Thesis (M.Law)--University of Oslo, 2000. / Title from PDF t.p. (NIAS LINC, viewed on Aug. 24, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

In order to properly assess human impacts and appropriate restoration goals, baselines of pristine conditions on coral reefs are required. In Saudi Arabian waters of the central Red Sea, widespread and heavy fishing pressure has been ongoing for decades. To evaluate this influence, we surveyed the assemblage of offshore reef fishes in both this region as well as those of remote and largely unfished southern Sudan. At comparable latitudes, of similar oceanographic influence, and hosting the same array of species, the offshore reefs of southern Sudan provided an ideal location for comparison. We found that top predators (jacks, large snappers, groupers, and others) dominated the reef fish community biomass in Sudan’s deep south region, resulting in an inverted (top-heavy) biomass pyramid. In contrast, the Red Sea reefs of central Saudi Arabia exhibited the typical bottom-heavy pyramid and show evidence for trophic cascades in the form of mesopredator release. Biomass values from Sudan’s deep south are quite similar to those previously reported in the remote and uninhabited Northwest Hawaiian Islands, northern Line Islands, Pitcairn Islands, and other remote Pacific islands and atolls. The findings of this study suggest that heavy fishing pressure has significantly altered the fish community structure of Saudi Arabian Red Sea reefs. The results point towards the urgent need for enhanced regulation and enforcement of fishing practices in Saudi Arabia while simultaneously making a strong case for protection in the form of marine protected areas in the southern Sudanese Red Sea.

S’intéresser aux îles dans la délimitation maritime impose de se démarquer de quelques développements doctrinaux qui explicitent l’évolution du droit de la mer par une posture concrète qui s’inscrit dans le cadre d’un droit évolutif. Les îles interviennent fort dans le partage des espaces maritimes. C’est au niveau de la fixation des limites des zones maritimes (mer territoriale, zone contiguë, plateau continental, zone économique exclusive) et au niveau de la détermination de la frontière maritime entre États côtiers qu’on discerne leur influence. Les îles constituent un facteur d’extension de la ligne de base lorsqu’elles se situent à proximité immédiate et à une distance de la côte continentale. Les îles sont un facteur de projection vers le large de la limite extérieure des zones maritimes lorsque l’île est assez éloignée de la côte. La situation est plus compliquée lorsque l’île se trouve au-delà de la ligne hypothétique d’équidistance où les zones maritimes de l’île créent un empiètement sur les zones maritimes de l’autre État côtier. Dans ce cadre, la thèse pose la problématique, d’une part de l’influence des îles dans l’appropriation nationale des zones maritimes susceptibles de faire l’objet d’une délimitation maritime entre deux ou plusieurs États côtiers (Partie I). D’autre part, dans le tracé de la frontière maritime entre deux ou plusieurs États en présence d’une île dans la zone à délimiter, la délimitation maritime, qui revient essentiellement à l’application de la règle : équidistance-circonstances pertinentes, identifie le plus souvent les îles comme des circonstances pertinentes et détermine son effet inéquitable sur la ligne provisoire d’équidistance. Cependant, l’effet accordé aux îles dans l’ajustement de la ligne d’équidistance n’est pas uniforme, il peut être un plein effet, partiel ou un nul effet. Le cas de l’enclavement de l’île est un procédé spécifique à une catégorie d’îles notamment celles situées « au mauvais côté de la ligne d’équidistance ». Ce travail analyse en effet, la détermination de l’effet concret des îles dans le processus de délimitation maritime (Partie II). / Focusing on islands in maritime delimitation leads us to be distinguished from certain doctrinal development which explicit the evolution of the law of the sea by a concrete study which belongs to the framework of analysis of an evolving law. Islands strongly intervene in separating maritime spaces. Their influence is to be regarded in the establishment of maritime limits (of the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone) and in the maritime delimitation as well. The present thesis studies the role of islands in maritime delimitation in general, meaning the two operations of fixing the limits and separating the overlapping areas where legal titles compete. Islands as a geographical factor are able to extend the baseline further depending on the position of the island in relation to the continental coast of the coastal state to which it belongs. They play an important role in generating claims to maritime jurisdiction and have potential impacts on the determination of the outer limits of maritime zones when they are situated in a considerable distance from the coast and in the “wrong side” of the hypothetical equidistance line. In this framework of analysis, the study, on one hand, deals with the problematic of the effect of islands in the national appropriation of maritime zones which can eventually generate an overlapping of the legal titles between two or more states over the same maritime space and call for a maritime delimitation (Part I). On the other hand, in the delimitation of the maritime boundary between coastal states which maritime zones overlap the process of maritime delimitation consists of identifying the islands as relevant circumstances and the determination of their potential distortion over the maritime provisional equidistance boundary. The adjustment of the equidistance line, in the application of the equidistance-relevant circumstances rule gives variable effects to islands over the maritime boundary so as to obtain an equitable result. Islands may have full effect, partial or no effect. Islands may is some situations be enclaved. The thesis examines the practical effect of islands in the maritime delimitation process (Part II).

Changes in the biosphere require ecological baselines in order to compare past, present, and future conditions and identify their effects. Establishing ecological baselines for infauna in southeastern Florida is a key component to understanding effects of current and future disturbances; however, nearshore sediment infaunal communities are neither as thoroughly investigated nor as well understood as, for example, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. Baseline studies help assess and monitor changes due, for example, to human population growth, sea level change, and global warming. Therefore, six benthic cores were collected quarterly from six locations from May 2015 to February 2016 using a 7.7-cm PVC corer to examine macroinfaunal composition, richness and diversity in relation to environment, month, and sediment characteristics (e.g., composition and sphericity). Results suggest a latitudinal gradient of infaunal abundance and diversity, which was negatively correlated with median grain size. The middle sites located nearer the Florida Current and adjacent to the extensive carbonate deep ridge complex recorded higher percentages of carbonate and median grain size than the northernmost and southernmost sites. The dominant fauna included polychaetes (chiefly Armandia agilis, Paraonis fulgens, and Leitoscoloplos fragilis), isopods (Eurydice piperata and Ancinus depressus), and mysid shrimp (Chlamydopleon dissimile). Polychaetes dominated most samples and sites; however, peracarid crustaceans (chiefly isopods) dominated three sites in May and four sites in February samples. The recency of beach replenishments showed no long term effects on the infauna. This study provides an initial baseline that will permit comparison with future macroinfaunal and sediment studies along the southeastern Florida coast.

This thesis presents a model for developing site-specific contingency plans to be used during spill response, remediation, and post-spill monitoring using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve's Bryan Mound site as a case study. Bird and vegetation observations provide baseline data for biological conditions, and sediment sampling for total petroleum hydrocarbons serves as a chemical component of the model. Results demonstrate previously unknown conditions that would hinder remediation and affect the persistence of petroleum contaminants. Results also established previously unmapped dominant bird and vegetation types likely to be impacted by a spill at the site. This model points to a reconsideration of individual facilities' responsibilities when planning for large-scale disasters and protecting the sensitive ecosystems surrounding their sites.

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) has experienced dramatic declines over much of its historical range due to habitat loss, plague, poisonings, and shootings. Many populations now occur as isolated genetic relicts. A multiple locus genetic profile was obtained using microsatellite analyses of six polymorphic nucleotide repeats from 319 black-tailed prairie dogs collected from 16 colonies throughout the state of Texas. This assessment revealed that existing populations have sufficient variation at all six loci to verify the usefulness of this approach as a primary genetic tool in conservation and preservation. The data reveals regional-dependent frequency patterns as well as support for founder/bottleneck effects for several of the 16 sites. Although the prairie dog population in Texas as a whole may appear genetically diverse, considerable genetic divergence has already occurred among the subpopulations (FST = 0.164). Isolation by distance is supported by genic differentiation analysis (P < 0.001) and pairwise correlation analysis between genetic distance and geographic distance (P < 0.001). Prairie dogs from six (COC, LUBA, LUBC, LUBD, LUBE, and TAR) of the original 16 sites have been relocated or exterminated, or were in the process of being relocated. Results indicated the following colonies (COT, DAL, HOW, and HUD) are of sufficient size and possess ample genetic diversity to be characterized as candidate foundation populations for future preservation efforts. The proximity of small colonies (< 20 hectares) such as HEMB, LUBB, and PEC, to other colonies should be examined to determine if they are isolated or part of a metapopulation. Colonies (HAR, HEMA, and SCH) with low genetic diversity would be ideal candidates for supplementation. Alternatively, these colonies could be relocated or blended with other similar but genetically distinct colonies. Baselines for healthy, pet prairie dog hematology and blood chemistries were also established. Results signify that data gathered from pet prairie dog blood analyses should be referenced against hematology and blood chemistry baselines established using pet prairie dog subjects.

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) is a useful method to capture environmental or resource changes when there is an absence of biological data. Since the bonefish fishery is data limited, this study aims to understand the trend of bonefish decline over the last 40 years using LEK and to assess whether varying fisher experience and fisher type would influence perception of bonefish decline. Semi-structured surveys and key informant interviews were conducted to collect LEK data. Along with perceiving an overall decline (p

The treatise analyses the issues around budgets and examines budget expenditure control procedures. The research method selected has been formulated from the research onion process (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2009). This methodology first identifies the research approach, research strategy, timelines and data collection methods. As part of the research process, a quantitative approach has been taken and a survey was carried out in relation to the collection of quantitative data for the purposes of the treatise research. The final analysis of the survey results is reflected in the conclusion of the research findings. Budget expenditure control procedures provide a company with a method of control for managing actual spending against the budget. Most companies have a refined practice of budget preparation, and in the larger companies, these are implemented across all departments and carried out by respective managers. Once the budget is in place, it is the responsibility of the managers to ensure that those having expenditure authorisation adhere to it. If control procedures are well managed, this allows for improved efficiency in operations and can lead to benefits in budget performance. Control procedures that are inefficient and poorly managed will inhibit budget objectives being achieved. The control procedures for budget expenditure can be formulated and applied to optimise budget performance and to control budget variance. Formal budget expenditure control procedures, as part of a company’s budget strategy, can provide managers with an effective business tool that improves current budget spending control procedures. This will then result in the identification of potential efficiency gains and improve budget performance.

No description available.

This thesis examines the conservation narratives of Madagascar the ambiguity of forest cover and deforestation estimates, and the difficulty in deconstructing the narratives linked to the idea of a once fully forested island. In particular, shifts in the conservation debate are related to the discursive power of a large-scale international NGO, the WWF. A diachronic perspective is provided both through a discussion of earlier research and discourse analyses of selected texts, published by WWF Madagascar between 1991–2020. The theory and method are developed from Dryzek’s environmental discourse analysis with some modifications. The categories used in the conservation discourse analysis relate to baselines and intertextuality; underlying narratives such as problem representations and metaphors; the different values given to biodiversity; and possible hegemonic discourses within the conservation debate surrounding Madagascar. The discussion on WWF Madagascar also connects with the progression of environmental movements and conservationism, as reflected through shifting conservation priorities in both international contexts and local community conservation efforts. The conclusion demonstrates that shifts in WWF Madagascar’s conservation work reflect global perceptions and assumptions of what has protection value, and vice versa. It is concluded that the role of NGOs in creating and disseminating environmental narratives affects the conservation discourse on all levels and inmultiple contexts – such as media, academia, communities, and politics. In this discussion, the diachronic perspective on intertextuality presented here, especially regarding baselines and estimates of forest cover, illustrates how environmental history is key to conservation, and how at the same time NGOs can play a role as intermediaries in reshaping environmental narratives. / Denna avhandling undersöker Madagaskars bevarandeberättelser, oklarheten i uppskattningar av skogstäcke och avskogning samt svårigheten i att dekonstruera berättelser kopplade till idén om en tidigare helt skogbevuxen ö. Framför allt är förändringar i bevarandedebatten relaterade till det diskursiva inflytandet hos en storskalig internationell icke-statlig organisation, WWF (Världsnaturfonden). Ett diakront perspektiv ges både genom en diskussion av tidigare forskning och diskursanalyser av utvalda texter, publicerade av WWF Madagaskar mellan 1991–2020. Teorin och metoden är utvecklad med några modifieringar av Dryzeks miljödiskursanalys. De kategorier som används i diskursanalysen relaterar till skogsmätning och intertextualitet; underliggande berättelser såsom problemrepresentationer och metaforer; de olika värden som ges till biologisk mångfald; och eventuella hegemoniska diskurser inom bevarandedebatten kring Madagaskar. Diskussionen om WWF Madagaskar hänger också ihop med miljörörelsens och naturvårdens utveckling, sett genom växlande bevarandeprioriteringar i både internationella sammanhang och lokalsamhällets bevarandeinsatser. Slutsatsen visar att förändringar i WWF Madagaskars bevarandearbete återspeglar globala uppfattningar och antaganden om vad som har skyddsvärde och vice versa. Slutsatsen som dras är att de icke-statliga organisationernas roll i att skapa och sprida miljöberättelser påverkar bevarandediskursen på alla nivåer och i flera sammanhang – såsom media, akademi, samhällen och politik. Särskilt gällande uppskattningar av skogstäcke belyser denna diskussion det diakrona perspektivet på intertextualitet som presenteras här, hur miljöhistoria är nyckeln till bevarande, och samtidigt hur icke-statliga organisationer kanagera som förmedlare i omformningen av miljöberättelser.