Sustainable management of natural resources requires an in-depth understanding of the interplay between social and ecological change. Linked social-ecological systems (SES) have been described as complex adaptive systems (CAS), which mean that they are irreducible, exhibit nonlinear dynamics, have interactions across scales and are uncertain and unpredictable. These propositions have however rarely been tested empirically, in part due to a lack of methodological approaches and suitable datasets. In this thesis, I address this methodological and empirical gap in a study of long-term change of Baltic Sea fisheries. In Paper I, we develop the concept of fishing style through integrating multivariate statistical analysis and in-depth interviews. We thereby identify an intermediate level of detail for analyzing social-ecological dynamics, embracing the case specific and context dependent approaches of the social sciences with the generalizable and quantifiable approaches from the natural sciences. In Paper II we ask: How has the Baltic Sea fishery been regulated over time, and can we identify a way to quantify regulations in order to be able to analyze their effects? We analyze all regulatory changes in Sweden since 1995 with a new methodology and conclude that there is a clear trend towards increased micro-management. In Paper III, we use the fishing styles developed in Paper I and examine how they have changed over time. We relate these changes to the dynamics of regulation (Paper II), as well as to the dynamics of fish stocks and prices. We conclude that regulation has been the main driving force for observed changes, but also that regulation has prompted significant specialization and decline in flexibility for fishers over time. These changes are unintended consequences and may represent a looming risk for the long-term sustainability of this social-ecological system. Paper IV zooms in on a particular fishery, the pelagic trawl fishery for sprat Sprattus sprattus and Atlantic herring Clupea harengus, mainly targeted for the production of fishmeal and fish oil. Suspicions of non-compliance in this fishery motivated us to apply a statistical approach where we used socioeconomic data to re-estimate the historical catches in this fishery (a novel approach to catch-reconstruction estimates). We found that catches had been significantly underreported over several years, with consequences for the quality of stock assessments and management. The study underlines the importance of understanding linked social, economic and ecological dynamics for sustainable outcomes. Finally, Paper V takes a longer historical look at the Baltic Sea fishery, using regionally disaggregated data from 1914-2009 (96 years), which were analyzed with a novel type of nonlinear statistical time-series methods (Empirical Dynamical Modeling). Our analysis explicitly recognized the potential nonlinear dynamics of SES and showed high predictability across regions of catches and prices of cod Gadus morhua and herring. The signal was generally nonlinear and predictability decreased strongly with time, suggesting that the dynamics of this SES are ever-changing. To our knowledge, this is the first long-term analysis of a SES using empirical data and methods developed from the CAS field of research. The main contributions of this thesis are the integrated analysis of social and ecological data, the development of novel methods for understanding SES dynamics, insights on the ever-changing nature of CAS and the quantitative analysis of management outcomes. Future work should focus on assessing the generality of these findings across a broad range of SES and evaluate alternative governance approaches given the complexity and uncertainty of SES suggested by this thesis. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Berichte: Nährstoffgehalte der Fruchtarten im Ökologischen Landbau --- Wirkungsgrad organischer Düngemittel auf Ertrag und Qualität von Kartoffeln im Ökologischen Landbau --- Bekämpfung der Kraut- und Knollenfäule im Ökokartoffelanbau --- Anforderungen an die Humusbilanzierung in der Praxis des Ökologischen Landbaus --- Zur Intensität des Striegeleinsatzes gemessen an der Bodenbewegung unter Laborbedingungen und an einem Feldbestand von Wintergerste

M. Tech. Comparative Local Development. Department of Economics / Indigenous knowledge is the systematic body of knowledge acquired by local people through accumulation of formal and informal experiences, as well as intimate understanding of the environment in a given culture. This study was aimed at reviewing the current indigenous knowledge systems in South Africa, with particular emphasis on its preservation and as a tool for development.

Ecological momentary assessment provides a unique way of studying quality of life factors of colorectal cancer patients. It has yet to be used to study the behavioral expression of distress or depression by colorectal cancer patients. The current study utilized the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) technology to capture the daily activities and conversations of forty-eight adults with colorectal cancer. The study had two purposes: 1) to test the feasibility of the EAR with colorectal cancer patients; 2) to examine separate (self-report and behavioral) indicators of physical functioning, coping, and social support for their relationship to depression. Study participants wore the EAR, a portable digital recorder, for two consecutive days as the EAR recorded 30 seconds every 12.5 minutes. The EAR digital data were transcribed and analyzed for behavioral and linguistic indicators of physical functioning, coping, and social support. The acoustic data were analyzed using the standardized coding system Social Environment Coding of Sound Inventory (SECSI) and the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC2007) computer program. The results provided preliminary evidence that the EAR operated as a feasible and non-disruptive tool for gathering naturalistic data about colorectal patients’ lives. The EAR data revealed information about both the colorectal patients’ internal emotional world as well as their external world which was characterized by solitary acts of daily living. Study subjects were more likely to accept and receive tangible support from others than directly discuss their cancer with others. Analysis of language found that personal disclosure to others was associated with coping through emotional support while causation words (e.g., because, effect, hence) were significantly related with self-report cognitive scales. Furthermore, the study found that first-person singular pronouns were associated not only with depression, but with appraisal of social support. Lastly, a predictive model was tested to see whether self-reported tangible and emotional support and behavioral coding of emotional support each contributed uniquely to the prediction of depression. Only self-reported tangible support was found to significantly predict depression. / text

This is a presentation that was prepared by Dr. Kathleen Van Vlack. This presentation is focused on a form of traditional hand fishing practiced in the Exumas, Bahamas known as grubbing.

This dissertation is a comparative international study of attitudes towards climate change. Using multilevel models, individual level data from the 2005-2008 wave of the World Values Survey, and country level data from the 2010 Climate Risk Index and the World Bank, this research identifies the factors associated with concern for global warming and support for various environmental policies and behaviors in economically developed, transitioning, and developing countries. The first paper addresses an ongoing debate in environmental sociology about the extent to which concern for environmental problems is a result of the objective deterioration of environmental conditions or subjective values among environmentally-oriented individuals. Findings indicate that a country's recent experience with climate-related environmental disasters has little to no effect on concern for global warming. Some support is found for the subjective values explanation, especially in countries at the most advanced stage of economic development. The second paper frames climate change as an asymmetrical social dilemma and tests whether four distinct citizenship identities are associated with the odds an individual considers global warming a very serious problem. This study finds that identifying as world citizens and autonomous individuals increases the odds an individual judges global warming very serious, while identifying as national citizens or local community members has no relationship with evaluations of global warming. The third paper examines the impact of numerous measures of security/vulnerability on individual willingness to make environment-economy trade-offs. The data reveal that higher household incomes, residing in a country with higher per capita GDP, and higher rates of adult literacy are positively associated with prioritizing environmental protection over economic growth. However, residents of economically developing countries (or countries designated Non-Annex I by the Kyoto Protocol) are also much more likely to express willingness to donate personal income for the protection of the environment compared to residents of developed (Annex I) countries. The findings from these three studies have implications for sociological research on the relationship between economic inequality and environmental attitudes, the conditions under which international cooperation on climate is more or less likely, and the quest for climate justice.

No description available.

Οι περιοχές του ευρωπαϊκού οικολογικού Δικτύου Natura 2000 είναι περιοχές πρόσφορες για την ανάπτυξη πολλαπλών ήπιων τουριστικών δραστηριοτήτων, που έχουν σκοπό την ηρεμία, την απομόνωση, την αισθητική απόλαυση του τοπίου καθώς και τη γνωριμία με το φυσικό περιβάλλον. Η πολύτιμη αξία και η αναγκαιότητα προστασίας και ανάδειξης του φυσικού πλούτου που τις διακρίνει, απαιτούν την υιοθέτηση και εφαρμογή μίας πολυεπίπεδης στρατηγικής, αποτελούμενης από εξειδικευμένα έργα, μέτρα και δράσεις, με σκοπό τη συστηματικότερη διαφύλαξη και διαχείριση των εν λόγω περιοχών και κατ’ επέκταση την εξασφάλιση της βιώσιμης τουριστικής τους ανάπτυξής. Στην παρούσα εργασία θα εξετασθεί η προστατευμένη περιοχή τους ορούς βόρα. Η οποια είναι μια εκτεταμένη περιοχή από συνεχόμενα δάση , βαθιές κοιλάδες και βοσκοτόπους. Εκτός από τα παραπάνω η περιοχή διαθέτει και θερμά λουτρά στο Λουτράκι Αριδαίας τα οποία και επισκέπτονται καθ’ολη την διάρκεια του χρόνου πληθώρα επισκεπτών. Η έρευνα, με τη βοήθεια ενός κατάλληλα διαμορφωμένου ερωτηματολογίου, εξετάζει τα ατομικά χαρακτηριστικά των επισκεπτών, τις δραστηριότητες που αυτοί ασκούν κατά την επίσκεψής τους, τις προτιμήσεις τους, καθώς και τις απόψεις και παρατηρήσεις τους για τα όσα η περιοχή διαθέτει και προσφέρει. Από την ανάλυση και επεξεργασία των απαντήσεων που δόθηκαν, εξάγονται χρήσιμα συμπεράσματα για την εκτίμηση της παρούσας κατάστασης, με απώτερο σκοπό την γενικότερη αναβάθμιση των εν λόγω περιοχών και την επίτευξη μίας ορθολογικής και αποτελεσματικής διαχείρισης, μέσω της ουσιαστικής βελτίωσης της ποιότητας των υπαρχουσών εγκαταστάσεων, υποδομών και παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών, έτσι ώστε να είναι ανταγωνιστικές και πιο ελκυστικές για όσους επιλέγουν τέτοιους είδους προορισμούς. / The regions of European ecological Network Natura 2000 are regions expedient for the growth of multiple soft tourist activities, that has aim the calm, the isolation, the aesthetic enjoyment of landscape as well as the acquaintance with the natural environment. The precious value and the necessity of protection and appointment of natural wealth that distinguishes him, require the adoption and application of multileveled strategy, constituted from specialised work, metres and action, aiming at the more systematic safeguarding and management of regions in question and at extension the guarantee of their viable tourist growth. In the present work will be examined the protected region the terms [bora]. Whoever is a extensive region from possessed forests, deep valleys and pasture lands. Apart from more the region allocates also hot baths in [Loytraki] [Aridaias] which they visit also at the all duration of time abundance of visitors. The research, with the help of suitably shaped questionnaire, examines the individual characteristics of visitors, the activities that these practise at their visit, their preferences, as well as the opinions and their observations for that the region allocates and offers. From the analysis and treatment of answers that was given, are exported useful conclusions on the estimate of present situation, with final aim the more general upgrade of regions in question and the achievement a rational and effective management, via the essential improvement of quality of existing installations, infrastructures and provided services, so as to they are competitive and more attractive for those who they select such type destinations.

This presentation is focused on the importance of plants at Pipestone National Monument. This presentation highlights key findings from the original ethnobotany study.

Competition over freshwater resources is increasing at local and global scales. Growing urban and suburban centers utilize surface and groundwater resources to meet municipal, industrial, and agricultural demands, often at the expense of riparian ecosystems. Paradoxically, those same urban centers produce a significant volume of treated effluent that can be reused to restore and sustain riparian systems. Use of effluent as a source of water for the environment raises important questions about the benefits and impacts of effluent on riparian functions and ecosystem services, particularly in the context of climate change and drought conditions. This dissertation addresses knowledge gaps surrounding riparian change and resilience along the effluent-dominated Upper Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. Appendix A investigates whether the Netleaf hackberry (Celtis laevigata var. reticulata) tree can provide accurate information on historic changes in climatic and hydrological conditions. Results indicate that hackberry trees do record climate-related stress in annual ring-width patterns and can therefore provide a historic frame of reference against which to compare current and future changes in riparian conditions. Appendix B documents spatial and temporal patterns of effluent uptake by Fremont cottonwood trees (Populus fremontii) through development of a new application for dendrochronology, specifically dendrochemistry. Results show that annual tree rings contain temporally variable concentrations of a micropollutant found only in effluent and may have the potential to record spatial and temporal patterns of effluent dispersion in riparian ecosystems. Appendix C investigates the complex interactions of ecohydrological conditions that led to a riparian mortality event along the Upper Santa Cruz River in 2005. Effluent is shown to contribute to riparian vegetation expansion, but also, due to its consistent delivery of nutrients and water, homogenize the system and ultimately diminish its resilience to perturbations and stress. Results highlight the paradoxical nature of effluent as both a contributor to riparian growth and a potential impediment to riparian function. This paradox can be resolved through a well-defined effluent impact monitoring and assessment program that incorporates historic information as well as current trends to detect significant changes in ecosystem functions and services.