Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-156).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-77).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 257-269).

A descriptive case study approach and 34 indicators was used to examine the socio-economic impacts of whale watching tourism in the Laguna San Ignacio (LSI) World Heritage Site - located within the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The framework measured both the socio-economic changes, and the economic viability of the local and regional operators. This approach led to a detailed understanding of the underlying, and often complex, inter-related factors that shaped the ecotourism development in LSI between 1994 and 2002. It identified strengths and weaknesses of current ecotourism development making it a valid tool for evaluating and improving these activities in any biosphere reserve. More specifically the objectives were to examine: 1. How existing ecotourism operations and their activities in the LSI have changed since 1994; 2. Whether these changes have made ecotourism a more viable socio-economic development alternative for the local communities; and 3. Which strategies may be useful in overcoming identified barriers to further socio-economic benefits both from existing and future ecotourism activities. The results strongly suggested that the benefits from ecotourism improved significantly between 1994 and 2002. Economically this was reflected in growth of visitor numbers (50%), employment (100%) and local and regional revenue approximately 70% (or 55% in real terms adjusting for inflation). Social benefits were seen in more cooperation among previous antagonistic stakeholders; a wider distribution of ecotourism benefits; some improvement in living standards and increasing local support for the Reserve. Politically, local stakeholders became more empowered through involvement in tourism related management activities. The viability of the local and regional operators also improved significantly as they became more sophisticated in their product offerings, enhanced their facilities and gained a market share of ecotourism relative to the foreign operators. These improvements were particular true for the operators that sold package tours. However, the analyses also revealed a number of barriers with the most important ones being: • Unresolved historic land use conflicts over rights to land with ecotourism possibilities; • Lack of activities diversification possibilities outside the tourism season; • Stagnating visitor numbers; • Uneven business skills among operators; • Poor marketing and promotional efforts; • Insufficient ecotourism infrastructure; • A proposed ecotourism tax; • Low profit margin of the ecotourism operators; and • Lack of funding for further investments To alleviate these threats and barriers 13 general strategies were identified. An elaboration of these resulted in 39 concrete operational strategies on how potentially to implement them. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate

Movement and behavior studies are traditional yet effective ways to understand the biology and ecology of a species. For an endangered species like the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), a comprehensive knowledge of its movement and behavior is particularly critical for successful management and conservation. For this dissertation, acoustic telemetry and biologging tagging studies were carried out at a seasonal whale shark aggregation site near Al Lith in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. Acoustic telemetry data revealed consistent path usage in a narrow longshore area with patterns in seasonality and diel horizontal movements within a smaller scale. Some individuals specifically concentrated on this path and made non-stop back and forth movements along it. In another dimension, depth use of whale sharks derived from biologgers showed distinct diel patterns. The sharks heavily utilized shallow waters with mixed depth usage consisting of surface swimming and varied types of dives, which explained the data of previous visual surveys. Vertical velocities indicated potential energy expenditure strategies that were further investigated based on acceleration data. Energy expenditure data suggested strategies that fine-tuned foraging efforts to optimize the balance between feeding and foraging. However, while these strategies fit well in the natural habitat, local human impacts could be of great disturbance if not well managed.

Of central importance to the study of heme proteins are the effects imposed by axial ligand(s) on the heme structure and, therefore, on the overall activity of the protein. In this study, we confirm and extend the spectroscopic characterization of a mutated sperm whale myoglobin in which the proximal Histidine is replaced with a Tyrosine residue (MbH93Y). The MbH93Y, as well as wild-type sperm whale myoglobin and horse erythrocyte catalase (HEC), was purified and characterized by optical absorption and x-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopies. Optical absorption spectra of HEC and the metmyoglobin, cyanometmyoglobin, reduced, oxy, and carbon-monoxy forms of both sperm whale myoglobin (SWMb) and MbH93Y were identical to previously reported values within the respective errors:. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies revealed that the proximal bond length in MbH93Y was 2.13 ± 0.03 A, compared to 2.14 ± 0.02 A for sperm whale metmyoglobin and 1.90 ± 0.02 A for catalase. Additionally, the sixth coordination site normally occupied in wild type sperm whale metmyoglobin and in catalase at low temperatures was vacant in MbH93Y, a result corroborated by the optical absorption spectra and cyanogen bromide modification of the distal histidine. Measurements were also made on the cyanide complexes of the three proteins as well, among which, (i) the average iron-to-pyrrole nitrogen bond distance for MbH93Y-CN was 1.96 ± 0.015 A compared to 2.00 ± 0.015 A for WT SWMb-CN and HEC-CN and (ii) the proximal bond length in MbH93Y-CN was 2.07 ± 0.02 A, while that of WT SWMb-CN was 2.10 ± 0.02 A and that of HEC-CN was found to be 2.12 ± 0.02 A. Further, upon exposure to 2-molar equivalents of hydrogen peroxide, sperm whale myoglobin formed a Compound II -like spectrum, while the Soret absorbance of MbH93Y was rapidly, significantly, and irreversibly decreased. Furthermore, the dissociation constants for CN- binding to MbH93Y were found to be, on average, approximately three orders of magnitude higher than those of wild-type sperm whale myoglobin and are consistent with the many-fold higher cyanide binding kinetics for wild type, relative to the mutant protein. Finally, the PK. of the mutant was found to be more than three orders of magnitude higher than that of the native protein. Explanations focusing on probable electronic effects of the phenolate oxygen atom in the sperm whale myoglobin pocket are discussed.

Whale-watching is a major tourism venture in developed and developing countries around the world. The management and conservation of this industry is dependent on social, economic, and ecological factors, but long-term ecological research is often absent. In this study, I present an example of a mature whale-watching location where research on all three variables is available. The University of Victoria’s Whale Research Lab has studied gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island for over 25 years and I use this information to form the basis for management recommendations that promote sustainable whale-watching practices and other resource use. To do this, I review how whale-watching is managed in Canada, B.C., and Clayoquot Sound, including the legislation and voluntary guidelines that are currently in place, and previous recommendations that have been made. I then analyze how whale-watching is conducted in southern Clayoquot Sound. I quantify boat behaviour with respect to whales and present six indicators of industry pressure that have been related to cetacean disturbance. The 2012 and 2013 seasons had significantly different numbers of whales present, and this was reflected in the fleet behaviour. Whale-watching activities do not appear to alter gray whale foraging efforts between seasons. Results indicated that both industry pressure and vessel behaviour with respect to whales changes depending on the season and the biological dynamics that influence whale presence. Finally, I synthesize findings of the Whale Research Lab in conjunction with my preceding chapters and present five management recommendations to all stakeholders with a vested interest in the continuation of sustainable whale-watching practices in Clayoquot Sound. / Graduate / 0366 / 0329

No description available.

Sustainable design has recently become a hot topic in the field of architecture. With advancements in technology, sustainability has become more accessible to designers. However, instead of relying solely on various high-precision sustainable technologies, nature can be the best teacher. Learning from the cyclical patterns of life can help us better understand nature, become a part of nature, and even design projects that are renewable. This thesis aims to explore the process of decay and regeneration, utilizing the Neo-Zoomorphic concept and drawing inspiration from the phenomenon of a whale fall. It borrows from the external form of whales and their internal life cycle patterns to design a pavilion at the boundary of Pandapas Pond wetland and forest. The whale's skeleton becomes the main wooden structure, and the decaying flesh is represented by a woven bamboo fabric. The skin is simulated by a transparent wood shelter. All the connection points use traditional wood Joinery. Only natural biodegradable materials are used throughout while concrete or metal are avoided. As time passes, this project will gradually decay and eventually will return to nature without requiring any intervention. / Master of Architecture / Sustainable design has recently become a hot topic in the field of architecture. With advancements in technology, sustainability has become more accessible to designers. However, instead of relying solely on various high-precision sustainable technologies, nature can be the best teacher. Learning from the cyclical patterns of life can help us better understand nature, become a part of nature, and even design projects that are renewable. This thesis aims to explore the process of decay and regeneration, utilizing the Neo-Zoomorphic concept and drawing inspiration from the phenomenon of a whale fall. It borrows from the external form of whales and their internal life cycle patterns to design a pavilion at the boundary of Pandapas Pond wetland and forest. The whale's skeleton becomes the main wooden structure, and the decaying flesh is represented by a woven bamboo fabric. The skin is simulated by a transparent wood shelter. All the connection points use traditional wood Joinery. Only natural biodegradable materials are used throughout while concrete or metal are avoided. As time passes, this project will gradually decay and eventually will return to nature without requiring any intervention.

While direct measurements of energetic demands are nearly impossible to collect on large cetaceans, comprehensive bioenergetic models can give insights on such parameters by combining physiological and ecological knowledge. This model was developed to estimate necessary food intake of gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, of the Eastern North Pacific stock. Field Metabolic Rates (FMR) for gray whales were first estimated based on various assumptions (e.g. volumetric representation of gray whales, extent of their feeding season, and blubber depth distribution) using morphometric data, energetic costs, and food assimilation according to age and gender specific requirements. Food intake rates for gray whales of varying maturity and gender were then estimated based on FMR and caloric value of prey and compared to food intake rates of previous studies. Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity analysis were performed to assess the model's predictions compared to observed field data from previous studies. Predicted average food intakes for adult male, pregnant/ lactating female, and immature whales were 475 ± 300, 525 ± 300 and 600 ± 300 kg d-1, respectively. Estimated blubber depths resulting from these food intakes were comparable to field data obtained from whaling data. Sensitivity analysis indicated food intake, from all parameters, as having the highest impact on the percent change in ending mass from a simulation. These food intake estimates are similar to those found in a previous study and fall within the range of food intake per body mass observed in other species of cetaceans. Though thermoregulation can be a factor in some cetaceans, it appears not to be an additional cost for gray whales as the present model's predicted lower critical temperatures for the whales (TLC) were below ambient temperatures. With temperatures increasing in the Bering Sea, the main prey of gray whales, ampeliscid amphipods, could be adversely affected, possibly resulting in increased food shortages leading to a surge in gray whale strandings.