Bibliography: pages 114-122. / The current extent of Sand Plain Fynbos and threats to its survival are examined, with a view to proposing effective means of managing areas of high conservation priority. Extensive depletion of Sand Plain Fynbos has resulted from agricultural development, urbanisation and its susceptibility to invasion by introduced woody plant species. The need to conserve this veld type is apparent in that only 0.05% of the original Cape Flats Sand Plain Fynbos still survives within scattered refugia. A mere 3.8% of this already minute fraction is represented in proclaimed nature reserves, clearly illustrating the neglected conservation status of this veld type. The majority of the remaining habitat owes its survival, albeit in various stages of degradation, to low impact land uses not related to conservation per se. The in-fields of the three racecourses on the Cape Flats in total comprise the land use supporting the largest area of Sand Plain Fynbos. This suggests the potential compatibility of such a land use with conservation in the longer term. Of the three racecourses, Kenilworth is the most important in terms of area, diversity and unprecedented numbers of threatened flora and fauna of the fynbos it supports. This provides a case study on which to base an assessment of the trends in species survival on small remnants. A historical backdrop to the isolation and degradation of the Kenilworth Racecourse and neighbouring remnants is provided. The predictions of conservation theory for the long-term viability of such small and isolated remnants are then reviewed. To determine the effects of recent events and processes on the conservation merits of Kenilworth Racecourse, species extinctions and turnover from 1950 to the present are determined for the flora and avifauna respectively. Past and current species checklists form the basis of this analysis. Causes of species loss are investigated by comparing the physical attributes and habitat preferences of the species present with those which have apparently become extinct locally. The influence of private landownership on the conservation security of Kenilworth Racecourse is of fundamental importance to its future conservation. In this respect, the likelihood of change in land use of the in-field fynbos, as well as the Racecourse area as a whole, is a crucial factor addressed in this study. The present and future operating requirements of the Racecourse Management are also determined and their likely effects on the natural system are assessed. The study establishes a need for conservation management at Kenilworth Racecourse. The approach adopted to achieve the ongoing conservation of the area is through the development of a Conservation Management Plan. The latter has been derived through reasoned and personal interaction with the Racecourse Management and is aimed towards integrating the needs of the Management with the ecological requirements for the natural system under its control. The creation of corridors to facilitate migration of biota, as well as the reintroduction of those species which have become extinct locally, are described as an adjunct to these proposals. The implementation of an organised burn programme is proposed as a management procedure to counteract species loss. Evaluation of initial success resulting from the Management Plan reveals that there is now an improved communication channel with the Management. This encompasses moral obligations for eradication of alien vegetation, abstention from further drainage of wetlands, prevention of future encroachment of parking within the natural system and an agreement to cease indiscriminate dumping of refuse material. A major constraint facing the conservation of the area is the reluctance of the Management to allow public interest groups direct involvement with monitoring and implementation of proposals presented within the Management Plan. The research findings and conservation management approach generated by the study are important because they have potential for promoting the long term conservation of analogous remnants, not only within the fynbos biome, but in other similar systems further afield. Although threats exist to the ongoing survival of Sand Plain Fynbos remnants, these should not prejudice their selection as areas worthy of sound conservation management. Remnants have inherent value as refugia. They are also of potential importance as sites for reintroduction of species that have become extinct locally, as educational resources and as relatively low-maintenance open spaces within the urban landscape.

Includes bibliographical references. / The most intensively used part of the Namib Coastline, the area between Walvis Bay and the Ugab river, contains some of the most important and most sensitive natural habitats. Apart from their ecological value, these habitats also attract large numbers of tourists. Tourism is one of the main sources of income in the coastal area of the Erongo Region, therefore it is in the interest of Namibians that these habitats are utilised in a sustainable way. The Department of Resource Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is responsible for managing the West Coast Tourist Recreation Area as well as the wildlife in all of Namibia. Conservation managers from this Department have identified sites in the study area that are important for maintaining healthy populations of rare, threatened or endemic species or species of international and regional importance. These sites must be managed in such a way that their conservation and tourism value is not detrimentally reduced. In order to assist conservation managers with the allocation of resources, the sites that were identified are divided into three priority groups, namely imperative, urgent and desirable. The evaluation for priority rating was done according to the criteria of conservation value, tourism value and threats. Sites were compared using pair-wise comparison, and groupings were obtained through cluster analysis. The sites that were identified, their main reason for conservation, most important threats and management recommendations are listed below according to the priority groupings. Management recommendations are only done for the two highest groupings, namely the imperative and important sites.

Includes bibliographical references / Wild plants assist in supporting human livelihoods worldwide, both within traditional systems of medicine, and as economically useful plants. Indigenous to the Fynbos biome in the north-western part of the Western Cape, South Africa is the leguminous shrub, A. linearis (rooibos), which is extensively used as ethnomedicine by local communities, while also commercially grown and exported for the herbal tea market. Being a range-restricted species, climate change poses a threat to wild plants and their dependent communities, as well as the sustainability of the rooibos industry. Climate mediated impacts on rooibos are mostly substantiated by anecdotal evidence from commercial growers and local communities and have traditionally been insufficiently addressed. This study integrates predictive modelling and empirical data to provide important insights into rooibos' plant physiological functioning in the presence of climatic and environmental constraints. The aim is to determine whether there is evidence of climate change over the rooibos distribution area, how these climate anomalies are expected to affect the species distribution and to perform experimental studies by testing plant physiological functioning of A. linearis under changing climate conditions. Analysis of climate parameters important for rooibos production (rainfall frequency and intensity, temperature extremes and wind speed) have shown that plants will experience a shorter period of water availability during winter, and prolonged exposure to summer conditions (high temperatures and water stress) in the coming decades. Under these conditions, climate envelope modelling suggests that wild and cultivated rooibos types are at risk to lose between 49.8% and 88.7% in the extent of the bio-climatically suitable localities, most notably along the western and northern periphery of the rooibos production area by 2070. Plant physiological responses (growth analysis, gas exchange parameters and leaf carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios) to the assessed climate anomalies were measured in experimental studies at glasshouse and field scale. Specific adaptation mechanisms (increasing water use efficiency, developing a higher level of sclerophylly and altering the allocation of plant reserves) which helped seedlings to survive short term drought in the glasshouse were not able to offset more severe conditions in field settings. Finally, a comparison of wild and cultivated tea has shown an apparent adaptive advantage of wild tea to tolerate increased aridity with greater water economy, and more reliance on biological nitrogen fixation for N nutrition, indicating a potentially less severe scenario of range contraction for wild types than initially indicated. This study provides a more robust prediction of rooibos plant responses to climate change factors to enable more effective adaptive planning and conservation management in a changing climate.

Bibliography: p. 182-190. / The Kaapsehoop Cycad (Encephalartos laevifolius Stapf and Burtt Davy) has the international, national, and provincial status of "endangered" by virtue of a number of factors which threaten it with extinction. It occurs in only three disjunct populations in southern Africa, of which two are very small and have only adult plants. This situation suggested the need for specific action to ensure the conservation of the plant within its natural habitat. This study was initiated in an attempt to respond to this call for action. The aims of the study were set at gaining an understanding of the ecology of the cycad, establishing the exact nature and extent of the factors threatening it with extinction, and presenting management guidelines as to how the plant and its habitat may be managed to ensure their conservation. Chapter One includes a background to the botanical significance of cycads in general, the reasons for the endangered status of E. laevifolius and a list of aims and objectives. The latter are briefly; to develop. an understanding of the ecology of this cycad, determine the nature and extent of the threats which have placed it in the ''endangered" category, and establish means of managing the plants and their habitat so as to mitigate these threats . The methodology followed to achieve the latter is presented in Chapter Two. The results achieved from work carried out by the author are presented In Chapter Three, and they are then discussed in Chapter Four, together with those obtained from other researchers and experts in the field of cycad ecology and management. From this it becomes apparent that the major factor threatening the plants continued existence in nature, is its illegal removal by unscrupulous collectors. The use of fire as a management tool may cause the loss of sexually propagated off-spring if not based on ecological principals. This would be tragic as the percentage of fertile seed being produced at present is extremely low. Besides the latter two abiotic threats, there are two biotic threats which are also .cause for concern. They are the rotting of the female cones and seed by a pathogenic infection, and the destruction of newly growing tissue by the caterpillars of the Leopard Moth. The insights gained from the study are drawn together as conclusions in Chapter Five. Where these indicate specific management measures or directions for further research, recommendations are made. It must be emphasized that although this study has been used for the enhancement of the author's academic qualification, it is vitally important that the recommendations made be seriously reviewed by those responsible for the conservation of this cycad. If this study is simply put on the shelf after it has achieved its academic goal, the possibility of E. laevifolius becoming extinct is very real.

The best way of dealing with the restoration of chalk grassland encroached by scrub is unclear and the subject of many debates. The traditional method is to clear the scrub primarily by manual methods of cutting the scrub and after clearance the land is left to regenerate naturally. More recently the development of using livestock to browse and gradually reduce the scrub is thought to be an alternative. However the effectiveness of either of these methods (Manual clearance or Livestock browsing) is questioned by many and some believe that once scrub has encroached, the soils beneath this will become too enriched to be able to support a chalk grassland flora. This thesis aimed to provide a better understanding by undertaking a five year investigative trial of the two restoration methods and comparing and examining the ability of these to successfully restore a chalk grassland habitat. To undertake this both methods were trailed on scrub invaded chalk grassland and changes in vascular plants and invertebrates were monitored throughout trial period. Areas of nonintervention scrub were also included to act as controls. Successful restoration was assessed by comparing the results from the trials with measurable vascular plant restoration targets that were identified and set from known chalk grasslands in favourable condition. Soil fertility within the trial area was also examined to determine if the soils were considered to fertile to support a chalk grassland flora and costs and practicalities of using ether method were recorded throughout enabling these to be taken into account. The results showed that differences in both the species richness and composition of vascular plants and spider and beetles invertebrate species occurred. Soil fertility was found to suitable to support chalk grassland plants and vascular plants species were identified as moving away from those associated with scrub into those associated with chalk grasslands. It was observed however that on the areas trailed using Manual clearance, an initial flush of ruderal species occurred after clearance, it was therefore concluded that for Manual clearance to be successful continued restoration management is required if these species are to be controlled. It was also observed that the areas trailed using Manual clearance were moving towards successful restoration quicker those trailed using Livestock browsing thus indicating that the rate of change is more gradual using Livestock browsing. This rate of change was also found to occur within the invertebrate beetles and spider communities. Species richness within the spider communities however decreased on the areas manually cleared. Costs of using the restoration methods showed that the use of Livestock browsing was five times more costly that using Manual clearance. However it was found that majority of Livestock browsing costs incurred through welfare and husbandry of the stock. Restoration using Manual clearance also involved using livestock once scrub had been cleared however the costs of these were born by a local grazier and thus did not show as a cost of restoration. It was concluded that if a grazier is not found then these costs would be incurred. Overall it is concluded that both Livestock browsing and Manual clearance have the ability to successfully restore a chalk grassland community but that this must be viewed as a long term objective. Restoration management is critical to continue after clearance until restoration targets have been met.

These three talks present a summary of key findings from socio-ecological research conducted in Buen Hombre, the Dominican Republic.

Environmental degradation is accelerating worldwide, yet environmental conservation remains limited by funding. Tackling this limitation requires not only absolute increases in funding, but improved prioritisation of actions. On a global scale island ecosystems are of high priority, with invasive species one of their most significant threats. In this thesis I investigate prioritisation of invasive grazing species control, incorporating ecological, economic, and social concerns, on the island of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. To enable the trade-off of potential grazer control options for their ecological impacts I modelled the relationship between of grazer density and vegetation, and watershed vegetation and the coral reef. I found negative relationships for goat and pig grazing with grass presence, and for donkey grazing with ground cover. Coral cover below 10m showed a positive relationship to ground cover, and, surprisingly, a negative relationship to tree biomass. Because conservation action is most likely to be sustainable when connected to funding, I conducted choice experiments with SCUBA divers, which estimated a positive willingness to pay for reef health improvements achieved using terrestrial grazer control. Through communication with local policy makers and practitioners I identified three options for grazer control, eradication, population reduction, or fencing, and estimated costs and social acceptability for each option. Though the ecological models predicted eradication to have the highest impacts on the terrestrial and marine ecosystem, lower costs and higher social acceptability identified fencing as the most suitable option for grazer control on Bonaire in the short term, with the potential to be funded through a fee on SCUBA divers. Through linking ecological, economic, and social considerations within a real world conservation context I illustrate the importance of looking beyond only ecological improvements when prioritising conservation action. This research is directly applicable to policy and practise on Bonaire.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-08-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:08:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 rizzo_mr_dr_prud.pdf: 14404940 bytes, checksum: 0b1dfe76cb4115b8224fd68c4ed51d4a (MD5) / PROPG / Esta investigação foi desenvolvida com a finalidade de entender os principais pontos de encontro e de desencontro do turismo com a sustentabilidade em Bonito, um município de pequeno porte que compõe o Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, estando situado no sudoeste do estado, na microrregião geográfica denominada Bodoquena (M. R. G. 09). Possui uma área territorial de 4.934 km2, o que corresponde a 1,40% da área total do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. O município é hoje um forte polo de turismo, em especial de turismo desenvolvido em espaço rural, vindo a atrair um grande número de turistas e admiradores da exuberante natureza que o município possui. É conhecido mundialmente pelas grutas, cachoeiras, trilhas e suas águas límpidas, “recheadas” de muitos peixes e vida aquática. Em razão da expressividade do fenômeno turístico no município, justifica-se a escolha do lugar de pesquisa e do tema. A partir da implementação e expansão do turismo, que ocorreu no início da década de 1990, houve a necessidade de se respeitar o frágil ambiente natural, por meio de ações, práticas, leis, programas e instrumentos que visavam à recuperação e conservação ambiental da região para que o município pudesse manter-se como polo turístico. Por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica/webbliográfica acerca da temática, de entrevistas com os principais autores envolvidos com o turismo local e pesquisa de campo junto à comunidade local, buscou-se trazer à tona os principais pontos de encontro e de desencontro do turismo com a sustentabilidade (impactos positivos e negativos), conforme as dimensões ambiental/ecológica, social, econômica, espacial/geográfica e cultural. Essa preocupação na busca da sustentabilidade atende às novas demandas da sociedade atual, que se resume na conversão do planeta Terra em um espaço apto para a vida das próximas gerações / This investigation was developed aiming to understand the main positive and negative aspects of turism to sustainability in Bonito, one of the small municipalities of Mato Grosso do Sul State, which is situated in the southwest region of this state, in a micro-geographic region called Bodoquena (M.R.G. 09). Its territorial area, 4,934 km2, corresponds to 1,40% of the total area of Mato Grosso do Sul State. Nowadays, this municipality is an important tourism pole specially the one developed in rural areas, attracting a great number of tourists and people who admire its marvelous nature. It is worldwide famous for its grottos, falls, tracks and crystal clear waters, rich in fish and aquattic life. The importance of this touristic phenomenon justifies the chorse of the research locus and of the theme. From the implementation and expansion of tourism which started in Bonito in the 1990´s, it has been necessary to respect the fragile environment by means of actions, laws and programs devoted to the recovery and environmental conservation of the region in order to keep it as a tourism pole. A bibliographical/webbliographical research on this theme along with interviews with the main authors of local tourism actions was developed to bring about the main negative and positive impacts of tourism to sustainability, in terms of environmental, ecological, social, economic, spatial, geographical, and cultural dimensions. This concern towards sustainability searches for answers to the new demands of the present society which is devoted to transform the Earth in a proper space for the life of future generations

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-05-31Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:21:22Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 palhaci_tp_me_bauru.pdf: 1624925 bytes, checksum: 995d0ead47bcb3546e84ad78ffd72062 (MD5) / Embora a atual conjectura agregue inúmeras discussões concernentes aos problemas ambientais, há poucas pesquisas que procuram associar o ambiente e o conhecimento sobre o mesmo. Enrique Leff propõe uma nova epistemologia, atribuindo um sentido racional e de conhecimento pessoal a crise ambiental em detrimento de uma marcada crise ecológica. Assim diante da diversidade cultural, ético e social, característica entre as pessoas o que subjaz compreesnões distintas do mesmo ambiente, nossa pesquisa buscou responder os seguintes questionamentos: Esses conhecimentos, existentes ou não, influenciam em noções e atitudes conservacionistas por parte das pessoas? Existem relações entre essas noções e intenções declaradas de conservação ambiental e nível de escolaridade, idade, gênero e média salarial dos entrevistados? Diante disso, com o bioma Cerrado esta presente na cidade de Bauru, realizamos uma pesquisa de opinião em uma amostra representativa da população dessa cidade para tentar responder esses questionamentos. Utilizamos os resultados para calcular o coeficiente Qui-quadrado que apresentou valor menor que 0,05, demonstrando que as variáveis conhecimentos sobre o Cerrado e noções e intenções de ações declaradas de conservação se encontram associadas de maneira significativa. Em virtude disso, concordamos com Leff a respeito da importância do conhecimento e da compreensão de conhecimentos sobre o meio para a resolução dos problemas ambientais / Although the current conjecture adds several discussions concerning environmental problems, there is little research linking the environment and the knowledge about it. Enrique Leff proposes a new epistemology, giving a rational sense and personal knowledge to the environmental crisis to the detriment of a used ecological crisis. Therefore, up the ethical, social and cultural diversity existing among people, which causes distinct conceptions of environment, our research aimed to answer the following question: Does this knowledge, wether it exists or not, influence conservationist attitudes by people? Does these notions and declared actions of conservation are related with level of education, age, gender and average salary of interviewed people? Based on this, as the Cerrado biome is predominant in the city of Bauru, we conducted a survey in a representative population sample of this city to try to answer these questions. We use the results to calculate the chi-square coefficient which resulted in a value smaller than 0.05 proving that notions and declared intentions of environmental conservation actions are significantly associated. Thus, we agree with leff about the importance of knowledge about the environment for solving its problems

nÃo hà / The Northeast Region consists of a semi-arid climate with low incidence rainfall and shallow soils that affect agricultural production, making the life of the frontiersman man. To minimize the suffering and improve the quality of life of the people in the semiarid region, were created various government programs, among them stands out the Hydroenvironmental Development Project - PRODHAM, in order to reorganize the watersheds and work rehabilitation of degraded areas, by man, in Cearà semiarid region. PRODHAM aimed at establishing coordinated and sustainable actions of recovery and conservation of natural and environmental resources, such as soil, water and vegetation, which involves the areas bordering the rivers, ponds and its sources; involving also socioeconomic aspects of the communities in the watershed,with proposed technologies in hydro-environmental and productive area, to new ways of working in rural areas, as well as the involvement of local communities in the development and application of the correct use practices and soil conservation and water. The implementation program in the watershed since Cangati River, municipality of CanindÃ, in CearÃ, led many impacts on the community, this social, economic and cultural. Thus to assess the importance of this program, we use the survey "in loco", through interviews, to analyze, as viewed from the beneficiary population, what benefits accrued by the program to the daily life of the community. / A RegiÃo Nordeste à constituÃda de um clima semiÃrido, com baixa incidÃncia pluviomÃtrica e de solos rasos que prejudicam a produÃÃo agrÃcola, dificultando a vida do homem sertanejo. Para minimizar o sofrido e melhorar a qualidade de vida do povo no semiÃrido, foram criados vÃrios programas governamentais, entre eles destaca-se o Projeto de Desenvolvimento Hidroambiental - PRODHAM, que foi financiado pelo Banco Mundial (Acordo de EmprÃstimo4531 BR/BIRD), no Ãmbito do Programa de Gerenciamento e IntegraÃÃo dos Recursos HÃdricos do Cearà (PROGERIRH/CE), com a finalidade de reorganizar as microbacias hidrogrÃficas e trabalhar a recuperaÃÃo das Ãreas degradadas pela aÃÃo do homem no semiÃrido cearense. O PRODHAM visava estabelecer aÃÃes articuladas e sustentÃveis de recuperaÃÃo e preservaÃÃo dos recursos naturais e ambientais, como: solo, Ãgua e vegetaÃÃo, envolvendo as Ãreas Ãs margens dos rios, aÃudes e suas nascentes; envolvendo, ainda, aspectos socioeconÃmicos das comunidades das microbacias hidrogrÃficas, com propostas de tecnologias no domÃnio hidroambiental e produtivo, para novas formas de trabalho no meio rural, bem como, a participaÃÃo das populaÃÃes locais no Ãmbito do desenvolvimento e aplicaÃÃo de prÃticas correto uso e preservaÃÃo do solo e das Ãguas. A implantaÃÃo desde programa na Microbacia do Rio Cangati municÃpio de Canindà no interior do CearÃ, acarretou muitos impactos na comunidade, desde sociais, econÃmicos e culturais. Destarte, a presente pesquisa teve como Objetivo Geral avaliar a importÃncia do PRODARM na microbacia do Rio Cangati, sob a visÃo de seus moradores. Com os seguintes Objetivos EspecÃficos: Identificar as mudanÃas na qualidade de vida dos beneficiÃrios decorrentes da implantaÃÃo do projeto; Fazer uma anÃlise dos benefÃcios decorrentes da implantaÃÃo do projeto; Fazer anÃlise comparativa entre as aÃÃes implementadas pelo projeto e as atividades atuais desenvolvidas pelos beneficiÃrios; Analisar o envolvimento da comunidade na continuidade das aÃÃes implementadas pelo projeto. Deste modo para avaliar a importÃncia desde programa, usamos a pesquisa âin locoâ, atravÃs de entrevistas para analisar, conforme a visÃo da populaÃÃo beneficiada, quais os benefÃcios acrescidos pelo programa à vida cotidiana da comunidade.