The Pieman River catchment has seen continuous mining of economic deposits of gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc and tin since the 1870’s. Tributaries of this river which receive mining effluent, either directly or from acid mine drainage (AMID), have total metal concentrations considerably above background levels and are of regulatory concern. The lower Pieman River is however classified as a State Reserve in which recreational fishing and tourism are the major activities. It is therefore important that water entering the lower Pieman River from upstream hydroelectric impoundments is of high quality. Metals in natural waters exist in a variety of dissolved, colloidal and particulate forms. The bioavailability and hence toxicity of heavy metal pollutants is very dependant on their physico form. Knowledge of the speciation of a metal in natural aquatic environments is therefore necessary for understanding its geochemical behaviour and biological availability. Complexation of metal ions by natural ligands in aquatic systems is believed to play a significant role in controlling their chemical speciation. This study has investigated temporal and spatial variation in complexation of metal ions in the Pieman River. The influence of pH, temperature, organic matter, salinity, ionic strength and time has been investigated in a series of field studies and in laboratory-based experiments which simulated natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Labile metals were measured using two techniques in various freshwater and estuarine environments. Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) allowed in situ measurement of solution speciation whilst differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to measure labile metal species in water samples collected from the catchment. Organic complexation was found to be a significant regulating mechanism for copper speciation and the copper-binding ligand concentration usually exceeded the total copper concentration in the river water. Complexation was highly dependent on pH and at the river-seawater interface was also regulated by salinity, probably as a result of competitive complexation by major ions in seawater (eg. Ca 2+ ions). Zinc complexation was also evident, however total zinc concentrations in the water column often far exceeded the potential binding capacity of available ligands. In addition to organic complexation, Zn speciation may also be associated with adsorption by flocculated or resuspended colloidal Mn and/or Fe oxyhydroxides. Metal ion complexation and hence speciation was found to be highly variable within the Pieman River catchment. This presents major difficulties for environmental managers, as it is therefore not possible to make catchment-wide assumptions about the bioavailability of these metals. These results emphasise the importance of site-specific sampling protocols and speciation testing, ideally incorporating continuous, in situ monitoring.

Lake Malawi is a great lake not only because of its size (30,800 km2) but also because of its unique fish diversity. The lake contains the highest number of freshwater fish species in the world. The fish species are hypothesized to have radiated within the lake, which is 1-2 million years old. The collapse of the capture fishery in Lake Malawi between the 1970s and 1990s led to the launch of cage culture of indigenous fish species in 2004 in the south east arm of the lake. While cage culture has been practiced for many years in temperate lakes and seas, the fish farm in Lake Malawi is the first in the African Great Lakes and, therefore, not much information currently exists that is relevant to the impact of cage culture on such a large, species-rich tropical lake. Consequently, a study was done between January and December, 2007, at the fish farm in Lake Malawi to determine potential impacts of cage wastes on the environment. The study found that, just like in temperate systems where 70-87% of C, N and P added through feed get dispersed into the environment, discharges from fish cages in Lake Malawi were between 71-88% of the nutrients added through feed. The discharges were proportional to the amount of feed added so that as production and feed supply increase over time, more cage wastes would be generated and released into the environment. The discharges were exacerbated by poor stocking and feeding regimes. Production periods were longer (mean of 376±42 days) than if recommended stocking and feeding rates were followed. Feed quality may also have affected production performance and waste generation in the cages, but was not studied. The cage wastes were incorporated into the food web and support the wild fishes in the vicinity of the fish farm. Impacts of the cage wastes on the water column and sediments in the vicinity of the cages were minimal during the study period, probably because of rapid and efficient dispersion of the wastes by strong water currents, that averaged 9.3 cm s-1, through the cages and high consumption of the cage wastes by large numbers of wild fishes which aggregated around the cages. The wild fishes also helped to disperse the cage wastes over a larger area through consumption, translocation and defecation. However, as production increases, the amount of cage wastes generated may overwhelm mitigation by dispersion by water currents and consumption by wild fishes, particularly if many cages are deployed close together and interfere with current flows. Based on my observations, a fish farm that produces 15,000 tonnes fish/yr in Lake Malawi would generate 1249, 113 and 21 megamoles/yr of C, N and P, respectively, that are comparable or higher than DOC, TDN and TDP loadings observed in the most disturbed large river systems draining into Lake Malawi. The impacts of these river systems in Lake Malawi have been well documented, particularly around river mouths and in the more densely populated and shallower southern portion of the lake, where algal communities and their sedimentation rates have begun to change. Cage culture discharges may accelerate these changes.

This study investigates the proposed extension of the existing runway of Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The process involves the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) and several geospatial techniques for analysis and result presentation. The aim of the study was achieved with the following resources: satellite imagery downloaded from the Landsat webpage and processed to generate a land use map of the study area; a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) covering the study area which was downloaded from the Consortium for Spatial Information’s (CSI) webpage and observed ground spot heights along the straight path of the proposed runway extension covering a total length of 2.5km and 200m wide. These datasets were modified, processed and assigned the same coordinate system in order to make them conformal for analysis. A GIS was created with the foregoing resources in conjunction with other geospatial applications such as ERDAS Imagine and Surfer 8 to carry out the analysis. The analysis covered the environmental impacts of the proposed project, its effects on already existing human settlements and the huge cost implications based on certain conditions like the mandatory straight path which has to be maintained as an extension of the existing runway. Other factors considered are; the land use of the extension area, the economic benefits of the project, the accessibility of the area, noise pollution as well as the safety and security issues involved. A summary of the result of our analysis shows features such as residential settlements, roads, swampy areas, valleys and areas of high elevation which will act as obstructions along the proposed  runway path. Also, the total surface area of the proposed runway and the volume of earth material required were calculated. The results achieved from this study shows that GIS and other geospatial tools are indispensable resources in complex planning processes such as facility maintenance and management.

Lake Malawi is a great lake not only because of its size (30,800 km2) but also because of its unique fish diversity. The lake contains the highest number of freshwater fish species in the world. The fish species are hypothesized to have radiated within the lake, which is 1-2 million years old. The collapse of the capture fishery in Lake Malawi between the 1970s and 1990s led to the launch of cage culture of indigenous fish species in 2004 in the south east arm of the lake. While cage culture has been practiced for many years in temperate lakes and seas, the fish farm in Lake Malawi is the first in the African Great Lakes and, therefore, not much information currently exists that is relevant to the impact of cage culture on such a large, species-rich tropical lake. Consequently, a study was done between January and December, 2007, at the fish farm in Lake Malawi to determine potential impacts of cage wastes on the environment. The study found that, just like in temperate systems where 70-87% of C, N and P added through feed get dispersed into the environment, discharges from fish cages in Lake Malawi were between 71-88% of the nutrients added through feed. The discharges were proportional to the amount of feed added so that as production and feed supply increase over time, more cage wastes would be generated and released into the environment. The discharges were exacerbated by poor stocking and feeding regimes. Production periods were longer (mean of 376±42 days) than if recommended stocking and feeding rates were followed. Feed quality may also have affected production performance and waste generation in the cages, but was not studied. The cage wastes were incorporated into the food web and support the wild fishes in the vicinity of the fish farm. Impacts of the cage wastes on the water column and sediments in the vicinity of the cages were minimal during the study period, probably because of rapid and efficient dispersion of the wastes by strong water currents, that averaged 9.3 cm s-1, through the cages and high consumption of the cage wastes by large numbers of wild fishes which aggregated around the cages. The wild fishes also helped to disperse the cage wastes over a larger area through consumption, translocation and defecation. However, as production increases, the amount of cage wastes generated may overwhelm mitigation by dispersion by water currents and consumption by wild fishes, particularly if many cages are deployed close together and interfere with current flows. Based on my observations, a fish farm that produces 15,000 tonnes fish/yr in Lake Malawi would generate 1249, 113 and 21 megamoles/yr of C, N and P, respectively, that are comparable or higher than DOC, TDN and TDP loadings observed in the most disturbed large river systems draining into Lake Malawi. The impacts of these river systems in Lake Malawi have been well documented, particularly around river mouths and in the more densely populated and shallower southern portion of the lake, where algal communities and their sedimentation rates have begun to change. Cage culture discharges may accelerate these changes.

This dissertation investigates the dynamic economic structure transformation and its corresponding environmental consequences at the Austin-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area (Austin MSA) from 1990 to 2008. Input-output (IO) analysis is the major methodology and environmental problems are defined as emissions of industrial point air pollutants. Both three-and seven-segment IO models of Austin MSA for the years of 1990, 1994, and 1999 are constructed. Direct and total pollution coefficients of six major pollutants are calculated, hypothe tical extraction measurement and structural decomposition analysis are implemented, and the quantity and pattern of pollutant emissions are simulated based on four major assumed development scenarios from 2000 to 2008. This study finds: 1) the digital economy has emerged in the Austin MSA during the 1990s, 2) the manufacturing process of Austin MSA tended to be more environmentally friendly, which supports the hypothesis of dematerialization and decarbonization, 3) consumption-driven and non-production segments related environmental problems becomes more significant in the emerging digital economy. This study predicts that industrial point air pollutant emissions will grow moderately from 2000 to 2008, assuming that the direct pollutant coefficients will change at the average rates of the 1990s and the final demand will grow at the half rates of the 1990s?? average. Pollution contribution from production segment will generally decrease and contribution from other segments such as ICT and Information will increase, however, emission contributions of the segments will vary in terms of pollutants as well as development scenarios. This study argues that the shift of the source and nature of environmental threats of in the digital economy mandates parallel reform of the current environmental policy. A new generation of policy should be cooperative rather than confrontational, integrated rather than fragmented, flexible rather than rigid. It should also facilitate innovative management initiatives to achieve sustainability. More fundamentally, it is expected to deal with environmental impacts of intangible information flows (bits) which are possibly more essential than flows of tangible goods and services (atoms) in the context of the digital economy and the information age.

The overall objective of this research project was to assess whether fish populations in areas of potato cultivation responded to changes in environmental conditions. An effects-based assessment was conducted in the ‘potato belt’ of northwestern New Brunswick in the Little River catchment. From 1999-2001, the health and performance of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) was monitored in agricultural and forested sections of the river. In the fall of 1999 and 2000, agricultural sites had fewer young-of-the-year (YOY) sculpin than the forested region. Adult sculpin were larger in the agricultural region, but had significantly smaller gonads, and female sculpin had smaller livers, and fewer and smaller eggs than the forested region. By the fall of 2001, only female gonad size showed a difference from the forested region. These results were used to design a follow-up study designed to investigate the relative importance of environmental factors influencing sculpin responses. <br><br> The second study investigated the relative influence of temperature and sediment deposition on slimy sculpin populations across 20 sites on 19 streams in forested and agricultural catchments in northwestern New Brunswick. YOY sculpin were present at all forested sites, but only at 2 of 11 agricultural sites. There were no relationships between body size or density and sediment deposition in either the agricultural or forested regions, but sculpin density decreased and median YOY size increased with increasing temperatures. The variability in density of YOY sculpin at agricultural sites suggested that additional factors beyond temperature might be contributing to responses. <br><br> A secondary overall objective was to evaluate the slimy sculpin as a sentinel and indicator of site-specific conditions. Stable isotopes of muscle tissues showed little variability in isotopic signatures, and significant differences between adjacent sites. Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags implanted in 112 adult sculpin showed that 75% of sculpin captured over 10 months moved less than 30m. Both isotopes and PIT tags suggested high spatial and temporal residency of slimy sculpin. <br><br> This PhD project showed biological impacts on sculpin populations residing in streams influenced by non-point source agricultural stressors, and provided support for the ability of the slimy sculpin to reflect local environmental conditions.

Submitted by CAROLINA BUGALHO KOHORI null (cbkohori@gmail.com) on 2018-01-09T16:22:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Carolina Kohori.pdf: 7577720 bytes, checksum: 9922fcf0e1720d723287605b348853f3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Claudia Adriana Spindola null (claudia@fct.unesp.br) on 2018-01-09T18:06:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 kohori_cb_me_prud.pdf: 7577720 bytes, checksum: 9922fcf0e1720d723287605b348853f3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-09T18:06:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 kohori_cb_me_prud.pdf: 7577720 bytes, checksum: 9922fcf0e1720d723287605b348853f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-28 / A Nova Alta Paulista foi uma das últimas regiões a serem atravessadas pela ferrovia e ocupadas pela frente cafeeira, tendo suas formações vegetais naturais quase que totalmente suprimidas em detrimento da expansão da área urbana e de culturas agropecuárias. As sedes dos municípios foram construídas no espigão-divisor de águas dos rios Aguapeí e Peixe, ocupando diversas nascentes de córregos. Diante dessa realidade, diversos impactos da falta de planejamento, manejo e gestão do solo e da água são observados, sendo necessários estudos a fim de entender a dinâmica que ocorreu na região. Para tanto, propôs-se o estudo do alto curso da bacia do Ribeirão dos Ranchos, formado pelas bacias dos córregos Taipus, Tocantins e Ranchos, localizada no município de Adamantina, integrante da Nova Alta Paulista. O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar as mudanças ocorridas no uso da terra entre os anos de 1971 e 2016 e seus respectivos impactos ambientais sobre essa área, utilizando técnicas de geoprocessamento. Após a realização do mapeamento, foram processados e gerados mapas de ganho, persistência e perda de área para as classes de uso da terra. Através das análises realizadas observouse que a área de estudo tem riscos de ocorrência de inundações e a ocupação urbana sobre as áreas de nascentes intensificam esses problemas. Com relação às mudanças no uso da terra, houve significativas mudanças, onde as lavouras temporária e permanente cederam espaço para a pastagem cultivada para criação de gado. Os principais problemas ambientais observados na área rural foram pastagens degradadas, ausência de mata ciliar, solos erodidos, assoreamento e contaminação dos recursos hídricos. Notou-se, ainda, pequeno avanço relacionado à recomposição das áreas de preservação permanente que, no entanto, não devem ser desprezadas. Espera-se que o presente trabalho possa contribuir para estudos mais aprofundados na região e para a tomada de decisões que visem o planejamento de ocupação do uso da terra em áreas urbana e rural, bem como a recuperação das APPs (Áreas de Preservação Permanente) e, em longo prazo, dos córregos. / The Nova Alta Paulista was one of the last regions to be crossed by the railroad and occupied by the coffee crop, having its natural landscap almost totally suppressed to by the expansion of the urban area and agricultural crops. The municipalities were built inside of the Aguapeí and Peixe rivers watershed , occupying several streams springs. Therefore, several impacts due to lack of planning, soil and water management are observed, and studies are necessaries to understand the dynamics that took place in the region. Thus, a has been developed on the high course of the Ribeirão dos Ranchos basin, formed by the Taipus, Tocantins and Ranchos basins, located in the municipality of Adamantina, a member of Nova Alta Paulista. The objective of this work was to analyze the changes in land use between the years 1971 and 2016 and their respective environmental impacts, using geoprocessing techniques. After the mapping, maps of gain, persistence and loss of area for land use classes were processed and generated. Through the analyzes conducted , it has been observed that the study area has flood risks occurrence and urban occupation on the river source’s areas intensifies these problems. Regarding changes in land use, there were significant changes, where temporary and permanent crops gave way to pasture grown for livestock. The main environmental problems observed in the rural area were degraded pastures, absence of riparian forest, eroded soils, sedimentation and water resources contamination. Still, there was a small advance related to the restoration of permanent preservation areas, which should not be neglected. It is expected that the present work shall contribute to further studies in the region, to the decision making aiming land use management in urban and rural areas, as well as the recovery of PPAs (Permanent Preservation Areas) and, in the long term, streams.

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BEZERRA, Lireida Maria Albuquerque. Análise dos impactos sócio-ambientais decorrentes da mineração na Chapada do Araripe – Nova Olinda/Ceará. 2013. 139 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em geografia)- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2013. / Submitted by Elineudson Ribeiro (elineudsonr@gmail.com) on 2016-10-14T12:36:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_lmabezerra.pdf: 4927300 bytes, checksum: 0c8ac8d94ef161f1cce44d8b6b159a67 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jairo Viana (jairo@ufc.br) on 2016-10-18T18:55:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_lmabezerra.pdf: 4927300 bytes, checksum: 0c8ac8d94ef161f1cce44d8b6b159a67 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-18T18:55:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_lmabezerra.pdf: 4927300 bytes, checksum: 0c8ac8d94ef161f1cce44d8b6b159a67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / The research aims to analyze the process of socio environmental degradation in Chapada do Araripe , in the city Nova Olinda/Ceará, resulting from the extraction and exploitation of limestone, offering theoretical elements that contribute to the emergence of alternatives that contribute to mitigate the damage caused by the mining activity in the capitalist mold. The methodology was based on a qualitative analysis, based on the understanding of the subjective characteristics and on the information related to the communities living around the mining activity, and also on the specific literature on the study subject. The analysis of the environmental impacts arisingfrom the mining in Nova Olinda is of paramount importance for thecomprehension of the intensity of the environmental impacts and how theycompromise the Chapada do Araripe and its surroundings, as well as the historical and paleontological records of the sedimentary basin of Araripe. It is noticed that the intensity of theenvironmental impacts result from thenon-sustainable exploitation, compromising the environment and its surroundings, with the waste tailings, changes in vegetation and extraction that degrades and impacts the local landscape. / A pesquisa objetiva analisar o processo de degradação sócio ambiental na Chapada do Araripe, no município de Nova Olinda/Ceará, decorrente da extração e exploração do calcário, oferecendo elementos teóricos, que contribuam para o surgimento de alternativas que contribuam para mitigar os estragos provocados pela atividade da mineração nos moldes capitalistas. A metodologia partiu de uma análise qualitativa, com base no entendimento das características subjetivas e das informações relacionadas às comunidades que vivem no entorno da atividade mineradora e, também o embasamento de literatura específica na área do objeto de estudo. A análise dos impactos ambientais decorrentes da mineração em Nova Olinda é de suma importância para a compreensão da intensidade dos impactos ambientais e como estes comprometem a Chapada do Araripe e seu entorno, bem como, os registros históricos e paleontológicos da bacia sedimentar do Araripe. Percebe-se, que o grau de intensidade dos impactos ambientais resulta de uma exploração não sustentável comprometendo o meio ambiente e seu entorno, com o desperdício do rejeito, alteração na vegetação e uma extração que degrada e impacta a paisagem local.

A gravidade dos problemas ambientais exige o engajamento de vários setores da sociedade, principalmente, o da educação. As instituições de ensino superior devem atuar como protagonistas no combate aos impactos ambientais gerados pela sociedade. Desta forma, o presente estudo tem por objetivo analisar a presença da gestão ambiental nas estruturas curriculares dos cursos de graduação, nas ações de extensão desenvolvidas, nos projetos de pesquisa e nas atividades operacionais realizadas no campus Rio Branco da Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC), uma instituição de ensino superior localizada na região Norte do Brasil. Para atingir este objetivo, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com dirigentes da IES, análise de documentos oficiais da instituição e observação assistemática nas dependências do campus. Esta análise também permitiu identificar os aspectos e impactos ambientais decorrentes das atividades desenvolvidas nos seguintes setores do campus: restaurante universitário, salas de aula e de atendimento administrativo, banheiros e laboratórios. Analisadas as condições vigentes, foram propostas ações visando a redução dos impactos ambientais identificados. Os dados coletados, analisados por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo, identificaram que, dos 33 cursos de graduação oferecidos pela UFAC, 75,76% deles apresentam alguma disciplina na sua estrutura curricular que aborda a temática ambiental Por outro lado, foram identificadas poucas ações de extensão e poucos projetos de pesquisa relacionados as questões ambientais do campus. Em 2017, entre as atividades operacionais, havia apenas uma ação institucionalizada de gestão ambiental, que se relacionava a distribuição de garrafas para substituir o uso dos copos descartáveis, ação que desde seu início não teve descontinuidade. A UFAC possui um Plano de Gestão de Logística Sustentável, porém ainda não foi aprovado e não foi iniciada a sua execução. Observou-se que, por falta de conhecimento dos dirigentes e de sensibilização de toda a comunidade universitária, a gestão ambiental na UFAC encontra-se em um estágio inicial, o que demonstra a importância da implantação de uma ferramenta que sistematize as ações de gestão ambiental envolvendo todo o campus, buscando reduzir os impactos ambientais gerados, evitar o desperdício de recursos e tornar esta IES um exemplo para a região Norte. / The seriousness of environmental problems requires the engagement of various sectors of society, especially education. Higher education institutions should act as protagonists in combating the environmental impacts generated by society. Thereby, the present study aims to analyze the presence of environmental management in the curricular structures of undergraduate courses, in the extension actions developed, in the research projects and in the operational activities carried out at the Rio Branco campus of the Federal University of Acre (UFAC), a higher education institution located in the northern region of Brazil. To achieve this objective, semi-structured interviews were conducted with HEI leaders, analysis of official institution documents and non-systematic observation on campus premises. This analysis also allowed to identify environmental aspects and impacts resulting from the activities carried out in the following sectors of the campus: university restaurant, classrooms and administrative service, restrooms and laboratories. Analyzed the current conditions, actions were proposed to reduce the identified environmental impacts. The data collected, analyzed through the content analysis technique, identified that of the 33 undergraduate courses offered by UFAC, 75.76% of them present some discipline in their curricular structure that addresses the environmental theme On the other hand, few extension actions and few research projects related to campus environmental issues were identified. In 2017, among the operational activities, there was only one institutionalized action of environmental management, which is related to the distribution of bottles to replace the use of disposable cups, an action that from the beginning did not have discontinuity. UFAC has a Sustainable Logistics Management Plan, but it has not been approved yet and its execution has not been initiated. It was observed that, due to the lack of knowledge of the leaders and the awareness of the entire university community, environmental management at UFAC is at an early stage, which demonstrates the importance of the implementation of a tool that systematizes environmental management actions involving the entire campus, seeking to reduce the environmental impacts generated, avoid wasting resources and make this HEI an example for the Northern region.