O presente estudo investiga as condições que dão suporte à habitabilidade em cidades e em regiões áridas no Peru. Através da avaliação de uma realidade concreta pretende-se revisitar raciocínios sobre a ocupação dos solos áridos, a utilização de recursos e as condições naturais disponíveis, empregados nos últimos 1.500 anos na história local; e, a partir deste estudo, evidenciar a forma como ainda hoje representam e estimulam alternativas projetuais para habitar solos desérticos no Sul do Peru. / The present study investigates the conditions that support habitability in arid cities and regions in Peru. Through the evaluation of a concrete reality we intend to revisit reasonings about the occupation of the dry soils, the use of resources and the available natural conditions, used in the last 1,500 years in the local history; and, based on this study, to highlight the way in which they still represent and stimulate alternative projects for inhabiting desert soils in southern Peru.

O presente estudo investiga as condições que dão suporte à habitabilidade em cidades e em regiões áridas no Peru. Através da avaliação de uma realidade concreta pretende-se revisitar raciocínios sobre a ocupação dos solos áridos, a utilização de recursos e as condições naturais disponíveis, empregados nos últimos 1.500 anos na história local; e, a partir deste estudo, evidenciar a forma como ainda hoje representam e estimulam alternativas projetuais para habitar solos desérticos no Sul do Peru. / The present study investigates the conditions that support habitability in arid cities and regions in Peru. Through the evaluation of a concrete reality we intend to revisit reasonings about the occupation of the dry soils, the use of resources and the available natural conditions, used in the last 1,500 years in the local history; and, based on this study, to highlight the way in which they still represent and stimulate alternative projects for inhabiting desert soils in southern Peru.

The aim of this doctoral dissertation is to assess the probable impact of ionizing radiation on the public health and the environment (including fauna and flora) in the vicinity of nuclear power engineering objects (in case of the Maišiagala near-surface radioactive waste repository – by evaluating the possible impact on the human health, while in case of the Ignalina NPP cooling basin, Lake Drūkšiai – by evaluating the possible impact on the freshwater ecosystem biota) by applying probabilistic methods as well as to determine whether this activity after assessment of its character and impact on the environment meets the standards valid in the Republic of Lithuania or in the European Union and is permissible at a selected site at present or in the future. In the work two main programs, RESRAD-OFFSITE and ERICA, using scattering of site-specific parameter values and probabilistic (correlation, regressive, sensitivity, etc.) analysis, have been applied. It has been determined that in the environment of the Maišiagala repository after installation of additional protective barriers the annual effective human exposure dose is significantly lower as compared to the limited dose and 95th percentile dose not exceed the exposure of 1 mSv per year regulated in the hygiene standards. The exposure dose rate of standardized organisms of Lake Drūkšiai, the Ignalina NPP cooler, freshwater ecosystem biota due to the INPP discharges and waterway radionuclide migration from a hypothetic... [to full text] / Šios daktaro disertacijos tikslas - įvertinti galimą jonizuojančiosios spinduliuotės poveikį visuomenės sveikatai ir aplinkai (tame tarpe gyvūnijai ir augalijai) branduolinės energetikos objektų aplinkoje (Maišiagalos radioaktyviųjų atliekų saugyklos atveju - vertinant galimą poveikį žmogui, ir IAE aušintuvo Drūkšių ežero atveju - vertinant galimą poveikį gėlavandenės ekosistemos biotai), taikant tikimybinius metodus; nustatyti, ar ši veikla, įvertinus jos pobūdi ir poveikį aplinkai, atitinka Lietuvos Respublikoje arba Europos Sąjungoje galiojančius standartus, yra leistina pasirinktoje vietoje dabartiniu laikotarpiu arba ateityje. Darbe buvo taikomos 2 pagrindinės programos: RESRAD-OFFSITE ir ERICA., naudojant vietines sąlygas atitinkančius parametrų verčių išbarstymą, taikant tikimybinę (koreliacinę, regresinę, jautrio ir kt.) analizę. Nustatyta, kad, įrengus papildomus apsauginius barjerus, Maišiagalos saugyklos aplinkoje metinė efektinė gyventojų apšvitos dozė yra ženkliai mažesnė lyginant su apribotosios dozės dydžiu, 95 procentilė nesiekia higienos normose patvirtintos 1mSv per metus ribinės dozės dydžio. Ignalinos AE aušintuvo Drūkšių ežero gėlavandenės ekosistemos biotos standartizuotųjų organizmų apšvitos dozės galia dėl IAE nuotekų ir radionuklidų sklaidos vandens keliu iš hipotetinio Stabatiškės radioaktyviųjų atliekų kapinyno rodo, kad apšvitos dozės galia dėl antropogeninės kilmės radionuklidų jonizuojančiosios spinduliuotės poveikio neviršija Europos Sąjungoje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Šios daktaro disertacijos tikslas - įvertinti galimą jonizuojančiosios spinduliuotės poveikį visuomenės sveikatai ir aplinkai (tame tarpe gyvūnijai ir augalijai) branduolinės energetikos objektų aplinkoje (Maišiagalos radioaktyviųjų atliekų saugyklos atveju - vertinant galimą poveikį žmogui, ir IAE aušintuvo Drūkšių ežero atveju - vertinant galimą poveikį gėlavandenės ekosistemos biotai), taikant tikimybinius metodus; nustatyti, ar ši veikla, įvertinus jos pobūdi ir poveikį aplinkai, atitinka Lietuvos Respublikoje arba Europos Sąjungoje galiojančius standartus, yra leistina pasirinktoje vietoje dabartiniu laikotarpiu arba ateityje. Darbe buvo taikomos 2 pagrindinės programos: RESRAD-OFFSITE ir ERICA., naudojant vietines sąlygas atitinkančius parametrų verčių išbarstymą, taikant tikimybinę (koreliacinę, regresinę, jautrio ir kt.) analizę. Nustatyta, kad, įrengus papildomus apsauginius barjerus, Maišiagalos saugyklos aplinkoje metinė efektinė gyventojų apšvitos dozė yra ženkliai mažesnė lyginant su apribotosios dozės dydžiu, 95 procentilė nesiekia higienos normose patvirtintos 1mSv per metus ribinės dozės dydžio. Ignalinos AE aušintuvo Drūkšių ežero gėlavandenės ekosistemos biotos standartizuotųjų organizmų apšvitos dozės galia dėl IAE nuotekų ir radionuklidų sklaidos vandens keliu iš hipotetinio Stabatiškės radioaktyviųjų atliekų kapinyno rodo, kad apšvitos dozės galia dėl antropogeninės kilmės radionuklidų jonizuojančiosios spinduliuotės poveikio neviršija Europos Sąjungoje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this doctoral dissertation is to assess the probable impact of ionizing radiation on the public health and the environment (including fauna and flora) in the vicinity of nuclear power engineering objects (in case of the Maišiagala near-surface radioactive waste repository – by evaluating the possible impact on the human health, while in case of the Ignalina NPP cooling basin, Lake Drūkšiai – by evaluating the possible impact on the freshwater ecosystem biota) by applying probabilistic methods as well as to determine whether this activity after assessment of its character and impact on the environment meets the standards valid in the Republic of Lithuania or in the European Union and is permissible at a selected site at present or in the future. In the work two main programs, RESRAD-OFFSITE and ERICA, using scattering of site-specific parameter values and probabilistic (correlation, regressive, sensitivity, etc.) analysis, have been applied. It has been determined that in the environment of the Maišiagala repository after installation of additional protective barriers the annual effective human exposure dose is significantly lower as compared to the limited dose and 95th percentile dose not exceed the exposure of 1 mSv per year regulated in the hygiene standards. The exposure dose rate of standardized organisms of Lake Drūkšiai, the Ignalina NPP cooler, freshwater ecosystem biota due to the INPP discharges and waterway radionuclide migration from a hypothetic... [to full text]

Population escalation in the developing world has been associated with increased poverty, food insecurity and environmental degradation. The situation in Rwanda, with 2.82% annual population increase is no exception. The objective of the present study was to investigate an innovative integrated system of sustainable production suitable for resource-poor rural farmers, the Integrated Rabbit–Fish–Rice (IRFR) system. The study was targeted towards contributing to Rwanda government’s goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, enhancing food security as well as abating environmental degradation. Three experiments, were carried out between 2008 and 2010, and designed to fertilise pond water with rabbit droppings and boost phytoplankton production. We also used results from our previous study, conducted in 2005 in the same ponds and under similar experimental conditions, especially rabbit and fish species and age, fishpond dimensions, as well as the fertilisation mode. The fishpond effluent was re-used to irrigate rice fields rather than being discharged into the environment. This study advocated the potential adaptation of rabbits to wetland conditions and the role of rabbit droppings as organic fertilisers in providing a better environment for fish production. On-farm resources, including rabbit droppings, were the main source of nutrients in the system. The analysis of nutrient flow revealed that 27% N and 79% P of the total nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizing input in fishponds were supplied by rabbit droppings only. Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were able to recover 18.5–37.6% N and 16.9–34.3% P of the total nitrogen and phosphorus inputs, the rest being accumulated in the pond water and the sediment, making them useful for soil fertilisation. The re-use of nutrient-rich effluent in rice irrigation increased rice production, allowing a successful complete substitution of inorganic fertilisers. The irrigation also reduced environmental pollution as the water seeping through rice field was 31.8 and 83.3% less concentrated in total phosphorus and nitrite pollutants, respectively, than was the pond water. Economically, the IRFR generated up to 597% net return over that of the rice inorganically fertilised, thereby substantiating the sustainability of the system. Overall, it is concluded that the IRFR system works well, is readily applicable, and capable of high, diversified, and sustainable production on limited land. As such, the study demonstrates the potentialities of the IRFR system to contribute successfully to poverty reduction, and the enhancement of food security in rural areas. The system promises economic returns and is environmental friendly. The research recommends the optimal range of rabbit density, that is, 800–1200 rabbits per hectare of pond, and the best fish stocking density, that is, 3 fish.mˉ², for a sustainable IRFR culture system. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

A sustainable society is a society that satisfies its resource requirements without endangering the sustainability of these resources. The mineral endowment on the African continent is estimated to be the first or second largest of world reserves. Therefore, it is recognised that the African continent still heavily depends on mineral exports as a key contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP) of various countries. These mining activities, however, do introduce primary and secondary environmental degradation factors. They attract communities to these mining areas, light and heavy industrial establishments occur, giving rise to artisanal activities. This study focussed on satellite RS products as an aid to a mine’s operations and the monitoring of its environment. Effective operational mine management and control ensures a more sustainable and profitable lifecycle for mines. Satellite based RS holds the potential to observe the mine and its surrounding areas at high temporal intervals, different spectral wavelengths and spatial resolutions. The combination of SAR and optical information creates a spatial platform to observe and measure the mine’s operations and the behaviour of specific land cover and land use classes over time and contributes to a better understanding of the mining activities and their influence on the environment within a specific geographical area. This study will introduce an integrated methodology to collect, process and analyse spatial information over a specific targeted mine. This methodology utilises a medium resolution land cover base map, derived from Landsat 8, to understand the predominant land cover types of the surrounding area. Using very high resolution mono- and stereoscopic satellite imagery provides a finer scale analysis and identifies changes in features at a smaller scale. Combining these technologies with the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications for precise measurement of surface subsidence or upliftment becomes a spatial toolbox for mine management. This study examines a combination of satellite remote sensing products guided by a systematic workflow methodology to integrate spatial results as an aid for mining operations and environmental monitoring. Some of the results that can be highlighted is the successful land cover classification using the Landsat 8 satellite. The land cover that dominated the Kolomela mine area was the “SHRUBLAND/GRASS” class with a 94% coverage and “MINE” class of 2.6%. Sishen mine had a similar dominated land cover characteristic with a “SHRUBLAND/GRASS” class of 90% and “MINE” class of 4.8%. The Pléiades time-series classification analysis was done using three scenes each acquired at a different time interval. The Sishen and Kolomela mine showed especially changes from the bare soil class to the asphalt or mine class. The Pléiades stereoscopic analysis provided volumetric change detection over small, medium, large and recessed areas. Both the Sishen and Kolomela mines demonstrated height profile changes in each selected category. The last category of results focused on the SAR technology to measure within millimetre accuracy the subsidence and upliftment behaviour of surface areas over time. The Royal Bafokeng Platinum tailings pond area was measured using 74 TerraSAR-X scenes. The tailings wall area was confirmed as stable with natural subsidence that occurred in its surrounding area due to seasonal changes of the soil during rainy and dry periods. The Chuquicamata mine as a large open pit copper mine area was analysed using 52 TerraSAR-X scenes. The analysis demonstrated significant vertical surface movement over some of the dumping sites. It is the wish of the researcher that this dissertation and future research scholars will continue to contribute in this scientific field. These contributions can only assist the mining sector to continuously improve its mining operations as well as its monitoring of the primary as well as the secondary environmental impacts to ensure improved sustainability for the next generation. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

La fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la guerre froide, la cohabitation pacifique, les mouvements d’indépendances, la fin du monde bipolaire, les crises multiformes et successives (culturelle, sociale économique et financière), voici autant d’événements qui ont changé les conceptions et la vision même du monde. L’initiative privée est à nouveau plébiscitée sur la scène mondiale. En effet, la rencontre entre le savoir-faire (financier et technique) du secteur privé et un secteur public ambitieux mais très limité, symbolisée dans le sigle « PPP », devient la formule gagnante.De nouveaux espaces font leurs apparitions, encouragées par le vent de l’intégration régionale et économique. Le mouvement de décentralisation propulsant celui de la coopération transfrontalière, nous assistons de plus en plus à une lente mais très prometteuse reconfiguration des dynamiques transfrontalières un peu partout dans le monde. Certaines régions offrent des perspectives très intéressantes, aussi bien sur le plan de la coopération transfrontalière que des PPP. C’est notamment le cas de la région francophone de l’Afrique des Grands Lacs. Cerner les PPP et la coopération transfrontalière, vérifier leur complémentarité et enfin suivre le mécanisme de réappropriation de ces deux concepts dans la région francophone de l’Afrique des Grands Lacs : voici les principaux objectifs que s’est assigné ce travail de recherche. / The end of the Second World War, the cold war, the peaceful cohabitation, the movements of independences, the bipolar end of the world, the multi-form and successive crises (cultural, social economic and financial), here is so many events which changed the designs and the vision of the world. The private initiative is again approved by a large majority on the world scene. Indeed, the meeting enters the know-how (financial and technical) of the private sector and the ambitious but very limited public sector, symbolized in the initials "PPP", becomes the winning formula.New spaces make their appearance encouraged by the wind of the regional and economic integration. The movement of decentralization propelling that of the cross-border cooperation, we assist more and more a slow but very promising reconfiguration of the cross-border dynamics almost everywhere in the world. Certain regions offer very interesting perspectives, as well from the point of view of the cross-border cooperation as the PPP. It is in particular the case of the French-speaking region of Africa of Great Lakes. Encircle the PPP and the cross-border cooperation, to check their complementarities and finally to follow the mechanism of reappropriation of these two concepts in the French-speaking region of Africa of Great Lakes: here are the main objectives that assigned this research work.

vi Abstract Continental subspecies of the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) is the Czech Republic's most important fish-eating predator. It causes damage to production fish, as well as sport fishermen and even after its removal from the Czech list of endangered species in 2013, it did not disappear from the spotlight of both local fishermen and researchers. This thesis evaluates the qualitative and quantitative composition of the cormorant's diet during winter 2011/2012 at two selected locations: the Žehuň pond (Kolín district) and Berounka river in the natural reserve Zábělá near Pilsen. This work studies the main components of cormorant's diet in the selected locations and evaluates potential fluctuations and changes in its composition during winter. The study also conducted the analysis of the proportion of commercially harvested valuable fish in cormorant's diet and studied its diversity of the species spectrum. The resulting data for the two sites were compared with each other and with relevant literature. Regurgitated pellets analysis, as well as analysis of diagnostic bones and fish remains located at the sleeping roosts (night roosts) were used for the diet analysis. It was found that at both sites roach was the most caught fish, but from the point of view of total biomass, it was...

Im Abstrom von Uranbergbauobjekten (Sachsen, Deutschland) wurden Uran, Radium-226 und Arsen in unterschiedlichen Feuchtgebieten untersucht. Dabei wurden Wasser (vor¬wiegend neutrale bis leicht basische pH-Werte), Sedimente und im Wasser befindlicher Bestandesabfall (CPOM) beprobt. Zur Klärung der Genese der Urangehalte im Sediment erfolgten Untersuchungen an Pb-Isotopen. Sie zeigen u. a., dass das Uran in den obersten Zentimetern des Sediments (organische Auflage) aus der wässrigen Phase und nicht von ca. 300 Millionen Jahre alten Erzteilchen stammt. Für die Verlagerung von Radionukliden und Arsen aus dem Wasserkörper in das Sediment wird ein neuer Weg aufgezeigt. Eine Fixierung dieser Stoffe an Bestandesabfällen (plant litter) ist möglich. Allochthoner Bestandesabfall (Blätter, Früchte, Zweige von Alnus spec. und Quercus spec.) weist nach Kontakt mit kontaminiertem Wasser (ca. 100 - 300 µgU L-1) Urangehalte von 50 - 2.000 µgU g-1 auf. Im Vergleich zu Uran sind Ra-226 und Arsen labiler am Bestandesabfall gebunden. Für die Genese der Gehalte in den subhydrischen Auflagen sind die Herkunft des (autochthonen bzw. allochthonen) Bestandesabfalls und der Abbau eine entscheidende Rolle. Sedimente aus leicht abbaubaren Bestandesabfällen (z.B. Lemna spec., Algen) weisen im Vergleich mit allochthonen Bestandesabfällen (von Bäumen) deutlich geringere Urangehalte auf. Exemplarisch wurde für einen aus allochthonen Bestandesabfällen bestehenden Sedimentkern mittels Cs-137-Bestimmung eine maximale Uranfestlegung von 1 – 2 g m-² a-1 ermittelt. Neben allochthonem Bestandesabfall führen Eisen- und Manganhydroxide, die unmittelbar an den Sickerwasseraustrittstellen ausfallen, bei relativ geringen Arsen- und Radiumkon¬zentrationen im Wasser zu hohen Arsen- bzw. Radiumgehalten im Sediment (As ≤ 5 mg g-1; Ra-226 ≤ 25 Bq g-1). Unter reduktiven Bedingungen werden Ra-226 und Arsen jedoch leicht freigesetzt. Ausgehend von den Untersuchungsergebnissen wird eine mögliche Anordnung für eine naturnahe passive Sickerwasserbehandlung vorgeschlagen.

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