Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The ecodynamics analysis of coastal dunes of Sergipe determined the role and the interactive effect of the anthropic action and of the natural dynamics in the occured fast ambient changes in two sample units of the Northern and Southern Coastline from Sergipe. The present research searched the detailing of the existing ambient dynamics in the fields of the dunes of Pirambu (Northern portion) and Estância (Southern portion) by means of the structural and functional aspects with prominence to the conditioning expressive of dunar vulnerability. The knowledge of the conditions of balance of the systems of the dunes based on the Tricart s Ecodynamics principle demanded the deepening of the relations between geomorphological, fitogeographics, climatological and anthropical the components of the systems of dunes. The use of this integrator perspective found for the Northern Coastline (Biolological Reserve of Santa Isabel) a scenery with dune stability predominance explained by the low threat of system degradation, lack of obstacles to the transgression of the frontal dunes and low human interference. However, the current situation of stable environment may suffer anthropogenic derivations generating a growing tendency to ecodynamical intergrade, covering a longer cycle of environmental changes in levels of vulnerability assessed. The dunes of the Southern Coast include such features with predominance of the morphogenesis upon the pedogenesis. In terms of its ecodynamical assessment, they appear as unstable environments and environments intergrade, but with tendency to a progressive instability. Such dune situation in degradation is explained by the increasing process of disordered occupation, for the expansion of the land divisions and touristic enterprises, beyond the nonexistent of measures of protection that glimpse the containment of processes as illegally carried through dune dismountings. / A análise ecodinâmica das dunas costeiras de Sergipe partiu da verificação do papel e dos efeitos interativos da ação antrópica e da dinâmica costeira nas mudanças ambientais rápidas ocorridas em duas unidades amostrais do Litoral Norte e do Litoral Sul sergipano. A presente pesquisa buscou o detalhamento da dinâmica ambiental existente nos campos dunares de Pirambu (porção Norte) e Estância (porção Sul) mediante os aspectos estrutural e funcional com destaque aos condicionantes mais expressivos de vulnerabilidade dunar. O conhecimento das condições de equilíbrio dos sistemas dunares baseado no princípio ecodinâmico de Tricart demandou o aprofundamento das relações entre as componentes geomorfológicas, fitogeográficas, climáticas e antrópicas dos sistemas dunares. A utilização da perspectiva integradora da paisagem encontrou para o Litoral Norte (Reserva Biológica de Santa Isabel) um cenário com predominância da estabilidade dunar explicado pela pouca ameaça de degradação ao sistema, inexistência de obstáculos à transgressão das dunas frontais e baixa interferência antrópica. Todavia, a atual situação de meio estável pode sofrer derivações antropogênicas geradoras de uma crescente tendência ecodinâmica ao intergrade, abrangendo um ciclo mais longo de mudanças ambientais nos patamares de vulnerabilidade aferidos. Nas dunas do Litoral Sul predomina a morfogênese sobre a pedogênese. Em termos de sua avaliação ecodinâmica, apresentam-se como meios instáveis e meios em intergrade, mas com tendência a uma progressiva instabilidade. Tal situação de dunas em arrasamento é explicada pelo crescente processo de ocupação desordenada, pela expansão dos loteamentos e empreendimentos turísticos, além da inexistência de medidas de proteção que vislumbrem a contenção de processos como desmontes de dunas realizados ilegalmente.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The ecodynamics analysis of coastal dunes of Sergipe determined the role and the interactive effect of the anthropic action and of the natural dynamics in the occured fast ambient changes in two sample units of the Northern and Southern Coastline from Sergipe. The present research searched the detailing of the existing ambient dynamics in the fields of the dunes of Pirambu (Northern portion) and Estância (Southern portion) by means of the structural and functional aspects with prominence to the conditioning expressive of dunar vulnerability. The knowledge of the conditions of balance of the systems of the dunes based on the Tricart s Ecodynamics principle demanded the deepening of the relations between geomorphological, fitogeographics, climatological and anthropical the components of the systems of dunes. The use of this integrator perspective found for the Northern Coastline (Biolological Reserve of Santa Isabel) a scenery with dune stability predominance explained by the low threat of system degradation, lack of obstacles to the transgression of the frontal dunes and low human interference. However, the current situation of stable environment may suffer anthropogenic derivations generating a growing tendency to ecodynamical intergrade, covering a longer cycle of environmental changes in levels of vulnerability assessed. The dunes of the Southern Coast include such features with predominance of the morphogenesis upon the pedogenesis. In terms of its ecodynamical assessment, they appear as unstable environments and environments intergrade, but with tendency to a progressive instability. Such dune situation in degradation is explained by the increasing process of disordered occupation, for the expansion of the land divisions and touristic enterprises, beyond the nonexistent of measures of protection that glimpse the containment of processes as illegally carried through dune dismountings. / A análise ecodinâmica das dunas costeiras de Sergipe partiu da verificação do papel e dos efeitos interativos da ação antrópica e da dinâmica costeira nas mudanças ambientais rápidas ocorridas em duas unidades amostrais do Litoral Norte e do Litoral Sul sergipano. A presente pesquisa buscou o detalhamento da dinâmica ambiental existente nos campos dunares de Pirambu (porção Norte) e Estância (porção Sul) mediante os aspectos estrutural e funcional com destaque aos condicionantes mais expressivos de vulnerabilidade dunar. O conhecimento das condições de equilíbrio dos sistemas dunares baseado no princípio ecodinâmico de Tricart demandou o aprofundamento das relações entre as componentes geomorfológicas, fitogeográficas, climáticas e antrópicas dos sistemas dunares. A utilização da perspectiva integradora da paisagem encontrou para o Litoral Norte (Reserva Biológica de Santa Isabel) um cenário com predominância da estabilidade dunar explicado pela pouca ameaça de degradação ao sistema, inexistência de obstáculos à transgressão das dunas frontais e baixa interferência antrópica. Todavia, a atual situação de meio estável pode sofrer derivações antropogênicas geradoras de uma crescente tendência ecodinâmica ao intergrade, abrangendo um ciclo mais longo de mudanças ambientais nos patamares de vulnerabilidade aferidos. Nas dunas do Litoral Sul predomina a morfogênese sobre a pedogênese. Em termos de sua avaliação ecodinâmica, apresentam-se como meios instáveis e meios em intergrade, mas com tendência a uma progressiva instabilidade. Tal situação de dunas em arrasamento é explicada pelo crescente processo de ocupação desordenada, pela expansão dos loteamentos e empreendimentos turísticos, além da inexistência de medidas de proteção que vislumbrem a contenção de processos como desmontes de dunas realizados ilegalmente.

Submitted by Ricardo Cedraz Duque Moliterno (ricardo.moliterno@uefs.br) on 2017-07-19T00:20:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTA??O_MILVIA.pdf: 24309575 bytes, checksum: ea488eca029da38ea2ef27def0f40641 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-19T00:20:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTA??O_MILVIA.pdf: 24309575 bytes, checksum: ea488eca029da38ea2ef27def0f40641 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-01 / Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia - FAPEB / The environmental dimension into the planning is critical to managing and planning territories. The materialization of the natural heritage, of shapes, anthropogenic uses, occupations and equilibrium states or instability, manifested in the landscape. The interaction nature and society fosters an understanding of the environmental system, given the interdependence of the landscape of the constituent components (physical, biological and human), translate patterns that demonstrate levels of aggradation and / or degradation resulting from human interventions. The vulnerability processes, point degree of exposure and extent of the environmental system in relation to factors interfering elements and processes homeostasis and their resilience, against external impacts and negative imbalances in the natural cycle, which according to ecodynamics (TRICART, 1977), show the picture of stability / instability of biotic components, abiotic and man-made, integrated into the landscape through matter and energy exchanges. In this sense, it analyzed in the survey, environmental vulnerability of the Sisal Territory (Bahia), constituted by the State Law No. 10,705 / 2007, from a systemic perspective of environmental approach. The unit-bounds in 20 municipalities - Araci, Baroque, Biritinga, Candeal, Cansan??o, Concei??o do Coit?, Ichu, Iti?ba, Lamar?o, Monte Santo, Northeast, Burning, Quijingue, Retirol?ndia, Santaluz, Santo Domingo, Serrinha Toucan Teofil?ndia and Valente, which are inserted into the semi-arid, with the occurrence of caatingas, Savannas, pediplanos, trays and representativeness of the River Basin Itapicuru. By using geoprocessing techniques, the organization of georeferenced spatial database with natural and socioeconomic variables, the use of mapping and coverage of land, the field survey and models integrated by fuzzy logic, it became clear that the East Territory Sisal has the largest environmental vulnerability levels, caused by intercropping between lithological composition, soil structure, slope and shape of the terrain, deforestation of biomes and especially agricultural activities of subsistence and extensive cattle, which are constitute a driving force to the degradation of the natural heritage site. / A dimens?o ambiental dentro do planejamento ? fundamental para a gest?o e ordenamento de territ?rios. A materializa??o do patrim?nio natural, das formas, dos usos antr?picos, das ocupa??es e dos estados de equil?brio ou instabilidade, manifesta-se na paisagem. A intera??o natureza-sociedade favorece a compreens?o do sistema ambiental, haja vista que a interdepend?ncia dos componentes constituintes da paisagem (f?sicos, biol?gicos e humanos), traduz padr?es, que demonstram n?veis de agrada??o e/ou degrada??o decorrentes das interven??es antr?picas. Os processos de vulnerabilidade apontam graus de exposi??o e extens?o do sistema ambiental em rela??o aos fatores, elementos e processos de interfer?ncia em sua homeostase e em sua capacidade de resili?ncia, frente a impactos negativos externos e desequil?brios nos ciclos naturais que, de acordo com a ecodin?mica (TRICART, 1977), indicam o quadro de estabilidade/instabilidade dos componentes bi?ticos, abi?ticos e antr?picos integrados na paisagem atrav?s de trocas de mat?ria e energia. Neste sentido, analisou-se na pesquisa, a vulnerabilidade ambiental do Territ?rio do Sisal (Bahia), constitu?do pela Lei Estadual n? 10.705/2007, a partir de uma perspectiva sist?mica de abordagem ambiental. A unidade delimita-se em 20 munic?pios ? Araci, Barrocas, Biritinga, Candeal, Cansan??o, Concei??o do Coit?, Ichu, Iti?ba, Lamar?o, Monte Santo, Nordestina, Queimadas, Quijingue, Retirol?ndia, Santaluz, S?o Domingos, Serrinha, Tucano, Teofil?ndia e Valente, os quais se encontram inseridos no semi?rido, com a ocorr?ncia de caatingas, cerrados, pediplanos, tabuleiros e representatividade da Bacia Hidrogr?fica do Rio Itapicuru. Atrav?s das t?cnicas de geoprocessamento, a organiza??o de banco de dados espaciais georreferenciados, com vari?veis naturais e socioecon?micas, o mapeamento de uso e cobertura das terras, o levantamento de campo e os modelos integrados pela l?gica fuzzy, evidenciou-se que o leste do Territ?rio do Sisal possui os maiores n?veis de vulnerabilidade ambiental, causadas pela consorcia??o entre a composi??o litol?gica, a estrutura dos solos, a declividade e forma do terreno, o desmatamento dos biomas e, principalmente, as atividades agr?colas de subsist?ncia e pecu?ria extensiva, as quais se configuram como for?a motriz ? degrada??o do patrim?nio natural local.

The city of Nossa Senhora da Glória – Sergipe, Brazil - is located in the northeastern semiarid region, and presents a geological-geomorphological context marked by its insertion into the backlands pediplain, whose pediplained surfaces developed on a variable lithology, predominantly as a member of the Macururé Domain in Sergipe's Fold Range. These surfaces, of which part are arranged in tabular interfluves system with high dissection developed during the Quaternary, are currently occupied predominantly by farming, in greater proportion, with large tracts of cultivated and pastured areas surrounding some niches of arboreal and shrub forest remnants. These are interconnected by a multivariate herbaceous cover and two networks: a natural river drainage, and other terrestrial circulation (several entries). This has some significant evidence of erosion located in the form of individual gullies, geomorphological facts that suggested a morphodynamic anthropogenic inclination. For this reason, the research was based on the use of geotechnology, to map vulnerability and environmental vulnerability to erosion across surface extension of the municipality. The theoretical and methodological framework set out the joint of two reference models in Geosciences culminating in the drafting of a synthesis map. The methodological development stages were grouped into four general and progressive levels of achievement, and followed the interpretation of Digital Elevation Models and multispectral optical satellite images, and data integration and derivation of lithology, soil conditions, climate, vegetation and use of land in Geographic Information Systems environment. The study shows that currently ecodynamic units in dynamic stability situation predominate, although the association between highly exposed litholic soils, highly dissected terrains in tabular interfluves and areas of concave-converging strands, intersected by roads, keep potential risk factor to future changes of that balance. / O município de Nossa Senhora da Glória/SE está situado no semiárido nordestino, e apresenta um contexto geológico-geomorfológico marcado pela sua inserção no pediplano sertanejo, de cujas superfícies pediplanadas se desenvolveram sobre uma litologia variável, predominantemente integrante do Domínio Macururé, na Faixa de Dobramentos Sergipana. Essas superfícies, das quais parte estão disposta em sistema de interflúvios tabulares, com alta dissecação desenvolvida durante o Quaternário, são atualmente ocupadas predominantemente pela atividade agropecuária, em maior proporção, com grandes extensões de áreas cultivadas e pastaginizadas que circundam alguns nichos de remanescentes florestais arbóreos e arbustivos. Estes são interligados por uma cobertura herbácea multivariada e duas redes: uma de drenagem hidrográfica natural, e outra de circulação terrestre (acessos viários). Isto tornou relevante algumas evidências de erosão localizadas na forma de ravinas individuais, fatos geomorfológicos que sugeriram uma morfodinâmica de inclinação antropogênica. Por esta razão, a pesquisa apoiou-se na utilização das geotecnologias, para o mapeamento da vulnerabilidade e fragilidade ambiental à erosão em toda extensão superficial do município. O arcabouço teórico-metodológico partiu da articulação de dois modelos referenciais nas Geociências que culminaram na elaboração de uma carta síntese. As etapas de desenvolvimento metodológico foram enquadradas em quatro níveis gerais e progressivos de realização, e seguiu a interpretação de Modelos Digitais de Elevação e imagens orbitais óticas multiespectrais, e a integração e derivação de dados sobre litologia, pedologia, clima, vegetação e uso da terra em ambiente de Sistemas de Informações Geográficas. O estudo demostra que atualmente predominam unidades ecodinâmicas em situação de estabilidade dinâmica, embora a associação entre solos litólicos altamente expostos, relevos altamente dissecados em interflúvios tabulares e zonas de vertentes côncavo-convergentes, interseccionadas por estradas, guardam potencial fator de risco a alterações futuras desse equilíbrio.

The river basin as a geo-environmental unit of study is an important scenario for the knowledge of the functioning of the natural resources and consequent efficient and balanced planning of its usage, in order to adapting to the particular characteristics and capabilities of each environment. The Sergipe River Basin (SRB), for its peculiarities and economic, social and cultural importance to the State of Sergipe, was chosen as stage for our analysis focused on an integrated study that provides reliable subsidies for the elaboration of conservation policies and better use of the natural resources, more precisely, water. Being one of the most anthropized of the State because in its area there are important cities from an economic and population point of view, e.g. Aracaju, Nossa Senhora do Socorro, Itabaiana and Nossa Senhora da Glória, the study of the SRB, under the perspective proposed in this work, aims to bring contributions that may serve as a basis for further studies. The objective of this work is to analyze the ecodynamic water fragility in physiographic environments of the Sergipe River Basin, through assessing its water potential, conflicts generated from the multiple uses of water and the management model established by the Water Law. The methodological approach chosen for the analysis was based on the literature review of authors who treat the theme in question, by assessing, through the geo-environmental frailty model, which was developed by Ross (1994), the conditions of fragility of the basin. Previous researches have indicated that the Sergipe River Basin presents intense geo-environmental fragility, with its soils, waters, vegetation coverage and micro climates in constant exposure to the ecodynamics instability conditions caused by anthropic actions everywhere at the SRB, mainly due to the way of ownership and use of natural areas and water resources. The different geo-environmental peculiarities in each section of the BHS suggest different results of ecodynamic potential fragility and ecodynamic emerging fragility, thus contributing to the ecodynamic water weakness in the SRB ecodynamics with strong evidences of shortage and dependence of water from other water basins. This fragility on the water environment is governed by the model of use and occupation of soil in the twenty-six counties of the SRB. This finding reinforces the thesis that, by the peculiar and particular characteristics of each physiographic environment present in the Sergipe River Basin, the change and the adequacy of current management model need to be, urgently, implemented to answer the individual characteristics of each environments that make up the water basin of the Sergipe river, to strengthen the management of water resources and ensure water, quality and quantitatively, throughout the Sergipe River Basin to the multiple uses of present and future generations. / A bacia hidrográfica como unidade de estudo geoambiental é um importante cenário para o conhecimento do funcionamento dos recursos naturais e consequente planejamento eficaz e equilibrado de sua utilização, de modo a adequar-se às potencialidades e características peculiares de cada ambiente. A Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe (BHS), por suas peculiaridades e importância econômica, social e cultural para o Estado de Sergipe, foi escolhida como palco para nossas análises focadas num estudo integrado que forneça subsídios confiáveis à elaboração de políticas de conservação e melhor utilização dos recursos naturais, mais especificamente, a água. Por ser uma das mais antropizadas do Estado, em consequência de em sua área estarem contidos importantes municípios do ponto de vista econômico e populacional, a exemplo de Aracaju, Nossa Senhora do Socorro, Itabaiana e Nossa Senhora da Glória, o estudo da BHS, sob a perspectiva proposta neste trabalho, deseja trazer contribuições que possam servir de base para outros estudos. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a fragilidade hídrica ecodinâmica nos ambientes fisiográficos da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe, avaliando sua potencialidade hídrica, os conflitos gerados a partir dos múltiplos usos da água e o modelo de gestão estabelecido pela Lei das Águas. O caminho metodológico escolhido para as análises pautou-se na revisão bibliográfica de autores que tratam das temáticas em questão, avaliando através do modelo de fragilidade geoambiental, elaborado por Ross (1994), as condições de fragilidade da bacia. Os estudos realizados indicam que a Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe apresenta intensa fragilidade geoambiental, estando seus solos, águas, cobertura vegetal e micro climas em constante exposição às condições de instabilidade ecodinâmica, provocadas pelas ações antrópicas em toda área da BHS, principalmente devido à forma de apropriação e utilização dos espaços naturais e dos recursos hídricos. As diferentes peculiaridades geoambientais existentes em cada seção da BHS apontam para resultados distintos de fragilidade potencial ecodinâmica e de fragilidade emergente ecodinâmica, contribuindo assim para a fragilidade hídrica ecodinâmica na BHS com fortes indícios de escassez e dependência de águas de outras bacias hidrográficas. Essa fragilidade no ambiente hídrico é regida pelo modelo de uso e ocupação do solo nos vinte e seis municípios da BHS. Esta constatação reforça a tese de que, pelas características peculiares e particulares de cada ambiente fisiográfico presente na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe, a alteração e a adequação do atual modelo de gestão precisam ser, urgentemente, implementados para que atenda às características individuais de cada um dos ambientes que compõem a Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe, no sentido de fortalecer a gestão dos recursos hídricos e garantir água, qualitativa e quantitativamente, em toda Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sergipe para os múltiplos usos da atual e das futuras gerações.

Les nanoparticules métalliques manufacturées (NPs) sont des polluants émergents dont la concentration augmente dans les sols en raison de leur utilisation croissante dans de nombreux produits commerciaux de la vie courante (cosmétiques, aliments, peintures…). Des études in vitro ont montré la toxicité des NPs pour les microorganismes, mais il existe encore peu de données sur l'écotoxicité et le devenir de ces contaminants dans les sols. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc d'évaluer l'influence des paramètres abiotiques du sol sur (i) les caractéristiques physico-chimiques et le transfert des NPs, et (ii) sur la toxicité des NPs pour les communautés microbiennes du sol, en particulier pour des groupes fonctionnels microbiens impliqués dans le cycle du carbone et de l'azote. Nous avons mis en évidence que les propriétés du sol influençaient l'agrégation et la charge de surface des NPs de dioxyde de titane (TiO2) et d'oxyde de cuivre (CuO). Dans les six sols agricoles étudiés, nous avons observé un transport très faible des NPs testées lors d'une expérimentation en colonnes de sols. Nous avons mis en évidence une absence de toxicité des NPs de TiO2 sur les communautés microbiennes, sauf dans un sol limono-argileux à forte teneur en matière organique. Dans ce sol, des effets négatifs ont été observés après 90 jours d'exposition sur les activités microbiennes, sur l'abondance des microorganismes nitrifiants et la diversité des bactéries et des archées. Des études complémentaires en colonnes de sol, ont permis de mettre en évidence des effets délétères des NPs plus importants que la nitrification lors d'une contamination chronique au TiO2 que lors d'une contamination aigüe / Manufactured metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging pollutants of soils due to their increasing utilization in numerous commercial products (cosmetics, food, paint…). In vitro studies have demonstrated NPs toxicity on microorganisms but data are still scarce on the fate and ecotoxicity of these contaminants in soils. The objective of this thesis was to assess the influence of soil properties on (i) the physicochemical characteristics and the transport of NPs, and (ii) on the NPs toxicity on soil microbial communities, especially on microbial functional groups involved in carbon and nitrogen cycles. This work highlighted that soil properties influenced the aggregation and the surface charges of titanium dioxide NPs (TiO2-NPs) and copper oxide NPs (CuO-NPs). In the six agricultural soils studied, we observed a very low transport of the two NPs in a soil column experiment. We observed a low toxicity of TiO2-NPs for soil microbial communities, except in a silty-clay soil with a high organic matter content. In this soil, microbial activities (soil respiration, nitrification and denitrification) and nitrifier abundances were strongly decreased and archaeal and bacterial community structure were altered after 90 days of exposure. Furthermore in this soil, we observed decreases of nitrification activity, even for very low TiO2-NPs concentrations (0.05 mg kg-1) which were explained by a high sensitivity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) involved in this process. Additional studies in soil columns demonstrated that chronic contamination with TiO2-NPs caused more deleterious effects on nitrification than acute contamination

This thesis offers the first detailed palaeoenvironmental analysis of wetland areas within sub-Arctic enclosed homefield’s. Significance of meadows were previously mentioned only briefly in the literature, suggesting influences in settlement site selection as well as importance in quality fodder production, producing up to two thirds of total hay resources in a somewhat marginal agricultural landscape. Given the importance of hay resources in Iceland it seems unusual these areas have received so little attention to date, despite extensive research on all other aspects of the Norse farm system. The organic sediments within the meadows, given their development in-situ over extended time periods, have the ability to record aspects of the intimate relationship between societal and environmental change, and so in a robust and holistic way our methods set integrates radiocarbon measurement, tephrochronology, palynology and thin section micromorphology from the same core; reflecting these findings against existing paleoclimate and archaeological site data. This combined application of the core techniques – palynology and soil micromorphology, has proven successful in creating effective human ecodynamic records from each of the study farms. Records obtained from the three farm sites in northwest and northern Iceland exposed the varying importance and differing utilisation of these wetland areas. Meadows would appear to have played an import role in choice of settlement site across northern Iceland, through the provision of open areas, and additional and immediately available fodder resources at settlement, in a landscape dominated by dense scrub. Meadows were found to have been in continuous use, albeit at varying levels of intensity, from settlement to the present day. In this respect the semi-natural resources are found to be remarkably resilient, demonstrating little alterations to their composition following severe climatic downturns, including that of the Little Ice Age, and volcanic eruption. Acting as a robust resource and safety buffer for settlements, contributing to fodder resources where reliability of other resources is jeopardised by environmental conditions. Research in the more marginal northwest peninsula provides the first evidence of artificially created wet meadows in Iceland, developed to give sustained fodder production for over-wintering livestock in an environment that inherently had a short growing season and lacked soil fertility. A further example of the nuanced land management practices adopted in the agriculturally fragile farmscapes of the Norse North Atlantic. The findings of the thesis have wider implications for understanding the emergence of resilient and sustainable communities in agriculturally marginal environments; to this end there remains many opportunities to use palaeoenvironmental research to study ecosystem responses to natural and anthropogenic stresses, giving us a better understanding of capacities to withstand future stresses.

Over the past two decades, environmental history as an approach to the understanding and explanation of historical processes has become gradually fashionable amongst academics; empirical data collected over the North Atlantic proposed new trends with regards to economic patterns during the Viking Age. The increasing number of Viking Age sites exposed in Iceland, the amount of zooarchaeological collections highlighting an abundant presence of fish bones in the overall archaeofauna, together with one’s expertise in environmental history as well as a strong interest in socio-economic development during the Viking Age and medieval periods were many factors which help identify strengths and weaknesses with regards to the understanding of the emergence of commercial fish trade in Iceland, and to a lesser extent, the Faeroe Islands. The thesis proposes a new theory with regards to human adaptation to new environments, and subsequent economic developments based on the commercial exploitation of fish. The interdisciplinary aspect of this project using cultural sediment analysis and zooarchaeology, as well as concepts from anthropology and economic anthropology, allows for the theory to be tested by empirical data.