Ocean acidification and warming have been shown to affect a wide range of marine organisms and impact assemblages and ecosystems. Many of the species experiencing negative biological effects provide valuable ecosystem services, yet it is unclear how these biological effects will affect ecosystem services provision. This thesis aimed to appraise the consequences of ocean acidification and warming on important shellfish species, from physiology to provision of ecosystem services, using a multidisciplinary approach. The responses to ocean acidification and warming of two ecologically and commercially important species of oysters – the native European Flat oyster Ostrea edulis, and the non-native Pacific oyster Magallana gigas – were assessed in laboratory mesocosms following long-term exposures to a range of scenarios predicted for 2050 and 2100. Oysters provide numerous ecosystem services, including improvement of water quality, reef formation, and food provision, but are at risks from ocean acidification and other stressors due to negative impacts occurring at multiple life-stages and threatening reef maintenance and functioning (Chapter 1). The physiology of adult oysters appeared susceptible to ocean acidification and warming, with evident sub-lethal effects (Chapter 2). Magallana gigas experienced a greater degree of stress than O. edulis, displaying increased Standard Metabolic Rate, reduced Clearance Rate, and poorer Condition Indices. Reductions in Clearance Rates of M. gigas are especially concerning and may have important ecological impacts by limiting their ability to improve water quality in the future. The physiological changes experienced by individual oysters held important implications for the functioning of the reefs through changes in predation resistance. Again, M. gigas appeared to undergo more pronounced changes than O. edulis, displaying increased muscle strength but weakened shell strength. These changes are expected to alter its susceptibility to predators and influence community level interactions. Both O. edulis and M. gigas also underwent important changes to their biochemical composition with trends for impoverished nutritional quality, which holds direct implications on the provision of sea food. In particular, M. gigas contained lower lipid, carbohydrate, and protein levels, but higher contaminant concentration (copper); this change holds concerns for both future food security and future food safety. It was apparent that the physiological stress experienced (Chapter 2), led to significant energy reallocation from somatic growth to metabolism by depleting energetic reserves (Chapter 4), at the detriment of its nutritional quality. No negative effects on the eating quality of M. gigas (appearance, aroma, texture, taste, and overall acceptability) were recorded following a short-term exposure to ocean acidification and warming (Chapter 5), which was considered positive for the aquaculture sector. In order to secure future food provision and economic revenue, the UK aquaculture industry might need to reconsider its management strategy in the future, and encourage the production and consumption of O. edulis, in addition to the already popular M. gigas. It is clear that the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on oysters are multifaceted and occurring at multiple scales and levels of organisation. The risks to oysters and oyster reefs appear species-specific; in the UK, introduced M. gigas may be more vulnerable than native O. edulis. To secure benefits and minimise costs related to the management of introduced species, these findings could be integrated into the current management and conservation measures in place for these species and the reefs they can form.

There is an increase in the consideration of ecosystem services (ES) within the planning, policy, and research sectors. The increase in sectors working with ES is leading to an increase in scale mismatches, where ecosystem services are being mismanaged, leading to problems. Using a combination of methods these scale issues were investigated. A systematic review of both scientific and grey literature was undertaken which analysed 112 documents and led to a survey of 72 subjects who were working with ES across different sectors, and finally 19 in-depth interviews were undertaken, in order to understand fully the scale issues, and potential solutions being used. The systematic review found that a lot of ecosystem service scientific literature was based on, or had connections with, the global issue of climate change, this was in contrast to the survey that found that both researchers and those in policy are working at a regional spatial scale or below. The in-depth interviews attributed this to many factors including the pressure to publish in high-impact journals, and applying for funding. The survey found that the different sectors are working at different scales, and where they do work at the same scale, the definition they place on that scale term is different. The survey and in-depth interviews found that funding can influence the extent of a project and funding timelines lead into the temporal scale of a project. Funding can encourage collaboration with stakeholders and between sectors in order to pool resources and expertise. Alongside clarity of terms used and expectations for the project, collaboration was also put forward as one of the methods which can alleviate scale mismatches.

This thesis presents a local interpretation of an ecosystem approach; 'energyscapes' constructed through mixed methods, which captures private estate manager perception on land use, woodland expansion and collaboration over four case study areas in the Scottish Highlands. Each case study area of three contiguous estates forms a small landscape cluster, with every estate participating in field interviews, woodland planning and collaborative discussions. Private estates in Scotland cover a significant area of the Highlands and are dominated by traditional sporting interests and recreation that is not always considered compatible with woodland expansion, creating a culture of woodland neglect. Subsequently planting rates are falling and Scottish government woodland expansion targets are not being met, despite large areas of vacant land. Key areas of estate and woodland resilience are identified by land managers to improve social and structural connectivity using the novel landscape resilience mapping method, which presents land manager perceptions over a spatial scale linked to resilience concepts. The Forest Energy Tool developed in response to the need for economic justification for woodland expansion demonstrates the potential profitability of local woodfuel markets, as well as providing silvicultural treatments for further management aims. Estate resilience involves fostering effective integration between sporting uses, renewable energy and enhanced rural markets, such as value added forestry. Ecosystem approaches are normally expressed through aspirational policy that is difficult to translate into relevant practice for individual land managers. Energyscapes provides meaning to ecosystem approach policy through CBD principles and operational guidelines, and local practice; including integration of hydro schemes, forest energy and carbon sequestration at estate level and bridging of local and regional scales through six land manager identified landscape partnerships. However, developing leadership, as well as expertise and social capacity in landscape management, is required to mobilise such frameworks. Fundamental to realising these local ecosystem approaches is land manager trust and confidence, which can generate support for emerging land uses alongside tradition, increasing resilience by capturing and utilising the culture embedded within the landscape.

This Ph.D. Thesis is focused mainly on the biology of two typical European predatory fishes, European catfish (Silurus glanis) and perch (Perca fluviatilis). Catfish is a typical apex predator, whereas perch is a smaller species that plays role of a mesopredator. Although, catfish is the third largest freshwater fish in the world, only few studies dealing with this species have been revealed thus far. The main reason is connected with capturing of the species that is inefficient by standard ichthyologic methods. Studies, that have been revealed recently, focused mainly on expansions of catfish to the West and South Europe. Catfish is unwanted in these localities due to a potential negative impact on native fish community, thus its reduction is desirable. In contrast, catfish occurrence is important in native localities where it plays a key role as a biomanipulative species (I). Catfish is a true generalist, which is a typical feature for large-bodied apex predators connected with high energy consumption of their bodies. The second typical feature is a wide diet plasticity and thus good adaptability to new food sources. It is associated with distribution of various food sources among individuals within the population (II). By contrast, perch is one of the most studied fish in the world and hundreds of studies with IF are revealed every year. However, the more information about biology of perch have been known, the more questions have been arisen. Several phenomena are revealed also in this thesis. For instance, crucial impact of juvenile perch on the entire ecosystem is described. High predation pressure on zooplankton may induce piscivory in primarily zooplanktivorous fish (III). Further, juvenile perch utilize hypoxic pelagic zones as a refuge against predation (IV). The last surprising phenomenon is described in the study dealing with both species, catfish and perch. Their coexistence may lead in strong discrimination of one species caused by special predation that was supposed to be implausible (V).

In the greater Central Hardwood Region, advance regeneration of oak (Quercus spp.) and hickory (Carya spp.) has been in decline for several decades. Facilitated in part by an abrupt change in disturbance regime, coupled with an increase in herbivore density, the existing mid-successional, mast-producing species are being outcompeted by late-successional, mesophytic species. Oak-hickory forests provide keystone resources for a diverse forest wildlife community, and a decline in its dominance will likely impact habitat use and occupancy patterns in the mammal community, but to what extent is unclear. During May-August 2015-2016, I deployed 150 remotely-triggered camera traps in Trail of Tears State Forest (TTSF), Union County, Illinois to investigate single-season, site occupancy patterns and detection probabilities as a function of forest composition and structure for 3 mammals (eastern gray squirrel [Sciurus carolinensis], raccoon [Procyon lotor], and white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]). I collected microhabitat data at each camera-site and utilized a GIS application to estimate spatial relationships among anthropogenic features and camera-sites. I recorded 404 photographs of 11 endothermic species during 3927 days of survey effort, with white-tailed deer, raccoons, and eastern gray squirrels as the most detected species, respectively. Detection probability of eastern gray squirrels was best explained by the global detection model, indicating no covariate measured explained the variation in detection rates. Raccoon detection probability was best described by a negative relationship with the average temperature recorded during survey period. The best-fitting detection model for white-tailed deer indicated detection probabilities declined throughout the sampling period and across seasons. Eastern gray squirrel site occupancy models received little support, however, ecological land type phase was the most supported model. The best fitting habitat model described a negative relationship between eastern gray squirrel site occupancy probability and coarse woody debris volume. For raccoons, no model with habitat covariates was better fitting than the null model. Raccoon occupancy probability increased with maximum DBH at a site, ground cover, and beech-maple importance values, but decreased with oak-hickory importance values. White-tailed deer occupancy was most positively influenced by ground cover and oak-hickory importance values, but decreased with distance to forest edge, number of understory stems, and beech-maple importance values. My research provides empirical evidence to predictions made regarding the impact of a decline in oak dominance across the Central Hardwood region on a portion of the region’s mammal community. Shifts to late-successional conditions in the Central Hardwood region will likely continue and magnify if forest management approaches continue to minimize the frequency and occurrence of large, anthropogenic disturbances to the forest overstory. A mosaic of forest conditions will be needed to best support a diverse and complete mammal community across the region.

Made available in DSpace on 2013-01-07T15:55:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 33.pdf: 753084 bytes, checksum: 90a243b4028baa5304fd039d9a2867dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as relações entre doenças, conhecimento e ocupação do território na Comissão de Linhas Telegráficas Estratégicas de Mato Grosso ao Amazonas (CLTEMA), que, entre 1907 e 1915, atravessou de sul a norte amplas regiões do que hoje são os estados de Mato Grosso, Rondônia e Amazonas na faina de instalar uma linha telegráfica que seria responsável pela integração destas regiões às principais cidades brasileiras. Procuro mostrar que a construção de linhas e estações telegráficas foi apenas parte de um projeto mais ambicioso, que previa a defesa das fronteiras brasileiras, contatos com sociedades indígenas, investigações científicas, e, sobretudo, a ocupação produtiva daquela porção do território nacional que os membros da Comissão chamavam de sertões do noroeste . No entanto, a Comissão encontrou um sem número de dificuldades para ocumprimento daqueles objetivos, entre os quais a animosidade de alguns grupos indígenas; as dificuldades de transporte numa região bastante acidentada e praticamente inexplorada; as constantes chuvas somadas a períodos de calor inclemente; e, finalmente, as doenças o grande martírio dos expedicionários que retardaram e até mesmo interromperam diversos trabalhos em curso nos sertões do noroeste . Os relatórios médicos da Comissão, principal documentação utilizada nessa dissertação, nos permitem entrever que o seu fracasso na tarefa de promover a ocupação do noroeste do território brasileiro deveu-se, em grande parte, ao obstáculo representado pelas doenças, que, além de afetarem aqueles que estavam na região, amedrontavam os seus possíveis colonizadores, afastando-os .

FLORES, Lilian Maria Araújo de. A importância dos habitats naturais no entorno de plantações de cajueiro anão precoce (Anacardium occidentale L.) para o sucesso reprodutivo. 2012. 44 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em ecologia e recursos naturais)- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2012. / Submitted by Elineudson Ribeiro (elineudsonr@gmail.com) on 2016-05-24T17:50:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_dis_lmaflores.pdf: 1439184 bytes, checksum: 2c8f58333da51b8133cf592613637010 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by José Jairo Viana de Sousa (jairo@ufc.br) on 2016-05-27T20:39:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_dis_lmaflores.pdf: 1439184 bytes, checksum: 2c8f58333da51b8133cf592613637010 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-27T20:39:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_dis_lmaflores.pdf: 1439184 bytes, checksum: 2c8f58333da51b8133cf592613637010 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / The expansion of the agriculture has led to the changes in the natural habitat and the reduction of pollinators. The cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is an economically important cultivated crop in Northeastern Brazil due to its nut, oil and cashew apple production. However, changes in the landscape may have been causing low fruit set. Our aim was to assess the importance of natural habitats conservation to the provision of pollinators to cultivated cashew orchards. To do so, we observed the importance of the natural areas on the abundance and richness of the floral visitors and the effect of these interactions on the cashew’s reproductive success. We carried out the study in the municipality of Horizonte, Ceará, from July to December 2011. We collected all floral visitors and reported the fruiting rate (fruit/flower ratio) in cashew crops near fragments of native vegetation at different distances. Our results show that the cashew relies on visiting insects for fruit set. Bees and wasps were the main visitors, with the former being the most frequent. Also, the quality of the natural habitat has great influence on the number of species and density of the visitors in the orchard. Our findings show the importance of ecosystem services to these cultivated cashew orchards. / A expansão da agricultura tem levado à alteração nos habitats naturais e à drástica redução de polinizadores. Uma cultura economicamente importante para o nordeste do Brasil é o cajueiro (Anacardium occidentale L.) devido à sua produção de castanha, óleo e pseudofruto. Entretanto, as alterações na paisagem podem estar ocasionando baixo rendimento em sua frutificação. Este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir a importância da conservação de habitats naturais para o fornecimento de polinizadores ao cajueiro cultivado. Para alcançar este objetivo, experimentos foram realizados a fim de observar a importância dos habitats naturais no entorno de plantações de cajueiro para a abundância e a riqueza de visitantes florais e consequentemente para o sucesso reprodutivo do cajueiro. O estudo foi desenvolvido no município de Horizonte – CE entre julho e dezembro de 2011, em plantios de caju próximos a fragmentos de vegetação nativa. Foram coletados todos os visitantes florais do cajueiro a diferentes distâncias do habitat natural. Os principais grupos coletados foram abelhas e vespas, com frequência de visitação significativamente maior das abelhas. Foi observado o percentual de frutificação (razão fruto/flor), onde o cajueiro demonstrou dependência dos insetos polinizadores para a produção de frutos. Como resultado, a qualidade do habitat natural apresentou influência sobre o número de espécies e a densidade dos insetos visitantes do plantio, demonstrando a importância dos serviços prestados pelo ecossistema a esses plantios de caju.

Thesis purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate which circumstances technology entrepreneurs believe facilitate innovation, in the context of developing countries, and in Ghana in particular. Additionally, to explore the institutional and environmental factors that enable or prevent innovative activity from taking place in the technology startup ecosystem. Methodology: Multiple case qualitative research study of the Ghanaian technology entrepreneurship ecosystem. Data collection by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 technology entrepreneurs in Accra, Ghana. The data collection and analysis process is inspired by the phenomenography approach. Theoretical framework: Theoretical concepts found in the literature on entrepreneurship and innovation. The institutional pillars of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, developed by GEDI (Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute), are discussed and applied in the analysis of the interview results. Conclusions: This paper identifies a number of areas where the majority of the entrepreneurs reported having similar experiences and challenges. Many of the challenges are related to institutional factors such as regulation and bureaucratic processes. Despite this, the technology entrepreneurship system in Ghana is growing, and the country offers a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs. Ultimately, to facilitate innovation further, the institutional environment requires change in a number of areas, in order to better support technology entrepreneurs, and to create an enabling environment in which they can act on and take advantage of the opportunities that exist.

Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. Quantifying these benefits and understanding how they may change under multiple future pressures, such as climate change or land use change, is a highly uncertain exercise. In managing ecosystems to be resilient to future changes, natural resource managers need the most accurate information available, but also need to be informed of when and where they can be confident, or not, in projections of change. In this thesis, I address many of the key aspects of uncertainty in projections of change in ecosystem services, with a particular focus on challenges in West Africa. I show where and for what variables climate models may be reliably used in ecological studies, providing important advice for interpreting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. Furthermore, I show that uncertainty in climate observations can also have a significant impact on climate change adaptation decisions at both the species level and in terms of protected area management. I also address how vegetation in West Africa may respond to future climate change. I found that even after uncertainties in climate and land use were considered, carbon storage in West African tropical forests was projected to increase where forest degradation remained low or reduced; vegetation productivity was projected to increase in all parts of West Africa, with the exception of locations in the West Sahel where the largest reductions in precipitation were projected; and, importantly for protected areas, ecosystems were projected to shift northwards despite uncertainty in precipitation projections. I also show the sensitivity of 3 major land surface models to uncertainty in vegetation mapping, thereby providing guidance to the remote sensing community on priorities to improve land cover mapping and to the earth system modelling community on bounds of uncertainty in carbon, moisture and energy budgets due to vegetation mapping uncertainties. Lastly, in using the latest land-atmosphere coupled convection-resolving model, I show that it is possible to simulate the observed interaction between landscape heterogeneity and local and regional scale precipitation in West Africa. This provides a timely and relevant tool that will allow scientists and natural resource managers to more accurately assess the impact of changes in land use on the regional climate of West Africa.

abstract: Sustainability requires developing the capacity to manage difficult tradeoffs to advance human livelihoods now and in the future. Decision-makers are recognizing the ecosystem services approach as a useful framework for evaluating tradeoffs associated with environmental change to advance decision-making towards holistic solutions. In this dissertation I conduct an ecosystem services assessment on the Yongding River Ecological Corridor in Beijing, China. I developed a `10-step approach' to evaluate multiple ecosystem services for public policy. I use the 10-step approach to evaluate five ecosystem services for management from the Yongding Corridor. The Beijing government created lakes and wetlands for five services (human benefits): (1) water storage (groundwater recharge), (2) local climate regulation (cooling), (3) water purification (water quality), (4) dust control (air quality), and (5) landscape aesthetics (leisure, recreation, and economic development). The Yongding Corridor is meeting the final ecosystem service levels for landscape aesthetics, but the new ecosystems are falling short on meeting final ecosystem service levels for water storage, local climate regulation, water purification, and dust control. I used biophysical models (process-based and empirically-based), field data (biophysical and visitor surveys), and government datasets to create ecological production functions (i.e., regression models). I used the ecological production functions to evaluate how marginal changes in the ecosystems could impact final ecosystem service outcomes. I evaluate potential tradeoffs considering stakeholder needs to recommend synergistic actions for addressing priorities while reducing service shortfalls. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2014