Thesis--University of Pittsburgh. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 222-224).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 344-349).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 244-275).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Delaware, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 229-246).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1963. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 386-403).

Theses (M.S.)--Marshall University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains vi, 47 p. including illustrations and map. Bibliography: p. 38-41.

Orientador: Helmut Troppmair / Banca: Lucy Marion Calderini Philadelpho Machado / Banca: Marta Felicia Marujo Ferreira / Resumo: Entendendo-se que a sociedade humana depende, para o seu bem estar, da consideração não só dos fatores ambientais (físicos, químicos e biológicos), mas também dos parâmetros éticos e sociais, este trabalho procura analisar o significado da qualidade ambiental e da qualidade de vida sob o ponto de vista geográfico; para isso, realiza uma discussão acerca de todo o movimento que se iniciou desde a década de setenta a fim de discutir os problemas ambientais até a definição de "qualidade ambiental e de vida urbana", destaca os principais indicadores urbanos que contribuem para nos fornecer resultados referentes à boa ou má qualidade ambiental e evidencia a cidade de Várzea Paulista-SP, como estudo de caso, no que se refere a sua caracterização ambiental-social, como também o levantamento de alguns indicadores para avaliar sua qualidade de vida, destacando: a qualidade das águas da região que abrange o Município de Várzea Paulista-SP; distribuição de água encanada por bairros; situação do esgoto na cidade; relação do número de estabelecimentos comerciais e industriais e o desemprego; dados sobre saúde, educação e criminalidade. Coloca-se como um dos focos principais deste estudo à questão do adensamento do espaço urbanizado influenciando na queda da qualidade ambiental e de vida na cidade de Várzea Paulista-SP. / Abstract: Understanding that human society depends, for its well-being, of a consideration not only of environmental factors (physical, chemical and biological), but also of ethical and social parameters, this work looks for an analysis of the meaning of environmental quality and quality of life under the geographical point of view and of other sciences; for this, makes a discussion of the whole movement that started since the seventies in order to discuss the environmental problems unto the definition of "environmental and urban life qualities", foregrounds the main urban indicators that contribute to provide us with results referring to the good or bad environmental quality and makes evident the city of Várzea Paulista-SP, as a case study, in what refers to its social-environmental characterization, as well as the raising of some indicators to evaluate its quality of life, foregrounding: the quality of waters of the region that comprises the county of Várzea Paulista-SP; distribution of running water by districts; situation of sewage in the city; relation of the number of commercial and industrial establishments to unemployment; data on health, education, and criminality. It is made one of the main focal points of this study the question of the increasing density of the urbanized space influencing on the fall of environmental quality and quality of life in the city of Várzea Paulista-SP. / Mestre

abstract: Urban ecosystems cover less than 3% of the Earth's land surface, yet more than half of the human population lives in urban areas. The process of urbanization stresses biodiversity and other ecosystem functions within and far beyond the city. To understand the mechanisms underlying observed changes in biodiversity patterns, several observational and experimental studies were performed in the metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona, and the surrounding Sonoran Desert. The first study was comprised of seven years of arthropod monitoring using pitfall traps in common urban land-use types. This study revealed differences in community structure, diversity and abundance over time and between urban and wildland habitats. Urban habitats with high productivity had higher abundances of arthropods, but lower diversity compared to wildland habitats. Arthropod abundance in less-productive urban habitats was positively correlated with precipitation, but abundance in high-productivity urban habitats was completely decoupled from annual fluctuations in precipitation. This study showed the buffering capacity and the habitat heterogeneity of urban areas. To test the mechanisms controlling community diversity and structure in urban areas, a major field experiment was initiated. Productivity of the native shrub Encelia farinosa and bird predation of associated arthropods were manipulated to test whether bottom-up or top-down forces were more important in urban habitats compared to wildland habitats. Abundance, richness and similarity were monitored, revealing clear differences between urban and wildland habitats. An unusually cold and dry first season had a negative effect on plant growth and arthropod abundance. Plants in urban habitats were relatively unaffected by the low temperature. An increase in arthropod abundance with water availability indicated bottom-up forces in wildland habitats, whereas results from bird exclusions suggested that bird predation may not be as prominent in cities as previously thought. In contrast to the pitfall study, arthropod abundance was lower in urban habitats. A second field experiment testing the sheltering effect of urban structures demonstrated that reduced wind speed is an important factor facilitating plant growth in urban areas. A mathematical model incorporating wind, water and temperature demonstrated that urban habitats may be more robust than wildland habitats, supporting the empirical results. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Biology 2010

90 pages

China has undergone rapid urbanisation over the last few decades, involving both migration into urban areas and the geographical expansion of urban areas. While we know that both migration and urbanisation have a bidirectional relationship with health, this relationship has only been studied to a limited extent in China. In particular, the exiting literature has neglected the effects of migration and urbanisation on health and well-being in later life, instead focusing on the relationship between these outcomes over the short term in relation to temporary rural-to-urban movements. Using an inter-disciplinary approach, drawing literature from economics, epidemiology and sociology, this thesis conceptualises and examines the association between different forms of migration and their relationship with later life health and well-being. It then compares these relationships with the impact of the geographical expansion of urban areas on those who do not migrate, but consequently become urbanised. It then attempts to draw conclusions on likely causal processes. To do this, I use the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative and multi-disciplinary dataset that examines the circumstances of the Chinese population aged over 45 years old. Moreover, using the structure of the dataset, this thesis is able to independently study migration and urbanisation processes. The results show that there are strong associations between migration status and later life health and well-being in China, with migrations to or within urban areas having the largest positive effects, these hold even after accounting for selective features of migration. Moreover, the results show there are no significant differences in health and well-being in later life between return migrants and non-migrants; although return migration seems to positively relate to risky health behaviours in later life. In addition, the results show that urbanisation in China has largely exogenous and positive impacts on health and well-being. This thesis contributes to the literature by examining different forms of migrations in China and showing how these migrations may relate to health and well-being in later life. The results highlight the need to study return migration and urbanisation along with studying migration in China in order to understand the impacts of migration on health and well-being, as these processes may have impacts on the relationship between migration and health and well-being too.