The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) initiatives with the business community by the South Florida Commuter Assistance Program (CAP). To determine this effectiveness, the south Florida CAP was compared with the two other CAPs operating in the state, by analyzing independent evaluations of the program, and by conducting eight individual company case studies. Independent evaluations of the south Florida CAP for the years 1997 - 2000 were analyzed and found to have increasing trends in the number of companies adopting TDM initiatives. In addition, each case was selected from the numerous companies participating with the south Florida CAP. It was determined that companies with support from upper management adopted TDM initiatives more readily. The findings demonstrated that the south Florida CAPs initiatives have been successful in working with the business community to adopt TDM initiatives. In its conclusions, the study offers further suggestions on what actions should be taken in the future to implement TDM initiatives.

This research documents submarine groundwater discharge along the shore of Biscayne Bay. Seepage meters and groundwater monitoring wells, between the outlets of Mowry and Military Canals, were used to quantify groundwater discharge, nutrient concentration and loading. Discharge is greatest 185 m offshore and then decreases to zero 400 m offshore. Total discharge is 20.6 m3 m-1 d-1. The location of discharge is controlled by distance from shore and sediment characteristics. Generally, nutrient concentrations were highest in groundwater flowing through seepage meters, followed in decreasing order; shallow groundwater, deep groundwater and surface water. The ratios of Mowry Canal nutrient loading and groundwater nutrient loading is 6:1, 7:1, and 14:1 for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, respectively. Groundwater nutrient loading calculations indicate a negative impact on the Biscayne Bay estuary. Managers should address the source of the elevated nutrient concentrations and determine effective ways to reduce the negative effects of groundwater discharge.

Classification procedures, including atmospheric correction satellite images as well as classification performance utilizing calibration and validation at different levels, have been investigated in the context of a coarse land-cover classification scheme for the Pachitea Basin. Two different correction methods were tested against no correction in terms of reflectance correction towards a common response for pseudo-invariant features (PIF). The accuracy of classifications derived from each of the three methods was then assessed in a discriminant analysis using crossvalidation at pixel, polygon, region, and image levels. Results indicate that only regression adjusted images using PIFs show no significant difference between images in any of the bands. A comparison of classifications at different levels suggests though that at pixel, polygon, and region levels the accuracy of the classifications do not significantly differ between corrected and uncorrected images. Spatial patterns of land-cover were analyzed in terms of colonization history, infrastructure, suitability of the land, and landownership. The actual use of the land is driven mainly by the ability to access the land and markets as is obvious in the distribution of land cover as a function of distance to rivers and roads. When considering all rivers and roads a threshold distance at which disproportional agro-pastoral land cover switches from over represented to under represented is at about 1km. Best land use suggestions seem not to affect the choice of land use. Differences in abundance of land cover between watersheds are more prevailing than differences between colonist and indigenous groups.

The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes in forms of riparian zone land use between a native and a colonist community of the Palcazu basin in Peru. Data were gathered through a survey of 79 settler households and an ethnographic study. The results showed that riparian zones are highly valued for the conservation of fertile lowland soils by both communities. Statistical tests showed that riparian land use practices (including non-riparian land use) in both communities are similar; only significant differences were found in the percentage of protection fringe forested, in the area of riparian zone under use and in the importance of riparian zones for the householders. Contextual circumstances in both communities are similar and markets are distant. My research also suggests that there is nothing inherent in the culture of either Yanesha peoples or colonists that leads them to open more or less agricultural land.

A screening level ecological risk assessment (SERA) was completed to evaluate the potential risks of pesticides found in water in the lower Canal 111 (C-111) Basin and adjacent tidal zones in South Florida. This risk assessment was conducted under general U.S. EPA guidelines and focuses on effects of water exposure to the herbicides atrazine and metolachlor and to the insecticides chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and malathion. Results found that the highest potential risk was associated with the acute effects of endosulfan to freshwater arthropods at sites near water control structure S-178 and Canal 111e, a branch of C-111. The highest potential risk of acute effects of endosulfan for saltwater organisms was in Joe Bay, which receives discharges from C-111. Results from evaluations of risk of chronic effects from pesticide exposure show that the highest potential risk is associated with endosulfan in freshwater.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the interrelations between the needs of local people and their usage and management of natural fisheries. Between June and August 2001, 177 households in the basin were interviewed regarding their fishing customs. The results were analyzed with parametric and nonparametric statistics considering a cultural and a geographic comparison. Results confirm that indigenous households rely more on fisheries as a resource than colonists. Fishing takes place throughout the year but is more common in the dry season. Fishing is commonly practiced using hooks and cast nets. More destructive techniques such as dynamite and "barbasco" (poisonous plant) were also used. Indigenous people use a greater array of techniques and they fish at a greater diversity of sites. Respondents also reported that fishing yields have decreased recently. Some of the most common fish genera captured are Pimelodus and Leporinus.

Non native plants are a threat to ecosystems across the globe, some delicate ecosystems like those in South Florida are in greater danger because of the large number of endemics at risk. Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum) has become one of the most invasive and destructive weeds in southern Florida. To date different efforts have been made to control its growth and spread but have not been successful. In light of the highly delicate ecosystem affected by L. microphyllum, a biological paradigm may be a more ecologically sound approach to the containment of this obnoxious weed. The fungus Myrothecium verrucaria, has been identified as a possible bioherbicide against L. microphyllum. A series of greenhouse studies demonstrated that M. verrucaria serves as an effective biocontrol agent against L. microphyllum severely affecting over 75% of ferns while having very little impact on non target plants (less than 5% infected, none severely). This type of biocontrol strategy to restore native ecosystems is cost effective and environmentally friendly.

The fate and persistence of the pesticide, fenitrothion (O,O-dimethyl-O (3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)phosphorothioate) was monitored in the presence of the alga Chlamydomonas segnis Ettl. Under natural sunlight (800 w m$\sp{-2}$) and Vita Lite$\sp{\rm R}$ high intensity fluorescent lamps (Dura Test, 50 w m$\sp{-2}$, 290-700 nm), there was 10 to 20 times the uptake of $\sp $C ring-labelled fenitrothion into live and freeze-killed algae as compared to dark conditions. The accumulated label in both the live and freeze-killed algae (with nonfunctioning electron transport systems) was identified as polar metabolites of fenitrothion, their identical percentages suggesting photophysical reactions. As a consequence of increased uptake and degradation of fenitrothion by live algae, the fenitrothion half-life in the media decreased by approximately one half in the presence of algae and light, as compared to lighted media controls. When accumulation experiments were repeated under anaerobic conditions, polar metabolites were reduced by 50%. Further, as increased pigment chlorosis correlated with increased polar metabolites, it is suggested that photooxidation of fenitrothion by singlet oxygen could have been a degradation route. Fenitrothion photolysis was accelerated by the aquatic alga, Chlamydomonas segnis.

Water samples from the Raisin River, Grand River, Lake Simcoe and St. Lawrence River were irradiated in the laboratory for up to 10 d under fluorescent lamps with maximum irradiance in the ultraviolet B waveband (at 310 nm). These waters were chosen to represent a range of dissolved organic carbon (DOC - 30.3, 17.4, 4.4 and 1.9 mg C L-1, respectively). Changes in toxicity of Cu, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni and Cd to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in response to irradiation depended on sample source and on the metal tested. Newington Bog water (35.5mg C L-1) was irradiated for 20 d under UVB lamps in the laboratory and under natural solar radiation. Further experiments were performed using a second sample of Raisin River water (20.7 mg C L-1) exposed to 20 d artificial UVA and UVB radiation at or below the maximum irradiance of natural solar radiation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) used in concert with statistical and geostatistical software provide the geologist with a powerful tool for processing, visualizing and analysing geoscience data for mineral exploration applications. This thesis focuses on different methods for analysing, visualizing and integrating geochemical data sampled from various media (rock, till, soil, humus), with other types of geoscience data. Different methods for defining geochemical anomalies and separating geochemical anomalies due to mineralization from other lithologic or surficial factors (i.e. true from false anomalies) are investigated. With respect to lithogeochemical data, this includes methods to distinguish between altered and un-altered samples, methods (normalization) for identifying lithologic from mineralization effects, and various statistical and visual methods for identifying anomalous geochemical concentrations from background. With respect to surficial geochemical data, methods for identifying bedrock signatures, and scavenging effects are presented. In addition, a new algorithm, the dispersal train identification algorithm (DTIA), is presented which broadly helps to identify and characterize anisotropies in till data due to glacial dispersion and more specifically identifies potential dispersal trains using a number of statistical parameters. The issue of interpolation of geochemical data is addressed and methods for determining whether geochemical data should or should not be interpolated are presented. New methods for visualizing geochemical data using red-green-blue (RGB) ternary displays are illustrated. Finally data techniques for integrating geochemical data with other geoscience data to produce mineral prospectivity maps are demonstrated. Both data and knowledge-driven GIS modeling methodologies are used (and compared) for producing prospectivity maps. New ways of preparing geochemical data for input to modeling are demonstrated with the aim of getting the most out of your data for mineral exploration purposes. Processing geochemical data by sub-populations, either by geographic unit (i.e., lithology) or by geochemical classification and alteration style was useful for better identification of geochemical anomalies, with respect to background, and for assessing varying alteration styles. Normal probability plots of geochemical concentrations based on spatial (lithologic) divisions and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were found to be particularly useful for identifying geochemical anomalies and for identifying associations between major oxide elements that in turn reflect different alteration styles. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)