Seasonality of birth in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Austria.
We present an analysis of birth seasonality in nine geographical regions within Austria for two time periods, 1881-1912 and 1947-1959. In the early period, geography, climate, and agricultural patterns were related to birth seasonality. By the latter time period, these factors were no longer related to birth seasonality. We propose a "resilience hypothesis," which suggests two levels of causal influences on birth seasonality. First, underlying the three significant features of birth seasonality patterns around the world are only a small number of major causes. But, second, there are a multiplicity of minor causes that result in small perturbations in these otherwise resilient and consistent patterns.
Doblhammer
G
G
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Doberanerstr. 114, 18057 Rostock, Germany. doblhammer@demogr.mpg.de
Rodgers
J L
JL
Rau
R
R
D000383:Agriculture; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000639:trends*; D002980:Climate; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D012621:Seasons