As landscapes become increasingly urbanized, there is an associated increase in impervious cover. Impervious surfaces, such as roads, rooftops, and parking lots contribute to the physical, hydrological, chemical, and biological alteration of stream systems. Biotic assemblages consistently degrade with increased watershed impervious cover; however, at low levels of impervious cover, these assemblages exhibit wide variability in biotic integrity. This study investigated which reach- and watershed-scale factors explained biotic condition (i.e., richness, flow traits, thermal traits, and tolerance for macroinvertebrates and fishes) at similar levels of low imperviousness. The primary objective was to identify factors that confer resistance for biota, such that they retain high biotic integrity at low levels of impervious cover, and, conversely, to determine which factors make biota more vulnerable to urban disturbance, such that they have low biotic integrity despite low levels of impervious cover. Forty sites were selected across Massachusetts within two narrow bands of impervious cover: 1–4% (n = 20) and 7–10% (n = 20). Models with reach-scale variables (reflecting habitat heterogeneity, flow, temperature, or water quality) or watershed-scale variables (representing natural characteristics, land use, flow alterations, and other measures of urbanization or impervious) explained additional variance compared to models with impervious cover alone. Reach-scale factors tended to explain more variance than watershed-scale factors for all biotic responses except fluvial fishes, with overall more variance explained for fish than macroinvertebrate assemblages. At the reach scale, colder water temperatures, higher dissolved oxygen, and more large wood were related to higher proportions of fluvial, coldwater, and intolerant fishes. For macroinvertebrates, warmer water temperature, smaller sediment size, and higher nitrate were related to higher macroinvertebrate richness and tolerance. At the watershed scale, air temperature emerged as an important predictor for both taxonomic groups and across response metrics; air temperature was highly correlated with high-elevation watersheds. Other important watershed-scale predictors were open water and dams, flow alteration, and other urban measures such as housing density, impervious in a 120-m buffer, and road crossings. Restoration should focus on strategies to reduce impacts that would degrade in-stream conditions that allow for higher biotic integrity, such as habitat heterogeneity, more large wood, and colder water temperatures. Similarly, watersheds should be prioritized for protection with those characteristics potentially more resistant to urban disturbance, such as high-elevation regions that retained high biotic integrity despite higher dam density, more road crossings, and more flow alteration.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2015 / The southern African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis) is the only native hedgehog species in South Africa. The published distribution of Atelerix frontalis is based on old occurrence records and few studies have investigated the species' current range or fundamental niche. In addition, Atelerix frontalis commonly exist in many urban areas but it is unclear what resources the species requires to survive and reproduce in these environments. Knowledge of the species' climatic envelope and resource requirements will enable us to assess the risk of population decline, protect the geographic areas expected to sustain future populations and estimate the innate ability of the species to respond to environmental change. My research focused on establishing the fundamental niche of Atelerix frontalis, as well as assessing their ability to cope with climatic and anthropogenic change. I assessed these ideas by obtaining Atelerix frontalis occurrence records (via museums, FreeMe Rehabilitation Centre and public reported sightings) and conducting species distribution modelling, resource selection analysis and assessment of demographic patterns in urban environments. The species distribution models indicated that Atelerix frontalis occurred predominately in climatic regions with dry, cold winters and wet summers, climatic conditions that correspond with the savanna and grassland biomes of South Africa. The range of suitable habitats for Atelerix frontalis can be expected to decline in the future, although high lying areas, such as the Drakensberg mountain range, may offer suitable refugia to sustain populations. Atelerix frontalis were common in urban environments, and within the Greater Johannesburg area, they favoured Egoli granite grassland vegetation and albic plinthosol soils. My research suggests that Atelerix frontalis often occurred in close proximity to roads and human settlements, resources that are likely to be selected for feeding and dispersal opportunities. Urban Atelerix frontalis sightings were closer to all the environmental features selected than the general population, indicating behavioural plasticity through niche differentiation. Atelerix frontalis demographic data indicated post-torpor breeding in spring and summer, as well as juvenile dispersal in late summer and autumn. Urban dwelling Atelerix frontalis populations appeared to be sustainable, with the majority of Atelerix frontalis recovered by FreeMe Rehabilitation Centre in good body condition. Atelerix frontalis survival and persistence in South Africa seems precarious given the species fundamental niche requirements and the extensive anthropogenic transformation of savanna and grassland biomes. However the species’ ability to survive and reproduce in urban environments may greatly benefit future populations, through exploitation of refugia in transformed urban habitats.

Throughout midwestern North American ecosystems, semi-aquatic mammals including beaver (Castor canadensis), mink (Neovision vision), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), and river otter (Lontra canadensis) co-exist in wetlands. These species are ecologically important through their manipulation of habitats and interactions with other species present. The Lake County Forest Preserve District (Lake County, Illinois) is actively restoring forest preserves using several restoration practices and are interested in how these efforts may affect semi-aquatic mammal occupancy. We studied impacts of restoration practices and other environmental covariates on detection and occupancy of the 4 aforementioned focal species. Sign surveys were conducted during December-April in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Single species, multi-season models were run in RStudio using the package unmarked. Muskrat detection (p̂ = 0.60 ± 0.03) was positively affected by survey replicate, and negatively impacted by last precipitation amount and bank angle. Beaver detection (p̂ = 0.76 ± 0.03) was positively affected by survey replicate and previous 2-week precipitation amount, and negatively influenced by bank angle. Mink detection (p̂ = 0.26 ± 0.04) was positively impacted by survey replicate, and negatively affected by last precipitation amount and previous 2-week precipitation amount. River otter detection (p̂ = 0.10 ± 0.07) was not influenced by any covariates sampled. Muskrat had the highest occupancy (ψ ̂= 0.90 ± 0.05), followed by beaver (ψ ̂ = 0.57 ± 0.07), mink (ψ ̂ = 0.57 ± 0.10), and river otter (ψ ̂ = 0.28 ± 0.18). Both muskrat and river otter occupancy were not affected by any covariates sampled. Beaver occupancy was positively impacted by stream density and number of saplings. Mink occupancy was positively affected by stream density. No focal species’ occupancies were influenced by restoration practices. From these findings, I provide recommendations for future surveys and management for semi-aquatic furbearers in urban landscapes. Thank you to the Lake County Forest Preserve District for funding my research.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / There are many reasons why Cape Town is the most congested city in South Africa besides there just being “too many cars on the roads”. This paper explores Cape Town’s transport system and spatial policies and how it impacts traffic congestion as traffic congestion serves as a primary indicator of poor spatial planning and development. A desktop study was conducted with secondary data being utilized. The City of Cape Town is aware of the issue of traffic congestion and the impact that it has on commuters, especially those with little financial means. There are numerous policies and frameworks in place to combat the issue of traffic congestion, but corruption and the politicization of spatial planning hinders the resolution of the problem.

Macroinvertebrate assemblage structure was compared from 12 streams differing in urbanization type and degree. Urbanization, both historical and current, was measured using several variables generated from GIS overlays of land cover, aerial photographs, and field exploration in the study watersheds. Quantitative benthic macroinvertebrate samples were taken, and a variety of physicochemical characteristics were measured. Increasing urbanization resulted in a decline in diversity and abundance of intolerant organisms. Streams in industrial areas had greater invertebrate density due to large increases in a few tolerant groups. Urbanization in the watersheds was coupled with changes in the physical and chemical structure of the streams suggesting some possible mechanisms for urbanization impact on stream biota. Multivariate analysis grouped streams based on a number of pollution-sensitive taxa suggesting the utility of this type of approach in analyzing community data. Primary funding for this project was from the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab NSF-LTER grant. Additional funding was provided through a Graduate Research and Development Project grant from the Graduate Student Assembly of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Matching funds were provided by the Biology Department. / Master of Science

In a historical frame of reference, this is a study of rural-urban migration to demonstrate the process of urbanization in Utah between 1900 and 1960. This study estimates the amount of internal migration for the state of Utah. Selected demographic variables such as size, age, and sex of the migrating population are studied. Changes in the population composition of the sending and receiving areas as a complement of rural-urban migration constitute the crux of this study. The indirect methods of estimating the net intercensal migration, census survival and life table survival ratio met hods, are used in tabulations. Limitations were imposed, as for availability of the data , in usage of any direct methods of migration measurement. The survival ratio met hods used, however, are the most reliable in this context. The results, indicating the intercensal amount of internal migration for Utah, shed some light on the urbanization process of the state. The findings, for the first time, demonstrate the volume and direction of the internal migration for Utah during the first six decades of the twentieth century. The results may substantially contribute to the state's future socio-economic plannings. Beyond a purely demographic analysis of the significance of migration lies the broad realm of manpower economics, institutional plannings, city plannings, rural problems, transportation, pollution, and a score of others. The population factor, naturally, cannot be separated from these social phenomena. The trends and directions of migration can, therefore, be used when and where future plans are formulated and past trends are studied.

This is a study of the gangs that inhabited Philadelphia and its neighboring districts in the mid-nineteenth century. In discussing the drastic societal shifts taking place in major American cities during this period--industrialization, immigration, urbanization, and the solidifying of class lines, this work paints a chaotic scene. Within this tumultuous setting, gangs emerged in working-class neighborhoods to meet two basic needs of their members and the communities they occupied. First, gang membership allowed working-class boys and men to establish shared identities. Utilizing a gender analysis, this study will demonstrate how working-class males developed a distinct version of masculinity. Set in defiance of middle-class values of self-control, wealth accumulation, and respect for the social hierarchy, this brand of masculinity embraced rowdiness, intemperance, and libertinism. Participation in activities such as assault, drinking, and battling rivals allowed gang members to assert their working-class manhood. Additionally, gang membership helped working-class boys and men carve out identities within their own neighborhoods. In the rapidly changing urban landscape, native-born whites, immigrants, and African Americans often lived alongside one another. By forming gangs along ethnic, religious, and political lines, these young men developed a sense of community and camaraderie in a sea of strangers. The second function mid-nineteenth century Philadelphia's gangs served was to empower their members and communities. Through violent attacks, gangs could establish a degree of control over which ethnic, racial, or religious groups lived and worked within their neighborhoods. Second, gangs empowered their members and communities politically. Recognizing their skill in using force, politicians in the mid-nineteenth century allied themselves with gangs in order to win elections. In return for their services, gang members received patronage positions and a degree of protection from the law. To Philadelphia's ruling elites, the poorer masses' increased participation in politics was unacceptable. In an effort to curb the influence of the city's and surrounding districts' gangs, reformers fought to establish a more effective system of law enforcement and to bureaucratize local government. As this thesis argues, the consolidation of Philadelphia and its neighboring districts in 1854 represents the traditional authorities' attempt to wrangle political power from the ward bosses of less affluent communities. / History

A research report proposal submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Architecture (Professional). January, 2019 / In recent years, research studies have shown an increase in stress levels especially among people living in cities. Clear links have been established correlating wellbeing with the environment. Studies show that urban environments increase tendencies of unhappiness and stress among people. This study identifies inefficiency in systems that facilitate mobility as one of the causes of stress among city users. It recognises mobility as a core component of any system that facilitates the efficient flow of things between points. Inadequacy in systems of mobility can therefore cripple a system by preventing the free movement of things from one point to another. Like so many developing cities, the urban environment of Kampala, the capital of Uganda that is undergoing rapid urbanisation and often unchecked development faces challenges regarding mobility. In Kampala, majority of the population either walk or rely on public transportation and yet the inadequate infrastructure and systems of mobility denies them the right to freely and easily access and navigate their city. This both directly and indirectly results in physical and psychological stress in city users leading to frustrations and financial losses and consequently prevents wellbeing. The study focuses on the Old Taxi Park which is the most frequently used public transportation facility for daily short trips around the city of Kampala. Recognising that the failing state of infrastructure and inadequate systems of organising the movement of vehicles and people in and around the park render it one of the black spots that contribute to and often escalate the problems regarding mobility presents the Old Taxi Park as a suitable site for a project to address the city’s navigational challenges. This is aimed at mitigating stress among the people who engage with the city. The project thus proposes a revamp of the Old Taxi Park to facilitate efficient movement of people within Kampala. In order to further enhance wellness, the project draws on the healing and restorative power of nature. Although nature has been linked to improved well being, having been found to have numerous restorative benefits especially for people who constantly interact within densely inhabited fast paced settings, the city centre of Kampala which has the highest population density and fastest pace of life in the entire city critically lacks instances where people can interact with and so benefit from the nurture of the elements of nature. Therefore this research project takes an approach of reintroducing various elements of nature to the urban fabric through the design of the transportation hub and how it integrates with Kampala’s urban fabric. The main objectives for the project are hence to promote efficiency in the systems of mobility and to reintroduce nature within the urban sphere in order to promote wellness for the people who interact with the concrete jungle that was once the City of Seven Hills / MT 2019

Anthropogenic habitat disturbance is the leading cause of global biodiversity decline. Urbanization in particular is one of the most drastic forms of habitat disturbance, and it is associated with a decrease in both plant and animal diversity. Changes in biodiversity can affect the interactions between the remaining species within an ecosystem, which can, in turn, affect the provision of essential ecosystem services such as seed dispersal and pollination. Despite the wealth of studies examining the effects of urbanization on biodiversity, however, relatively few studies have investigated how urbanization impacts the interactions between species and the ecosystem services provided by them. Seed dispersal is one such ecosystem service which provides an ideal study system for investigating these effects. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of urbanization on avian seed dispersal networks in southern Appalachia. Specifically, we investigated the impact on species richness, interaction richness, and several network metrics related to ecosystem function (H2, interaction evenness, and weighted nestedness). The study was conducted across two fall – winter observation periods to coincide with the period of peak fruit production, from September – January in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Data was collected from 9 study sites during multiple visits via direct observation of bird-fruit interactions, with a total of 635 interactions recorded from 32 bird species on 18 fruiting plant species. Although data analysis is currently ongoing, initial results seem to indicate that there is no significant difference in species richness or interaction richness between natural and urban sites. This has interesting implications, as it suggests that plant-frugivore networks are relatively robust to disturbance caused by urbanization, which is promising for the continued provision of ecosystem services in urban areas.

This study demonstrates that by willingly entering a process of peaceful negotiation and consent the indigenous leadership of Teposcolula played a determining role in planning and building their new urbanization on the valley floor, relocating and resettling their community from its pre-Columbian mountain-top redoubt. The effect of changes in the total formal environment on the indigenous mental world is examined using a holistic approach suggested by the interpretation of Focillon and Kubler outlined in the Introduction. Chapter Two provides a highly compressed synthesis of what is known about pre-Columbian Mixtec culture. Chapters Three and Four examine early evangelization in Teposcolula in light of a letter from Domingo de Betanzos, considered here for the first time in English. A mystic tradition in the Dominican Order focused on Passion iconography and emphasizing mental prayer was transmitted into the New World, shaping the nature of the evangelization there. Dominican efforts to implant the practice of distinctly Christian forms of meditation and mental prayer by an architecturally transmitted iconographic program are shown. Architecture was used as a medium for ideological integration, by the friars in the use of the Rosary beads over the arches, and by the indigenous leaders in iconographic elements on the church, fusing and transforming pre-Columbian and Christian meaning. Chapter Five examines of the use of the disk frieze spanning over seven hundred years in pre-Columbian and early colonial architecture. This is the first study ever to explore and interpret the meaning of the disk frieze. The evidence presented supports the case for negotiation and consent in the early colonial period because the continued use of clearly pre-Columbian iconography was permitted. The symbolic use of disk frieze ornament flourished even in <i>conventos</i> built for friars. Chapter Six shows peaceful negotiation and consent in planning and constructing a new urbanization in Teposcolula designed to focus attention and prestige on the new ceremonial center, the <i>capilla de Indios</i>, and on the royal palace directly facing it in a clearly intended ceremonial and symbiotic relationship. / Ph. D.