Human disturbance is a significant threat to shorebirds in North America. Disturbance can result in direct mortality or have long-term impacts on the survival of shorebirds. Land managers employ a variety of management techniques to minimize anthropogenic impacts on shorebirds, but because the Atlantic Flyway is ecologically and recreationally diverse, management can vary among sites. This thesis used social science methods to understand the extent to which human disturbance is managed and how human disturbance is managed. Specifically, we surveyed land managers and biologists in the U.S. and Canada portions of the Atlantic Flyway to examine potential disturbances, types of activities that are restricted, when restrictions occur, the perceived effectiveness of management techniques, public compliance with restrictions, and resource needs of managers. With the findings from this research, agencies and organizations that manage shorebirds can assess where to invest time, effort, and resources to reduce disturbance. We also used a survey of dog walkers to ascertain the benefits and constraints to leashing dogs near shorebirds because dog walking is one of the top-rated potential disturbances to shorebirds. Additionally, we sought to understand the personal and social norms related to dog walking and evaluated if a community-based social marketing (CBSM) approach would be enhanced by the addition of norms. Using a CBSM approach, we provided insights on strategies to promote voluntarily leashing of dogs near shorebirds. Through this thesis, we aimed to bridge the needs of people and the needs of shorebirds, in an effort to produce effective conservation outcomes. / Master of Science / Shorebird populations have declined in the past four decades. Declines are due in part to human use of coastal areas, which can result in harm to shorebirds. To reduce human impacts on shorebirds and help land managers make decisions about management, this thesis used social science methods. Using a survey of managers, we found that management primarily occurs during the spring and summer and is less frequently during the fall and winter. Of the human activities that could disturb shorebirds, walking dogs off leash is the most commonly regulated. But people are also least commonly compliant with these regulations. Managers believe that the best ways to reduce disturbance to shorebirds included fencing, informal outreach, and signage. More staff and volunteers are also needed to help reduce disturbance. In a subsequent survey of dog walkers, we learned why people leash (or do not leash) dogs near shorebirds. We found that people leash to protect shorebirds, keep dogs safe, control dogs, and keep dogs from bothering people. People choose not to leash because leashing prevents dogs from exercising and socializing, and people believe dogs respond to commands. People who leash dogs generally believe others expect them to leash their dogs near shorebirds. Knowing why people leash or do not leash can help predict leashing behavior and encourage dog walkers to voluntarily leash dogs near shorebirds. This thesis considers the needs of people and the needs of shorebirds as way to achieve effective conservation solutions.

In aquaculture, biosecurity consists of policies, procedures and measures used to prevent or control the spread of fish disease. The focus of this research was the practice of biosecurity in the recirculation sector of finfish aquaculture in the United States and Canada. Specifically, this research: 1) identified and characterized finfish recirculation facilities in the United States and Canada; 2) assessed biosecurity utilization in these facilities; 3) examined the relationship between biosecurity utilization and fish culture variables; 4) examined the relationship between biosecurity utilization and socio-demographics of personnel operating these facilities; 5) described the attitudes, perceptions and beliefs about fish disease and biosecurity utilization of personnel, and 6) described the lived-experience of biosecurity practice of workers at these facilities. This research was comprised of two separate components using different methodologies. The first component was a self-administered, mail-back questionnaire sent to the managers of 152 finfish recirculation facilities in the United States and Canada in fall of 2001. The second component was a series of in-depth interviews conducted with 31 workers at 12 salmonid recirculation facilities in spring of 2002. Grounded theory methodology was used for the interview process and subsequent data analysis for the second component. An 86% response rate was achieved in the mail survey. Aquaculture activities using recirculation technologies were quite varied in purpose of operation, size of production, and life stages held. Four groups of fishes dominated the recirculation sector and constituted the primary production of over 45% of this sector of aquaculture. This sector was heavily reliant on ground water resources. Forty-one percent of finfish recirculation facilities did not have a secondary source of water supply. Biosecurity utilization is not homogenous within the recirculation sector. Frequency of biosecurity utilization was related to primary water source, type of fish grown, purpose of the operation and country of operation. Biosecurity was an important concern of facility operators, although among facility operators there were differences in perception of disease risk and benefits of biosecurity utilization. Analysis of results of this study resulted in formulation of the Practice of Biosecurity Theory (PBT). The theory describes a three-phase process in the practice of biosecurity: (1) orientation, when workers begin their initiation into the practice of biosecurity; (2) routine, when practice of biosecurity becomes a habitual behavior; and (3) thoughtful approach, where knowledge of fish health needs and biosecurity practices are integrated into a repertoire of biosecurity strategies that are situation- and site-specific. The practice of biosecurity was affected by three environmental conditions; personal biography, management's role, and peer pressure. This research gives educators, extension agents, researchers and government policy-makers a quantitative description of finfish recirculation aquaculture in the United States and Canada. It also provides baseline information on biosecurity utilization in recirculation aquaculture. This research provides insight into the human dimensions aspect of the practice of biosecurity and, therefore, may have application to other areas of agri-business. / Ph. D.

Understanding how wildlife utilize habitat at varying scales is important for understanding and predicting potential impacts of landscape changes (e.g., habitat loss and fragmentation, restoration efforts, climate change, etc.) and in determining effective strategies for conservation and management. This research examines fine-scale and landscape-level habitat use of black bears in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (CACH), Arizona, USA in the context of large-scale landscape change. Currently, CACH is undergoing a large-scale restoration effort to remove all of the non-native Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima and T. chinensis) within the monument. As black bears rely on the Russian olive as a primary food source, a major goal of this research was to evaluate how bears currently use this resource and how its removal might affect bear habitat use and bear-human interactions within the monument. I developed a model of 3rd order (fine-scale) black bear habitat use in CACH using an occupancy modeling approach. Model results indicated that fine-scale habitat selection by bears in CACH is being driven by the presence of non-native Russian olive as well as native food sources. Thus availability of native foods may be sufficient to maintain the bear population in CACH, and bears may quickly adapt to the loss of the non-native food source. Similarly, results showed that bears avoid human areas and farmsteads and prefer higher elevations, suggesting that once olive is removed in the lower canyons near human areas, bear-human interactions may become less of a problem over the long term. I also developed a model of 2nd order (landscape-level) habitat use and evaluated movement patterns of black bears in CACH using location data collected from GPS collars. Model results showed that bears selected areas with higher tree canopy cover and terrain ruggedness, indicating that forest cover and escape cover are primary factors driving black bear habitat selection at the landscape scale in this region. Movement patterns revealed large mean daily movements and low average turning angles, indicating long, linear movements designed to take advantage of the mosaic of available habitats and food resources available over larger areas. I extracted DNA from hair samples collected throughout the study area to examine genetic variability and population structure of black bears in the region. Analyses revealed a relatively healthy, panmictic population across the wider landscape. No substantial genetic structuring was observed in multiple analyses, though I did find evidence of a slight isolation-by-distance pattern within the population. Measures of both current (Nb = 24) and long-term (Ne = 579) effective population size indicated a relatively high number of breeders in the current population and a sufficient amount of gene flow within the larger "superpopulation" to maintain long-term genetic viability. I focused the final portion of my dissertation research on understanding the factors that influence stakeholder acceptance capacity for black bears, which plays a central role in contemporary wildlife management issues, including human-wildlife conflict. I used data from telephone interviews of 1,546 residents in Virginia to develop conceptual models of black bear acceptance capacity at both county and state levels. Model results suggested that more deep-seated and less easily influenced factors (e.g., values and risk perceptions) are at the heart of stakeholder attitudes and perceptions of wildlife, making influencing these perceptions more difficult. Agencies can indirectly affect these attitudes and perceptions, however, by targeting more potentially pliable factors related to wildlife acceptance capacity such as knowledge, personal experience with wildlife, and trust in management agencies. / Ph. D.

<p> </p> Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution refers to pollution entering receiving waterbodies from diffuse sources, and is one of the main causes of water pollution in the United States. Best management practices (BMPs) and low impact development (LID) strategies are water and land management practices geared at reducing the effect of NPS pollution. This research focused on residents in northwestern Indiana and assessed their interest in adopting BMPs and LID strategies across the urban-to-rural gradient. Resident groups of interest include medium/large-scale farmers, small-scale farmers, rural non-farming residents, suburban residents, and urban residents. Specifically, this research explored residents’ awareness of and attitudes towards water quality improvement practices, their likelihood of adopting these practices, and factors that influence their likelihood of adoption. Data was collected through a household survey that was mailed to residents of Porter and LaPorte counties. In addition to survey questions measuring respondents’ awareness, attitudes, perceptions, likelihood of adoption, and demographics, the survey also contained an experimental component in the form of an information page. By using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate statistical procedures to analyze survey data, this research found that respondents generally reported high levels of awareness of and positive attitudes towards BMPs and LID strategies. Despite this, 41% of respondents reported a likelihood of adopting any water quality improvement practices. This research found that resident groups differed in their awareness of water quality improvement practices, as well as their descriptive and subjective norms associated with adopting these practices. Respondents valued improved environmental quality and reduced flash flood risk as benefits of adopting water quality improvement practices, and identified not knowing enough about specific conservation practices and concerns about how to install and maintain the practices as main barriers to adoption. Generally, respondents who were younger, perceived more problems with various potential water pollution sources, were more aware of water quality improvement practices, had more positive attitudes, had a stronger sense of personal responsibility, sought information in the past about water quality problems, or perceived stronger social expectations from peers (i.e., subjective norms) were more likely to be interested in adopting water quality improvement practices in the next year. The role of information was more ambiguous. While information about how to choose, install and maintain specific water quality improvement practices may be useful for residents, the information treatment about the responsibility of each resident group for NPS pollution did not seem to affect respondents’ likelihood of adoption. However, this research did find that respondents reacted differently to the information provided based on their initial self-reported likelihood of adoption prior to receiving any information. Based on these results, this research suggests strategies that may be used by public and private entities to motivate residents’ adoption of water quality improvement practices, including but not limited to: (1) developing education programs that highlight both the broader environmental quality benefits and geography-specific practical benefits of water quality improvement; (2) developing technical assistance programs that help residents identify appropriate conservation practices for their homes and properties and that facilitate installation and maintenance of such practices; (3) developing communication strategies to help residents establish a sense of self-responsibility and align their perceived water quality problems with their own actions; and, (4) developing outreach programs to help establish and facilitate descriptive and subjective norms in favor of adopting water quality improvement practices at the watershed scale. <br> Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution refers to pollution entering receiving waterbodies from diffuse sources, and is one of the main causes of water pollution in the United States. Best management practices (BMPs) and low impact development (LID) strategies are water and land management practices geared at reducing the effect of NPS pollution. This research focused on residents in northwestern Indiana and assessed their interest in adopting BMPs and LID strategies across the urban-to-rural gradient. Resident groups of interest include medium/large-scale farmers, small-scale farmers, rural non-farming residents, suburban residents, and urban residents. Specifically, this research explored residents’ awareness of and attitudes towards water quality improvement practices, their likelihood of adopting these practices, and factors that influence their likelihood of adoption. Data was collected through a household survey that was mailed to residents of Porter and LaPorte counties. In addition to survey questions measuring respondents’ awareness, attitudes, perceptions, likelihood of adoption, and demographics, the survey also contained an experimental component in the form of an information page. By using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate statistical procedures to analyze survey data, this research found that respondents generally reported high levels of awareness of and positive attitudes towards BMPs and LID strategies. Despite this, 41% of respondents reported a likelihood of adopting any water quality improvement practices. This research found that resident groups differed in their awareness of water quality improvement practices, as well as their descriptive and subjective norms associated with adopting these practices. Respondents valued improved environmental quality and reduced flash flood risk as benefits of adopting water quality improvement practices, and identified not knowing enough about specific conservation practices and concerns about how to install and maintain the practices as main barriers to adoption. Generally, respondents who were younger, perceived more problems with various potential water pollution sources, were more aware of water quality improvement practices, had more positive attitudes, had a stronger sense of personal responsibility, sought information in the past about water quality problems, or perceived stronger social expectations from peers (i.e., subjective norms) were more likely to be interested in adopting water quality improvement practices in the next year. The role of information was more ambiguous. While information about how to choose, install and maintain specific water quality improvement practices may be useful for residents, the information treatment about the responsibility of each resident group for NPS pollution did not seem to affect respondents’ likelihood of adoption. However, this research did find that respondents reacted differently to the information provided based on their initial self-reported likelihood of adoption prior to receiving any information. Based on these results, this research suggests strategies that may be used by public and private entities to motivate residents’ adoption of water quality improvement practices, including but not limited to: (1) developing education programs that highlight both the broader environmental quality benefits and geography-specific practical benefits of water quality improvement; (2) developing technical assistance programs that help residents identify appropriate conservation practices for their homes and properties and that facilitate installation and maintenance of such practices; (3) developing communication strategies to help residents establish a sense of self-responsibility and align their perceived water quality problems with their own actions; and, (4) developing outreach programs to help establish and facilitate descriptive and subjective norms in favor of adopting water quality improvement practices at the watershed scale.

Adults associate their childhood with playing outdoors, often in natural settings. This type of free play is valuable to child development. Children tend to use outdoor play areas in physically active ways, and time spent outdoors relates positively to increased physical activity in children. However, children today are spending an increasing amount of time indoors rather than outdoors. Recent research has shown that the amount of time children spend in outdoor play is directly related to parental concerns about their children's exposure to outdoor hazards. The purpose of this project was to investigate the relationship between parental attitude toward nature and the development of fine and gross motor skills in young children. The sample for this study was drawn from parents of children ages 3 to 5 years old enrolled at one of two University Child Development Centers. The assessment tool used was composed of sections that ask parents about their attitudes toward nature, about their young children spending time outdoors, how much time their children actually spend in outdoor and indoor activities, and standard demographic questions. The childcare centers independently assessed d correlations and ANOVA. Results from this study indicated that parents had positive views toward nature and towards their child's recreation. Children who participated in certain indoor activities tended to score higher in the area of fine motor skills. However, children who spent more time indoors in free play had lower gross motor skill scores. Parents who scored better on the Parental Attitude toward Their Child's Outdoor Recreation scale reported that their child spent more time in outdoor free play and outdoor organized sports and activities. Parents preferred outdoor play spaces when compared to indoor play spaces and specifically those outdoor spaces that were constructed with more nearby natural components.

Pollinator conservation has recently become a topic of greater interest and research around the world as native insect pollinator species increasingly face population declines. In the United States, growing concerns regarding food security and decreased biodiversity have led to the creation of programmatic and best management practices (BMPs) promotional efforts among governmental and non-governmental organizations. These efforts seek to support pollinators on public and private lands by addressing the primary causes of decline (e.g., habitat loss and increased chemical use). Although these organizations have worked diligently to increase awareness and applicability of programs to private landholders, there is still a gap in pollinator BMP adoption. The purpose of my dissertation was to address the pollinator BMP adoption gap through empirical research with two primary goals: 1) develop and test a measurement instrument to investigate the current state of adoption in Mississippi, landholder attributes, and attribute influence on adoption intentions, and 2) conduct segmentation analyses to develop preliminary recommendations for future educational and outreach efforts to increase adoption of pollinator BMPs. I used two sociological theories to develop a questionnaire consisting of constructs measuring landholder attributes, including Attitudes, Injunctive Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Intentions, Knowledge, and Communication Channel Use. I conducted a selfministered mail survey during summer 2018 and received a 38.5% effective response rate. Relative to the first goal, major findings from the research included evidence of reliability and validity for the measurement constructs, landholders having more favorable than unfavorable Attitudes regarding the use of pollinator BMPs on their properties, and Perceived Behavioral Control as the strongest influence on adoption intentions compared to additional landholder attributes. Relative to the second goal, major findings included the generation of four distinct clusters and three land use type segments that allowed for group comparisons and development of a recommended two-step targeted educational and outreach approach. My dissertation provided theoretical and substantive advances to the fields of adoption research and pollinator conservation from which future research and outreach efforts can grow.

Um die Angelfischerei wirksam zu bewirtschaften, müssen Forscher und Manager das Verhalten von Anglern im Kontext einer Vielzahl von Quellenverstehen. Die Angler selbst sind eine heterogene Gruppe, und ihr Wirkungsspektrum ist sehr divers mit vielen sozialökologischen Berührungspunkten. Ziel meiner Dissertation war es, die Zufriedenheit von Anglern, die eine wichtige Rolle bei der angelfischereilichen Bewirtschaftung spielt, und das Verhalten von Anglern im Zusammenhang mit unterschiedlichen Quellen zu untersuchen. Dafür habe ich zunächst eine Meta-Analyse zur Zufriedenheit von Anglern durchgeführt, um ihre fang- und nicht fangbezogenen Mediatoren zu bestimmen. Die aggregierten Effektgrößen zeigten, dass fangbezogene Komponenten (d. h. Fangrate, Größe des größten gefangenen Fisches) stärker mit der Zufriedenheit der Angler zusammenhängen als nicht fangbezogene Komponenten (z. B. Umweltqualität). Im Anschluss an die Meta-Analyse nutzte ich vorhandene Angler-Tagebuchdaten aus unterschiedlichen sozial-ökologischen Kontexten in Deutschland, um zu untersuchen, wie Fangzufriedenheit und „catch & release“ Verhalten variieren und wie sie durch situative und sozial-ökologische Merkmale moderiert werden können. Diese Untersuchung ergab, dass die Bedeutung von Fangergebnissen für die Zufriedenheit je nach Anglertyp (d.h. Spezialisierung des Anglers), Situation und sozial ökologischem Kontext variiert. In ähnlicher Weise fand ich heraus, dass auch das Fangverhalten je nach den genannten Quellen der Vielfalt erheblich variiert. Insgesamt untermauert meine Doktorarbeit die These, dass Forscher im Bereich der Angelfischerei die Vielfalt der verschiedenen Anglertypen, situativen und sozial-ökologischen Kontexte berücksichtigen müssen. Managemententscheidungen, die diese Quellen der Vielfalt nicht berücksichtigen, können Fischereimanager zu falschen Entscheidungen motivieren oder das Vertrauen in die Forschung zu menschlichen Dimensionen in der Freizeitfischerei schwächen. / To manage recreational fisheries effectively, researchers and managers must understand angler behaviour across multiple sources of diversity. Anglers themselves are a heterogeneous group, and they interact with a diversity of fishing opportunities across a diversity of social-ecological contexts. The objective of my dissertation was to study angler satisfaction, a key consideration in the management of recreational fisheries, and angler behaviour across these sources of diversity. First, I performed a meta-analysis of angler satisfaction to study the catch and non-catch related determinants of recreational angler satisfaction. The aggregated effect sizes revealed that catch-related (i.e., catch rate, size of largest fish caught, fish harvested) components were more strongly related to angling satisfaction than non-catch related components (e.g., environmental quality). Following the meta-analysis, I used existing angler diary data from contrasting social-ecological contexts in Germany to explore how catch satisfaction and catch & release behaviour varied, and how they may be moderated by situational and social-ecological characteristics. This research revealed that the importance of catch outcomes towards catch satisfaction varied across angler types (i.e., angler specialization), situational, and social-ecological contexts. Similarly, I found that harvest behaviours also varied significantly across these sources of diversity. Altogether, my doctoral research supports the assertion that recreational fisheries researchers need to account for diversity across angler types, situational contexts, and social-ecological contexts. Work that fails to account for these sources of diversity will have the potential to mislead fisheries managers or reduce faith in human dimensions research within recreational fisheries.

The biological and socioeconomic feasibility of restoring elk (Cervus elaphus) to Virginia was assessed. Biological feasibility was determined by evaluating habitat suitability for elk while considering potential impacts of elk on existing fauna and flora in Virginia. Suitability was assessed by creating a habitat suitability index (HSI) model that measured the availability and accessibility of open foraging areas and forested cover areas, the availability of permanent water sources, and the degree of fragmentation by roads. Eight areas were identified as potential elk habitat: 1 in Southwest Virginia, 4 in the Shenandoah Mountains (Shenandoah, Highland, Big Meadows, Peaks of Otter), and 3 in the Southern Piedmont (Danville, Brookneal, Rehobeth). The highest potentials for supporting an elk herd were found in the Highland and Big Meadows study areas, medium biological feasibilities were found in the Southwest, Shenandoah, and Brookneal study areas, and low biological feasibilities were found in the Peaks of Otter, Danville, and Rehobeth study areas. A restored elk herd could negatively affect indigenous fauna and flora by changing the structure and diversity of existing forested ecosystems, but impacts can be minimized by maintaining elk populations at or below cultural carrying capacity. The introduction of diseases during restoration and possible transmission of those diseases from elk to humans, livestock, and other wildlife also are concerns, but these issues can be addressed by following a risk minimization protocol. Socioeconomic feasibility was assessed with a statewide mail survey of Virginia residents, 4 regional stakeholder workshops, an analysis of economic costs and benefits associated with elk restoration, and an assessment of the risks of elk-human conflicts in each of the 8 study areas. Overall, most (61%) respondents agreed that elk restoration would be good for Virginia. However, the low response rate (30%) and low confidence among respondents (49%) in their knowledge about elk indicated that most residents do not have the interest and/or necessary information to form a definitive opinion. Residents believe that the greatest benefits of restoration would be the value-based and indirect ecological benefits, such as returning an extirpated species to its native range, whereas the greatest perceived costs were the economic impacts to property, crop depredation, and public safety hazards. In contrast, local stakeholder representatives identified economic returns from increased tourism due to the presence of elk and the creation of new recreational opportunities as the most anticipated benefits; important concerns were the potential for property damage by elk, the potential impacts on local ecosystems, and the costs of implementing and administering an elk restoration program and subsequent elk management. Proposed resolutions for these issues varied by region. Representatives from the Southwest and northern Shenandoah Mountain (Shenandoah and Big Meadows study site) Regions preferred not to restore elk, whereas those from the southern Shenandoah Mountain (Highland and Peaks of Otter study site) and the Southern Piedmont Regions preferred to start out small with a carefully controlled and monitored "experimental" population. Economic benefits of elk restoration, as determined through analysis of data from other eastern states currently managing elk populations, are associated with tourism and the revenues brought to the community during elk hunting seasons, whereas economic costs are associated with crop damage, elk-vehicle collisions, and the administrative costs of managing an elk herd. Although the initial costs of transporting, releasing, and monitoring a founder population likely will exceed immediate benefits, once an elk population is established, benefits likely will exceed costs. However, an equitable distribution of costs and benefits must be devised so that the individuals who bear the costs are afforded a comparable or greater set of benefits. Risk of landowner elk-conflicts was examined by comparing human population densities and growth rates, percent private versus public land, and agricultural trends across the 8 study areas. Highest risk for elk-human conflicts was identified in the Southern Piedmont Region and in the Shenandoah study site, risk was moderate in the Southwest, Big Meadows, and Peaks of Otter study sites, and risk in the Highland study site was low. Overall, the Highland study site had the highest feasibility for elk restoration of all study areas examined; the Big Meadows and Southwest study sites both demonstrated moderate feasibility. Restoration in these areas is possible so long as management objectives remain flexible, plans are made in advance to address potential concerns, and the public is involved in the decision-making processes both before and after elk are released. / Master of Science

Forskningen som presenteras i denna avhandling anknyter till forskningsfältet Industriell Ekologi och då särskilt den gren som kallas Industriell Symbios (IS). Inom IS förordas att ett företag kan öka produktionen och samtidigt minska resursanvändningen genom att effektivt integrera energi och materialflöden i ett större system. Utbyte av tex spillvärme och biprodukter mellan olika industrier kan minska behovet av primärvärme och råmaterial. Syftet med avhandlingen är att undersöka hur det teoretiska ramverk som byggts upp inom IS kan appliceras på den svenska skogsindustrin. Detta leder till empiriskt material som kan bidra till vidare teroriutveckling, samt ger en insikt om hur IS kan bidra till resurseffektiviteten inom skogsindustrin. Avhandlingen behandlar teman som existens, utveckling och utvärdering av integrerade system. Främst baseras resultaten på fallstudier, bl a från Kisa, Mönsterås, Värö och Forssjöbruk. För att utvärdera ekonomiska och miljömässiga aspekter (främst CO2 utsläpp) har ven ett optimeringsprogram använts (MIND). Resultaten visar att flera fall av industriell symbios existerar inom svensk skogsindustri redan idag och att samarbetena betraktas som gynnsamma av de ingående parterna. Det visas även att förutsättningarna för att implementera IS varierar beroende på vilken typ av system som avses. De viktigaste gemensamma nämnarna för alla system är en positiv attityd från företagens sida, en vilja att agera, och maktrelationer i företagen. Brist på resurser, bristfällig miljölagstiftning, tidsramar för investeringar samt risker med att satsa på ny teknik är de viktigaste hindren som identifierats. Resultaten från utvärderingen indikerar att IS kan ha fördelar både ur ett ekonomiskt och miljömässigt perspektiv. Dock visas tydligt att resultaten varierar avsevärt beroende på vilka antaganden som görs och slutsatsen är därför att ett noggrannt val av metod, systemgräns och randvillkor är av yttersta vikt och varierar beroende på studiens syfte. / The research presented in this thesis draws upon the research field of Industrial Ecology, in particular Industrial Symbiosis (IS), assuming that it is possible for an industry to increase its product value and simultaneously decrease its use of resources and production of waste material if its material and energy flows are effectively integrated into a larger system. The objective of this work was to apply the framework of IS to the Swedish forest industry, both to gain empirical evidence, which can be used for further conceptual development, and to evaluate how the industrial symbiosis approach can contribute to the forest industry. Occurrence, development and evaluation of integrated systems have been addressed. The results are mainly based on case studies. To evaluate the economic and environmental effects of industrial symbiosis the MIND method, which is an optimization program based on mixed integer linear programming, has been used. It is argued that several cases of industrial symbiosis exist within the Swedish forest industry today, and in the cases studied the integration is considered fruitful from the companies’ point of view. The human dimensions of increased integration are discussed, and it is seen that the conditions for implementation differ depending on the type of system considered. The most important conditions common for all systems are a positive attitude from the companies involved, willingness to act and power relations. Lack of resources, imperfect environmental regulations, time frames and the risks involved when adopting new technologies were among the barriers identified. The results from the evaluation indicate some support to the theories that industrial symbiosis can have benefits both from an economical and an environmental point of view. However, it is seen that the results vary considerably depending on the assumptions made and it is concluded that great care should be taken in choosing method and boundary conditions depending on the case and the nature of the study, the MIND method being one possible method.

<p>Human interactions with white-tailed deer (<em>Odocoileus virginianus</em>) continue to change across the U.S. The growth of deer populations and urbanization of human populations have shifted values for wildlife away from traditional use toward mutual coexistence while simultaneously providing habitat for deer to thrive.<strong> </strong>Still, a mismatch exists between the reality of human-deer interactions and the management of them. Despite a changing social landscape, the human dimensions of deer management remain focused on hunting interests and the mitigation of crop damage to agricultural producers. Amid a national push to broaden wildlife ‘stakeholders’ to encompass all potential beneficiaries of wildlife, state wildlife agencies need to assess the needs and concerns of the broader public they serve to determine whether and how to engage non-traditional groups in wildlife management planning.</p> <p>Recognizing these needs, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN-DNR) partnered with Purdue University in 2018 to initiate the Integrated Deer Management Project (IDMP). As part of the IDMP, this dissertation comprises the first empirical assessment of social perceptions of white-tailed deer across Indiana. My research aimed to: (i) examine the initial context of human-deer interactions in Indiana and identify key social and cognitive factors that shape them; (ii) investigate how emotions, an understudied construct, interact with beliefs and attitudes to influence resident judgements about deer management; (iii) understand existing levels of satisfaction with deer management, potentials for social conflict over management approaches, and their social-ecological drivers; and (iv) develop indices and tools that can help IN-DNR officials better account for social perceptions and concerns in deer management planning. Due to a lack of prior knowledge about human-deer interactions in the state, I used an exploratory mixed-methods research design to address these objectives. I began by conducting 59 semi-structured interviews with residents around Indiana and two focus groups in the city of Bloomington (n=14) to understand their existing perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and emotions related to deer and deer management. These interviews informed the development of a quantitative survey which I distributed to 6,000 residents across the state. I received 1806 completed surveys for a response rate of 33%.</p> <p>My data show that social perceptions of deer and deer management remain complex, driven by dynamic feedbacks among emotions, personal experiences, livelihood and behavioral contexts, beliefs about deer management, and beliefs about other social groups. I found that mixed emotions, situational contexts, and perceived power imbalances play key roles in shaping and shifting deer-related cognitions, yet models of cognitive processing, and human-wildlife interactions more broadly, neglect these dynamics. Emotions, specifically, have been marginalized by researchers and practitioners, likely due to the perception that they represent irrational reactions rather than calculated judgements. Under different scenarios of encountering deer, however, I found that respondent emotions exert a mediating effect on their judgments about deer management, and that the type of deer encountered matters. Emotions thus work together with cognitions to process various stimuli in a human-wildlife encounter and reach a normative decision. I posit that understanding when and why emotional responses arise will help practitioners develop more effective and socially accepted approaches to wildlife management.</p> <p>I next developed and analyzed indices of public satisfaction with the IN-DNR and potentials for social conflict over deer management approaches. I found that public satisfaction with deer management is nuanced and multidimensional. Cognitive variables like residents’ perceived acceptability of management methods and their deer-related concerns most strongly predicted agency performance and quality measures of satisfaction, whereas demographic characteristics including self-identity, wildlife value orientation, and allowance of hunting on one’s property exerted the strongest influences on trust components of satisfaction. Future studies should advance a multidimensional conception of satisfaction and associate it with key variables that I suspect underly satisfaction but were not captured in this study: perceived control, psychological distance, and norms of knowledge exchange between wildlife agencies and the public. Next, I found that potentials for social conflict over deer management varied with resident self-identities and management methods but showed more predictable variation with political ideologies. Geographically, hotspots of social conflict clustered around urban areas, indicating that cities and their residents should serve as a focus for public engagement efforts and mixed management strategies. Expanding agency conceptions of public satisfaction and social conflict represents a critical step towards broadening support for wildlife management and practicing good wildlife governance.<strong> </strong>I conclude by discussing barriers to integrating social and ecological data and the practicality of incorporating complex social dimensions into wildlife management planning.</p>