Habitat loss is among the biggest threats to conservation worldwide, so habitat restoration plays an increasing role in endangered species management. This is especially true for species with high site fidelity, such as nesting marine turtles. Sand replenishment is commonly used to restore coastal beaches after severe erosion events, and may affect marine turtles and other species that live or reproduce in that habitat. I investigated how abiotic characteristics of sand used in a dune restoration project at Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, affected reproduction of the federally-endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Sand structure and composition can affect egg development and hatching success by altering nest conditions, with nests in fine-grain or very coarse sand suffering decreased hatching success. I determined that calcium carbonate content (27.0% ± 1.4 SE vs. 15.1% ± 3.8 SE), moisture content (3.29% ± 0.26 SE vs. 4.59% ± 0.25 SE), and grain size (427.53 µm ± 14.1 SE vs. 274.66 µm ± 29.1 SE) differed significantly between natural and restored dunes. Hatching success of green turtles (44.7% ± 6.2 SE vs. 65.8% ± 5.3 SE) was significantly lower on restored dunes compared to natural dunes with an estimated loss of 22,646 hatched eggs. Hatching success also decreased as the nesting season progressed. These results demonstrate the importance of regulating fill material used in beach restoration projects; substrate characteristics are easily evaluated and can significantly influence marine turtle hatching success.

Sediment transport is ubiquitous in aquatic environments, and the study of sediment transport is important for both engineering and environmental reasons. However, the understanding and prediction of sediment transport are hindered by its complex dynamics and regimes. In this dissertation, the open-source solver SediFoam is developed for high-fidelity particle-resolving simulations of various sediment transport problems based on open-source solvers OpenFOAM and LAMMPS. OpenFOAM is a CFD toolbox that can perform three-dimensional flow simulations on unstructured mesh; LAMMPS is a massively parallel DEM solver for molecular dynamics. To enable the particle-resolving simulation of sediment transport on an arbitrary mesh, a diffusion-based algorithm is used in SediFoam to obtain the averaged Eulerian fields from discrete particle data. The parallel interface is also implemented for the communication of the two open-source solvers. Extensive numerical simulations are performed to validate the capability of SediFoam in the modeling of sediment transport problems. The predictions of various sediment transport regimes, including `flat bed in motion', `small dune' and `vortex dune', are in good agreement of with the experimental results and those obtained by using interface resolved simulations. The capability of the solver in the simulation of sediment transport in the oscillatory boundary layer is also demonstrated. Moreover, this well-validated high-fidelity simulation tool has been used to probe the physics of particle dynamics in self-generated bedforms in various hydraulic conditions. The results obtained by using SediFoam not only bridge the gaps in the experimental results but also help improve the engineering practice in the understanding of sediment transport. By using the particle-resolving simulation results and the insights generated therein, the closure terms in the two-fluid models or hydro-morphodynamic models can be improved, which can contribute to the numerical modeling of sediment transport in engineering scales. / Ph. D.

Les dunes marines sont de grandes structures sédimentaires qui, ensemble, couvrent de larges zones appelées champs de dunes. Des dunes ont été découvertes dans tous les océans, de la côte jusqu'aux talus continentaux. Leur forme et mobilité sont des témoins du lien étroit qui existe entre le transport sédimentaire, l'hydrodynamique (courants marins) et la topographie du fond. L'étude des dunes est intéressante scientifiquement parlant, mais elle est également motivée par des enjeux économiques et environnementaux. Les dunes peuvent être étudiées de deux manières : La modélisation et l'analyse de données de terrain (granulométrie, courantométrie, données sismiques, données bathymétriques). Ces deux approches sont très différentes mais complémentaires. Avec l'amélioration des données Sondeur Multi-Faisceaux (SMF), il est maintenant possible de visualiser la morphologie des dunes et de suivre leur évolution de manière plus détaillée. Plusieurs méthodes automatiques d'analyse de la morphologie et de la dynamique des dunes ont été développées pour analyser les Modèles Numériques de Terrain (MNTs) construits à partir de ces données SMF. Pourtant, aucun ne permet d'estimer les valeurs de descripteurs morphologiques et dynamiques pour chaque dune. L'analyse et l'évaluation de ces descripteurs restent régionales avec le découpage des MNTs en régions rectangulaires. Seul un traitement manuel permet d'estimer ces descripteurs pour chaque dune. L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer des algorithmes automatiques permettant de quanti er la morphologie et la dynamique de chaque dune. Pour ce faire, une représentation des données SMF sous forme d'une tessellation triangulaire a été préférée au classique MNT régulier. Tout d'abord, les dunes doivent être extraites de la topographie du fond marin. Un algorithme par accroissement de régions avec adaptation de l'échelle d'analyse, issu de la géomorphométrie est proposé. Les crêtes de dunes sont d'abord extraites en combinant un algorithme de simplification de tessellations avec un algorithme d'extraction de lignes de crête. La résolution de la tessellation est adaptée par l'algorithme de simplification afin de faciliter l'extraction des lignes de crête. Les lignes de crête sont des objets bien définis en géométrie différentielle. Leur extraction s'appuie sur l'interprétation de cette définition appliquée à des modèles discrets du fond (tessellations). Les crêtes servent d'embryons à l'algorithme d'extraction des dunes. L'estimation des paramètres morphologiques des dunes (longueur, largeur, hauteur, etc.) découle de l'extraction automatique des dunes. L'utilisation d'une méthode de recalage non rigide (isométrique) pour la quantification de la dynamique est discutée. Des tessellations représentant la topographie d'un même champ de dunes à différents moments sont analysées par l'algorithme d'extraction des dunes. Ensuite, une dune est associée à une dune d'une autre tessellation qui lui correspond (même dune à un autre instant). La dynamique de chaque dune est quantifiée à partir des résultats de l'algorithme de recalage : les transformations permettant d'aligner différentes représentations d'une dune. / Marine dunes are large sedimentary mounds often organized in dunefields. Theyhave been discovered in oceans all around the globe, from continental rises to nearshore areas. These mobile seafloor structures reflect the unique and complex relationship between the sediment, the seafloor topography and the hydrodynamics (currents). Dunes are not only interesting at a scientific level. In fact, their study is also motivated by economic, safety and environmental reasons. The study of dunes can be divided into two complementary approaches: Modelling and analysis of in situ data (granulometry, current, bathymetric data).The increased quality of MultiBeam EchoSounder (MBES) data allows scientists to monitor and visualize the complexity of, both, dune morphology and dynamics. Au-tomatic methods to characterize dune morphology and dynamics using Digital TerrainModels (DTMs) have already been proposed. But, none does it at the dune scale. Mor-phological and dynamical descriptors are estimated for patches of the dunefield. Today, the evaluation of such descriptors for each dune can only be achieved manually.The objective of this thesis is to design automatic algorithms for the quantification of dune morphology and dynamics. A representation of MBES data as triangular meshes has been preferred to the usual gridded DTMs. The first stage consists of delineating dunes in the seafloor. A scale adaptative, region growing algorithm based on geomorphometry is proposed. The combination of mesh implification and crest extraction algorithms enables to accurately recover dune crest lines. The mesh simplification facilitates the crest extraction by adapting the mesh resolution. Crest extraction is based on the discrete interpretation of the definition of crest lines in differential geometry. The crests are, then, used as seed regions by the dune extraction algorithm.

Cette thèse prend pour objet le concept et les modalités du destin tel qu'il est articulé dans le Cycle de Dune de Frank Herbert. Le destin est une des interrogations les plus anciennes de l'humanité. Initiatrice des grands questionnements de l'être sur sa liberté et sur lui-même, la pensée sur le destin est intimement liée au développement des civilisations. Marque des chan- gements majeurs au cœur de l'être, l'évolution du concept de destin se lie également avec les grandes découvertes scientifiques: les nouveaux savoirs sur la nature et le monde changent la manière qu'a l'humain de se considérer lui-même dans cet environnement; il se redéfinit avec chaque découverte, devient restrictif ou expansif, offre l'idée d'une liberté humaine inexistante ou ne souffrant d'aucune limite autre que la mort. Penser le destin, c'est penser l'humain dans sa plus intime conception. Sur cette toile de fond, la première partie de cette étude porte sur l'évolution du concept de destin dans la pensée occidentale, de la civilisation grecque à l'épo- que moderne, en passant par les réflexions métaphysiques sur le rôle de la transcendance dans la vie de l'humain. Au travers de cette étude diachronique, le destin est analysé afin de mettre en avant l'idée que l'individu cherche toujours plus de liberté dans son existence. La deuxième partie aborde l'évolution de la science et l'impact de cette évolution dans la pensée de l'humain sur le monde et lui-même. Dans le contexte de cette deuxième partie, la thèse explicite le rôle joué par la science, ainsi que par le discours de la science-fiction, dans les efforts humains de prendre en main son destin, de devenir de plus en plus libre. Enfin, dans la dernière partie, l'analyse du Cycle de Dune sous l'angle des trois personnages que sont Paul, Alia et Leto 2 met en avant une vision transhistorique du concept de destin, afin de pouvoir aborder son évolution prochaine, qui ne le limite plus à l'individu, mais qui place l'humain dans l'univers. / This thesis examines the concept and modalities of destiny as it is articulated in Frank Herbert's Dune series. Destiny constitutes one of humanity's most ancient themes. Instigator of the human being's wide-ranging questioning with regard to its freedom and selfhood, thought about destiny is intimately linked to the emergence of civilizations. As a sign of major changes in existence, the evolution of the concept of destiny is also linked with the important scientific discoveries: new knowledge about nature and the world change the way in which human be- ings consider themselves in their surrounding world; destiny is redefined at every discovery, becoming in turn limited or expansive, offering ideas of an inexistent human freedom or a freedom subjected to no limit other than death itself. Thinking about destiny means thinking about the human in what it holds most intimate. Against this backdrop, the first part of this study deals with the evolution of the con- cept of destiny in Western thought, from Greek civilization to the modern period, including metaphysical reflections on the role of transcendence in human life. Throughout this dia- chronic study, destiny is analyzed in emphasizing the notion of the individual’s attempt to in- crease human freedom. The second part takes on the evolution of science and the impact of its development on human thought about the world and humanity itself. In the context of this part, the thesis explicates the role played by science, as well as by the discourse of science fic- tion, in human efforts to take control of destiny and possess ever greater freedom. In the final part, by means of interpreting Dune’s three principal characters - Paul, Alia, and Leto 2 -, the analysis of the Dune series foregrounds a transhistorical perspective of the concept of destiny in order to trace out the imminent mutations of destiny that go beyond the individual, situating the human in the broader universe.

This thesis examines the first two novels of Frank Herbert's Dune series, Dune and Dune Messiah, in order to consider these two novels from the framework of postcolonial theory and analyze how religious violence becomes a source of subjugation, military power, and colonialism within the works. The three chapters of this thesis chart the creation of a colonial project through epistemic violence, physical power, and cultural control enabled by religion. This thesis argues that, in the Dune novels, religious violence functions as a colonial project that closely resembles the goals of real-world colonial enterprises, and the failure to manage this colonial project by those who initiated it shows that the effects of colonial projects based on religious violence are dangerous and uncontrollable. / by Kenton Taylor Howard. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

A área de estudo do presente trabalho é parte integrante da barreira holocênica do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Apresenta seus limites entre o balneário de Itapeva (município de Torres) ao norte e, ao sul, o balneário de Dunas Altas (município de Palmares do Sul). Este trabalho teve por objetivo obter novas informações referentes às variações sazonais (inverno e verão) morfológicas e sedimentológicas (granulometria e morfoscopia) do sistema praia-duna frontal no Litoral Norte do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Para isso, foram coletadas e analisadas por difração a lazer (granulometria) 26 amostras de sedimentos das dunas frontais (face marinha) e 26 da praia (nos limites instantâneos da zona de espraiamento), bem como as suas características morfológicas através de medição, observação e descrição em campo. Os resultados obtidos demostraram nítida relação sedimentológica entre a praia e a duna frontal quando observados na mesma estação. No ambiente praial, os sedimentos foram caracterizados como areia fina com tendência granocrescente para o norte, bem selecionados, aproximadamente simétricos e mesocúrticos no verão, com tendência a leptocúrticos no inverno. Nas dunas frontais os sedimentos foram classificados como areia fina, com tendência granocrescente para o norte no inverno e um sutil decréscimo no verão, bem selecionados a muito bem selecionados e aproximadamente simétricos, mesocúrticos com tendência leptocúrticos nas duas estações. No inverno, a praia apresentou areias com maior valor de diâmetro médio em relação ao verão, da mesma forma que as a dunas frontais. Quanto à morfoscopia (verão/inverno), os grãos foram classificados como angulosos com média esfericidade. Com relação à análise das variáveis morfológicas, a largura da praia e a pista de vento não apresentaram relação com a altura das dunas frontais. As mesmas tendem a um decréscimo de sul para norte. As maiores alturas de dunas foram encontradas ao sul, onde há maior velocidade dos ventos e em função da orientação da linha de costa que determina uma incidência com maior valor angular do vento dominante proveniente de nordeste. / The study area of this work corresponds to the beach-foredune system of the Holocene barrier of the Rio Grande do Sul state. It presents its boundaries between Itapeva (Torres municipality) to the north and Dunas Altas (Palmares do Sul municipality) to the south. The objective of this work was to obtain new information regarding seasonal (winter and summer) morphological and sedimentological variations (granulometry and morphoscopy) of the beach-foredune system in the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For this, 26 samples of sediments of the foredunes (marine face) and 26 of the beach (at the instantaneous limits of the swash zone) were collected and analyzed by laser diffraction (granulometry), as well as their morphological characteristics through the measurement, observation and field description. The results obtained showed a clear sedimentological relationship between the beach and the foredune when considered the same season. At the beach the sediments were characterized as fine sand with a tendency to a northward increase on grain size. These sands are well selected, approximately symmetrical and mesocurtic in the summer, with tendency to leptocurtic in the winter. In the foredunes the sediments were classified as fine sand, with a tendency to a northward increase on grain size in the winter, and a subtle decrease in the summer. These sands are well selected to very well selected and approximately symmetrical, mesocurtic with a leptocurtic tendency in the two seasons. In winter the beach and the foredune presented sands with a higher value of average diameter in relation to the summer. In regard of morphoscopy (summer/winter), the grains were classified as angular with moderate sphericity. Regarding the analysis of the morphological variables, the width of the beach and the wind fetch were not related to the height of the foredunes. They tend to decrease from south to north. The highest heights of dunes were found to the south, where there is higher wind velocity, due to the orientation of the coastline that determines a higher angular value of incidence of the dominant wind coming from the northeast.

No Litoral Norte do Rio Grande do Sul, ao norte do balneário Xangri-lá, a barreira holocênica encontra-se parcialmente coberta pela fase moderna e relativamente ativa de um campo de dunas transgressivo, enquanto que, ao sul deste balneário, o campo de dunas cobre completamente a barreira. Este trabalho contribuiu para o conhecimento acerca desse comportamento diferenciado de desenvolvimento da fase moderna do campo de dunas transgressivo sobre a barreira holocênica. Foram utilizadas séries temporais de vento (direção e velocidade) e precipitação de estações meteorológicas localizadas ao sul e ao norte de Xangri-lá, bem como foram realizadas medições simultâneas de vento, por meio de anemômetros portáteis, imediatamente ao norte e ao sul desse balneário. Potenciais de transporte de areia foram calculados para ambas as estações meteorológicas. Os registros históricos da estação de Tramandaí (mais ao sul) indicaram maiores velocidades de vento e menores de precipitação em relação à estação de Torres (mais ao norte). Devido a maior velocidade dos ventos em Tramandaí, o potencial de transporte de areia nessa localidade foi superior a Torres, indicando o favorecimento da migração das dunas em suas proximidades. O comportamento desigual de desenvolvimento da fase moderna do campo de dunas transgressivo pode então estar relacionado a maior velocidade e frequência dos ventos NNE, NE, ENE e E em Tramandaí (ou seja, ao sul de Xangri-lá), além da menor precipitação que também favorece um transporte de areia mais eficiente ao sul de Xangri-lá. / In the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul, to the north of Xangri-lá beach, the Holocene barrier is partially covered by the modern and relatively active phase of a transgressive dune field, while to the south of this balneario the dune field completely covers the barrier. This work contributed to the knowledge about this differentiated development behavior of the modern phase of the transgressive dune field on the holocene barrier. Time series of wind (direction and speed) and precipitation of meteorological stations located to the south and north of Xangri-lá were used, as well as simultaneous wind measurements using portable anemometers, immediately to the north and south of this balneario. Sand transport potentials were calculated for both meteorological stations. Historical records of the Tramandaí station (further south) indicated higher wind speeds and lower precipitation relative to the Torres station (further north). Due to the greater speed of the winds in Tramandaí, the potential of sand transport in this locality was higher than Torres, indicating the favor of the migration of the dunes in its proximities. The uneven developmental behavior of the modern phase of the transgressive dune field can then be related to the higher speed and frequency of the NNE, NE, ENE and E winds in Tramandaí (ie, south of Xangri-lá), as well as the lower precipitation also favors more efficient sand transportation south of Xangri-lá.

abstract: Use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) in natural landscapes is a popular outdoor activity around the world. Rapid-growing OHV activity causes impacts on vegetation and land cover within these landscapes and can be an important factor in land degradation and ecosystem change. The Algodones Dunes in southeastern California is one of the largest inland sand dune complexes in the United States and hosts many endangered species. This study examines changes in land cover and OHV activity within two OHV active sites in comparison to an adjoined protected area. The study also investigates potential associations between land cover changes, climate trends, and OHV activity over recent decades. Time-series analysis was used to investigate the spatial-temporal changes and trends in the land cover in the Algodones Dunes from 2001 to 2016. In addition, high-resolution aerial photographs were analyzed to determine spatial patterns of OHV usage in comparison to visitor estimation collected by the Bureau of Land Management and observed changes in land cover composition between the control site and OHVs areas. A decreasing trend in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index over time indicates a decline in the amount of vegetation cover, which corresponds with an increasing trend in albedo and land surface temperature. Results also show a substantial difference in land cover between the control site and OHVs areas, which typically have a lower amount of vegetation cover, higher exposed sand surface, and increased anthropogenic features. Both climatic variations and OHV activity are statistically associated with land cover change in the dune field, although distinct causal mechanisms for the observed declines in vegetation cover could not be separated. The persistence of drought could inhibit vegetation growth and germination that, in turn, would hinder vegetation recovery in OHV areas. Meanwhile, repeated OHV driving has direct physical impacts on vegetation and landscape morphology, such as canopy destruction, root exposure, and increased aeolian sand transport. Active ecosystem protection and restoration is recommended to mitigate the response of declining vegetation cover and habitat loss to the impacts of OHV activity and climatic variability and allow natural recovery of re-establishement of nebkha dune ecosystems in the Algodones Dunes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Geography 2018

Toute la réflexion contenue dans ces pages porte sur un seul postulat: peut-on prédire l'avenir? À partir de ce questionnement, se dessine la nécessité d'élaborer une ontologie du temps qui prend son assise non seulement dans la métaphysique, mais aussi dans la physique et la littérature. Cette dernière vient agir comme balise, puisque l'imaginaire se met au service d'une réflexion sur la structure même du temps à travers la représentation esthétique qu'une oeuvre d'anticipation en particulier traite comme objet du discours -soit Le Cycle de Dune de Frank Herbert. Puisque l'anticipation, en tant que sous-genre de la science-fiction, emprunte certaines de ces conceptions à la science exacte, cette balise esthétique particulière permet ainsi à cette ontologie du temps de référer directement à la science. L'oeuvre d'Herbert, parce qu'elle met en scène des protagonistes dotés de pouvoirs temporels, comme la prescience et la mémoire génétique, ouvre de facto la porte à une ontologie du temps qui s'articule selon quatre axes méthodologiques -chacun de ces chapitres renvoyant directement sa réflexion physique, métaphysique et littéraire à l'imaginaire dépeint dans la fiction du Cycle de Dune. Primo, une ontologie du futur, qui est rendue possible par une analyse de la prescience, cette capacité à voir le temps de manière omnisciente -laquelle omniscience permet d'élaborer un modèle physique du temps, ou plutôt de l'espace-temps, puisqu'il est démontré que temps et espace sont indissociables. Secundo, une ontologie de la mémoire et sa relation avec le passé et l'historicité, grâce à l'étude de la mémoire génétique qui révèle l'immortalité de cette mémoire, laquelle demeure néanmoins subjective et sujette, dans sa fonction de témoignage, au parjure. Tertio, une ontologie du présent, nuancée par une distinction entre le présent physique et le présent phénoménologique, ce dernier créant des conséquences particulièrement néfastes pour les protagonistes d'Herbert, soit une perte de repère temporel, un risque de possession et l'ennui causé par un futur décidé qui fixe le présent du prophète en un déterminisme figé. Quarto, un examen de la forme temporelle du Cycle de Dune, où les exergues adoptent une temporalité indépendante du reste de la narration qui rend cette dernière assimilable à un simulacre de récit, au point où, de façon surprenante, il devient possible d'affirmer que les exergues seraient le véritable présent diégétique, et la narration, une reconstruction du passé faussée par des preuves documentaires erronées et un éloignement temporel cinq fois millénariste. Finalement, il semble que l'avenir peut être prédit dans le modèle d'espace-temps ontologique proposé, mais qu'une telle prédiction est une arme à deux tranchants, une chose peu souhaitable parce que contraignant le prophète à déterminer, de façon figée, lequel des futurs possibles deviendra l'à venir du présent -comme les protagonistes d'Herbert le font dans le Cycle de Dune, afin d'assurer la survie de l'humanité par une corruption volontaire de la mémoire collective. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Ontologie de l'espace-temps, Le Cycle de Dune de Frank Herbert, Science-fiction, Science et littérature, Prédiction du futur, Histoire et mémoire collective, Phénoménologie du présent, Exergues et simulacre de récit.

Monospecific stands of Acacia karroo establish naturally on disturbed coastal dunes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. While the A. karroo successional pathway is successful in rehabilitating mined dunes at the Richards Bay Minerals mining company (RBM), the same pathway has become arrested in the coastal dune forest at Cape Vidal in the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park. This study examines the efficacy of the A. karroo successional pathway for restoring disturbed coastal dune forests. Dispersal of seeds and successful recruitment of seedlings are essential for habitat restoration. Seed and seedling banks were compared between previously disturbed A. karroo stands and adjacent forest at Cape Vidal. Different seed bank composition and higher seed bank richness in the forest suggest that seed dispersal into A. karroo stands is limited. Protected seed banks in A. karroo stands had increased seedling richness, indicating that dispersal limitation does not fully explain the lack of seedling establishment. At RBM, the seed bank richness of A. karroo stands increased with age since mining. While cumulative species richness of the seed bank of the oldest A. karroo stand at RBM was marginally lower than that at Cape Vidal, successful rehabilitation at RBM is associated with low seedling mortality. Consequently, forest tree species richness is high at RBM in the A. karroo stands and is converging on natural forest richness and composition. Although seed dispersal is reduced, it does not totally limit establishment of forest tree species in A. karroo stands at Cape Vidal, which implicates a post-establishment factor. Soil fertility potentially reduces seed germination and seedling growth. Soil nutrients in A. karroo stands at Cape Vidal were similar to those in the adjacent forest, and total nitrogen levels in A. karroo stands at Cape Vidal were higher than at RBM. Thus, soil conditions were unlikely to be limiting tree regeneration in A. karroo stands. Total nitrogen accumulated in the oldest stand at RBM at a rate of 10.0 g.m2.y(1 and a similarly rapid rate occurred at Cape Vidal. Therefore the A. karroo stands were not nitrogen limited. Nitrogen supplementation experiments at Cape Vidal demonstrated that a range of forest tree species establish in A. karroo stands regardless of nitrogen level, but there is low survival of seedlings. Thus, nitrogen availability is not arresting succession at Cape Vidal. Herbivory can also inhibit seedling recruitment. Selective feeding may enhance the persistence of species with defences against herbivory, such as A. karroo, ultimately altering the tree community composition. Browsing and trampling by large mammalian herbivores in A. karroo stands at Cape Vidal decreased survival and growth of forest tree seedlings. Large herbivores such as kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck and red duiker preferentially used the A. karroo stands as they offer abundant food and their topography allowed easy movement. This topdown pressure reduced recruitment, growth, and survival of seedlings of undefended species. Few wild herbivores occur at RBM, which allowed succession to proceed unhindered, ultimately restoring coastal dune forest at this site. Despite successful rehabilitation of coastal dune forest on mined dunes at RBM, limited seed dispersal and high levels of herb ivory have arrested succession at Cape Vidal. Thus, the A. karroo successional pathway must be implemented only after careful consideration of site-specific factors such as distance to a source of propagules and the intensity of herbivory in the system. In areas where herbivore densities are high, management interventions focusing on reducing herb ivory and encouraging visitation by seed dispersers are necessary for the successful use of this successional pathway. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.