Thesis (M.S.)--University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

The production of an economic good derived from a renewable natural resource base involves the extraction of ecosystem function values as represented by the contribution made to production by the originating ecosystem. The artisanal fisheries of Jamaica is used as a case study in the examination of the characteristics of economic production processes and the development of a biophysically-based index to account for captured ecosystem values. The following is provided: (i) a description of the fisheries of Jamaica and derivation of economic production function models; (ii) a description of the socio-economic condition of the fisheries of Montego Bay Marine Park (Montego Bay, Jamaica) which serves to further illustrate the nature of artisanal fisheries in Jamaica, as well as a more traditional economic approach to resource valuation; and, (iii) the development of an index which as a proxy measure captures the biophysical values of the contributions of the natural biotic environment (the “embodied ecosystem values”) to the fisheries, and an examination of the extent to which those values are proportionately reflected in monetary exchange values. In addition, contributions are made concerning: (i) the development of an economic data collection and analysis programme for Jamaica (also more widely applicable to countries of the developing tropics) which will allow for more informed decisions concerning the management of coral reef fisheries; (ii) general principles concerning the development of biophysical indices, such as indices of biodiversity, which will ultimately be used to inform government policy and management decisions; (iii) the validity of indices derived from ecosystem statistics; and, (iv) the potential for the further development of models which explicitly incorporate the contributions of ecosystems to economic production processes. Cobb-Douglas and translog models of fishing effort are derived from catch and effort data for the years 1996 and 1997 to describe the relationships between catch and firm-level inputs as they vary by fishery within Jamaica. Data on the total catch, crew size, gear soak time, and quantity of gear used yield separate functions of effort for the use of China net, trap, hand line, palanca, speargun, and troll fishing technologies. By further accounting for the month and fishing location (i.e. north coast versus south coast), the seasonal and regional influences on catch rates are explored. Patterns of production include reduced catch rates associated with fishing the north coast shelf and a seasonal peak in catch levels during the late summer and fall. The use of production function models of effort are found to provide informative descriptions of fishery production processes, yet avoid many of the technical difficulties associated with more traditional bioeconomic approaches. The Index of Captured Ecosystem Value (ICEV) is developed from a basis in information theory relevant to an analysis of network flows in ecosystems. Technical coefficients, describing the production relationship between ICEV values and market values of catches associated with individual fishing efforts, revealed that captured ecosystem function associated with fisheries using distinct technologies (i.e. China net, trap, hand line, palanca, and speargun) were valued differently by the market. This “surplus value” appears to be rooted in the observation that certain fisheries target species which are more connected within the coral reef food web than those species typically captured by other fisheries. Consideration of the biophysical contributions of coral reef ecosystems to fisheries production reveals distortions between market and supply-side values, indicating that the role of ecosystems is not being consistently treated. / Graduate

No description available.

Yeung, Chung Wing. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-156). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract (English) --- p.iii / Abstract (Chinese) --- p.vi / Contents --- p.vii / List of Tables --- p.xii / List of Figures --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Ecological and economic importance of coral reef habitats --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- D egradation of coral reefs --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Natural recovery --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Restoration of disturbed reefs --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- Whole colony transplantation --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Fragment transplantation --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2.3 --- Coral nursery --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Studies on octocorals --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Functional ecology of octocorals --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Biodiversity of octocorals in Hong Kong --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Threats on octocorals in Hong Kong --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4 --- The focus and significance of the present study --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- "Lobophytum sarcophytoides, the study organism" --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Objectives --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5 --- Thesis Outline --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Seasonal Variation and Size-dependent Eco-physiological Performances of the Soft Coral Lobophytum sarcophytoides / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Damage recovery --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Reproductive biology --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Growth rate --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Significance and objectives --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2 --- Study Sites --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Lan Guo Shui (LGS) --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Tolo Harbour (MSL) --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methodologies --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Sample collection --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Treatment of samples --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Health condition --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Damage recovery --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Growth rate --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.7 --- Reproductive biology --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.8 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Acclimation of transplanted corals --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Health condition --- p.33 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Growth rate --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Damage recovery --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.6 --- Reproductive biology --- p.40 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Diurnal expansion and contraction of colonies --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Size fluctuation of the colonies --- p.42 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Possible factors for the high initial mortality of corals --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Causes of bleaching and the harmful effects --- p.44 / Chapter 2.5.5 --- Energy allocation between reproduction and growth --- p.47 / Chapter 2.5.6 --- Quick healing of cut fragments and its ecological implication --- p.48 / Chapter 2.5.7 --- Choice of suitable fragment size for nursery use --- p.49 / Chapter 2.5.8 --- Suitable season for conducting the experiment --- p.50 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.51 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Effects of Temperature on the Health Condition and Photosytnthetic Activity of the Soft Coral Lobophytum sarcophytoides / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.69 / Chapter 3.2 --- Methodologies --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Sample collection --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Experimental set-up of aquaria for growing corals --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Temperature experiment I --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Temperature experiment II --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.2.3 --- Temperature experiment III --- p.76 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Health condition --- p.76 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.77 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.78 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Temperature experiment I --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- Health condition --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.80 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Temperature experiment IIA --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Health condition --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Temperature experiment IIB --- p.84 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Health condition --- p.84 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.85 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Temperature experiment III --- p.85 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- Health condition --- p.85 / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.87 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- The effect of acclimation --- p.87 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Temperature tolerance range of L. sarcophytoides --- p.90 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Indicators of coral health --- p.92 / Chapter 3.4.3.1 --- Photosynthetic activity --- p.92 / Chapter 3.4.3.2 --- Colony contraction --- p.94 / Chapter 3.4.3.3 --- Bleaching --- p.95 / Chapter 3.4.3.4 --- Algal overgrowth --- p.97 / Chapter 3.4.3.5 --- Attachment of transplanted corals --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.100 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Reproductive Biology of Lobophytum sarcophytoides / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.114 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methodologies --- p.117 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Study site --- p.117 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Sample collection and treatments --- p.117 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.119 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Gametogenic development: Size changes --- p.119 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Gametogenic development: Developmental stages --- p.120 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Oogenesis --- p.120 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Spermatogenesis --- p.121 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.122 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Unusual oogenic development pattern in L sarcophytoides --- p.122 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Possible effect of lack of a temperature cue on gametogenic development --- p.123 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Alternative explanation: Energy allocation --- p.126 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.128 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Summary and Perspectives --- p.137 / References --- p.143

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-170). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - James Cook University, 2004. / Typescript (photocopy) Bibliography: leaves 110-130.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - James Cook University, 2004. / Typescript (photocopy) Bibliography: leaves 127-154.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Victoria University of Wellington, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.