This thesis seeks to forge a conversation between two schools of contemporary political-economic thought - degrowth and modern monetary theory. With today's urgent, multiple, and interlinked socio-ecological crises, the degrowth school of thought has become increasingly relevant. While the degrowth movement has proposed a range of policies and visions for a post-capitalist future, the structural growth imperatives of capitalist states make degrowth visions politically and economically challenging to realize. Thus far, degrowth policies that aim to weaken society's growth imperative and start building a post-capitalist society have largely been raised from the assumption that governments are limited in budgetary terms, implicitly informed by the hegemonic neoclassical economics lens. However, modern monetary theory (MMT) has recently permeated the public debate, offering an alternative take on public spending, deficits, and the government’s fiscal policy space. MMT argues that monetary sovereign states are not fiscally constrained in the same way that households and non-sovereign entities are - instead, the actual limitations to spending are the resources available to a given nation. Yet, MMT theorists give insufficient attention to ecological considerations, exemplified by their tendency to take continued economic growth for granted and overlook ecological limits, particularly from a global justice perspective. Using an Ecological Political Economy lens, this thesis initiates a conversation between the degrowth and MMT scholarship, finding that while there are both distinct tensions between the two schools, there are also many synergies and possibilities for further cross-fertilization between them within the normative goal of socio-ecological sustainability and justice.

This thesis analyzes the global ecological crisis. It divides the global ecological crisis in to two major components: Climate change and biodiversity loss. Using a theoretical methodology based on comparing and applying a variety of lenses from within environmental sociology, the thesis asks and answers two questions: What are the causes of the global ecological crisis, and how can we solve it? Drawing on the perspectives of ecological modernization theory, ecological Marxism and deep ecology, the causes of and solutions to the global ecological crisis are identified. The primary causes of the crisis are found to be inefficient industrial technology, capitalism and an instrumentalist and anthropocentric view of the natural world. The primary solutions, therefore, must include a widespread shift towards clean and green technology, a transformative social revolution, and a new ecocentric respect for the intrinsic value of non-human life. The study offers many recommendations for policy makers.

The thesis research deals with the characteristics of a given (land)register from the perspective of natural, geographical and historical situation. The individual parts of the local USES are described further. The characteristics of individual segments are accompanied by a present condition of the particular segment. The photo documentation can be found in the attachment. USES evaluation was done using the methodology of evaluation of ecological networks in the landscape. New elements that should give the current USES more power in its function were also suggested. The obtained results were compared with land adjustments abroad. The thesis is complemented with a search related to that topic.

Plant–animal interaction systems are complex food webs where the members—plants, pollinators, herbivores, parasites and predators of the pollinators/herbivores—interact with each other in ways which maximize their own fitness. Based on the net outcome, such interactions could be mutually beneficial to the interacting members (mutualism) or beneficial to only one of the interacting members at the cost of the other interacting members (herbivory, predation, parasitism). It is possible that such outcomes are actually a continuum and could swing in either direction from beneficial to detrimental and vice versa. Such transitions happen not only over long time scales, but could also happen within shorter time scales based on conditionalities. Conditional outcomes are those in which the outcome of an interaction between two partners is conditional on the involvement of a third partner. Thus, studying such outcomes necessitates taking into account systems beyond the classical two-partner interactions. In such complex multitrophic plant–animal interaction systems in which there are direct and indirect interactions between species, comprehending the dynamics of these multiple partners is very important for an understanding of how the system is structured. In Chapter 2 we investigate Ficus racemosa and its community of obligatory mutualistic and parasitic fig wasps that develop within the fig inflorescence or syconium, as well as their interaction with opportunistic ants. We focus on temporal resource partitioning among members of the fig wasp community over the development cycle of the fig syconia during which wasp oviposition and development occur and we study the activity rhythm of the ants associated with this community. We found that the members of the wasp community partitioned their oviposition across fig syconium development phenology and showed interspecific variation in activity across the diel cycle. The wasps presented a distinct sequence in their arrival at fig syconia for oviposition. We documented night oviposition in several fig wasp species for the first time. Ant activity on the fig syconia was correlated with wasp activity and was dependent on whether the ants were predatory or trophobiont-tending species; only numbers of predatory ants increased during peak arrivals of the wasps. In Chapter 3, we found that predatory ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) patrolling F. racemosa trees were attracted to the odour from fig syconia at different developmental phases, as well as to the odours of fig wasps, whereas other predatory ants (Technomyrmex albipes) responded only to odours of syconia from which fig wasps were dispersing and to fig wasp odour. However, trophobiont-tending ants (Myrmicaria brunnea) patrolling the same trees and exposed to the same volatiles were unresponsive to fig or fig wasp odours. The predatory ants demonstrated a concentration-dependent response towards volatiles from figs receptive to pollinators and those from which wasps were dispersing while the trophobiont-tending ants were unresponsive to such odours at all concentrations. Naıve predatory ants failed to respond to the volatiles to which the experienced predatory ants responded, indicating that the response to fig-related odours is learned. In Chapter 4 we characterise the dynamics of the volatile bouquet of the fig syconium from the initiation through pre-receptive, receptive, and late inter-floral stages which act as signals/ cues for different fig wasp species. We were also interested in diel patterns of volatile emission as some fig wasp species were strictly diurnal (the pollinator, Ceratosolen fusciceps) whereas other fig wasps such as Apocryptophagus fusca were observed ovipositing even during the nocturnal hours. We identified volatiles that were specific to syconium development phase as well as to the time of day in this bouquet. α-muurolene was identified as the sesquiterpene specific to receptive-phase as well as being present only during the day thus coinciding with the diurnal pollinator arrival pattern. Volatiles such as (E)-β-ocimene were present in increasing levels across the developmental stages of the fig and thus could act as background volatiles providing suitable information to fig wasps about host plants and their phases. Chapter 5 examines the responses of predatory and trophobiont-tending ant species to the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) extracts of four galler and two parasitoid fig wasp species associated with F. racemosa. Interestingly, the antennation response of both experienced and na¨ıve ants to these wasp extracts was identical indicating that prior exposure to such compounds is not necessary for eliciting such response. We also characterised these cuticular hydrocarbon extracts to find potential compounds which could as short-range cues for predatory ants. Ants were more responsive to the cuticular extracts of parasitoids rather than to those of galler wasps, implying that the CHC profile of carnivorous prey may contain more elicitors of aggressive behaviour in ants compared to herbivorous prey whose profiles may be more similar to those of their plant resources. We also find congruency between the cuticular profiles of parasitoids and their hosts suggesting that parasitoids could sequester compounds from their diet. Important findings and conclusions of the thesis are presented in Chapter 6. The first two parts of the appendices section discuss work carried out on alternative ways of analysing multivariate data sets such as plant volatiles and insect cuticular hydrocarbons. Appendix A details the use of Random Forests, an algorithm-based method of analysing complex data sets where there are more variables than samples, a situation akin to microarray data sets. This work illustrates the use of such techniques in chemical ecology, highlighting the potential pitfalls of classical multivariate tests and the advantages of newer more robust methods. Appendix B, an invited article following the publication of the earlier work, compares different data transformation procedures currently employed in such multivariate analysis. Appendix C details sex-specific differences in cuticular hydrocarbons of fig wasps, using the pollinator C. fusciceps as a case study.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between culture, affordance and proficiency. Further, to study the possibility of a cognitive gap between artists and the audience they design for, akin to the Designer-User gap in interaction design and user experience research. In order to contextualize the issue studied, relevant theories in ecological psychology, visual literacy, image interpretation and cognitive models are presented and discussed alongside contemporary industry issues that may have arisen from this type of cognitive gap. As artist and audience might have these vastly different interpretations of identical visual material, conveying or communicating specific design ideas or aesthetics may be compromised or lost in translation, negatively influencing visual communication. The study compared a set of individuals matching either the label of concept artist or target game audience on their unmediated reactions and mental heuristics when encountering a novel design from a familiar genre, using a method of concurrent verbalization. Results were discussed and compared to prevailing theories in cognition, user experience design and the presented research question. Said results indicate that there are distinct variations between how artists and audience apply their heuristics for unmediated design interpretation, although it also provides a few tentative suggestions as to a few methods in which said issue could be circumvented or surmounted.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to global biodiversity. A cornerstone of traditional conservation involves setting aside land as formally protected areas (PAs). However, for effective biological conservation in the long term there needs to be connectivity between these PAs. When possible, improved connectivity can be achieved using natural corridors at a landscape scale. Even better is to establish a network of corridors and nodes in the form of ecological networks (ENs). ENs are currently being employed by commercial forestry companies in South Africa. While larger corridors and nodes are considered optimum, factors other than design, such as management and environmental heterogeneity, have also been found to be important for species maintenance. This study aims to explore the role of corridor width in driving the composition of invertebrate assemblages across a transformed landscape in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and to investigate other possible environmental variables significant for species distributions. In Chapter 2, I investigated the contribution of smaller grassland corridors within a timber production matrix to overall biodiversity conservation using two important bioindicator taxa. Ants and dung beetles were sampled in grassland corridors of three size classes, plantation blocks and a nearby PA, iMpendle Nature Reserve. The two taxa showed differential responses to landscape level fragmentation. Dung beetles showed a decrease in species richness and corresponding increase in species turnover with increased fragmentation, while ants were unaffected, although counter intuitively smaller corridors even contained more unique ant species compared to larger corridors. Dung beetle assemblages also showed strong differences between the PA and grassland corridors. While the conservation effectiveness of large corridors undoubtedly exceeds that of smaller corridors, for ants it seems that smaller corridors contribute to their overall conservation within this production landscape. In Chapter 3, I explore the importance of spatial and environmental factors for species distribution across this landscape. Dung beetles were split into functional guilds according to size and nesting behaviour for analyses. Within grassland corridors, tunnelling dung beetle species richness was sensitive to landscape level fragmentation, especially for larger species, while elevation and vegetation type influenced ant species richness. Since rolling dung beetles showed a close association with the PA, the marked difference in dung beetle assemblages between these two land-uses may be due to the presence of pellet producing grazers in the protected area and their replacement by pat producing cattle in the grassland corridors. Other environmental variables that were found to be important for dung beetle species composition were elevation, vegetation type, and soil hardness. For ant species composition, only elevation was found to be important. In conclusion, as large corridors were comparable to the PA in dung beetle and ant species richness, ENs act as extensions of formally PAs, given that they are large enough. Nevertheless, smaller corridors had surprisingly high species richness. Including additional information other than species data improved our knowledge of the underlying factors that drive dung beetle species composition. Even though dung beetle and ant species responded differentially to habitat fragmentation, environmental heterogeneity seemed important for both taxa. Incorporating habitat heterogeneity into the current management scheme may improve the conservation effectiveness within this transformed landscape. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vermindering en fragmentasie van natuurlike habitat is ‘n groot bedreiging vir globale biodiversiteit. ‘n Belangrike tradisionele benadering tot natuurbewaring behels die afbakening van land vir formele beskermde areas (BAs). Ten einde effektiewe biologiese bewaring oor die langtermyn te verseker moet daar verbinding wees tussen hierdie BAs. Indien moontlik kan verbeterde verbinding verkry word deur die gebruik van natuurlike gange op ʼn landskaps-vlak. Nog beter is om ʼn netwerk van gange en nodes in die vorm van ekologies netwerke (ENe) saam te stel. ENe word tans deur kommersiële bosboumaatskappye in Suid Afrika aangewend. Terwyl groter gange en nodes as optimaal beskou word, is ander faktore behalwe ontwerp, soos bestuur en omgewingsheterogeniteit, ook al gevind as belangrik vir die onderhouding van spesies. Hierdie studie is gemik daarop om die rol van gangwydte as dryfkrag vir die samestelling van invertebraatversamelings oor ʼn getransformeerde landskap in KwaZulu-Natal, Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek, asook ander moontlike omgewingsveranderlikes wat belangrik vir spesiesverpreidings kan wees. In Hoofstuk 2 het ek die bydrae van kleiner gange tot totale biodiversiteit-bewaring ondersoek deur twee belangrike bio-indikator taxa te bestudeer. Miere en miskruiers is versamel in grasland-gange van drie grootte-klasse, plantasie blokke en ‘n naby geleë BA, iMpendle Natuurreservaat. Die twee taxa het verskillende reaksies tot landskaps-vlak fragmentasie getoon. Miskruiers het ‘n verlaging in spesiesrykheid en ‘n gesamentlike verhoging in spesiesomset met verhoogde fragmentasie gewys, terwyl miere nie geaffekteer is nie, alhoewel kleiner gange het trouens meer unieke mierspesies bevat as groter gange. Die miskruierversamelings in die BA het ook opmerklik verskil van dié in die grasland-gange. Alhoewel die bewaringsdoeltreffendheid van groot gange beslis dié van kleiner gange oorskry, kom dit voor dat kleiner gange wel bydra tot die totale bewaring van miere binne hierdie produksielandskap. In Hoofstuk 3 het ek die belangrikheid van ruimtelike en omgewingsfaktore vir spesiesverspreiding oor hierdie landskap ondersoek. Miskruiers is ook in funksionele groepe verdeel volgens grootte en nes-gedrag vir aparte analise. Binne grasland-gange was tonnellende miskruierspesies sensitief vir landskaps-vlak fragmentasie, veral groter spesies, terwyl hoogte bo seevlak en vegetasie tipe mier spesiesrykheid beïnvloed het. Aangesien rollende miskruierspesies ‘n nabye assosiasie met die BA gewys het, mag die opmerklike verskil in miskruier versamelings tussen hierdie twee grondgebruike ʼn gevolg wees van die aanwesigheid van korrel-mis produserend beweiders in die BA en hulle vervanging deur nat-mis produserende beeste in die grasland-gange. Omgewingsveranderlikes uitsluitende ganggrootte wat belangrik gevind is vir miskruier spesiessamestelling was hoogte bo seevlak, vegetasie tipe en grond-hardheid. Vir mier spesiessamestelling was slegs hoogte bo seevlak belangrik. Om af te sluit, aangesien groot gange vergelykbaar was met die BA in miskruier en mier spesiesrykheid, tree ENe op as uitbreidings van BAs, mits hulle groot genoeg is. Desnieteenstaande het kleiner gange ‘n verbasende hoë spesiesrykheid gehad, veral onder miere. Die insluiting van addisionele inligting buiten spesiesdata het ons kennis van die onderliggende faktore wat miskruier spesiessamestelling dryf verbeter. Alhoewel miskruier- en mierspesies verskillend gereageer het op habitat fragmentasie, het dit voorgekom asof omgewingsheterogeniteit belangrik was vir die spesiesverspreiding van beide taxa. Die insluiting van habitatheterogeniteit binne die huidige bestuursplan mag die doeltreffendheid van bewaring binne hierdie getransformeerde landskap verbeter.

Macroalgal blooms are increasing world-wide and have negative effects on benthic invertebrates and sediments. These include loss of species diversity and development of hostile sediment environments. This thesis considers ecological effects of Ulva lactuca L., and its mechanical removal on benthic invertebrates and sediments in Avon-Heathcote Estuary, New Zealand. Benthic communities comprised 34 species from 12 groups recorded from seven sites during seasonal general surveys. Dominant groups at each site were Gastropoda and Bivalvia. The most abundant species were Austrovenus stutchburyi, Micrelenchus tenebrosus and Amphibola crenata. Community composition varied significantly between sites, and there were significant site-specific differences in abundances of most species between winter and summer. U. lactuca had the greatest seasonal variation. Several species correlated with U. lactuca biomass, and the strength of correlation for different species varied between sites. There were seasonal changes in sediment physico-chemical variables between sites with greatest change in the silt/clay fraction. The sediment variables silt/clay fraction, dissolved oxygen and temperature correlated with seasonal changes of patterns in benthic community assemblages. A similar study was carried out by Bressington in 2003. In both studies, Bivalvia and Gastropoda were the most abundant groups, with Gastropoda having a higher, and Bivalvia a lower, proportion in the present study compared with 2003. Summer communities were significantly different between the two studies. Compared with 2003 there were higher percentages of sediment pore water and volatile solids present in 2005. Experimental removal of U. lactuca was conducted by mechanical broom at two sites: an open, exposed central sand flat, and McCormacks Bay, a shallow, sheltered mud flat. Removing U. lactuca had several immediate effects. These included a significant decrease in abundance of mobile epifauna (Micrelenchus tenebrosus and Zeacumantus subcarinatus) and an increase in abundance of infauna, including Arthritica bifurca and Austrovenus stutchburyi. There was no effect of U. lactuca removal on Austrovenus stutchburyi condition and 46 days following removal, invertebrate abundances approached pre-removal levels at each site. U. lactuca removal also caused short-term increases in dissolved oxygen and temperature of pore water. The greatest visual impact of removing U. lactuca was to sediments in McCormacks Bay from trampling. It was concluded that the variables having the greatest effect on seasonal species distribution and abundance at each site were temperature and sediment grain size. Differences between the present study and the study in 2003 were due to differences in sampling procedure mainly due to the two different quadrat sizes. Greater accuracy in representing long-term changes in ecosystems would be achieved by using standard sampling protocols. Removal of U. lactuca by mechanical broom was effective and had low impact on benthic invertebrates and physico-chemical variables, but it should be used only in sandy habitats because of severe disturbance to soft-sediment environments. Options for management and control of U. lactuca in Avon-Heathcote Estuary are discussed.

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No description available.