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The impact of development on coastal ecological processes within the coastal zone is often noted as being of ecological concern, due to the suggested destabilization of dune systems as a result of construction activities and post construction impacts such as stormwater disposal, trampling and other artificial influences on, in particular, the plant ecology of the frontal dune systems. Given that the stability of frontal dune systems along the Kwa Zulu Natal north coast is often attributed to the maintenance of vegetation and seral progression on such systems, the identification of changes in dune plant communities that may arise from the influence of proximal or adjacent activities was sought to be identified. Utilising data collected from a number of sites in the Kwa Dukuza Municipal area, the classification and ordination of environmental and botanical species information collated over approximately 6 months was undertaken. The results of this investigation indicate that: Species composition differs in terms of richness and abundance in the three frontal dune vegetation zones sampled. 2 3 4 5 Some species occur in all three zones and others are confined to one zone only. Bearing and the associated influence of wind, the slope and length of the beach, and the steepness ofthe dune face all influence the species composition at any particular site The influence of anthropogenic activities on dune synusia is such that human influence on one species may disrupt associations between species and may result in attenuation or '" reversal of seral movement. Anthropogenic impacts influences species composition at different sites by causing some species to decline abundance or disappear from a site and others to invade or oust established species. In Zone I the species that appears to be most affected by human activity is Gazania rigens, which appears to dominate in sites of high human activity, at the expense of Sporobolus virginicus. In Zone IT under high human activity species such as Cynanchum obtusifolium, Rhoicissus digitata and Sporobolus virginicus dominate, while the woody species Mimusops caffra and Eugenia capensis, as well as the liane Gloriosa superba appear to decline or be ousted from this Zone. In Zone Ill, Asystasia gangetica, is a dominant species where low to moderate human impacts are encountered, while where human impacts are high, species common to Zone I, such as G rigens may become prevalent, ousting A gangetica and grasses such as S virginicus may be ousted by more competitive species such as Stenotaphrum secundatum. It is thus concluded that human activities in and around the frontal dune system may be influential in re-inforcing aeolian impacts on sites with bearings affected by strong prevailing winds. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu- Natal,Durban, 2004.

The major focus of this study is to identify the potentials and obstacles involved in establishing a permaculture in an existing suburban community in Muncie, Indiana.Permaculture is, briefly, a design concept of human settlements which strives to bring about an attitude of ecology and humanity in society as a whole. The physical of the earth by involving design stresses energy conservation and production of renewable natural resources, ecological food production techniques, and the recovery of a genuine sense of community and a sense of the sacredness of the earth by involving people with people and people with the landscape.The First Presbyterian Church site and congregation in Muncie has been chosen for this study. A permaculture proposal has been developed for and presented to the community. Initial reactions to this proposal have been obtained in order to identify the potentials and obstaclespresent toward implementing the permaculture proposal in this unique suburban setting. / Department of Landscape Architecture

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The purpose of the present study was to determine specific psychotic factors associated with environmental sensitivities, the changes in those tendencies occurring with ecological treatment and the extent to which those behaviors could be attributed to the chronicity of the illness. An inpatient group of 42 environmental patients was compared to an inpatient population of 20 chronic spinal pain patients. Instruments utilized in the study included the Bender Gestalt Test of Motor Ability, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with the Harris and Lingoe subscales, and three subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Digit Symbol, Object Assembly, and Block Design. Data was analyzed via multivariate analysis of covariance, analysis of covariance, canonical analysis, and t tests for related and independent means.