A general decrease in populations of waders on the Ythan estuary, Aberdeenshire, has coincided with an increased biomass of green algae on the intertidal mudflats. It was hypothesised that the reduction of bird numbers was due to the impact of macroalgal mats. The main objective of this study was to test the above hypothesis by investigating the impact of macroalgal mats on aspects of the behavioural ecology of waders, principally on their dispersion, diet and foraging behaviour. Redshank (<I>Tringa totanus</I> L.), curlew (<I>Numenius arquata</I> L.), oystercatcher (<I>Haematopus ostralegus</I> L.), bar-tailed godwit (<I>Limosa lapponica</I> L.) and dunlin (<I>Calidris alpina</I> L.; for study of dispersion only) were chosen for study. To test this hypothesis, wader counts on different estuary sections, pellet and dropping analysis, direct observations on foraging, visual and photographic estimations of weed cover, and invertebrate data were assessed in the context of the energetics of waders and their prey described in the literature. Foraging behaviour was examined on weed-covered and weed-free sediments in natural sites and in field-manipulated plots. Weed cover below 25% (biomass <1 kg fresh weight/ m<SUP>2</SUP>) did not adversely influence the foraging of redshank, curlew, oystercatcher and bar-tailed godwit. However, weed cover >50% (biomass > 3 kg fresh weight/ m<SUP>2</SUP>) negatively affected the foraging of redshank, curlew and bar-tailed godwit but did not consistently affect oystercatcher. Redshank that fed on weed-covered areas had a reduced numerical food intake rate when compared to the birds on weed-free areas. During peak weed cover on the estuary, redshank on weeded areas had a 35.8% lower gross energy intake rate than those on weed-free areas.

Ecological and ecophysiological investigations carried out at the ultramafic outcrop near Meikle Kilrannoch, Angus, Scotland are reported. The outcrop is botanically famous for its rare plant species, particularly the endemic Cerastium fontanum ssp. scoticum and the nationally rare Lychnis alnina. The studies were made on the main outcrop (called MK1) which is dome shaped, and on a much smaller low-lying area (called MK1.5) about 300 m from it. The overall aim of the studies was to investigate the relationship between the soil physico-chemical environment and species distribution on the open areas of the ultramafic site and to experimentally test for causality; and to offer an explanation for the open character of the vegetation on the skeletal soils. Variograms which were constructed for soil properties and vegetation data to investigate soil micro-spatial variation and vegetation pattern showed differing levels of spatial dependence, always indicating high intrinsic variability. The cause of this high variability was probably cryoturbation for the soil and morphological characters for plants. The gradient analyses (Principal Components Analysis and its canonical form, Redundancy Analysis) used to study soil - vegetation correlations suggested that A ostis vinealis, Cerastium fontanum ssp. scoticum and Lychnis alpina were most abundant in areas up-slope with lower concentrations of soil magnesium; Cochlearia pyrenaica ssp. alpina and Festuca rubra were associated with bigger stone sizes, and the latter occurred in wetter areas with higher of ions. A comparative solution culture experiment based on the local soil chemistry was used to study the growth responses to magnesium and nickel of Cerastium fontanum ss. scoticum, Cochlearia pyrenaica ssp. al ina and Festuca rubra. The results for Festuca and Cerastium were in agreement with the findings of the gradient analysis: Festuca was indifferent to both magnesium and nickel and Cerastium was susceptible to high magnesium; the reduction of dry weight by nickel in the Cochlearia conflicted with its suggested association with high soil nickel in the gradient analysis. The impacts on the photosynthetic systems of three Cochlearia species of different concentrations of iron and nickel were identifiable only in the non-ultramafic C. pyrenaica where the addition of nickel decreased photosynthesis but the effect could be ameliorated by the addition of high concentrations of iron. The open character of the skeletal soil at the MK1 site was discussed in terms of 'carrying capacity'. Vegetation development was suggested to be controlled at least partly by large stones covering the soil surface. Further factors such as space fragmentation, possible plant-to-plant interactions, and low density of flowering individuals and restricted seed dispersal were also considered. To test if major nutrients were limiting plant growth, major nutrients (NPK) were applied to the MK1.5 skeletal soil. The significantly higher X's and recruitment and change in life history traits (larger rosette sizes, earlier maturing and higher seed production) in the fertilised populations of C. pyrenaica ssp. alpina resulted in a significantly higher plant cover in the fertilised quadrats. The better growth of plants in the fertilised quadrats was reflected in their lower total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations in May and their higher TNC in August. The present series of investigations found that magnesium and nickel toxicity had an effect on the intra-site distribution of the ultramafic species and also confirmed earlier reports on the importance of magnesium and nickel toxicity in ultsamafic exclusion. Large stones and low soil phosphorus concentration are proposed as limiting factors for the development of closed vegetation on the skeletal soil areas of the sites.

This thesis investigates the ecological history of western oakwoods in the Loch Awe area,Argyll, Scotland. By combining historical evidence for human use of woodland resources with palaeoecological evidence for past ecological change the influence of man on the current condition of biologically important semi-natural woods is assessed. A chronology of human activities relevant to the woodland ecology of the study area is assembled from estate papers and other documentary sources. Vegetation change during the last c. 1000 years is elucidated by pollen analysis of radioisotope dated sediments from small hollows located within three areas of western oakwood believed to be ancient. The results are related to current condition and the hypothesis that the species composition of the woods exhibited temporal stability in the recent past is tested. Mechanisms of change culminating in the modem species compositions of the woods are suggested by synthesizing independent findings from historical and palaeoecological approaches. The documentary record indicates management in the 18th and 19th centuries to supply oak bark and coppice wood for commercial purposes. In the 20th century woodland use has been relatively minor except as a grazing resource. In the period before 1700 AD the woods were used for wood for local domestic needs and to shelter livestock. The palaeoecological record indicates a lack of stability in species composition during the last millennium. Relatively diverse woods still containing natural features such as old-growth were transformed in the medieval period into disturbed open stands depleted in natural features. Declining productivity was locally alleviated by the introduction of new modes of exploitation around or prior to 1700 AD. The current condition of the woods, rather than being the direct result of an economic design, is the consequence of post-disturbance biotic processes following the abandonment of management in the late 19th century. The findings are related to the conservation of the wider western oakwood resource.

Throughout the nineties a range of factors, not least the series of suicides at Cornton Vale women's prison, highlighted concerns about how the criminal justice system deals with female offenders in Scotland. There has been a review of community-based disposals and the use of custody for women (Scottish Office, 1998a), an Inspection of Cornton Vale was conducted (HMI, 2001), and a Ministerial Group on Women's Offending was set up (Scottish Executive, 2002a). Despite this concern the numbers of female offenders being sentenced to custody has continued to rise. This study sought to examine the nature of criminal justice social work services delivered to female offenders and the way in which ideological and policy shifts have impacted on it. Differences relating to gender, with regard to both practitioners and clients, within the context of criminal justice social work in Scotland,w ere considered.T his included a consideration of the impact of the policy shift from the &quot;welfare&quot; to the &quot;justice&quot; model. Thirty-five interviews were conducted with criminal justice social work staff and material was drawn from 420 Social Enquiry Reports. The study examined practices and policies which relate to how women are supervised, how these relate to the presentation of information in social enquiry reports, and in turn how this may relate to the final court disposal imposed. A discrepancy between policy and practice was identified in that the latter draws on the &quot;welfare&quot; model more than is endorsed by formal policy. This greater emphasis on the &quot;welfare&quot; model applies to work with female offenders in particular. There were concerns amongst criminal justice social work staff that such a difference in approach might be discriminatory. A new &quot;welfare&quot; model of supervision appears to have been adopted in the supervision of female offenders. This model emphasised the importance of the working relationship, between supervisor and client, within which women offenders should be allowed scope for negotiation. Information on female offenders derived from both interviews with criminal justice staff and the data obtained from SERs is used to review social control theory (Hirschi, 1969), as it exists, as an explanation of female offending. Carlen's study (1988) of female offenders suggested that integral to their involvement in offending was a rejection of the controls to which they are subjected and of their gender roles. By contrast the profile of women offenders as identified in this study suggests that women are offending partly in an endeavour to conform to, or at least cope with, their gender roles. Female offenders were reported as having experienced greater adversity and this appears to havee licited a protective response from social workers. This protection began in women's childhoods and is evident in their treatment as adults. The organisation of community service is considered by female social workers to have an inherent gender bias which renders it less suitable for female offenders. These concerns appear to have foundation in terms of an apparent gender bias in the operation of community service schemes. Female offenders sentenced to community service were more likely to have had their SERs compiled by male SER writers, while female offenders sentenced to probation were more likely to have their SERs compiled by female SER writers. Female social workers specifically appear to adopt a stronger welfare orientation when compiling reports on female offenders apparently motivated by an inclination to protect. This has implications for gender specific allocation of work. The effect is not protection if reports arc undermining community service as a possible alternative to custody for women, as appears to be the case when the SER writer is female.

The rationale for this study was the apparent difference between the marketing planning practices of Scottish SME's and the marketing planning practices recommended by management theory. The direction of this study was adaptedf rom two broad objectives: (i) To assess if , how, and why Scottish small and medium sized businesses go about strategic marketing planning; and (ii) To ascertain whether business performance is affected by participation in the marketing planning process. To address the research issues raised regarding marketing planning practice and its link with business performance, a conceptual framework that incorporated elements of the traditional strategic marketing planning process model suggested by the literature and also allowed for the marketing characteristics of SME's was developed. The research design involved a longitudinal survey of 626 Scottish SME's in 1990 and 183 of the same businesses in 1996. This study found that the incidence of marketing planning was significantly linked to business size supporting a number of authors who identify that business size has a direct influence on the nature of marketing and marketing planning practice. The research highlighted differences in the incidence of marketing planning across the three SME size categories. In assessing the planning-performance relationship 4 categories of SME's were defined according to their planning behaviour 1990-1996. These categories were Planners; Non-Planners; Embracers; and Disavowed. Analysis of these groups showed a significant positive relationship between planning and performance providing empirical support to case that marketing planning improves business performance.

The purpose of this thesis is to comparatively explore a selection of policies relating to teenage pregnancy in Finland and Scotland. Although much comparative research has explored teenage pregnancy and policy relating to it in England with other countries, very little work has explored either the policy situation within Scotland or comparatively explored Scottish policy responses to teenage pregnancy with other countries. Although the trends in teenage pregnancy rates are similar between England and Scotland, there are noted policy differences between the two countries that warrant further exploration of the situation particular to Scotland. Finland presents an interesting comparison for Scotland, in particular due to a number of important constants that exist including; the sexual behaviour rates of young people, the legal age of heterosexual consent and similar ages of first intercourse, and yet considerably lower rates of teenage pregnancy. Between the 1970s and 1980s the rate of teenage pregnancy declined in both Finland and Scotland. Since that time Finland has witnessed further decline, whilst the rate in Scotland has remained relatively unchanged. Utilising a variety of primary and secondary data including in-depth interviews with key personnel at three levels of policy development and implementation: government, local authority/ municipality and schools, as well as policy documentation from both countries, this research has located, mapped and comparatively analysed three areas of policy relating to teenage pregnancy: sex education, sexual health and education. The findings of this research illustrate that policy developed in Finland since the 1970s has taken a pragmatic approach to the prevention of unintended teenage pregnancy, combining sex education provision in a range of core subjects throughout the curriculum at the school level with a national system of school nurses located in school-based clinics. Additionally, the Finnish education system was structured in such a way from 1970 so as to olf&quot;fer a high, level of vocational and academic choice at the school level and actively encourage a high level of continuation beyond the age of sixteen. In relation to policy development in Scotland, the findings of this research illustrate that whilst the foundations for successful future policy development are now present, policy developed prior to the mid-1990s failed to meet the needs of young people in Scotland in relation to the provision of sex education, sexual health services and educational choice at the school level beyond academically orientated examinations. Since the mid-1990s there have been changes in the direction of policy within the areas under exploration. Whilst a level of complacency appears to have set in with regard to the lower level of teenage abortion in Finland, the opposite has been occurring in Scotland, with raised awareness of the sexual health rights and needs of young people being placed at the forefront of policy development. As this thesis has detailed, the various changes have the potential to influence the rates of teenage pregnancy in both countries, negatively in Finland and positively in Scotland. In addition to highlighting potential policy options to aid in the future reduction of unintended teenage pregnancy in Scotland, a better understanding of the relationship that each area of policy has to teenage pregnancy has also been developed within this thesis. The findings contribute to the on-going debate concerning a number of important areas, first, the provision of `effective' sex education, second, the necessity to base sexual health services on the needs of young people and third, the importance that continued education post-16 can play as an indirect means to delaying pregnancy and parenthood.

As Charles Darwin first noted in 1881, earthworms through their burrowing and casting activities, play an important role in the creation and maintenance of soil structure. Burrowing activity leads to the reorganisation of voids and creation of macropores within the soil. This has implications for aeration and the flow properties of water through soils. Casting activity affects the structural stability of soil through the stabilisation of aggregates. The overall aim of this research project has been to investigate the effects of earthworm activity and diversity on void space and aggregation in an upland soil. This research has been carried out as part of NERC's Thematic Programme on Soil Biodiversity. The field site was located on the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute's experimental farm at Sourhope in the Scottish Borders. Three experiments were designed to investigate the impact of earthworms on soil fabric, with each experiment representing an increased level of system complexity. The simplest experiment took place in a controlled environment and used an artificial soil and different earthworm treatments. The second level of system complexity used soil from Sourhope which had its structure removed, and then earthworm and liming treatments applied. The most complex experiment also used Sourhope soil and liming and earthworm treatments, except in this case the soil was undisturbed. The effects of earthworms and liming on void space were characterised using saturated hydraulic conductivity to measure macroporosity, and image analysis to quantify total porosity and void size distribution. Aggregation was assessed through aggregate stability and point counts of earthworm excremental features. The effect of earthworm inoculation in the simplest experiment led to the reorganisation of voids through increased abundance of voids &gt; 2 mm2 in area, and decreases in the proportion of voids with an area &lt; 2 mm2. No significant effects were observed on aggregate stability. The effect of liming in the experiment using disturbed soil was to increased abundance of voids &gt; 2 mm2. No significant effects were observed on aggregation due to either liming or earthworm inoculation. In the most complex experiment, neither liming nor earthworm inoculation led to changes in void space or aggregation, except for an increase in saturated hydraulic conductivity and therefore macroporosity due to earthworm inoculation. The overall conclusions from this research were that as system complexity increased, then the effects of the treatments on void space and aggregation became more difficult to isolate. Nevertheless, it was clear that liming significantly affected void space through increased abundance of earthworms. Out of the two treatments applied to the Sourhope soil, liming had the strongest effect on both earthworm abundance and void space.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.