Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Environmental degradation – Psychological aspects'

Australia is experiencing widespread ecosystem degradation, including dryland salinity, erosion and vegetation loss. Approximately 1 million hectares (5.5%) of the south-west agricultural zone of Western Australia is affected by dryland salinity and is predicted to rise to 5.4 million hectares by 2050. Such degradation is associated with many environmental outcomes that may impact on human health, including a decrease in primary productivity, an increase in the number of invasive species, a decrease in the number of large trees, overall decrease in biodiversity, and an increase in dust production. The resulting degradation affects not only farm production but also farm values. This study examines the effects of such severe and widespread environmental degradation on the physical and mental health of residents. Western Australia has an extensive medical record database which links individual health records for all hospital admissions, cancer cases, births and deaths. For the 15 diseases examined in this project, the study area of the south west of Western Australia (excluding the capital city of Perth) contained 1,570,985 morbidity records and 27,627 mortality records for the 15 diseases examined in a population of approximately 460,000. Environmental data were obtained from the Western Australian Department of Agriculture?s soil and landscape mapping database. A spatial Bayesian framework was used to examine associations between these disease and environmental variables. The Bayesian model detected the confounding variables of socio-economic status and proportion of the population identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. With the inclusion of these confounders in the model, associations were found between environmental degradation (including dryland salinity) and several diseases with known environmentally-mediated triggers, including asthma, ischaemic heart disease, suicide and depression. However, once records of individuals who had been diagnosed with coexistent depression were removed from the analysis, the effect of dryland salinity was no longer statistically detectable for asthma, ischaemic heart disease or suicide, although the effects of socio-economic status and size of the Aboriginal population remained. The spatial component of this study showed an association between land degradation and human health. These results indicated that such processes are driving the degree of psychological ill-health in these populations, although it remains uncertain whether this 4 is secondary to overall coexisting rural poverty or some other environmental mechanism. To further investigate this complex issue an instrument designed to measure mental health problems in rural communities was developed. Components of the survey included possible triggers for mental health, including environmental factors. The interview was administered in a pilot study through a telephone survey of a small number of farmers in South-Western Australia. Using logistic regression a significant association between the mental health of male farmers and dryland salinity was detected. However, the sample size of the survey was too small to detect any statistically significant associations between dryland salinity and the mental health of women. The results of this study indicate that dryland salinity, as with other examples of ecosystem degradation, is associated with an increased burden of human disease.

The most common technique for carbon dioxide removal from gaseous streams is amine scrubbing, a proven technology in the oil and gas industries. The use of this route in coal fired power plants is not fully understood and the likelihood of solvent degradation is high. Decreased absorption efficiency, undesirable byproducts, the environmental impact of their disposal and increased process costs are the main consequences. In this study, two experimental rigs were designed and commissioned to explore the effects of gas composition and temperature on monoethanolamine degradation. Analytical procedures to detect and quantify its major thermal and oxidative degradation products were also developed. It became apparent early on that solvent degradation, under actual plant conditions, is a slow phenomenon, thus, it was decided to focus on thermal degradation. The present study uniquely enabled the absorption/desorption behaviour of thermally degraded solvents to be evaluated. The major thermal degradation products were quantified. After 14 full absorption/stripping cycles at the presence of 16% oxygen and 15% carbon dioxide, significant concentrations of nitrites and nitrates were detected in the samples. Thermal degradation at 160 oC for 8 weeks reduced monoethanolamine concentration by almost 95%, as evidenced by the chemical analysis, but the remaining solvent retained 22% of its capacity to remove carbon dioxide. Therefore, although not fully quantified, the requirement for monoethanolamine make-up may not be quite as serious as initially believed. There is some evidence to support that the rate of thermal degradation was enhanced as carbon dioxide loading increased and a 20% higher MEA loss was determined in the samples with the rich initial molar loading. A range of degradation products were quantified that correspond to those cited in the literature. 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-imidazolidinone was indicated as the most stable MEA degradation product in the degraded samples at concentrations of up to 17% v/v.

This thesis aims to increase the knowledge on people with symptoms attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) by investigating the effects of EMF exposure and by additional description of the heterogeneous group of people reporting EMF-related symptoms. The effect of mobile phone (MP)-like radio frequency (RF) fields on symptoms, autonomic nervous system (ANS) parameters, short-term memory, and reaction time in persons with MP-related symptoms (MP participants) was investigated in a provocation study. A second provocation study investigated the effect of similar exposure on serum concentration of biomarkers in persons with atopic dermatitis. No effect of exposure was detected in either study. MP participants displayed changes in heart rate variability (HRV) during cognitive tests, but not during rest. This contrasts with earlier findings, participants with symptoms attributed to EMF sources in general (EHS participants) displayed an elevated sympathetic nervous system activity both during cognitive tests and during rest. Proposed differences between subgroups of persons with EMF-related symptoms with respect to symptoms, personality traits and stress were investigated in a questionnaire study. MP participants reported primarily symptoms from the head; EHS participants reported symptoms from many organ systems. Furthermore, EHS participants reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and exhaustion when compared with a reference group. MP participants reported higher levels of anxiety and exhaustion only. In a pilot study, 24-hour and short-term HRV were investigated in EHS participants, to examine whether the previously observed sympathovagal imbalance would still be present. There was a tendency toward increased parasympathetic activity compared with earlier recordings, and a reduction of symptoms. Twenty-four hour and short-term recordings were fairly similar for each participant; however, there were large between-subject differences. The results do not support the hypothesis of effects of MP-like RF exposure on symptoms, ANS activity, CFFT, cognitive function, or biomarkers. However, they do support the hypothesis that persons with different symptom attribution (MP and EHS) may differ also in ANS activity and psychological aspects.

The intent of this study is to investigate contextual compatibility in architecture from a psychological perspective. More specifically, the study examines contextual compatibility as an aspect of environmental meaning. Within the framework of this research, the term contextual compatibility is defined as the degree of fit between a new infill building and the immediately adjacent buildings within an urban or campus setting. As such, contextual compatibility is clearly a very specific and narrowly defined phenomenon: yet it nevertheless represents one of the most publicly debated and architecturaly significant manifestations of environmental meaning. For example, the emergence of increasing numbers of design review commissions, the often vociferous public debates on the appropriateness of particular design proposals, and the increasing willingness of architects to employ non-Modernist vocabularies all suggest the importance of contextual compatibility in people's experience of architecture. Because this study represents one of the first empirical investigations of contextual compatibility at the architectural scale, the research is focused on three of the most fundamental aspects of the topics: 1) what meaning does contextual compatibility have for people? 2) what kind of contextual design strategies are most consistently preferred? and 3) what types of physical features are most commonly seen as contributing to or detracting from contextual compatibility? In addition, a further goal of the research is to offer an account of the psychological processes that are implicit in these questions. These questions are considered in the light of three major sets of literatures 1) general discussions of environmental cognition and meaning in the psychological literature, 2) specific substantive research studies on contextual compatibility, primarily drawn from the environmental psychology literature, and 3) critical and theoretical analyses of design strategies for contextual fit, drawn from the architectural literature.

The purpose of the present study was to begin development of a psychological profile for environmentally ill patients. Existing psychiatric labels are unable to encompass these patients. Test scores were drawn from a pool of 89 patients whose environmental exposures were verified by the presence of toxins in the blood serum. A Mental Status Exam, a Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised screen, and the Profile of Mood States were administered. Results indicate a primary pattern which is significantly different from test norms consisting of fatigue, reduced mental functioning, and a lack of psychotic or personality disorder indicators. The reported symptoms of environmentally ill patients were objectively verified by current psychological test instruments. The need for a new diagnostic category for people who have been poisoned by environmental toxins is discussed.

本研究以计划行为理论、态度情境行为理论、制度理论为基础，从社会心理学出发，对个体基于心理反应过程的低碳消费行为及其情境因素进行了研究。通过实证研究发现，低碳消费态度和低碳消费主观规范对低碳消费行为的影响是通过低碳消费意向实现的。低碳消费意向在低碳消费态度和低碳主观规范与低碳消费行为的关系构建中起到中介效应。结果表明，低碳消费态度和低碳消费主观规范均与低碳行为意向之间显著正相关，低碳行为意向和低碳消费行为之间显著正相关。低碳消费意向是低碳消费态度和低碳消费行为的部分中介，低碳消费意向还是低碳消费主观规范和低碳消费行为的完全中介。同时，本研究也发现便利条件对低碳消费意向和低碳消费行为之间的关系起正向调节作用。Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, Attitude-Context-Behavior Theory and Institutional Theory, this study explores low-carbon consumption behavior based on Psychological reaction process and its context factors from the perspective of social psychology.Empirical research shows that Low Carbon Consumption Attitudes(LCCA) and Low Carbon Consumption Subjective Norms(LCCSN) influence Low Carbon Consumption Behavior(LCCB) through Low Carbon Consumption Intention(LCCI). The results show that both LCCA and LCCSN have significant positive correlations with LCCI, and LCCI has significant positive correlations with LCCB. LCCI is partial mediation between LCCA and LCCB , LCCI is also complete mediation between LCCSN and LCCB. Meanwhile, this article infer that facilitating conditions have moderating effects which strengthen the positive relationship between LCCSN and LCCI.

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain if environmentally sensitive patients would demonstrate different memory deficit patterns than psychiatric patients on objectively measurable memory tasks. One-hundred sixteen patients were surveyed; 56 environmentally sensitive patients were compared to 60 psychiatric patients. All subjects were administered a Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised screen, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised and the Harrell-Butler Comprehensive Neurocognitive Screen after history of head injury was ruled out. Results indicate a significantly different pattern of memory dysfunction between the environmental patients and the psychiatric patients, indicating two different etiologies. A screening device derived from the coefficients from a Canonical Analysis is proposed to distinguish between the two populations in the absence of blood serum levels of environmental toxins or poisons. The detrimental effects of misdiagnosis and the beneficial effects of accurate diagnosis of environmental illness are discussed.

Amitraz is a formamide acaricide used predominantly in the control of ectoparasites in livestock and honeybees. Amitraz hydrolysis is rapid and occurs under acidic conditions, exposure to sunlight and biodegradation by microorganisms. The main hydrolysis product of amitraz, 2,4-dimethylaniline, is recalcitrant in the environment and toxic to humans. An electrochemical method for the determination of total amitraz residues and its final breakdown product, 2,4-dimethylaniline, in spent cattle dip, is presented. Cyclic voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode showed the irreversible oxidation of amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline. A limit of detection in the range of 8.5 x 10⁻⁸ M for amitraz and 2 x 10⁻⁸ M for 2,4-dimethylaniline was determined using differential pulse voltammetry. Feasibility studies in which the effect of supporting electrolyte type and pH had on electroanalysis of amitraz and its degradants, showed that pH affects current response as well as the potential at which amitraz and its degradants are oxidised. Britton-Robinson buffer was found to be the most suitable supporting electrolyte for detection of amitraz and its degradants in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility. Studies performed using environmental samples showed that the sensitivity and reproducibility of amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline analyses in spent cattle dip were comparable to analyses of amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline performed in Britton-Robinson buffer. In addition, the feasibility qf measuring amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline in environmental samples was assessed and compared to amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline analyses in Britton-Robinson buffer. Amitraz and 2,4-dimethylaniline were readily detectable in milk and honey. Furthermore, it was elucidated that 2,4-dimethylaniline can be metabolised to 3-methylcatechol by Pseudomonas species and the proposed breakdown pathway is presented. The biological degradation of amitraz and subsequent formation of 2,4-dimethylaniline was readily monitored in spent cattle dip. The breakdown of amitraz to 2,4-dimethylaniline and then to 3-MC was monitored using cyclic voltammetry.

Philosophy(PhD)
Interaction with the natural environment has a vital role in human well-being - physical, social, spiritual and psychological - and yet in the twenty-first century many people lead a way of life totally separated from natural environments. Built environments and the increasing complexity of technological tasks necessitate increased demands for attention and a constant processing of information. Adaptation to such demands can result in depletion of psychological resources leading to stress and mental fatigue. Psychological resources must then be “restored” as they are critical for effective functioning. A review of restorative environments literature suggests there is further scope for enhancing restorative opportunities. A hypothetical model of enhanced restoration is proposed. It posits that an individual assuming a more active role, through raised cognitive awareness and physical encounter in the person-natural environment interaction will experience enhanced restoration in terms of restoration of directed attention and reduction of stress. The research hypotheses are tested using a quantitative field-based pretest-posttest experimental design with a sample of 100 volunteers. Data is collected through computerised objective and subjective measurement scales of attention and affect. Data is analysed through ANOVA. The major finding is that posttest scores improved compared to pretest scores in all 3 attention tests, 2 subjective attention scores and both affect measures, averaged over all 4 intervention groups. This means that the participants’ directed attention improved and they considered themselves to be less stressed regardless of the allocated experimental intervention group. Therefore, the most effective intervention in improving directed attention fatigue and reducing stress was raising an individual’s level of physical encounter with the natural environment. Further research is warranted, into the contribution that an individual can make to enhance the restorative process, and the need for education to raise awareness of the importance of the natural environment as a valuable (health-care) resource.

I consider the influence of foreign environmental policy on domestic manufacturing activity using theory and empirics. A tractable three-country spatial model yields a theory of locational com- parative advantage in the production of pollution-intensive manufactured goods: greater market access to countries with stringent environmental policy encourages output in the polluting sector. Operationalizing the model empirically, I find robust evidence that high market access to countries with stringent environmental policy increases manufacturing value added. Both the theoretical and empirical analyses suggest that estimates of the Pollution Haven Effect that ignore third country environmental policy - yet make the stable unit treatment value assumption - can be misleading. Chapter Two We investigate the impact of short-term weather and long-term climate on self-reported life satisfaction using panel data. We find robust evidence that day-to-day weather variation impacts life satisfaction by a similar magnitude to acquiring a mild disability. Utilizing two sources of variation in the cognitive complexity of satisfaction questions, we present evidence that weather bias arises because of the cognitive challenge of reporting life satisfaction. Consistent with past studies, we detect a relationship between long-term climate and life satisfaction without individual fixed effects. This relationship is not robust to individual fixed effects, suggesting climate does not directly influence life satisfaction. Chapter Three This chapter considers the related policy challenges of deindustrialisation and 'leakage' which can arise when environmental regulation is differentiated across regions. A dynamic two-region 'New Economic Geography' (NEG) model is adopted in which agglomeration forces may make firms tolerant of regulatory disadvantage. Each region ratifies an international environmental agreement (IEA) requiring it to tax transboundary pollution created by local firms. In contrast to previous NEG studies, the model adopted is considerably more tractable, enabling comparative static analysis to be conducted analytically rather than through computer simulation. The model is extended to consider the relationship between the prescribed tax rates and deindustrialisation caused by the relocation of firms. Firm relocation in response to a given tax differential depends crucially on trade costs and the initial location (configuration) of industry. For some industry configurations, agglomeration forces are strong and a set of tax differentials exist which cause no international relocation of polluting firms. For other initial industry configurations in which agglomeration forces are weaker, the same set of tax differentials may cause complete inter-national relocation to the less stringently regulated region. Trade liberalization can actually make industry less likely to relocate in response to a regulatory disadvantage. The model is further extended to consider the issue of carbon leakage, which arises in the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For relatively low tax differentials, agglomeration forces create rents which tend to anchor industry in the higher taxing region, avoiding carbon leakage. If the tax differential is too great, however, agglomeration forces cause all firms to relocate to the lower taxing region where they optimally emit more GHGs. Environmental outcomes may therefore be improved by reducing the tax rate in the higher taxing region in order to discourage industry relocation. When industry is diversified between regions, firms respond to higher (lower) relative domestic taxes by increasing (decreasing) output and polluting more (less).

The overall goal of this work was to investigate microbial activity leading to the anaerobic degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and an organophilic clay sediment cap used at a creosote-contaminated Superfund site. To determine whether or not PAHs were being degraded under anaerobic conditions in situ, groundwater and sediment porewater samples were analyzed for metabolic biomarkers, or metabolites, formed in the anaerobic degradation of naphthalene (a low-molecular weight PAH). In addition, a groundwater push-pull method was developed to evaluate whether the transformation of deuterated naphthalene to a deuterated metabolite could be monitored in situ and if conservative rates of transformation can be defined using this method. Metabolites of anaerobic naphthalene degradation were detected in all samples that also contained significant levels of naphthalene. Anaerobic degradation of naphthalene appears to be widespread in the upland contaminated aquifer, as well as within the adjacent river sediments. A zero-order rate of transformation of naphthalene-D₈ to naphthoic acid-D₇was calculated as 31 nM·d-¹. This study is the first reported use of deuterated naphthalene to provide both conclusive evidence of the in situ production of breakdown metabolites and an in situ rate of transformation. Methane ebullition was observed in areas of the sediment cap footprint associated with organophilic clay that was used a reactive capping material to sequester mobile non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) at the site. Anaerobic slurry incubations were constructed using sediment core samples to quantify the contribution of the native sediment and the different layers of capping material (sand and organophilic clay) to the overall methane production. Substrate addition experiments using fresh, unused organophilic clay, as well as measured changes in total carbon in organophilic clay over time supported the hypothesis that microbes can use organophilic clay as a carbon source. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) directed at the mcrA gene enumerated methanogens in field samples and incubations of native sediment and capping materials. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was also performed on DNA extracted from these samples to identify some of the predominant microorganisms within the sediment cap footprint. The organophilic clay incubations produced up to 1500 times more methane than the native sediment and sand cap incubations. The organophilic clay field sample contained the greatest number of methanogens and the native sediment contained the least. However, the native sediment incubations had greater numbers of methanogens compared to their respective field sample and comparable numbers to the organophilic clay incubation. An increase in methane production was observed with the addition of fresh, unused organophilic clay to the already active organophilic clay incubations indicating that organophilic clay stimulates methanogenesis. In addition, organophilic clay retrieved from the field lost about 10% of its total carbon over a 300-day incubation period suggesting that some component of organophilic clay may be converted to methane. DGGE results revealed that some of the predominant groups within the native sediment and sediment cap were Bacteriodetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Deltaproteobacteria. An organism 98% similar to Syntrophus sp. was identified in the organophilic clay suggesting this organism may be working in concert with methanogens to convert the organic component of organophilic clay ultimately to methane. The capacity of organophilic clay to sequester organic contaminants will likely change over time as the organic component is removed from the clay. This, in turn, affects the use of this material as a long-term remedial strategy in reduced, contaminated environments.

The purpose of this study was to investigate environmental sensitivity among environmental professionals in a culture that is assumed to hold an ecocentric perspective. Nine Tibetan Buddhist environmental professionals were surveyed in this study. Based on an Environmental Sensitivity Profile Insytrument, an environmental sensitivity profile for a Tibetan Buddhist environmental professional was created from the participants demographic and interview data. The most frequently defined vaqriables were environmental destruction/development, education and role models.

Thesis (MScConEcol )--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over 70% of South Africa is too arid for crop farming and is used for commercial livestock ranching, communal livestock ranching, or game ranching. These management systems differ from each other in a number of aspects, e.g. herbivore species, stocking rate, grazing regime, and management structure. The main question addressed in this study is: to what extent do the three management systems affect rangeland condition? Following the equilibrium paradigm of vegetation dynamics, communal livestock ranches are expected to have a greater detrimental effect on rangeland condition than other management systems because stocking densities and, consequently, herbivore impacts, are usually far higher than under the other two management systems. However, recent nonequilibrium theories argue that vegetation dynamics in arid systems are mainly driven by rare and stochastic rainfall events. Biotic factors, such as grazing and herbivore diversity, are predicted to have little effect on rangeland condition. This leads to the prediction that herbivore impacts on arid ecosystems are not density-dependent and, consequently, the high stocking densities commonly recorded on communal livestock ranches will not cause more rangeland degradation than other management systems. Arid and semi-arid rangelands are characterised by high inherent spatial and temporal variation in vegetation and soil parameters. Hence, differentiating between the effects of grazing management systems and natural variability caused by abiotic factors, such as rainfall, is difficult. This problem can be circumvented by examining gradients of grazing intensity radiating from water-points (= piospheres). I examined changes in vegetation and soil parameters along 500 m-Iong grazing gradients on ranches in the semi-arid Northem Cape province, South Africa, with the three abovementioned management systems. Analysis of the vegetation on these ranches demonstrated the existence of grazing gradients around the water-points. Two characteristic zones described in other studies were identified, namely the sacrifice zone (almost complete denudation of the vegetation close to the water-point) and the dense shrub zone (distal to the sacrifice zone). Communal livestock ranching had a greater negative effect on rangeland vegetation than the two other ranching systems, particularly with regard to annual grass species diversity, percentage of bare soil, and shrub density. Within 100 m of the water-points, soil quality was negatively affected by commercial cattle ranching. Contrastingly, there were no significant effects of the other two management systems on soil quality in the piosphere. The feeding of supplemental forage and nutrients may explain the greater impact of commercial cattle farming on soil quality. The results of this study are consistent with the predictions of the equilibrium theory of vegetation dynamics because grazing impacts were density-dependent in these semi-arid rangelands. However, the results presented here also indicate that forage supplementation alters the spatial and temporal distribution of livestock in a manner that may have greater negative impacts on soil quality than density of livestock per se.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Meer as 70% van Suid-Afrika is te droog vir gewasverbouing en word gebruik vir kommersiële veeboerdery, gemeenskaplike veeboerdery of wildboerdery. Die bestuur van dié verskillende boerderytipes verskil wesentlik van mekaar in verskeie opsigte, ondermeer herbivoorspesies, veeaanskaffingstempo, weidingstipe en bestuurstruktuur. Die belangrikste vraag wat aangespreek word in die studie is die volgende: Tot watter mate affekteer die drie verskillende boerderybestuurstipes die toestand van weivelde? Gesien teen die agtergrond van die ekwilibriumparadigma van plantedinamika, word verwag dat gemeenskaplike veeboerdery 'n groter impak op die toestand van weiveld sal hê as ander boerderytipes, omdat veedigtheid en gevolglik herbivoor-impak gewoonlik veel hoër is as met die ander twee boerderytipes. Onlangse nie-ekwilibria-teorië voer egter aan dat plantedinamika in ariede gebiede gedryf word deur seldsame en buitengewone reënvalgebeure. Biotiese faktore, soos weiding en herbivoor diversiteit sal na verwagting min effek hê op die toestand van weiveld. Hieruit volg die voorspelling dat herbivoorimpak op ariede ekosisteme nie afhanklik is van digtheid nie, en dat hoë veedigtheid algemeen aangeteken vir gemeenskaplike boerderye, nie rede sal wees vir groter ver1iese in weiveld nie. Ariede en semi-ariede weivelde word gekenmerk deur 'n hoë ruimtelike en tydelike veranderinge in plant- en grondparameters. Gevolglik is dit moeilik om te onderskei tussen die effekte van weidingsbestuur en natuur1ike veranderings wat veroorsaak word deur nie-biotiese faktore, soos reënval. Dié probleem kan oorbrug word deur gradiënte van weidingsintensiteit, wat vanaf waterpunte uitstraal, te ondersoek. Vervolgens het ek binne al drie bg. boerderybestuursisteme veranderinge in plant- en grondparameters langs SOOm-lange weidingsgradiënte ondersoek op plase in die semiariede Noord-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Plantegroei-analise het getoon dat 'n weidingsgradiënt rondom waterpunte voorkom. Twee kenmerkende sones is in ander studies geïdentifiseer, nl., 'n opofferingsone (waar amper alle plantegroei naby waterpunte uitgetrap is) en die digte, struik-sone (distaal to die opofferingsone). Gemeenskapsveeboerdery het 'n groter negatiewe effek op plaasgewasse as die ander twee boerderytipes, veral waar dit betrekking het op grasspesie-diversiteit, persentasie grond sonder plantbedekking en struikdigtheid. Binne 100m vanaf waterpunte, is grondkwaliteit merkbaar negatief geaffekteer deur kommersiële veeboerdery. Daarteenoor, was daar geen merkbare effek op die grondkwaliteit naby waterpunte van die ander twee boerderytipes nie. Aanvullingsvoer kan moontlik die rede wees vir die waargenome, groter impak van kommersiële veeboerdery op grondkwaliteit. Die resultate van die studie strook met voorspellings van die ekwilibria-teorie van plante-dinamika, daarin dat weidingsimpak digtheidsafhanklik is in hierdie semiariede plaasgebiede. Die resultate toon ook egter, dat voedingsaanvullings die ruimtelike en tydelike verspreiding van vee in so 'n wyse verander, dat dit moontlik 'n veel groter negatiewe uitwerking op grondkwaliteit het as veedighteid per se.

Many consumers are now considering the effects of general corporate behavior (e.g., political views, charitable contributions, environmental disasters) and of the product's manufacture, consumption or disposal (e.g., animal testing, ecological harm) on society's overall well-being. These situations involve the issue of individual social responsibility and are good examples of complex decisions that are not readily explained by traditional decision theories. Abstract attributes (e.g., product "greenness" or lack of harm to the environment) and the active role of the decision maker's values, principles, and ethics are problematic. The primary purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual framework for consumer decision making in the presence of a social responsibility issue. The secondary purpose of the study is to assess the value of image theory for explaining the decision process. Image theory (Beach and Mitchell 1987; Beach 1990), a relatively recent development in decision making, provides a compatible decision framework for these types of decisions due to its emphasis on an individual's values and on the screening of alternatives using value-laden attributes. Survey methodology and consumer preference tasks are utilized, and the hypothesized models are tested by structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that image theory provides a credible explanation of socially responsible consumer choice. In terms of this study's context, a consumer who has a strongly held social responsibility principle, values a clean environment, has a high level of environmental concern, and believes that his/her actions make a difference, is more likely to be committed to a pro-environmental plan of action and to use certain decision processes. These specific processes are screening alternatives to eliminate those that are not environmentally friendly and weighting the greenness attribute heavily in evaluating options. Using image theory's terminology and structure, social responsibility and environmental value form the value image. Environmental concern and perceived consumer effectiveness form the trajectory image. The strategic image is reflected in the plan (commitment to pro-environmental behaviors) and tactics (using the social responsibility attribute in the decision process). This research demonstrates that enduring values and principles guide consumer behavior involving social responsibility issues.

Plants are frequently used as design components for various types of interior settings. Design professionals may specify plants because of a subconscious awareness of the human need for natural contact, or as in may cases, such as in a "sunspace", because it is traditional to do so. Past studies by behavioral and horticulture researchers have documented human preference for plants, and have shown that plants positively affect people psychologically, but little research has been done to determine whether the use of plants in interior environments can influence human behavior. Interior plantscaping is a vital and expanding type of agribusiness, with millions of dollars being spent each year to install and maintain plants specified by design professionals. Plants are frequently used for clients in industry, health care, hospitality, retail, education, and in personal residences. Demonstrating that plants influence human physical behavior in interior environments would increase their value as interior design components, and provide a powerful sales tool to the plantscaping industry. Because of the potential importance of understanding more about the influence of plants in interior spaces on human behavior, this research examines whether user behavior patterns and spatial perceptions can be changed by the simple addition of interior plantscaping. This study was conducted to determine whether the introduction of trees and plants into an underutilized area of a newly constructed interior atrium would affect user perceptions of, and/or behaviors in the space. User perceptions of and activities within the atrium were recorded on questionnaires and behavioral maps, both before and after the installation of Ficus trees and Chinese Evergreen plants. Surveys were used to collect demographic information, suggestions for improving the atrium, and to determine user perceptions via the use of 13 polar adjective pairs on a six point semantic differential scale. Maps were used to record user behaviors on the lower atrium level where the plants were placed. The majority of data were analyzed descriptively by frequencies and percentages. Semantic differential analysis was done using two-tailed t-tests at p = .05. T-tests did not prove to be significant. There was mean movement of perceived perceptions from pre- to post-test. User behavior on the lower atrium level appeared to be affected by plant installation. A preference was shown for napping under the trees, and users spent more time on that atrium level when the trees and plants were present.
Master of Science

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The multifaceted land degradation problem and its associated manifold impacts have attracted research from different disciplines, resulting in varying definitions of the concept. However, most researchers agree that human intervention that deteriorates the state of the environment is the central element. Among the anthropogenic activities that exacerbate land degradation, land cover has been singled out as the salient element. Rapid and unplanned land cover changes are primary manifestations of this problem. UMhlathuze Municipality, the study area which has superior biodiversity richness, is one of fastest growing municipalities in South Africa and is the locale of significant land modifications in recent decades because of a variety of industrial and residential developments. Using Landsat TM imagery acquired for 1984, 1996 and 2004, this study mapped and quantified land cover change and manifestations of land degradation in the uMhlathuze Municipality in conjunction with settlement intensification computed from orthophotographs acquired for 1984 and 2004. Census population statistics were analysed as a reflection of population dynamics and further to gauge related causes of land cover change. Geographical information technology (GIT) was applied as an analytical tool. The results revealed the anthropogenic influences that led to changes in land cover over the 20- year period between 1984 and 2004. The dominant natural cover classes in 1984 declined continuously and human-dominated land categories had increased sharply by 2004. Much of grasslands, forest and wetlands were converted to monotypical agroforestry (sugar cane and forestry plantations), built-up settlement and mining. These changes engendered complete loss of biodiversity (floral and migration of fauna). Bare ground, signifying land degradation, was noticeable although it exhibited a fluctuating trend which could be attributable to differences between the various imagery used. Along with population growth, the area of settlements increased over the study period and spatially sprawled from urban areas. Settlements showed a fairly stable spatial configuration over the 20-year period, but became magnified in medium- and high-density areas. Grassland and wetlands occurring around Richards Bay, as well as indigenous forest near Port Durnford, were identified as critically threatened ecosystems. The proposed industrial development zone and port expansion were recognized as having adverse ecological implications for wetlands. The study concluded that significant land cover changes occurred in the form of natural land cover giving way to monotypical agroforestry, built-up settlements and mining - all to the detriment of pristine natural habitat.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veelvlakkige probleem van omgewingsdegradasie en die gepaardgaande veelsoortige impakte lok navorsing uit verskillende dissiplines, wat lei tot verskillende definisies van die konsep. Tog is die meeste navorsers dit eens dat menslike invloede die sentrale element is wat die toestand van die omgewing verswak. Van die vele menslike aktiwiteite is grondgebruikverandering uitgesonder as die belangrikste beïnvloeder van agteruitgang van die omgewing. Veral vinnige en onbeplande grondgebruikveranderinge verteenwoordig die primêre manifestasies van hierdie probleem. UMhlathuze Munisipaliteit, die studiegebied met 'n hoë biodiversiteitsrykdom, is een van die vinnigste groeiende munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika, waar 'n verskeidenheid nywerheids- en residensiële ontwikkelings beduidende grondgebruikverandering oor die afgelope dekades dryf. Met behulp van Landsat TM beelde van 1984, 1996 en 2004, is hierdie studiegebied gekarteer en oppervlaktes gekwantifiseer om grondgebruikverandering en verwante manifestasies van die agteruitgang van landbedekking in die uMhlathuze Munisipaliteit te konstateer. Tesame hiermee is die verdigting van nedersettings ook met behulp van ortofoto’s van 1984 en 2004 aangeteken. Bevolkingsensusstatistieke is ontleed as weerspieëling van die gepaardgaande bevolkingsdinamika en om moontlike oorsake van verandering in grondbedekking te bepaal. Vir hierdie doel is geografiese inligtingstegnologie (GIT ) as analitiese instrument toegepas. Die resultate toon antropogeniese invloede lei tot veranderinge in grondbedekking oor die tydperk van 20 jaar tussen 1984 en 2004. Die dominante natuurlike dekkingsklasse in 1984 het voortdurend verminder en menslik-gedomineerde kategorieë het teen 2004 skerp gestyg. Baie van die grasvelde, woude en vleilande is daadwerklik omskep tot monotipiese agro-bosbou (suikerrieten bosbouplantasies), beboude nedersetting en mynbou. Hierdie veranderinge behels 'n volledige verlies van biodiversiteit (plantegroei en migrasie van fauna). Kaalgrond, wat dui op die agteruitgang van grondbedekking, was ook opvallend, hoewel dit 'n wisselende tendens toon wat ook kan wees as gevolg van die verskille tussen die beeldmateriaal wat gebruik is. Saam met die groei van die bevolking is bevind dat nedersettings oor die studieperiode toegeneem het en in tipiese spreipatrone weg van die stedelike gebiede uitbrei. Nedersettings het 'n redelik stabiele ruimtelike liggingsopset oor die tydperk van 20 jaar getoon, maar het in medium- en hoë- digtheid gebiedeverdeel. Die voorkoms van grasveld en vleiland rondom Richardsbaai, asook inheemse woud naby Port Durnford, is geïdentifiseer as krities-bedreigde ekosisteme. Die voorgestelde nywerheidsontwikkelingsone en hawe-uitbreiding is geïdentifiseer as ontwikkelings met nadelige ekologiese implikasies vir vleilande. Daar is dus tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat beduidende voortgaande grondbedekkingveranderinge in die gebied voorkom, waarin natuurlike landdekking transformeer tot monotipiese agrobosbou, beboude nedersettings en mynbou - alles tot nadeel van die ongerepte natuurlike habitat.

Chapter 1. We develop a model of NGO-firm partnerships. An NGO can share environmental expertise with one or two competing firms, and certify their 'clean' production, important for consumers with environmental concerns. The NGO may also obtain funds from a partner firm for an environmental project, important for consumers who derive project participation warm-glow. The NGO benefits from reduced environmental damage and project realization, while firms may gain or avoid loss of profitable custom. This model allows us to understand increasingly common partnerships between firms and NGOs as mutually beneficial in a competitive setting. 'Clean' production and/or the project may be independently viable on the market, supported by consumer preferences. A viable project can then support adoption of a non-viable 'clean' technology, leading to a 'cleaner' market. However, when 'clean' production is viable, we identify a 'dirty' production damage threshold below which the NGO prefers to obtain funds for a non-viable project and partners on production with only one firm, rather than forgo the project and partner on 'clean' production with both firms instead. Moreover, this damage threshold is increasing in consumers' environmental concern, and thus can generate counterintuitive situations: less environmental concern leads to a 'cleaner' market, whereas more concern leads to a 'dirtier' market. Chapter 2. Consumers choosing amongst horizontally-differentiated products (brands) that also embody some degree of an environmental attribute, suffer stigma if they make brown choices. The intensity of that stigmatization is declining in the fraction of other consumers making similarly brown decisions. It is common to suppose that people feeling such stigma would improve environmental outcomes. We show that while the threat of stigma makes it more likely that a consumer will choose the green option from a given menu, it can reduce the incentives for firms to offer green options in the first place. In an asymmetric duopoly setting social stigma can lower or increase the likelihood of clean technology adoption and in plausible circumstances drives the high-cost firm into a 'brown trap' or the low-cost firm into a 'green trap'. While increased competition reduces the 'green trap', it exacerbates the 'brown trap'. Chapter 3. The effect of warm-glow on number of NGOs and welfare is investigated within a charity market with ideologically differentiated public goods. In this setting ideology acts as a warm-glow multiplier on donations and high enough warm-glow can push welfare into negative territory — welfare would be higher if nobody donated. Under first-best we find that an optimal number of NGOs exists even though NGOs have no costs. Under free-entry we obtain the level of warm-glow that would induce the welfare-maximizing number of NGOs to enter. A social planner can determine donor population to behave overall as if they were experiencing the welfare-maximizing level of warm-glow, and thus optimize free-entry welfare, through one of two equivalent and revenue-neutral fiscal policies: by subsidizing/taxing donations either at the source, when the donors make them, or at the destination, when the NGOs receive them.

This study presents a systematic assessment of landscape experiences in the state of Arizona through the use of mail survey techniques. It investigates how residents perceive and experience the everyday nonurban landscape and identifies where valued landscape experiences occur, what activities are associated with those locations and why those places and activities are highly valued. Geographic and socio-economic differences in landscape experiences are explored among survey respondents and information is provided to resource managers for predicting valued outdoor activities and environmental experiences. The overall aims of this research were to develop ways of studying environmental experiences that would: (1) identify the places, the activities, and the reasons for engaging in those activities related to outdoor experiences; (2) indicate the relationships among these three components; and (3) assess the probable influence of personal background characteristics and place of residence variables upon these judgments, choices, and relationships. Findings suggest considerable agreement among respondents on the components of valued landscape experiences and show that different landscape types are supportive of different outdoor activities and of different kinds of experiences. Also revealed was a tendency by respondents to select items occupying positions at the beginning of reponse listings. Analyses also indicate few significant relationships between components of valued landscape experiences and socio-economic characteristics of respondents and between components of valued landscape experiences place of residence variables including geographic location, community size, and familiarity with or awareness of specific landscapes.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the degree of relationship between neurotoxic chemicals in the blood of chemically sensitive patients and psychoneurological functioning. Blood samples were drawn from 30 patients being treated for environmental illness. All patients were administered a standardized intermediate psychoneurological examination. Results indicate a significant positive relationship between psychoneurological (cognitive neurobehavioral) functioning and the number of and total parts per billion of certain environmental toxins (solvents) in the blood of the subjects. The symptoms most commonly exhibited included deficits in short-term memory, problems with coordination and motor sequencing, somatosensory deficits, and cognitive dysfunction.

Eating disorder symptoms are serious and prevalent problems in industrialized societies. Although many studies have individually investigated the influence of environmental factors on the development of eating disorder symptoms, few have considered the relative and cumulative impact of various contexts within the same study. The current study was conducted to examine the influence of the mass media, mothers, and peers on the development of eating disorder symptomology in male and female adolescents using an ecological model proposed by Bronfenbrenner (1977, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1995). Specifically investigated were students' perceptions of pressures exerted by the media and significant others to lose weight and be physically attractive. Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade adolescents in a suburban community were surveyed through self-report questionnaires; the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), select subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), and a modified version of the Multidimensional Media Influence Scale (MMIS). Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that female students acknowledged higher levels of eating disorder symptomology and higher perceived pressures from mothers and the media than did males. Significant grade level differences were found only in levels of body dissatisfaction between sophomores and juniors. Canonical correlations showed that those students who perceived greater pressures across environmental contexts also reported more eating disorder symptomology. Further analyses of these findings are described. Implications for future research and prevention programs are discussed.
Department of Educational Psychology

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018.
The oil industry has been a major contributor to economic development in many countries; providing jobs, revenue, infrastructure and businesses to third parties. However, this development has also come with adversity on the physical environment. The oil industry accounts for the highest Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in the world, making it the number one polluter. In addition, South Africa has been regarded as the biggest polluter in Africa, with fossil-based fuel cited as the major cause of environmental degradation. South Africa’s physical environment is also cited as having degraded more than most countries in Africa. This proposition requires players in the oil industry to urgently address this situation. As the future of economic development is likely to be spearheaded by the oil industry, concerns have been raised at the slow rate of addressing oil companies’ operations which causes the environment to be less sustainable. This study uses a qualitative content analysis to explore the oil companies’ actions towards addressing environmental adversity caused by their unsustainable operations. In order to be environmental sustainable, oil companies must; incorporate environmental sustainability into missions and visions, financial investment into sustainable initiatives, involve top management in environmental programs, engage stakeholder, comply and align organisational processes and operations with environmental legislations and introducing renewable energy.

This thesis examines pond aquaculture as a development strategy in the Philippines, with particular reference to its impact on the local environment and the livelihoods of local people.
A theoretical framework is provided by recent literature in development studies and human geography, which attempts to move away from an essentialist and ethnocentric development praxis, and towards a locally-based, participatory process of empowerment. From the perspective of such 'alternative' development ideas, orthodox strategies involving modernization, formalization of economic activities, and resource mobilization, can be reassessed.
The promotion of pond aquaculture--and the widespread mangrove deforestation associated with it--is shown to be a strategy endorsed and supported by national and international development agencies. What is often overlooked, however, is the local ecological and economic importance of mangrove ecosystems. This study examines the effects of mangrove removal and fishpond development on the entitlements of people in three coastal communities in the Philippines. Aquacultural development is shown to have detrimental effects on the integrity of the coastal ecosystem and the livelihoods of certain groups of local residents; a rich common property resource is converted into a privately-owned system of cultivation. While benefits accrue to those with access to the capital necessary for the construction of fishponds, the costs of development are borne largely by mangrove gatherers and artisanal fisherfolk, whose share of a diminishing resource base is steadily declining. For these marginal groups, aquaculture is shown to provide few compensating economic benefits.
The study supports, through concrete local evidence, the criticisms made of orthodox approaches to development, and the need to construct attitudes and strategies which are more attuned to local sustainability and equity.

This study sought to investigate the relevance of Person-Environment (P-E) fit amongst Human Resource (HR) graduates from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) within the Nelson Mandela Metropole (NMM). A secondary objective of this study was to determine whether P-E fit was a determinant of Human Resource (HR) graduates’ migration. The study comprised a pilot study and main study (n=50). The study was qualitative in nature, but incorporated a quantitative research component to support the qualitative research findings. Results showed that HR graduates from the NMMU perceived P-E fit as important. Immense emphasis was placed on achieving P-E fit by means of finding employment related to Human Resource Management (HRM). The lack of P-E fit, amongst HR graduates, was furthermore revealed as a determinant of graduate migration. HR graduates would relocate to pursue a career in HRM. Implications of the findings are that organisations should use the theoretical knowledge of HR graduates to develop their skills and broaden their practical knowledge. This will secure competent future HR managers for the NMM and help to combat scarce skills migrations from the area.

Includes bibliography.
The aim of the present study is to produce, and to begin to illustrate the use of, a theoretical model by which varying attitudes to, and experiences of, wilderness may be understood. A classical Jungian developmental framework is utilised for these purposes. The paper begins with brief definitions of the concepts pertinent to this work followed by a fairly comprehensive summary of Neumann's developmental model. The author's model, constructed on this theoretical basis, is then outlined and applied at a mythological level to the attitudes to wilderness manifest in the Judaeo - Christian religions. In the discussion, indications are given as to how the model might be applied at individual and cultural levels. One person's experience of wilderness is interpreted within the context of the theory followed by a brief discussion on the use of the model in informing therapeutic wilderness programming. Traditional North American Indian and contemporary Western attitudes towards wilderness are then briefly interpreted. It is concluded that this paper illustrates the usefulness of a Jungian model in understanding wilderness experience. Within the context of this framework, the value of a developmental perspective is noted.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Humanity‘s growing separation from nature is central to the convergent social and ecological crises facing earth. This is both a psychological (e.g. perceptual, emotional) and physical (e.g. experiential) disconnect and is therefore better understood as a crisis in consciousness. This research arises out of an intense interest in how to alleviate humanity‘s fading connectedness with nature and, specifically, if meaningful nature experience is capable of healing the divisive ways in which humans tend to think, see and act in the world. This study brings together four core themes: connectedness with nature (CWN), invasive alien species (IAS), and education for sustainability (EfS); each of which are explored around - and in relationship to - the core concept of meaningful nature experience (MNE).1 In doing so, this transdisciplinary research utilizes a theory of complexity to integrate diverse disciplinary perspectives by drawing upon: (conservation) ecology; (environmental-/eco-) psychology; (sustainability) education; and phenomenology as a guiding philosophy. Adopting an interpretivist and pragmatic approach, this research employs mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative/phenomenological analysis) to, firstly, uncover the essences which help describe what MNE feels like (how it appears in consciousness) and that which makes MNE what it is. Secondly, the study explores the relationship between MNE and CWN; the extent to which MNE is perceived to influence attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB); and whether ecological change as experienced through IAS may affect MNE or, in turn, how MNE and CWN influence perceptions on IAS. Thirdly, the research examines the implications of the above for EfS: is there merit for integrating MNE and CWN in EfS? What would such a process look like and how can it be applied in a way which revitalizes EfS? Finally, as a form of heuristic inquiry, this study represents my process of conscious transformative learning. Reflective narratives are dispersed throughout this dissertation to capture this enriching personal journey. Research findings draw on over 200 unique accounts of MNEs which were elicited from: online and public questionnaires; in-depth interviews, email submissions and complemented by in-situ field observation and participation. The questionnaires and in-depth interviews also elicited responses on CWN, IAS and EfS. The research finds that a MNE is triggered by an unexpected encounter with the 'non-ordinary‘ in nature. It is characterized by heightened sensory awareness (e.g. the beauty and detail of natural phenomena arrest our attention), intensified emotional (e.g. awe, amazement) and physiological responses (e.g. a 'rush‘). If an animal is involved, close proximity, extended length of time and reciprocity are key themes. For a MNE not involving an animal, perceived aliveness, vibrancy and energy pervading the land-/ sea-/ sky-scape is primary. As mind meets matter, one feels interrelatedness and a diminished sense of self. The privilege to commune with an 'other‘ (re)defines a person‘s being and belonging in the world. Synchronicity as a MNE is distinctive as an uncanny (e.g. numinous) experience of: insight; flow; guidance; a 'knowing‘; and interconnectedness. Respondents who have had a MNE exhibit a higher CWN; a positive correlation exists between frequency of MNE (fMNE) and CWN. Stronger correlations with CWN were found when a wild animal was involved in the MNE. Spiritual / religious practices positively correlate with fMNE and CWN with regular displays of gratitude toward nature returning slightly stronger correlations with CWN. Strongest correlations were found between the experience of synchronicity and CWN. A qualitative analysis of respondents‘ MNEs and their responses on how they perceive their MNE(s) to have changed them, found multiple and diverse mention of (newfound) appreciations of (inter)connectedness. This suggests that MNE acts as a conduit for CWN: one powerful MNE may be sufficient to catalyse the process; however, a higher fMNE increases the likelihood for heightened CWN. Such results affirm the idea that MNEs facilitate a relational worldview necessary for a consciousness attuned to CWN. CWN is considered to be a reliable predictor for ERB. Over 90% agreement was found between respondents on the positive impact of MNEs in: shaping their views on nature and biodiversity; influencing their current behaviour and actions toward nature and the environment; and heavily influencing, changing or transforming their outlooks on life. The most common themes to emerge on how MNE was perceived to have changed respondents related to understanding of (inter)connectedness/interdependence; career choice; respect for nature / life; and new ways of seeing the world. This supports the premise that, by affectively bonding with nature, MNEs can motivate: ERB; life paths into conservation-minded careers; and serve as catalysts for personal growth and transformation, particularly when complemented with reflection, social (guided) facilitation and ecological literacy. The presence of IAS in landscape is likely to adversely affect MNE for stated reasons of ecological impacts, diminished 'naturalness‘, destructiveness and reduced diversity. Those viewing IAS as potentially enhancing their MNEs cite reasons of beauty, novelty and enjoyment. Respondents‘ CWN does not appear to affect perceptions of IAS; however, elevated CWN may invoke empathy, a sense of relatedness and appreciation of their intrinsic value as 'life‘. IAS may also feature in MNEs and, through experiential and metaphorical insight, can deliver newfound understandings of social and ecological connections as they relate to IAS. Respondents concur that today‘s education does not prepare society to learn from MNE: overwhelming agreement was found on the societal and ecological benefits of an education that promotes understanding of MNE through a blend of intellectual concepts; experiential activities; values and ethics; and integrated learning approaches. Experiential nature-based activities were encouraged as vital EfS vehicles for enhancing sensory awareness; respect for nature; ecological knowledge and encountering connectedness. In-depth interviewees saw future EfS opportunities and solutions as focusing more on: participating with nature; bridging spirituality and science; facilitating 'openness‘ and shared experience; instilling values reflecting an interconnected reality; mentoring; contemporary rites of passage; and simply learning to live better. The essence of this research is an expanded appreciation of connectedness - embodying Nature, Community, Self, Source - and the manifold ways it is encountered through MNE. Revitalized EfS (realized through Theory edU) invites a consciousness that attends to an enlivening process of connecting, harmonizing and becoming.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bring vier kern temas na vore: verbintenis met die natuur (VMN), indringende uitheemse spesies (IUS), en opvoeding vir volhoubaarheid (OVV); waarvan elk verken is rondom – en in verhouding is tot die kern konsep van betekenisvolle natuur ervaring 2 (BNE). Deur dit te doen, wend hierdie transdisiplinêre studie 'n teorie van kompleksiteit aan om diverse dissiplinêre perspektiewe te integreer deur gebruik te maak van: bewarings ekologie; omgewings-/eko- sielkunde; onderwys; en femenologie as 'n rigtinggewende filosofie. Deur 'n interpretatiewe en pragmatiese benadering aan te neem, is gemengde metodes (kwantitatief en kwalitatief / femenologiese analise) gebruik om eerstens die essensies wat help om te beskryf hoe BNE voel (hoe dit in die bewussyn voorkom) en dit wat BNE maak wat dit is, te ontbloot. Tweedens verken die studie die verhouding tussen BNE en VMN; die mate waartoe BNE beskou word om houdings en omgewings verantwoordelike gedragte beïnvloed (OVG); en of ekologiese verandering soos deur IUS ervaar word BNE kan affekteer, of, op sy beurt, hoe BNE en VMN persepsies van IUS kan beïnvloed. Derdens bestudeer die navorsing implikasies van die bogenoemde vir OVV: is daar meriete vir die integrasie van BNE en VMN in OVV? Hoe sal so 'n proses lyk en hoe kan dit toegepas word op 'n manier wat OVV weer nuwe lewe sal gee? Ten einde, as 'n vorm van heuristiese ondersoek, stel hierdie studie my proses van bewuste transformatiewe leer voor. Reflektiewe narratiewe is regdeur die proefskrif versprei om hierdie verrykende persoonlike reis vas te lê. Navorsing bevindinge gebruik meer as 200 unieke verklarings van BNE‘s wat aan die lig gebring is deur: aanlyn en publieke vraelyste; in-diepte onderhoude, e-pos indienings en dit is gekomplementeer deur in-situ veld observasie en deelname. Die vraelyste en in-diepte onderhoude het ook reaksies op VMN, IUS en OVV ontlok. Die navorsing het bevind dat 'n BNE word veroorsaak deur 'n onverwagste ontmoeting met die 'nie-gewone‘ in die natuur. Dit word gekarakteriseer deur verhoogde sensoriese bewustheid (bv. die prag en besonderhede van natuurlike verskynsels beset ons aandag), versterkde emosionele (bv. verwondering en verbasing) en psigologiese reaksies (bv. 'n stormloop). Indien 'n dier betrokke is, is nabyheid, verlengde duur van tyd en wederkerigheid sleutel temas. Vir 'n BNE wat nie 'n dier insluit nie, is waarneembare lewendigheid, dinamiek en energie wat die landskap / see / luglandskap deurdring primêr. Soos wat die gees die stof ontmoet, voel 'n mens 'n onderlinge verband en 'n verminderde sin van die self. Die voorreg om in noue aanraking met 'n 'ander‘ te kan wees (her)definieër 'n persoon se wese en behoort in die wêreld. 'Synchronicity‘ as 'n BNE is kenmerkend as 'n ongelooflike (bv. numineuse) ervaring van: insig, vloei, leiding; 'n 'wete‘; en onderlinge verbintenis. Respondente wat 'n BNE gehad het, het 'n hoër VMN getoon; 'n positiewe korrelasie bestaan tussen die frekwensie van BNE (fBNE) en VMN. Sterker korrelasies met VMN was gevind in die geval waar 'n wilde dier in die BNE betrokke was. Geestelike / religieuse praktyke korreleer positief met fBNE en VMN waar gewone openbarings van dankbaarheid tot die natuur effens sterker korrelasies met VMN terugbring. Die sterkste korrelasies was gevind tussen die ervaring van 'synchronicity‘ en VMN. 'n Kwalitatiewe analise van respondente se BNE‘s en hul response van hoe hulle hul BNE(s) as dit wat hul verander het, beskou, het veelvoudige en diverse antwoorde van (nuutgevonde) erkennings van (onderlinge) verbintenis navore gebring. Dit dui daarop dat BNE as 'n toevoerbuis vir VMN optree: een kragtige BNE mag voldoende wees om die proses te kataliseer; aan die anderkant verhoog 'n hoër fBNE die waarskynlikheid vir verhoogde VMN. Sulke resultate bevestig die idee dat BNEs 'n relasionele wêreldbeskouing is wat nodig is vir 'n bewustheid wat ingestel is vir VMN. VMN word as 'n betroubare voorspelling vir OVG beskou. Meer as 90% van respondente was in ooreenstemming ten opsigte van die positiewe impak van BNEs in: die vorming van hul beskouings van die natuur, biodiversiteit; beïnvloeding van hul huidige gedrag en aksies tot die natuur en die omgewing; en hoe dit hul vooruitsigte op die lewe hewig beïnvloed, verander of transformeer. Die meesal gemene temas wat ontluik het, was oor die beskouing van hoe BNE respondente se verstaan aangaande (onderlinge)verbintenis / onafhanklikheid; beroepskeuse; respek vir die natuur / lewe; en nuwe maniere om na die wêreld te kyk, verander het. Dit ondersteun die uitgangspunt, dat deur affektiewelik met die natuur in verbinding te tree, BNEs gemotiveer kan word: OVG; lewens paaie tot bewaring-gesinde beroepe; en as katalisators dien vir persoonlike groei en transformasie, veral as dit met refleksie, sosiale (begeleide) fassilitering en ekologiese geletterdheid gekomplimenteer word. Die teenwoordigheid van IUS in 'n landskap kan waarskynlik BNE nadelig affekteer weens verklaarbare redes van ekologiese impakte, afneembare 'natuurlikheid', verwoestendheid en verminderde diversiteit. Diegene wat IUS as iets positief tot hul ervaring beskou, verskaf redes soos skoonheid, nuutheid en genot. Dit wil voorkom of deelnemers se VMN nie algemene persepsies van IUS affekteer nie; alhoewel, verhoogde VMN empatie, verwantskap en waardering vir hul intrinsieke waarde as 'lewe' mag oproep. IUS mag ook in BNE vertoon en deur ervarings- en metaforiese insig, kan dit waardevolle nuut-bevinde begrippe van sosiale en ekologiese verbande soos wat hulle aansluit by die probleem van IUS, lewer. Respondente is dit eens dat vandag se onderwys nie die samelewing voorberei om te leer van BNE nie: oorweldigende ooreenstemming was gevind aangaande die maatskaplike en ekologiese voordele van onderwys wat die verstaan van BNE bevorder deur middel van 'n vermenging van intellektuele konsepte; ervarings leeraktiwiteite; waardes en etiek; en geïntegreerde leer benaderings. Ervarings leer natuur-gebaseerde aktiwiteite was aangemoedig as essensiële middels vir OVV vir die verhoging van sensoriese bewussyn; respek vir die natuur, ekologiese kennis en die teëkoming van verbintenis. In-diepte ondervraagdes het geleenthede en oplossings vir toekomstige OVV gesien in terme van 'n groter fokus op: deelname aan die natuur; die orbruging van spiritualiteit en wetenskap; fassilitering van 'oopheid‘ en gedeelde ervaring; vestiging van waardes wat 'n onderlinge verbonde realiteit reflekteer; mentorskap; kontemporêre deurgangsrites; en om eenvoudig te leer om beter te lewe. Die kern van hierdie navorsing behels 'n toenemende waardering van verbintenis – beliggaming van die Natuur, Gemeenskap, Self, Bron – en die menigvuldige maniere waar op dit deur BNE ondervind is. Hernude OVV (soos ontdek deur Theory edU) nooi 'n bewustheid uit wat aandag skenk aan 'n verlewendige proses van verbintenis, harmonisering en wording.

The Canadian Arctic is a region that greatly contrasts with the remainder of Canada, particularly the main area of settlement: the thin strip of land in southern Canada along the United States boundary. Since Canadian military personnel come primarily from southern Canada, being sent to an arctic installation places them in an unfamiliar, confined, isolated and potentially threatening environment that may expose them to social and psychological stresses that they are unprepared to encounter. Planning of an arctic military installation must consider physical design constraints such as construction in areas of permafrost and physical protection from the harsh natural environment. However, planning should also consider the social and psychological needs of the inhabitants. The purpose of this thesis is to identify measures that should be considered in planning a Canadian arctic military installation in order to alleviate the social and psychological stresses of this unique environment. The scope is limited to investigating primarily the military environment, although relevant material is drawn from other sources through a literature review. In order to identify the stresses of this environment, to understand their potential effects, and to suggest measures to alleviate these effects, a explicit concept of stress is required. A literature review is used to discuss the concept of stress and define a model of stress that is applied in the subsequent analysis in the thesis. This model, the transactional or interactional model, emphasizes the individuality of the experience of stress. Stress is a dynamic phenomenon that includes the capacity of an individual to not only cope with stress, but also learn from the coping experience. The experience of stress is a process affected by the characteristics of the environment, the characteristics of the individual and the relationship between the individual and his natural, man-made and social environment. A second literature review is conducted to discuss the potential social and psychological stresses that could apply to military personnel posted to the unique environment of a Canadian arctic military installation. The more salient characteristics of this environment that imply social and psychological stresses are those of isolation and confinement. Efforts suggested in the literature aimed at either avoiding or ameliorating the incidence of stress in an isolated and confined environment include actions that would be taken: a. in the design of the station built environment; b. in the screening and selection of station personnel; c. during the indoctrination training of personnel prior to deployment; and d. throughout the operation of the station. These measures were applied, via a case study of Canadian Forces Station Alert, to gauge their relevancy in planning a Canadian arctic military installation. Many of these measures are currently in practice; however, particular characteristics of the Canadian military and an arctic military station make changes in specific emphasis. Characteristics which apply are those of: a. the differences in station size; b. the differences in climate and natural environment; c. the need to maintain continuous station operation without the disruption of complete member rotation; d. the limited source population from which to select members for service in the Arctic; e. a station composed of service persons of the Canadian military is typically more homogeneous in composition; f. the differences in the circumstances under which the members are employed, as Canadian service members in the Arctic are less likely to be volunteers; g. the members of the Canadian Forces have already had some experience in postings to isolated environments; and h. the marital status of members has particular importance due to the added difficulities for service families.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

This study was carried out on the main coal-producing and the extensively block-faulted area of Mchenga Coal Mine, southeast of the 90 km2 intracratonic Livingstonia Coalfield in the north of Malawi. It was initiated against the background of indistinct information on coal geology, shortage of energy and potential environmental threats due to mine activities. The study aimed at integrating investigations of characterization of the lithostratigraphy, coal seam correlation, coal quality determination, examination of the mineralogy and geochemistry of coal and hosts rocks, assessment of water quality and providing information for mining and potential environmental and water quality impact assessment in the study area. The methodologies used in this study include literature review, field visits, mapping, sites selection and characterization, borehole logging, geochemical analyses, data processing and interpretation. The geochemical analyses include proximity analysis of coal quality, microscopy and X-ray Diffraction for mineralogy and petrology, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for rock geochemistry and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for determination water geochemistry. The results have shown that a) The Coal Measures comprises of four to six coal seams in different localities, and the occurrence is flat and gently dipping southeast and are correlated. Thicknesses of the coal seams vary from 0.10m to 3.0m with some notable lateral and horizontal variations. Thick and workable seams occupy the lower portion of the Coal Measures and are exposed along the North Rumphi River bank; b) Coal quality belongs to sub-bituminous ‘A’ to ‘C’ on ASTM classification (1991), being characterised by low moisture content (0.8 to 1.3 wt percent) and sulphur content (0.49 to 0.85 wt percent), high ash content (9.0 to 17 wt percent) and volatile matter (24 to 32.9 wt percent), fixed carbon (53.6 to 62.6 wt percent), calorific value (7,015 to 7,670 kcal/kg); c) Mineral matters constitute approximately 9.55 to 38.34 wt percent of the coal samples, predominantly clays (interstratified illite/smectite and kaolinite) with varying proportions of quartz, mica and feldspars, as well as minor calcite and pyrite and their geochemistry, being characterised by enrichment of SiO2 from 5.37 to 20.56 wt percent, Al2O3 (2.63 to 11.21 wt percent) and K2O (0.32 to 3.65 wt percent) with trace concentrations of CaO (0.04 to 0.41 wt. percent), MgO (0.08 to 0.65 wt percent) and P2O5 (0.018 to 0.037 wt percent) and Na2O concentration notably below 0.01 wt percent; d) Calcite and pyrite constitute minor concentration in both sandstones and shales; e) Water quality in the area is characterised as two groups of acidic (pH 3.3-6.4) and near-neutral to slightly alkaline (pH 6.9-7.3) and low pH, high TDS, SO42- and EC are noted at the coal crusher plant which points out to high leaching of trace elements such as Pb and Fe. Na++K+ are dominant in upper sections of North Rumphi and Mhlepa Rivers. Ca2+ cations are dominant at crusher plant, underground mine and lower section of Mhlepa; f) Based on the geochemistry analysis, Na and trace elements such as Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Zn, Rb, Sr and Zr from coal and host rocks have the ability to contribute significantly to deterioration in the ground and surface water quality in the study area. It can be concluded that the coals of the Livingstonia Coalfield belong to Gondwana group deposited in sub-basin with multiple seams embedded in sandstone and shale host rocks.

A major problem emanating from the trade/environment conflict is the use of trade measures, such as restrictions and sanctions, as tools for environmental protection. Proponents of free trade argue that the use of these measures is tantamount to abuse of environmental standards for protectionist ends. This is particularly so if the imposition of the standard amounts to a unilateral act which blocks the entry of a specified product into the market of another member state for reasons other than environmental protection. Environmentalists at the same time argue that free trade will lead to environmental degradation and therefore advocate for the use of trade-restrictive measures to safeguard against the destruction of the environment. The GATT has proved problematic when it comes to the resolution of trade/environment conflicts. The GATT aims at trade liberalisation yet most environmental policies are enforced through trade-restrictive devices like quotas and licences. Article XX of the GATT is anomalous: it does not explicitly mention the environment, yet member states rely on it as an environmental protection clause. This thesis discusses the various issues emanating from the trade/environmental debate. The history of Article XX is reviewed and the issues that arise in the adjudication of Articles XX (b) and (g) in a trade/environment context are analysed in light of the decisions by the GATTIWTO dispute settlement bodies. The role played by Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in protecting the environment is discussed. However, the relationship between MEAs and the WTO is also scrutinised as these rule-making bodies often come into conflict: firstly, because they serve two differing interests - on the one hand, MEAs allow for the use of trade restrictive measures in environmental agreements and on the other, the WTO calls for unrestricted trade unless exceptional circumstances exist; and secondly, member states that are party to both the WTO and MEAs are often forced to subscribe to international trade rules that are incompatible with those in environmental agreements. The trade/environmental debate is important to both the developed and developing worlds. The developed world is in favour of environmental policies which protect the environment from degradation. On the other hand, the developing world is in desperate need of the benefits of trade liberalisation so as to cater for high unemployment rates and poor economic growth. The question thus arises as to whether, when environmental issues are promoted, developing countries will not suffer at the expense of developed nations which may engage in protectionist measures under the pretext of environmental conservation. The divide between developed and developing countries is illustrated in Chapter 5 through case studies on coal mining in the USA and South Africa. The conclusion reached is that total co-operation is essential between developed and developing states for success in safeguarding the environment from degradation. Accordingly, the trade/environmental debate cannot be isolated from the conflicting approaches in developed and developing countries. The conclusions in the final chapter seek to strike a balance between trade liberalisation and environmental protection. Recommendations are made on how the trade/environmental challenges could be dealt with and the regulation of trade restrictive devices to exclude, or at least limit, protectionism.

This thesis outlines and undertakes a phenomenological investigation of dwelling in Harlan County, Kentucky, which is located in the central Appalachian coal region. After comparing the phenomenological method of inquiry to other methods of landscape evaluation, this method proved to be a useful tool for understanding dwelling, a concept that is difficult to define or pinpoint through the other methods. Experiencing the front yards of homes in this county was deemed an appropriate vehicle for undertaking this study. Empirical findings, derived from the phenomenological method of inquiry, were used to elucidate the emergence of patterns concerning dwelling. A conserver pattern emerged from the patterns observed. This conclusion is used to support the recommendation that phenomenological investigations be used in the classroom to aid students in the process of the reading the landscape for clues to more appropriate design decisions for dwelling.
Master of Landscape Architecture

Conventional waste water treatment processes are not completely effective in removing highly stable organic compounds. Photocatalytic degradation on titanium dioxide is a possible alternative technique for many classes of these compounds. Several studies have been done by other researchers to study mechanisms of photocatalytic degradation, which occurs either through direct oxidation by holes or via indirect oxidation by radical messengers. Titanium dioxide can oxidize substrates directly through hole oxidation mechanisms or indirectly through free radical mechanisms. Substrates must bind onto the catalyst surface to undergo direct oxidation by holes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed on four different classes of compounds; iodinated contrast agents (iohexol and diatrizoate), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (perylene and pyrene), the antibacterial agent triclosan and the pesticide atrazine, to investigate which of the compounds are adsorbed on the surface of titanium dioxide to undergo direct oxidation through electron holes. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was conducted on triclosan and atrazine to determine if the desorption reaction is endothermic or exothermic. Powder X-ray diffraction was performed on all four classes of compounds to observe diffraction pattern of these compounds.

Harvesting of forested wetlands in the Atlantic and Gulf lower coastal plains has the potential to cause intense site disturbance. Often, as a result of poor pre-harvest planning, silvicultural activities are performed on wetland soils highly susceptible to rutting and puddling. Potential decreases in pine productivity have been connected with increased soil strength and decreased aeration that are commonly remnants of site disturbances associated with wet-weather harvesting. A simple and economical rating system is needed to identify soils susceptible to disturbance by various types of equipment. The use of such a system could lower the impact on wetland soils and lower the cost of extensive site preparation methods. Logging efficiency and operational productivity could also be increased by identifying equipment types compatible with site conditions. The purpose of this study was to characterize and model soil strength as a function of soil physical properties and site characteristics. The soil strength model was subsequently used to develop a trafficability hazard index. Forested wetland sites in the South Carolina coastal plain were characterized to develop the trafficability hazard index. The study site consisted of three blocks located on poorly drained loblolly pine plantations. Five sequences of measurements were taken consisting of soil moisture, water table depth, and soil strength. The five sequences of measurements were taken over a wide range of soil moisture contents and water table depths to characterize the effects on soil strength. Bulk density, porosity, texture, organic matter, and hydraulic conductivity were also determined to characterize the blocks and identify effects on soil strength. Evaluating the effects of these properties on soil strength identified two relatively easily determined soil properties that could be used for the trafficability index. Volumetric moisture content and penetration resistance of the A horizon were used due to their relationships with trafficability and ease of determination. Estimates of pressure applied to the soil by harvesting equipment were used to find the limits of the sandy loam A horizon to support various types of equipment. Equipment pressures were compared to soil penetration resistance pressures estimated by soil moisture. The trafficability hazard index presented used general ground pressures for various harvesting equipment, but use of specific equipment pressures would provide the best results. Using the trafficability hazard index, sites with less than optimal conditions for traffic can be avoided or special harvesting equipment can be identified to limit site disturbance.
Master of Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006.
Zimring, Craig, Committee Chair ; Kohl, Harold W., Committee Member ; Bafna, Sonit, Committee Member ; Sparling, Phillip, Committee Member ; Day, Kristen, Committee Member.

Many dangerous or tragic events such as airplane crashes and medical errors are often the result of human errors, and these errors are often the result of a professional worker being interrupted during a critical task. Although their impact can be serious, the ways that interruptions are affected by the physical environment have rarely been examined in the study of architecture. Therefore, this thesis investigates how the physical environment helps manage the interruptions by observing the process of medication administration by nurses in hospital units. Nurse shadowing observation data showed that the level of visibility of work areas in and around nurse stations significantly contributed to the number of interruptions initiated by others. Therefore, this thesis concludes that the physical environment affects interruption events and discusses the design implications of observation-based findings and the potential impact of the physical environment on major clinical errors. As for future directions for investigation, this thesis suggests that interruptions become a more prominent subject for consideration in architecture, and the physical environment as a subject for analyzing interruption and performance in human factors and health care.

Thesis (MTech (Chemistry))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an alarming group of organic substances for humans and environmental organisms due to their ubiquitous presence, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. They are semi-volatile substances which result from the fusion of carbon and hydrogen atoms and constitute a large group of compounds containing two to several aromatic rings in their molecule. Natural processes and several anthropogenic activities involving complete or incomplete combustion of organic substances such as coal, fossil fuel, tobacco and other thermal processes, generally result in the release of the PAHs into the environment. However, the fate of the PAHs is of great environmental concern due to their tendency to accumulate and their persistence in different environmental matrices and their toxicity. Animal studies have revealed that an excessive exposure to PAHs can be harmful. Evidence of their carcinogenic, mutagenic, and immune-suppressive effects has been reported in the literature. In the soil environment, they have the tendency to be absorbed by plants grown on soil being contaminated by the PAHs. It is, therefore, important to evaluate their occurrence levels in different environmental matrices such as soil concentrations.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nigeria is a country that has witnessed ongoing – albeit sporadic – violent conflict since its independence in 1960 from Britain. A brutal civil war, known as the Biafra war, lasting from 1967 to 1970, was not to end social tensions in this ethnically diverse country. Violent conflict has been an ongoing reality since the end of the Biafra war in 1970. In addition, Nigeria has exhibited substantial environmental degradation and resource scarcity during this time. Hence, this study assesses whether environmental degradation and resource scarcity are independent causes of domestic violent conflict in Nigeria since the end of the Biafra war. Additionally, rich reserves of natural non-renewable resources – in particular the prevalence of oil – are analysed vis-à-vis the degradation and growing scarcity of renewable resources in order to consider the impact both these aspects have on post civil war conflict in Nigeria. In order to achieve this, this study concerns itself primarily with causation. It considers two aspects in this regard. Firstly, it evaluates the assertion that the environment is an independent cause of conflict. That is to say, it investigates the notion that the environment impacts independently on human behaviour. Secondly, it examines the components of the social structure that create conditions that manipulate the environment in such a way that conflict is the ultimate outcome. This study asserts that the agency-structure composite is important to understand in order to examine violent conflict and its relationship with the environment in Nigeria. This relationship-structure-cause premise is examined by using a complex theory framework. Consequently, importance is placed on the causal relationship between violent conflict, environmental degradation and scarcity, natural non-renewable resource dependency and the social, economic and political milieu in which this transpires. This study ascertains that severe environmental change can only be considered a cause of conflict when its impact is considered with other important factors such as economic and political anonymity, which – for the most part – create the milieu in which subsequent violent conflict is the outcome.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nigerië is 'n land wat deurlopend kan getuig, alhoewel sporadies, dat daar sedert sy onafhanklikheid van Brittanje in 1960, geweldadige konflik was. 'n Brutale burgelike oorlog wat geduur het vanaf 1967 to 1970, het geensins die sosiale spanning ge-eindig vir hierdie etniese diverse land nie. Gewelddadige konflik is 'n deurlopende werklikheid sedert die einde van die burgeroorlog in 1970. Daarbenewens het Nigerië uitgestaan vir hul aansienlike agteruitgang van die omgewing en hulpbron-skaarste gedurende hierdie tyd. Vandaar hierdie studie om te bepaal of die omgewing se agteruitgang en hulpbron-skaarste 'n onafhanklike oorsaak is van binnelandse geweldadige konflik in Nigerië, sedert die einde van die burgeroorlog. Daarby, ryk reserwes van natuurlike nie-hernubare hulpbronne, in die besonder die voorkoms van olie wat betref die agteruitgang en die toenemende skaarsheid van hernubare hulpbronne, word ontleed ten einde die impak van hierdie twee aspekte op post-burgeroorlog konflik in Nigerië te oorweeg. Ten einde dit te bereik, gebruik hierdie studie oorsaaklikheidsleer. Daar is twee aspekte in hierdie verband wat in aanmerking geneem word. Eerstens is die bewering dat die omgewing die onafhanklike oorsaak is van konflik. Dit wil sê, dit ondersoek die idée dat die omgewing 'n onafhanklike impak het op menslike gedrag. Dit ondersoek, tweedens, die komponente van die sosiale struktuur wat die omstandighede skep wat die omgewing op so 'n wyse manipuleer, dat konflik die uiteindelike uitkoms is. Hierdie studie beweer dat die agent-struktuur verhouding belangrik is om te verstaan ten einde geweldadige konflik en die verhouding met die omgewing in Nigerië te ondersoek. Hierdie verhouding-struktuur-oorsaak uitgangspunt is ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van 'n komplekse teorie raamwerk. Gevolglik word die belangrikheid geplaas op die oorsaaklike verband tussen gewelddadige konflik, die agteruitgang van die omgewing en skaarsheid, nie-hernubare afhanklikheid en die sosiale, ekonomiese en politieke milieu waarin dit voorkom. Hierdie studie stel vas dat ernstige omgewingsverandering slegs oorweeg kan word as 'n oorsaak van konflik as die impak daarvan oorweeg word met ander belangrike faktore soos ekonomiese en politieke anonimiteit, wat, vir die grootste deel, die omgewing skep waarin die daaropvolgende geweldadige konflik die uitkoms is.

Diante das diversas modificações ambientais que o mundo vem experiênciando, incluindo as transformações do espaço urbano, essa dissertação teve como objetivo estudar o lugar da técnica moderna no fenômeno das desapropriações em uma comunidade pobre e suas repercussões no existir humano. Num primeiro momento apresenta-se brevemente o percurso percorrido pela Psicologia Ambiental, vertente da Psicologia que busca compreender o ser humano frente ao ambiente, em diálogo com outras disciplinas como a Geografia, Arquitetura e Urbanismo, e Biologia. O segundo momento é composto por uma apresentação de fragmentos da obra de Heidegger que, ao perguntar pelo sentido de ser também pergunta pelo sentido de seu habitar e como esse habitar se faz importante para o próprio constituir-se do ser- aí enquanto ser-no-mundo. O trabalho foi realizado a partir da experiência de desapropriação vivida por um grupo de moradores do canal Ibiporã, na comunidade do Coque, localizada na região central da cidade do Recife. Esses moradores, enquanto colaboradores desse trabalho, foram entrevistados com o objetivo de compreender o fenômeno de serem deslocados de suas casas para que uma obra pública fosse executada. Para isso, foi feita uma observação participante em encontros desse grupo a fim de encontrar os cinco colaboradores para essa pesquisa. A partir daí foi utilizada a entrevista narrativa proposta por Flick, assim como o diário de bordo trabalhado por Aún para somar a experiência da pesquisadora à investigação. Como resultados foram encontrados alguns núcleos de sentido como a importância da história da comunidade na vida dos entrevistados, assim como a importância da rede de apoio encontrada no lugar. Também emergiu como núcleo da trama de sentidos os sentimentos de impotência e vergonha diante de uma situação de remoção imposta, o que também foi visto como um incentivo à ocupação irregular dos espaços, configurando um tipo de ciclo vicioso. O apego ao lugar ficou bem marcado nas entrevistas, assim como as dúvidas e a angústia que surgem com relação a um futuro que se torna ainda mais incerto, a partir de diversas mudanças de hábito. Mas, para além de todos esses sentimentos, também é possível ver como essa história de descaso com as pessoas e os lugares tem incentivado esses moradores do Coque a se envolverem com suas existências, formando-se politicamente e/ou valorizando seus espaços.
In face of several environmental changes the world has been experiencing, including the urban spaces variation, this dissertation studied the modern techniques place in expropriations in a poor community and their repercussions for mankind. In the first moment, it will be presented a journey faced by Environmental Psychology, strand that analyses the human beings according to their environment, in dialog with other disciplines like Geography, Architecture and Urbanism, and Biology. The second moment is composed by Heideggers work pieces, which asks about the sense of being, also asks about the sense of living and how this sense is important for this being as part in the world. This work has been done from an expropriation experience lived by Canal do Ibiporã inhabitants, located in Coque community, Recife downtown. These inhabitants were contributors in this work and they were interviewed in order to comprehend the phenomenon of being displaced from their houses so that a public work sector could be executed in this place. For this purpose, a meeting observation had been done in this group with a view to find five contributors for this research. Thereafter, a narrative interview proposed by Flick had been used, as well as a logbook worked by Aún to add the researcher background in the investigation. As results, were found some meaning cores like the importance of the community history on the interviewers lives, in addition to the importance of a support net in that place. It also loomed the impotence and shame feelings as a core plot sense facing a removal imposed situation, which had also been seen as an irregular space occupation incentive, shaping a kind of vicious circle. The place of affection had been intensively marked in the interviews, as well as the doubts and anguishes that appeared towards a future that becomes even more uncertain, because of the several habit changes. Even with all of these feelings and emotions, it was also possible to determine how these people carelessness story has contributed Coque inhabitants to involve themselves in their own experiences, becoming more politically active and valuing assets.

The importance of ecological systems in supporting social systems has been identified as one of the most important facets of sustainable development. Consequently, a number of international and local laws and policy interventions have been established to ensure that natural resource use remains sustainable. In rural areas, overdependence on fuel wood has commonly been identified as one of the biggest threat to forestry ecosystems. This in turn has led to environmental degradation that includes among others species depletion, soil erosion and decline in water and air quality. Based on the myriad problems caused by over-reliance on fuel wood, this study sought to identify usage, management and perceived implication of woodland exploitation in Port St Johns local municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Using interviews and questionnaires for key respondents in the local community, the study identified two key threats to socio-ecological stability resulting from wood fuel exploitation namely; high poverty levels and lack of coordination in the management of wood fuel resources. Apart from using fuel wood for domestic use, local fuel wood exploitation has been commercialized to augment household incomes. Lack of coordination in the management of natural resources has also created a vacuum in the exploitation and management of fuel wood resources. The study did not have inclination towards statistics such as chi-square and t-tests since the research questions and objectives did not refer to any relationship or significance level. The study recommends non-wood based alternative sources of energy, improved coordination and harmonization of functions among different stakeholders and emphasis on collaboration between traditional and local governance in the management fuel wood and the local physical environment. The study further recommends resuscitation of indigenous knowledge and socio-ecological stability