfer from tropical parasites to the ancestor of little and undulated tinamous about 30 million years ago.Our analysis of gene families identified rapid turnover of immune and reproductionrelated genes but found no evidence of gene family changes underlying the convergent evolution of flightlessness among ratites.We also found that mitochondrial genes have experienced a faster evolutionary rate in tinamous than in ratites,with the former also showing more degenerated W chromosomes.This result can be explained by the Hill-Robertson interference affecting genetically linked W chromosomes and mitochondria.Overall,we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the Palaeognathae populations,genes,and TEs.Our findings of co-evolution between mitochondria and W chromosomes highlight the key difference in genome evolution between species with ZW sex chromosomes and those with XY sex chromosomes.

House Price, Consumption Power and Gap of Demographic Urbanization in China

This paper investigates the gap of demographic urbanization arising from the difference between rural residents who have migrated to cities and those who have acquired urban citizenship in the process of China's urbanization. The skyrocketing house prices and insufficient household consumption power are key factors to the widening gap, which had reached 18% in 2013. In order to explore this issue, by creating the basic model and the model with interaction term, this paper has analyzed the relationship among house prices, consumption power and gap of urbanization using the data of 31 provinces between 1999 and 2013 in China. Empirical result indicates that: there is a positive correlation between the house prices and the gap of China's demographic urbanization. However, such a correlation is restrained by these rural migrants who rent houses in cities. For an increase of house price by 1%, the gap of urbanization will widen by 1.05%. Although rising urban consumption power of rural residents has increased the ratio of migration, the lagged growth of consumption power has led to a widening gap of urbanization. Therefore, the only way to effectively reduce the gap of demographic urbanization is to increase the consumption power of migrant population and optimize consumption structure.

Demographic variation and habitat specialization of tree species in a diverse tropical forest of Cameroon

Background： Many tree species in tropical forests have distributions tracking local ridge-slope-valley topography. Previous work in a 50-ha plot in Korup National Park, Cameroon, demonstrated that 272 species, or 63% of those tested, were significantly associated with topography. Methods： We used two censuses of 329,000 trees ≥1 cm dbh to examine demographic variation at this site that would account for those observed habitat preferences. We tested two predictions. First, within a given topographic habitat, species specializing on that habitat （＇residents＇） should outperform species that are specialists of other habitats （＇foreigners＇）. Second, across different topographic habitats, species should perform best in the habitat on which they specialize （＇home＇） compared to other habitats （＇away＇）. Species＇ performance was estimated using growth and mortality rates. Results： In hierarchical models with species identity as a random effect, we found no evidence of a demographic advantage to resident species. Indeed, growth rates were most often higher for foreign species. Similarly, comparisons of species on their home vs. away habitats revealed no sign of a performance advantage on the home habitat. Conclusions＂ We reject the hypothesis that species distributions along a ridge-valley catena at Korup are caused by species differences in trees _〉1 cm dbh. Since there must be a demographic cause for habitat specialization, we offer three alternatives. First, the demographic advantage specialists have at home occurs at the reproductive or seedling stage, in sizes smaller than we census in the forest plot. Second, species may have higher performance on their preferred habitat when density is low, but when population builds up, there are negative density-dependent feedbacks that reduce performance. Third, demographic filtering may be produced by extreme environmental conditions that we did not observe during the census interval.