Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-137). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-137). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-130). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1994. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-110). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Master of Science in Natural Resources (Fisheries), College of Natural Resources. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-104).

The eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project (eMRRP) is a pilot project started by Umgeni Water (UW) to demonstrate how effective the removal of invasive alien vegetation is in improving the water yield of a catchment. The disturbance of the country's vulnerable wetland and riparian zones is a major factor contributing to water· stress. The study area was eMpofana riparian areas of Kwazulu-Natal midlands. The study was conducted to establish perceptions of property owners and project employees on eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project with regard to control of invasive alien vegetation. Apart from· these two categories of stakeholders, others whose perceptions were included in the study are one official each from MONDI, SAPPI, the National Working for Water Programme (WFWP) and Kwazulu Natal Nature Conservation Services. However, property owners and project employees were· the main respondents of study. Although all .stakeholders play a crucial role in the project, property owners were selected because clearing takes place on their properties. Similarly project employees perceptions were vital as they are physically involved in clearing invader species and are direct beneficiaries of the project through job creation; To enable interviewees to give their perceptions on various steps on the project cycle; the following key issues were selected; Awareness, Process, Water, Biodiversity, . Tourism, Capacity building, Support, and Sustainability of control of alien invasive plants. Based on these key issues, a questionnaire was drawn. There were fifty-two respondents: 25 property owners and 27 project employees.. The approach used in the study was survey research, and social science methods were employed. Survey research was chosen for this research because of its capacity to provide appropriate data on perceptions of stakeholders of the eMpofana project. The method is useful in a variety of situations such as providing solution to a problem of public policy, provide required data for managing a business or simply for testing hypotheses developed by scientists in the social world. The questions on awareness of the eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project (eMRRP). and the National Working for Water Programme{WFWP) revealed low awareness levels of the two projects. Almost half (48%) property owners indicated little awareness of the national WFWP and almost the same percentage i.e. 42% had little awareness of the provincial WFWP. Also 96% of eMpofana project employees indicated no awareness of the WFW national level and 70% said they were not aware of the WFW provincial level. Given that WFW is a national programme with over 200 alien plant control progratmhes countrywide, one wonder why awareness was so low among the respondents. As for involvement in the project conceptualisation, none of the respondents interviewed indicated involvement in that project phase. However all the project employees indicated that the project was successful (85% very successful and 15% successful). Fifty six per cent property ~wners indicated very strong 'support mainlybecause ofreestablishment of biodiversity through ridding the riparian areas of iilvader species. Ninety-five per cent of the project workers indicated that UW solely supports the eMpofana project and that that support is mainly financial. As for job creation, 88% project workers were of the view that eMpofana riparian project was very successful in creating jobs. It is worth noting that both property owners and the employees shared the same view on water users and project employees being the main beneficiaries of the project. The impact of clearing invader species oil water by the eMRRP was rated as being very significant. Moreover, 52% employees and 44% property owners felt that the project's main beneficiaries were water users in the cities and property owners themselves. As for linkage with the National WFW programme, the perceptions of property owners and project employees revealed a general preference for eMpofana project to continue running independently. On. succesSes achieved in various project phases, most property owners felt the planning phase of the project was the most successful, even though most of them were not involved in the phase. Thirty per cent of the employees felt execution was successful followed by financing, 30%. As the responses from both property owners and employees show, most respondents (property owners and project employees) were of the view that the project goal of reinstating biological diversity was very important. The property owners were of the view that the re-establishment of the naturalness of the area would contribute favourably towards tourism in the area, which they rated very high. The rating explain why property owners also rated biodiversity conservation and the naturalness of the area equally high. On the other hand, Umgeni Water's top priority is water security and the differing priorities between UWs and eMRRP could be seen as a weakness of the project. However, as a holistic view of biodiversity conservation necessitates protection of water resource in the area, the difference could be synchronised to become a strength ofthe eMRRP (see recommendations). The eMRRP has opportunities on a number of areas such as the opportunity to participate in the national campain on control of invader species by teaming up with WFWP and other stakeholders. Also joinirig this partnership would accord eMRRP stakeholders the pride of contributing to the national campaign on control of invader species. Although there is marked success made by UW in planning, financial support, job creation, gender equity in the eMRRP, there is need to address sustainability of the project. In conclusion, it is clear that the eMRRP started off with most stakeholders having low awareness ofits activities and those ofWFW Programme. However, by clearing invasive alien plants in eMpofana riparian areas, the project has gained support from property owners and its employees. Property owners support the project mainly because of possible re-establishment of naturalness of the area (biological diversity) and the employees give their support mainly because of the employment that they receive. However, the goal of sustainability of the eMRRP is likely to remain elusive as long as priorities are not harmonised: property owners' priority (based on benefits drawn) is biodiversity conservation whereas that of UW is water security. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many authors express the value of riparian vegetation in terms of the function and number of species per unit area. Although riparian vegetation is confined to narrow bands of plants along watercourses, kloofs and gullies, it is a specialised habitat for many species. To determine the contribution of riparian vegetation to the species richness of the Jonkershoek Valley, Western Cape Province, South Africa, a checklist was compiled, by referring to past research and to the PRECIS national database for the South African flora for a list of species recorded from the area. A total of 1 743 taxa and 108 families were included in this list for the Valley. Specific characteristics were attributed to each of the 1 743 species on the basis of characters determined from the literature. Analysis of these data indicates that woody perennial shrubs with sclerophyll leaves are the representative plant type for the study area as a whole. The specialist structural description of a riparian species in the Jonkershoek Valley is: an unbranched woody perennial phanerophyte of a height between 2.0-8.0 m with microphyllous sclerophyilleaves. This group contributes 63% towards the riparian flora. Riparian habitats occupy only 2.5% of the total study area but contribute 26% of the vascular plants. The riparian communities of the Santa Monica Mountains (USA) cover 0.7% of that mountain study area and provide a habitat for 20.5% of the total vascular plants of the area. Both areas, therefore, show a similar level of diversity. This remarkable species richness of riparian zones is consistent with that found in other riparian communities i.e. Sweden and France. The study area was sampled by means of relevés arranged along 53 transects through the main stem and it's tributaries. A total number of 139 relevés were recorded which were used to identify, characterise and describe the riparian communities. Eight vegetation units, consisting of two groups, three communities, two subcommunities and one form, were described. The one group described the riparian communities while the other described a seepage community. The bigger groups exhibit environmental properties over a broader spectrum, while smaller groups exhibit characteristic environmental properties. The vegetation is found to represent a continuum rather than discreet entities. Many indicator species are encountered in the communities. Because of the characteristic canopy-understorey physiognomy of riparian vegetation, many communities are interspersed, making it difficult to delineate discreet community boundaries. The vegetation of the riparian zone of the Eerste River in the Jonkershoek Valley, is relatively pristine. Thirty-six species not native to the Valley were included in the checklist of which only four were recorded during the phytosociological study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie skrywers beklemtoon die kosbaarheid van rivieroewerplantegroei in terme van hul funksie en aantal spesies per oppervlakeenheid. Alhoewel rivieroewerplantegroei beperk is tot 'n noue band van plante langs waterweë, klowe en skeure, is dit 'n gespesialiseerde habitat vir baie spesies. Om die bydrae wat rivieroewerplantegroei tot die spesie-rykheid van die Jonkershoekvallei, Wes-Kaapprovinsie, Suid-Afrika te bereken, is 'n spesieslys saamgestel uit vorige studies en 'n PRECIS nasionale databasis vir die Suid-Afrikaanse flora waaruit 'n lys saamgestel is van spesies wat aangeteken is vir die area. 'n Totaal van 1 746 taxa uit 108 families is ingesluit in die plantelys. Vir elk van die 1 743 spesies, is spesifieke karakters uit die literatuur bepaal. 'n Analise hiervan dui aan dat die verteenwoordigende plant van die Jonkershoekvallei as gehele studie area 'n houtagtige, meerjarige struik met sklerofil blare is. Die spesialis strukturele beskrywing van 'n plant vir die Jonkershoekvallei is as volg: 'n onvertakte houtagtige meerjarige fanerofiet met 'n hoogte van 2.0-8.0 m met mikrofilliese sklerofil blare. Hierdie groep dra tot 63% by tot hierdie flora. Rivieroewer habitatte beslaan slegs 2.5% van die totale studie area, maar het tot 26% tot die vaatplante bygedra. Die Santa Monica Berge (VSA) se rivieroewerplantegroei bedek 0.7% van die bergagtige studie area en voorsien 'n habitat vir 20.5% van die vaatpplante. Beide gebiede toon dieselfde mate van diversiteit. Hierdie uitstaande spesiesrykheid is in lyn met wat gevind is in ander rivieroewergemeenskappe bv. in Swede en Frankryk. Die studie area is gemonster deur relevés wat uitgemerk is langs 53 transekte deur die hoofstroom en die sytakke. 'n Totaal van 139 releves is gemonster wat gebruik is om die gemeenskappe te identifiseer, karaktifiseer, en te beskryf. Agt plantegroei-eenhede, bestaande uit twee groepe, drie gemeenskappe, twee subgemeenskappe en een vorm, is beskryf. Die een groep beskryf rivieroewergemeenskappe terwyl die ander groep "n gemeenskap in die syfersone beskryf. Die groter groepe het wyer omgewingseienskappe getoon, terwyl die kleiner groepe spesifieke eienskappe toon. Dit is vasgestel dat die plantegroei eerder "n kontinuum voorstel as diskrete eenhede. Dit het tot gevolg dat dit moeilik is om die grense van gemeenskappe uit te wys. Vele indikatorspesies is aangetref. Die plantegroei van die rivieroewer van die Eersterivier in die Jonkershoeksvallei, kan beskryf word as relatief onversteurd. Ses-en-dertig spesies wat nie eie aan die Vallei is nie, is ingesluit in die spesieslys waarvan vier tydens die fito-sosiologiese studie aangeteken is.

In urban riparian areas, vegetation composition may be affected by urban land use changes at both the stream reach and the watershed scale. Moreover, the mechanisms by which seeds disperse may be affected both by reduction in seed sources due to vegetation removal and by the urban stream syndrome that produces flashier hydrographs and incised channels. I hypothesized that vegetation communities with high cover of native and hydrophilic species would be found in watersheds with high forest cover, while more limited cover of these species would be found in highly developed watersheds. Additionally, to examine the dispersal mechanisms contributing to these patterns, I hypothesized that 1) more seeds would be deposited in riparian areas by water than by wind; 2) the number of seeds deposited by streams would decrease as watershed urbanization increased; and 3) seeds deposited in the most urbanized sites would be primarily from species with traits favoring deposition by water, including large seed size and presence of a dispersal appendage. To investigate relationships between urban land cover types and riparian vegetation, I surveyed 30 randomly-selected riparian forests in the Portland-Vancouver metro area and related vegetation assemblages to watershed land cover. Vegetation was mapped to the nearest 1cm along three transects in each site. Land cover was characterized both within a 500m buffer around each site, and within the entire watershed. Relationships between land cover and vegetation assemblages were investigated using nonmetric multidimensional scaling and classification trees. To investigate the effect of watershed urbanization intensity on riparian seed deposition, I collected seeds deposited in nine riparian sites along a gradient of watershed total impervious area (TIA). I used a stratified-random approach to select sites. In each site, wind-deposited seeds were collected in funnel traps three times, and water-deposited seeds were collected in turf traps four times, over a 15-month period, spanning both wet and dry seasons. Consistent with my first hypothesis, communities dominated by native understory species were found exclusively in watersheds that were at least 15% forested by evergreen canopy. These findings suggest that native understory communities can persist in urban areas if adequate surrounding forest cover is maintained. Regarding my second major hypothesis, significantly more seeds were deposited by water than by wind (p < 0.05; mean of 155 seeds per turf trap; mean of 30 seeds per funnel trap). For shrubs, for species primarily dispersed by animals, and for species under 15m tall, hydrochory significantly increased delivery to riparian areas over the background seed delivery rate measured in funnel traps. There was a significant reduction in the number of seeds deposited by streams as TIA increased (adjusted R² = 0.74; p < 0.01). Deposition of shade-tolerant seeds decreased significantly, while deposition of non-native seeds increased significantly (p < 0.05) with watershed TIA and with development within 500m from the site, likely due to alterations of seed source pools of these species. Findings indicate that in an urban setting, small streams have the capacity to act as dispersal vectors, connecting fragmented populations that may otherwise be seedlimited. Riparian forests with diverse understory assemblages maintained by ongoing seed deposition may persist in urban areas with sufficient watershed forest, as well as with low development cover, in both the whole watershed and the near-stream area. Total seed deposition by streams, as well as deposition of shade-tolerant species, can be expected to decrease with increased watershed development. Results suggest that passive approaches to restoration of riparian forest understories in urban watersheds will only likely be successful with sufficiently high forest cover and with restricted development.

Continental-scale inventories of glaciers are available, but no analogous rock glacier inventories exist. We present the Portland State University Rock Glacier Inventory (n = 10,343) for the contiguous United States, then compare it to an existing inventory of contiguous United States glaciers (n = 853), identifying geographic and climatic factors affecting the spatial distributions observed. At least one rock glacier is identified in each of the 11 westernmost states, but nearly 90% are found in just five; Colorado (n = 3889), Idaho (n = 1723), Montana (n = 1780), Utah (n = 834), and Wyoming (n = 849). Glaciers are concentrated in relatively humid mountain ranges, while rock glaciers are concentrated in relatively arid mountain ranges. Mean glacier area (0.60 ± 0.073 km2) is significantly greater than mean rock glacier area (0.10 ± 0.002 km2), though total glacier area (507.70 km2) is lower than total rock glacier area (1008.91 km2). Glacier and rock glacier areas, as a percent of small watersheds containing them, are modeled using geographically weighted regression. Glacier percent area (R2 = 0.55) is best explained by elevation range and mean fall snowfall, while rock glacier percent area (R2 = 0.42) is best explained by mean spring dewpoint temperature and slope standard deviation. Finally, we compare riparian vegetation along meltwater streams draining glaciers and rock glaciers. Initial 500 m long meltwater stream reaches emanating from a total of 35 pairs of collocated glaciers and rock glaciers were delineated, allowing estimation of riparian vegetation cover and density. Rock glacier meltwater stream riparian vegetation cover (mean cover = 86.2% ± 9.3%) and density (mean NDVI = 0.30 ± 0.02) are significantly greater (p-value < 0.05) than glacier meltwater stream riparian vegetation cover (mean cover = 64.5% ± 10.9%) and density (mean NDVI = 0.13 ± 0.01). This study shows that while the spatial distributions of glaciers and rock glaciers are both generally influenced by a combination of geographic and climatic variables, the specific forcings and local magnitudes are distinct for each cryospheric feature type, and processes inherent to rock glacier cryospheric meltwater sourcing positively influence first-order meltwater stream vegetation patterns.

Graduation date: 1999