<p>This study monitored daily and seasonal locations of juvenile green turtles in three coastal bays of northwest Costa Rica, determining their home ranges and assessing their habitat use. My objective was to produce insights which might help future Pacific Ocean green turtle conservation efforts.</p> <p>I tracked 14 juvenile green turtles for 51-629 days using acoustic transmitters (VECOM v16) and 12 acoustic receivers (VECOM VR2Tx and VR2W) in 5 study area habitats: sandy areas, reef patches, macroalgae, rocky reefs, and mangroves. I divided these 14 turtles into large (equal to or larger than 65 cm CCL) and small (smaller than 65 cm CCL) size classes so I could highlight any changes as they grew toward adulthood. </p> <p>Both the large and small size turtles used habitats differently during the dry and rainy seasons. During the dry season, the large juveniles had a High Detection Rate (HDR) of 40% in the macroalgae area. During the rainy season, their HDR was 33% in the reef patch area. The small juveniles had their HDR in the reef patch area during both seasons: 33% in the dry season and 43% in the rainy season. The mean home range for the 14 turtles was 1.96 km²; their core use area was 0.19 km2. I saw no connection between body size and home range. The HDR findings suggest that juvenile green turtles preferred reef patches, rocky reefs, and macroalgae habitat types. The large juveniles prefer vegetation areas more as they grew; similar to that of adult green turtles. Some turtles moved between Matapalito Bay and Santa Elena Bay and along the coast to small bays east of Matapalito Bay. Travel speed varied between 0.23 km/h and 12.90 km/h with a mean of 1.57 km/h.  </p> <p>My findings highlight certain habitat areas preferred by Pacific juvenile green turtles. This can guide conservationists in identifying and protecting similar habitats in other inshore Pacific bays in Central America. By protecting habitat areas that are important for juvenile green turtles, this can help rebuild the green turtle population in the Pacific Ocean. </p>

Lateral spread is a seismic hazard associated with soil liquefaction in which permanent deformations are developed within the soil profile due to cyclic mobility. Lateral spread has historically been one of the largest causes of earthquake-related damage to infrastructure. One of the infrastructure components most at risk from lateral spread is that of deep foundations. Because performance-based engineering is increasingly becoming adopted in earthquake engineering practice, it would be beneficial for engineers and researchers to have a performance-based methodology for computing pile performance during a lateral spread event. This study utilizes the probabilistic performance-based framework developed by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center to develop a methodology for computing probabilistic estimates of kinematic pile response. The methodology combines procedures familiar to most practicing engineers such as probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, empirical compution of lateral spread displacement, and kinematic pile response using p-y soil spring models (i.e. LPILE). The performance-based kinematic pile response model is applied to a series of lateral spread case histories from the earthquake that struck the Limon province of Costa Rica on April 22, 1991. The M7.6 earthquake killed 53 people, injured another 193 people, and disrupted an estimated 30-percent of the highway pavement and railways in the region due to fissures, scarps, and soil settlements resulting from liquefaction. Significant lateral spread was observed at bridge sites throughout the eastern part of Costa Rica near Limon, and the observed structural damage ranged from moderate to severe. This study identified five such bridges where damage due to lateral spread was observed following the earthquake. A geotechnical investigation is performed at each of these five bridges in an attempt to back-analyze the soil conditions leading to the liquefaction and lateral spread observed during the 1991 earthquake, and each of the five resulting case histories is developed and summarized. The results of this study should make a valuable contribution to the field of earthquake hazard reduction because they will introduce a procedure which will allow engineers and owners to objectively evaluate the performance of their deep foundation systems exposed to kinematic lateral spread loads corresponding to a given level of risk.

Kommersiell Sexuell Exploatering av Barn (KSEB) är ett ökande globalt problem,vilket är särskilt tydligt utvecklingsländer med en växande turistnäring. CostaRica har gjort omfattande insatser i det förebyggande arbetet mot dessa brott, menstudier visar att dessa ansträngningar är otillräckliga, särskilt rörande hjälpinsatsertill offer. KSEB har fått betydande uppmärksamhet under de senaste åren ochfrivilligorganisationer har anslutit sig till kampen mot dessa brott. Syftet meddenna studie är att förstå de nuvarande utmaningarna som frivilligorganisationeroch Costa Ricas regering står inför, i kampen att hjälpa offren och bekämpaKSEB, samt att undersöka samarbetet mellan Costa Ricas regering ochfrivilligorganisationer som arbetar för att förhindra dessa brott. Dessa frågor harbesvarats genom kvalitativa intervjuer med frivilligorganisationer och statligaorganisationer under en fältstudie i Costa Rica. Resultaten visar att det störstahindret i kampen mot KSEB är bristen på medvetenhet om förekomsten av dessabrott tillsammans med finansiella hinder i det förebyggande arbetet. Resultatrörande hindren av hjälp till offer visar att diskrepanser på hur hjälpen skaförmedlas är det allvarligaste problemet. Utöver detta saknas det fungerandeåteranpassningsprogram. När det gäller samarbete, visar resultaten attkommunikationen och samarbetet totalt sett är tillfredsställande. Det finns dock entydlig brist på organisatorisk samordning och resultaten visar att regeringen ärovetande om de frivilligorganisationer i landet som arbetar med att förhindradessa brott, vilket utpekades som ett stort hinder för samarbetet. / Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is an increasing global issue, which is especially evident in developing countries with growing tourist industries. Costa Rica has made extensive efforts in the prevention work against these crimes, however, there is evidence that these efforts are insufficient, especially in terms of assisting victims. CSEC has received substantial attention over the last few years and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) has joined the fight against these crimes. The aim of this study is to understand the current challenges NGOs and the government is facing in helping victims and combatCSEC, as well as to investigate the collaboration between the Costa Ricangovernment and NGOs who work within counter-trafficking departments. Byusing a qualitative approach during a field study in Costa Rica, the questions ofissue has been answered by interviewing NGOs and government officials abouttheir experiences. The results show that the largest obstacle in combating CSEC isthe lack of awareness about the prevalence of these crimes along with financialstruggles in the prevention work. Moreover, the results regarding challenges inhelping victims was embedded in discrepancies on how to assist the victims,along with a lack of reintegration programs. Regarding collaboration, the resultsshow that the communications and collaboration is overall satisfying. However,there is a clear lack of organizational coordination and counter-trafficking NGOsare not known to the government, which is pointed out as major challenges interms of collaboration.

Latin America is a region that has deep roots in Spanish colonialism. Since its independence, many countries in the region have heavily depended on agriculture exports to industrialized states to support their economies. This has led to political theorists to label Latin America as an area full of "periphery" countries that are exploited for resources by "core countries. Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua were not the exception. In recent years, however, a noticeable difference between the economies of the countries has helped Costa Rica and Panama become more successful than Nicaragua, on the basis of GDP, GNI, and other similar measures. This thesis attempts to explain this economic difference by analyzing what type of relationship the three countries have had with the United States (which has acted as a regional hegemon) and analyzing how each country has handled economic dependence on agriculture. Through this comparative case study, the thesis tries to add to development and dependency theory literature.

This research examines the influence of tourism on migrants’ decisions to move to La Fortuna, Costa Rica, located in the buffer zone of Arenal National Park. Tourism is integral to Costa Rica’s economy and is closely connected to its national parks. Ecotourism is proposed as a non-extractive way for local people to benefit from natural resources, thus contributing to economic development and supporting conservation initiatives. However, if employment opportunities related to tourism encourage high rates of migration to edges of parks, then the resulting population growth could be detrimental to biodiversity conservation goals. Forty participants were interviewed for this project, which used cultural consensus analysis and semi-structured interviews to examine participants’ own behavior as well as shared cultural knowledge of factors that influence migration decisions. Results show that while employment opportunity was influential, other factors such as social stability and tranquility were equally important in participants’ motivations for relocating.

The objective of this essay is to examine which democratization factors that have contributed to the success of the democratization process in Costa Rica but not in Venezuela between 2000 and 2010. The theoretical framework is based on Juan Linz and Alfred Stepans five interactive arenas for a consolidated democracy. The methodology of this essay is composed of a comparative case study, which includes a most similar systems-design method. The choice of Costa Rica and Venezuela is based on their similarities in both history, culture, language and geographical location, but which have nevertheless led to such different successes in democratization between the years 2000-2010. The results show that all the five arenas have been contributing factors, while actors have played a major role in the countries various democratic developments. Costa Rica meets the requirements for all the selected democratization factors while Venezuela does not fully meet the requirements for any of them.

Wage rate disparities between industrialized and underdeveloped countries have increased competition in labor intensive industries. To remain cost competitive, U.S. firms have developed alternative production strategies such as relocating labor intensive processes in countries with lower wages and labor costs. This type of manufacturing is known as production sharing. Item 807.0 of the United States Tariff Schedule provides an incentive for U.S. firms to utilize the coproduction process because it offers reduced tariff costs on imported products assembled with U.S. components. The duty paid is lower because it applies only to the value added in the foreign country. Highly labor intensive products, such as apparel, are ideally suited to take advantage of the savings offered under Item 807.0. The U.S. textile and apparel industry faces stiff import competition from low wage countries, and over the last fifteen years the volume of Item 807.0 apparel imports from the Caribbean has increased substantially. examines Item 807.0 and its effect of reducing This thesis the tariff base on an imported article such as apparel. Costa Rica, one of the leading Item 807.0 apparel suppliers, is used to study the relationship between Item 807.0 and the increased level of Caribbean sourcing of apparel production. The conclusion is that the tariff reductions of Item 807.0 should increase U.S. imports of Costa Rican apparel products made with U.S. components. However, Item 807.0 must be combined with low cost labor and competitive U.S. fabrics to be economically feasible. / M.A.

El presente estudio analizó la moderación de la distancia de poder en la relación del empoderamiento psicológico y la resiliencia en el desempeño laboral en el contexto de pandemia. La muestra (n=845) fueron empleados del sector telecomunicaciones de Costa Rica y Perú. El análisis con PLS-SEM evidenció que el modelo explica el 20% del desempeño (R2= 0.20). La distancia de poder no modera la relación del empoderamiento en el desempeño laboral (β= 0.061, p= 0.196), tampoco modera la relación de la resiliencia en el desempeño (β= 0.035, p= 0.376). El empoderamiento influye positivamente en el desempeño laboral (β= 0.268, p= 0.000). La resiliencia influye positivamente en el desempeño (β= 0.272, p= 0.000). Los resultados del estudio tienen implicancia teórica debido a que confirman la influencia positiva del empoderamiento psicológico en el desempeño laboral y sobre todo aporta novedosa evidencia empírica del impacto positivo de la resiliencia en el desempeño. En tal sentido, bajo el sustento de los resultados empíricos del estudio se recomienda la inversión en la gestión promotora del empoderamiento psicológico y la resiliencia de los empleados. / The present study analyzed the moderation of Power Distance in the relationship between Psychological Empowerment and Resilience in Job Performance into the context of the pandemic. The sample (n=845) were employees of telecommunications sector from Costa Rica and Peru. The analysis with PLS-SEM showed that the model explains 20% of the performance (R2= 0.20). Power Distance does not moderate the relationship of Empowerment in Job Performance (β= 0.061, p= 0.196), nor does it moderate the relationship of Resilience in Performance (β= 0.0 35, p= 0. 376). Empowerment Positively influences Job Performance (β= 0. 268, p = 0. 000). Resilience positively influences Performance (β= 0. 272, p = 0.000). The results of the study have theoretical implications because they confirm the positive influence of psychological empowerment on work performance and as the most important it provides novel empirical evidence of the positive impact of resilience on job performance. In this sense, based on the empirical results of the study, investment in management and promotion of psychological empowerment and resilience of employees is recommended.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / Cette thèse, de nature exploratoire, s'inscrit dans ce qu'il est convenu d'appeler l'étude des dimensions humaines des changements environnementaux globaux. Elle vise d'abord à saisir les différents schémas attitudinaux de pensée "environnementale" qui animent les leaders de groupes verts, pour ensuite en arriver à une meilleure compréhension de la perception du phénomène des changements climatiques chez ceux-ci. Trois études ont été réalisées afin d'atteindre ces objectifs généraux. Bien que ces études adoptent chacune un cadre théorique spécifique à leurs problématiques respectives, des approches générales s'en dégagent. D'une part, pour expliquer les attitudes environnementales, une approche psychosociologique, qui tient compte de déterminants « structurels » sociodémographiques ( âge, lieu, éducation, sexe, nationalité) et de déterminants cognitifs (attitudes générales ne ciblant pas nécessairement l'environnement), est privilégiée. D'autre part, la sociologie des mouvements sociaux sert d'arrière-plan conceptuel pour situer les sujets de recherche, c'est-à-dire les leaders de groupes verts. Au point de vue méthodologique, ces trois études utilisent le même questionnaire standardisé. La première étude est réalisée auprès de leaders de groupes verts du Québec. Elle vise à en établir une typologie. Trois types de leaders émergent des analyses effectuées. Les "écologistes", plus radicaux, sont méfiants à l'égard de la science et de la technologie conventionnelle et acceptent que des sacrifices économiques soient faits pour améliorer la qualité de l'environnement. Ils sont plus jeunes que les autres et militent majoritairement à Montréal. Quant aux "environnementalistes nationalistes" et aux "environnementalistes de marché", ils se distinguent principalement par des positions divergentes à l'égard d'Hydro-Québec. Les premiers perçoivent positivement cette société d'État, tandis que les seconds la voient d'un mauvais oeil et en favorisent la privatisation. La deuxième étude cherche à voir si le problème global des changements climatiques constitue un dossier générateur d'une solidarité à l'intérieur du mouvement vert international. Elle est réalisée auprès de leaders de groupes verts du Québec et du Costa Rica afin d'incorporer une dimension Nord-Sud aux analyses. Les attitudes des répondants à l'égard d'aspects-clés des changements climatiques sont comparées en fonction de deux facteurs potentiellement discriminants: leur appartenance à un type d'orientation idéologique verte ("écologisme", "environnementalisme" ou "environnementalisme de marché") et leur nationalité. Les résultats montrent que les "écologistes" diffèrent des autres leaders verts sur sept (7) des onze (11) variables d'attitudes reliées aux changements climatiques et que, sur la base de la nationalité des répondants, des différences d'attitudes sont identifiables pour cinq (6) des onze (11) variables considérées. Ces résultats ne permettent pas de conclure que les leaders du mouvement vert partagent une vision unifiée en ce qui a trait au dossier des changements climatiques. Enfin, la dernière étude cherche à découvrir les déterminants de l'appui à sept (7) politiques de protection du climat par les leaders de groupes verts du Québec et du Costa Rica. Les résultats des analyses montrent que l'appui accordé à plusieurs politiques est directement influencé par certaines variables sociodémographiques, principalement le sexe et la nationalité. Quant aux attitudes générales (principalement l'inquiétude face à la pollution), elles jouent un rôle indirect en affectant les deux variables les plus déterminantes: l'inquiétude face aux conséquences des changements climatiques et l'attribution de responsabilité humaine pour l'existence de ce phénomène.

Par le biais d’une recherche-action participative portant sur trois études de cas, le présent document identifie des effets écologiques, sociaux et économiques, de même que des facteurs pouvant faciliter ou entraver l’implication des communautés locales et autochtones dans la planification et la gestion des aires protégées. La thèse visait à comprendre les réticences à la mise en pratique des recommandations internationales des vingt-cinq dernières années concernant cette implication. À cette fin, la recherche porte sur l’élaboration du premier plan de gestion de trois aires protégées situées au Costa Rica, présentant des caractéristiques écologiques, sociales et économiques assez singulières : un volcan devenu actif entouré d’une communauté majoritairement agricole, un territoire ancestral autochtone et une chaîne de montagnes dans la zone métropolitaine de la capitale du pays. Nous constatons que l’implication des communautés locales multiplie les effets positifs pour chacune des dimensions (écologique, sociale et économique), peu importe les particularités et le type de propriété des terres (publique, privée ou mixte) des aires protégées au moment de l’élaboration des plans de gestion. L’approche associant la recherche à l’action fait émerger des processus collaboratifs dans une dynamique d’apprentissage collectif, à partir de besoins communs identifiés par les communautés locales et les administrateurs des aires protégées. Par le travail conjoint, la recherche-action participative soutient tous les acteurs dans l’acquisition ou l’amélioration de capacités, puisqu’elle : facilite l’accès aux services des différents secteurs gouvernementaux ou paragouvernementaux; suscite l'intérêt et bâtit la confiance entre les acteurs; légitime la variété des savoirs en combinant les connaissances locales et scientifiques; assure la restitution au niveau local des résultats des travaux de recherche; et ; valorise la relation des communautés locales avec le territoire habité. Cette implication est un moyen efficace pour les communautés de bâtir sur leurs connaissances et leur savoir-faire de même que sur ce qu'elles ont déjà entrepris pour préserver leur identité, leur culture, leurs modes de vie et la diversité des ressources naturelles dont elles dépendent. Les effets se traduisent pour tous par : une meilleure connaissance du territoire lors de la planification; une communauté locale mieux organisée pour les actions planifiées, et ; la mise en place de pratiques économiques plus diversifiées et respectueuses de l’environnement pouvant s’inscrire dans la durée. En conséquence, ces processus participatifs suscitent l’appropriation des actions de conservation et de mise en valeur du territoire écologique chez les communautés locales et attirent une plus grande diversité des moyens de subsistance de même que des sources de financement. L’amélioration de la qualité de vie humaine liée à la conservation de la biodiversité requiert la contribution de divers secteurs et de différents niveaux politiques, impliquant les communautés locales dans une dynamique horizontale pour œuvrer au bien commun. L’approche de type recherche-action participative constitue une méthodologie efficace pour initier et construire une concertation structurante de la planification et de la gestion des territoires. L’existence ou, à défaut, la mise en place de plateformes multisectorielles, - alliant les secteurs gouvernementaux, organisations non gouvernementales, institutions de recherche ou d’enseignement, communautés locales, etc. -, consolide la planification et la gestion participative du territoire. Ce « travail ensemble » produit des résultats collectivement plus significatifs que les efforts conduits individuellement par les chercheurs, gouvernements ou politiques internationales, mais requiert le soutien de ces derniers pour se propager. À l’intérieur d’un schéma de gestion intégrée du territoire, une aire protégée peut devenir le noyau autour duquel s’installe un mouvement collaboratif entre divers acteurs au niveau local, national et international, qui se partagent les responsabilités selon leurs mandats respectifs, créent des outils et mobilisent les ressources vers la conservation de manière juste et équitable avec une incidence légale et politique. / Through a participatory research-action on three case studies, this analysis identifies ecological, social and economic effects, as well as factors that could facilitate or hinder the involvement of local and indigenous communities in the planning and management of protected areas. The thesis sought to understand the reluctance, in the last 25 years, to implement international recommendations. In order to do so, the research focuses on the development of the initial management plan of three protected areas located in Costa Rica, with specific ecological, social, and economic characteristics: an active volcano surrounded by a predominantly farming community, a traditional Aboriginal territory, and a mountain range in the metropolitan area of the country's capital. We conclude that local communities involvement during the preparation and implementation of management plans results in a multiplication of positive effects for each dimension (ecological, social and economic), regardless of the particularities and type of land ownership (public, private or mixed) of protected areas. When linking research to action, collaborative processes emerge in a collective learning dynamic pertaining to the needs identified by local communities and protected areas managers. Participatory action-research, through a joint effort, supports all participants in the acquisition or improvement of capacity, by: facilitating the access to various sectors of governmental or paragovernmental services; developing the interest and building of trust between the parties involved; recognizing the diversity of information by combining local and scientific knowledge; ensuring the restitution of the research results at the local level; and; respecting the relationship of local communities with the inhabited territory. Adding to what they have already undertaken to preserve their identity, their culture, their way of life and the diversity of the natural resources on which they depend, this involvement is an effective way for communities to build on their knowledge and skills. For all involved, this results in: a better knowledge of the territory during the planning; a local community better organised for the planned actions; and ; the implementation of more diverse and environmentally respectful economical practices envisioning the long term. Consequently, these participatory processes give rise in local communities ownership of conservation and value of the ecological territory while sustaining a greater diversity of livelihoods as well as attracting sources of funding. The improvement of the quality of life related to the conservation of biodiversity requires the contribution from various sectors and different levels, involving local communities in a horizontal dynamic to work towards the common good. The approach of the participatory research-action is an effective methodology to initiate and build a structuring interaction for the planning and management of territories. The existence, or the establishment of multisectorial support platforms, combining governmental sectors, non-governmental organizations, research and educational institutions, local communities, etc., consolidates participatory land planning and management. This 'work together' approach collectively produces more significant results than the efforts individually conducted by researchers, governments or international policies : however, the support and influence of all are equally required to attain common objectives. Inside an integrated management of the territory blueprint, a protected area may become the nucleus around which settles a collaborative movement between various actors at the local, national and international levels which share responsibilities according to their respective mandates, creating the tools and the mobilization of resources towards a fair and equitable conservation with a legal and political impact.