In order to prevent algae, barnacles and sea poppies from growing on boat bottoms, the hull is painted with antifouling paint each year. Most antifouling paint contains environmentally hazardous, chemically active substances, such as copper. The environmentally hazardous substances then leak into the environment and accumulate in the harbor's bottom sediment. During resuspension through boat traffic and wave action, these substances spread further into the ocean where they may affect other organisms such as fish and algae negatively. In order to detect copper leakage from the boat industry and to increase knowledge about the fate of copper in the sediments on the Swedish west coast our study examined ten ports and marinas along the Swedish west coast and analyzed its copper content in the bottom sediment. In addition, ten bathing areas were investigated as control group. Sediment samples were taken and analyzed in the laboratory for copper content per dry weight of bottom sediment.  Laboratory analyses were conducted using the atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Results were analyzed for statistical significance using the IBS SPSS Statistics 24 software. In addition, the measured copper concentration from the various sites were compared with Norwegian copper thresholds in marine waters, as Sweden has no guideline value for the marine environment. The result shows a significant difference (p<0.05) between ports / marinas and bathing areas. Furthermore, a connection between copper concentration in the sediments in marinas and number of berths per marina was found.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Natural radioactivity studies have been carried out to study the textural characteristics, heavy mineral composition, provenance, sediment transport, and depositional environment of beach placer deposits. The naturally occurring radionuclides such as 232Th, 238U and 40K are used as the tracers of the mineralogical properties of beach sands, which reflect the geological characteristics such as transport and sorting processes and the depositional environment. The present work focuses on the radiometric characteristics of beach sand deposits along the west coast of South Africa. Beach sands samples were collected at the Melkbosstrand (MBS) and Ouskip (OSK) beach. The activity concentrations of these radionuclides were determined by high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector in a low-background configuration.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / The seaweed Gracilaria gracilis has been shown in previous studies to have potential for mariculture along the West Coast of South Africa. However, the selection of suitable sites is crucial for the success of a farming enterprise. The variables important in the success or sustainability of suspended raft culture, and the environmental factors influencing these variables, were identified through a literature review. A suitable site was defined as a site with surface water temperature of between 10 and 17 "C, water depth of between 2 and 10 m below surface, and wave heights of less than 4 m. Data and information about these factors were obtained from sources such as the Sea Fisheries Research Institute, the SADCO database, the CSIR and from volunteers in St Helena Bay. The objectives of this study were to convert available data into formats that could be used in a Geographical Information System (GIS), and to predict suitable and available sites for suspended cultivation of Gracilaria gracilis in Saldanha Bay, Langebaan Lagoon and St. Helena Bay. Data were converted to digital format and data layers created. Each data layer represented suitable and unsuitable areas. Areas with existing mariculture, harbours, ship traffic zones and other uses were excluded to determine the real available areas. The Saldanha Bay-Langebaan lagoon system and St Helena Bay, have sites that show potential for suspended cultivation of G. eracilis. The total sizes of the areas selected as suitable are 975.4 ha in Saldanha Bay and 474.8 ha in St. Helena Bay. Some sites predicted as suitable are located in areas known to be subject to conditions not suitable for seaweed mariculture, and led to the conclusion that the accuracy of input data or method of analysis must be improved.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The West Coast Fossil Park near Langebaanweg in the Western Cape, South Africa, is known for its abundance of marine, freshwater and terrestrial fossils of Mio-Pliocene age. The fossil bearing deposits reflect the complex and varied depositional environments, which were influenced by the change in course of the Berg River and regressions and transgressions of sealevel. The fossil deposits at this site are world-renowned for their species richness and uniqueness and there was a need to gain an in-depth understanding of the events that gave rise to this situation. To understand these complexities, it was necessary to construct a composite model of the pre-history of the West Coast Fossil Park, incorporating topological, geological and palaeontological data. GIS provided the ideal platform to integrate data from such varied sources, using spatial correlation to interpret commonalities. Subsequently, a spatially explicit database of the present-day study area, from Dwarskersbos in the north to just north of Yzerfontein in the south, was constructed. The oldest geological formation, the basement layer, as well as three successive formations was reconstructed on a regional scale using borehole data. Interpolation of point data to regional surfaces was a dual process incorporating expert opinion and purpose-built tools within ESRI’s ArcInfo and ArcMap 8.3. A similar reconstruction at a finer scale was done for the West Coast Fossil Park area using kriging as an interpolation method. These reconstructed geological layers can be used to predict the depth and location of fossil-bearing deposits. There is scope for further study and analysis to compare the accuracy of alternative interpolation methods, and combining it with field-based validation of modelled outputs.

Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Declines in natural capital, such as the degradation of ecosystems and loss of species, are the result of threats created by anthropogenic activities. The concept of sustainable development encompasses the economic and social growth of societies, with limited impacts on the natural environment. Sustainable development initiatives are being implemented in an attempt to mitigate the global decline in natural capital. Biosphere reserves, which are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Programme, aim to be landscape-scale examples of sustainable development. UNESCO requires biosphere reserves to submit a periodic review every ten years to ensure they are meeting their goals. This requires that that they monitor and evaluate their progress towards their sustainable development goals. Sustainability indicators are tools used to assess progress towards ecological, social and economic goals, and can thus be useful tools for biosphere reserves to ensure they are achieving their goals. The Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves are both situated within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR). The CFR, located in the South-West of South Africa, has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot owing to its high plant diversity. About a fifth of the CFR is formally protected, while about three quarters has been transformed, mainly by cultivated lands, urban areas and alien vegetation. The socio-economic dimensions of the region are also diverse. A high percentage of its inhabitants have low incomes and live in informal settlements, while a smaller percentage have high incomes and live in middle to upper-class urban areas. Biosphere reserves aim to encourage their diverse stakeholders to collaboratively develop and work towards sustainable development goals. This research project applied an action research approach. The research objectives were achieved through collaboration with biosphere reserve stakeholders. The first objective was to develop sustainability indicator sets for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. Following the introduction to the research provided in Chapter 1, Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of this thesis describe the stages of the research process undertaken to achieve this objective. With the aim of investigating monitoring and evaluation within biosphere reserves, Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature and Chapter 3 presents the results of interviews with managers of South African biosphere reserves and a web-based survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Chapter 4 describes the collaborative process of conducting local stakeholder workshops and specialist focus groups to develop sets of sustainability indicators; one set each for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. The second objective was to formulate a national protocol for the development of sustainability indicators for South African biosphere reserves. This was developed through a synthesis of the results and lessons learnt in Chapters 2 to 4. This national protocol was designed to be flexible enough to be adapted to the local circumstances and needs of individual South African biosphere reserves. The global review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature revealed that monitoring and evaluation studies in biosphere reserves are mostly conducted in the developing world by authors from the developed world and many of the studies and indicators that were developed focused on ecological dimensions. These results show that biosphere reserves need to enhance their local capacity for the development and implementation of improved monitoring and evaluation methods and frameworks. The outcomes of the interviews with representatives of the management of South African biosphere reserves and a survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves found that many biosphere reserves identified in this survey are reportedly implementing monitoring and evaluation, but few have developed sustainability indicators. It was found that there are many similar challenges with regards to monitoring and evaluation in biosphere reserves, most notably the lack of capacity and funding Lastly, the collaborative process used to develop sustainability indicators for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves proved to be useful and produced the desired outcomes. The local stakeholder workshops produced large sustainability indicator sets, with many indicators that were immeasurable, but most were relevant to the biosphere reserves. The specialist focus groups produced more focused and feasible indicator sets. The local stakeholder and specialist indicator sets were integrated to produce a final set for each biosphere reserve that was relevant to the social-ecological systems of the biosphere reserves, with indicators that could feasibly be implemented. The action research approach applied in this study delivered a pragmatic set of sustainability indicators that can be implemented by both biosphere reserves. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, and the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve co-ordinators have encouraged and supported the development of the sustainability indicator sets and the national protocol. Supporting these with a social learning institution within each biosphere reserve will be required for ensuring their on-going utility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dalings in natuurlike kapitaal, soos die degradasie van ekosisteme en die verlies van spesies, is die gevolg van die bedreigings wat geskep word deur menslike aktiwiteite. Die konsep van volhoubare ontwikkeling behels die ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling van samelewings, met beperkte impak op die natuurlike omgewing. Volhoubare ontwikkelings inisiatiewe word geïmplementeer in 'n poging om die afname in natuurlike kapitaal te verminder. Die doel van biosfeerreservate, wat aangewys is deur die Verenigde Nasies se Opvoedkundige, Wetenskaplike en Kulturele Organisasie (UNESCO) se Man en die Biosfeer-program, is om landskap-skaal voorbeelde van volhoubare ontwikkeling te wees. UNESCO vereis dat biosfeerreservate 'n periodieke hersiening elke tien jaar voor te lê om te verseker dat hulle op pad is om hul doelwitte te bereik. Dit vereis dat hulle moet hul vordering monitor en evalueer teenoor hul volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte. Volhoubaarheid aanwysers word gebruik om vordering ten opsigte van ekologiese, sosiale en ekonomiese doelwitte te bepaal, en kan dus nuttig wees vir biosfeerreservate om te verseker dat hulle hul doelwitte bereik. Die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate is beide in die Kaapse Floristiese Omgewing (KFO) geleë. Die KFO, wat in die Suid-Wes van Suid-Afrika geleë is, is geïdentifiseer as 'n biodiversiteit-brandpunt as gevolg van sy hoë plant diversiteit. Oor 1/5 van die KFO is formeel beskerm terwyl ongeveer 3/4 omskep is, hoofsaaklik deur bewerkte landerye, stedelike gebiede en uitheemse plantegroei. Die sosio-ekonomiese aspekte van die omgewing is ook uiteenlopend. 'n Hoë persentasie van die bevolking het 'n lae inkomste en woon in informele nedersettings, terwyl 'n kleiner persentasie het 'n hoë inkomste en woon in middel tot bo-klas stedelike gebiede. Biosfeerreservate streef daarna om hul diverse rolspelers aan te moedig om saam volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte te ontwikkel. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het 'n aksie-navorsing nadering toegepas. Die navorsing doelwitte is bereik deur middel van samewerking met biosfeerreservaat rolspelers. Die eerste doelwit was om volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel. Na aanleiding van die Inleiding tot die navorsing wat in Hoofstuk 1, Hoofstuk 2, 3 en 4 van hierdie tesis beskryf die fases van die navorsing wat onderneem is om hierdie doelwit te bereik. Met die doel van die ondersoek van monitering en evaluering binne biosfeerreservate, Hoofstuk 2 bied 'n sistematiese hersiening van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur aan en Hoofstuk 3 bied die resultate van onderhoude met bestuurders van Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n web-gebaseerde ondersoek van die wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate aan. Hoofstuk 4 beskryf die saamwerkende proses van die uitvoer van plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels en spesialis fokusgroepe stelle van volhoubaarheid aanwysers te ontwikkel; een stel elk vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate. Die tweede doelwit is om 'n nasionale protokol vir die ontwikkeling van volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate te formuleer. Dit is ontwikkel deur middel van 'n sintese van die resultate en lesse wat geleer is in Hoofstukke 2 tot 4. Hierdie nasionale protokol is ontwerp om buigsaam genoeg te wees om aangepas te word by die plaaslike omstandighede en behoeftes van individuele Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate. Die globale oorsig van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur het gewys dat monitering en evaluering studies in biosfeerreservate word meestal in die ontwikkelende wêreld uitgevoer deur die skrywers van die ontwikkelde wêreld en baie van die studies en aanwysers wat ontwikkel word is gefokus op ekologiese dimensies. Hierdie resultate dui aan dat biosfeerreservate hul plaaslike kapasiteit vir die ontwikkeling en implementering van monitering en evaluering metodes en raamwerke moet verbeter. Die uitkomste van die onderhoude met verteenwoordigers van die bestuur van die Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n ondersoek van die Wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate dui aan dat baie van die biosfeerreservate wat in hierdie ondersoek na berig word implementeer monitering en evaluering, maar min het volhoubaarheid aanwysers ontwikkel. Daar is gevind dat daar baie soortgelyke uitdagings met betrekking tot monitering en evaluering in biosfeerreservate, veral die gebrek aan kapasiteit en befondsing Ten slotte, die gesamentlike proses wat gebruik is om die volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel het bewys om nuttig te wees en het die verlangde uitkomste gelewer. Die plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels het groot volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle geproduseer, met baie onmeetbare aanwysers, maar meeste van die aanysers was relevant tot die biosfeer-reservate. Die spesialis fokusgroepe het meer gefokusde en uitvoerbaar aanwyser stelle geproduseer. Die plaaslike rolspeler en spesialis aanwyser stelle is geïntegreer in 'n finale stel vir elke biosfeerreservaat wat relevant is tot die sosiaal-ekologiese stelsels van die biosfeer-reservate, met aanwysers wat uitvoerbaar is. Die aksie-navorsing benadering wat in hierdie studie toegepas is het 'n pragmatiese stel van volhoubaarheid aanwysers afgelewer wat sal deur beide biosfeerreservate geïmplementeer word. Die Nasionale Departement van Omgewingsake, en die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeer Reservaat koördineerders het die ontwikkeling van die volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle en die Nasionale Protokol aangemoedig en ondersteun. Ondersteuning van hierdie uitsette met 'n sosiale leer instelling binne elke biosfeerreservaat sal vereis wees om hul deurlopende nut te verseker.

中華民國政府於2008年4月1日宣佈擴大觀光「小三通」規劃方案，兩個月後2008年6月19日，復由新任陸委會主委賴幸媛宣布：「政府擴大實施小三通。大小三通擴大實施後，有關金馬港口設施和容量部分，目前還有五成閒置，因此可以應付需求。金門機場部分，雖有點不足，也已在擴建當中，未來幾個月交通部會加速擴建。亦要求相關部會也將在二個月內規畫完成推動兩岸「小三通」協商，三個月內提出金馬中長期經濟建設檢討及規畫綱要，六個月內完成整體規畫。」這一連串的政策推動 ，似有企圖讓昔日的金馬離島快速與世界接軌，而金門人對於運用對岸福建省的資源，促使相關產業升級，亦期待發展出新的營運模式。證諸近年來台灣與福建的兩地貿易，已躍居台灣中國大陸地區出口的第三大地區（僅次於廣東及江蘇）未來經濟互利的運作，存在著一定的想像空間。 大陸於2005年11月正式批准「海峽西岸經濟區」的戰略構想與建設綱要，並將其納入第十一個五年計畫，這個策略計畫把福建經濟領域擴大三倍。這使得長期以來扮演著台灣、福建兩地之折衝要角的金馬地區，在形勢上除了面臨大陸的統戰攻勢外，另一方面，又必須能在全球化競爭態勢中，開創一條通往世界的道路，在避免經濟邊緣化的過程時空中，本論文將探討金馬地區對海峽西岸經濟區建設的可能影響，希望藉由大陸海西區最接近金馬的智庫，廈門大學的專家學者，以德菲爾法的問卷調查方法，取得此一時空下海西區與金馬地區雙方可能的經濟政策或對等行為，尤其在面對中國運用海峽西岸經濟區為對台統戰之優勢資源時，提出金馬地區未來的經濟發展規劃與政策方向，以定位其在海西區可能扮演的經濟角色。 / This article is to examine the economic role of Kinmen and Matsu in the economic zone on the west coast of the Taiwan straits. The Delphi technique is employed to collect data via 18 professors of Xinmen University. Further, a comparative analysis is conducted by previous Official survey report with Taiwanese professors. Suggestions and implication for planning public administration are discussed.

<p>Nearly one-third of the world&rsquo / s tortoises live in South Africa, but little is known about their habitat requirements and feeding ecology. Chersina angulata, the angulate tortoise, is endemic to&nbsp / southern Africa, with a wide distribution along the western and southern coasts. Because this tortoise occupies a number of different habitat types, it has always been considered a generalist&nbsp / herbivore, although little is known about its&nbsp / diet and other needs. This study evaluates the habitat characteristics and feeding ecology of C. angulata at two study sites in the southwestern&nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / Cape, the West Coast National Park (WCNP) and Dassen Island (DI). The WCNP is a large conserved area in the Fynbos biome, along the southwestern coast of South Africa, whereas DI is a&nbsp / small offshore island with low floral and faunal diversity, just south of the WCNP. The efficacy of three methods used to study the feeding ecology of herbivores, focal observations, macroscopic faecal analysis and histological analysis of scats, was evaluated. Plant cover, species diversity, and the variety of growth forms were substantially larger at the WCNP than on DI.&nbsp / In the WCNP, shrubs and grasses were the dominant growth forms but the vegetation also included herbs, succulents, restios, sedges and parasitic plants. A few perennial species such as&nbsp / the grass Ehrharta villosa, shrubs such as Helichrysum niveum, Nylandtia spinosa and Rhus spp., and succulents such as Carpobrotus edulis and Ruschia spp., provided most of the plant&nbsp / cover. DI had a depauperate flora, consisting of succulents and herbs, and ephemeral plants contributed more than perennials did to plant cover throughout the year. The succulents Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and Tetragonia fruticosa provided most of the cover on DI. Angulate tortoises are herbivores and 72 diet plants in 32 plant families were identified to the&nbsp / species or genus level. Several diet species, however, could not be identified. In&nbsp / addition to angiosperms, the tortoises&rsquo / diet included mosses, mushrooms, insects,snails and animal faeces.&nbsp / The most important growth forms in the diet were herbs and grasses. The diet of the WCNP tortoises was more diverse than the diet of DI tortoises, but the number of principal food items in&nbsp / the diet did not differ between the two sites. Over an annual cycle, WCNP tortoises had four principal food plants while DI tortoises had five principal food plants. At both sites, principal food&nbsp / &nbsp / plants changed with the season and few plants remained principal food items in more than one season. Cynodon dactylon was a principal food item in three of the four seasons in the WCNP, whereas Trachyandra divaricata was a principal food plant each season on DI. Most principal food plants were grass or herb species but the sedge Ficinia nigrescens, and a succulent that&nbsp / could be identified only to the family level (Aizoaceae), featured strongly in the spring diets of DI and WCNP tortoises, respectively.&nbsp / The three study methods did not provide the same type or quality of information about the feeding ecology of angulate tortoises. The small size and wary nature of angulate tortoises compromised focal studies because it was often not possible to see&nbsp / what the tortoises ate. This method, however, provided the interesting observation that rabbit&nbsp / faecal pellets contributed nearly 30% to summer and autumn diets on DI when food was scarce.&nbsp / Rabbit faeces may not only provide a source of nutrients but may also supplement the microflora, required to digest cellulose, in the tortoises&rsquo / guts. Macroscopic evaluation of the tortoises&rsquo / &nbsp / scats appeared to be an ineffective method to identify diet plants, and the bulk of the scat mass could not be identified. This indicates&nbsp / that angulate tortoises either selected food low in fibrous&nbsp / content or that the digestive system of the tortoises dealt efficiently with tough plant material. The macroscopic method was the only method that highlighted the large contribution of&nbsp / fruits / seeds to the diet of angulate tortoises. Since the tortoises digested many seeds only partially, or not at all, C. angulata is potentially an important agent of seed dispersal in the southwestern Cape. The macroscopic study showed that on DI, sand made up 28% of the scat mass in spring, whereas sand never made a substantial contribution to the scat composition of WCNP tortoises. Lithophagy may be an important strategy in a depauperate habitat, such as DI, because the abrasive action of sand may help with the digestion of tough plants, or the sand may&nbsp / provide the tortoises with important minerals that are deficient in their food plants.The histological analysis of scats provided the most comprehensive diet list for C. angulata. Selection indices&nbsp / based on data from the histological analysis indicated that angulate tortoises were highly selective in their food choice. Most of the principal food items were selected out of proportion to their&nbsp / availability and the tortoises avoided the most abundant plants in their habitats. Several factors, such as palatability, accessibility and profitability, may have influenced their food choice. The proportional similarity indices for WCNP and DI tortoises, respectively, were 0.31 and 0.16, confirming that C. angulata is a food specialist and not a food generalist as was previously thought. This factor should be considered in the management of this species and in future conservation planning of its habitat.&nbsp / &nbsp / </p>

No description available.

One of the human activities impacting biodiversity is the cutting of old-growth forests. In response to the controversy surrounding the cutting of old-growth in the coastal rainforest of BC, the Ministries of the Environment and Forests have produced biodiversity guidelines that are to be applied when manipulating stands in the provincial forest. This study augments these guidelines by investigating the diversity differences between second-growth and old-growth forests in relation to site quality. We demonstrate how standlevel plant diversity differs between 40-year-old and old-growth stands in the Very Wet Coastal Western Hemlock subzone (CWHvm) on Vancouver Island. This information is intended to provide foresters with an understanding of the effects of age, disturbance and site quality on stand-level plant diversity, thereby allowing for informed professional management decisions.

The forest floor represents the uppermost organic and organicenriched mineral soil horizons. They have been formed by the deposition of organic material and the subsequent biologically mediated decomposition. The forest floor influences rooting-zone temperature, aeration, moisture, and nutrient conditions, and hence, forest productivity. Considering the importance of the forest floor, and the fact that it is exposed to disturbance (being the surface layer), we need to assess the potential impacts our logging practices may have. Clearcutting, one of the contentious silvicultural practices used in British Columbia, is imputed to most adversely affect ecosystems and sustainability. We assessed the long-term impact of clearcutting on the forest floor by documenting changes in the thickness, chemical and biotic properties of the humus form across a chronosequence of forest stands. The study was located in the largest and most representative portion of the coastal rainforest the Very Wet Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock (CWHvm) subzone.