This study examines whether aquaculture has the potential to reduce deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon. The natural resources of the Peruvian Amazon are subject to extreme pressures due to increases in subsistence farming, cattle ranching, and logging in the region. The resulting loss of biodiversity has affected the delicate soil balance that is characteristic of the Amazon, and has contributed to water pollution as well as erosion (Guerra et al. 2001). One of the highest rates of deforestation in the Amazon basin can be found at the foothills of the eastern Andes (Lepers et al. 2005), which includes the area in this study, located in the Peruvian state of Amazonas. In this part of the Amazon, deforestation is mainly caused by small-scale subsistence agriculture (Achard et al. 1998) such as that found in the communities of Condorcanqui. Fishing is an essential part of the socio-economic system that functions in the Peruvian Amazon. Fish meat is the most important source of animal protein in the Amazon, and the main generator of cash for indigenous people (McDaniel, 1997). However, freshwater Amazonian fisheries have been subject to extreme overexploitation in the past few decades (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 1999). Boats with technological equipment and large-scale capacities have threatened stocks in local rivers and oxbow lakes, which has affected the ability of small-scale, native fisherman to support themselves (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 1999). The Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonia Peruana (IIAP) has assisted the development of fish farming in the Condorcanqui region as a way to augment diets and decrease the ecological impact of subsistence farming. Fish farming can also be seen as a way to substitute for the loss of traditional river fishing. IIAP has become the leading governmental organization in fisheries research and aquaculture in the Peruvian Amazon, and works to provide native-species fingerlings, and educational courses to native aquaculturists. This study surveys the subsistence villages along road and river communities to determine the impact of fish farming on deforestation in the Condorcanqui region. This region is populated by small communities of indigenous Awajún and Wampí tribesmen, who practice subsistence agriculture. Data was collected from a sample of 184 families in ten different communities. Five of the villages were situated along the banks of the Nieva or Santiago river systems, while the other five were accessible by road, travelling southwest from the town of Santa Maria de Nieva. Data was collected with the assistance of the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (IIAP), which provided a guide who had relations with all of the communities. All of the families in the sample practice subsistence agriculture, while 104 of the respondents supplement their agricultural crops with fish from aquaculture ponds integrated into their farmland. The participants answered a range of questions about the size of their farms, and the productivity of their land. We use a variety of regression-based approaches to determine how incorporating aquaculture into subsistence farmlands affects deforestation rates after controlling for socioeconomic and farm characteristics. Our study suggests that an extra square meter of aquaculture reduces the area deforested for crops on approximately a one for one basis. However, aquaculture should maintain its productivity for much longer than cropping, as it does not depend on soils whose fertility can be exhausted in a few years. Our simulations, based on our survey results, indicate that over time aquaculture should reduce deforestation significantly, especially in areas where soils provide only a few years of subsistence crops. These should be regarded as interesting but preliminary results. Because we used a convenience-based sampling approach, our results could be affected by selection bias. In addition, we do not have enough information to test whether selection bias in the implementation of fish farming affect our results. Therefore, these results suggest that aquaculture could be useful in limiting deforestation, but additional work should use experimental methods or more in-depth surveys to measure the effect of aquaculture on deforestation.

The Dog Child site is a multi-component archaeological site located within Wanuskewin Heritage Park, approximately three kilometres from the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The site was excavated from 2004 to 2009 during the summer field season with help from the University of Saskatchewan Department of Archaeology and Anthropology field school and the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society field school. A Master of Arts thesis dealing with the first three years of excavation entitled The Dog Child Site (FbNp-24): A 5500 Year Multicomponent Site on the Northern Plains was completed by Cyr (2006).<p> A focus on the 2007 to 2009 field seasons has been undertaken in this thesis. Artifacts including projectile points and pottery recovered from the site as well as radiocarbon dates confirm the presence of six occupation levels. Five different projectile point series or complexes are associated with the six occupation levels including: Plains Side-Notched, Prairie Side-Notched, McKean series, Oxbow complex, and Mummy Cave series (Gowen). The Mummy Cave series at the site encompasses two of the occupation levels identified. Due to the rich Gowen cultural level at the site the opportunity to study this cultural occupation in more detail became the focus of the second research program.<p> The Hypsithermal is a period of increased complexity and debate on the Plains. This thesis focuses on the 7500 to 4500 years B.P. time frame during which Mummy Cave series cultural occupations are present. The archaeological remains recovered from the Gowen occupation at the Dog Child site suggest the utilization of a broader subsistence base rather than a sole focus on utilizing and consuming bison. Comparison of other sites from this time period indicates that the Dog Child site may be unique in the number of specimens and taxa represented by the excavated faunal assemblage. From this analysis a wealth of new archaeological data including insight into Hypsithermal subsistence patterns and paleoenvironmental studies can be observed.

With the emergence of China market, MNCs are so attracted by it on one hand, and so afraid of the high failure ratio of entering the Mainland China market. During the process of chasing the Mainland China market, MNCs usually rely on the subsidiaries of Taiwan for support, and utilize it to enter Mainland China. However, with the marker of Mainland China turning bigger and bigger, lots of MNC Taiwan subsidiaries seem to face the threat of substitution of China Subsidaries, and come up with the question weather Taiwan subsidiaries should be continued or not. This study has focused on the subsistence of Taiwan subsidiaries and the relationships between the Cross-Strait subsidiaries. This research is under the observation of Taiwan subsidiaries¡¦ value, Cross-Strait subsidiaries¡¦ resource asymmetry, and the nature of value activities, to explore how these variables influence the subsistence of MNCs¡¦ Taiwan subsidiaries. By Use of the strategic role of MNC subsidiaries, subsidiaries¡¦ dependence on MNCs, resource based view, and subsidiary¡¦s network characteristics, this research probe into the independent variable that influence the subsistence of Taiwan subsidiaries and the relation between Taiwan and China subsidiaries. This research uses questionary survey to collect data. The population is the list of foreignenterprises in Taiwan published by Dun and Bradstreet, 1999 / 2000. The subsidiaries belong to manufacturing industry and non-financial service industry and are owned by foreign MNCs. The scale of these subsidiaries is above 30 people and still under operation by now. We use multi-regression analysis, ANCOVA analysis, and binominal logistic regression analysis to examine the effects of independent variables on Taiwan subsidiaries¡¦ threat of subsistence. After analyzing 59 MNCs¡¦ Taiwan subsidiaries, the results reveal that the importance of Taiwan subsidiary, the resource and capability of Taiwan subsidiaries, the integration of Taiwan subsidiaries with MNCs, the local responsiveness of Taiwan subsidiaries , the industrial embracement of Taiwan subsidiaries, the similarity of value activities between Taiwan and China subsidiaries, do have influence on Taiwan subsidiaries¡¦ subsistence. In addation, different kinds of relation between Taiwan and China subsidiaries have its specific combination of dependent variables, and imply different degree of threat of subsistence.

Ubiquitous in agro-environments, Fusarium species infect and damage economically important crops and contaminate food commodities with harmful secondary metabolites called mycotoxins. In addition, human infection by pathogenic Fusarium strains has now emerged as a major problem particularly among individuals with suppressed immunity. Trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, rnoniliforme and fumonisins are potent toxins produced by Fusorium species including F. poae, F. nygami, F. oxysporum, F. proilferatum and F. verticillioides. The last three, together with F. solani and F. chlamydosporum are presently recognised as major role players in the occurrence of fusarioses in individuals with compromised immunity. In subsistence situations in rural areas of South Africa, a variety of traditional leafy vegetables, collectively known as morogo, supplement maize-based staple diets with minerals and vitamins. The utilisations of these traditional vegetables are generally based on indigenous knowledge pertaining to production and processing. Morogo plants are not natural hosts to mycotoxigenic and mycotic Fusarium species that are mainly associated with pathogeneses of grain crops such as maize. However, morogo growing in close proximity of maize in typical subsistence agricultural situations might be at risk of Fusarium contamination from maize. The study was conducted in the Dikgale Demographic Surveillance Site (DDSS), a rural area in the Limpopo Province characterised by the production of maize and different types of traditional morogo for household subsistence. HIVIAIDS is prevalent in the Limpopo Province. Chronic dietary exposure to Fusarium toxins and disseminated fusarioses might enhance disease outcomes associated with AIDS in affected individuals, thus adding to the burden of disease in DDSS communities. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of mycotic and mycotoxigenic Fusarium species in traditional morogo and ago-environments in DDSS. Questionnaires were employed to obtain relevant information and indigenous knowledge from communities of Sefateng. Madiga, Mantheding and Moduane related to the utilisation of raditional morogo. At each village thepe (amaranth) and lerotho (African cabbage) were sampled on two occasions, namely before maize planting (M-) and when maize was fully grown (M+). Maize, soil and air were sampled at the same time. Botanical species identification was carried out on specimens of lerotho and thepe from each village. Lerotho. thepe, maize, soil and air samples were subjected to mycological analysis to determine the average fungal levels and Fusarium species that occurred. Samples of fresh and traditionally sun-dried samples of thepe and lerotho were analysed by HPLC for fumonisins. Average fungal plate counts of morogo from all four villages were notably higher in lerotho compared to thepe. Lerotho sampled from M- fields of Madiga, Mantheding and Moduane exhibited higher average fungal levels than those from the M+ fields. However, in lerotho sampled from the M+ field of Sefateng average fungal levels were significantly higher than that of the M- field. Fungal levels in maize growing close to morogo were lowest in Sefateng and highest in Moduane. The highest fungal counts in soil were reported for Sefateng's M- field and the lowest for Sefateng M+ field. Fungal levels were high in air samples of M+ fields of all four villages and the lowest in M- field of Sefateng. The majority Fusarium isolates retrieved from morogo and environmental samples belonged to known mycotoxigenic and/or mycotic species, though predominant species and levels thereof varied in samples from M- and M+ fields of the four villages. Fusarium levels in thepe from both M- and M+ fields were shown to be lower as in lerotho. In samples of the Sefateng M- field, F. poae occurred predominantly in lerotho, thepe, soil as well as air, while F. subglutinans was the predominant species in lerotho and air samples of Mantheding. In Sefateng samples from M+ field, F. chlamydosporum predominated among isolates retrieved from lerotho, F. prolifiratum and F. gramenearum among those from maize and F. solani among those from soil and air. F. proliferatum dominated among isolates from lerotho, maize, soil and air of M+ sites of Madiga and F. chlamydosporum in soil and air samples of Mantheding. HPLC analysis detected fumonisin B1 in traditionally sun-dried as well as fresh samples of lerorho as well as thepe. The occurrence of mycotoxigenic and rnycotic Fusarium species in traditional morogo and agro-environments might be an aggravating health risk factor for DDSS communities. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science (Water Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Ubiquitous in agro-environments, Fusarium species infect and damage economically important crops and contaminate food commodities with harmful secondary metabolites called mycotoxins. In addition, human infection by pathogenic Fusarium strains has now emerged as a major problem particularly among individuals with suppressed immunity. Trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, rnoniliforme and fumonisins are potent toxins produced by Fusorium species including F. poae, F. nygami, F. oxysporum, F. proilferatum and F. verticillioides. The last three, together with F. solani and F. chlamydosporum are presently recognised as major role players in the occurrence of fusarioses in individuals with compromised immunity. In subsistence situations in rural areas of South Africa, a variety of traditional leafy vegetables, collectively known as morogo, supplement maize-based staple diets with minerals and vitamins. The utilisations of these traditional vegetables are generally based on indigenous knowledge pertaining to production and processing. Morogo plants are not natural hosts to mycotoxigenic and mycotic Fusarium species that are mainly associated with pathogeneses of grain crops such as maize. However, morogo growing in close proximity of maize in typical subsistence agricultural situations might be at risk of Fusarium contamination from maize. The study was conducted in the Dikgale Demographic Surveillance Site (DDSS), a rural area in the Limpopo Province characterised by the production of maize and different types of traditional morogo for household subsistence. HIVIAIDS is prevalent in the Limpopo Province. Chronic dietary exposure to Fusarium toxins and disseminated fusarioses might enhance disease outcomes associated with AIDS in affected individuals, thus adding to the burden of disease in DDSS communities. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of mycotic and mycotoxigenic Fusarium species in traditional morogo and ago-environments in DDSS. Questionnaires were employed to obtain relevant information and indigenous knowledge from communities of Sefateng. Madiga, Mantheding and Moduane related to the utilisation of raditional morogo. At each village thepe (amaranth) and lerotho (African cabbage) were sampled on two occasions, namely before maize planting (M-) and when maize was fully grown (M+). Maize, soil and air were sampled at the same time. Botanical species identification was carried out on specimens of lerotho and thepe from each village. Lerotho. thepe, maize, soil and air samples were subjected to mycological analysis to determine the average fungal levels and Fusarium species that occurred. Samples of fresh and traditionally sun-dried samples of thepe and lerotho were analysed by HPLC for fumonisins. Average fungal plate counts of morogo from all four villages were notably higher in lerotho compared to thepe. Lerotho sampled from M- fields of Madiga, Mantheding and Moduane exhibited higher average fungal levels than those from the M+ fields. However, in lerotho sampled from the M+ field of Sefateng average fungal levels were significantly higher than that of the M- field. Fungal levels in maize growing close to morogo were lowest in Sefateng and highest in Moduane. The highest fungal counts in soil were reported for Sefateng's M- field and the lowest for Sefateng M+ field. Fungal levels were high in air samples of M+ fields of all four villages and the lowest in M- field of Sefateng. The majority Fusarium isolates retrieved from morogo and environmental samples belonged to known mycotoxigenic and/or mycotic species, though predominant species and levels thereof varied in samples from M- and M+ fields of the four villages. Fusarium levels in thepe from both M- and M+ fields were shown to be lower as in lerotho. In samples of the Sefateng M- field, F. poae occurred predominantly in lerotho, thepe, soil as well as air, while F. subglutinans was the predominant species in lerotho and air samples of Mantheding. In Sefateng samples from M+ field, F. chlamydosporum predominated among isolates retrieved from lerotho, F. prolifiratum and F. gramenearum among those from maize and F. solani among those from soil and air. F. proliferatum dominated among isolates from lerotho, maize, soil and air of M+ sites of Madiga and F. chlamydosporum in soil and air samples of Mantheding. HPLC analysis detected fumonisin B1 in traditionally sun-dried as well as fresh samples of lerorho as well as thepe. The occurrence of mycotoxigenic and rnycotic Fusarium species in traditional morogo and agro-environments might be an aggravating health risk factor for DDSS communities. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science (Water Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Paleoecological analyses of an alkaline fen in the southern Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada were undertaken in association with ancient earth ovens. Local and regional vegetation and natural disturbance regimes were reconstructed using pollen, plant macrofossils and macroscopic charcoal. At White Rock Springs, Artemisia-Poaceae steppe occurred in the early Holocene and the inferred climate from this period was warmer and drier than present. Increasing moisture at 6000 14C yr BP fostered development of open Pinus ponderosa forests surrounding the fen, with Pinus contorta var. latifolia expanding at higher elevations. A slope-wash event likely resulting from root processing activities occurred in the late Holocene that resulted in 13% Asteraceae Tubuliflorae pollen at 2200 ± 80 14C yr BP. Macroscopic charcoal concentrations increased following this disturbance. Shortly after this time a modern open mixed conifer forest with Pseudotsuga menziesii was likely established. A second major ecological disturbance perhaps occurred within the last 200 years as indicated by fluctuating pollen values of P. ponderosa, Poaceae, Asteraceae Liguliflorae and wetland species. The fen’s vegetation history is consistent with regional records, but rapid changes during the late Holocene apparently occurred in response to disturbances. These disturbances are most likely linked to human root food harvesting and earth oven use, and later to ranching. Differentiation of P. ponderosa and P. contorta pollen types reveals intervals of local forest change that were not detected in previous studies. This study is part of a larger research project at Upper Hat Creek Valley including lithics, phytoliths, and patterns of earth oven structure. / Graduate

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2007 / Pacific Islands Studies

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

mémoire (M.E.S.R.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1990. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thesis (M.Env.Dev.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.