I denna studie har två olika GIS-verktygslådor och två typer av kartmaterial jämförts för attundersöka hur väl de kan användas till att modellera ekologisk konnektivitet på kommunnivå.Verktygslådorna som jämförts är Matrixgreen 1.6.4, en extension till ArcGIS 9.3.1, och ODC,ett urval av verktygen från ArcGIS Spatial Analyst. Som bakgrundsmaterial användes tvåolika typer av data, dels Svensk MarktäckeData (SMD) och dels en vegetationskarteringspecifikt framställd för ändamålet baserat på IRF-bilder. Syftet med studien är att försökaidentifiera en optimal metod för att analysera och kartera ekologisk konnektivitet utifrån demöjligheter och begränsningar som respektive verktygslåda och kartmaterial erbjuder, medtekniska förutsättningar liknande en kommunal tjänstemans. Jämförelserna är gjorda både urett kvalitativt användarvänlighetsperspektiv, och ur ett kvantitativt resultatperspektiv däranalysernas kvalitet och resurseffektivitet bedömts.Resultatet av jämförelserna visar att en analys utförd med Matrixgreen, mjukvara designadspeciellt för att modellera ekologisk konnektivitet är mindre kvalitetsmässigt tillförlitlig än enanalys gjord med ODC. Anledningen till detta är att Matrixgreen i sin nuvarande form ärbegränsat av programmeringsfel, vilket delvis förtar dess användningspotential. I jämförelsenmellan de olika typerna av kartmaterial så är det min uppfattning att vegetationskarteringenutförd med stereotolkning är kvalitetsmässigt överlägsen marktäckesdata från SMD somunderlagsmaterial i ekologiska konnektivitetsanalyser. Den förstnämnda är dock såresurskrävande att framställa att den troligtvis bara är ett aktuellt alternativ i projekt med storbudget. / Two different tool boxes using GIS were compared with the purpose of modeling ecologicalconnectivity. Additionally, two different sets of landscape data which could be used in GISmodeling of ecological connectivity at a municipal level were compared. The toolboxes arebeing compared is the Matrixgreen 1.6.4, an extension to ArcGIS 9.3.1, and ODC (Object,Distance, Cost), a selection of tools from the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst. The map data beingcompared is the Swedish Land Cover Data (Svensk MarktäckeData, SMD) and a vegetationmapping prepared by remote sensing and stereo interpretation of infrared aerial photographs.The purpose of this study is to identify an optimal method for analyzing and mappingecological connectivity based on the potentials and limitations that each tool box and mapdata set provides, under technical conditions similar to those of a municipal official’s.Comparisons were made both from a qualitative usability perspective, and a quantitativeperformance perspective with analysis of the quality and resource efficiency assessed.The results of the comparisons indicates that an analysis performed with Matrixgreen,software designed specifically for modeling ecological connectivity is qualitatively lessreliable than an analysis performed with ODC. The reason for this is that Matrixgreen in itspresent form is limited by programming errors, which partly deprives its potential use as toolsto perform connectivity analysis at a landscape scale. In the comparison between the differenttypes of map data, it is my opinion that the vegetation mapping conducted by stereointerpretation is qualitatively superior to land cover data from the SMD as support material inan ecological connectivity analysis. Although, the former is so expensive to produce that it islikely only a relevant option in projects with large budgets.

When measuring weathering intensity of paleosols there arevarious methods and ratios that can be used. This studyexamines several weathering indicators too see which are bestapplied and most effective on loess and paleosols from Yukon,Canada. This region today is considered sub-arctic, but duringpast time this area and its soils has been characterized byglaciations and interglaciations. These changes are the origin ofthe unweathered Kluane loess and the weathered Slims Soilthat are analyzed in the study. Methods used to determine themost sensitive weathering indicator was; CIA (the ChemicalIndex of Alteration), CPA (the Chemical Proxy of Alteration),oxide ratios ((CaO + Na2O + MgO)/TiO2 and (CaO + Na2O +K2O)/TiO2), and elemental ratios (Rb/Sr, Ba/Sr, Ti/Sr). Theresults from the CIA and oxide ratios show that calcium is thevarying factor, and thereby a good weathering indicator forthese samples. The elemental ratios showed a great variationbetween weathered and unweathered samples, and a cleardecrease strontium is apparent. These ratios would also beuseful indicators, but since Sr is associated with Ca, it isprobably calcium that is the main feature. The methods withoutcalcium as a factor did not give any clear separation betweenKluane loess and Slims Soil. Thereby it is concluded that proxyscontaining Ca are the most useful indicators of weathering inthis area.

No description available.

Loess from west Greenland was studied to evaluate Holocene paleoclimate in the Arctic region. Deposits of loess are formed over long time scales through deposition of fine aeolian sediment and they exist in several places in the world. The main aeolian dust source in the study area is glaciofluvial material derived from the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Studying and understanding paleoclimate can help to make better predictions about the future in this sensitive region. Apart from sea level rise, melting of the GrIS also leads to an increase of aeolian dust as it gets released from the ice, which influences atmospheric and metrological phenomenon as well as the ice sheet’s albedo. This creates negative feedback mechanisms through increasing melting rates of glaciers and warming of the Arctic. Loess samples from two sites in the Kangerlussuaq area were analyzed and the mineral composition was measured with X-Ray Florescence Spectroscopy (XRF). With the measured mineral content, weathering indices were calculated to identify rates of weathering during the Holocene. Increased weathering intensities indicate warmer and more humid climate. The deposits in Greenland are relatively thin. Radiocarbon dating of the sediment suggests that the oldest parts of the profiles are about 4000 cal. yr B.P. (calibrated years before present). Arctic loess has not been studied very extensively. Weathering indices and ratios developed for classical loess, that had not been tested on Arctic loess, was used. The results were plotted by depth and age to visually identify changes over time. By considering the geology, climate and local conditions of the study area, some weathering indices seemed to be suitable, generating matching trends between the two sites. Compared with results from previous studies, the results also seemed credible. / Löss från västra Grönland studerades för att utvärdera holocent paleoklimat i Arktis. Lössjordar bildas över långa tidsskalor genom avsättning av fint vindburet sediment och de finns på flera platser i världen. Den huvudsakliga källan till det vindburna sedimentet i studieområdet är glaciofluvialt material härstammande från Grönlandsisen (GrIS). Att studera och förstå paleoklimat kan underlätta skapandet av bättre prognoser om framtiden i denna känsliga region. Bortsett från höjning av de globala havsnivåerna leder smältningen av GrIS också till en ökning av vindburet sediment då det frigörs från isen, vilket påverkar atmosfäriska och metrologiska fenomen samt isens albedo. Detta skapar negativa återkopplingsmekanismer genom ökande smälthastighet av glaciärer och uppvärmning av Arktis. Lössprover från två ställen i Kangerlussuaq-området analyserades och mineralsammansättningen mättes med röntgenstrålningsspektroskopi (XRF). Med det uppmätta mineralinnehållet beräknades vittringssindex för att identifiera vittringshastigheter under Holocen. Ökad vittringsintesitet indikerar varmare och fuktigare klimat. Avlagringarna på Grönland är relativt tunna. Kol-14-datering av sedimentet antyder att de äldsta delarna är cirka 4000 cal. yr B.P. (kalibrerade år före nutid). Arktisk löss är relativt ostuderad. Vittringsindex som har utvecklats för klassisk löss i tempererade regioner, och tidigare inte testats på arktisk löss, användes. Resultaten ritades i grafer efter djup och ålder för att visuellt identifiera förändringar över tid. Genom att ta hänsyn till geologin, klimatet och lokala förhållanden i studieområdet, verkade några av vittringsindexen ge trovärdiga resultat då matchande trender mellan bägge profiler kunde utläsas. I jämförelse med resultat från tidigare studier verkade resultaten också trovärdiga.

Many of the world’s most impoverished populations rely on farming, hunting and gathering to eat and earn a living where people often have just enough food and assets to last through the next season, and ultimately inadequate reserves to fall back on in the event of a poor harvest. Rural resource-dependent livelihoods are embedded in high risks, as climate variability and climate extremes are additional stressors to poverty. They often have limited livelihood options and few economic opportunities to adapt and compensate for unforeseen events. This research is a contribution to the limited and narrowed research of Zanzibari coastal people’s livelihoods’ exposure to rainy seasons. Based on women’s distinctively vulnerable position towards poverty, this research addresses single mothers, and their experiences of forming and maintaining their livelihoods during rainy seasons, in the coastal village of Paje, on Zanzibar, Tanzania. The intention is to outline these women’s exposure to rainy seasons and their range of adaptive capacity to maintain a sustainable livelihood. The research method is semistructured interviews with 30 single mothers living in Paje village, Zanzibar. The analysis is guided by the sustainable livelihoods framework to conceptualise the complex dynamic systems of poor rural livelihoods. The results reveal that seasonal transition to rainy season generates several constraints for single mothers to sustain their livelihood security throughout the rainy season. Women experience instability in their livelihood security, with extensive shortfalls in their income levels. These losses are further linked to food insecurity, destruction of homes, health issues and many other socioeconomic disadvantages. The women’s most persuasive survival strategy relies on their social capital of donations or loans from friends, families and neighbours. Hence, their level of adaptive capacity is affected by several other factors, such as inadequate institutional support and infrastructure, poor education and issues of gender inequality.

Loess is an unique record of the paleoclimate of the Quaternary. Because it is directly deposited from the atmosphere, it can be used as a proxy for wind speed and circulation patterns. It can also be directly dated using luminescence. The site of the loess being investigated for this paper is PrimelTrégastel (Brittany), which lies in north-western France of the shore to the English Channel. The English Channel may be one of the sources for loess of the last glaciation, the Wichselian, and is the reason for choosing Primel-Trégastel to investigate. It is the purpose of this paper to investigate the climate of the time the loess was formed at Primel-Trégastel using grain-size distribution analysis, as well as comparing its properties to other loess sites in north-western Europe. The results show that the loess of Primel-Trégastel is coarse and have a relatively high sand content. That may imply that the loess was deposited during cold and arid conditions by high wind speeds, and at that it may have had a relatively close source. The results also exhibit cycles in the coarseness of the grain-size, indicative of the climate varying between cold and relatively warmer, resulting in relatively higher and lower wind speeds respectively. The loess of Nantois and Pegwell Bay are also relatively coarse, and the loess of Pegwell Bay also have a high sand content. The loess of Nussloch was in comparison more unlike the one of Primel-Trégastel, possibly due to the lack of a local source of sand at Nussloch.

The lack of cultural and economic recognition of the significance of wetlands arguably led to theirdevastating and rapid loss compared to other ecosystems. To reverse this trend and establish a reasonablevaluation of wetlands, the foundations of socio-ecological concepts were laid in late 20th century thatsuggested the acknowledgement of the functions, values, and services of ecosystems. Subsequently, inthe 21st century the scientific interest in wetland functionality is driven beyond mere conservationalefforts and includes the appropriation of their values for sustainable development, and the utilization oftheir functions as nature-based solutions to humanity’s growing environmental problems. In light of thistrend, this literature review outlines the most critical functions of Swedish wetlands and places them intheir contexts of significance. A meta-analysis of the scientific literature on Swedish wetlandswas conducted with the assessment of wetland functions, wetland types, and the drivers that motivatedeach study. To identify the most critical functions and their contexts, patterns and trends wereinvestigated among these categories. Results show that the most recognised functions of Swedishwetlands are their nutrient-pollutant retention, ecosystem maintenance, and carbon sink functions.Their connections to distinct drivers suggest that their values mainly lie in their potential tomitigate negative impacts of anthropogenic activities, such as eutrophication and global warming,and to support local and regional biodiversity. Synergies among these functions are alsodiscussed, as exemplified by dual-purpose constructed wetlands. Moreover, understudiedhydrological functions are thought to reflect their undervaluation and indicate possible risksattached to associated knowledge gaps. By summarising and contextualising the most importantfunctions, this literature review sheds light on the contemporary understanding and valuation ofwetland functions in Sweden. It is suggested that these novel perceptions effectively drive wetlandconstruction and restoration, the ever-more popular strategies to mitigate climate- and industryrelated risks. Consequently, the recognition, interpretation, and application of wetland functionswill all contribute to the future landscape composition of Sweden.

Current climate warming has a disproportionally large impact on Arctic glaciers and ice caps. In this thesis, I examined stratigraphic changes observed in the top ~15 m of two Arctic ice caps: one located at Svalbard (Lomonosovfonna) and the eastern Canadian Arctic Archipelago (Penny). The objective was to find out if and how the increasing regional temperatures have impacted the stratigraphy and densification rates of these ice caps, and particularly since the 1990s when Arctic warming accelerated. This was accomplished by analyzing and comparing recent (2000s) and earlier (1990s) ice-core density and stratigraphic measurements from these two ice caps, and also regional temperature data from Svalbard and the eastern Canadian Arctic over the period 1995-2013. Data over the amount and thickness of ice layers in the ice cores are also used and compared with the density development. A decrease in elevation for the formation of infiltration ice layers at Lomonsovfonna is concluded as well as a strong increase in temperature where the winter temperatures increase the most. In the ice cores it ́s also seen that each core has certain spatial variability when it comes to the distribution of infiltration ice.

No description available.

No description available.