This thesis presents one aspect of urbanization, the country-residential phenomenon. In the study the country residential process and pattern are defined and described in the context of the urban system. Various factors influencing the location of the country residences in this system and the implications of country residential growth to the agricultural industry, the rural municipality, and the resident himself are analyzed. Based on this analysis a strategy for controlling ex-urban growth is suggested. The Calgary Region offers an interesting case study of the process of country residential growth, since this process is the only form of urban decentralization outside the legal City permitted by public policy. Because of this the familiar residential suburbs and industrial parks found around Canadian cities are absent, and instead, isolated residences dot Calgary's periphery. Country residential growth or ex-urbanization is a term describing a process of fringe development in which the individual decision-maker opts out of the mainstream of the residential growth process, suburbanization, but nonetheless chooses to remain part of the urban system and identifies with that system. The country resident is differentiated from the suburbanite by motivation. The suburbanite is in the fringe because that is where the available housing is. The country resident, on the other hand, is there because that is where he wants to be. The country resident values the rural landscape and activities associated with it. By far the most important activities are equestrian. In this study, albeit the survey population was only equivalent to a small city neighbourhood, every occupational grouping was represented. Even though, the randomness and heterogeneity of the country residential pattern implies that no underlying process was responsible for the extant pattern, an analysis of consumer preference did uncover some order in the determinants and the constraints of location. These include (1) the physical environment, (2) the existing road network, (3) accessibility, (4) government policy, and (5) the land market. Presently, the country resident is shown to be less a burden on municipal resources than the city resident is, principally, because the main cost of country residential living fall on the resident himself. Country residential growth, or as it usually is called in this context sprawl, is very much a problem of consumer economics. The cost picture will remain more or less the same up until a suburban form of residential growth occurs in the fringe, wherein the costs are shifted to the public. When this happens the rural municipalities will suffer financial difficulties tantamount to or greater than the central citys’. Aside from the ameliorating cost structure, land resources in the fringe around Calgary are being allocated in a wasteful and completely undirected fashion. The procedure of resource allocation is almost the antithesis of planning but typifies what is occurring throughout Canada. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Programs for the prevention and control of forest fires have evolved in response to a need to protect lives and property in forested settings, and to protect the perceived values of the forest itself. However, costs of these fire management activities have always been a concern to those who provide the funds, and considerable effort has been directed towards attempts to determine optimal levels of management effort. The question of costs has become more acute in recent years as forest services have developed increasingly sophisticated yet expensive methods for controlling fires. Compounding the problem has been an increase in frequency of fires. Determination of appropriate levels of fire control has been hampered by a lack of knowledge about the relationship between expenditure on fire control activities and the resulting area burned and losses incurred, and by an inability to describe the effect on this relationship of variations in fire season severity. This dissertation addresses these questions using the conditions in Alberta as a case study. Five hypotheses were tested and substantiated. 1. Descriptive historical accounts of fire policy and fire seasons can be verified by analysis of actual annual expenditures on fire. Annual reports were reviewed to describe the evolution of fire management policies. 2. There has been a decrease in area burned which is related to increased fire management effort. Analyses of age-class distribution obtained from the provincial forest inventory were used as a basis for reconstructing an estimate of historical rates of burn for the past 80 years. Cost data were obtained to try to quantify the relationship between level of expenditure and rate of burn. 3. Variations in fire season severity can be described better than by existing methods by considering both the potential for fire spread and the actual number of fires. A new index of fire load which combined fire rate of spread with number of fires was developed which achieved this result. 4. Potential area burned in the absence of fire control may be estimated by means of a fire growth model. A fire growth model was developed to provide a mathematical basis on which to estimate area burned in the absence of any fire management activity. 5. There is a relationship among fire season severity, fire management effort, and area saved from burning. The combined relationships among fire season severity, fire management effort, and area burned or value were applied to illustrate some of the analyses which may be conducted with these data through evaluation of the Alberta situation. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

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For deciduous trees, the growth season becomes progressively shorter with increasing latitude or elevation. To overcome the challenge of sufficient growth and development within the limited interval, deciduous trees may have adapted with increased physiological capacity. To test this ‘latitudinal compensation’ theory, I investigated the growth, foliar morphology, and some foliar biochemical and gas exchange characteristics of narrowleaf cottonwoods originating from the full range of its distribution. This study was carried out in a common garden at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, near the northern limit of the species’ distribution. Across 167 genotypes from 9 populations representing the full 16º latitudinal range, heights and stem diameters were associated negatively (p<0.1) with the latitude of origin, while foliar morphological characteristics of blade width and leaf mass tended to be positively associated with latitude (p<0.1), and leaf mass per area (LMA) was positively associated (p<0.05). Foliar chlorophyll (chl) and nitrogen (N) content were also significantly associated with latitude, and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) was positively correlated with chl and N. With a more intensive analysis for a subset of three populations from near the southern middle, and northern limits of the distribution, these same patterns were confirmed and additionally, stomatal ratio was higher in the leaves for the northern population. Subsequently, the light-saturated photosynthetic capacity (Amax) was higher in genotypes from the northern population. I conclude that increased foliar morphological and biochemical characteristics of narrowleaf cottonwoods contribute to increased photosynthetic capacity for northern populations, providing evidence for latitudinal compensation in a deciduous tree from the northern hemisphere. / ix, 91 leaves ; 29 cm

The purpose of this study was to trace the inauguration of the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Bandmasters Association (CBA), its antecedents, eventual formation, inaugural challenges, solutions, unrealized goals, and successful projects. Historical research methodology was utilized to document pioneering members, bands in their communities, and the contexts of the early years of instrumental wind and percussion ensemble music education in Alberta. Findings from this research indicated that band directors persevered despite lack of formal music training, conducting or teaching experience, music equipment, knowledge of instrument repair, or repertoire. This research also investigated the success of early band directors due to factors of individual work ethic, community volunteerism, community pride, civic and provincial support for bands, the importance of Canadian Forces musicians and bands, and support of retail music businesses. The research findings acknowledged several historical antecedents to the Alberta Chapter of the CBA including a booming economy and an exceptionally stable political environment in post-war Alberta; the 1951 massed band concert at Pigeon Lake, Alberta, which educed the Central Alberta Bandmasters Association; and the 1955 invitation to become members as an Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Bandmasters Association. Research conclusions identify Herb Chandler, Harry Lomnes, Bruce Marsh, Bill Wilson, and Harry Wright as catalytic inaugural members. Many other important pioneering members, including Jack Barrigan, John Maland, Malcolm McDonnell, Ray McLeod, Oliver Murray, T. Vernon Newlove, and Allan Roddick are chronicled. A list of the initial goals of Alberta Chapter of the CBA is also documented, including: seeking government support for school and community bands for festivals, workshops, and clinics; the appointment of a Provincial Music Supervisor; and the desire for a band in every school in the province with the graduates forming bands in every community. A list of ten recommendations for further research is included.

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No description available.

A radar study of two Alberta hailstorms has revealed the existence of small cellular radar echoes with durations of 10-30 minutes. These cells were found to group together to form storm families which existed for several hours. New cells invariably formed on the southern end of the storm family and migrated northward through the storm to dissipate on the northern boundary. [...]

In this study, I addressed how a large-scale wildfire affected a prairie arthropod community in southern Alberta, Canada. First, I looked at the general effects of disturbance on the arthropod community. Second, I addressed how processes such as competition and secondary succession may have affected diversity in this arthropod community. Third, I determined how the arthropod community trophic structure was regulated. Results showed that the effect of disturbance on arthropods varies greatly by taxa. Factors, such as site, year, distance from disturbance edge, as well as the disturbance itself, were important in determing the abudance, biomass, richness, and diversity of the arthropod community. There were strong year-to-year differences hat exceeded the disturbance effects. Results showed that the processess behind the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, succession and competition are not detectable in this arthropod community. This arthropod community was likely regulated in a bottom-up manner, in which herbivores ultimately control the abundance of predators and parasitoids. / x, 97 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

A Comprehensive Career Needs Survey was designed to assess the career needs of junior high and senior high school students. The survey consisted of questions regarding students, teachers, parents, counselors and administrators evaluation of career education and support needs in Southern Alberta. Due to the recent research that suggests that adolescent perceptions of their needs, often differ from teacher or parent perceptions, it was important to examine how adolescents perceive "career" and "occupation" and how this perception evolves overtime and through developmental stages. Quantitative results show that the themes of "occupation" and "career" do not differ significantly across grade level, nor are there any prevalent themes within grade levels. However, the results of the qualitative research suggest that the way in which individuals think about these themes does evolve throughout developmental stages. Based on this research, it is suggested the Career Education begin earlier, be more integrated and comprehensive. In addition, increased adolescent involvement in future needs assessments is also recommended. Implications for teachers and counselors will be discussed. / ix, 108 leaves ; 28 cm.