Background The Parent-Infant Home Visiting Programme (PIVHP) is a home-based parenting programme targeted at new and expectant mothers, characterised as vulnerable. Participants are recruited from low-income communities situated on the Cape Flats, in Cape Town, South Africa. The programme consists of antenatal and postnatal sessions, facilitated by trained Parent Infant Attachment Counsellors (PIACs) recruited from target communities. There are two programme cycles per year: one from January to June, and a second one from July to December. The overarching goal of PIHVP is to contribute towards the prevention of child abuse, abandonment and neglect; and to promote positive infant growth and development. The programme has to date not been guided by an explicit theory of change (TOC). There was no Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system in place, at the time of the evaluation, either. The programme engages in extensive data collection for administrative purposes. This data, however, is not captured nor analysed systematically to monitor progress or measure impact. This formative evaluation aims to capitalise on the existing data. Evaluation Focus This evaluation focused on the first 2019 programme cycle. The main objective of this evaluation was to determine the extent to which the PIHVP had been implemented with fidelity. As such, a process evaluation was conducted to address the following evaluation questions: 1. Did the PIHVP beneficiaries recruited for the first 2019 programme cycle meet the eligibility criteria specified by programme? 2. What proportion of participants completed and dropped out of the PIHVP during the first programme cycle of 2019? What are the reasons provided for programme dropout? questions: 3. To what extent did the PIHVP meet its targeted number of participants? What are the reasons for over/under coverage? 4. Did the participants receive the home-visiting sessions at the duration and frequency prescribed by the programme model? 5. Did PIACs complete and conduct all programme activities, developmental screenings and demonstrations as intended? 6. How did participants perceive PIACs in terms of the support they provided and their preparation level, knowledge, and reliability? 7. To what extent do PIACs implement the skills acquired through their training into their sessions? 8. Are the participants satisfied with the service they received? What are the strengths and limitations they identified? 9. To what extent did participants engage with the PIACs (around the content) during home-visit sessions? Methodology The evaluator first extracted and refined the programme's TOC through structured consultations with the programme manager. The plausibility of the PIHVP's programme theory was then assessed through an extensive literature review. The evaluator then proceeded with the process evaluation. A mixed methods approach was used, as combination of both primary and secondary data sources, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis were used to systematically answer the evaluation questions.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Understanding fluid flow and solute transport within the vadose (unsaturated) zone is an essential prerequisite for protection of groundwater from contaminant sources occurring overland. Preferential flow paths in the vadose zone pose a significant problem because they are potential avenues for rapid transport of chemicals from contamination sources to the water table. The objectives of this study were: i) To review and understand flow and transport processes in unsaturated zones. In this study, particular emphasis is placed on understanding mechanisms that cause non-uniform (preferential) flow for two case studies, namely the Cape Flats sandy environment and the Mpumalanga Highveld fractured rock environment. ii) To evaluate the adequacy of models, in particular MACRO 5.0, in simulating flow and transport in the vadose zone, by making use of two case study sites (Cape Flats and Mpumalanga Highveld). Of particular importance is the evaluation of transfer coefficients to represent fluid and solute exchange between macropores and matrix. iii) To run a sensitivity analysis with MACRO 5.0 in order determine which input model parameters are the most relevant in describing the effects of preferential flow in water and solute transport. Two case studies were investigated, the first at a landfill site overlying sandy unconfined aquifer (Coastal Park, Cape Town), and the second at an industrial site overlying cracking clayey soil and fractured rocks (Mpumalanga Highveld - Secunda, Mpumalanga Province). For the Coastal Park site, simulations of soil water content and leaching of a generic mobile contaminant were compared to monitored soil water contents and chloride concentrations in groundwater. For the Mpumalanga Highveld site, simulations of soil water content and concentrations of boron and fluoride originating from effluent irrigation were compared to soil profile measurements. In both cases, the MACRO 5.0 model predictions agreed with measurements well, provided appropriate input calibration data were used. The sensitivity analysis indicated that soil water properties related to preferential flow (hydraulic conductivity at the boundary between macropores and matrix, soil water content and tension, and diffusion) have influence on simulation results. Similarly, the solute balance is mostly influenced by degradation rate coefficients (both in solid and liquid phases), sorption distribution coefficients and solute concentrations.

Diploma thesis deals with the new use of the former Franciscan monastery and the modification of the so-called Roman Square in Brno. This district was once Jewish quarter and still has a unique genius loci. The main new function of the monastery is a new branch of the diocesan museum. The Roman Square is a set of diverse places no longer found in the center of Brno. Interventions in its structure are kept to a minimum, in particular the addition of buildings at the gaps. A valuable passage element in the northeastern sector remains accessible through the arcade on the ground floor of the block of flats no. 2. In addition, a new passage will be created in the northwest sector with a covered market. Thanks to these interventions, the whole space of the square will be revived and made more attractive with regard to monument restoration.

The main objective of the master´s thesis was a design of the town house in the complicated topografical situation of the foothill of Pekařská street. The topography of the building site is influenced by its surroundings. The street Pekařská is lowering from east to west, but the road Anenská is rising from east to west. The biggest difference between the the lowest and the highest point of the site is 7,5 m. This situation enables to design three entrances to three different floors of the building. An outstanding point of the design of the house is a composition axis which is running up Pekařská street. The town house is facing this axis thus the main entrance of the house is accented. There was a compact house designed, which takes advantage of its very good position – there is a two-floor solution with a shopping mall. The hall in its middle is opening over two floors and it is lightened through a roof lightwell. On this platform is situated an „L“ shaped part of the building, which creates a protection against very noisy Pekařská street. The house is opening its form to the south, to a sunny roof garden. This garden is opened only for inhabitants of the house. The garden improves the quality of the living in the house and substitutes a green area, which used to be in this place. The shape of the building is lowering down from Pekařská street to Anenská road. There are some terraces designed this way to improve the living in the roof apartments and provide a beatiful view to the west.

<p>Approaches to conserving biodiversity have traditionally left humans out of the picture. However, to separate between humans and protected areas has become increasingly criticized for being ethically problematic and ineffective. As a result, the political landscape for how biodiversity should be conserved has changed during the last 30 years. Instead of exclusive conservation practices, there is a request for so-called people-centered practices that tackle development and conservation jointly. However, several studies show a gap between public policies with people-centered ambitions and what is happening on areas assigned for biodiversity conservation. This study aims to understand if people-centered ideas are converted into conservation practices at four nature reserves in Cape Town, South Africa. The study also hopes to explain if the public-civil partnership Cape Flats Nature (CFN) is a useful arrangement in order to convert people-centered ambitions into practices. Using an ideal type analysis, conducting informant interviews and gathering documents, the findings suggest that people-centered practices are found at all four nature reserves. However, there are significant differences and the two nature reserves partnering with CFN have the most people-centered practices. In these cases, human well being is, for example, viewed to be an integral part of the objectives at nature reserves and fences that tend to keep people out are focused on to a lesser extent than in the other nature reserves that are not partnering with CFN. Even though there are no blueprint solutions, instruments such as CFN can be a useful arrangement for narrowing the gap between people-centered ambitions and conservation practices. However, further studies on for example social network analysis focusing on the role of bridging organizations would perhaps strengthen such claims.</p>

This thesis consists of three papers on econometric modeling of spatial dependence. The awareness of interactions between actors is fundamental for understanding property markets as well as the growth of regions. In both cases, neighbors and neighboring markets may stimulate or hamper growth of values. From a modeling point of view, these interdependencies calls for spatial econometric models. In the thesis we introduce such methods in the analysis of regional property markets as well as in a comparative regional growth analysis. In the first paper, we estimate hedonic prices in the market for co-operative flats in the city of Umeå, Sweden, during 1998 and 1999. Structural, neighborhood, and accessibility characteristics are used as attributes in the hedonic price function. Important attributes were the rent, floor space, age, and population density. Two attractive nodes, although with different characteristics, were found. Thus there are signs supporting the view that Umeå has developed into a multi-nodal structure for property values. SAR-GM estimation was used due to signs of spatial error dependence. In the second paper, hedonic prices for single-family homes in two Swedish counties are estimated for two years. Parameter estimates are compared and changes in space and time analyzed. Spatial lag dependence is found to influence the results. Hence, four independent variables are lagged with a spatial weights matrix. Additional spatial error dependence is treated by SAR-GM estimation. Structural, neighborhood, and accessibility characteristics are used as attributes. The regional price pattern and its changes over time, is illustrated and identified with GIS maps. Proximity to the two county capitals, as well as the other municipality centers, influence property prices positively. This is also noticable over time, where values have risen for homes located near major population centers and those which have water provided by the municipality. Values are in addition largely a function of the quality of each home. The third paper examines the provincial pattern of growth in China during the period 1985-2000, testing the hypothesis that provinces with similar growth rates are more spatially clustered than would be expected by chance. The provincial economic growth is explained by the distribution of industrial enterprises, foreign direct investment, infrastructure, and governmental preferential policies. The neoclassical hypothesis of convergence is also tested. Indications of unconditional convergence does occur during the periods 1985-2000 and 1985-1990. In addition, conditional convergence is found during the sub-period 1990-1995. Evidence of spatial dependence between adjacent provinces has also been established, and in the econometric part, solved by a spatial lag, or alternatively a spatial error term, in the growth equation.

Because the volume of flow through an inlet is proportional to the tidal range and the area of the tidal basin, Texas tidal inlets have some of the largest tidal basins relative to their entrance area of any inlet. Matagorda Bay at Pass Cavallo has an area of about 200 square miles, but only a mean diurnal tidal range of about 1.1 feet. From tide gage records the most important events modifying tidal currents in Pass Cavallo are the numerous wind tides each year that occur most frequently during the cooler months, November through May. Wind tides are most noticeable in Matagorda Bay because the astronomical tidal range is small, the fetch long (10-20 miles) and the depth only about 12 feet. Hurricanes and river floods that would raise water levels in Matagorda Bay by even 0.5 foot occur too infrequently to affect equilibrium conditions in the inlet. Pass Cavallo has passed through three time periods since 1856: 1856-1930, 1930-1965, and post 1965. Each time period was characterized by a different, and subsequently smaller tidal discharge, cross-sectional area and tidal channel length. The tidal discharge decreased between 1929 and 1935 when the Colorado River delta cut off part of east Matagorda Bay to reduce the tidal area of Matagorda Bay, and in 1965, the Matagorda Ship Channel was dredged across Matagorda Peninsula to reduce the volume of water passing through Pass Cavallo. Other features that changed with decreasing discharge, but remained stable during each time period, were the channel pattern, and location and shape of the Gulf bar and Pelican Island. During all three periods Pass Cavallo maintained stable cross-sectional shape, and tidal flow by-passing characteristics, except during the post 1965 when neither tidal flow by-passing nor bar by-passing were dominant. Since 1856 Pass Cavallo has remained geographically stable relative to its width. The axial trough has migrated southwestward about 1000 feet during the past 100 years--or about 1/9th the distance between Matagorda Peninsula and Matagorda Island. Shorelines adjacent to the inlet also have tended to move southwestward, but at a faster rate than the axial trough. Along the western side of the pass, shoreline erosion is related to jetties interrupting sediment transport southward from the western shoreline of Matagorda Bay, and to storms eroding the constructional beach extending northward from Matagorda Island. The modern flood delta at Pass Cavallo consists of a large, sandy platform, that is lobate into Espiritu Santo Bay with salt marsh, storm-tidal flats and tidal channels. The flood delta is located to the side of the channel pattern of Pass Cavallo, and appears to be active only during the high tides of hurricanes, tropical storms and "northers". There are three informal physiographic provinces on the flood delta, each one reflecting a different sediment supply and energy regime inherent in each bay and in the Gulf. 1) The Gulf of Mexico Province has the largest and best-developed intertidal beaches, surge channels, storm-tidal flats and mounds of all three provinces. Sand is the dominant sediment. 2) Matagorda Bay Province includes large marsh islands and tidal channels with fewer large vegetated mounds. Shell is very abundant in mounds, and a storm-tidal flats contain more mud and encroaching salt marsh than in the Gulf province. 3) Espiritu Santo Bay Province is composed mostly of sandy mud or muddy sand sediment, with the exception of erosional shell beaches that face a north or south fetch of 1 to 2 miles. This is the richest area biologically, consisting mostly of salt marsh and grassflats. / text

Text in English with abstracts in English, isiZulu, and isiXhosa / South Africa’s education system is in crisis. Problems in education directly impact the country’s economy through its influence on skills development for employability. Young children trapped in an environment under serviced by educational resources and haracterised poor social cohesion cannot reach their full potential. This study, undergirded by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, sought to establish whether stateled early childhood development centres (ECDCs) in the Cape Flats can establish social cohesion and foster responsible citizenship and youth resilience. A qualitative study was conducted in selected ECDCs. Focus group interviews with caregivers of children from sampled centres and face-to-face interviews with the owners/managers of centres were augmented by an interview with an official from local government. The study concluded that the sampled ECDCs are merely coping, but restricted by various problems. They cannot function optimally as institutions for community development, although the community holds them in high esteem. Recommendations are made for improvements. / Uhlelo lwemfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika lunezingxaki. Izinkinga ezitholakala kwezemfundo zinomthelela othintana ngqo nezomnotho ngenxa yethonya ezinalo ekuthuthukisweni kwamakhono kuzokwenza abantu ukuba baqasheke. Izingane ezisezincane ezibiyelwe esibayeni esincishwa izimfanelo zezemfundo, ezingenakho nokubumbana okufanele komphakathi, ngeke zakufeza lokho ezinamandla okufinyelele kukho. Ucwaningo olususelwe esibonelweni sikaBronfenbrenner ngobudlelwane bomuntu nesizinda sakhe, lwaluhlose ukuthola ukuthi ngabe izikhungo eziholwa ngumbuso zokuthuthuka kwezingane ezincane (ama-ECDC) eCape Flats ziyakwazi yini ukugxilisa ukubumbana komphakathi, zikhulise kumuntu ukuba yisakhamuzi esiqotho nabasha abakwazi ukuqina bomelele. Kwenziwa ukuhlolisisa ezikhungweni zama-ECDC ezikhethiwe. Kwaba nokuxoxisana namaqembu aqokiwe abanakekeli bezingane zakulezo zikhungo ezikhethiwe, kwabuye kwaba nokuxoxa bukhoma nabanikazi/abaphathi bezikhungo, okwengezwa kukho nesikhulu esivela kuhulumeni wendawo. Lolu cwaningo lwafinyelela ekuthini izikhungo ezikhethiwe zama-ECDC zazipatanisa nje ngoba zazinqindwa yizinkinga ezahlukene, okusho ukuthi zazingakwazi ukusebenza ngokuphelele njengezikhungo zokuthuthukisa umphakathi, noma umphakathi wona wawuzibabaza kakhulu. Kukhona nezincomo ngokungase kwenziwe ukuze isimo sibe ngcono. / Isimo senkqubo yemfundo yoMzantsi Afrika simandundu. Iingxaki ezikhoyo kwezemfundo ziluchaphazela ngqo uqoqosho ngenxa yokuba zinefuthe kuphuhliso lwezakhono ezilungiselela ukuqesheka komntu. Abantwana abaselula abakwazi ukuphuhla ngokugqibeleleyo kuba bavaleleke kwimeko yemfundo eneenkonzo ezingekho mgangathweni nakwisimo esingazinzanga somphakathi. Esi sifundo sisekelwe kwinkqubo kaBronfenbrenner yolwalamano lwezinto eziphilayo nendalo, kwaye sizama ukuqonda ukuba ingaba ukusekwa kwamaziko ophuhliso lwabantwana abancinci (iiearly childhood development centres- ECDCs) eCape Flats kungadala uzinzo eluntwini, kukhuthaze ukuba ubani abe ngummi othatha uxanduva, ulutsha lungathabatheki lula kusini na. Uphando lomgangatho lwenziwe kumaziko iiECDCs ezikhethiweyo. Udliwano-ndlebe namaqela abantu abagcina abantwana kumaziko akhethiweyo kwanabaphathi baloo maziko luxhaswe ludliwano-ndlebe esiphathamandla sorhulumente wendawo. Esi sifundo sifikelele kwisigqibo esithi ezi ECDCs zikhethiweyo ziyazama kodwa zikhonkxwa ziingxaki ezahlukeneyo, nto leyo ithetha ukuthi azikwazi ukusetyenziswa ngokupheleleyo njengamaziko ophuhliso lomphakathi nangona umphakathi wona uzixabise kakhulu. Kunikwe iingcebiso zokuphucula imeko. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Horticulture in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (CFSF) is one of the most poorly conserved vegetation types in the Cape Floral Kingdom, and a large proportion of unconserved land is degraded, primarily as a result of transformation by agricultural, urban developments and invasion by alien plants. Fynbos restoration is one of the most important management interventions, both within the current conservation areas and in any future land remnants acquired for conservation. Many extant remnants are fragmented and isolated, and if successful restoration protocols are found, it may be possible to improve the conservation targets for this critically endangered vegetation type. On old fields, where indigenous soil seed banks have been lost due to alien plant invasion and anthropogenic action, it is essential to reintroduce the longer-lived fynbos components that contribute to vegetation structure, in order to facilitate the progress of the ecosystem on a more natural trajectory. This research is built on an earlier study of optimal ground-preparation treatments for restoring Sand Fynbos to old fields. This former study indicated that fossorial mammals (molerats and gerbils) may occur in dense colonies on old fields and present an obstacle to successful seedling establishment. The project aims to provide protocols for the establishment of indigenous seedlings from harvested seed onto old fields, in order to restore Sand Fynbos vegetation. Different pre-sowing treatments and sowing techniques were tested on large field plots to determine the most efficient protocol. The objectives of the research were: a) to investigate optimal pre-sowing treatments of indigenous seed for restoring degraded Sand Fynbos vegetation in old field sites; b) to investigate optimal sowing techniques on large field plots for restoring degraded Sand Fynbos vegetation in old field sites with depleted indigenous seed banks; c) to provide guidelines and disseminate information on optimal sowing protocols, and their costs, for restoring Sand Fynbos vegetation in degraded areas and old fields. A further component of the research was to calculate the costs of all treatments on a per hectare basis in order to assess the cost-effectiveness of the different options. Several different seed treatments may potentially increase the germination rate and promote fynbos restoration. These are scarifying, smoke, smoke water, chemical, light and temperature pre-sowing treatments. In order to keep the number of treatments (including their interactions) to a manageable level, only soaking in smoke water extract and seed coat scarification with course sand and grit were tested. A seed sample of each species was x-rayed at the Millennium Seed Bank in the United Kingdom, to test for viability in the seed samples, 52 % of the seed collected were empty, a typical indication of wild harvested seed. All species were germinated at 10/25 °C and 16/8 hours light/dark respectively. Scarification had a larger overall germination success, smoke water had very little effect on CFSF species, it is rather that germination is related to temperatures during a fire that result in seed coat splitting. It was recommended that further investigation using more species across the Sand Fynbos vegetation be conducted on pre-germination effects of heat and scarification. The study site had been cleared of woody invasive alien vegetation and additional site preparation included the application of a systemic herbicide to kill undesirable herbaceous weeds, prescribed fire to clear the site of woody debris and destroy weed seeds, and the local control of fossorial mammals (gerbils and molerats) by placing raptor perches and owl nesting boxes around the site. This research found that the use of herbicide shortly after the prescribed fire and once again prior to sowing was successful in controlling herbaceous weeds and the indigenous grass Cynodon dactylon. The challenge to using prescribed burning on old fields was low fuel loads, which resulted in a cool patchy. It is suggested that cutting and spreading of alien plant biomass is tested as a solution, however, the material must be evenly spread across the site and not stacked into piles which can cause excessively hot fires and scorching of the soil. In order to better understand soil conditions across the site, soil samples were collected prior to sowing, to analyse for soil macronutrients, organic matter and pH. It was established that all the excess nutrients added to the site from agriculture and pasturage over the years had leached from the soil. However, the organic matter content of the soil was extremely low and research needs to be done on the organic carbon content of the soils, how these relate to soil micro biota (which species are present and their relationship with CFSF species) and how best to enrich the site with humic matter for restoration and establishment of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. The field trial was set up in the Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, a random split-plot block design, was replicated five times and used to investigate the selected seedbed preparation and sowing techniques, namely: broadcast sowing onto unprepared seedbed, broadcast with plank embedding of seed onto disked seedbed, broadcast onto disked seedbed and hydro-seed with disked seedbed. Results from the research found that the most successful methods for sowing seeds were the hydro-seeding and broadcast with plank embed. These methods may have provided better contact between the soil and seeds and better protection from predation and wind. Economically the broadcast and embed was better as machinery was more efficient and effective than manual labour. This study recommended that these two methods be combined with the additional planting of rare and threatened species in clumps to determine the benefits and interactions of each technique over the long term.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / This study investigates ecological process and dynamic of the hypersaline tidal flats (HTF, locally knowns as âapicumâ). The HTF systems are characterized by flat landscape and hypersaline soil conditions that may occour in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Usually HTF can be found inside mangrove forest or as a transitional system between mangrove and dry land ecosystem. These areas are highly important for advances of mangrove forest in case of sea level increase. Besides, HTF have great economic value, as prioritarian areas to install aquaculture or saline ponds. Also it represents security zones for traditional populations, as artisanal fishermen. However, the ecological process which drives the HTFs systems remain poorly knew. The studies presented in this doctoral dissertation aim to fulfill some lacks of knowledge about ecological process that could drive the HTF dynamic. The chapter 1 is a bibliographical review about this system. On chapter 2 were evaluated possibles mechanisms used by plants in order to improve their survival in such stressed environment through the study of rhizosphere soils and comparison with bulk soils. On chapter 3, through an experimental study in the field, the possible effect of two crab species bioturbation on HTFs soils and it possible effects on soil properties were evaluated. The chapter 4 registered the evaluation of ecological interactions among biotic and abiotic fractions of the system using ecological modeling tools. In this sense, a structural ecological model was designed using microrelief elevation, soil properties, two plant species biomass and the covering areas of two crab species. Based on results obtained in these studies, it was possible to conclude that HTFs have a particular ecological dynamic and have close relation with mangrove forests due the nutrients, material and animal population flux shared by them. The plant community of HTFs areas is componed mainly by pioneersâ clonal halophytes species. These species seemed to have different strategies to deal with saline stress, an important limitant factor for their growing and distribution. The seasonal effects were noteworthy mainly in bulk soils. In this sense, it is possible that plant estabilize the environment in their benefit. The crabs were able to affect biogeochemical dynamic in HTF soils. However, the burrouing effects of crab species on soil properties were different and seemed reflect the species habit. Although bioturbation effects were important, the modifications on HTF soil properties were less evident than in mangrove forests. Environmental process related to salinity and nutrients availability are among the main factors to drive crabs distribution and plant growth in HTFs. These processes were dependent of microrelief variation. A combination of abiotic factors (microrelief elevation and soil properties) and positive relations among plant species seems to guide the ecological dynamics in HTFs systems. Conservation strategies of coastal environments areas must include the HTF protection due their importance for coastal environments on climate change scenario and economic importance, but mainly because their unique ecological characteristics. / Esse estudo teve como objetivo geral investigar processos ecolÃgicos e a dinÃmica do apicum. Esses sistemas se caracterizam por serem planÃcies hipersalinas que ocorrem em zonas costeiras de regiÃes Ãridas onde podem ser identificadas dentro de bosques de mangue ou entre o manguezal e ecossistemas de terra seca, como mata seca ou restinga. Os apicuns sÃo Ãreas estratÃgicas para recuo das florestas de mangue em caso de aumento do nÃvel do mar. AlÃm disso, possuem grande importÃncia econÃmica, visto que sÃo Ãreas preferenciais para instalaÃÃo de empreendimentos de aquicultura e salinas e por que representam zonas de seguranÃa para populaÃÃes tradicionais. Entretanto, muito pouco se sabe sobre os processos ecolÃgicos que regulam a dinÃmica do sistema. Os estudos compilados nessa tese visam de algum modo suprir lacunas sobre os processos ecolÃgicos que regem a dinÃmica desse sistema. O capÃtulo 1 traz uma ampla revisÃo bibliogrÃfica sobre esse sistema. No capÃtulo 2 foram avaliados possÃveis mecanismos utilizados pelas plantas para sobreviverem ao ambiente limitante atravÃs do estudo dos solos rizosfÃricos e comparaÃÃo com solos nÃo colonizados por plantas. No capÃtulo 3, atravÃs de um estudo experimental de campo foram avaliados os efeitos da bioturbaÃÃo de duas espÃcies de caranguejos nos solos de apicum e seus possÃveis efeitos sobre as condiÃÃes edÃficas. O capÃtulo 4 aprofunda-se na avaliaÃÃo das interaÃÃes ecolÃgicas que ocorrem entre o solo, microrelevo e a biota do sistema (plantas e animais). Nesse sentido, um modelo ecolÃgico estrutural foi construÃdo utilizando variaÃÃes na elevaÃÃo do relevo, propriedades do solo, biomassa das plantas e Ãrea de cobertura de caranguejos. Com base nos resultados, concluiu-se que o sistema apicum possui dinÃmica ecolÃgica muito prÃpria e possui uma relaÃÃo com os bosques de mangue graÃas ao compartilhamento de fluxos de matÃria, nutrientes e populaÃÃes de animais. A comunidade de plantas do apicum à composta, sobretudo por espÃcies clonais halÃfitas pioneiras e que parecem possuir estratÃgias diferenciadas para lidar com o estresse salino, fator limitante do seu crescimento e distribuiÃÃo. O efeito da sazonalidade à notÃvel, sobretudo nas Ãreas nÃo colonizadas por plantas, indicando que possivelmente as plantas estabilizam o sistema solo em seu beneficio. Diferentes espÃcies de caranguejos sÃo capazes de afetar a dinÃmica biogeoquÃmica do solo. A bioturbaÃÃo do solo pelas espÃcies estudadas provocou diferentes efeitos nas propriedades do solo, os quais parecem estar intimamente ligados as hÃbitos das espÃcies. Entretanto, as seus efeitos nos apicuns, embora importantes, sÃo menos intensos que em Ãreas de manguezais. Processos ambientais ligados à salinidade do solo e à disponibilidade de nutrientes estÃo entre os principais fatores que regem a distribuiÃÃo de caranguejos e crescimento das plantas nos apicuns. Esses processos sÃo intimamente dependentes das variaÃÃes do microrelevo. Uma combinaÃÃo entre fatores abiÃticos (elevaÃÃo do relevo e propiedades do solo) e relaÃÃes positivas entre espÃcies de plantas parecem se os princiapis agentes na dinÃmica ecolÃgica dos apicuns. EstratÃgias de conservaÃÃo de sistemas costeiros devem incluir a proteÃÃo dos apicuns visto seu importante papel ecolÃgico no cenÃrio de mudanÃas climÃticas e importÃncia para economia local, sobretudo por conta suas caracterÃsticas ecolÃgicas Ãnicas.