<p>The Table Mountain Group (TMG) Formation is the lowest member of the Cape Supergroup which consists of sediments deposited from early Ordovician to early Carboniferous times, approximately between 500 and 340 million years ago. The Table Mountain Group (TMG) aquifer system is&nbsp / exposed along the west and south coasts of South Africa. It is a regional fractured rock aquifer that has become a major source of bulk water supply to&nbsp / meet the agricultural and urban water requirements of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. The TMG aquifer system comprises of an approximately 4000 m thick sequence of quartz arenite and minor shale layers deposited in a shallow, but extensive, predominantly eastwest striking&nbsp / asin, changing to a northwest orientation at the west coast. The medium to coarse grain size and relative purity of some of the quartz arenites,&nbsp / together with their well indurated nature and fracturing due to folding and faulting in the fold belt, enhance both the quality of the groundwater and its&nbsp / exploitation potential for agricultural and domestic water supply purposes and its hot springs for recreation. The region is also home to some unique&nbsp / and indigenous floral species (fynbos) of worldwide importance. These and other groundwater dependent vegetation are found on the series of&nbsp / mountains, mountain slopes and valleys in the Cape Peninsula. The hydrogeology of the TMG consists of intermontane and coastal domains which&nbsp / have different properties but are interconnected. The former is characterized by direct recharge from rain and snow melt, deep groundwater circulation with hot springs and low conductivity groundwater. The coastal domain is characterized by shallow groundwater occurrence usually with moderate to&nbsp / poor quality, indirect recharge from rainfall of shallow circulation and where springs occur they are usually cold. The sustainable utilization of the TMG&nbsp / aquifer addressed the issues of the groundwater flow dynamics, recharge and discharge to and from the aquifer / challenges of climate change and climate variability and their potential impact on the aquifer system. The concept of safe yield, recharge and the capture principle and the integration of&nbsp / sustainable yield provided the basis for sustainable utilization with the adaptive management approach. Methodology used included the evaluation of&nbsp / recharge methods and estimates in the TMG aquifer and a GIS based water balance recharge estimation. The evaluation of natural discharges and&nbsp / artificial abstractions from the TMG aquifer system as well as its potential for future development. The Mann-Kendal trend analysis was used to test historical and present records of temperature and rainfall for significant trends as indication for climate variability and change. The determination of&nbsp / variability index of rainfall and standard precipitation index were additional analyses to investigate variability. The use of a case study from the Klein&nbsp / (Little) Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme (KKRWSS) within the TMG study area was a test case to assess the sustainable utilization of TMG aquifers.&nbsp / Results show that recharge varies in time and space between 1% and 55% of MAP as a result of different hydrostratigraphic units of the TMG based on&nbsp / geology, hydrology, climate, soil, vegetation and landuse patterns however, the average recharge is from 1% to 5% of MAP. The TMG receives recharge&nbsp / mainly through its 37,000 km2 of outcrop largely exposed on mountainous terrain. Natural discharges from the TMG include 11 thermal and numerous&nbsp / cold spring discharges, baseflow to streams and reservoirs, and seepage to the ocean. Results from this study also show increasing temperature&nbsp / trend over the years while rainfall trend generally&nbsp / remain unchanged in the study area. Rainfall variability persists hence the potential for floodsand droughts in the region remain. Global and Regional Models predict about 10% to 25% reduction in rainfall and increase in variability in future. Impacts of&nbsp / his change in climate will affect the different types of aquifers in various ways. Increase in temperature and reduction in rainfall will increase&nbsp / evapotranspiration, reduce surface flows and eventually reduce shallow aquifer resources. Coastal aquifers risk upsurge in salinisation from sea level&nbsp / rise and increase in abstractions from dwindling surface water resources. While floods increase the risk of contamination to shallow aquifers droughts&nbsp / put pressure on all aquifers especially deep aquifers which are considered to be more reliable due to the fact that they are far removed from surface conditions. Future population growth and increase in freshwater demand will put more pressure on groundwater. Recharge to groundwater have been&nbsp / over-estimated in certain areas in the past leading to high abstraction rates from boreholes causing extensive groundwater storage depletion evident by high decline in groundwater levels in these areas and hampering sustainable management of the aquifer resources. Over-abstraction have resulted in&nbsp / loss of stream flow and baseflow reduction to streams during summer, complete loss of springs and reduction of flow to others. Flow to wetlands,&nbsp / riparian vegetation, and sometimes loss and shifts in dependent ecosystems have also resulted from over-abstraction. Sustainability has spatial and&nbsp / temporal implications due to changing climate and demand. The study recommends adaptive management practices in which several factors are&nbsp / considered in managing groundwater together with surface water resources in order to maintain ecological and environmental integrity. The KKRWSS&nbsp / and other groundwater supply schemes in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces demonstrate the huge potential of the TMG to provide freshwatersupply for domestic and irrigation water needs however, the huge decline in groundwater levels due to over-abstraction in the KKRWSS and&nbsp / other groundwater schemes underscores the need for sustainable utilization of the TMG groundwater resources for present and future generations with&nbsp / minimal impacts on the quality, dependent hydrological and ecosystems as well as the environment.</p>

[pt] Destaca-se como um dos principais desafios da gestão de parques tecnológicos a criação de modelos e ferramentas de monitoramento e avaliação de desempenho, que considerem a diversidade de perfis estratégicos e de modelos de negócios desses ambientes de inovação. Na perspectiva de contribuir para o aprimoramento do processo de monitoramento e avaliação de desempenho de parques tecnológicos no Brasil e no exterior, o objetivo da dissertação é desenvolver e aplicar um modelo conceitual para o referido processo, baseado na abordagem de gestão adaptativa, que permita aos gestores definir indicadores e métricas em função de perfis estratégicos e modelos de negócios comuns a determinados agrupamentos de parques. A pesquisa pode ser considerada descritiva, metodológica e aplicada. A partir dos resultados da revisão bibliográfica e documental sobre os temas centrais da pesquisa, desenvolveu-se um modelo conceitual adaptativo para monitoramento e avaliação de desempenho de parques tecnológicos. Visando demonstrar a aplicabilidade desse modelo no contexto de diferentes parques tecnológicos no Brasil e explicitar seus diferenciais metodológicos em comparação a outros modelos reportados na literatura especializada, realizou-se um estudo empírico focalizando a fase de planejamento do modelo junto a 26 participantes do 1º Curso para Gestores de Parques e Ambientes de Inovação, oferecido pela Uni-Anprotec, em parceria com o Instituto Gênesis, da PUC-Rio, em 2016. Destacam-se como principais contribuições da pesquisa um modelo conceitual adaptativo para mensuração e avaliação de desempenho de parques tecnológicos e conjuntos de indicadores e métricas associados a diferentes tipos de parques. / [en] One of the main challenges of managing science and technology parks is the creation of models and tools for monitoring and evaluating their performance, which consider the diversity of strategic profiles and business models of these innovation environments. Aiming to contribute to the improvement of the process of monitoring and evaluating the performance of science and technological parks in Brazil and abroad, the objective of this dissertation is to develop and apply a conceptual model for this process, based on adaptive management approach, which allows managers to establish indicators and metrics according to strategic profiles and business models common to certain groupings of parks. This research can be considered descriptive, methodological and applied. Based on the results provided by the bibliographic and documentary review on the central themes of the research, a conceptual adaptive model for monitoring and evaluating the performance of technology parks was developed. Aiming to demonstrate the applicability of this model in the context of different science and technology parks in Brazil and to explain its methodological differentials compared to other models reported in the specialized literature, an empirical study, focusing on the planning phase of the model, was carried out during 2016 with 26 participants of the 1st Course for Managers of Parks and Environments of Innovation, offered by Uni-Anprotec in partnership with Instituto Gênesis. The main contributions of the research are a flexible model for measuring and evaluating the performance of technological parks and sets of indicators and metrics associated with different types of parks.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-06T18:49:35Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) TESE Edneida Rabelo Cavalcanti ATUALIZADA.pdf: 7372059 bytes, checksum: 26125979e4f4747d37b325b7136a017e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-06T18:49:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) TESE Edneida Rabelo Cavalcanti ATUALIZADA.pdf: 7372059 bytes, checksum: 26125979e4f4747d37b325b7136a017e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-31 / A vulnerabilidade das comunidades rurais à variabilidade climática no semiárido brasileiro é ainda uma realidade, devido à falta de equidade na distribuição de recursos e de acesso aos mesmos, às limitações no controle que indivíduos conseguem fazer sobre escolhas e oportunidades e a permanência, ainda que com novas roupagens, de padrões históricos de marginalização e dominação social. A questão do acesso à água enquanto direito humano, mas também enquanto elemento natural e enquanto recurso ao desenvolvimento é tema estratégico na reinterpretação de problemas antigos, como a seca. A novidade é o olhar a partir de novos paradigmas, como o da convivência com o semiárido, e novas abordagens científicas, como o dos sistemas socioecológicos complexos, da vulnerabilidade social, ciclos adaptativos e governança, e do aprendizado social. O objeto de estudo do trabalho é o das condições de vulnerabilidade, hídrica e social no semiárido, o reconhecimento da oferta hídrica local e as ações de adaptação e governança adaptativa envolvendo as comunidades rurais, a partir do recorte da subbacia do riacho Muquém-Passagem no alto curso do rio Capibaribe/PE. A pesquisa foi predominantemente de caráter qualitativo, baseada na aplicação de entrevistas aos membros das comunidades presentes na sub-bacia, mas também junto a gestores nas esferas municipal e estadual, assim como técnicos de instituições públicas e de organizações da sociedade civil, realizadas entre 2012 e 2015, período de seca na região, cujos impactos nos sistemas humanos foram amenizados por políticas sociais implementadas nas últimas décadas, mas que não impedem que haja vulnerabilidade das comunidades diante da questão hídrica, e consequências negativas nas atividades produtivas. Os resultados apontam a dinâmica no uso das diversas fontes hídricas ao longo do tempo, a descontinuidade das ações governamentais no tocante ao abastecimento de água das comunidades rurais, a fragilidade dos processos de gestão integrada dos recursos hídricos tanto no que diz respeito ás demais políticas, como na escala de atuação das mesmas, como na conjugação das diversas racionalidades existentes em relação à água e seus usos. Fica ainda evidenciado nos estudos realizados que a sustentabilidade hídrica da população difusa no semiárido está diretamente relacionada ao uso sinérgico das diferentes fontes de água e ao aprendizado social para participação ativa na governança adaptativa local dos recursos hídricos. / La vulnerabilidad de las comunidades rurales a la variabilidad climática en el semiárido brasileño es hasta ahora una realidad. Esto se debe a la falta de equidad en la distribución de recursos y de acceso a los mismos, a las limitaciones en el control que individuos consiguen hacer sobre las opciones, oportunidades, la permanencia de padrones históricos de marginalización y dominación social. Influye además, la cuestión del acceso al agua como derecho humano, también como elemento natural y como recurso de desenvolvimiento. Es tema estratégico en la reinterpretación de problemas antiguos como la sequía. La novedad estaría dada a través de poder observar, a partir de nuevos paradigmas, la convivencia con el semiárido y los nuevos abordajes científicos. También, los sistemas socioecológicos complejos de la vulnerabilidad social, ciclos de adaptación, de gobierno y del aprendizaje social. El objeto de estudio del trabajo se basa en las condiciones de vulnerabilidad hídrica y social en el semiárido, el reconocimiento de la oferta hídrica local, las acciones de adaptación y de gobierno que envuelven a las comunidades rurales a partir del recorte del conjunto de vertientes del arroyo Muquém- Passagem en el alto curso del río Capibaribe/PE. La investigación fue predominantemente de carácter cualitativo, teniendo en cuenta, la aplicación de entrevistas a los miembros de las comunidades presentes en el lugar. También junto a los gestores en las esferas municipal, estatal, de técnicos de instituciones públicas y de organizaciones de la sociedad civil realizadas entre 2012 y 2015, período de sequía en la región. Los impactos en los sistemas humanos fueron atenuados por políticas sociales implementadas en las últimas décadas. Sin embargo, no impidieron la existencia de vulnerabilidad en las comunidades en presencia de la situación hídrica y las consecuencias negativas en las actividades productivas. Los resultados apuntan a la dinámica en el uso de las diversas fuentes de agua a lo largo del tiempo, la discontinuidad de las acciones de gobierno sobre el abastecimiento de agua en las comunidades rurales, la fragilidad en los procesos de gestión en relación a los recursos hídricos como así también, las demás políticas de acuerdo a la escala de actuación de las mismas. Siendo así, muy importante la conjunción de las diversas perspectivas existentes en relación al agua y sus usos. Queda así evidenciado en los estudios realizados, que la sustentabilidad hídrica de la población difusa en el semiárido, está directamente relacionada con el uso sinérgico de las diferentes fuentes de agua y el aprendizaje social para una participación activa en el manejo local de los recursos hídricos.

O cenário atual do estado de São Paulo reflete o cenário de degradação observado na Floresta Atlântica do país, onde os remanescentes florestais estão muito fragmentados, degradados e imersos em uma paisagem agrícola, dominada predominantemente por matrizes de cana de açúcar e pastagens. Neste contexto, objetivamos investigar se a regeneração natural da borda de fragmentos florestais tem características distintas nessas duas matrizes agrícolas dominantes. Nossa hipótese foi que de a regeneração natural em fragmentos inseridos em matrizes de cana de açúcar e pastagem são distintas, porque essas matrizes definem diferentes trajetórias de degradação sobre a flora de fragmentos naturais. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido na bacia do rio Corumbataí, onde indivíduos de espécies arbustivo e arbóreas do estrato regenerante (mínimo de 30cm de altura até 15 cm de perímetro à altura do peito) foram amostrados em 60 transectos de 30x2m (subdivididos em transectos contíguos de 10x2m) sistematicamente distribuídas a partir da borda de 12 fragmentos selecionados na bacia. Primeiramente, foi feita uma caracterização florística geral da regeneração natural das bordas de fragmentos florestais inseridos nas duas matrizes agrícolas. Posteriormente, foram utilizadas as variáveis número de indivíduos.hectare-1 (RN_HA) e número de espécies/m2 (NESP_M2) e diversidade florística (ISHANNON) para analisar as diferenças da estrutura e composição da regeneração natural nas duas matrizes. Essas mesmas variáveis foram utilizadas para analisar estatisticamente o efeito de indicadores de conservação dos fragmentos, como entrada de gado, presença de eucaliptos no dossel e abundância de gramíneas e lianas, sobre a regeneração natural. A similaridade florística entre remanescentes das paisagens foi calculada através do Índice de Similaridade de Jaccard. Em todos os transectos, foram amostrados 5886 regenerantes, divididos em 58 famílias, 220 espécies e 18 morfoespécies. O índice de Jaccard mostrou que houve similaridade florística (45%) entre os regenerantes dos fragmentos da matriz de pastagem e cana de açúcar. Nos fragmentos inseridos na matriz de pastagem, a entrada de gado foi o indicador de conservação de fragmentos que apresentou maior interferência sobre a regeneração natural, diminuindo tanto o número de indivíduos por unidade de área quanto a diversidade florística. Para a paisagem de cana, a fonte de variação que mais interferiu na estrutura da regeneração foi a presença de eucaliptos no dossel, que aumentou o número de indivíduos por unidade de área. A abundância de gramíneas e lianas e a presença de epífitas não apresentaram influência sobre a regeneração quando analisados tipo de matriz ou tamanho do fragmento. Entre os sub-transectos contíguos de 10m, não houve variação na estrutura e composição da regeneração natural, indicando que nesta profundidade de borda a vegetação regenerante é homogênea quanto à florística, diversidade e classificação sucessional. Os resultados indicam que, mesmo inseridos em paisagens agrícolas profundamente antropizadas, os remanescentes florestais ainda detém elevada diversidade florística. A regeneração natural mostrou-se um bom indicador de qualidade atual e futura dos remanescentes florestais, e demonstrou, juntamente com os indicadores de conservação, que os fragmentos são passíveis de manejo, o que poderá potencializar o papel de conservação da biodiversidade exercido pela regeneração natural. / At São Paulo state, Brazil, the scenario of the Atlantic Forest reflects the scenario of degradation of the biome in the country, where forest remnants are embedded in an agricultural landscape, dominated by sugar cane fields and pasture fields. In this context, we aimed to investigate if natural forest regeneration responds differently to each agricultural matrix. Our hypothesis was that forest regeneration composition in remnants surrounded by sugar cane fields is different of forest regeneration composition in remnants surrounded by pasture fields, because these agricultural matrices impact differently forest biota. The present research was developed in Corumbataí river basin, in the countryside of São Paulo state. Shrub and tree individuals, from regeneration layer, were sampled in 60 plots 30x2 meters long (subdivided in plots 10x2 meters long) systematically distributed on the edges of 12 fragments. Firstly, we characterized the natural regeneration of the edges of forest remnants embedded in agricultural landscapes. Then we used the variables number of individuals.ha-1 (RN_HA), number of species/m2 (NESP_M2) and floristic diversity (ISHANNON) to analyze the differences in structure and composition of forest natural regeneration between sugar cane fields and pasture fields. These variables were used to analyze the statistical effects of conservation indicators, such as cattle entrance on forest remnants, abundance of woody-vines and grasses, and presence of eucalyptus trees on forest canopy, on natural regeneration. Floristic similarity between forest remnants was assessed by Jaccard Similarity Index. 5886 saplings were sampled among the 60 plots, divided in 57 families, 214 species and 31 morphospecies. Jaccard index indicated floristic similarity (45%) among the fragments inserted in sugar cane field and pasture field. Among the fragments inserted in pasture field, cattle entrance was the conservation indicator with the strongest interference over natural regeneration, decreasing both the number of plants per area and the floristic diversity. At sugar cane landscape, presence of eucalyptus on forest canopy increased the number of individuals per area. Grass and woody-vines abundance and presence of epiphytes were not significant for any variable, when analyzed with matrix type or fragment size. Among the subplots of 10m long, there was no variation of structure and composition of natural regeneration, what indicates that, in relation to floristic, diversity and sucessional classification, the regenerant vegetation is homogeneous in the first 30 meters of the edge. The results indicate that, even embedded in anthropogenic agricultural landscapes, the remnants studied still retain high floristic diversity. Natural regeneration has shown to be a good indicator of actual and future quality of forest remnants, and, together with conservation indicators, demonstrated that the fragments studied are subject to management actions, which may improve the role of biodiversity conservancy developed by natural regeneration

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The Table Mountain Group (TMG) Formation is the lowest member of the Cape Supergroup which consists of sediments deposited from early Ordovician to early Carboniferous times, approximately between 500 and 340 million years ago. The Table Mountain Group (TMG) aquifer system is exposed along the west and south coasts of South Africa. It is a regional fractured rock aquifer that has become a major source of bulk water supply to meet the agricultural and urban water requirements of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. The TMG aquifer system comprises of an approximately 4000 m thick sequence of quartz arenite and minor shale layers deposited in a shallow, but extensive, predominantly eastwest striking asin, changing to a northwest orientation at the west coast. The medium to coarse grain size and relative purity of some of the quartz arenites, together with their well indurated nature and fracturing due to folding and faulting in the fold belt, enhance both the quality of the groundwater and its exploitation potential for agricultural and domestic water supply purposes and its hot springs for recreation. The region is also home to some unique and indigenous floral species (fynbos) of worldwide importance. These and other groundwater dependent vegetation are found on the series of mountains, mountain slopes and valleys in the Cape Peninsula. The hydrogeology of the TMG consists of intermontane and coastal domains which have different properties but are interconnected. The former is characterized by direct recharge from rain and snow melt, deep groundwater circulation with hot springs and low conductivity groundwater. The coastal domain is characterized by shallow groundwater occurrence usually with moderate to poor quality, indirect recharge from rainfall of shallow circulation and where springs occur they are usually cold. The sustainable utilization of the TMG aquifer addressed the issues of the groundwater flow dynamics, recharge and discharge to and from the aquifer; challenges of climate change and climate variability and their potential impact on the aquifer system. The concept of safe yield, recharge and the capture principle and the integration of sustainable yield provided the basis for sustainable utilization with the adaptive management approach. Methodology used included the evaluation of recharge methods and estimates in the TMG aquifer and a GIS based water balance recharge estimation. The evaluation of natural discharges and artificial abstractions from the TMG aquifer system as well as its potential for future development. The Mann-Kendal trend analysis was used to test historical and present records of temperature and rainfall for significant trends as indication for climate variability and change. The determination of variability index of rainfall and standard precipitation index were additional analyses to investigate variability. The use of a case study from the Klein (Little) Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme (KKRWSS) within the TMG study area was a test case to assess the sustainable utilization of TMG aquifers. Results show that recharge varies in time and space between 1% and 55% of MAP as a result of different hydrostratigraphic units of the TMG based on geology, hydrology, climate, soil, vegetation and landuse patterns however, the average recharge is from 1% to 5% of MAP. The TMG receives recharge mainly through its 37,000 km2 of outcrop largely exposed on mountainous terrain. Natural discharges from the TMG include 11 thermal and numerous cold spring discharges, baseflow to streams and reservoirs, and seepage to the ocean. Results from this study also show increasing temperature trend over the years while rainfall trend generally remain unchanged in the study area. Rainfall variability persists hence the potential for floodsand droughts in the region remain. Global and Regional Models predict about 10% to 25% reduction in rainfall and increase in variability in future. Impacts of his change in climate will affect the different types of aquifers in various ways. Increase in temperature and reduction in rainfall will increase evapotranspiration, reduce surface flows and eventually reduce shallow aquifer resources. Coastal aquifers risk upsurge in salinisation from sea level rise and increase in abstractions from dwindling surface water resources. While floods increase the risk of contamination to shallow aquifers droughts put pressure on all aquifers especially deep aquifers which are considered to be more reliable due to the fact that they are far removed from surface conditions. Future population growth and increase in freshwater demand will put more pressure on groundwater. Recharge to groundwater have been over-estimated in certain areas in the past leading to high abstraction rates from boreholes causing extensive groundwater storage depletion evident by high decline in groundwater levels in these areas and hampering sustainable management of the aquifer resources. Over-abstraction have resulted in loss of stream flow and baseflow reduction to streams during summer, complete loss of springs and reduction of flow to others. Flow to wetlands, riparian vegetation, and sometimes loss and shifts in dependent ecosystems have also resulted from over-abstraction. Sustainability has spatial and temporal implications due to changing climate and demand. The study recommends adaptive management practices in which several factors are considered in managing groundwater together with surface water resources in order to maintain ecological and environmental integrity. The KKRWSS and other groundwater supply schemes in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces demonstrate the huge potential of the TMG to provide freshwatersupply for domestic and irrigation water needs however, the huge decline in groundwater levels due to over-abstraction in the KKRWSS and other groundwater schemes underscores the need for sustainable utilization of the TMG groundwater resources for present and future generations with minimal impacts on the quality, dependent hydrological and ecosystems as well as the environment. / South Africa

No description available.

Despite decades of development efforts to combat desertification processes in southern Zimbabwe, a development deadlock occurs. Using the local knowledge systems as a basis, and making an effort to strategically facilitate the revival of their capacity for checks and balances as a development approach, endogenous development could become more realistic. The actor-oriented RAAKS.methodology offers relevant tools for a case study'in which an insight into the processes of innovation is obtained in order to confirm this. The Charurnbira case study shows that many local interfaces hinder development. Although the facilitation of platform processes could enhance endogenous development, the external environment provides a serious constraint. The method employed did ndt permit broad conclusions, but a deeper examination of recent experiences suggested that by giving local people a greater say in natural resource use, local knowledge could be utilized more effectively and better use could be made of traditional management structures. / Development Administration / M.A. (Development Administration)

As a consequence of global environmental change, sustainable management and governance of natural resources face critical challenges, such as dealing with non-linear dynamics, increased resource variability, and uncertainty. This thesis seeks to address some of these challenges by using simulation models. The first line of research focuses on the use of learning-by-doing (LBD) for managing a renewable resource, exemplified by a fish stock, and explores LBD in a theoretical model using artificial intelligence (Paper I and II). The second line of research focuses on the emergence of different forms of self-governance and their interrelation with the dynamics of trust among fishers when harvesting a shared resource, using an agent-based model. This model is informed by qualitative data based on small-scale fisheries in Mexico (Paper III and IV). Paper I and II find that the most sustainable harvesting strategy requires that the actor values current and future yields equally, cautiously experiments around what is perceived as the best harvest action, and rapidly updates its ‘mental model’ to any perceived change in catch. More specifically, Paper II reveals that understanding these aspects in relation to the type of change can yield not only increased performance, but also, and more importantly, increased robustness to both fast and slow changes in resource dynamics. However, when resource dynamics include the possibility of a more fundamental shift in system characteristics (a regime shift), LBD is problematic due to the potential for crossing a threshold, resulting in possible persistent reductions in harvests (Paper I). In Paper III, results indicate that cooperative forms of self-governance are more likely to establish and persist in communities where fishers’ have prior cooperative experience, fishers’ trustworthiness is more or less equal, and that this likelihood increases when resource availability fluctuates seasonally. Finally, to achieve a transformation toward more cooperative forms of self-governance, interventions are required that can strengthen both financial capital and trust among the members of the cooperatives (Paper IV). The unique contribution of this thesis lies in the method for ‘quantitatively’ studying LBD, the stylized model of a small-scale fishery, and the analysis of the two models to advance our understanding of processes of learning and self-governance in uncertain and variable social-ecological environments. Together, the results shed light on how social and ecological factors and processes co-evolve to shape social-ecological outcomes, as well as contributing to the development of novel methods within the emerging field of sustainability science. / I vårt antropocena tidevarv är ett långsiktigt förvaltarskap av naturresurser inom social-ekologiska system av yttersta vikt. Detta kräver en djup förståelse av människan, ekologin, interaktionerna sinsemellan och deras utveckling över tid. Syftet med denna avhandling är att nå en djupare och mer nyanserad förståelse kring två av grundpelarna inom forskningen av hållbar förvaltning av naturresurser–kontinuerligt lärande genom learning-by-doing (LBD) för att förstå naturresursens dynamik, samt vad som kan kallas socialt kapital, i detta sammanhang i betydelsen tillit mellan individer, som naturligtvis ligger till grund för framgångsrik gemensam förvaltning. Denna föresats operationaliseras genom att använda två olika simuleringsmodeller. Den ena modellen undersöker hur en hållbar förvaltning av en förnyelsebar resurs, i denna avhandling exemplifierad av en fiskepopulation, kan uppnås genom LBD. Den andra modellen söker blottlägga det komplexa sociala samspel som krävs för att praktisera gemensam förvaltning genom att använda ett fiskesamhälle som fallstudie. Tidigare forskning på båda dessa två områden är relativt omfattade. Emellertid har den forskning som specialiserat sig på LBD i huvudsak inskränkt sig till empiriska fallstudier. Vad som bryter ny mark i denna avhandling är att vi konstruerar en simuleringsmodell av LBD där vi kan studera lärandeprocessen i detalj för att uppnå en mer hållbar förvaltning över tid. Beträffande modellen som behandlar socialt kapital så har tidigare forskning fokuserat på hur en organisation, eller grupp, kan uppnå hållbar förvaltning. Dock saknas ett helhetsgrepp där som tar hänsyn till alla nivåer; från individnivå (mikro), via gruppnivå (meso), till samhällsnivå (makro). Detta är något som denna avhandling försöker avhjälpa genom att undersöka betydelsen av individers egenskaper, uppbyggnaden av socialt kapital, samt hur detta påverkar emergens av ett samhälle dominerat av mer kooperativa förvaltningsformer respektive mer hierarkiska diton. I papper I and II studeras kärnan av LBD som återkoppling mellan en aktör och en resurs, där aktören lär sig genom upprepade interaktioner med en resurs.  Resultaten visar att LBD är av avgörande betydelse för en hållbar förvaltning, speciellt då naturresursens dynamik är stadd i förändring. I den mest hållbara strategin bör aktören värdera nuvarande och framtida fångster lika högt, försiktigt experimentera kring vad aktören upplever som bästa strategi, för att sedan anpassa sin mentala modell till upplevda förändringar i fångst relativt dess insats någorlunda kraftigt. I papper III och IV behandlas uppbyggnaden av förtroende mellan individer och grupp, samt själv-organiserat styre. Genom att använda småskaligt fiske i Mexiko som en illustrativ fallstudie, utvecklades en agent-baserad modell av ett arketypiskt småskaligt fiskesamhälle. Resultaten indikerar att kooperativa förvaltningsformer är mer dominanta i samhällen där de som utför fisket har liknande pålitlighet, starkt gemensamt socialt kapital vid kooperativets start, och då resursen fluktuerar säsongsmässigt (papper III). Papper IV visar att för att uppnå en transformation från hierarkiska förvaltningsformer till kooperativa diton krävs interventioner som inriktar sig på både socialt och finansiellt kapital. Denna avhandling bidrar således till en djupare förståelse kring hur socialt kapital växer fram, samt hur mer strategiska LBD processer bör utformas när abrupta och osäkra förändringar i ekosystemen blir allt vanligare på grund av människans ökade tryck på planeten. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Submitted. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

There has been an increase in the use of partnerships as a policy prescription for improving education since the mid 1980's. This trend builds on nearly a century of reform movements in education. In order to improve education policy, this study focuses on the question of whether math and science education partnerships as typically constituted provide the necessary conditions for the adaptive management (sustainable and adaptable action) of local education problems by the participants. This qualitative study uses data derived from the views of 32 experts on math and science partnerships collected during an internet-based application of the Delphi methodology designed to develop testable elements of a logic model of partnerships in math and science education. The results of this study suggest that the implementation and content requirements built into grant programs that include partners as a condition in aid most often result in a narrow programmatic focus among the participants. Organizations choose to participate in disjointed serial interventions that support organizational needs or goals based on the availability of funding and partners for particular programmatic activities. They choose partners from among those who are interested in similar or complementary activities. The primary focus of STEM education partnerships is therefore on implementing and sometimes evaluating the funded programmatic activities and not on building a broader learning community. Activities or education problems that are not funded tend to be excluded from the activities and dialog of the policy-induced partnership. By limiting the scope of the collaboration we are limiting the potential for adaptive management and the value of these partnerships.

This thesis provides an analysis of the Georgia statewide regional water planning process; a system deemed to be operating in the adaptive management framework. The principal focus of this analysis is to detail a novel paradigm capable of dynamic response to changing resource demands which stems from adaptive management principles and ensures representativeness. The paradigm extends directly from application of the theories of bounded rationality and adaptive management. Development of the framework is accomplished through application of theory and correlated empirical analysis. Extreme drought conditions signal a punctuated-equilibrium effecting statewide water resource management which in turn drives the issuance of an executive-level directive to prioritize and effectively manage critical state water resources. This study evolves directly from analysis of the current effort to establish unified regional water plans which address rapid population growth, and escalating water resource conflicts with Alabama and Florida while satisfying priorities established within the executive directive. Fundamental to this analysis is the survey of currently seated regional water planning council members. The essential function of the survey is to provide a qualitative assessment of the perceptions of appointed council members. These perceptions influence water management techniques prescribed by the final policy. While this is a fuzzy correlation, a primary function of this analysis is to quantify the strength of correlation between perceptions and developed policy. This survey details appointed council member attitudes and attributes and affords analysis of future decision making outcomes. The method prescribed herein unifies multi-level decision making processes under a dynamic adaptive management paradigm, and is intended to link the regional water planning processes with continuous annual assessment in order to achieve the pluralistic benefits of adaptive management decision making.