With an increasing urban population, urban areas around the world face great challenges in sustaining its inhabitants without losing its natural values. Fragmentation of the urban green areas is inevitable, causing the biodiversity to decline and the ecosystem services to weaken. In Stockholm, ten large green areas stretch from the inner parts of the city outwards to the more rural parts of the county -these are called the green wedges of Stockholm. The green wedges bring nature closer to the urban dwellers and strengthen the urban ecosystems, which provides the citizens with vital ecosystem services. The population of Stockholm is growing rapidly and is expected to increase with almost 50% by 2050, putting a massive pressure on the development of new dwellings. Suitable and vacant areas for exploitation are rare and so the green areas around and within the city are often encroached or destroyed. The green wedge area is decreasing due to exploitation and there is no real means of protection for a majority of the wedges. The comprehensive plans [översiktsplaner] and regional plans [regional planer] are not legally binding, hence the continuous infringing of the green wedge area. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive picture of the green wedges of Stockholm, its past, present and future challenges as well as possible solutions. By using methods such as GIS analysis, a decrease of green wedge area in the new regional development plan RUFS 2050 compared to the old regional development plan RUFS 2010 was found. The green wedges are diminishing and only a small part, 24 %, is protected. New ways of protecting the green wedge area could be relevant to enable a suitable inclusion within urban planning. A sustainable urban region with a healthy and sound population is dependent on green areas close to residential areas. When encroaching parts of the green wedges it will have an impact on the green infrastructure within the whole of Stockholm County, which, inevitably, will affect the urban ecosystems that provide essential ecosystem services to the city dwellers. There is a need for a clear political vision, proper legally binding guidelines as well as improved and extensive inter-municipal collaborations to make the future of the green wedges prosperous.

Orientador: Roberto Braga / Banca: Iára Regina Nocentini André / Banca: Sueli Andruccioli Felix / Resumo: O dilema no momento atual de nossa sociedade é o desafio de como manter o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias e que seja de maneira sustentável, porém, o desenvolvimento também acarreta impactos. Juntamente com o desenvolvimento vem o crescimento desordenado das cidades, causando danos tanto para o meio ambiente quando para a sociedade, fazendo-se necessários estudos sobre este tema e os consecutivamente os relacionados como vulnerabilidade ambiental e risco. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a compreensão da questão da vulnerabilidade a riscos ambientais em áreas urbanas, analisando estes riscos em decorrência da variabilidade climática e a percepção aos riscos ambientais por parte dos moradores dos bairros mais vulneráveis do município de Marília (SP). Para a realização da pesquisa foi realizado levantamento bibliográfico acerca do tema e posteriormente para a delimitação da área de estudo dentro do município de Marília (SP) foram feitos uma interpolação de dados de Exclusão Social, Plano Diretor Municipal, Plano Local de Habitação de Interesse Social, Defesa Civil, chegando-se alguns bairros dentro de duas regiões (Nordeste e Sul) com características semelhantes. Para finalizar foram aplicados questionários de percepção de risco ambiental com base nesses dados nestas áreas escolhidas, visando entender o grau de percepção dos moradores que vivem nesses bairros mais vulneráveis / Abstract: The dilemma in the present moment of our society is the challenge of keeping up the development of new technologies and that is in a sustainable manner, however also entails the development impacts. Along with development comes the overcrowded cities, causing damage to both the environment as for society, by making studies on this topic and consecutively as related environmental vulnerability and risk required. This study aims to understand the issue of vulnerability to environmental hazards in urban areas, analyzing these risks due to climate variability and perception of environmental risks by the residents of vulnerable neighborhoods the city of Marília (SP). To conduct the survey was conducted literature concerning the topic and subsequently for the delimitation of the study area within the city of Marília ( SP ) were made interpolation data Social Exclusion, Municipal Director Plan, Local Plan Social Housing, Civil Defense, reaching some neighborhoods in two regions ( Northeast and South ) with similar characteristics. To finalize questionnaires of perceived environmental risk based on these data were applied to these selected areas, in order to understand the degree of perception of the residents living in these most vulnerable neighborhoods / Mestre

Orientador: Vicente José Fulfaro / Banca: Antonio Roberto Saad / Banca: José Eduardo Rodrigues / Resumo: O povoamento e a colonização do Brasil e da região amazônica ocorreram, desde o início do Brasil Colônia até nossos dias, por razões econômicas e políticas. No início, o povoamento acompanhou os interesses da expansão do domínio português na busca de produtos naturais e da mão-de-obra indígena atreladas à economia do modelo primário-exportador. A expansão no sentido leste-oeste durante o período colonial aconteceu através de expedições militares, de sertanistas aventureiros e de missões religiosas em busca de pau brasil e das drogas do sertão. A ocupação do vale do Guaporé-Mamoré-Madeira teve início com as expedições de Raposo Tavares e Francisco de Meio Palheta, com viagens de comerciantes, jesuítas e com expedições de resgate de índios realizadas por colonos aventureiros e exploradores. A seguir, verificou-se a expansão da fronteira amazônica provocada pela demanda da borracha, nos Séculos XIX e XX. O processo de expansão recente na Amazônia e em Rondônia ocorreu através das ações governamentais, prevendo uma associação entre o capital estatal e o privado nacional e internacional visando promover o desenvolvimento regional numa perspectiva de integração nacional segundo os princípios da ideologia vigente nos governos militares e da Nova República. A política de ocupação e colonização do Governo Federal praticada em Rondônia e conjugada com a implementação de projetos especiais de gestão territorial (POLAMAZÔNIA, POLONOROESTE e PLANAFLORO) visando promover o desenvolvimento regional foram elaborados e executados sem a previsão dos impactos físicos fundiários, econômicos, sociais e ecológicos acarretando, em conseqüência, múltiplas frentes de devastação ambiental...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eleltrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The Brazilian settlement and colonization process in Brazil and in Amazon region occurred, since the beginning of Brazil colony period until nowadays, due to economics and politics reasons. At the beginning, the settlement has jus followed the Portuguese domain of politics expansion in search of natural products and Indians laborer having the economic primary-export as a pattern. The expansion headed for west and east during the colonial period has just turned out to happen thanks to military expeditions, pioneers of "Sertão" (rustic country well known by the hot and dryness climate) and religions missions in search of "Brazil-Wood" and spices from "Sertão". The occupation of Guaporé-Mamoré-Madeira valley had begun with Raposo Tavares and Francisco de Melo Palheta expedition, with traders on board, jesuit and with expedition of captured indians by the settler adventurous and explorers. Later on, it was possible to realize the Amazon expansion through the frontier, attributed to tuber demanding in the 19th and 20th century. The recently process of expansion in Amazon region and in Rondônia has just occurred through government actions, tending to associate among state capital and national and international private capital looking forward regional development with a perspective of national integration. According to the up to date principle of ideology presented on military governments and also in the New Republic. The occupation and settlement politics from the federal government executed now in Rondônia has the partnership of special projects implementation and territory management (POLAMAZONIA, POLONOROESTE E PLANAFLORO) whic the main target was to support the regional development, created and executed without any forward physic agrarian, economic, social and ecological impact bringing about, in consequence, multiple devastating faces of environment...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo analisar os atributos ambientais: uso do solo, usos potencialmente poluidores, verticalidade das edificações, densidade populacional, deserto florístico, espaços livres públicos e áreas de inundações e pontos de alagamentos, espacializando-os para a definição da qualidade ambiental urbana do distrito do Brás, município de São Paulo (SP). O embasamento teórico da pesquisa foi fundamentada no conceito de paisagem e a metodologia aplicada para atender aos objetivos pretendidos fundamentou-se na metodologia desenvolvida por Nucci (2001), que diagnostica e espacializa de forma integrada os atributos selecionados, considerando os diferentes usos do solo e as condições do meio físico urbano, contribuindo para identificarmos as áreas mais sensíveis do distrito. Houve predomínio de lotes com média de dois a três atributos ambientais negativos. Apesar disso, o distrito obteve bons resultados no total de atributos negativos, com áreas de ausência de atributo negativo. Os índices de cobertura vegetal e de espaços livres públicos foram os fatores de maior relevância na definição da qualidade ambiental urbana do distrito. Diante disso, efetuou-se a análise conjunta dos mapas dos atributos selecionados, gerando o mapa de qualidade ambiental do distrito do Brás. Em seguida, foram propostas formas de melhoria para a qualidade ambiental do distrito do Brás e sua aplicabilidade no planejamento urbano e na elaboração de políticas ambientais que estimulem e orientem uma melhor ocupação do espaço urbano do local. / This study aimed to analyze the environmental attributes such as: (A) land use, (B) potentially polluting uses, (C) vertical buildings, (D) population density, (E) floristic desert, (F) public open spaces and (G) areas of flooding and waterlogging points, spatializing them to the definition of the urban environmental quality of Bras district, in São Paulo (SP). The theoretical basis of the research was based on the concept of landscape and the methodology used to meet the intended objectives was based on the methodology developed by Nucci (2001), who diagnoses and spatializes in an integrated form the selected attributes, considering the different land uses and the conditions of the urban physical environment, helping to identify the most sensitive areas of the district. There was dominance of lots averaging two to three negative environmental attributes. Despite this, the district obtained good results in the total of negative attributes, with areas with no negative attribute. The indices of vegetation and public open spaces were the most relevant factors in the definition of the urban environmental quality of the district. Therefore, we realize a joint analysis of the maps with the selected attributes, generating a synthesis map of the Environmental Quality of Bras district. After that it was proposed some ways to improve the environmental quality of Brasdistrict and the applicability in urban planning and development of environmental policies that encourage and guide a better occupation of the local urban space.

Estimation of biomass has high importance for economic, ecologic and climatic reasons due to the multiple ecosystem services offered by forested landscapes. Measurements that are taken in the field incur personal and economic costs. Nevertheless, biomass surveying based on remote sensing techniques offer efficiency thanks to covering large areas. The European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-1 satellite offers promising capabilities for above-ground biomass (AGB) estimation through synthetic aperture radar (SAR) based microwave remote sensing. In this study, experimental AGB estimations based on Sentinel-1 C-band data were produced over the Remingstorp estate (Västergötland County, Sweden) to analyze its performance over boreal productive forests. The obtained measurements were compared against reference values obtained by combining photogrammetric, aerial laser scanning (ALS) and field measurements. Thus, a reference high-resolution canopy height model (CHM) was produced from the difference between photogrammetric digital surface model (DSM) values and ALS digital terrain model (DTM) values. The comparison of CHM observations against diameter at breast height (DBH) field measurements revealed the existence of a vegetation height - vegetation volume relationship for the study species (Pinus Sylvestris and Picea Abbies), which allowed bole volume estimation based on vegetation height values. SAR-based AGB estimates were produced by defining statistical relationships between backscatter intensity and interferometric coherence measurements against reference CHM values. Additionally, evaluation of biomass estimation through interferometric (InSAR) height was possible by comparing against reference photogrammetric DSM. Backscatter signal saturation of C-band at low biomass volumes prevented quantification of biomass but permitted differentiation between forested and non-forested surfaces. Estimation of AGB through interferometric coherence was possible through modeling volumetric decorrelation, which on the contrary prevented biomass retrieval from InSAR height. Due to the given frequency properties at C-band, HV cross-polarized channel was used in all cases for better detection of the canopy layer. Image acquisition under stable conditions was a priority to avoid noise derived from variable dielectric properties, acquisition geometry effects and temporal decorrelation. Hence, image acquisitions under stable hydrometeorological conditions (i. e. stable frozen or dry) and for the lowest repeat-pass interval (i. e. 6-days) were prioritized.

<p>The objectives of this thesis are to assess: to what degree have natural resources deteriorated in a grazing area in northern Namibia, how do perceptions of environmental change held by local stakeholders there, correspond to scientific assessments, and how do these relate to national estimates? Analysis of the process of developing national indicators for monitoring of land degradation concluded that specific indicators should be developed on national level, and in some instances even on local level as there are no universal causes of land degradation. According to farmers overgrazing and low rainfall since the early 1990s cause negative environmental changes in the study area, partly confirming findings from national monitoring. Results also suggest that: less grazing outside the study area, improved access, permanent water supply, and fencing of large areas, also contributed. Results show that improved water supply was the most important factor. Investigation of the influence of permanent water points on grazing resources showed that perennial grasses are replaced by less palatable annual grasses as far as 6 km from water points along a water pipeline. No significant grazing induced changes in grass composition were observed around privately owned wells. Private ownership seems to be a key factor preventing over-utilization of grazing resources around the latter. A remote sensing study using Landsat TM imagery identified bare ground, saltpans and grassland with a fair accuracy. Separation of woodland from shrubland and shrubland from grassland was less accurate using supervised classification. The results show that the soil adjusted vegetation index provides valuable information about variations of green biomass over time in semi-arid environments. However, it is suggested that satellite based investigations should be supported by thorough ground based assessment due to the influence of underlying soil in this environment.</p>

<p>Water and vapour flows from land to sea and the atmosphere are important for water resources, coastal ecosystems and climate. This thesis investigates possible methods for modelling these flows under often encountered unmonitored hydrological conditions and data limitations. Two contrasting types of drainage basin and associated data limitation/availability cases are considered: the Swedish unmonitored near-coastal catchment areas Forsmark and Simpevarp, for which detailed spatial but not much temporal variability data is available; and the much larger Aral Sea Drainage Basin (ASDB), for which spatial hydrological information is limited, while there is relatively well-known temporal change occurring in the Aral Sea itself and in the land and water use of the region over the last 50 years.</p><p>The hydrologic modelling for the Forsmark and Simpevarp catchment areas showed that the relatively large focused stream flows, and the mean values and total sums of the diffuse small stream-groundwater flow fields in between the large stream flows from land to sea are largely constrained by the catchment hydrological balances and relatively robust and certain to estimate. The ASDB hydrologic modelling indicated an evapotranspiration return flow to the atmosphere from the irrigation water input on irrigated land that is much higher than previous estimates in atmospheric modelling, implying possible considerably larger than previously estimated non-local water and climate effects of the world’s irrigated areas. The more detailed groundwater-seawater dynamics modelling carried out for the coastal parts of the ASDB showed that regional topography and bathymetry largely influence coastal water fluxes during sea level lowering, with the Aral Sea shrinkage decreasing the seawater intrusion risk into the coastal groundwater considerably more for steeper than for flatter coastal topography parts of the region.</p>

<p>This thesis presents a palaeoglaciological study aimed to determine the location, geometry and temporal evolution of palaeo-ice streams of the north-easternmost Laurentide Ice Sheet. The work was accomplished through the geomorphological interpretation of satellite imagery over 3.19 x 10⁶ km² of the Canadian Arctic, using a glaciological inversion scheme. Ice streams were active in this region during most of the time between the Last Glacial Maximum and the last deglaciation. A web of ice streams and inter-ice stream areas existed. Three major ice stream networks are identified: the M'Clintock Channel, Gulf of Boothia – Lancaster Sound and Hudson Strait. The M'Clintock Channel bears the most complex landform record, comprising three generations of palaeo-ice streams. Their location was weakly controlled by the subglacial topography and their geometry was determined by frozen-bed portions of the ice sheet, thus providing evidence for pure ice streams in the Laurentide Ice Sheet. In contrast, the more pronounced relief of the Gulf of Boothia – Lancaster Sound corridor supported topographically controlled ice streams. The landform record on emerged land along Hudson Strait is insufficient to support the existence of ice streams. It is therefore proposed that ice streams were constrained within the deep parts of the strait while flanked by cold-based zones on the margins. Small transient ice streams on Baffin and Prince of Wales islands drained local remnant ice caps during the collapse of the ice sheet. Analysis of the controls on the location and flow of palaeo-ice streams suggests that the interaction between the subglacial topography and thermal state of the substrate plays a more fundamental role than the geology. It is concluded that the behaviour of ice streams cannot be explained in terms of environmental controls alone, but the complex dynamics of ice stream shear margins and onset zones must be considered.</p>

<p>Relict non-glacial surfaces occur in many formerly glaciated landscapes, where they represent areas that have escaped significant glacial modification. Frequently distinguished by blockfield mantles, relict non-glacial surfaces are important archives of long-term weathering and landscape evolution processes. The aim of this thesis is to examine the distribution, weathering, ages, and formation of relict non-glacial surfaces in the northern Swedish mountains.</p><p>Mapping of surfaces from aerial photographs and analysis in a GIS revealed five types of relict non-glacial surfaces that reflect differences in surface process types or rates according to elevation, gradient, and bedrock lithology. Clast characteristics and fine matrix granulometry, chemistry, and mineralogy reveal minimal chemical weathering of the blockfields.</p><p>Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides were measured in quartz samples from two blockfield-mantled summits and a numerical ice sheet model was applied to account for periods of surface burial beneath ice sheets and nuclide production rate changes attributable to glacial isostasy. Total surface histories for each summit are almost certainly, but not unequivocally, confined to the Quaternary. Maximum modelled erosion rates are as low as 4.0 mm/kyr, which is likely to be near the low extreme for relict non-glacial surfaces in this landscape.</p><p>The blockfields of the northern Swedish mountains are Quaternary features formed through subsurface physical weathering processes. While there is no need to appeal to Neogene chemical weathering to explain blockfield origins, these surfaces have remained continuously regolith-mantled and non-glacial since their inception. Polygenetic surface histories are therefore indicated, where the large-scale surface morphologies are potentially older than their regolith mantles.</p>

Relict non-glacial surfaces occur in many formerly glaciated landscapes, where they represent areas that have escaped significant glacial modification. Frequently distinguished by blockfield mantles, relict non-glacial surfaces are important archives of long-term weathering and landscape evolution processes. The aim of this thesis is to examine the distribution, weathering, ages, and formation of relict non-glacial surfaces in the northern Swedish mountains. Mapping of surfaces from aerial photographs and analysis in a GIS revealed five types of relict non-glacial surfaces that reflect differences in surface process types or rates according to elevation, gradient, and bedrock lithology. Clast characteristics and fine matrix granulometry, chemistry, and mineralogy reveal minimal chemical weathering of the blockfields. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides were measured in quartz samples from two blockfield-mantled summits and a numerical ice sheet model was applied to account for periods of surface burial beneath ice sheets and nuclide production rate changes attributable to glacial isostasy. Total surface histories for each summit are almost certainly, but not unequivocally, confined to the Quaternary. Maximum modelled erosion rates are as low as 4.0 mm/kyr, which is likely to be near the low extreme for relict non-glacial surfaces in this landscape. The blockfields of the northern Swedish mountains are Quaternary features formed through subsurface physical weathering processes. While there is no need to appeal to Neogene chemical weathering to explain blockfield origins, these surfaces have remained continuously regolith-mantled and non-glacial since their inception. Polygenetic surface histories are therefore indicated, where the large-scale surface morphologies are potentially older than their regolith mantles.