Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MA / Unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the 08summary part of this document / Thesis (DPhil (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

This study presents an investigation into the population dynamics and social structure of a small, closed elephant population. Specifically, it examined population growth rates for evidence of density-dependent regulation. It also quantified the association patterns of female elephants groups, and male elephants groups. Social structure was examined using Hamilton’s kinship theories of inclusive fitness, and age. Male-female patterns of association were also examined for inbreeding avoidance behaviours. The study population was located in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Density-dependence was assessed using a long-term data set. Densities were considerably higher than estimated carrying capacities. Population growth rate was positively correlated with increasing density. No relationship between birth rate, the age of first calving or calf sex ratio and elephant density was detected but there was a positive relationship between birth rate and rainfall during conception year. Mortality rates, particularly for juveniles, were low, and mean inter-calf interval was 3.3 years. There is no evidence of density dependent regulation in this population. These findings indicate that density dependence should not be considered as an option in the control of elephant numbers in this Park, or where elephant resources are not seasonally limited. Examination of association patterns of the adult female component revealed that associations were not random at the population, family or individual scale. This is the second study on African elephants to confirm previous behavioural studies that predicted that preferred associates were close maternal relatives. This supports many studies showing that social species preferentially associate with their kin. The adult males in this population were found to have a well differentiated society with non-random associations. Generally, males were found to have weak associations with most other males and strong associations with only a few males. This association pattern was found to be persistent over the time frame of the study, as indicated by the time lag analysis. Males returned to their natal family, even when maternally related females were in oestrus. Oestrous females directed positive behaviours towards musth males. It appears that behavioural inbreeding avoidance mechanisms in this small, closed population are inhibited: musth status seems to override inbreeding avoidance. General principles from this case study were interpreted in terms of their applicability to other small, closed populations.

Projektet är ett förslag på hur man kan bygga nya bostäder, kontor och butiker i en av Stockholms större innerstadsparker. Hornsbruksgatan på Södermalm ligger längs Högalidsparken som kröns av Ivar Tengboms Högalidskyrka från 1923. I förslaget presenteras två byggnadskomplex med ett 30-tal lägenheter på drygt 1300 kvm samt ca 3500kvm för kontor och detaljhandel. Byggnadskropparna är tegelklädda med bärande stomelement i betongskivor. Förslaget handlar om hur husen möter parken och gatan som har två helt skilda karaktärer. Stadsgatan möter en allvarlig park för rekreation. Kan arkitekturen förstärka dessa genom att verka som en tydlig gräns och länk?

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In May 1906, Wonderland Amusement Park opened its gates on East Washington Street in Indianapolis to reveal its 125-foot tall “Electric Tower,” a tree-top “Scenic Railway,” and dozens of other thrilling and fantastical attractions. Indianapolis now had a Coney Island of its own. Even more amazing, by the end of the month, two more Coney-Island-style amusement parks had opened in the city. This thesis examines three Indianapolis parks: Wonderland Amusement Park, White City Amusement Park and Riverside Amusement Park and their impacts on the city of Indianapolis in the first years of the twentieth century.

A landslide inventory was conducted for the Redland and Estacada Quadrangles of western Oregon using LiDAR DEMs. Many of these landslides were field verified. In total, 957 landslides were mapped using LiDAR whereas previously, only 228 landslides were believed to exist in the study area based on SLIDO information. In Milo McIver State Park, 41 landslides were mapped using LiDAR. SLIDO indicated only three landslides present within the park. A sequence of seven terraces of the Clackamas River is mapped in Milo McIver State Park. Landslides in the park predominantly occur between these terraces. Soils studied from representative areas within landslide complexes and terrace surfaces help to formulate a soil chronosequence for the study area. The youngest soils, Entisols, develop in less than 1,600 years, Inceptisols between 1,600-10,000 years, and the oldest soils, Alfisols, develop in at least 10,000 years. Classifications of soil profiles netted ten Alfisols (mainly on upper terraces), 49 Inceptisols, and 20 Entisols (reactivated slides in the complexes). The soils are predominantly ML soils and have Loam and Silt Loam textures. Results of spectral analysis, carried out on the LiDAR DEMs, indicate that the spectral character of landslides changes with age. However, applying statistical tools such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S test) and cluster analysis suggest that it is not possible to use spectral analysis to determine the relative age of failed surfaces. The K-S test showed that the spectral character among landslides varies widely. Cluster analysis resulted groupings not based on age or terrain type. The result of the cluster analysis illustrates that it may not be realistic to use a single cutoff, which separates failed terrain from unfailed, in the spectral distributions to analyze an entire region. In all, the results of the spectral analysis were not conclusive. Individual landslides, not complexes, should be used in future studies, since complexes have slides that are continually reactivating. The landslides were also too young to display very much differentiation in age based on soils and spectral analysis. Essentially, a similar study should be conducted using individual landslides with a large age range for more conclusive results.

This research has been conducted in Vicksburg Mississippi within the Vicksburg National Military Park and surrounding areas, to produce four 7.5 minute geologic maps of the area. The park service prioritized the delineation of geologic resources within the Military Park, which was achieved throughout geologic mapping. This project provides new geologic mapping to the Park by updating and integrating existing floodplain maps with new bedrock and surficial mapping within the four 7.5 min quadrangles. The objectives were to meet the mandates of the National Park Service and provide new geologic mapping to Vicksburg National Military Park as well as verify existing maps of the floodplain, within the time line of August 2014-May 2016. The resulting maps contribute to improve the understating of the geology within the Military Park, as well as provide insight to historical understanding, and engineering purposes such mining and mitigation of slope failure.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1960 S54

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1955 M34 / Master of Science

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary Catherine E. Kingery-Page / The primary reasons for the existence of contemporary zoological parks are presented as conservation and conservation education. But in reality, human entertainment is the primary function of traditional zoos. There is a moral dilemma behind the practice of removing wild animals from their native habitats and holding them captive, primarily for the purpose of human entertainment and education. Exhibits designed with these human desires in mind never completely meet the needs of the animal. An exhibit designed with conservation in mind can fully address animal needs. The moral dilemma of keeping wild animals captive can be reconciled if the purpose of conservation shifts to the forefront of exhibit design. The term conservation, in this setting, refers to a habitat where a healthy, captive population can be sustained. Conservation means acquiring an in-depth understanding of an animal species and combining it with thoughtful, insightful design that responds to the species’ needs first. Secondary design considerations include facilitating the work of the animal keeper and visitor education and recreation. The keeper plays an important role in the health and well-being of the animal; a functional workplace is essential to the keeper’s job. The visitor plays an essential role in maintaining the funding that supports the zoo. In order for zoos to maintain adequate funding, they need visitors. To make this experience mutually worthwhile, exhibit design must create an experience that visitors want to be a part of, and the exhibit should impart an educational message to these visitors. This conservation-minded approach results in an exhibit that will serve primarily as a conservation facility. The exhibit is better suited to the animal by encouraging natural behavior and more accurately recreating natural habitat. A conservation exhibit can also fulfill the secondary purpose of human education by providing the visitor with a much richer depiction of the animal in its natural state, as well as showing visitors the need for species conservation.