The aim of the thesis is to develop an expanding educational curriculum manual applicable in the practical field of teaching geography at the 2nd primary school. The work contains a set of projects with practical exercises and field experiments, explaining the specific processes and physical geography concepts linked to the selected area (Domažlicko and Humpolecko). Individual chapters are devoted to physical-geographical sub-disciplines (meteorology and climatology, hydrology, soil science, biogeography, geology and geomorphology) and the first chapter is devoted to cartography.

Large-scale mining modifies the existing physical environment and has multiple long-term impacts on landscape but also on communities, and their cultural values. In Finland, social impact assessment has become a customary practice in assessing and estimating mining impacts that cause changes to the well-being of individual people and their livelihoods. However, the assessment is often lacking notions of social dimensions of the environment, neglecting discussing aspects such as localities and subjective well-being. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of considering the cultural benefits of the environment to human well-being in environmental decision-making. The purpose of this study is to explore and illustrate how cultural ecosystem services could contribute to the current practice in social impact assessments in Finnish mining projects by highlighting the relation between local people and environment through the valuation of cultural services. The study used a conceptual framework approach of cultural ecosystem services and conducted eight qualitative semi-structured interviews in two villages in Finnish Fell Lapland. The aim was to explore how the local people themselves describe their non-material benefits from the environment. Six out of the eight interviews were conducted walking with the participants. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed for analysis against the conceptual cultural ecosystem services framework. The results show how the well-being of local people was strongly linked to cultural benefits such as sense of place, enabled by meaningful activities in places that were often happening in mundane everyday places. The study implies the importance of considering cultural ecosystem services such as sense of place in the current social impact assessment practice as they help unveiling connections between people, the natural environment and subjective well-being.

xvi, 156 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This dissertation examined a number of general vegetation-modeling issues, and the sensitivity of terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP), soil moisture and actual evapotranspiration (ET) to climatic variations in China. The specific issues addressed included: (1) the sensitivity of the performance of an equilibrium vegetation model to the choice of monthly-mean climatologies, observed validation data sets, and three map-comparison approaches; and (2) the limitations of existing map-comparison approaches in vegetation modeling; and the variation and climate sensitivity of (3) terrestrial NPP and (4) soil moisture and actual ET in China. To address the first issue, BIOME4 (Kaplan et al., 2002), a typical example of an equilibrium vegetation model, was used along with a set of 19 different monthly-mean climatologies, three validation data sets, and several map-comparison methods. To address the second issue, the "opposite and identity" (01) index (Tang, 2008) was developed for evaluating the correspondence of two simulation results. To examine the third issue, a set of historical NPP dynamics were derived from normalized-difference vegetation index data by modifying the CASA (Potter et al., 1999) approach and then were linked to the variation of temperature and precipitation to analyze the climatic effects on terrestrial NPP in China. To examine the fourth issue, a stand-alone water balance model, LH (LPJ-hydrology), was developed by modifying the LPJ dynamic global vegetation model (Sitch et al., 2003), and applying it to a China case study. The results of these analyses indicate that (1) the 30-year mean-climatology preceding the observed data produces the most accurate vegetation simulations; (2) the OI index is a useful tool to compare two simulation results or to evaluate simulation results against observed spatiotemporal data; (3) climate and land-use change jointly controlled NPP dynamics in the eastern monsoon zone of China. In contrast, NPP dynamics in the north-west and zone and in the Tibet Plateau frigid zone depended more on climatic variation; and (4) the spatial patterns of soil moisture and ET in China were correlated with the variation of temperature and precipitation. However, the strength of such relationship varies spatially. This dissertation includes my published and coauthored materials. / Adviser: Patrick J. Bartlein

xvii, 205 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Fire is a fundamental, transformative, yet poorly understood process in the Earth system; it can radically reorganize ecosystems, alter regional carbon and energy balances, and change global climate. Short-term fire histories can be reconstructed from satellite (seasonal- to interannual-scales), historical (decadal scales), or dendrochronological records (for recent centuries), but only sedimentary charcoal records enable an analysis of the complex interactions between climate, vegetation and people that drive fire activity over longer temporal scales. This dissertation describes the compilation, synthesis and analysis of a global paleofire dataset and its application to understanding past, current, and future changes in fire activity. Specifically, I co-led efforts to compile charcoal records around the world into a single database, and to conduct three meta-analyses to understand the controls on fire at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The first meta-analysis reconstructed global biomass burning since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) 21,000 years ago. Results from this study demonstrated that global fire activity is low when conditions are cool and high when conditions are warm. This fundamental relationship between climate and fire is due in large part to associated changes in vegetation productivity. The second meta-analysis examined fire activity in North America during past abrupt climate changes and looked for evidence of continental-scale wildfires associated with a hypothesized comet impact ∼13,000 years ago. This analysis found a correlation between increased fire activity and abrupt climate change, but provided no evidence for continental-scale wildfires. A final meta-analysis disentangled the climate and human influences on global biomass burning during the past 2000 years; it found a close relationship between climate change and biomass burning until ∼1750 A.D., when human activities became a primary driver of global fire activity. Together, these three meta-analyses demonstrate that climate change is the primary control of global fire activity over long time scales. In general, global fire activity increases when the Earth's climate warms and decreases when climate cools. The paleofire data and analyses suggest that the rapid climate changes projected for coming decades will lead to widespread increases in fire frequency and biomass burning. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material. / Committee in charge: Patrick Bartlein, Chairperson, Geography; Daniel Gavin, Member, Geography; W. Andrew Marcus, Member, Geography; Cathy Whitlock, Member, Geography; Ronald Mitchell, Outside Member, Political Science

Lagoons are coastal waterbodies which are sensitive to meteorological and hydrological changes. This study focused on the spatial distribution of salinity in Gialova lagoon, Greece. The area in which the lagoon is located is under pressure from agriculture and truism in the area. Besides that, the lagoon is an important stop for migratory birds as well as the home for rare species. To investigate how salinity is distributed in the lagoon a salinity gradient was produced. Also, an attempt was made to model the salt and fresh water fluxes in the lagoon using a mass balance approach. The water fluxes are either from fresh water sources or influx of saline water from the sea. Manual electric conductivity measurements were taken during a field campaign to the lagoon. Time series data used in the model was obtained from stations in the lagoon and the surroundings. An investigation in how the lagoon measurement station differ in salinity was also performed in this study. Results from the gradient map and manual measurements show that the water in the lagoon is the freshest in the North-Eastern parts and the most saline to the South-West. The modelled water fluxes show an inverse relationship from each other. High fresh water fluxes correspond to precipitation events, lower salinity concentration. Whereas high salt water fluxes correspond to high salinity concentration and lowered precipitation. The stations concentrated to the middle lagoon show corresponding values in salinity whereas the station to the South-West differs. The canal surrounding the lagoon shows interactions since measurements show that the water is brackish. A longer time series could provide patterns in water fluxes over time. Trying to find the portions of terrestrial groundwater and surface water, and further investigation of the regional aquifer could provide new information to develop this model. The region is expected to experience water stress which makes further studies and monitoring important.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-10-06Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:23:02Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_dob_dr_rcla.pdf: 4513094 bytes, checksum: b1f9a1bce83f862ed952da0969091f45 (MD5) / Convenio Ifpi / Pedro II, desde a década de 50 vem sofrendo alteração da paisagem natural em decorrência da exploração de opala e nos últimos cinco anos pelo ecoturismo emergente, não planejado e estruturado. O presente trabalho analisou os impactos sócio-ambientais decorrentes da atividade de garimpo de opala e da ação do turismo em áreas naturais, bem como vem a propor ações efetivas para desenvolvimento destas atividades de forma sustentável no município. Para consecução dos objetivos propostos, a pesquisa foi executada nas minas e garimpos do Boi Morto e Mamoeiro e em áreas com potencial turístico, através do levantamento das condições físicas e bióticas do meio, descrição dos impactos e aplicação de formulários sócio-ambientais às comunidades alvo do estudo. Através da análise, foi possível observar que nas áreas naturais com potencial turístico os danos em maiores proporções evidenciam o total desrespeito à capacidade de carga dos ecossistemas visitados, acúmulo de lixo, e falta de informação e orientação técnica na área ambiental. Quanto à mineração, os principais aspectos observados dizem respeito a ausência de ações voltadas para a recuperação das áreas impactadas, e de orientação na área ambiental, além do uso inadequado das minas para o turismo (geoturismo). Os dados obtidos refletem a necessidade de um planejamento e gestão compartilhados, a fim de tornar as atividades alvo desta pesquisa sustentáveis e voltadas para a melhoria da qualidade de vida dos atores sociais diretamente... / Pedro II back to the 1950’s, is damaging effects of the opal prospecting in the natural landscape and in the last five years for the emerging ecotourism, which is not planned or structured. This paper analyzed the impact caused by the opal exploration in Boi Morto e Mamoeiro and by the action of the tourism with contributing to a diagnostic profile about the environmental damage caused by these activities. For the success of the proposed objectives, a survey of the biota and physics conditions – in the areas selected for the study – was made as well as its environmental impacts. A socio-environmental questionnaire was applied too. The results from the mining showed controversies with regards to in loco observation, mainly with regards to the waste treatment, environmental management and the recovery of prospected areas, as soon as principally regarding the disrespect for the ecosystem load capacity area. So in the areas analyzed so far, the prospecting as much as the tourism action generate environmental problems of great proportions, without the authorities preoccupation for their resolution. Them, were expect that activities could be sustainably, for population and visitors, to... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-17T19:33:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-12-09. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-06-18T12:48:08Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000830262.pdf: 6373425 bytes, checksum: 367f77aacf28244ee567581d4606ea25 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este trabalho apresenta como objetivo geral a análise das vulnerabilidades socioambientais relacionadas aos rios urbanos, avaliando a modificação dos ambientes fluviais urbanos e suas consequências. A área de estudo da pesquisa é a bacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão Piracicamirim, na cidade de Piracicaba/SP, pois esta é uma significativa bacia que se caracteriza por ser um dos principais vetores de expansão urbana da cidade. Essa pesquisa analisou a questão das vulnerabilidades socioambientais na bacia selecionada, especificamente quanto a inundações que ocorrem em períodos chuvosos. A metodologia adotada foi a elaboração dos mapas: hipsométrico; uso da terra; dos loteamentos, bairros e áreas onde ocorreram eventos de inundação recente na malha urbana; de fotografias aéreas de 2011 e dos setores censitários com dados do Censo Demográfico de 2010 do IBGE. Os eventos de inundação de 2011 e 2013 foram levantados em artigos da imprensa da cidade. Para compreender o processo de expansão urbana na unidade de estudo, foram pesquisados e sistematizados dados oficiais dos loteamentos aprovados no período de 2000 a 2013. Os resultados encontrados se relacionam com o fato de que a intensa expansão urbana na área da bacia na cidade de Piracicaba vêm aumentando consideravelmente os eventos de inundação, devido principalmente a generalizada impermeabilização do solo. O uso da terra no meio rural, com predomínio da cultura da cana-de-açúcar, também contribui significativamente com o problema das inundações, tendo em vista que a cana, em seu estágio inicial de desenvolvimento, facilita a ocorrência de erosão do solo, o que aumenta o assoreamento dos cursos d'água na bacia / This paper presents as general objective, the analysis of social and environmental vulnerabilities related to urban rivers, assessing the modification of urban river environments and its consequences. The study area is the watershed of Piracicamirim in the city of Piracicaba - São Paulo, since this is a significant basin, characterized as one of the main vectors of urban expansion of the city. This research analyzed the issue of social and environmental vulnerabilities in the selected basin, specifically regarding the flooding that occurs during rainy periods. The methodology adopted was the preparation of maps: hypsometric; land use; of subdivisions, neighborhoods and areas where there were recent flood events in the urban area; aerial photographs of 2011 and the census tracts from IBGE Census data of 2010. Flood events of 2011 and 2013 were raised in the city Press articles. In order to understand the process of urban expansion in the unit of study, official data of approved subdivisions from 2000 to 2013 were surveyed and systematized. The results relate to the fact that the intense urban expansion of the basin area in the city of Piracicaba has been increasing flood events considerably, mainly due to widespread soil sealing. The land use in rural areas, with a predominance of sugar cane culture, also contributes significantly to the problem of flooding, given that the sugar cane at its early stage of development facilitates the occurrence of soil erosion, which increases the silting of the water in the basin / FAPESP: 2013/04245-8

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-17T15:24:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-05-07. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-09-17T15:47:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000846055.pdf: 21388140 bytes, checksum: 2fa07c7c73414c4056693b1e2e71d11d (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente tese teve como objetivo principal contribuir com uma sistematização metodológica para caracterização e mapeamento de áreas suscetíveis a movimentos gravitacionais de massa. Para isto realizou-se a integração dos seguintes métodos: zoneamento de unidades geoambientais, fotointerpretação, análise morfométrica do relevo, análise morfoestrutura(deformação dúctil) e análise morfotectônica(deformação rúptil). Dessa integração de técnicas obtivemos o a classificação da suscetibilidade do meio físico a movimentos gravitacionais de massa. A análise morfoestrutural permitiu identificar locais com comportamentos ambientais bem específicos (infiltração ou acúmulo de água) de interesse da pesquisa. A análise morfotectônica determinou áreas com maiores deformações, nas quais ocorre intensa infiltração e circulação das águas e, portanto, são propícios a uma intensa intemperização das rochas. O produto de síntese obtido desta integração foi o Mapa de Suscetibilidade do meio físico a movimentos gravitacionais de massa, o qual demostrou ser eficiente na detecção destes fenômenos, pois permitiu identificar as áreas mais propensas a serem afetadas por eles / This thesis aimed to contribute with a methodological systematization to characterize and map areas of landslide susceptibility through the integration of the following methods: geoenvironmental mapping, photo interpretation, morphometric analysis of relief, morfostructure analysis and fracture map. This integration led to the classification of the landslide susceptibility of the physical environment. The morfostructural analysis allowed for the identification of sites with very specific environmental behavior (water infiltration or accumulation) of interest to this research. The fracture mapping identified areas with larger tectonic deformation in which intense infiltration and circulation of water occurs and, therefore, is ideal for an intense weathering of rocks. The synthesis product obtained through this integration was the Landslide Susceptibility Map of the physical environment, which was efficient in the detection of these phenomena, since it led to the identification of areas with greater tendencies to be affected by them

Groundwater is an important natural resource in Sweden due to almost 50 % of the produced drinking water origins from groundwater, 50 % of the groundwater is artificially made. Artificial recharge is necessary in some areas in Sweden to enable enough groundwater extraction for the drinking water supply. Artificial recharge will affect the groundwater levels in the system. The infiltration of water can also affect the spread of pollution in the area. The effect of pollution spreading is due to the change in available oxygen in the system. When infiltrating water, the soil can go from anaerobic- to aerobic conditions, which in turn can cause mobilization of pollutants. This master project was carried out in collaboration with the consultancy company WSP. In this thesis, an esker assessed as suitable for artificial recharge from a hydrogeological point of view, is investigated regarding the contamination spread. Stockholm vatten och avlopp (SVOA) is investigating the possibilities for producing drinking water by artificial recharge in the esker. The area has been identified as a potential hazardous area by the Swedish environmental protection agency and increased levels of zinc, lead and copper have been found in the soil. The aim with this project is to investigate how zinc, lead and copper could spread in the groundwater for the current situation. This project also aims to investigate how the artificial recharge would affect the groundwater levels in the system as well as the effect of the spread of zinc, lead and copper regarding the mass transport, transportation time and the contaminant plume. A hydrogeological model was created in MODFLOW where the effect of infiltration was simulated. Models for groundwater transport as well as mass transport was created in MODPATH respectively in MT3DMS. The hydrogeological model´s Normalized root mean square (nRMS) was 7,4 % and the maximal residual between observed and simulated groundwater levels was 0, 16 meters. Two different scenarios for artificial recharge were investigated, one called pilotförsöket and the other called fullskaleanläggningen. For the pilotförsöket was 100 L/s infiltrated and for fullskaleanläggningen was 280 L/s infiltrated, the amount of extracted groundwater was assumed to be equal as the amount of infiltrated surface water. The simulations were indicating that the groundwater levels could rise up to 7 meters locally around the infiltration area. The groundwater levels closer to the extraction wells could decrease by 4 meters in pilotförsöket and decrease by 10-15 meters in fullskaleanläggningen. The simulations of zinc, copper and lead in the infiltration area, are indicating an increase in maximal concentration as well as an increase for the plume of contaminants as a result of infiltration. The maximal concentrations in the simulations of pilotförsöket were found to be in the following ranges 4x10-5 to 2,8x10-8 mg/L for lead; 8 x10-4 to 2,5x10-6 mg/L for copper and 0,012 to 9x10-4 mg/L for zinc. Fullskaleanläggningen resulted in the highest concentrations of the simulated scenarios. The following ranges were observed in the simulations of fullskaleanläggningen 4,5x10-5 to 4x10-8 mg/L for lead; 0,014 till 2,5x10-6 mg/L for copper, and 0,035 till 3x10-3 mg/L for zinc. The plume of contaminants was observed to increase with an increasing amount of infiltrated water. During the simulation period of 10 years, the simulation implies that zinc, copper and lead mainly will be transported close to the infiltration area. The results for simulations in all scenarios indicate that the plume of contaminant will not reach the extraction wells. These results can be due to longer transportation times than 10 years, as well as that the increase volume of water in the system will dilute the levels of metals. This master project indicates that the artificial recharge in the area will affect the groundwater levels in the system. Due to the change in groundwater levels can also the spread of zinc, copper and lead increase in magnitude and in size. This master project also indicates that zinc, copper and lead would not reach the extraction wells in high levels within a 10 years period. The simulations indicate that the area could be appropriate to use for artificial recharge, when considering zinc, copper and lead. This assessment is only based on the simulations of the mass transport of zinc, copper and lead and with the assumption that the contaminated soil would be excavated if an infiltration area is built. Even though the simulations indicate that the area could be appropriate. Other pollutants that was found, but not simulated, at increased levels could have a different transportation time as well as mass transport from the infiltration area. Regarding the age of the landfill it is likely in the methanogenic phase and leaching of contaminants could already have happened decades ago. With these two aspects in mind, my recommendation is that more investigations are made regarding the spread of other pollutants as well as the level of zinc, lead and copper in the groundwater closer to the extraction wells.

Following the necessity for spatial planning to focus on ‘what works’ in terms of implementation and policy delivery, during the last decade, the notion ‘soft’ spaces of cooperation have been in the spotlight of many academics working on territorial cooperation units. ‘Soft’ spaces of cooperation have been introduced mainly to explain what was happening for real through the continuous attempts to promote new policy scales, initially through the device of fuzzy boundaries. However, despite the necessity to address interests beyond existing rigid administrative boundaries, still issues related to financial power, infrastructure coordination and investment, ecological and environmental concerns, etc., all are situated within hierarchical structures of government and governance. Challenges arise and affect the interaction of actors in these areas, given the different institutional and cultural settings. This research investigates ways in which governmental institutions influence the coordination between non-governmental actors, points of interests that can foster the cooperation between governmental institutions and, more specifically the main challenges that non-governmental actors face while trying to cooperate due to cultural differences and institutional set-up in a ‘soft’ territorial cooperation. The research has been carried out in the Dutch-German border area, focusing on a common natural linkage and asset such as the Rhine river. While coordination between different sectoral policies exists in both sides of the border, different social context, planning mode and different legal and political conditions make the implementation of common projects a challenge.