En Afrique, la décentralisation s'effectue dans des contextes variables selon les pays: la nécessité de réformer l'Etat suite à une crise, la volonté d'instaurer une démocratie locale pour compenser le pouvoir central voire dictatorial, parfois même l'incapacité de l'Etat à fournir les services socioéconomiques de base comme la santé, l'éducation, l'eau potable etc.En Afrique de l'Ouest, la décentralisation s’est souvent accompagnée d’un redécoupage des territoires dans les années 1990. La plupart des pays d’Afrique de l'Ouest ont créé trois niveaux de collectivités territoriales: la Région, le Département (Cercle au Mali) et la Commune. Ceci entraîne un besoin de gestion et d’aménagement du territoire à plusieurs échelles (état des lieux, suivi de l’emprise spatiale de l’aménagement, assainissement, gestion des ressources naturelles, développement économique rural, santé, éducation, hydraulique, gestion des risques etc.). Dans le cadre d’un besoin d’informations croissant, les partenaires au développement reconnaissent l’utilité du Système d'Information Géographique (SIG), comme outil d'aide à la décision. La création de différents ministères en lien avec l’information géographique au Mali, nécessite la mise en commun de compétences s’articulant autour de la géomatique. En effet, si chaque Institution et ministère sectoriel dispose de données thématiques propres, leur valorisation se heurte à une forte dispersion et disparité des données géographiques et cartographiques.Comment mutualiser un même système géospatial et territorial entre une mairie, une collectivité territoriale, une ONG, l’Etat ainsi que d’autres partenaires travaillant sur une même emprise territoriale ? Quelle stratégie d’information territoriale pour un pays comme le Mali ?L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de mettre en place, selon les concepts, méthodes, et technologies de la géographie actuelle et de la statistique, un outil d’aide à la décision dans un contexte de mutualisation et de décentralisation, conçu pour faire franchir un pas décisif au bénéfice de l'aménagement territorial local, par une mise en cohérence et une mise à disposition des données géolocalisées nécessaires à une politique efficace d'aménagement du territoire. Cette perspective à caractère stratégique implique de remonter jusqu'aux aspects de la répartition des pouvoirs, les rapports entre les logiciels libres et payants, l’information participative (aspects sociétal, social, contexte ethnique...) et le développement de l’information géographique au Mali. Une stratégie d’information est en fait un préalable indispensable de toute stratégie d’aménagement et de développement. Le projet de thèse se veut un projet innovant cherchant à fournir des réponses sur la mise en place d’une telle politique de gestion multi-sources et multi-acteurs de l’information spatiale dans un pays en développement. / In Africa, decentralization takes place in contexts that vary from country to country: the need to reform the Government following a crisis, the desire to establish local democracy to compensate for central or even dictatorial power, sometimes even the Government 's inability to provide basic socio-economic services such as health, education, drinking water, etc.In West Africa, decentralization was often accompanied by a redrawing of territories in the 1990s. Most West African countries have created three levels of local authorities: the Region, the Department (Cercle in Mali) and the Commune. This leads to a need for territory management and planning on several scales (inventory, monitoring of the environmental impact of development, sanitation, natural resource management, rural economic development, health, education, hydraulics and risk management). In the context of a growing need for information, development partners recognize the usefulness of the Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool for decision making. The creation of different ministries in connection with geographic information in Mali requires pooling of skills centered on geomatics. Indeed, while each Institution and sectoral ministry has its own thematic data, their valuation is hampered by a high dispersion and disparity of geographical and cartographic data.How to share a common geospatial and territorial system across a town hall, a local authority, an NGO, the Government as well as other partners working on the same territorial? What territorial information strategy for a country like Mali?The aim of this thesis is to create, according to the concepts, methods, and technologies of current geography and statistics, a tool to support decision making in a context of overlapping responsibilities/actions and decentralization, designed to take a decisive step forward for the benefit of local territorial planning, by making coherent and available the geolocalized data necessary for an effective spatial planning policy. This strategic perspective implies going back to the distribution of powers, the ratio between free and paid software, participative information (societal, social, ethnic aspects, etc.) and the development of geographical information in Mali.An information strategy is in fact an essential prerequisite for any planning and development strategy. This thesis is an innovative project that will aim to provide answers on the implementation of such a strategy of multi-source and multi-stakeholder spatial information management in a developing country.

Prospektionen der Universität Leipzig im Umkreis des römischen vicus Belginum weisen bei Wederath, Flur Kleinicher Berg (Gde. Morbach, Kr. Bernkastel-Wittlich, Rheinland Pfalz) eine mutmaßliche villa rustica hin. Diese lag auf einem kleinen Plateau außerhalb der Begehungsfläche. Das Fundmaterial besteht vorwiegend aus Ziegeln (Dach- und Fußbodenziegel) und relativ wenig Keramik. Die bestimmbare römische Keramik datiert in das 2. bis 4. Jh. n. Chr. Bemerkenswert ist der Fund mehrerer Scherben der Hunsrück-Eifel-Kultur. Sie könnten einen Hinweis auf eine Besiedlung des Plateaus seit der Mitte des 1. Jahrtausends v. Chr. darstellen. Nur wenige hundert Meter entfernt befindet sich das große Hügelgräberfeld „Götzeroth“ der Hunsrück- Eifel-Kultur. / Archaeological prospections by the University of Leipzig in the surroundings of the Roman vicus Belginum revealed near Wederath (Rhenania-Palatinate, Germany) a probable villa rustica. Mostly bricks (tegulae, imbrices and floor tiles) and only a small amount of ceramics were found. The Roman ceramics are dating mostly into the 2nd to 4th cent. AD. Remarkable are the finds of some ceramic sherds of the Hunsrück-Eifel-Culture. They could indicate settlement activity at the site since the mid of the first millennium BC. The extended tumulus cemetery “Götzeroth” is located some hundred meters to the east.

The work describes the processing and analysis of remote sensing time series data for a comparative assessment of changes in different tropical rainforest areas in East Africa. In order to assess the effects of the derived changes in land cover and forest fragmentation, the study made use of spatially explicit modelling approaches within a geographical information system (GIS) to extrapolate sets of biological field findings in space and time. The analysis and modelling results were visualised aiming to consider the requirements of three different user groups. In order to evaluate measures of forest conservation and to derive recommendations for an effective forest management, quantitative landscape-scale assessments of land cover changes and their influence on forest biodiversity patterns are needed. However, few remote sensing studies have accounted for all of the following aspects at the same time: (i) a dense temporal sequence of land cover change/forest fragmentation information, (ii) the coverage of several decades, (iii) the distinction between multiple forest formations and (iv) direct comparisons of different case studies. In regards to linkages of remote sensing with biological field data, no attempts are known that use time series data for quantitative statements of long-term landscape-scale biodiversity changes. The work studies three officially protected forest areas in Eastern Africa: the Kakamega-Nandi forests in western Kenya (focus area) and Mabira Forest in south-eastern Uganda as well as Budongo Forest in western Uganda (for comparison purposes). Landsat imagery of in total eight or seven dates in regular intervals from 1972/73 to 2003 was used. Making use of supervised multispectral image classification procedures, in total, 12 land cover classes (six forest formations) were distinguished for the Kakamega-Nandi forests and for Budongo Forest while for Mabira Forest ten classes could be realised. An accuracy assessment via error matrices revealed overall classification accuracies between 81% and 85%. The Kakamega-Nandi forests show a continuous decrease between 1972/73 and 2001 of 31%, Mabira Forest experienced an abrupt loss of 24% in the late 1970s/early 1980s, while Budongo Forest shows a relatively stable forest cover extent. An assessment of the spatial patterns of forest losses revealed congruence with areas of high population density while a spatially explicit forest fragmentation index indicates a strong correlation of forest fragmentation with forest management regime and forest accessibility by roads. For the Kenyan focus area, three sets of biological field abundance data on keystone species/groups were used for a quantitative assessment of the influence of long-term changes in tropical forests on landscape-scale biodiversity patterns. For this purpose, the time series was extended with another three land cover data sets derived from aerial photography (1965/67, 1948/(52)) and old topographic maps (1912/13). To predict the spatio-temporal distribution of the army ant Dorylus wilverthi and of ant-following birds, GIS operators (i.e. focal and local functions) and statistical tests (i.e. OLS or SAR regression models) were combined into a spatial modelling procedure. Abundance data on three guilds of birds differing in forest dependency were directly extrapolated to five forest cover classes as distinguished in the time series. The results predict declines in species abundances of 56% for D. wilverthi, of 58% for ant-following birds and an overall loss of 47% for the bird habitat guilds, which in all three cases greatly exceed the rate of forest loss (31%). Additional extrapolations on scenarios of deforestation and reforestation confirmed the negative ecological consequences of splitting-up contiguous forest areas but also showed the potential of mixed indigenous forest plantings. The visualisation of the analysis and modelling results produced a mixture of different outcomes. Map series and a matrix of maps both showing species distributions aim to address scientists and decision makers. The results of the land cover change analysis were synthesised in a map of land cover development types for each study area, respectively. These maps are designed mainly for scientists. Additional maps of change, limited to a single class of forest cover and to three dates were generated to ensure an easy-to-grasp communication of the major forest changes to decision makers. Additionally, an easy-to-handle visualisation tool to be used by scientists, decision makers and local people was developed. For the future, an extension of this study towards a more complete assessment including more species/groups and also ecosystem functions and services would be desirable. Combining a framework for land cover simulation with a framework for running empirical extrapolation models in an automated manner could ideally result in a GIS-based, integrated forest ecosystem assessment tool to be used as regional spatial decision support system. / Die Arbeit beschreibt die Prozessierung und Analyse von Fernerkundungs-Zeitreihendaten für eine vergleichende Abschätzung von Veränderungen verschiedener tropischer Waldökosysteme Ostafrikas. Um Effekte der Veränderungen bzgl. Landbedeckung und Waldfragmentierung auf Biodiversitätsmuster abzuschätzen, wurden verschiedene räumlich explizite Modellierungssätze innerhalb eines geographischen Informationssystems (GIS) zur räumlichen und zeitlichen Extrapolation biologischer Felderhebungsdaten benutzt. Die Visualisierung der Analyse- und Modellierungsergebnisse erfolgte unter Berücksichtigung der Bedürfnisse von drei verschiedenen Nutzergruppen. Um Waldschutzmaßnahmen zu evaluieren und Empfehlungen für ein effektives Waldmanagement abzuleiten, sind quantitative Abschätzungen von Landbedeckungsveränderungen sowie von deren Einfluss auf tropische Waldbiodiversitätsmuster nötig. Wenige fernerkundungsbasierte Studien haben jedoch bislang alle der folgenden Faktoren berücksichtigt: (i) Informationen zu Veränderungen von Landbedeckung und Waldfragmentierung in dichter zeitlicher Sequenz, (ii) die Abdeckung mehrerer Jahrzehnte, (iii) die Unterscheidung zwischen mehreren Waldformationen, und (iv) direkte Vergleiche von unterschiedlichen Fallstudien. Hinsichtlich Verknüpfungen von Fernerkundung mit biologischen Felddaten sind bisher keine Studien bekannt, die Zeitreihendaten für quantitative Aussagen zu Langzeitveränderungen von Biodiversität auf Landschaftsebene verwenden. Die Arbeit untersucht drei offiziell geschützte Gebiete: die Kakamega-Nandi forests in Westkenia (Hauptuntersuchungsgebiet) sowie Mabira Forest in Südost-Uganda und Budongo Forest in West-Uganda (zu Vergleichszwecken). Es wurden Landsat-Daten für insgesamt acht bzw. sieben Zeitpunkte zwischen 1972/73 und 2003 in ungefähr gleichen Abständen erworben. Mit Hilfe von überwachten, multispektralen Klassifizierungsverfahren wurden für die Kakamega-Nandi forests und Budongo Forest jeweils 12 Landbedeckungsklassen (sechs Waldformationen) und für Mabira Forest zehn Klassen unterschieden. Eine Genauigkeitsprüfung mit Hilfe von Fehlermatrizen ergab Gesamtklassifizierungsgenauigkeiten zwischen 81% und 85%. Die Kakamega-Nandi forests sind durch eine kontinuierliche Waldabnahme von 31% zwischen 1972/73 und 2001 gekennzeichnet, Mabira Forest zeigt einen abrupten Waldverlust von 24% in den späten 1970ern/frühen 1980ern, während die Ergebnisse für Budongo Forest eine relativ stabile Waldbedeckung ausweisen. Während eine Abschätzung der räumlichen Muster von Waldverlusten eine hohe Deckungsgleichheit mit Gebieten hoher Bevölkerungsdichte ergab, deutet die Anwendung eines räumlich expliziten Waldfragmentierungsindexes auf eine starke Korrelation von Waldfragmentierung mit der Art von Waldmanagement sowie mit der Erreichbarkeit von Wald über Straßen hin. Um den Einfluss von Langzeit-Landbedeckungsveränderungen auf Biodiversitätsmuster auf Landschaftsebene für das kenianische Hauptuntersuchungsgebiet quantitativ abzuschätzen wurden drei Datensätze mit biologischen Felderhebungen zur Abundanz von Schlüsselarten/-gruppen verwendet. Zu diesem Zweck wurde die Zeitreihe zunächst um drei weitere Landbedeckungs-Datensätze ergänzt, die aus Luftbildern (1965/67, 1948/(52)) bzw. alten topographischen Karten (1912/13) gewonnen wurden. Zur Vorhersage der raum-zeitlichen Verteilung der Treiberameise Dorylus wilverthi wurden GIS-Operatoren und statistische Tests (OLS bzw. SAR Regressionsmodelle) in einem räumlichen Modellierungsablauf kombiniert. Abundanzdaten von drei sich hinsichtlich ihrer Abhängigkeit von Wald unterscheidenden Vogelgilden wurden direkt auf fünf Waldbedeckungsklassen hochgerechnet, die in der Zeitreihe unterschieden werden konnten. Die Ergebnisse prognostizieren Abundanzabnahmen von 56% für D. wilverthi, von 58% für Ameisen-folgende Vögel und einen Gesamtverlust von 47% für die Vogelgilden, was in allen drei Fällen eine deutliche Überschreitung der Waldverlustrate von 31% darstellt. Zusätzliche Extrapolationen basierend auf Szenarien bestätigten die negativen ökologischen Konsequenzen der Zerteilung zusammenhängender Waldflächen bzw. zeigten andererseits das Potential von Aufforstungen mit einheimischen Arten auf. Die Visualisierung der Analyse- bzw. Modellierungsergebnisse führte zu unterschiedlichen Darstellungen: mit einer Reihe von nebeneinander positionierten Einzelkarten sowie einer Matrix von Einzelkarten, die jeweils Artenverteilungen zeigen, sollen Wissenschaftler und Entscheidungsträger angesprochen werden. Aus den Ergebnissen der Landbedeckungsanalyse für die drei Untersuchungsgebiete wurden Landbedeckungsveränderungstypen generiert und jeweils in einer synthetischen Karte dargestellt, die hauptsächlich für Wissenschaftler gedacht sind. Um die wesentlichen Waldveränderungen auch auf einfache Weise zu den Entscheidungsträgern zu kommunizieren, wurden zusätzliche Karten erstellt, die nur eine aggregierte Klasse „Waldbedeckung“ zeigen und jeweils auf drei Zeitschritte der Zeitreihen begrenzt sind. Zusätzlich wurde ein leicht zu bedienendes Visualisierungstool entwickelt, das für Wissenschaftler, Entscheidungsträger und die lokale Bevölkerung gedacht ist. Für die Zukunft wäre eine umfassendere Abschätzung unter Berücksichtigung zusätzlicher Arten/-gruppen sowie auch Ökosystemfunktionen und –dienstleistungen wünschenswert. Die Verknüpfung einer Applikation zur Landbedeckungsmodellierung mit einer Applikation zur Ausführung von empirischen Extrapolationsmodellen (in stärkerem Maße automatisiert als in dieser Arbeit) könnte im Idealfall in ein GIS-basiertes Tool zur integrativen Bewertung von Waldökosystemen münden, das dann als räumliches Entscheidungsunterstützungssystem verwendet werden könnte.

[pt] Essa dissertação explora o problema roteamento de linhas de transmissão (LT) através da solução do caminho mais curto em um grafo sem ciclos de melhoria, considerando custos quadráticos para arcos adjacentes. Esse problema é conhecido como o Problema do Caminho Mínimo Quadrático Adjacente (CMQA). Esse trabalho apresenta uma descrição teórica do CMQA, propõe uma extensão do algoritmo Dijkstra (aqDijkstra) para solução de CMQA em tempo polinomial e discute como o algoritimo pode ser utilizado em metodologias de roteamento de LT. Em seguida, apresentamos uma melhoria estendendo o algoritmo A estrela para sua forma adjacente quadrática (aqA estrela), incluindo uma etapa de busca reversa para estimação de custos de chegada. Foram feitos experimentos computacionais contemplando a variação de custos quadráticos, geração de instâncias aleatórias, testes de estresse e comparação com abordagens já utilizadas na literatura. Os resultados sugerem que: (i) aqA estrela teve o melhor desempenho, atingindo tempos de busca 40 vezes mais rápidos que aqDijkstra e 50 vezes mais rápido que a abordagem mais rápida apresentada pela literatura; (ii) a eficiência dos algoritmos não foi afetada pela variação dos custos quadráticos; (iii) os algoritmos propostos aqA estrela e aqDijkstra também foram mais eficientes nas instancias aleatórias, reafirmando a superioridade dos mesmos. Duas aplicações são apresentadas, uma de objetivo ilustrativo e outra para um caso real. O algoritimo aqA estrela foi usado para solução de um CMQA em um grafo de quase um bilhão de arcos quadraticos, resultado em uma rota proposta com custos adicionais três vezes menor. / [en] This dissertation explores the problem of transmission line (TL) routing through finding the shortest path on an undirected graph with no improving cycles, considering quadratic costs for adjacent arcs. This problem is known as the Adjacent Quadratic Shortest Path Problem (AQSPP). This work provides the theoretical background for the AQSPP, proposes an extension of Dijkstra s algorithm (aqDijkstra) for solving AQSPP in polynomial-time and discusses how AQSPP can be included in routing methodologies. Furthermore, it is presented an improvement to the algorithm: the adjacent quadratic A star (aq A star) with a backward search for cost-togo estimation, to speed up search. For computational experiments, aqDijkstra and aqA star are benchmarked with other algorithms from the technical literature. The search behavior of the algorithms is also studied within different tests, including: quadratic cost variation, randomly generated graph instances and increasingly larger instances. The numerical results suggests that: (i) aqA star outperformed all the other algorithms, being 40 times faster than aqDijsktra and 50 times faster than the fastest benchmark algorithm; (ii) the studied algorithms do not lose efficiency as quadratic costs increase; (iii) aqA star and aqDijkstra were faster benchmark algorithms under random graph instances, indicating their robustness. Two applications are provided, one for illustrative purposes, and another to study performance on a real application. The aqA star algorithm solved an AQSSP on a graph with almost a billion quadratic arcs and provided a route with three times lower additional costs.

Recognizing the imperative transition towards renewable energy sources to combat climate change, this study explores the outlooks for offshore wind power in Norway, a country endowed with extensive coastlines and favourable wind conditions. The thesis sets out to support decision-making processes by synthesizing contemporary research and applying context-specific insights to the southern half of the Norwegian economic zone (NEZ) into a comprehensive Spatial-Multi-criteria Analysis (SMCA). Through meticulous research, sub-criteria relevant to the geographical information systems-based SMCA are identified across four major categories: Wind, Techno-economic, Environ-mental, and Social considerations. Through the adoption of the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) framework, the analysis generates suitability maps for all identified sites within the NEZ, facilitating a ranking procedure for both floating and bottom-fixed sites. By, among else, incorporating potential grid connection points and distance to suitable ports, this thesis offers a novel contribution to the limited body of literature on offshore wind power SMCA in the NEZ. Additionally, through state of the art data sets on mammal presence and cumulative impact on seabirds, the study not only advances the academic discourse on offshore wind power planning but also offers practical tools for policymakers and industry practitioners. The findings underscore the complexity of offshore wind farm siting, highlighting the impor-tance of a balanced consideration of various criteria to ensure sustainable and economically viable energy production. Significantly, amongst sites suitable for floating foundations, Ves-tavind A emerges as the prime location for wind farm development. The bottom rankings, however, are claimed by different sites depending on which weighting schema is applied. For future studies on the topic, important building blocks include incorporating data on seabed conditions such as geology and sloping into the SMCA alongside including more sub-criteria linked to met-ocean conditions (e.g., cut-out periods of the wind turbines caused by extreme weather). / Mot bakgrund av den globala omställningen till en alltmer grön energimix utforskar denna studie utsikterna för havsbaserad vindkraft i Norge, ett land med vidsträckta kustlinjer och gynnsamma vindförhållanden. Uppsatsen syftar till att stödja beslutsprocesser genom att sammanställa samtida forskning och tillämpa insikter anpassade till den södra halvan av Norges ekonomiska zon (NEZ) i en omfattande rumslig analys. Slutprodukten blir en relativ rangordning av en uppsättning områden som alla, enligt norska myndigheter, lämpar sig för installation av havsbaserad vindkraft. Genom noggrann efterforskning identifieras olika faktorer (subkriterier) som anses rel-evanta för den rumsliga analysen, dessa delas up i fyra övergripande kategorier: Vind, Tekno-ekonomiska faktorer, Miljöaspekter och Sociala aspekter. Med hjälp av en särskild viktningsmodell, där faktorerna ställs mot varandra och prioriteras utifrån deras relativa betydelse, genereras lämplighetskartor för alla platser inom studieområdet. Denna process ligger sedermera till grund för den ovannämnda rangordningen och görs både för platser som är tänkta för flytande och bottenfast havsbaserad vindkraft. Genom att bland an-nat inkludera potentiella anslutningspunkter till elnätet och avstånd till hamnar, som speficifkt lämpars sig för vindturbininstallationer, bidrar detta forskningsarbete med nytt innehåll till den vetenskapliga litteraturen. Därtill kan studien, utöver att bidra till den akademiska diskursen, komma att fungera som ett praktiskt verktyg för beslutsfattare och yrkesverksamma inom industrin. Resultaten påminner läsaren om komplexiteten i placeringen av havsbaserade vindkraftverk, vilket bekräftar vikten av en balanserad beaktning av olika kriterier. Detta för att kunna säkerställa att nya energiprojekt presterar bra utifrån ett miljömässigt och socialt perspektiv samtidigt som den ekonomiska lönsamheten säkras. Sett till de områden som studien utreder framstår Vestavind A som det bäst lämpade området för utveckling av havsbaserad vindkraft. De lägsta placeringarna upptas emellertid av olika platser beroende på hur de olika kriterierna viktas. Några förslag på hur denna studie kan utvecklas för att fortsatt kunna bidra till nya insikter inom forskningsområdet är att inkludera data om bottenförhållanden (exempelvis geologi och lutning) i den rumsliga analysen, samt att addera subkriterier med en naturlig koppling till meteorologiska aspekter såsom avbrottsperioder för vindturbiner till följd av extremväder.

Namibia, like most developing countries, lacks complete and comprehensive sustainable land use plans. This has a negative impact on a range of land use activities. Although Geographical Information System (GIS) is used as a planning tool in Namibia in an ad hoc manner, there is no broader comprehensive framework to guide applications of GIS as a planning tool specifically for land use planning (LUP). The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how integration of participatory mapping and GIS can be used to enhance land use planning in the Hardap Region, Namibia. The study seeks to point out lack of local communities’ engagement in LUP process; lack of policy frameworks and guidelines for Integrated Land Use Planning (ILUP); and poor data management. The study adapted quantitative and qualitative approaches to collect relevant data and information related to LUP. Data collected using participatory approaches such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis were applied in an integrated manner in various contexts. FGDs were used to evaluate participants’ knowledge of LUP in the Hardap region. Besides participating in the FGDs, PRA and SWOT analysis, the participants also expressed opinions concerning desirable and undesired land uses in the region. Sketch and photo- mapping methods were found to be suitable approaches to capture local knowledge. GIS was found to be effective in integrating participatory maps produced by the local communities and existing spatial land use data. The results shows that local communities are eager to learn about participatory approaches and are willing to share their views and knowledge on land use in their respective areas. A user-friendly comprehensive georeferenced digital database was created for the Hardap region. This database is used for spatial data management, analyses, maintenance and production of maps. Maps of new development initiatives in the region were produced. The frameworks and guidelines suggested in this study has the potential to guide participatory techniques aided by GIS technology involving local communities in sustainable LUP processes in Namibia. The digital database incorporates experts’ knowledge on the users and implementation aspects, making it a LUP benchmark tool of Namibia. Key recommendations include incorporation of GIS technology in the ILUP, implementation of comprehensive participatory LUP, adoption of guidelines for future LUP, skills training and capacity development, and result-based monitoring. / Geography / D. Litt. et Phil. (Geography)

Η παρούσα μεταπτυχιακή διατριβή επικεντρώνεται στην μελέτη της παράκτιας ζώνης της νήσου Λέρου στο Νοτιοανατολικό Αιγαίο, παρουσιάζοντας τα αποτελέσματα της ερμηνείας των γεωφυσικών στοιχείων που συλλέχθηκαν από το Εργαστήριο Θαλάσσιας Γεωλογίας και Φυσικής Ωκεανογραφίας (Ε.ΘΑ.ΓΕ.Φ.Ω.) τον Ιούνιο του 2011. Η έρευνα φιλοδοξεί να συνεισφέρει στην ανάδειξη της υποθαλάσσιας πολιτιστικής και φυσικής κληρονομιάς του νησιού, καθώς η συλλογή, επεξεργασία και ερμηνεία του συνόλου των δεδομένων επέτρεψε την αναγνώριση και την λεπτομερή χαρτογράφηση υποθαλάσσιων στόχων μεγάλης ιστορικής και περιβαλλοντικής σημασίας. Ως εκ τούτου, η διατριβή κινείται σε δύο κατευθύνσεις. Η πρώτη κατεύθυνση αφορά στον εντοπισμό στόχων πιθανής ιστορικής σπουδαιότητας που εντοπίστηκαν στην επιφάνεια του πυθμένα ενώ η δεύτερη κατεύθυνση αφορά στον εντοπισμό και την αποτύπωση βιογενών σχηματισμών και συγκεκριμένα λειμώνων P. Oceanica και ασβεστιτικών ροδοφυκών (corallegene formations). Οι θαλάσσιες έρευνες πραγματοποιήθηκαν σε δύο διακριτά στάδια, στην συστηματική αποτύπωση του πυθμένα με ηχοβολιστή πλευρικής σάρωσης (EG&G 272 TD) και την οπτική επιβεβαίωση των αποτελεσμάτων της ηχοβολιστικής αποτύπωσης με σύστημα συρόμενης υποβρύχιας κάμερας. Η ανάλυση και επεξεργασία των ηχογραφιών οδήγησε στον εντοπισμό ναυαγίων που συνδέονται με τη Μάχη της Λέρου (9-10/1943), ένα από τα σημαντικότερα πολεμικά γεγονότα που έλαβαν χώρα κατά τη διάρκεια του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου πολέμου, στην ανατολική Μεσόγειο και τα οποία αποτελούν πολύτιμα ιστορικά στοιχεία σε παγκόσμια κλίμακα, μεταξύ των οποίων το βυθισμένο ελληνικό αντιτορπιλικό Βασίλισσα ‘Ολγα (D15). Στο πλαίσιο της δεύτερης κατεύθυνσης εντοπίστηκαν και χαρτογραφήθηκαν οι λειμώνες P. Oceanica και οι σχηματισμοί των ασβεστιτικών ροδοφυκών σχεδόν ανά όρμο περιμετρικά της νήσου. Η σχεδίαση των αντιστοίχων υποθαλάσσιων θεματικών χαρτών της παράκτιας ζώνης της Λέρου αναμένεται να αποτελέσουν ένα σημαντικό εργαλείο στην προστασία και στην ανάδειξη της σημαντικής υποθαλάσσιας ιστορικής και φυσικής κληρονομιάς του νησιού / The present study describes the submarine geophysical survey which was carried out in Leros Island, Aegean Sea and presents the results of the geophysical data analysis. The data were collected by the Laboratory of Marine Geology & Physical Oceanography, department of Geology, University of Patras during the period 11-17 June 2011. The research aims to contribute to the enhancement of underwater cultural and natural heritage of the island, as the collection, processing and interpretation of all of the data has allowed the identification of underwater targets of great historic and environmental importance. Geophysical survey in Leros Island, using a side scan sonar (EG&G 272 TD), coupled with ground-truthing by deploying a Towing Camera System of historic shipwrecks from World War II and of the major seabed habitats, namely Posidonia oceanica and coralligène formations. The survey revealed a great number of shipwrecks associated with the Battle of Leros (9-10/1943), one of the most important military events that took place during the World War II, in the Eastern Mediterranean which are considered as valuable historic data on a global scale, including the sunken Greek destroyer Queen Olga (D15). The design of the thematic maps of the coastal zone of Leros is expected to become an important tool in both protecting and promoting the significant underwater cultural and natural heritage of the island.

Westland petrels Procellaria westlandica breed only near Punakaiki on the West Coast of New Zealand. About 80 km offshore from their breeding colony, New Zealand's largest commercial fishery (for hoki Macruronus novaezelandiae) operates from mid June to early September, coinciding with the Westland petrel's breeding season. It has been assumed that Westland petrels feed extensively on fisheries waste and that this habit has been at least partly responsible for the increase in the Westland petrel population. Some seabird biologists have expressed concern that if a species comes to depend on scavenging at fishing vessels, such a species could experience a food crisis if fishing operations changed in a way that reduced the quantity of waste discharged. The aim of this research was to assess how dependent Westland petrels have become on fisheries waste for food. Diet studies showed that during the hoki fishing season, waste accounts for more than half by weight of the solid food Westland petrels bring back to the colony to feed their chicks. After the hoki season, waste contributes only about a quarter of their diet as birds switch to more natural prey and scavenge a wider variety of fish species presumably from smaller, inshore fishing vessels. Much of the fisheries waste eaten by Westland petrels was flesh which could not be identified using traditional techniques. The electrophoretic technique iso-electric focusing increased the number of fish samples that could be identified and consequently the diet was interpreted differently than it would have been had only traditional diet analysis been used. The survey of Westland petrel distribution off the west coast of the South Island, found that although hoki fishing vessels influence the distribution of Westland petrels, only a small proportion of the Westland petrel population appears to utilise this food resource at any one time. Westland petrels were tracked at sea by VHF radio telemetry and then by satellite tracking. Satellite tracking showed that there is considerable variation in the amount of time Westland petrels spend in the vicinity of fishing vessels. On average, satellite tracked birds spent one third of their time near vessels, but they foraged over much larger areas than that occupied by the West Coast South Island hoki fishing fleet. Although fisheries waste is an important component of the Westland petrel diet, it appears that the situation is one of opportunistic use of a readily available resource, rather than one of dependence. Several features of the Westland petrel's breeding biology and foraging ecology suggest that Westland petrels could compensate for a reduction in waste from the hoki fishery by switching to other sources of waste and increasing their consumption of natural prey. Nevertheless, much remains unanswered concerning the role of fisheries waste in the Westland petrel's diet. In particular, quantifying the waste available to seabirds, and the success of Westland petrels in acquiring that waste compared to other scavenging species, is needed in order to better predict the effect of a reduction in fisheries waste on Westland petrel population size.

The potential for aquaculture development to make up for an annual 400,000mt shortfall in domestic fish supply was investigated. This involved an overview of the sector to determine its trends and operations and identifying strengths and constraints, a financial viability assessment of the sector, based on mode and levels of operation of existing farms, an assessment of the market and trade for cultured fish with a focus on Oreochromis niloticus, and finally, a GIS approach to update and reassess the potential for aquaculture development in Ghana. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources, the former, via fish farmer, dealers and consumer questionnaire surveys. Results of the study showed that interests in fish farming continue to grow with an overall annual average growth rate of 16% since 2000. The existing farms, 1300 in number were however very small with a mean farm size of 0.36ha and a median 0.06ha of which commercial farms accounted for less than 3%. Based on sizes, mode of operation and levels of input and output, five subsistence farm types were identified. Mean production from these pond-based farms ranged from 1436kg/ha/yr- to 4,423kg/ha/yr while that of a medium sized intensive commercial pond farm was 45,999kg/ha/yr. Commercial farming accounted for about 75% of 2006 aquaculture production. The main strength identified was the growing interest in both commercial and non-commercial fish farming and the main constraints were lack of quality seed, low levels of technical support and of knowledge in fish farming practices among non-commercial farmers. Net profits of commercial farms ranged from GH¢ 3,341 (US$3480)/ha/yr to GH¢ 51,444 (US$ 53,587)/ha/yr with payback from 1 to 4yrs, IRR at 35% to 105% and NPV from GH¢ 5,898 to GH¢ 236,412. By contrast, only two of the five non-commercial farm types made positive net returns ranging, from GH¢158 to GH¢1100/ha/yr, with minimum payback period of 14yrs, NPVs of less than 1 and the best IRR being just 4%, when initial capital requirements are full costed. Uncosted family labour inputs and negligible land opportunity costs improved viabilities for two farm types, where net returns/ha/yr increased by more than 50%, minimum payback dropped to 2 years, NPV from GH¢ 4839 to GH¢ 9330 and minimum IRR of 45%. Main constraints identified as affecting the profitability of subsistence farming were the relatively low prices of fish and the low levels of output which could be improved through better farming practices. From the market survey, a huge market potential for tilapia was identified with a current supply deficit of 41,000mt. The most preferred sizes by consumers and with potentially good market price for traders were those weighing at least 200g. For dealers, trading in cultured fish was found to be more profitable than trading wild capture tilapia because of lower wholesaler prices, gross profit margins were GH¢ 0.49/kg and GH¢ 0.25/kg respectively. Preference for tilapia was influenced by taste, availability, and its perceived health benefit. A key constraint to the sector was poor post-harvest handling and preservation of the fish resulting in shorter shelf life. From the GIS study, 2% (3,692 km2) of available land area was identified as very suitable for subsistence and about 0.2% (313.8km2) for commercial farming. A further 97.4% and 84.0% were identified as suitable for subsistence and commercial farming respectively. Areas with potential for cage culture were also identified, which were largely in the southern and mid-sections of the country. The overall conclusions are that based on natural resource requirements, market potential and financial viability, Ghana has the potential to totally make up the shortfall in domestic fish supply through aquaculture production. The current 400,000mt shortfall in domestic fish production can be achieved by 2020 by increasing overall aquaculture production by 60% per annum.

Many authors and practitioners involved in rural or local development agree that co-operation and the integration of efforts by the delivery agents is crucial for sustainable development programmes. The delivery of Land Reform as initiated by the new government in South Africa (SA) is one programme that has been faced by a number of challenges including the slow pace of delivery, lack of support and co-operation from the key stakeholders, negligible impact on the improvement in the lives of its beneficiaries and many others. Many Land Reform participants including the government argue that among the challenges facing this programme is a lack of co-operation between the key stakeholders including the different spheres of government involved or impacted upon by the delivery of the Land Reform programme. The Department of Land Affairs (DLA) which is responsible for Land Reform delivery is facing challenges in integrating Land Reform with the rural or local level development which is facilitated by the local and district municipalities through the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process. This thesis seeks to look at how the Land Reform planning process and the internal spatial data systems within the DLA can be used to integrate Land Reform delivery with the municipal IDP processes to attain integrated rural development. There is a growing realization of the fact that the development of an integrated spatial data is critical for sustainable development in SA. A number of initiatives have been embarked upon by various organizations to establish the spatial data infrastructure. However these efforts have been reported to be often fragmented and isolated in the areas of operation and focus. Thus, the challenge is to develop a strategy to develop an integrated spatial data infrastructure that would be used to support sustainable development programmes such as the Land Reform programme. This thesis therefore proposes to look at the various data sources particularly within the DLA and from other organs of state involved in Land Reform and local development with a view to highlight the limitation and shortcomings that can be addressed in integrated spatial data infrastructure. To assess the current status of the spatial data sources and usage for Land Reform implementation, an analysis of the spatial data sources within the DLA was conducted to determine its suitability for the development of an integrated spatial data infrastructure. Different sections of the DLA responsible for acquiring and providing spatial data were assessed to ascertain whether their data can be shared, transferred or integrated to support the Land Reform implementation. An integrated spatial data infrastructure is then proposed as a solution to forge co-operation and collaboration among all users involved in Land Reform implementation. / Thesis (M.Sc.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.