Fig. 4: Systemic cascades triggered by emergency-induced mobility disruptions across urban, rural, and border regions.

This conceptual diagram uses a system dynamics approach to map the cascading effects of altered mobility. Arrows with positive (+) and negative (−) polarity trace the causal chains from the initial shock to its multi-order impacts. In urban areas, reductions in traffic and industrial activity were associated with declines in primary pollutants (NO₂, PM₂.₅, CO), increased ozone (O₃), shifts in disease incidence (e.g., dengue, influenza), and changes in wildlife activity. Rural impacts included shifts in labor availability, agricultural yield, and land value. At borders, mobility restrictions amplified vulnerability through forced immobility, exposure to infectious diseases, and exclusionary policies. Color-coded icons represent environmental (magenta), epidemiological (blue), and socioeconomic (green) domains. The figure highlights how emergency-driven disruptions spread across sectors and spaces through tightly coupled human–environment systems. Figure created using Adobe Illustrator, version 28.7.9.