Recent scholarship on the renewed Sonderweg theory does not approach the debate with a comparative analysis. This thesis therefore presents a new argument looking at the influence of British and Afrikaner tensions in South Africa, culminating in the South African War of 1899-1902, and how their treatment of the various African peoples in their own colony influenced German South-West African colonial native policy and the larger social hierarchy within the settler colony. In analyzing the language of scholarly journals, magazine articles, and other publications of the period, one can see the direct influence of the Afrikaners, including South African Boers, on German South-West African settlers, and their eugenically infused discussion of Herero, Nama, and Bastards, within their new home. Furthermore, the relations between the German settlers and the British settlers and colonial officials in the neighboring colony serve as a case-study of the larger rivalry between Berlin and London that would later culminate in World War I. In looking at how this British colony influenced German South-West Africa in socially, politically, economically, and scientifically, one can place this new research within the context of the renewed Sonderweg debated amongst scholars like Isabel Hull and George Steinmetz, extending the critique that Steinmetz argued in The Devil’s Handwriting: Precoloniality and the German State in Qingdao, Samoa, and South-West Africa

[Truncated abstract] Ross River virus (RRV) causes the most common arboviral disease in Australia, with approximately 5000 new cases reported each year, making this virus a major public health concern. The aim of this thesis was to link results from virological, pathogenesis and epidemiological studies to further define RRV disease in the south-west (SW) of Western Australia (WA), a region of endemic and epizootic RRV activity. A crosssectional seroprevalence study was used to show that 7.8 percent of SW communities were seropositive to RRV, comparable to other regions of Australia with similar temperate climates to the SW . . . RRV-specific IgM antibodies were found to persist for at least two years following RRV infection. A murine model was used to conclusively show differences in pathogenesis between RRV genotypes, the SW and northern-eastern (NE) genotypes, which are known to circulate throughout Australia. The SW genotype, unique to the SW of WA induced only poor neutralising antibody production and nonneutralising antibodies after the acute phase of infection. In comparison, the NE genotype which currently predominates in mosquito populations in the SW of WA, induced the most efficient neutralising antibody response and consequently produced the mildest disease in the mouse. These data in the mouse suggest that the infecting genotype will mostly likely influence disease outcome in humans and could at least partially explain why more severe and persistent disease has been reported from the SW of WA. Collectively, results from this thesis provide an important benchmark against which future investigations into BFV and RRV diseases can be measured.

It is now widely assumed that many artefacts found in the prehistoric archaeological record were not casually discarded as unwanted material but were deposited in features and contexts with structure and meaning. This appears to include saddle and rotary querns for they are often found whole and apparently still usable or, conversely, deliberately broken. Analysis of the structured deposition of querns in the south-west of England shows that they were deposited in features on both domestic and non-domestic sites. Furthermore, the location and state of the querns, together with the artefacts found in association with them, indicates that they were deposited with different levels and layers of meaning, even within the same type of feature. The deposition of querns appears to have pervaded all aspects of prehistoric life and death suggesting that they played a role above, but nevertheless related to, their prime task of milling. An exploration of the object biography of querns demonstrates the importance of what are often considered to be mundane tools to subsistence communities. Each quern has its own unique life history, its meaning and value determined by the reasons that gave cause for its manufacture, the material from which it was made, the use(s) to which it was put and who used it. However, all querns share points of commonality, related to their function as milling tools, their role as transformers of raw material(s) into usable products (s), their association with women and the production of food, and the movement of the upper stone. Through these, symbolical links can be made between querns and agricultural, human and building life cycles, gender relations and the turning of the heavens. The reason for a quern’s deposition in the archaeological record may have drawn upon one or more unique or common values.

Por causa da carência de dados sobre a produtividade de tilápias em tanques-rede em escala comercial, produtores e empresários rurais relutam em investir neste sistema de produção. Este estudo objetivou determinar as funções de produção da tilápia do Nilo em tanques-rede; a biomassa econômica de sistemas de produção comercial de tilápias em tanques-rede de diferentes volumes (300 a 400 peixes/m 3 e 500 a 600 peixes/m 3 ); e analisar a influência das condições ambientais no desempenho dos peixes em tanques-rede. Foram estudados 2 casos na região Sudoeste do Estado de São Paulo: (1) represa do Chapadão, 3,3 ha de espelho d’água e profundidade média de 4,00 m, onde foram instaladas nove gaiolas, totalizando 94,50 m 3 de volume útil de produção; e (2) represa da Colônia Nova, 8,8 ha de espelho d'água e profundidade média de 2,60 m, que alojou 27 gaiolas com volume útil total de 235,70 m 3 , ambas localizadas na Usina Paredão, Oriente, SP. De setembro de 2001 a abril de 2002, foram monitorados diariamente o consumo de ração, a mortalidade de cada gaiola e a temperatura da água das represas nos horários das alimentações; pH, oxigênio dissolvido e transparência pelo disco de Secchi foram monitorados quinzenalmente. Foram realizadas biometrias mensais nas gaiolas das duas represas, compreendendo 3% do lote de peixes de cada gaiola. Os peixes foram alimentados com ração extrusada comercial com 32% de proteína bruta, 3 vezes ao dia (09h00m, 13h00m e 17h00m), 7 dias por semana. A taxa de alimentação foi ajustada com base nas biometrias e mortalidade de cada gaiola. Os dados de desempenho foram analisados por análise de variância e regressão. Para a determinação das funções de produção a partir dos dados de campo, foram utilizadas as funções Logística e de Mitscherlich. Não houve diferença de desempenho em relação à biomassa acumulada e peso médio unitário em função do tempo, na densidade de 300 a 400 peixes/m 3, para ambas as represas (P<0,05), possivelmente porque os dois ambientes apresentaram variações dos parâmetros de qualidade de água muito similares e dentro dos limites aceitáveis para a espécie considerada. A densidade de 500 a 600 peixes/m 3 apresentou maior biomassa acumulada e maior eficiência alimentar que a densidade de 300 a 400 peixes/m 3. Não houve diferença significativa (P<0,05) entre o peso médio unitário dos peixes nas duas densidades, mostrando que o aumento na densidade de estocagem não influenciou o crescimento individual dos peixes. Para a densidade de 500 a 600 peixes/m 3, a biomassa que maximizou a lucratividade da produção (biomassa econômica - BE) foi 145 kg/m 3, ponto em que os peixes devem ser despescados ou remanejados. Para a densidade de 300 a 400 peixes/m 3 , a BE foi de 121 kg/m 3. Para a obtenção de peixes com peso médio unitário de 283g, considerando a BE de 145 kg/m 3 , a densidade de 500 a 600 peixes/m 3 possibilitou otimização do espaço e tempo de produção, melhor eficiência alimentar, maior produção por m 3 de tanque-rede, sendo portanto mais rentável economicamente que a de 300 a 400 peixes/m 3. / Cage farming of tilapia is an excellent alternative to utilize lakes, dams and reservoirs inadequate to conventional aquaculture. Low investment on cage or pond farming of tilapia is credited to the lack of reliable production and economical data for commercial scale farming. This study aimed to determine the production functions of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in cages; the economic biomass at stocking densities of 300-400 fish/m 3 and 500-600 fish/m 3 commercially produced tilapia in cages of different volumes; and the influence of environmental conditions in fish performance in cages. Two cases in São Paulo State south-west region were studied: (1) reservoir Chapadão (Usina Paredão , Oriente, SP), 3.3 ha of surface area, 4.00 m deep, with 9, 94.50 m 3 cages; and (2) reservoir Colônia Nova (Usina Paredão, Oriente, SP), 8.8 ha of surface area, 2.60 m deep, with 27, 235.70 m 3 cages. Feed intake, survival rate and water temperature were monitored daily during scheduled feedings from September 2001 - April 2002. Dissolved oxygen, pH and transparency of water were monitored each 15 days. Fish growth was evaluated by measuring and weighing 3% of fish of each cage. Caged tilapia fed on commercial, floating pellets (32% crude protein) at 0900, 1300 and 1700 h, 7 days for a week. Feeding rate was adjusted based on sample weight and survival rate. Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and regression analysis. The Logistic and Mitscherlich functions were chosen to elaborate the production functions. Carrying capacity of both stocking densities 300-400 fish/m 3 and 500-600 fish/m 3 was 200 kg/m 3. No differences were observed in fish performance regarding accumulated biomass and individual average weight over time between both reservoirs for the stocking density of 300-400 fish/m 3 . The stocking density of 500-600 fish/m 3 presented larger accumulated biomass and better feeding efficiency than the stocking density of 300-400 fish/m 3. No significant differences between individual average weight of fish of both densities were observed (P<0.05), meaning that increasing stocking density didn't influence the individual growth of fish. The biomass that maximized the profit to the stocking density of 500-600 fish/m 3 was 145 kg/m 3. Economic biomass (BE) for stocking density of 300-400 fish/m 3 , was 121 kg/m 3. This density had worse feed conversion than 500-600 fish/m 3. Stocking density of 500-600 fish/m 3 , up to individual average weight of 283 g, present many advantages: optimization of space and production time, better feed efficiency, higher fish production per m 3 of cages, and is more profitable than 300-400 fish/m 3.

Humanitarian logistics and relief supply chain management is a relatively new area of investigation which is typically associated with unexpected disasters that require immediate actions and responses. It can be defined as “the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow and storage of goods and materials, as well as related information, from point of origin to point of consumption for the purpose of meeting the end beneficiary‟s requirements” (Thomas, 2005).In both man-made and natural disaster relief processes, humanitarian logistics and relief supply chain operations have been hampered by a lack of information and coordination between actors. Especially in sudden-onset disasters, humanitarian logistics and relief supply chain teams have to be deployed in situations with destabilized infrastructure and with very limited knowledge about the situation at hand (Beamon 2004, Long and Wood 1995, Tomasini and Van Wassenhove 2004).This lack directly affects effective performance in terms of validity and reliability enhancement in which an adapted resiliency management in relief supply chain strategies could offer a solution to cover the problem.The purpose of study ahead is to underline the beneficial advantages offered by using resiliency methods in humanitarian logistics and relief supply chain operations, and enriching the existing benefits that relief chain management teams through the humanitarian logistics techniques have brought to satisfy the survival needs.In fact, the end result of the research will be in both fields of humanitarian logistics and relief supply chain management, and the use of resiliency theories to overcome on barriers and difficulties during relief and aid operations.

Submitted by Sandra Mendonça (sandra.mendonca@unioeste.br) on 2017-08-18T11:59:36Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Poliana C Crotti 2016.pdf: 3384596 bytes, checksum: b9c71cede64383f80242c1f13de645e7 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-18T11:59:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Poliana C Crotti 2016.pdf: 3384596 bytes, checksum: b9c71cede64383f80242c1f13de645e7 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The unbridled generation of solid waste and the improperly disposal have been widely discussed, in search of the waste produced by society should be minimized and the discarded waste should be mostly recycled, causing no harm to public health or the environment. When studying solid waste, it’s necessary to take into account all aspects that interact with the very solid waste, that is, health, environmental, social, cultural and institutional aspects. The total generation of SW in Brazil in 2014 was approximately 78.6 million tons, representing an increase of 2.9% of 2013 to 2014, index higher than the population growth rate in the country in the period, which was 0 9%. Given this, the main objective of this work is to verify If the potential of solid waste generation - SW, in the municipalities of Paraná South west, relates to the socio-economic, demographic and environmental issues in 2000 and 2010. As for the method, it was used the multiple regression analysis, which is a statistical method for providing values of one or more dependent variables through a series of independent variables. It is concluded that the variable that contributed to explain the differential generation of solid waste in the municipalities of Paraná South west for the year 2000 was the GDP and GDP per capita. For the year of 2010 showed significant the same variables GDP and GDP per capita, as well as population geometric rate, reflecting government subsidies that stimulate income and consequently the marginal propensity to consume (GCMP) of the population of the cities of the South west, increasing the generation of solid waste. / A geração desenfreada de resíduos sólidos (RS) e a forma inadequada de descarte vêm sendo discutidas amplamente, na busca de que a quantidade de lixo produzido pela sociedade deve ser diminuída e o lixo descartado deve ser ao máximo reaproveitado, não causando danos à saúde pública e nem ao meio ambiente. Ao se estudar os RS deve-se levar em conta todos os aspectos que interagem com o próprio resíduo sólido, ou seja, aspectos nas áreas: de saúde, ambientais, sociais, culturais e institucionais. A geração total de RS no Brasil em 2014 foi de aproximadamente 78,6 milhões de toneladas, o que representa um aumento de 2,9% de 2013 para 2014, índice superior à taxa de crescimento populacional no país no período, que foi de 0,9%. Diante deste exposto, o objetivo principal deste trabalho é verificar se o potencial de geração de RS, nos municípios do Sudoeste do Paraná, se relaciona com os aspectos socioeconômicos, demográficos e ambientais nos anos de 2000 e 2010. Quanto à metodologia, foi utilizada para análise a regressão múltipla que é uma metodologia estatística de valores de uma ou mais variáveis dependentes através de um conjunto de variáveis independentes. Conclui-se que a variável que contribuiu para explicar os diferenciais de geração de resíduos sólidos nos municípios do Sudoeste do Paraná para o ano de 2000 foi o PIB e o PIB per capita. Para o ano de 2010 mostraram-se significativas as mesmas variáveis PIB e PIB per capita, refletindo, desta maneira, os subsídios governamentais que estimulam a renda e consequentemente a propensão marginal a consumir (PmgC) da população dos municípios do Sudoeste, aumentando a geração de resíduos sólidos.

Submitted by Sandra Mendonça (sandra.mendonca@unioeste.br) on 2017-05-16T17:24:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO - Poliana C. Crotti Mest. em Des. Reg..pdf: 3384596 bytes, checksum: b9c71cede64383f80242c1f13de645e7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-16T17:24:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO - Poliana C. Crotti Mest. em Des. Reg..pdf: 3384596 bytes, checksum: b9c71cede64383f80242c1f13de645e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The unbridled generation of solid waste and the improperly disposal have been widely discussed, in search of the waste produced by society should be minimized and the discarded waste should be mostly recycled, causing no harm to public health or the environment. When studying solid waste, it’s necessary to take into account all aspects that interact with the very solid waste, that is, health, environmental, social, cultural and institutional aspects. The total generation of SW in Brazil in 2014 was approximately 78.6 million tons, representing an increase of 2.9% of 2013 to 2014, index higher than the population growth rate in the country in the period, which was 0 9%. Given this, the main objective of this work is to verify If the potential of solid waste generation - SW, in the municipalities of Paraná South west, relates to the socio-economic, demographic and environmental issues in 2000 and 2010. As for the method, it was used the multiple regression analysis, which is a statistical method for providing values of one or more dependent variables through a series of independent variables. It is concluded that the variable that contributed to explain the differential generation of solid waste in the municipalities of Paraná South west for the year 2000 was the GDP and GDP per capita. For the year of 2010 showed significant the same variables GDP and GDP per capita, as well as population geometric rate, reflecting government subsidies that stimulate income and consequently the marginal propensity to consume (GCMP) of the population of the cities of the South west, increasing the generation of solid waste. / A geração desenfreada de resíduos sólidos (RS) e a forma inadequada de descarte vêm sendo discutidas amplamente, na busca de que a quantidade de lixo produzido pela sociedade deve ser diminuída e o lixo descartado deve ser ao máximo reaproveitado, não causando danos à saúde pública e nem ao meio ambiente. Ao se estudar os RS deve-se levar em conta todos os aspectos que interagem com o próprio resíduo sólido, ou seja, aspectos nas áreas: de saúde, ambientais, sociais, culturais e institucionais. A geração total de RS no Brasil em 2014 foi de aproximadamente 78,6 milhões de toneladas, o que representa um aumento de 2,9% de 2013 para 2014, índice superior à taxa de crescimento populacional no país no período, que foi de 0,9%. Diante deste exposto, o objetivo principal deste trabalho é verificar se o potencial de geração de RS, nos municípios do Sudoeste do Paraná, se relaciona com os aspectos socioeconômicos, demográficos e ambientais nos anos de 2000 e 2010. Quanto à metodologia, foi utilizada para análise a regressão múltipla que é uma metodologia estatística de valores de uma ou mais variáveis dependentes através de um conjunto de variáveis independentes. Conclui-se que a variável que contribuiu para explicar os diferenciais de geração de resíduos sólidos nos municípios do Sudoeste do Paraná para o ano de 2000 foi o PIB e o PIB per capita. Para o ano de 2010 mostraram-se significativas as mesmas variáveis PIB e PIB per capita, refletindo, desta maneira, os subsídios governamentais que estimulam a renda e consequentemente a propensão marginal a consumir (PmgC) da população dos municípios do Sudoeste, aumentando a geração de resíduos sólidos.

Durant la seconde moitié du xxe siècle, la chasse a changé. D'une libre cueillette aléatoire du gibier, elle a été peu à peu dirigée vers des concepts de récolte modérément intrusive et vers la gestion de la faune sauvage. Caractérisant la chasse française, particulièrement lorsqu'elle est pratiquée traditionnellement, aux chiens courants, le jeu-duel avec le gibier a persisté, parfois avec difficulté. Longtemps peu abondant, le sanglier, comme tout le grand gibier de plaine, a observé une forte croissance démographique au cours des trente dernières années. Il engendre désormais de plus en plus de nuisances aux activités humaines. Alors que seuls les chasseurs régulent les sangliers, tout en assurant le financement de l'Administration de la chasse et l'indemnisation des dégâts à l'agriculture, leurs effectifs connaissent un déclin prononcé et continu. Les pouvoirs publics sont confrontés à un impératif de maîtrise des populations de sangliers. Afin d'optimiser l'efficacité des actions de chasse, les doctrines longuement enseignées et imposées au chasseur sont progressivement remises en cause au profit du rétablissement de techniques si longtemps bannies. Mus par une passion extraordinaire, les chasseurs, grâce à leur loisir, contribuent à l'intérêt public. Néanmoins, ils acceptent avec difficulté les objectifs qui leur sont fixés mais aussi et au-delà, la seconde révolution conceptuelle qui leur est imposée. Cultures cynégétiques, représentations symboliques, rapport au gibier, au sauvage et à la nature sous-tendent comme ils président à l'acte de chasse. Au risque d'hypothéquer les chances de réussite des nouvelles politiques publiques, il apparaît que ces dimensions fondatrices et essentielles doivent être prises en compte dans la promotion des mesures comme dans l'action normative conduites par cette Administration tripartite "sui generis" qui caractérise la chasse française, impliquant l'État, un établissement public dédié et les fédérations des chasseurs. / In the second half of the 20th century, hunting has changed. From a free random sampling of game, it has been orientated towards concepts of mildly intrusive wildlife harvest and management. Characterizing French hunting, in particular when practiced traditionally, with hounds, is that the dueling-play with the wild game has persisted, though with some difficulty. Having been scarce for a long period, wild boar, just as other lowland ungulates, experienced a strong demographic increase over the last three decades. The species nowadays causes harm to human activities which can be rather serious. And while only the hunters regulate wild boar population, contributing at the same time to the financing of the Hunting Administration and of the compensation of agricultural damages, their own numbers are in a clear and ongoing decline. Public authorities are confronted with the necessity to control wild boar populations. In order to optimize the efficacy of hunting activities, the rules submitted and imposed to the hunter are progressively put into question to the benefit of the return of techniques which had been barred much earlier. Moved by an extraordinary passion, hunters, through the practice of their leisure activity, make a contribution to the public interest. However, they do not eagerly accept the objectives which are set for them, nor the second conceptual revolution which is imposed on them. Representations, symbolism, the relationship with game, wildlife and nature are equally underlying in the hunters’ culture and way of thinking, and at the same time they do guide his actions and choices. With the risk to jeopardize the chances of success of the new public policies, it appears that these founding and essential dimensions of the hunting act need to be taken into consideration when promoting measures such as in the normative actions undertaken by the three-party Administration “sui generis” characterizing hunting in France, involving the State, a specific public establishment and the hunters’ federations.

The distribution pattern of diatoms from lakes and streams of varying salinity in the south-west of Western Australia was investigated. A total of 95 water bodies were sampled and separated into freshwater (<3 ppt), hyposaline (3-20 ppt), mesosaline (20-50 ppt) and hypersaline (>50 ppt). The south-west and specifically the inland wheatbelt region has been severely influenced by secondary salinisation, due to clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. There has been little research on diatom communities from salt-affected systems, with this data providing the basis for the development of an inference model based on species optima and tolerance limits to salinity. Physico-chemical variables measured from the study sites were collated and assessed. Salinity ranged from freshwater (0.04) to hypersaline (156.80 ppt), and pH ranged from acidic (2.90) to alkaline (10.51). Dissolved oxygen levels were recorded from 1.11 to 18.67 mgL-1, water temperature from 6.30 to 28.10 °C and peripheral vegetation scores from 1 (little or no cover) to 5 (dense cover). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that salinities were significantly higher in standing waters located further inland, compared to flowing waters in high rainfall areas. Hypersaline wetlands displayed significantly lower dissolved oxygen levels, higher water temperatures and reduced peripheral vegetation, compared to freshwaters. The pH of hypersaline sites was also significantly lower, associated with surrounding land use or underlying geology. The data collected provides important baseline information, with implications for aquatic biota. / The community structure of diatoms in relation to varying salinity concentration was explored. An artificial substrate collector (JJ periphytometer) was used to standardise sampling and ensure diatom assemblages were representative of ambient water quality. A total of 217 taxa were identified with the highest diversity observed in freshwater sites (up to 33 species), and limited to less than 15 in hypersaline waters. According to BIOENV, salinity was the key factor influencing diatom community structure. SIMPER analysis found a number of discriminating taxa between salinity ranges, specifically between assemblages from freshwater and hypersaline sites. Taxa such as Achnanthidium minutissimum and Gomphonema parvulum were indicative of freshwaters. In comparison, Amphora coffeaeformis and Nitzschia ovalis were associated with hypersaline water bodies. Diatom community structure was also examined from 20 hypersaline wetlands in the wheatbelt region with varying pH. Characteristic taxa including Amphora coffeaeformis, Hantzschia sp. aff. baltica and Nitzschia ovalis showed a wide tolerance to salinity and pH, or hypersaline acidic conditions. BIOENV analysis found there were no observable differences between diatom assemblages in relation to salinities above 50 ppt and that pH was highly correlated to species composition. The increasing occurrence of acid saline lakes is of concern and is most likely attributable to deep drainage practices and continued use of fertilisers in agricultural areas. / A diatom-based transfer function was developed from the south-west dataset, to document species optima and tolerance limits to salinity. CCA analysis showed that salinity accounted for a significant and independent amount of variation in the diatom data enabling an inference model to be derived. The most successful model was generated using tolerance-downweighted weighted averaging, with a high coefficient of determination and low prediction errors that remained high after jackknifing. The optima of freshwater diatoms were similar to those reported from other regions of the world, although the optima of hypersaline species tended to be higher. Comparatively, the model performed very well, with the potential to be applied in future paleolimnological studies. In conclusion, this study has shown diatoms to be effective biomonitoring tools, providing the basis for future sampling strategies that assess the biodiversity of salt-affected water bodies in Western Australia. Potential indicator species from different salinity ranges were identified and the sensitivity of diatoms allowed for the development of a statistically robust inference model for the south-west. The reported optima and tolerance limits of important taxa may be further explored to evaluate the success of remediation measures implemented for secondary salinised systems in this region.

Increased groundwater usage, rainfall decline and activities such as mining have resulted in the acidification of certain wetlands in the south-west of Western Australia. This study investigated the influence of pH, the factor most commonly associated with acidification, on the invertebrate and diatom community structure of 20 wetlands in the south-west region of Western Australia. Few studies in Western Australia have investigated both biotic groups, particularly in relation to pH. Consequently, this study examined the comparative sensitivity of the two biotic groups to pH in order to identify the most effective biotic tool for assessing the ecological impacts of pH decrease. The wetlands included in this study displayed a wide range of pH from acidic (pH < 6.5) to alkaline (pH > 7.5). Other environmental parameters were also variable. Separation of the wetlands into three pH groups; Group 1 – acidic, Group 2 – circumneutral and Group 3 – alkaline, demonstrated that the acidic Group 1 wetlands generally had higher electrical conductivity than the remaining groups. This was probably due to the association of many Group 1 sites with mining and acid sulphate soils. Seasonal trends in environmental variables across the three pH groups were mostly unclear although some trends were evident within the individual pH groups. The study showed that invertebrate community structure differed in response to pH. However, the results also demonstrated that invertebrate distribution patterns were influenced by other factors. / Potential indicator species identified from the study included Macrothrix indistincta and Tanytarsus fuscithorax/semibarbitarsus which were abundant in acidic waters and Alona quadrangularis which was common in circumneutral sites. Taxa such as Calamoecia tasmanica subattenuata were common over a wider range of pH (acidic to circumneutral) but may still have potential to act as indicators of pH decline. Diatom community structure was also shown to be influenced by pH, with the variable identified as a major determinant of diatom distribution patterns. Nitzschia paleaeformis and Navicula aff. cari were generally recorded from acidic wetlands and are potentially useful as indicators of low pH conditions. Brachysira brebissonii and Frustulia magaliesmontana were also identified as species with the potential to indicate pH decline. In contrast, taxa including Gomphonema parvulum, Staurosira construens var. venter and Nitzschia palea were generally associated with moderate to high pH levels. A comparative study of the two biotic groups using multivariate analyses revealed that diatoms were more sensitive to pH than invertebrates. Further investigation with a larger number of environmental variables would be necessary to ascertain the other factors primarily influencing invertebrate community structure. Nonetheless, the findings imply that diatoms and invertebrates differ in their responsiveness to various environmental factors and may provide complementary information on the integrity of a system. Multivariate analyses on an expanded data-set of 40 sites found that pH accounted for the greatest amount of variation in the data and was conducive to the development of a diatom-based pH inference model. / The strongest model was produced using weighted averaging (WA) with classical deshrinking. While the model displayed a high correlation coefficient, the prediction error was also relatively high, probably as a result of the comparatively small and heterogeneous data-set. Incorporation of the data into a larger training set would be likely to improve the predictive ability. Applications for the model include pH reconstructions or use in monitoring programs. The current study has shown that pH is an important variable influencing both invertebrate and diatom community structure in wetlands in the south-west of Western Australia. However, the greater sensitivity of diatoms to pH suggests that they would be the most effective tool for the biological monitoring of pH in wetlands threatened or impacted by acidification. An integrated monitoring program including both diatoms and invertebrates may provide additional information on the impacts of pH decline and the overall integrity of the systems and should be investigated further.