Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2003. / Bibliography: leaves 84-92. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Psychology. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2004. / "A dissertation in community psychology." Advisor: Joseph B. Hughey. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed Frb. 23, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 355-370). Online version of the print edition.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

This thesis presents research findings on current environmental management practices used by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Two case studies are presented; the first is the Grahamstown Military Installation (6 South African Infantry Battalion) and the second the South African Army Combat Training Centre (42 Brigade). A combination of three sampling techniques, namely, the stratified, purposive and link-tracing (snowball) samplings were employed and structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with key SANDF officials were used as primary data. In addition, secondary data sources in the form of inter alia the first and second editions of the Environmental Management Plan for Defence (2001 & 2008 respectively); the development and implementation of environmental education and training in the military: a joint United States-Republic of South Africa Environmental Working Group Project (2003); Overarching Strategic Statement for 2011; Integrated Environmental Management Information Series: Linking Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Systems (2004); The Department of Defence Strategic Plan (2010): Republic of South Africa and the South African Defence Review (2012) were studied. In addition, field observations were also carried out within the two military installations training areas between July, 2011 and November, 2013. Primary data on the conditions of training areas, waste removal after training exercises, pollution prevention measures, and rehabilitation efforts to restore degraded training ranges were collected. Furthermore, composite surface sediment samples and water samples were collected for analysis. A total of fifty-six surface sediments and thirty water samples were analysed for the concentrations of heavy metals using the ICP-MS. These attitudes and perceptions are predominantly positive. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) did not reveal any significant differences in responses, especially, between military ranks. However, sporadic significant differences were found in five of the statements in the questionnaire from respondents with different service periods. Furthermore, the emphasis placed on environmental protection within defence force activities worldwide has compelled the South African Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DoDMV) to regulate the management of the environment within its properties. Yet, these efforts have faced numerous challenges ranging from financial to human resource deficiencies. It was found that environmental management practices and programmes at different military installations vary significantly. Consequently, six environmental management programmes were identified at South African Army Combat Training Centre, while only one environmental management programme was identified at Grahamstown Military Installation. This programme is a collaborative effort between the SANDF/DoDMV and the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation to eradicate invasive alien plant species. In the light of the analysis of official documents and interviews with respondents, it was established that the DoDMV does not have a budget for environmental management services and environmental management is yet to be incorporated into formal military training programmes. There is a severe shortage of environmentally qualified and knowledgeable personnel within the SANDF. Subsequently, all these drawbacks lead to the failure of the implementation of the Defence Force’s Environmental Management System (EMS) and inadequate management of the environment at military installations of the SANDF. Consequently, these challenges have severely compromised the commitment of the SANDF to honour its environmental management obligations. Such deficiencies tend to undermine the sustainable utilisation of the national assets entrusted to the Defence Force. Therefore, this thesis argues that environmental management programmes for the SANDF are based on a very weak foundation. This thesis proposes an ideal model for the successful implementation of the EMS and management of the environment at SANDF military installations. The analysis of water and soil samples led to the identification and quantification of heavy mental pollutants. The concentrations of heavy metals in water samples were varying between <0.01 to <0.05mg/l, but generally constant. Thus, no significant or meaningful statistical results were obtained. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyse the concentrations of heavy metals obtained in the sediment samples.

Restoration ecology continues to become ever more relevant as legislation demands we prevent biodiversity losses. Post-industrial restoration sites pose a number of additional challenges, including balancing ecological need with logistical and financial constraints. In the North of Scotland, one such site is the Dounreay Nuclear Power Plant, now undergoing decommissioning. The intention is to restore cliff-top habitat with native vegetation, blending in with its surroundings and necessitating minimal maintenance. The overall objective of this PhD research was to help develop a plan for the restoration of the site. A key challenge in this particular case was the residual low level radioactivity at depth in some areas, and a restoration layer is required to prevent contamination of bioreceptors at the surface, however, topsoil availability is limited. The cliff top site, and exposure to salt spray driven by strong winds, meant the identification of suitable vegetation communities for different areas could be crucial to its success. Vegetation and soil surveys across nine reference sites along the North coast of Scotland identified five non-peat vegetation communities suitable for Dounreay's restoration. Restoration ecology continues to become ever more relevant as legislation demands we prevent biodiversity losses. Post-industrial restoration sites pose a number of additional challenges, including balancing ecological need with logistical and financial constraints. In the North of Scotland, one such site is the Dounreay Nuclear Power Plant, now undergoing decommissioning. The intention is to restore cliff-top habitat with native vegetation, blending in with its surroundings and necessitating minimal maintenance. The overall objective of this PhD research was to help develop a plan for the restoration of the site. A key challenge in this particular case was the residual low level radioactivity at depth in some areas, and a restoration layer is required to prevent contamination of bioreceptors at the surface, however, topsoil availability is limited. The cliff top site, and exposure to salt spray driven by strong winds, meant the identification of suitable vegetation communities for different areas could be crucial to its success. Vegetation and soil surveys across nine reference sites along the North coast of Scotland identified five non-peat vegetation communities suitable for Dounreay's restoration. This prompted the development of a novel concept: that of utilising restoration sites as 'protorefuges' or 'protorefugia', i.e. restoration sites where threatened species at the leading edge of climate change can be translocated ahead of the climate changing. There, they would be joined by individuals of the wider population naturally dispersed as the climate shifts. Overall, these results enabled the development of a refined restoration plan for Dounreay, which takes into account the particular setting, constraints and timelines involved. With the decommissioning of an increasing number of nuclear sites across Britain and Europe taking place in the coming years, this research should be developed further. In particular our novel concept of protorefugia could even be put into practice, benefiting both restoration and conservation.

Batch microcosm studies were carried out to screen for microorganisms from the subsurface of Hanford DOE site that could cometabolically transform chloroform (CF) under aerobic conditions. The potential need for CF bioremediation at the Hanford site has resulted from the large release of carbon tetrachloride (CT) to the subsurface, of which a fraction anaerobically transformed to CF. Potential cometabolic substrates were screened for their ability to promote aerobic cometabolism of CF. The potential cometabolic substrates tested were isoprene, propene, octane, ammonia, methane, propane, and butane. Microcosms were constructed with 125 ml batch serum bottles filled with 25 g of aquifer solids, 50 ml of synthetic groundwater, and 60 ml of headspace air. Consumption of methane, butane, propane, and propene was slow, while the consumption of ammonia was very slow. Microorganisms stimulated on propene and octane showed no ability to transform CF. Limited CF was transformed in microcosms stimulated on ammonia and methane. Over 90% transformation of CF was observed in microcosms stimulated on either butane or propane during the initial incubation. Successive addition studies with methane, propane, and butane microcosms were conducted, because these substrates showed the most potential for driving CF cometabolism. The studies indicated that the most effective CF transformation was achieved by butane-utilizers. CF transformation was correlated with the consumption of the primary substrate. Propane- and butane-utilizers grown in the absence of CF showed transformation yields 3 times greater than those grown in the presence of CF. In butane fed microcosms, CF transformation was linked with butane and oxygen consumption, indicating that an oxygenase enzyme of the butane-utilizers was likely responsible for CF transformation. The butane-utilizers showed no ability to transform CT, which also suggests the possibility of CF transformation by an oxygenase enzyme. In butane microcosms, complete transformation of 55 pg of CF (1200 ��g/L of CF in aqueous solution) was observed. The maximum transformation yield of 0.03 g CF transformed/g substrates consumed was achieved by the butane-utilizers. A stoichiometric amount of chloride was released to solution from CF during CF transformation, indicating that complete dehalogenation of CF was achieved by butane-utilizers. In our knowledge, these were the first observations, demonstrating butane as a cometabolic substrate for CF transformation. / Graduation date: 1997

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Geological Sciences, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Urban Design to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / The modern day cultural landscape of man is no longer shaped by mere geology – but by the forces of culture, economics, social activity, politics and technology (Silva, 2012). Still, there are cases where geographical scars divide the cityscape, leaving voids in infrastructure and islands of open space within a thriving metropolis around these vacant patches of land. These vacant patches of land are often termed brownfield sites – once productive infrastructural components actively contributing to the formation of cities and industry. The mining belt of Johannesburg and some of its surrounds (particularly the area around the Heidelberg interchange and Faraday taxi rank) is a classic example where open patches of land exist, surrounded by a concrete jungle which is Johannesburg – “a world class African city” (joburg. org). According to Steyn (2007) the rate of urbanisation in Africa far exceeds that of the western world, which means that un-programmed, unprotected open land becomes soft targets for those prospecting ‘statistics’ flocking to the city – lured by the illusion of opportunity. Centrally located open land therefore becomes an extremely valuable commodity – a commodity that may aid in dealing with the rapid urbanisation issues that 21st century cities face. Not only are urbanities of the 21st century confronted by issues of rapid urbanisation and urban sprawl, but these urbanities need to combat issues in three omnipresent spheres – environmental, social and economic. It is within urban planning that these spheres have their closest overlap (Un-Habitat, 2009) and it is within this overlap that the concepts of resilience and sustainability can be best explored. As a result of their primary use, these fragmented wastelands are not well-suited for living, but do sometimes become the dwelling places of people willing to live in sub-standard living conditions. The mining belt of Johannesburg and its immediate surrounds is littered with brownfield sites - sites that share the characteristics of polluted, underutilised, fragmented, large stretches of vacant land, and are lacking in programme and urban form. This dissertation aims to pioneer a type of urban design uniquely developed for urban void landscapes – leftover sites otherwiseknown as brownfields – whilst addressing greater issues of sustainability and resilience. The study strives to understand how a landscape approach to urban design can be applied to revive and reclaim the drosscapes of Johannesburg. By reviewing a body of literature surrounding the theme of sustainable urbanism and investigating theories such as landscape urbanism, ecological urbanism, and compact cities, combined with understanding the life cycles of brownfield sites and how these sites can be revived to aid in solving issues faced by the 21st century city, the designer hopes to distill a set of urban design principles that can be applied over a variety of scales and integrated with other disciplines to revive brownfield sites and transform them into productive urban landscapes. Additionally, the designer endeavors to express the value of centrally located land; bridge the divide created by post-industrial landscapes; understand brownfield remediation processes and time-lines; integrate urban programmes and systems and link to and expand existing urban networks, based on the assumption that the drosscapes of Johannesburg possess the latent potential to positively add new dimensions to the current urban condition / XL2018

Purpose: In Sweden, there are area that are polluted and in need of remediation. However, soil remediation processes have a negative secondary impact on the climate. There are various soil remediation methods to apply, of which dig and dump are the most frequently used. The method involves although high emissions of carbon dioxide. By increased use of alternative soil remediation methods, such as biological soil remediation methods, can lead to reduced impact on the climate. When choosing a remediation method, sustainability is increasingly integrated, but most decisions are still based on other factors. Psychological, social and institutional barriers are considered to have counteracted the assumption of a sustainable behaviour. Therefore, further research on stakeholder attitudes may promote the implementation of such behaviour. The aim of the work is to present suggestions for improvement on how the climate impact can be reduced in soil remediation projects. Method: The study was performed as a qualitative survey. Empirical data was obtained in verbal form through the methods literature review, document analysis and interview. From an available group, six respondents were selected who represent significant stakeholders in soil remediation projects. Stakeholders were private and public clients, contractors, consultants and regulators. Analysed documents were reports from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency that is about the post-treatment of contaminated areas in Sweden. Findings: The study indicates that biological soil remediation methods have a lower impact on the climate than dig and dump. Furthermore, it appeared that the main factors in choosing a soil remediation method was type of contamination, time for remediation and when contamination is detected in projects. According to this background, biological methods are less applied than dig and dump. However, the study presents suggestions for improvements of how biological alternatives can be encouraged, for instance are more reference objects needed where biological soil remediation methods have been applied. Implications: One conclusion from the study is that existing regulations should be changed to make landfill more difficult and to facilitate re-use of polluted masses, and the fees for landfill should be increased. In addition, more reference objects need to be generated in Sweden that validate that biological soil remediation methods achieve acceptable levels of pollution. Furthermore, stakeholders in soil remediation projects should cooperate more, even across national borders, and together venture to try biological soil remediation methods. Limitations: The result is only valid for biological soil remediation methods and dig and dump for organic pollutants in soil. The study includes few respondents from av geographic limited available group, which means that the result cannot be generalized with certainty. Therefore, the study should be regarded as exploratory and the results thereafter. / Syfte: I Sverige återfinns områden som är förorenade och i behov av efterbehandling, dock har marksaneringsprocesser en negativ sekundär påverkan på klimatet. Det finns olika markasaneringsmetoder att tillämpa varav schakt och deponering är den mest frekvent använda. Emellertid innebär metoden höga utsläpp av koldioxid. Tillämpning av alternativa åtgärder, såsom biologiska marksaneringsmetoder, kan bidra till lägre koldioxidutsläpp. Vid val av saneringsmetod integreras hållbarhet alltmer, men de flesta besluten baseras ändå på andra faktorer. Psykologiska, sociala och institutionella hinder anses ha motverkat antagandet av ett hållbart beteende. Därför kan fortsatt forskning om intressenters inställning främja implementering av ett sådant beteende. Målet med arbetet är att presentera förbättringsförslag på hur klimatpåverkan kan minskas vid marksaneringsprojekt. Metod: Arbetet utfördes i form av en kvalitativ kartläggning. Insamling av empiri skedde i verbal form genom datainsamlingsmetoderna litteraturstudie, dokumentanalys och intervju. Ur en tillgänglig grupp valdes sex stycken respondenter som representerar betydande intressenter vid marksaneringsprojekt. Intressenterna var privat- och offentlig beställare, entreprenör, konsult samt tillsynsmyndigheter. Dokument som analyserades var rapporter från Naturvårdsverket som behandlar efterbehandling av förorenade områden i Sverige.  Resultat: Studien indikerar att biologiska marksaneringsmetoder har lägre klimat-påverkan än schakt och deponering. Vidare framgick att de främsta faktorerna vid val av marksaneringsmetod var typ av förorening, saneringstid och när föroreningen upptäcks i projekt. Med denna bakgrund tillämpas biologiska åtgärder mer sällan än schakt och deponering. Emellertid presenterar studien förbättringsförslag till hur tillämpning av biologiska alternativ kan främjas, bland annat behövs fler referensobjekt där biologiska marksaneringsmetoder tillämpats.  Konsekvenser: En slutsats från studien är att gällande regelverk bör förändras för att försvåra deponering och underlätta återanvändning av förorenade massor samt bör avgifterna för deponering höjas. Dessutom behöver fler referensobjekt genereras i Sverige som påvisar att biologiska marksaneringsmetoder uppnår godkända föroreningshalter. Vidare bör intressenterna vid marksaneringsprojekt samarbeta mer, även över nationella gränser, för att tillsammans våga tillämpa biologiska mark-saneringsmetoder.  Begränsningar: Resultatet är endast giltigt för biologiska marksaneringsmetoder samt schakt och deponering av organiska föroreningar i mark. Studien inkluderar få respondenter ur en geografiskt begränsad tillgänglig grupp, vilket gör att resultatet inte med säkerhet kan generaliseras. Därmed bör studien betraktas som utforskande och resultatet därefter.